Chapter Seventy-Five

75

The Dark Scorpions

BOOM!
CRASH!
BANG!

The loud clutter of a ruckus down below woke Connar from a deep sleep with a startle.

What was that!?

She thought to herself

That sounded like it was coming from Princeton's room!

Chazz stayed in the room below her, and with a jump start her stockinged feet badded across her floor and charged out the door- She ran to the railing to check for the source, only to be met by Jaden and Syrus who stayed 2 doors down from her-

"What WAS that Syrus!?" asked in a panic taking notice of Connar at the railing, "Connie are you okay!?"

"Yeah I'm fine." she said softly, "I take it you guys heard that too?"

"We sure did, it was loud!" said Jaden.

"And that's saying something- because Jaden usually sleeps like a log." Syrus huffed.

"Where did it come from!?" asked Jaden.

"It sounded like it came from down stairs..." said Connar, "If I had to guess? I think it was Princeton's room-" the three looked down and noticed a shadow running off into the night, exactly from where they thought it was!

"PRINCETON!" Connar called out.

"Come on let's hurry!" said Jaden, "We gotta see if Chazz is okay!" The three shuffled off together down the stairs, a look of panic on their faces along side with the heavy pounding against their chests when they saw the state of Chazz's room...thinking the worst-

Soon washed over with relief when it looked like Chazz was sleeping soundly- and safely- in his bed.

But aside from that...his bed panel was in pieces amd his Spirit Key hidden with it? Gone.

How did he sleep through that!?

Connar thought to herself as she moved to shake him.

"Princeton! Princeton Wake up!"

The gentle shaking made him stir and his eyes opened slowly to the three of them, each one shouting his name...with a grunt he rose from the mattress and reached for his ears, removing something from them.

"Hey so...see these things in my ears? They're ear plugs." he said groggily as he removed them and tucking them away, "Now start over." he commanded with a yawn.

"Your KEY!" Jaden huffed, "It's VANISHED Chazz!"

"What in the!? NO! It can't be!" Said Chazz as he quickly shuffled over to look, "It's gone but...but how!?"

'Those things in your ears?" said Jaden, "They make it so you can't hear DOORS being kicked in!"

"But we heard it!" said Connar, "Scared the hell out of me right out of my sleep- Jaden and Syrus heard it too." she stated, "I saw someone running from your room when it happened, I was so worried- I thought something had happened to you!" She said tearfully throwing her arms around him, trembling.

"Connar..." Chazz said softly as he tenderly returned her embrace, "It's okay...I'm all right..." he said softly as he held her.

Her body...she's shaking like a leaf.

He thought to himself.

...She really WAS scared...

As tender as the moment was, Jaden was relieved too...but he knew that they couldn't just stay here for long...

"It looks like they're back..." said Jaden softly.

"The Shadow Riders..." said Chazz.

"Come on..." said Jaden, "We have to tell everyone."

XXXXX

"So...all your keys are gone too?" Chazz asked aloud. Everyone had gathered around for a powow back in in Chazz's room once the news got spread.

"Yes, I'm afraid so..." said Banner.

"We'll figure this out..." a familiar voice sounded through the opening of Chazz's broken door and all eyes shifted to be met with none other than Detective Zaloog...

"Detective..." Connar said softly with her eyes narrowed.

"What's going on?" Professor Banner questioned, as the man seemed to have gathered a few other familiar faces from the earlier day.

"I rounded some suspects." he stated, "To help us get to the bottom of this most serious crime.

"So you'll question them, then?"

"In due time..." Zaloog said softly, "After I pose a few questions to you first-"

"Sure whatever." said Jaden, "After all he's the detective, right?"

"Wrong." Connar said softly, much to the surprise to everyone in the room...everyone other than Chazz, anyway.

"Connar is right." said Chazz, "Something is up..."

"Come now you two..." said Professor Banner, "Let's let him do his job."

"Sorry..." said Chazz, "But I'm afraid this is a job for Chazz Princeton! And his trusty assistant, Connar!"

"WHAT!?"

"...I'm sorry...Assistant?" Connar blinked with her eyes narrowed.

This...was going to be a long night...

"Now everyone who knew where those keys were is in this room."said Chazz, "Which means the thief has to be too."

"Yeah I guess..." said Syrus, "But how will we find them?" he blinked, "I mean...won't we need evidence?"

"Come to think of it..." said Alexis..."I DID see a press on nail on my bedroom floor..."

"A press on nail?" said Chazz, "Connar, do you wear those?"

"Are you kidding me?" Connar huffed, "I'm a nail biter- I can't even take care of my own nails...press ons would drive me nuts." she shruged, "Besides, why am I on trial here? What reason would I have to steal the Spirit Keys? I have no motive."

"Just covering all bases." Chazz hummed, "After all, you were the only one among us that wasn't given one."his eyes shifted over to Alexis, "Anyway...a press on nail sounds like a very promising clue, Lex- so where is it now?"

"I uh...kinda threw it in the garbage..."

"The Garbage!?" he huffed, "Well...there goes that lead..."

"Yeah I guess I goofed, sorry."

Still though...The school Nurse? Connar noticed- as one of the "suspects" the detective had gathered...sure looked relieved to hear that...

"There was foot prints leading right to my safe!" said Banner.

"That's perfect!" said Chazz, "What size show was it? What was the style of the tread?"

"I'm not entirely sure..." he said softly, "I sort of just...vacumed it up."

"Hey you know...there was also a hole in the wall of our room!" Jaden pointed out.

"Wait really?" Connar blinked.

Not that the Slifer Dorm having holes was news to anyone...but Connar's room was hole less- and it just seemed oddly coincidental for one to be in specifically Jaden's room...where a key was known to be hidden.

"And let me guess...you sealed it up right?" Chazz huffed.

"Well..."

"Figures...you guys are really something."

"Well without any evidence...I guess we'll never know who dun it." said Syrus.

Chazz smirked.

"Actually...HE did it." said Chazz, pointing at the Detective, Him...and Him...and Him...and Her." He pointed out each of the suspects-

The School Nurse

Gorg the Janitor...

The Security Guard...

and C.K the ditzy transfer...

They were all suspects.

"And you're basing this on what?" asked C.K.

"Yeah." the nurse huffed, "You heard everyone, there's no proof. You've got nothing on us!"

"Oh don't I?" Chazz smirked flashing a grin at Connar and giving her a wink. Her eyes lit up, and her cheeks flushed a little.

So...he figured it out too, after all...

she smiled.

"Look...how about I ask the questions..." said Zaloog.

"How about..." chazz paused as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his threww Ojama cards. "We hear it from them?" he grinned.

"What!?"

"Hmm...see Connie here?" Chazz hummed throwing an arm over her shoulders and squeezing her closer, "I've known her for a while." he stated, "And for as long as I've known her? She's always been sweet...a tad naive maybe- but one of the nicest people anyone could ever know." he explains.

"...Okay Princeton you're getting a little hurtful there..." she warned.

"Sorry sorry." he chuckled, "My point is though, she's not one to judge anyone." he explained. "So when I noticed that she seemed to think there was something sketchy going on...I knew something wasn't right." he went on, "So when we went around hiding each of the spirit keys...I hid one of these cards, with them." he stated, "The three of them are kind of my eyes and ears when I'm not around...and in my dorm room? I had all of these watching you." he said as he shuffled through his deck of duel spirits.

"The point is...they all saw who did it...and I know they're behind this."

"And it's not just them either..." Connar dsaid softly.

"Wait what?" Chazz blinked curiously...now he seemed to be the one lost.

"Isn't that right...?" Connar stated softly, "Don Zaloog?"

The detective flinched.

"Wait, Connie...you mean you actually know him?" asked Jaden.

"Not exactly..." said Connar, "See it took me a while to figure out too...because they aren't commonly seen, but..." she turned to face him as she spoke, "...They're Duel Spirits." she stated.

Zaloog gave a slow chuckle as his lips curled into a wicked grin.

"I see, I see...very perceptive of you...Spirit Caller."

Chazz flinched.

...Spirit Caller...there's that phrase again...

His eyes shifted over to Connar slowly.

...But...what does it mean?

"Duel Spirits..." Jaden blinked, "But...I can see them too...so why couldn't I figure that out...?"

"Because they're not too commonly seen." Connar explained, "But, they're known as...The Dark Scorpions."

"It's not surprising that you've never heard of us..." said Zaloog, "We've been deep under cover for years now- Waiting for our chance to nab those keys. And now...The Scorpions finally have them."

"So?" said Chazz, "To use them- you'll still have to beat me in a Duel." he smirked, "So bring it on~"

"Of course...that makes sense." said Zaloog, "The reason why the keys didn't work...is because we have to beat them in a duel!"

"Got that Right!" said Chazz, "So Let's go! Shadow Rider!"

To Be Continued...