The case of the missing Vocalite

I just read this story by Mother Combs and thought that I would have some fun with it. Mind you, M. Combs has not been seen or heard from in two months. I checked her profile. I sure hope that she is ok.

My name is Aeye, you may have met me before when Mother Combs was investigating "The Case Of The Missing Top Stories". If you remember correctly, I had to run off before anyone could catch me.

Well, in this case, I have been hired by a certain other Vocalite to do an upside down case. What do I mean by that. Come closer and I will whisper in your ear.

"Ha ha, it's for me to know and you to find out". With that the devilish imp scampered off, leaving this narrator puzzled. Because you see, a lot more Vocalites have gone missing and everyone is getting quite worried that they may be next.

If you don't believe me, ask Stephanie Hoogstad.

So I went to 221B Baker Street to hire Sherlock Holmes. This required me going way, way back in time, using the Time Machine of course.

"What Time machine"? Asked Doctor John Watson, puzzled.

Wait a minute, how did Dr. Watson get here. I don't remember bringing him back with me.

"That is for me to know and you to find out". Cackled Aeye, before disappearing again into thin air.

At Baker Street, Sherlock was long gone to his 'Heavenly Detective Agency', and it is now a completely modern affair operated by his young erstwhile descendant, Dapper Holmes (on account of him being so well-suited all the time).

The place was unrecognizable, computer screens and modern new-fangled paraphernalia were neatly stacked everywhere. It was so tidy, it would have made Sherlock blush.

"Wait a minute, if you had to use a time machine to go back, how come he had modern equipment, and how come Sherlock had already met his maker"?

"Will you leave me alone to tell my story".

"I would if it all made sense, what kind of a narrator are you anyway. You don't know nuttin". Aeye huffed.

This Aeye guy sure was getting annoying. No wonder M. Combs ran away...at least I hope she ran away. She can have him back, for all I care.

Anyway Dapper Holmes was investigatin' and Aeye was thwartin' his every move. As soon as he got close to finding the missing Vocalites, all the clues mysteriously disappeared.

That is when Sherlock Holmes himself made his appearance. I have no idea how he did that, because I had not returned to the past to get him. This was getting out of hand and I was beginning to feel a bit of paranoia building in my brain.

++++

Meanwhile, back at Vocal, Top stories which had not been officially made top stories had been appearing as Top Stories, forcing Vocal to honor their decision and making good on the money, or chance a full scale riot by the creators.

Oh, so that is what Aeye meant by an upside-down case. Instead of Top stories going missing, non-top-stories were mysteriously appearing as top stories.

What a very messy conundrum this was turning out to be. There were so many different people getting fake top stories, that it was impossible to know who had hired Aeye.

Vocal was now scrambling to authenticate real top stories and consider some of the fake ones, some of them were actually quite good.

Sherlock got quite bored and indifferent with the immense tedium of the case. He, Aeye, dapper Holmes and the Time Machine completely disappeared overnight. Leaving everyone to wonder if they were all working together.

Vocal has its own AI detective on the case. I believe that they will quite soon apprehend the guilty creator or creators.

I won't tell.

Inside the time machine, there was only one human person present.

Sherlock Holmes is well know as a master of disguises...

Which leaves me to wonder...!

Still...Where are M.Combs and the Vanishing Vocalites?

If M. Combs doesn't return soon, I will be forced to investigate further.