Hey, guys! Back with yet another chapter of The Great Dog Detective. This one's gonna feature a pretty big shock. What is it you ask? Well, read and find out!

Chapter 4
A New Clue

Jeremy, Jemima, Garfield and Scooby spent the whole ride to Fat Cat's lair hollering for help until their voices grew weak. Never had they been so scared in their life. Eventually, the carriage came to a stop, and the four were forced out and down a set of stairs. Soon, Garfield and Scooby found themselves thrown into a musky cell.

"Well, until Fat Cat decides what to do with you," said the Child Catcher with a sinister grin, "You and your canine friend will be staying in here."

"Have fun!" Creeper waved, laughing in a sinister manner as he shut and locked the door.

Growling, Garfield got up and bolted to the door. Upon reaching it, the orange tabby pounded on and kicked the door in a miserable attempt to get it open. He soon ceased his pounding and kicking when he knew it was no use. Eventually, he walked back over to a miserable-looking Scooby and sat next to him.

"Rhat's ronna rappen to rus?" asked the Great Dane in worry.

"I dunno, Scoob. I just don't know." Garfield replied before he let out a depressed sigh, "I shouldn't have let that guy fool us into thinking he had sweets."

Just then, the sound of the door opening got their attention. Walking through the door was none other than a smugly-grinning Fat Cat with a bottle of champagne and three wine glasses. For some reason, he looked quite happy to see the two. Scooby just hid behind Garfield, still terrified of the gray tabby. Garfield, however, just glared at the criminal mastermind in determination.

"Hello, boys. Enjoying your accommodations?" Fat Cat asked his two new prisoners.

Garfield just frowned with a remark, "Yeah, once you get past the sewer smell."

The purple-clad feline just gave a few "tsks", "Terribly sorry about that. I hadn't been expecting to have anyone else besides the children brought here.

"Can I offer you some French Champagne?"

As he asked that question, Fat Cat sat himself down at a little table that was in the cell and placed the glasses and bottle on top. He then uncorked the bottle and poured its contents into all three glasses. Garfield just looked at him suspiciously and Scooby just looked puzzled. Why was this crime lord being so generous and kind with them?

The orange tabby just nodded, still not trusting him for a minute, "Okay, sure."

"Rone ror re, rhanks." Scooby answered, shaking his head.

"Suit yourself," shrugged Fat Cat.

As he sat down across from the suave cat, Garfield continued to glance at him with a suspicious look. Something about all this was too good to be true. But then, he took his mind off of that as he picked up one of the glasses and took a sip from his glass. However, the orange house cat somewhat cringed at the taste, since this was his first time having champagne. Of course, Fat Cat took notice of this.

"Oh, I see this is your first time having champagne," he spoke nonchalantly.

Garfield shook off the taste, "What makes you think that?"

"A lucky guess," said Fat Cat with a smirk, "Of course, if you don't want the rest-."

"Umm, no. I'm fine. Thanks."

Garfield began sipping on his wine again, getting over the taste of it all. Taking a little pause from his drink, the cat glanced at his and Scooby's captor. He needed to know what was going on and immediately.

"So… what's the catch? Why are you doing this for us?"

Fat Cat just grinned at the younger cat's question, "Oh, nothing much, Garfield. Just wanted to catch up on some lost time with you."

While the older feline spoke, Garfield was sipping on his champagne again. When he heard those words, the orange tabby practically choked on his drink, and did a bit of a spit take with widened eyes. After that, Garfield was sputtering and coughing, trying to catch his breath. Recovering quickly, he looked at Fat Cat in shock and disbelief. Did the older cat say what he thought he heard him say?.!

"What?.! What did you just say?.! And how in blazes do you know my name?.!" demanded Garfield in complete shock.

"You heard me, my boy. Catching up on lost time with you. As for how I know your name, let's just say I've known about you ever since you were a little kitten."

Garfield just shook his head in disbelief, "What're you talking about? I don't even know you and haven't till tonight!"

Fat Cat just grinned even more. "Is that so?" he asked the younger cat, "Well, there are a lot of things you never knew. You and I have a lot more in common than you think."

"Rhaddya rean?" Scooby asked, confused about what was going on.

Regaining his composure, Garfield whipped out a Mage's Staff, "Yeah! You'd better cut to the chase before I electrocute you with my magic! And don't even think of trying to pull any cheap tricks on me or Scoob!"

This only made the gray-furred crime lord smugly grin more. He had somehow expected to get a rise out of the orange cat. It was then that he decided to speak out with it. What he then said would change Garfield's life forever.

"Really, do you think I'd want to harm someone of my own flesh and blood; my only son?"

Garfield just stared at Fat Cat, his eyes widened in shock. The former looked as if the latter had taken those words, crafted them into a sword and used it to stab Garfield in the heart and twist it in so it would never come back out. For a minute, the orange cat thought he was lying to him, that he was trying to catch him off guard.

Soon, the look of shock on Garfield's face faded into a nervous smile, "You- you're joking, right? I know you are. I know that Star Wars reference anywhere!"

"'Fraid not, Garfield," said Fat Cat with his sinister smile, "I really am your father."

"Y-You're lying!" Garfield cried, backing away from the gray feline against Scooby, "M-My dad- my real dad got hit by a car when on a midnight run!"

"Rhou ran't reven rove rou're ris rad!" Scooby exclaimed, pointing a finger at Fat Cat.

The suit-clad cat just frowned at the Great Dane's words. How dare he accuse the feline of lying, supposedly claiming he was Garfield's father? Of course, he once again smirked as he shrugged.

"Mmm, maybe I can, and maybe I can't. There's only one way I can determine it, Dog," said Fat Cat, glancing at the two, particularly at Garfield, "You wouldn't happen to have a birthmark on your right paw in the shape of a fishy, would you, Garfield?"

Puzzled with the question, Garfield looked at Fat Cat. The former wasn't sure what the latter was going at. Without taking a minute to think about it, the orange tabby brought his paw up to his face, but then paused to glare at the gray tabby, hoping he wasn't playing any type of trick on him. Garfield then opened his paw and turned it over so that he was looking right at his palm. Sure enough, there was a birthmark on his palm in the shape of a fish.

"Yeah, I have one on my paw," Garfield answered, looking back at Fat Cat, "Why do you want to know?"

As if to answer the younger cat's question, the older one showed him and Scooby his right paw. Much to their shock and disbelief, there was a birthmark on it in the shape of a fish, much like Garfield's birth mark.

"Because I have the exact same birth mark on my right paw," Fat Cat answered simply with a sinister grin, "Only cats in my bloodline have and/or have had the same mark on the same paw, and you're no exception, Garfield."

Garfield felt as if his heart had stopped. Minutes ago, he believed that Fat Cat was lying to him, just to get the better of him. Now, however, he came to accept the fact that the crime lord was, in fact, his father. The young cat didn't know whether to scream in agony or cry uncontrollably at the truth. All he knew was that the sudden news was making him feel very lightheaded and queasy.

"I feel sick…" moaned Garfield, slumping to the ground as Scooby came to his side.

"Sorry ya had to find out this way, son," said Fat Cat in false sympathy, "But as you may know, I'm not going to be around forever, and I'll need someone to look after my empire when I'm gone."

All of a sudden, Garfield regained his composure as he glared, "I'll never join you, even if you are my dad!"

"Are you sure about that?" said Fat Cat as he lit a cigarette and smoked it, "You're passing up a mighty fine opportunity."

"Believe me. I would rather chop my own arms off than take over your empire, you heartless creep!" said Garfield, approaching the cat he now called his father.

"Reah! Rou're a ronster! A ronster!" Scooby yelled at the gray feline.

Fat Cat took another puff of his cigarette and smirked, "Very well. I'll give you more time to think about it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more prisoners to visit."

With that, he headed to the door of the cell, all while Garfield and Scooby glared at the gray-furred tabby. Upon reaching the doorway, he paused and looked back at them.

"Remember, my offer is first come, first serve," Fat Cat told them, though he was directing it more to Garfield, "Either accept your place as next in line for the throne of crime, or perish with your friends. You have till tonight to think it over. So make your choice."

With that, Fat Cat left the cell, closing and locking the door behind him. Garfield and Scooby looked at each other in concern. The cat just glumly got up, walked over to a wall and leaned against it as he stared blankly at the wall in front of him. He had just learned the cold and hard truth only a few minutes ago yet it played back in his mind over and over.

"I just can't believe he's really my dad…" the cat spoke, his eyes starting to fill up with tears.

"Rarfrield?" Scooby asked, approaching his feline companion.

Garfield turned to him, looking ready to cry, "My mother raised me alone. You have any idea what that feels like; growing up without a father to be there for you when you want him most, and then realizing that your dad was alive all this time- let alone a wanted criminal?"

In a matter of seconds, the cat finally sighed and slumped against the wall. He then buried his face into his arms and broke down, sobbing for the first time ever in his life. The truth hurt him, and it hit him really hard in the heart. Scooby looked at his crestfallen friend in sympathy. Just seeing his friend cry made him feel heartbroken. The only thing he could do was wrap his arms around Garfield, as the latter cried into his shoulder. All they could hope was that Brian and the others would come and find them soon…

….

Meanwhile, back in their cell, Caractacus was still working on the robot, which looked almost complete. Truly, on the other hand, had finished her part with the voice modulator and helped Caractacus, looking at the door every few minutes, expecting a certain criminal cat to come in.

"Hurry, Caractacus, hurry," spoke the candy business heiress in concern, "He'll be back any minute a-."

Before she could finish her sentence, the door to the cell opened, and Fat Cat walked in, smugly grinning at the two.

"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Potts..." he spoke at the two sighed sadly and faced him.

The feline then draped the doorway as he spoke with a smile, which soon became a scowl, "I have a little- or should I say?- two surprises for you. Your charming children."

As he said 'children', he pulled the drape aside to reveal two familiar kids at the door, held by the Child Catcher and Creeper.

"Jeremy! Jemima!" Caractacus and Truly gasped in horror.

They couldn't believe it; Fat Cat actually went through on what he had told them. He really did take the liberty of having them transported to his lair, courtesy of Creeper and the Child Catcher.

"Daddy! Truly!" Jeremy and Jemima cried simultaneously, trying to run to their parents but were held back by the Child Catcher and Creeper respectively.

In one swift move, the little boy opened his mouth and bit down on the kidnapper's arm. Much to Jeremy's relief, his captor let go of him as he held his arm where the little boy bit him as he screamed in pain. Jemima, meanwhile, stomped on Creeper's foot, causing the green goblin to let go of her with a shriek of pain.

"My foot!" Creeper shouted as he held his stomped foot while hopping on his other foot.

"Little brat! He bit me!" cried the Child Catcher, holding his arm where Jeremy bit him as the twins ran over to Caractacus and Truly.

Creeper glared at the pale-skinned figure, "Oh, waah! A little boy bit you! At least he didn't stomp on your bare foot!"

"You wanna make something of it, you little imp?.!" The Child Catcher asked angrily.

"WILL YOU TWO GIVE IT A REST?.!.?.!" Fat Cat shouted in annoyance, making the two shut up.

With that, Creeper and the Child Catcher ceased their argument as they looked at their boss. Meanwhile, Caractacus and Truly were busy at the moment, reuniting with their two children. None of them could have been any happier at the moment.

"Oh, Daddy and Truly! I thought we'd never find you!" Jemima exclaimed as tears welled up in her eyes.

Caractacus simply smiled as he and Truly hugged their children, "Oh, there, there, kids. We're quite all right. No harm has come to me or Truly."

"As a matter of fact, we were worried for you, too." Truly told the children as she hugged them.

"Oh, how sweet." Fat Cat said with a smile, and then he brought out a handkerchief and pretended to wipe his eyes as he remarked, "Oh, I just love tearful reunions."

With a smirk, the gray tabby managed to pry Jeremy and Jemima away from their parents, "Now, come along, kiddies."

"No, no! Oh, please!" cried Jemima as she was grabbed by the Child Catcher.

"You can't!" Jeremy cried, Creeper grabbing him.

"Jemima! Jeremy!" Truly and Caractacus cried in horror.

"Daddy! Truly!" Jeremy and Jemima shouted before the Child Catcher and Creeper pulled them away.

Caractacus and Truly tried going after them, but they were blocked off by a smugly grinning Fat Cat. He wasn't about to just let them go off and try to bring their own children back. Truly could only watch in horror as tears welled up in her eyes as she watched her children be taken away.

"Please, Professor! Oh, please!" Caractacus cried in concern to Fat Cat.

The purple-clad feline guided them back over to the robot, "Now, now. Creeper and Kevin will take good care of them." Suddenly, his smug grin changed into a nasty frown, "That is if there aren't any more delays like last time!"

"Yes, yes, sir! We'll finish it!" said Caractacus, urgently getting back to work on the robot with Truly, "Just please don't harm the twins."

"Good," said Fat Cat with his sinister grin.

Truly could only glare at the feline, "You're a monster! You have no idea what it's like to have children!"

At the sound of that, their captor stopped where he was, "Maybe you're right, Scrumptious. Maybe I have no idea what it's like to have a child of my own." He then faced the two as he continued, "But remember. It must be ready by tonight. Because if it's not..."

To prove his point, the gray tabby made a gesture as if he were slitting his own throat as he made a nasty slicing sound. With that being said, he left the cell, slamming the door behind him and leaving the two to finish their work.

…..

Back out of the room, the Child Catcher and Creeper were holding a struggling Jeremy and Jemima respectively and dragging them somewhere.

"Stop! Let us go! You ugly old things!" Jemima yelled angrily.

The villains soon came to a familiar cell where Garfield and Scooby- the former looking extremely miserable ever since he found out Fat Cat was his father- were being held, opened the door, threw Jeremy and Jemima in and shut the door.

"That oughta hold ya!" Creeper laughed, locking the door.

The two kids came up to the door, crying, "Help! Let us out!"

"Let's see how you kiddie-widdie-winkies like that!" said the Child Catcher smugly, sticking his tongue out at them.

With that, the two cronies left the area to meet up with Fat Cat. Once the Child Catcher and Creeper were out of sight, Jeremy and Jemima came over to Garfield and Scooby. To them, the Great Dane in question look very concerned and the orange house cat looking like he found out a close relative of his had died.

"Scooby. Garfield. Are you okay?" asked Jeremy in concern.

Scooby just nodded, "Reah. Ri'm rokay. Ri'm rot rure rabout Rharfrield, rhough."

"Why? What happened?" Jemima asked, concerned about Garfield, who looked at them with his eyes looking puffy and red from crying.

"Fat Cat told me something," he told the twins, "And it hurt me pretty hard. Heck; I don't even know if we'll get out of this alive."

The twins then sat by the two, Jemima stroking Garfield's fur, "Come on, of course we'll get out of here. Right now, I'm pretty sure Brian and the others are looking for us now."

Feeling comfortable, the cat smiled as he nuzzled against Jemima. It was only a matter of seconds when she brought out a little locket, and Jeremy turned a little turnkey on it, and soon, a little lullaby-like song had begun playing. The twins had explained to Garfield and Scooby that it was a lullaby called 'Hushabye Mountain', a lullaby that their father, Caractacus, would sing to them when they were troubled. As it turned out, it helped the four feel less afraid and less troubled. And surprisingly, Garfield had forgotten about the pain in his heart from the truth that Fat Cat had told him earlier when the criminal paid him and Scooby a visit in their cell, and as he purred, the orange tabby calmly fell asleep in Jemima's lap.

Meanwhile, Fat Cat grinned as he rummaged through the sack of items that Creeper and the Child Catcher had filled when they went to the museum. He knew he could count on those two.

"Oh, the uniforms. I knew I could rely on you two," said the gray-furred crime lord as the Child Catcher and Creeper came up to him, "Now, you two didn't forget anything?"

Creeper laughed at that, "Not at all. We got you everything. Everything on the list."

The green goblin rummaged through his pocket as he spoke on. On 'list', he pulled his hand out, as if to pull out a list as well. However, the only thing he had in his hand was thin air. All of a sudden, a look of worry came onto Creeper's face as he searched himself.

"What's wrong?" Fat Cat asked in annoyance.

Creeper continued patting himself down in panic. He knew he had the list with him when they were at the museum. Out of panic, he turned to face the Child Catcher.

"Kevin, you imbecile!" snapped the little goblin, "What happened to the list?.!"

"Don't look at me, you blithering idiot!" protested the Child Catcher, "I thought you had it!"

"Where's the list?" Fat Cat demanded a bit angrily.

The two cronies ceased their argument once again and turned to face the gray tabby. From the look of him glaring at them with his arms folded across his chest, one eyebrow arched and his foot tapping angrily, his patience was beginning to wear thin. Thus, it was time for the two to spill the beans.

"Yes... about that?" The Child Catcher began nervously.

Picking up on it, Creeper continued, "It happened like this! We were in the museum getting the stuff like you said, when all of a sudden..."

He then made a pathetic imitation of a dog howling. His pale, black-clad companion did a facepalm at the goblin's imitation. There was no way Fat Cat was going to buy this.

The tabby in question rubbed his temple, speaking dryly, "I'm afraid you aren't coming through."

"To put it clearly," said the Child Catcher, "A big dog came, we had the children, Great Dane and feline trapped in the cage and brought them with us! I tricked the latter two with promises of sweets!"

"Yes, yes!" Creeper agreed with a nod, "And I had lured the brats into a trap! Then that Brian fellow chased me and-!"

Realizing he said too much, the purple-hooded minion gasped and clasped a hand to his mouth, hoping his boss hadn't heard that last part. Unfortunately…

"What?.!" Fat Cat asked in shock and anger, "BRIAN ON THE CASE?.! WHY, YOU GIBBERING LITTLE-!.!"

As Fat Cat shouted at him, Creeper hid behind the Child Catcher out of fear. He didn't want to be brutally hurt for telling the truth. Before the feline could finish his sentence, he clutched his chest as if he were having a heart attack. His eyes bugged out, practically out of their sockets, his teeth became razor sharp and he panted heavily. Finally, his fur went from gray to a quick shade of red, so red that he could easily be mistaken for a tomato. However, just as quickly as his temper rose, it all faded away like a rainbow after a rainstorm.

As he chuckled, Fat Cat scooped Creeper up in his arms, "Oh, my dear Creeper. You and Kevin have been falling down too many times."

"You mean you're not mad?" Creeper asked in surprise and relief with a smile before he chuckled and said as he hugged Fat Cat happily, "Oh, I'm glad you're taking it so well."

"Honestly, I thought you'd be furious," said the Child Catcher as he followed them around a corner.

As if to say 'I spoke too soon,' Fat Cat pulled out a familiar bell and ringed it. Then, out of nowhere, Audrey II appeared, grinning in a sinister manner. Upon seeing the plant, the Child Catcher and Creeper's eyes widened in complete terror. They could only confirm that Fat Cat was going to execute them by plant!

"Ohh, yeah! I just LOVE IT when there's more things to eat!" The mutant plant said evilly before it grabbed Creeper and the Child Catcher with its tentacle-like vines.

The latter two screamed in terror as they struggled. "No! Not us! Please!" Creeper begged, terror in his voice.

"Ah, shut up and join Vicky!" Audrey II snapped, "She's right inside!"

And with that, the man-eating plant threw the two into its mouth, with their legs sticking out as they kicked and screamed and Twoey chewed on his new victims. Meanwhile, Fat Cat had his back turned as he leaned against a huge prop bottle, rubbing his temples in frustration as he ranted. He couldn't believe that someone like Brian was now on his trail. How could his two minions mess up again?

"I can't believe it!" ranted the feline criminal, "Everything was going swimmingly well until that damn mutt poked his stupid little muzzle into my business!"

"Let us out! Let us out, you mean green mother from outer space!" shouted the Child Catcher, prying Twoey's mouth open.

However, before he and Creeper could get away, Audrey II frowned and poked them back into its mouth, shutting it tight. It wasn't going to just let its meal get away.

Fat Cat growled as he looked at his reflection in the prop bottle, "Ooh, I can just see that stupid little grin of his on his smug face!"

At 'smug face', the feline pounded his head against the bottle, but staggered back as he knew he hit his head too hard. All of a sudden, it all dawned on him. He had a whole new plan on the brain, all involving Brian.

"Yes. Yes, I can just see it." Fat Cat said with a chuckle, "Audrey II, release them."

With a frown, Twoey did as it was told and spat the Child Catcher and Creeper out. If only Fat Cat had allowed him to just swallow them whole. The two looked dazed and confused; their outfits looking tattered.

Fat Cat only picked up Creeper with a smile, "Creeper. You and Kevin are such delightful maniacs. You've given me a perfect opportunity to finally outwit that mutt-face once and for all."

"We- we have?" asked the Child Catcher in confusion.

"Yes. Poor Brian Griffin." said the gray tabby in false sympathy as he grinned wickedly, "He's going to be in for a big surprise."

He then chuckled wickedly, envisioning his defeat over the canine detective... All of a sudden, the cat realized something was wrong, as if he realized someone was in front of him, listening in on the whole ordeal.

"Uh-oh…" he said in worry.

"What is it, boss?" asked Creeper, confused by the look of worry on the cat's fact.

Fat Cat looked forward, as if looking right at a camera, "I don't think we're alone, boys."

The Child Catcher and Creeper only looked at their boss in confusion. They had no idea what he was talking about. Fat Cat just gave them a 'Turn around' look as he pointed towards something, as if he were pointing them towards a live audience. Upon turning around and seeing what he meant, the black-clad man and green goblin looked shocked as whatever color faded from their faces.

"Someone knows what you have in store for Brian!" said Creeper in a panic.

Of course, the purple-clad tabby shoved past him, glaring at the 'audience'. "Okay, you people in front of the computers, if any of you so happens to blab any of this to that stupid dog, Brian, then I'll…. I'll…."

All of a sudden, Fat Cat got lost in thought, about how he would make the 'audience' pay if they spoke to Brian of the feline's plan. It was then that the Child Catcher decided to chime in with a suggestion.

"Why don't you bribe them with the threat of cutting off the world's supply of something valuable?"

Fat Cat shushed him harshly, "Cutting off a world's supply of something? Kevin, that's ridiculous! I-!"

Just then, an idea popped into his head, "I got it!" And with that, he faced the 'audience' with a glare.

"If any of you speak a word of this to Brian," he said as he glared, the next line confusing the Child Catcher, "I'll cut off the world's supply of broccoli!"

He was then interrupted by Creeper, "Sir, I don't think broccoli will do the trick."

"Geez, why do I get a feeling I told someone that before?" Fat Cat asked himself, rolling his eyes before speaking aloud, "Okay, instead of that, I'll cut off the world's supply of cookies!"

"That's better." Creeper and the Child Catcher said with nods.

Sinisterly grinning, the gray tabby continued to the 'audience', "You get the picture! No more macaroons, no more animal crackers, peanut butter, chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies! You can kiss 'em goodbye. What're you waiting for? Fade into where Brian could be now!"

…

Back on Spooner Street, Brian had turned on the overhead lamp and began to look closely with a magnifying glass at the list that Creeper left behind at the museum. Meanwhile, Stewie, Snoopy, Sora and Terra couldn't help but look over his shoulder. After all, they were as curious as the white-furred dog ever was.

"Whaddya make of it, Brian?" Stewie asked his canine friend.

"Offhand, I can make out very little." Brian explained while looking over the paper, "Only that the words are written with a broad pointed ballpoint pen which has spattered, twice."

"Interesting." Sora said.

Brian tested the weight of the paper as he continued, "Not to mention the paper is made from native Mongolian manufacture, but there's no watermark or anything like that." He then tasted the paper a little then sniffed it, "Also, the paper's been gummed, unless I'm mistaken. And by a goblin who's been drinking Feline's Delight, a cheap brand sold only in clubs in the darkest parts of Cartoonia."

"Amazing." Stewie said.

"Not exactly, Stewie," Brian told him, taking out a microscope at his desk, "We still don't have any idea where it came from. So looking at it more closely might help."

With that, the dog looked through the microscope more closely at the letter. He continued focusing the view until he found something on the letter. It was none other than patterings of...

"Coal dust," He continued, "The same type that can be found in sewer lamps."

Brian walked off to investigate more. As it happened, Terra looked through the microscope in curiosity, trying to see the coal dust on the paper. Just then, Brian took the note out from underneath it and walked over to a candle. He waved the list over the fire, letting it go ablaze.

"Brian!" Stewie, Sora and Terra exclaimed in horror at what he was doing.

"What're you doing? You're burning the evidence!" Snoopy shouted, pulling down on his own ears in panic.

"Trust me on this, guys," said Brian with a confident smirk, letting the remains of the list fall into a wooden bowl, "I know what I'm doing. I mean, I did go to Brown."

Once he had made sure the remains had all fallen into the bowl, Brian patted them all down with a small wooden masher till they were nothing but ashes. He then poured the ashes into a glass jar, filled with a yellow chemical. The addition of the ashes caused the chemical's color to change from yellow to blue.

"That's interesting," Sora spoke in astonishment.

"What next?" Stewie asked in curiosity as he got close to the chemical-contained jar.

"'Scuse me a sec, guys." said Brian, picking up a vial of red chemical, letting a little drop fall into the blue chemical, causing the color to darken.

Stewie and the others continued to look on in astonishment, curiosity and confusion. Whatever type of experiment Brian was doing, it really did intrigue the four of them. And to them, they came to trust what Brian was doing, after he told them he had gone to Brown.

Then Brian set the jar below a glass spout and reached the other side of the chemistry set to turn on a small flame. The green chemical inside bubbled up and slowly started making its way through the tubes. Soon, the green chemical reached the end of the tube and dripped from the spout into the jar with the dark blue chemical. In a puff of red smoke, the chemical changed to red, and the dog grinned with a laugh.

"Ha ha, yes! We did it, guys!" exclaimed the dog as the chemical changed to a light blue, "The reaction could only be triggered by the paper's saturation withdistillation of sodium chloride."

"English, dog!" Stewie snapped in annoyance as Sora, Terra and Snoopy looked at the chemical.

"In other words, salt water."

"Salt water?" Snoopy repeated in astonishment, "Wow."

As he was rummaging through his maps, Brian said, "There is no doubt about it: this list came from the riverfront area."

As he spoke on, the dog unfolded a poster-sized map of Cartoonia and hung it on the wall with some darts.

"Hold on, Brian." Sora spoke in concern, "How do we know-?"

"No, no. Elementary, my dear Sora." Brian said, "We look for a seedy pub at the only..." Then he marked an area on the map with another dart as he said the next word, "...spot... where the sewer connects to the waterfront."

Snoopy looked at the spot on the map in determination. Hopefully, he and the others would find Fat Cat's lair near that pub. Then, they would find not only the Potts family, Garfield and Scooby, but also Fat Cat as well. Oh, how he would give anything to have his best friends back with him again…

…

And there's chapter 4. ;)

I bet none of you saw the extra scene at the beginning of the chapter, where Fat Cat reveals he's Garfield's father- an original idea of mine for the story-, coming at all. Okay, so it's not the first time that kind of twist has been used before. But hey. It was begging me to be done. XP

And sorry if I made Garfield seem slightly out of character. :\

Thirdly, I've decided I'm going to break the fourth wall every now and then, hence Fat Cat's threat to the readers of cutting off the world's supply of cookies.

Speaking of which, that bit is a reference to the short-lived early 90s Disneyland show, "Plane Crazy", which coincidentally or ironically featured the Disney Afternoon stars, including Fat Cat. You should check the show out. It's on YouTube and it's really good. ;)

Not to mention Brian mentioning he did go to Brown University is a shoutout to his show, Family Guy, in which he actually did go to Brown.

Well, with all that out of the way, I'm done till next chapter. Next time, Brian and the gang will travel to a night club, to find the location of Fat Cat's lair. Till then, review away.