While practicing for a music concert, Squidward still can't see to make great music from his clarinet. He then realizes that he probably needs a partner to perform alongside him. He initially chooses Rika, but decides not to, thinking that she already has her friends as partners.
Meanwhile, Team Arch successfully solves a recent case by retrieving a priceless set of jewels that had been stolen for acting LAPD Captain Harris Heiden. However, in the following morning, a newspaper article accuses Sakura of the theft; Heiden arrives with the necklace, which is revealed as a cheap imitation. However, there is no solid evidence against Sakura, and Heiden says he will look into it further.
SpongeBob tells the team that he has an immediate appointment with Judge Bill Cambridge. Upon arriving, he discovers that Cambridge has been tied up, burnt and mutilated, as well as a finger that presumably belongs to one of the murderers. Tai deduces that the culprits had been low class workers, who had been hired and given a special poison that caused a form of psychotic madness. Upon further investigation, they pinpoint the location where they believe the men to have worked, Woodside's Union Cemetery.
Wanting to learn more about the poisoning case, Squidward, Yugi, and Nate visit a rural prison in order to interview Franz Schneider, a convicted killer. Yugi manages to get Schneider what he wants in return for information on the poison. A fire begins in the cellblocks, causing confusion among the guards. Nate volunteers to help make sure the prisoners are still in their cells only to discover that Schneider has escaped. Squidward, Yugi, and Nate leave, and wait out behind the prison, where Yugi claims to be meeting someone. Spotting a figure nearby, Squidward and Nate realize that Yugi helped Schneider to escape. Nate is enraged that Yugi aided in the escape, while the latter insists that it was necessary, though he will not say why, yet. He tells Squidward and Nate that he will meet them at the next investigation.
The team gathers around the following morning, where a visiting Prince Harley Ward, an heir to the throne of Gavara, a distant European kingdom, is feeding the homeless and destitute. The team examine the cemetery and find directions to a house, which they follow, leading them to a deceased man, missing a finger, who was mauled by his dogs. They look around his apartment and find clues that indicate he was involved in Cambridge's murder. They also find opium paraphernalia. They perform an autopsy and discover that his opium had been laced with the same poison that had been used on Cambridge. They go to the nearby opium den and discover the other men involved in the murder, though they are apprehended by SFPD. Team Arch leaves, despite Sakura's protests.
SpongeBob wants to question Cambridge's nephew, Benson. They go to the address where he rents a room, and discover that someone had been watching the house. They check his room, and notice that he had left in a hurry, and even more worryingly, appears to be armed. They find clues that indicate he is laying low at Pier 39. Tai and the Digital Heroes head to Pier 39 to track down Benson. They find him within a smelting plant, where Benson holds Syaoran at gunpoint, but Kari accidentally knocks him into molten metal, killing him.
With the trail dead, the team decides to visit Lorcan, a journalist who had written a slanderous article accusing Sakura of the theft of the necklace. Lorcan rushes out when SpongeBob arrives. Yugi and the Pendant Squad take the opportunity to break into and search his office, discovering that he seems intent on proving that SpongeBob is a fraud, has information on Prince Harley, and also had a visitor who left moments before they arrived. SpongeBob discovers a secret exit that the visitor used, and he pieces together that the visitor is another judge. The team investigates clues to determine who the judge was, and discovers that it was Eustace Bennett.
They break into Bennett's house, where Yugi leaves a mysterious package on Bennett's desk. They discover that Bennett has a collection of evidence against SpongeBob and Sakura, making Katie suspicious. The team leaves, though Eriol spots Bennett and insists on talking to him. Yugi says that he is leaving, but the rest stay, and approach the house, which suddenly explodes, causing Sakura and the Star Alliance to be knocked out cold.
