"Fenton, we've found something." Informs Chief Colig towards his number one detective, Fenton Hardy

Fenton's hands began to tremble in fear at what may have been discovered. "Whatever it is, I need to know." Colig nods, he knew he couldn't keep information away from Fenton, but what he had would confirm the families fears "It's a video tape."

Fenton's eyes widened, those bastards better not have recorded what he thought they had "Play it." Colig pushes the recordings into the families VHS player, looking from father, to aunt, to son. "Are you sure he should witness this?"

The boy takes a demanding stance "I am not leaving this room until I have seen whatever is on that tape. I won't fail my brother again!"

"You never failed your brother, Joey." Expresses Aunt Gertrude, the woman knew the child had been wracked with guilt the day his big brother Franklin Hardy never returned home. Joe sourly turned to meet his father's gaze "Dad, I have to know what they did to Frank! I should have been there with him, I could have saved him!"

Fenton pulls his younger son into an embrace "I'm glad you weren't there, Joey. We may have lost you too. Play the tape, Colig." With a deep sigh and a heavy heart the chief of police presses down on the button, the screen moves from black to blue as the images appear.

The footage begins with what appears to be a handheld camera zooming and facing towards a large building, the Hardy boys own Middle School "You sure we should be doing this?" Another male voice answers said question in a condescending tone "You know we don't got another choice, the last kid barely lasted a week before the boss dumped him."

The viewers mouths all drop open at what was being said, these two appeared to be planning something and they had a feeling it involved the missing thirteen year old. "Why can't he just give up and move on? Danny's been dead for years now! Yet he insists on a replacement!" Breathes the low toned male voice that first spoke

A sigh is heard before the camera shifts a bit closer to the schools main doors, the two men were waiting inside a running vehicle "I hate taking a kid from his family, but the boss won't ever stop till he gets Danny back."

"Danny is dead! He's gone, buried six feet under, and thanks to us so are five and soon to be six others!" yells the man's voice "I can't keep delivering kids to their deaths!" A slap is issued, followed by a violent jerk of the camera "Shut up! Do you want to draw attention to us? We're staking out a children's Middle School so the boss can select a new target!"

"I know that's what we're doing! Hell it's all we ever do these days and I'm sick of it! After this kid I'm done!"

Fenton's heart picked up in pace, one kidnapper knew what they were doing was wrong, he wanted out and hopefully his compassion would save Frank "Please do the right thing." Joe's fingers tightened in his father's hold, these guys were planning the kidnapping of his big brother "Don't take Frank!"

A snort and the camera roams to the now opening doors, dozens of children piling out "That's what you said last time and you're still here. Keep a look out." The camera zooms from kid to kid, running up and down the oblivious children's bodies as the video taker comments "Too fat, not tall enough, has to be a boy, blonde hair."

Fenton pulls Joe closer as his youngest is studied, the young boy happily sat upon his bike, a cookie he'd saved from lunch wedged in his mouth. The camera continues to roam as each child seen isn't the right type. Angrily the man pulls the film back and hands are seen setting the device on the dashboard.

"Not one kid! The boss won't be happy about this. Maybe we should check the local parks next?" The vehicle is heard shifting to drive and begins to move when everything freezes in place, the car shuts off as a leen figure exits the main doors. The boy wore a striped white and brown shirt, gray jeans and a light blue backpack across his back.

"Frank ..." Whispers Gertrude, Joe and Fenton in disbelief, the guys were about ready to leave! If only they had.

Frank walks to unlock his bike, putting the lock into his backpack and hopping upon the seat, feet on the pedals as a loud voice catches the Hardy's attention. "Franklin! You left your history book in the library!" expresses the schools librarian as she hands the text book to the embarrassed boy.

Frank plays with his hair and gradually takes the book in his hands, conversing with the woman before she heads back inside; the boy rushes the book into his pack and pedals for home.

The camera followed any movement Frank had made, zooming in on his face and hands, only zooming out once the boy and bike disappeared from frame "He's perfect!"

Fenton's fists tighten, Joe glares, and Gertrude gasps. "Don't you dare touch a hair on my son's head!"

The car launches off in the same direction Frank had been riding, the boys small figure could be seen ahead. "Look at him! He's a spinning image of Danny!" The other voice scoffs "He's a bit too skinny to me and his hair is lighter than Danny's, let's go check out the park."

The viewers shake their heads in agreement, anything to get those two away from Frank. "You nuts? That kid, what did that lady call him?" Questions the driver as the vehicle picks up in speed. The passenger takes a deep breathe before whispering "Franklin, his name is Franklin." The driver laughs "Franklin, huh? Not for much longer!"

"Stop following Frank!" Bellows Joe at the two pursuers, his brother had no idea he was being watched and that scared him.

Frank on screen veers off on Elm Street, racing towards his home and waiting family. The camera capturing every moment as the boy sets down his bike and heads inside.

The men pull across the street, studying the suburban home. "Hardy residence, huh? So Franklin Hardy has to be the kid's name"

"What do we do next? We know the boy's name, where he lives, goes to school, etc." asks the other man's voice, the man who wanted no part in any of this. "Show the footage to the boss, if he wants the kid, then we snatch him like all the others." The car begins driving down the street and goes black.

"They followed him home? How could I not have seen them? I'm a detective for god's sake!" Yells Fenton angrily

Colig decides to speak up "You weren't home at this time, Fenton. Don't forget your boys are little sleuths themselves and Frank had no idea he was being followed."

"When I get my hands on those two I'll throttle them! No one hurts my big brother!" Declares Joe

The TV static catches everyone's attention as light music and laughter are heard, the screen facing towards the school building once again, only this time a man could been seen messing with one of the bikes in the rack. "That's Frank's bike! They're sabotaging his bike, dad!" Squeals Joe, he'd know that dorky science sticker anywhere.

Fenton checks the date in the top left corner, seeing the day he'd grew to dread, the day his son Franklin, went missing. Gertrude appeared to have fainted and lay sprawled across the couch. The man finishes with the bike and runs back to the car, checking his wrist watch inside "Thought I wasn't going to beat the bell."

There's no response from the partner, the driver shoves the camera directly into his passengers face. The men wore similar clothes, black hoodies and pants, navy blue ski masks covering their faces. "Wake up man! The bells gonna ring any minute now!"

The passenger opens one blue eye and rises in his seat "Relax, I'm up."

"Good, let's get this over with." States the driver as the school bell echoes, as before children rush out the doors "Come on, Franklin! Where are you?"

"Maybe he'll be late like last time?" begins the more docile male. After a few more minutes of waiting, two boys exit the building, one tall, one short, one with brown hair, the other a much darker shade. "There he is!"

"But he's with another kid, we can't take him unless he's alone."

The boys, undoubtedly Frank and Joe Hardy appeared to be arguing. Joey's hands flying through the air, accusing fingers pointing at an equally disgruntled Frank.

"Joe, what were you and your brother arguing about?" Asks Fenton, Joe hadn't told him anything regarding an argument and yet here it was, caught on camera. Joe looks down to the ground, he remembered this fight, his words kept repeating through his head as the scene played out.

"How could you do that? You're supposed to be my big brother, Frank!"

"I already told you I had nothing to do with it!" Retorts Frank as the boys make their way towards their locked bikes "Why do you automatically assume it was me?"

Joe scoffs, pulling more silly string out of his hair, he'd received quite a surprise upon opening his locker at the end of the day "You're the only one who knows my locker combo, no one else but you could have done it!"

Frank's fists tighten as the elder whirls around to face Joe "I would never do anything like that to you, Joe! Pranks are mean and can seriously be hurtful to others!"

Joe doesn't back down, a small prank he could handle, but now Frank was lying straight to his face! "Some big brother you are! Can't even own up to what you did, well until you do I'm done with you!"

Frank's eyes widen "What does that mean?"

Joe grabs his bike, ignoring Frank's incredulous stare as he hops upon the plastic seat "It means that I don't want to be your little brother anymore! From now on I'm an only child!"

"Joey, wait!" But the younger pedals faster than ever to get far, far, away.

"I told Frank I didn't want to be his brother anymore ... I was angry at him for not fessing up to pulling a prank on me!"

Fenton stares in shock; he now understood why Joe blamed himself. "Joey-"

"Don't Joey me! I left Frank there, it's my fault he was alone and who knows? Maybe he went with them willingly! And it's all because of me! I found out the next day that Chet was the one to prank me!"

Fenton moves to hug his son, only to have the boy stubbornly pull away, there was only one person he'd allow near him and that was Frank.

"Look at that! The little one left poor Frank all alone!" declares the head kidnapper as Joe on screen takes off, Frank hurrying to unchain his bike, and following in pursuit of his fleeing brother.

The boy rushed right past the sitting car and down the street "He won't get far, let's go." The vehicle backs out of its space and drives. The driver whistles as the pair search for the abandoned boy, his bike would have surely broken down by now "Any sign of him?"

The camera a whisk back and forth as the search continues, it doesn't take much longer before a familiar figure is spotted hunched over a broken bicycle. "There you are, kid." The camera is placed back on the dashboard and hoods removed as the car parks. Frank looks up upon sight of the two men approaching. "Hey there kid, you need some help?"

Frank watches the men wearily; his father had taught him to always expect the unexpected "No thank you Sir, I just needed to take a small rest."

The men slowly advance closer to the boy, Frank in return pushed farther away. "Are you sure? We're heading to meet a few friends of ours down that way; we could easily give you a ride."

Joe shakes his head back and forth "don't do it big brother, please don't go with them!"

Frank looks the direction the man was pointing, but that split second away was all they needed. Suddenly the boy is grabbed from behind, a fat hand covering his screaming mouth "Help me get the kid inside the trunk!"

Frank fights as he's lifted off his feet by his waist, fists clenched around the hand securing his mouth, legs kicking out as the second man approaches "Kid's a fighter!"

The second man dodges another kick, quickly grabbing Frank's left leg, soon followed by his right. The kidnappers easily lift the struggling boy out of frame and towards the open trunk.

Crunching gravel and mocking laughter is heard as the camera shakes, signifying Frank had been tossed into the trunk "Help me! Joe, ple-"

Joe shakes as his brother's words are cut off, Frank had screamed at him for help and he hadn't come "I'm so sorry Frank!"

The two men click back inside the car, the driver punching the radio as loudly as possible to drown out Frank's yells and thuds before the screen goes black.

Well, there's chapter one :) what do you all think?