As midnight approaches in Howler's Row, Benny and Griff position themselves in the central square for their stakeout. The district falls eerily silent before a haunting howl breaks the quiet, growing into an unnatural sound powerful enough to rattle windows. Benny records the noise while Griff stares in amazement, his sandwich forgotten. The detectives determine the sound is somewhat mechanical and seems to originate from the old clock tower. Investigating further, they discover a small metal gear with unusual markings—their first tangible clue in this mysterious case.

In the first chapter of "The Midnight Howl," mysterious howling sounds have been terrifying the residents of Howler's Row, the nocturnal district of Hybrid City. The episode introduces this vibrant neighborhood where colorful lanterns illuminate shop signs with names like "Midnight Munchies" and "The Nocturnal Nest," and unusual residents like fox-bat hybrids and glowing jellyfish-rabbits normally thrive after dark. We meet Benny, a methodical panda-boar detective, and his partner Griff, a bold gorilla-alligator, as they're called to investigate the strange midnight disturbances that have been scaring away customers. A frightened cat-owl hybrid named Madam Whiskers describes the terrifying sound - not a normal howl, but something unnatural that rattles teacups and frightens even the night-loving residents. As Benny carefully takes notes and Griff dreams about trying new restaurants, the detective duo agrees to stake out Howler's Row at midnight to witness the mysterious phenomenon for themselves.

Welcome to The Collector Chronicles: The Case of the Missing Marble, a Hybrid City Mystery series following Benny and Griff of the Snouts & Claws Detective Agency. This is Book 1, Part 5 of 5. Subscribe to the channel to hear all the latest adventures as Benny and Griff hunt down the elusive Collector in this exciting 8-book series.

Dawn breaks over Hybrid City as Benny and Griff make their triumphant return to the Museum of Wonders with the recovered Rainbow Marble. The grateful curator, Ms. Featherstone, rewards them with lifetime museum passes, but the detectives' celebration is short-lived when they discover a mysterious envelope sealed with the now-familiar spiral-inside-a-triangle symbol—a message from The Collector themselves!

As they return to their office, the detectives reflect on their successful case while organizing their new case files. The Rainbow Marble is safe, but questions linger: Who exactly is this shadowy "Collector"? What was the true purpose of the strange device? And what connection does it all have to the legendary Professor Mixum's work?

Just as they think their adventure has concluded, they receive another cryptic message that sends chills down their spines. "The game isn't over. See you soon," warns The Collector, along with a hint about their next encounter. Though they've solved the Mystery of the Missing Marble, Benny and Griff realize this is just the beginning of a much larger adventure that awaits them in Hybrid City—one that will test their unique abilities and unbreakable partnership to the limit!