After a couple of hours of searching the gang came to a small nondescript pair of buildings near the lake, to one side was what looked like a boat house and a slipway. To the other was a tall single story building, near the ceiling were small windows running along the side of the building. "This used to be used by my university as a lab until a couple of years ago" said Polly quietly; "The same university McKleef and I went to so he would know about it" The signal from Scooby's radio tag was coming from within. Scooby scouted out the boat house whilst the others looked into the building. Polly and Shaggy stayed in the van and kept watch. Scooby quickly came back and indicated that he had found the monster in the boat house. He also reported that it was hooked up to some kind of charging device; it was a machine, not a real monster. Scooby produced the charger by way of evidence "Row rattery row" he chuckled.
Fred and Daphne had climbed up some overlooking trees to see inside. They could see what looked like benches and lab equipment in the room when some movement caught their eye. A lonely figure was working away at one of the benches, the figure looked up, Daphne nearly dropped her binoculars in shock as she saw Velma's tired sad face gaze at the world outside through a window. Velma got up and shuffled to another bench. They could see that her ankles were shacked together and a long chain was dragging behind her.
A few minutes later everyone was back in the van.
"It's Velma all right" whispered Daphne angrily, "She's been chained up and it looks like she's being forced to do some kind of experiment." Daphne looked ready to kill whoever had done this to her friend.
"Right let's go get her out" said Shaggy, getting up and out of the van, but the pain from his injuries forced him to slow to a crawl after a few yards
"You need to sit this one out Shag," said Fred helping him back in the van "You did the heroics in getting the radio tag to Velma in the first place. You and Polly can get the van in position, there was some logging equipment a short way from here and I've got a simple plan" Daphne rolled her eyes. "Daph's our DIY whiz so she's going to make a new back door for that place, lakeside views and everything." The van headed off and returned a short while later, Fred, Scooby and Daphne headed off to the building while Shaggy and Polly got the Van into position.
Velma shuffled down the aisle of the lab to get some water, thinking about escape and her friends. Images of Shaggy and Daphne had haunted what little sleep she had last night. She was tired, cold and hungry. She refused to believe that the gang would give up on her, but it could take them ages to work out that the skeleton was a fake and start to look for her again so she was working towards her own plan. I'll call it 'B' after the second letter of the alphabet and Patron Saint of plans she thought. Much of the first day had been spent taking stock of what was in the lab, there was liquid nitrogen which could be used to break shackles and take care of the blob and enough chemicals to make explosives to blow a hole in the wall big enough for her to crawl through. Yesterday she had begun to make nitrate based explosives, but was concerned about their stability so had stashed them away in the far corner of the lab whilst she mulled over the best way to plasticize them and about how much more to make and how to make sure it wasn't detected. She had decided that tomorrow or the day after would have to be when she escaped; soon she would be too worn down to get very far. She was sure that this is what McKleef wanted but she was determined not to give him the pleasure.
"OK Daph" said Fred jumping down from a tree, Velma is near the other end of the building,
"This job needs a woman's gentle touch, pass me that big chain-saw Fred" asked Daphne, a few seconds later "Timber!" whispered Daphne as the tree fell and took down the corner of the building as planned, what was not planned was the large explosion where the tree had crashed through.
"Jeepers Fred, what happened there?" said Daphne as she and Fred dashed to the building
"Dunno Daph, I hope Velma's OK" Scooby waited outside standing guard.
The next thing Velma knew she was on her hands and knees, dust and smoke were everywhere, she was stunned and couldn't make out what was happening. All of a sudden she was pulled to her feet by two people and half-carried half-walked out, it took a few seconds for her to realise that her feet were now free. The people where speaking to her but she couldn't make out what they were saying as her ears were ringing and she was still dazed. Seconds later she was in the open then being lead up a small slope and lifted gently into a van. The doors slammed shut and the van raced off.
The world finally began to come into focus as faces loomed over her, she could see Scooby, Shaggy and herself? looking over her. She reached out and pulled Shaggy to her then it all went dark. Velma opened her eyes again, things moved into focus a bit quicker and she groggily tried to get up. "Lie still Velma, you had a nasty shock back there." said Shaggy, his voice thick with emotion on seeing her. "Shaggy!" cried Velma as she pulled him to her again "Thank you" she whispered, crying with relief. Despite his pain, Shaggy held her tightly; his glimpse of life without Velma had been far more painful. He whispered words of comfort and devotion to Velma as he cradled her in his arms, he could never take her presence for granted again.
As soon as they got back to the lab it was put into complete lock-down. Company medics checked out Velma, aside from still being a little stunned by the explosion and some bruises and grazes was fine. The gang plus Polly went to a large common room to rest. Everyone was fussing over Velma and she was finding the attention unsettling
"I'm sorry everyone, but could I have some space please...and some coffee, I feel so cold inside." people backed off, it looked like Velma was getting close to some kind of emotional meltdown
"No worries Velma, I'll get some coffee and food sent up. And see if we can get some warmer clothing for you" replied Polly "Who's going to tell her?" she whispered to Fred as she went for the phone.
"Thank you, I'm so sorry everyone, it's just..." Velma was on the verge of bursting into tears "Polly you were wrong, he's not nuts, he's mad, mad, sadistic and evil. He treated me like a slave and made sure I was utterly dependent on him for everything…" Shaggy reached out and took her hand Velma looked to see who it was and squeezed his hand tightly, everyone else was quite. After a while Velma regained her composure and spoke "Sorry again, it's just that it had just sunk home what you saved me from and everything became a bit too much."
"We didn't mean to crowed you out Velms, but.. well we thought we had we'd lost you, you see the day after you were taken by the monster we... we found a body, well a skeleton actually, dressed in your clothes with your glasses, all covered in..." Fred stopped, Velma had gone pale and was whispering 'Oh jinkies' over and over again, tears rolling down her face. Shaggy put his arm around her, Daphne knelt in front of her and took here hands
"Velma?" she asked gently,
"He showed me a film of you finding that body," wailed Velma "he made me watch your faces again and again."
Everyone stared at her for a few seconds then Fred leapt to his feet "OK that's it! McKleef is going down!" he exclaimed
"Going down hard! You said it Freddie!" shouted Velma angrily causing everyone to jump, Daphne fell backwards, Shaggy gave a zoinks and Scooby hid under a nearby chair. "How I was treated was bad enough, but it was unbearable to watch that film, I was utterly gutted at seeing your reactions. But having seen him upset you all so much he then insulted you all saying that you children would soon run home to mummy." Velma's face and voice became suffused with rage "Nobody, but nobody does this to my friends then insults then to my face. All my pain turned to rage and I began to plot my escape."
The group let Velma vent her emotions; she needed release as much, if not more, than they did.
"Like, how Velma?" Shaggy asked quietly,
"I started to make explosives, I was going to blow my way out of that building." she replied, calming down as she spoke. The room was quiet for a while; everyone made a mental note to never really annoy Velma. The coffee, snacks and a coat finally arrived and the tension left the room. Velma, now wrapped in the coat, was off talking to Nemkenstein.
Fred sidled up to Daphne and whispered "I've never seen Velma so mad before, it was scary"
Daphne shook her head "She's not a Vulcan Fred, true she rarely gives full reign to her emotions but I've always suspected there was more than reason buried somewhere under that orange jumper. But I agree, it was scary, I'm glad we're her friends as I'd hate to be her enemy."