A/N: This is the second story in my series "The Casefiles Continued." The first one was Forgotten Relations. If you have not read it yet, I suggest you do so before you read Forgotten Enemies. This story is followed by Forgotten Dangers and then after that is Organized Crime.
I am going to try to post two chapters a day.
Enjoy the story and please REVIEW!! :-D
And yes, Nancy Drew Fans, she does appear in this story.
"Hardy One; Hardy Two, you are a go."
"Hardy One, copy," Frank Hardy said softly into the microphone of his radio.
"Hardy Two, copy," his brother Joe repeated in his microphone. The good-looking blonde looked across the clearing to where Frank was concealed and nodded to indicate that he was ready.
Twenty year old Frank Hardy checked his M-4 assault rifle one last time before nodding back to nineteen year old Joe that he was also ready. He raised his hand and counted to three. One. Two. Three. On three, the two Hardy brothers ran from their hiding places. They sprinted softly across the lawn of the huge South American mansion. They burst through the door at the same moment that dozens of other Network agents forced their way through the other doors and windows all over the large house.
"Freeze!" Joe Hardy yelled at the startled inhabitants. He repeated the order in Spanish. One of the men started to grab a pistol that was sitting on a table. Joe fired a round from his M-4 as a warning. The man hastily withdrew his hand from the gun.
Frank and Joe, with the help of several other agents gathered the group of prisoners into a tight cluster.
"Search them and get all of their weapons and suicide pills," Frank ordered.
"Yes, sir," one of the agents answered as he moved to obey.
While this was being accomplished, Frank turned to Joe. "Shall we see if we hit gold this time?" he asked.
"Definitely," Joe replied.
By gold, Frank meant any trace of Iola Morton. Three years ago, a car bomb had blown up the Hardys' car and, it was thought, Iola. Two months ago, Brandi, the Hardys' newly found sister, informed them that she had seen Iola only two years previous. Joe thought back to that day. Brandi, upon seeing pictures of Iola, had told the Hardys that she had seen Iola at the same mansion where she had been held prisoner for twenty-three years. Brandi had seen Iola being led out to a car by several Assassin guards. Unfortunately, Brandi had not seen her since. The last two months had been spent raiding and searching Assassin bases and safe houses throughout the world. So far, they had found no further clue to Iola's whereabouts. Each new base that turned up nothing decreased the Hardys' hope, but they were still far from giving up.
Joe walked up to the now disarmed group of Assassin prisoners. "Have any of you seen this girl?" he asked in both Spanish and English. He showed them a picture of Iola.
Most of the Assassins shook their heads in a negative response. This time, unlike the others, one middle aged Hispanic man spoke up. "I see girl," he said in broken English.
Joe pulled the man apart from the others. "Where?" he asked. "¿Donde?"
"Chicago," the man answered. "I work there before deported."
"Where in Chicago?" Joe asked excitedly.
A crafty look came into the man's eyes. "For American citizenship, I show," he replied.
Joe looked at Frank questioningly. Frank seemed to consider for a moment and then nodded assent.
Joe turned back to the man. "It's a deal," he told him.
The man smiled. "I show," he said simply.
Joe motioned to Frank. "Let's go," he said. The two Hardys led their informant out of the huge mansion. As they left, they saw the now familiar sight of Network agents leading Assassin prisoners, standing guard, and searching the building for useful information.
Frank led the way through the thick South American jungle. After several minutes of fighting the tropical growth, the trio came upon a large clearing. In the middle of the clearing stood a sleek jet helicopter. The pilot, upon seeing the Hardys coming, started the engine. Within moments, the large blades were whipping around. Joe opened the door and Frank and the new informant climbed into the helicopter. Joe followed and closed the door. He sat down and looked at the previous occupant of the helicopter.
"He's seen her," Joe told the Gray Man.
"What's his price?" Arthur Gray, the head of the top secret Network, inquired.
"Citizenship," Joe replied.
The Gray Man thought for a moment. "Very well," he consented. He motioned to the pilot and the helicopter rose into the air.
The flight back to the United States was made in virtual silence. The Hardys did not want to discuss the case in front of the informer, whose name, they learned, was Pedro Gonzalez.
After many hours of flight, the helicopter landed at Keesler Air Force Base in Gulfport, Mississippi.
"I must leave you here," the Gray Man told the Hardys. "There is a Network transport waiting to take you to Chicago. In Chicago you will be met by local agents. They will have a car for you. By the time you arrive, there will be rooms reserved for you at the Chicago Hilton. You may use your government credit card to pay for the rooms. Good luck." He returned his attention to his laptop computer and the Hardys knew that they had been dismissed.
The Hardys and Gonzalez climbed out of the helicopter and Joe shut the door. Before they had taken five steps, the helicopter once more rose into the sky.
"Let's get to that transport," Joe urged.
"Okay," Frank agreed. He was about to say more when his arm was gripped and he felt a metal object pressed into his back.
"Do not move a muscle," a man's voice said, "or it will be the last thing you ever do."