Three Months earlier

"You wrecked it!" Brain shouted angrily. "Arthur, we needed everything in perfect shape for our science project!"

"I'm sorry, Brain!" Arthur protested. "It's just that D.W. -"

"Yeah, yeah," Brain muttered dismissively, "Well, we have to start all over again now."

"Are you talking about that ugly volcano!"

"Well, well, look who's paying us with a visit," Brain answered with as much scorn as he was capable of, "So, D.W., come to destroy more of our projects?"

"It was ugly," D.W. said flippantly, "You can't have seriously expected that to be good for school."

"Cut it out, D.W.," Arthur begged, "We have work to do."

"It was ugly because it wasn't painted yet!" Brain barked.

"You didn't even paint it when you made it?" D.W. asked incredulously, "that's sounds lazy."

Brain's face went red, then quickly transformed into a vicious smile. "Well, D.W., perhaps it sounds lazy because hearing just isn't your specialty."

D.W. froze in shock. She knew exactly what Brain was getting at. D.W. then spoke in a whisper. "Say that, again, Brain."

"Gladly. D.W., perhaps it sounds lazy because hearing just isn't your specialty."

Arthur felt his stomach drop. Brain was playing with fire, but didn't seem to realize it.

D.W. was staring intently at Brain. Her face was and her eyes were shining with hatred, but she seemed incapable of speaking.

"Well, I'll get some parts for our new volcano," Brain said cheerfully, clearly pleased at his apparent victory over D.W., "But, Arthur, maybe we should keep it at my house this time?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Arthur responded, though he was still staring at D.W. nervously. But she still said nothing.

Brain was at the door when D.W. shouted "You pay for that one, Brain!"

Brain grinned as he shut the door behind him. "We'll see about that, won't we?"

He gave a light snicker as he walked down the stairs of the Read house. He had once felt Arthur misunderstood D.W., but the past year had made it clear she was a hopeless brat.

"Bailey?" Ratburn asked in confusion, "The Crosswire butler is in the mafia?"

Ratburn was in the interrogation room yet again. He was starting to enjoy his frequent questioning. It certainly beat being in a cramped cell.

"And you had no idea at all?" The federal agent asked Ratburn. It was the fourth time he'd been brought in to interview this man, and he was getting sick of trips to the Elwood City Police Department.

"No, not at all," Ratburn replied honestly, "I assume Millicent didn't know. Makes sense anyone involved with the Crosswires would be dirty."

"Have you any idea of any other mafia members in Elwood City?" A cop asked Ratburn.

"I'm afraid not. I knew that the mafia were enemies with the Crosswires, but Millicent wasn't really invested in that feud."

"Will you now tell us the name of the pilot?" The federal agent demanded, "You have dodged the issue long enough."

"Keeping the name of that pilot a mystery is the best thing for everyone involved," Ratburn insisted, "Frankly, as time goes on I wish I could forget it."

"What if I told you the pilot's life was in danger?"

"I'd call you a bluffer."

"I'm not bluffing, Ratburn," The agent barked, "We know a group of rouge mobsters want to arrange his assassination."

"Well, if so that wouldn't make much sense," Ratburn insisted, "the pilot is a tremendous resource. If someone is trying to assassinate him, it wouldn't be rouge mobsters or any other cartel."

"Why not?"

"Because the pilot links seven drug ring together. The pilot's fall would force them all to collapse. Keeping the pilot unharmed is important for both the rings and those who would wish to replace them."

"Then why did a important weapon get stolen by these mobsters, Ratburn?" The agent demanded, "A very lethal one for that matter?"

"Are you sure these people aren't trying to assassinate Chip?" Ratburn asked, "that would make far more sense."

D.W. heard a knock on the door.

"Dr. Paula?" D.W. asked.

The door opened and a woman looked at D.W. with a deranged look in her eyes. "I'm afraid she's not here right now."

"Who are you?" D.W. asked.

The woman smiled darkly. "Your future, D.W."

D.W. suddenly noticed that the walls around her were melting.

"Wait, what's going on right now?" D.W. asked in terror. "I don't understand."

"I think you understand more than you let on at times," the woman responded darkly.

D.W.'s shoes were now soaked with the melted wall, which was now moving around in a wave like water. "This must be a dream!"

"It is a dream, but it's also reality," the woman explained. "Because your life is a nightmare."

"Stop the walls from melting!" D.W. demanded. "It's creeping me out!"

"All right, if you insist. How about a little quicksand instead?"

Before she could answer no, the melted wall turned into quicksand. D.W. screamed as she felt herself being buried below.

Suddenly, D.W. realized the sand had disappeared and she was sitting in a chair.

"Dora Winfred Read," said the same woman from earlier. Only now she was in a judicial robe. "I have rarely seen a case as bizarre as yours in a courtroom before."

"No kidding," said a voice D.W. thought sounded familiar. Sure enough, D.W. turned and saw the courtroom was paced with people she knew - Arhur, her parents, Kate, Emily, the Tibble twins and other Elwood City residents she recognized.

"D.W., do you know why you are called before this court today?" The woman asked.

"This is a dream," D.W. muttered in confusion. "Your not a judge. This isn't real."

"I repeat, do you know why you are called before this court today?" The judge's tone had grown angry.

"No."

"It's because I'm suing you, of course," D.W. was stunned to see Grandma Thora on the stand.

"Your Honor, I'm here today because my granddaughter murdered me."

"No I didn't!" D.W. protested, but she could not be heard over the cries of "Murderer!" from the audience.

"The evidence is clear," the judge announced, "Dora Winfred Read, as punishment for your arson, I sentence you to life of insanity!"

Mary Moo Cow appeared from nowhere. Evil red eyes and fangs suddenly appeared on Mary's face. "Still haven't seen my Italy special yet, D.W.?"

D.W. woke up screaming. The next morning, Dr. Paula asked her what her nightmare was about.

"Oh, I don't remember," D.W. fibbed.