THE MYSTERY INC. GANG!
Scooby-Doo
SKILLS: Loyal; super snout
BIO: This happy-go-lucky hound avoids
scary situations at all costs, but he’ll do anything for a Scooby Snack!
Shaggy Rogers
SKILLS: Lucky; healthy appetite
BIO: This laid-back dude would rather
look for grub than search for clues,
but he usually finds both!
Fred Jones, Jr.
SKILLS: Athletic; charming
BIO: The leader and oldest member
of the gang. He’s a good sport—and good
at them, too!
Daphne Blake
SKILLS: Brains; beauty
BIO: As a sixteen-year-old fashion queen, Daphne solves her mysteries in style.
Velma Dinkley
SKILLS: Clever; highly intelligent
BIO: Although she’s the youngest member
of Mystery Inc., Velma’s an old pro at
catching crooks.
A monster is hiding in a business tycoon’s maze garden! Only YOU can help Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang solve this maze mystery.
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On a dark and stormy night, Minos King, the eccentric shipping tycoon, sits in his candlelit study. He wears an expensive silk kimono and reads Successful Businessman Magazine.
Lightning flashes and thunder rumbles.
Mr. King heads toward the window. He pulls the velvet curtains back to peer outside. The rain patters rapidly against the pane.
The elderly gentleman squints and focuses on a tall, leafy wall.
I hope my new garden can withstand this terrible weather, thinks Mr. King.
Then he sees a shape shift in the darkness.
That’s impossible!
The tycoon hurries into the hallway and calls for his help. Wadsworth, the British butler, comes running from the dining room. Yvette, the French maid, dashes out of the kitchen.
“What is it, Master Minos?” Wadsworth asks.
Mr. King catches his breath. “There’s someone in the garden! Sound the alarms, call the—” Mr. King stops and stares at Wadsworth.
The butler’s tailored tuxedo is glistening with drops of water. His shoes are wet, leaving a puddle on the Persian rug.
“Why are you wet, Wadsworth?” Mr. King asks.
“I asked him to take out the trash,” Yvette offers. “I was not going out in that weather.”
“Yes, sir. I’d just come in from the east wing when I heard your cries,” Wadsworth replies.
“I saw someone in the garden,” Mr. King bellows. “Why haven’t the motion detectors gone off?”
“I’ll go to the security control room and check it out,” Yvette says. “The storm must have interfered with the sensors.” She runs down the hall, her high heels clacking against the tiles.
“Sir, I shall check the fuse box in the maintenance room. Perhaps there is a faulty circuit,” Wadsworth says and rushes toward the basement door.
Mr. King is left alone in the foyer.
“Hmm . . . I wonder where I should go?” he says out loud.
SKEEEEESH!
The tycoon is startled by the sound of breaking glass.
“To the gallery!” shouts the master of the house.
Minos King is quite sprightly for an old man. Within seconds, he reaches the dark chamber where he keeps many valuable and ancient artifacts.
Mr. King fumbles for the light switch.
“Where is that blasted thing?” he curses.
Another sound echoes through the darkness.
GRRRRROOOOAARR!
Mr. King’s blood runs cold.
He turns to see two glowing red eyes staring at him. Lightning crashes, outlining the silhouette of a hulking brute. Mr. King glimpses two polished white horns atop a bull’s head. Steam puffs out of its nostrils. The rest of its body is that of a muscular man with hooves instead of feet.
GRRROOOARR!
The creature swipes at the billionaire with a massive paw, knocking him down. Then it hurtles over the billionaire, crashing through another window. SKEEEEESH!
Moments later, Mr. King feels a strong set of arms lift him up. The lights flicker on, and he is facing Wadsworth and Yvette.
“What happened?!” they ask.
“I was attacked by a . . . a . . .” Mr. King searches for the right word. “Minotaur!”
The servants exchange looks.
“The mythical creature from ancient Greece, sir?” Wadsworth says.
“Don’t look at me like I have ten heads,” Mr. King says with a huff.
“No, sir, that would be the Hydra.”
The billionaire grabs the butler by the lapel and points to the far wall. The large display case that housed many priceless relics is now empty.
“I’ve been robbed blind, and that creature is the culprit!” he shouts.
“What do we do?” Yvette asks, clearly shaken.
“Isn’t it obvious, my dear?” replies Mr. King. “We get Nedley Blake on the phone!”
“At this hour, sir?” Wadsworth asks.
“YES!”
The butler pulls out his cell phone and dials Mr. King’s best friend.
He hands the phone to his employer.
“Blake?” barks the billionaire. “Minos King here. Is your daughter, Daphne, still working with those kids? The ones that meddle? Good. Send them over first thing in the morning. Now go back to bed, Blake. It’s late!”
Mr. King hands the phone to Wadsworth.
“Never you fear, my friends,” he says, looking confident. “The daring detectives of Mystery Inc. are on the case!”
***
The next day, the Mystery Machine cruises up the long, winding driveway leading to Minos Manor. Driving the green van is Fred. In the front seat sit Daphne and Velma. Rounding out the gang is Shaggy and his hound, Scooby-Doo.
The vehicle stops at a leafy wall of vines. Extending to the left and right is a tall hedge.
“Like, Daphne, are you sure this is the right place?” Shaggy asks. “Because it looks like we hit a dead end.”
“Reah, red end,” Scooby-Doo agrees.
“Of course,” Daphne replies. “My family has known Mr. King for years, and we visit often. This is his new garden maze.”
“Garden maze?” Fred asks. “Is that what this thing is?”
“Yup,” Velma adds. The clever detective downloads a recent article onto her tablet computer. “It says here that Minos King, retired billionaire, built a hedge maze on the property around his massive mansion to ensure the protection of the King fortune. The living labyrinth’s many paths, twists, and turns were designed in such a way that any intruders or unwanted guests would get lost for days.”
“Days!” Shaggy gasps. “I hope we packed enough snacks, Scoob!”
“Re, too!” Scooby says.
Suddenly Mr. King appears from a hidden entrance in the maze. “Thank you for coming,” he calls out to Daphne.
He approaches the Mystery Machine and looks inside. “Love
ly to meet your friends,” he says. “Would you like to go straight to work or have a quick bite? My staff has prepared a large lunch for you!”
If the gang heads to the scene of the crime, press here.
If the gang stops for lunch first, press here.
“Thank you for the kind offer, Mr. King,” Fred says, “but lunch can wait.”
“Rit ran?” asks Scooby, grabbing onto his grumbling stomach.
“Yeah, like, I’m starving,” adds Shaggy.
“Well then, the faster we solve this case, the sooner we eat,” Daphne suggests.
“Sounds like a plan,” says Velma.
“Then follow me,” the tycoon replies. “I’ll lead you through the labyrinth.”
“Jinkies,” Velma says, marveling at the maze. “This is quite a structure.”
“Yes, I hired an architect named Ms. Daedalus to build it. She’s the best in the business and a dear friend.”
“I’m a big fan of her work,” Velma replies.
After what seems like an endless journey, the mansion finally comes into view.
“It’s as beautiful as I remember,” Daphne says as the group enters.
“Wow, really groovy,” Fred adds.
“Right this way,” Mr. King says. He guides the gang into the gallery and points to the shattered display case. “This is where I encountered the—ahem—Minotaur.”
“Zoinks!” cries Shaggy. “Like, did he just say Minotaur?!”
“Yes, my boy,” Mr. King says. “Some mazes have cheese in them, but I guess mine has a Minotaur.”
“Oh, we like cheese!” Shaggy replies, and Scooby-Doo wags his tail.
Fred, Daphne, and Velma approach the display case. On the shelves are placards and labels that identify all the artifacts.
“Velma, log these in so we have an inventory of what’s missing,” Daphne says.
“Good idea,” Fred adds and starts reading off the roster: an Incan idol, a Grecian urn, a bronze scimitar, a crouching tiger statue, and a crystal skull. He goes on and on.
Velma types away on her tablet computer. Finally she says, “Jinkies, this is an archaeological scavenger hunt!”
Meanwhile, Shaggy follows Scooby-Doo. The Great Dane sniffs his way to the broken window.
“Like, you followed your nose to our first clue, buddy,” Shaggy exclaims.
Scooby-Doo points with his paw. “Rook at this!” he says.
Shaggy picks up a clump of fur caught in the windowpane. It is dark brown and very coarse.
“I’m really hoping this is yours,” Shaggy says to Scooby-Doo.
“Ruh-uh!” the dog says, shaking his head no.
Shaggy swallows hard. “Like, maybe this monster is real after all.”
Scooby-Doo looks up at the large hole in the window and adds, “Rand real BIG, too!”
“Hey, you guys,” Shaggy calls out. “Come see this!” He holds up the fur.
“Jinkies,” Velma says. “A clue!”
“Whatever was in here last night probably left a trail,” Daphne says.
“I bet you we’ll find it if we search outside,” Fred states.
“Good idea,” Velma replies. “Let’s go!”
The members of Mystery Inc. walk back outside the mansion and stand under the broken window. There are big muddy footprints in the wet grass. They lead right into the garden maze.
“Double jinkies!” Velma exclaims. “More clues!”
“Let’s follow these tracks,” Fred says.
The gang heads into the maze, and soon they reach a fork in the road. To the left is a straight path. To the right, the path curves behind a hedge wall.
SNAP!
Scooby-Doo’s ears perk up at the sound of a cracking branch.
“Ruh-roh!” Scooby says and points to the hedge wall.
The leaves begin to shake. The gang hears rustling footsteps coming their way. They huddle closer together.
“Zoinks!” Shaggy cries, trembling. “It’s the Minotaur! What do we do?”
If the gang runs left, down the straight path, press here.
If the gang runs right, toward the footsteps, press here.
“I’ll tell you what we’ll do,” Fred says. “We’ll get to the bottom of this case. Charge!”
The gang runs toward the rustling footsteps. They turn the corner and see a tall figure coming their way. His face is covered, and he is carrying a stack of boxes.
“Jeepers, those must be the stolen relics,” Daphne says.
“Get him!” Fred commands. Together they pounce on the mystery figure.
“OOF!” grunts the stranger, tumbling to the ground. The boxes topple and pour out their contents. Maps, blueprints, catalogs, and books scatter everywhere.
When the group untangles themselves, they discover the stranger is just another teenager like them.
“Hey, why’d you do that?” he asks, brushing dirt off his jeans.
“Oops, sorry,” Daphne says. Then she leans over to Velma and whispers, “Gosh, he’s cute!”
“Like, you’re not a monster,” Shaggy says.
“Well, depends who you ask. My mom thinks I’m a terror,” the teen chuckles. He extends his hand. “Name’s Icarus, but you can call me Russ.”
“Nice to meet you, Russ,” Fred says, shaking his hand. Then he introduces himself and the members of Mystery Inc.
The friends help Russ pick up his belongings.
“What brings you to Minos Manor?” Velma asks.
“Well, Mr. King hired my mom to design this garden maze a while back. She’s an architect, and I’m her assistant,” Russ answers. “This morning he called us over to bring the map and blueprints.”
“Like, it’s a good thing we found you when we did,” Shaggy says. “There’s a Minotaur in this maze, and we need to find the nearest exit!”
“Did you actually see a creature that’s half man and half bull?” Russ asks suspiciously.
The gang exchanges looks.
Fred says, “Uh, no.”
Russ lets out a loud laugh. “Ha! You’ve been reading too many Greek myths before bed.”
He picks up his boxes and says, “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
The Mystery Inc. gang watches Russ walk away.
If they follow Russ out of the maze, press here.
If they continue their investigation, press here.
“Jeepers,” replies Daphne. “The mysteries keep piling up around here.”
“The loud sound came from the driveway,” Mr. King says to the gang. “Follow me.”
Once the billionaire and the Mystery Inc. gang reach the driveway, they find another car parked next to the Mystery Machine. The hood is popped open and puffs of gray smoke billow out from the engine. A teenage boy fans the air with his arms.
“Icarus, is that you?” Mr King asks.
The boy turns around and smiles. A white toothy grin appears within a grease-smeared face. “Hi, Mr. King!” he says. “Mom and I are just having a bit of car trouble.”
A stylish woman exits the car. “Sorry to frighten you,” she says. “The car backfired. Luckily my boy here knows a thing or two about mechanics.”
“Everyone, this is Ms. Daedalus and her son, Icarus,” Mr. King says.
Icarus wipes a greasy hand on his jeans and extends it to Daphne. “You can call me Russ,” he says with a grin.
Daphne keeps her distance. The thought of all that grease and oil on her designer dress is unbearable. “Charmed,” she says.
Fred shakes Russ’s hand and introduces the gang. “We’re here to help Mr. King solve a mystery!”
“We’re here to help, too,” Russ says. “My mom designed the garden maze. She’s an architect, and I’m her assistant.”
“Jinkies,” Velma says. “I’m a fan of your w
ork!”
“Thank you, my dear,” replies the architect. “It is one of a kind.”
“Yes, quite right,” Mr. King interrupts. “So were my prized possessions. And they were stolen by a menacing monster!”
Suddenly the ground begins to rumble and there is a low grumbling sound.
“Ronster!” Scooby-Doo cries.
He jumps into Shaggy’s arms.
A large shape lumbers up the drive. It is an all-terrain sports utility vehicle.
“That’s not a monster,” Fred says. “That’s a monster truck. Groovy!”
Out of the driver’s seat jumps a burly, barrel-chested man. He is wearing a pith helmet, combat boots, and safari gear.
Slinging a tranquilizer rifle off of his shoulder and into his hands, he cocks it and announces, “I’m hunting me some Minotaur!”
“Excellent,” Mr. King says. “The gang’s all here. Ladies and gentlemen, meet Dr. Martin Clark, archaeologist and professor. He originally discovered the artifacts that were in my private collection.”
“How do you do?” Martin says, tipping his hat.
“I gathered you here to help get my treasures back,” Mr. King says. “Are we ready to go?”
“Like, we work better on a full stomach,” Shaggy says. “Does anyone have anything to eat?”
If the group goes into the maze to hunt the Minotaur, press here.
If the group goes into the mansion for a formal lunch, press here.
The members of Mystery Inc. follow Russ out of the maze and back to the driveway.
They find another car parked next to the Mystery Machine. The hood is popped open and puffs of gray smoke billow out from the engine. A stylish woman in a business suit with a pencil in her bun is standing next to Mr. King.
“Hi, Mr. King,” Russ says. “Mom sent me into the maze to find you. We were having a bit of car trouble.”
The Mystery of the Maze Monster Page 1