Hello people! Welcome to my twisted stories! Before I allow you a peak, I ask that you read these next notes:
First off, this is a sequel to the part called Snake, which is part I of my Assassins series. HOWEVER, it does not mean that you have to read it. In fact, I'll be trying to summurize what happened in their in here. That way, you know the crucial parts. If you have the time, I wouldn't mind if you read the other three stories (titles and order are somewhere in my bio). But, like I said, if you don't want to, don't.
Second of all, if you saw the summary, there is mention of a corresponding story that I'm posting at the same time (in this case, it's Truthful Lies). There is a reason why they are not combinded into one story: each brother gets a specific story. Reasons for that are, while there are some scenes that will be the same, each brother has their own perspective in it. As in, if Frank is enjoying something, Joe might be getting really sick. Also, there are a lot of times where they are split up and have different experiences. Each experience and perspective are there own and I feel should not be mashed together. Therefore, the split. You can read each separatly, just know that there are different bits of info in one that is not in the other, like conversations or secrets, and I will post a chapter to each at the same time. So expect long delays.
Finally, I do not own the Hardy Boys. With things like this fanfic, I've been told it's for a good reason.
So, come and enter Frank's story and enjoy!
The man stepped aside as the younger the two stepped into the house. The guest wanted to grin. Of course, that would be defying his nature. And this was not worth it for the prize of this hunt.
"So how is Fenton doing?" the other man asked. "I haven't seen him for quite a long time."
"He's fine," he lied. However, despite this, his face naturally revealed that he was telling the truth. It was almost like a gift made just for him which he couldn't help but appreciate.
"He should call. We haven't caught up for years."
"I'll pass the message along."
They walked to the kitchen in silence. The young man counted the number of steps it took in his head. Twelve. Hm.
"So, what brings you here Frank? Solving cases like your old man?"
"Yes. There's a particularly tough one that came our way."
"Do you need any help?" The other man was getting out two glasses and then proceeded to the refrigerator for something for them to drink.
"Yes." He paused for effect. "You're a bachelor?"
The host laughed. "I don't know how that would help!"
"Just curious."
"Haven't attached myself to anybody in decades!"
"Oh. Thanks." He accepted the drink. Lifting the glass to his lips, he asked, "What do you know about the Network?"
The man froze.
"Obviously, you don't," he continued, the sarcasm evident in his voice. "Bet you didn't put poison in my drink either." With that, he quickly flung the glass into the counter over the others head, making sure that the contents hit his attempted killer.
The scream filled the air quite nicely in his opinion.
"That bad? But you wouldn't think of killing little ole me with something that can easily burn your eyes? I mean, you must be screaming for another reason."
The gun tucked within the waistband of his pants was pulled out slowly, which allowed the older man to think and let the fear sink in. After all, while his killings were usually cleaner than his brother's physically, he left an untraceable mess that defined him. It wouldn't be doing much to defy his characteristics now.
"I'm in a rush," he lied again, before allowing a bullet to penetrate on of the legs. "I'll be quick. After all, your sweet other will be here very soon, right?"
The man, who had crumbled to the floor and was in obvious plain, tried to crawl away. The killer laughed. Honestly, who do these people think he was? If they hadn't noticed, they had made sure that Frank Hardy was good and dead years ago. All that was left was him, Lying Rook, one of the top members in the new Assassins.
Of course, they never really thought that they could push someone so far, now did they?
"I'm pretty sure you didn't hear me the first time. Now tell me, what do you know about the Network?"
7 Years Ago
Frank Hardy was living what one might call a good life. For the first time in his sixteen years of existence, he knew what it was like to have a whole, functioning family.
At least, that was what he told himself. And he had developed a habit to lie, even if it was to himself.
There he goes, lying to himself again. It wasn't a habit to lie. It was an addiction. A craving that he filled by just opening his mouth and speaking. Of course, surrounded by the settings he was currently in, he could not lie as much as he wanted to. That, in turn, made it more probable for the teenager to lie to himself.
His main problems stemmed from his father, semi-retired world famed PI, Fenton Hardy. It had become a combination of what the man had and hadn't done for his family. A man who had thought that he deserved his title as father and should have perfect children that reflected his own choices… Frank would always laugh at the thought. What right did the man possess to think of such things after leaving them alone to their own fears and dreams? None was the answer. But, as always, Fenton blinded himself from the truth. He couldn't have been the reason for Frank's attempt at suicide! In fact, any and all reasons for any disapproving actions always fell on them!
"I care for him," Frank lied to himself that morning. "Joe means nothing to me."
His brother, who was sitting against the wall opposite of where the bed was, looked up. "Love you too."
It was becoming a ritual between the siblings in the morning ever since they had to move. The blond had his own room, but would always sneak into Frank's before the sun rose. Jackie would sneak there too, but less frequently than the other.
The thought about the move brought a bitter taste into Frank's mouth. Their father thought that it would be best to protest their identities from others while the mess at ATAC was sorted out. The corrupt members were almost cleared out, but not in the legal battle that Fenton would have approved. Instead, Frank and Jackie had taken it into their own hands once the FBI made it clear that they couldn't help in any other way.
The duo had faked their deaths and killed off the corrupt members one by one. While Frank would have never done such an act by himself, the split personality that he had developed while forced to undergo training with weapons for ATAC had no such issues with ending lives. Snake, as the personality had dubbed himself, had eased Frank into a life of killing with little to no remorse and gave him the strength to defy his father. In fact, it felt as if Snake were more of a parental figure than Fenton Hardy ever was.
Joe had been an issue that was easily remedied before something happened to make him a casualty.
At first Jackie had taken it upon herself to "stalk" Frank's brother and stop any attempts at his life. The blond did not know, but there had been six almost successful times where the corrupt section had won out the battle. Jackie, however, proved her skill and stayed a step ahead each time. It had almost gotten worse, since those monsters wanted to make sure that the blond's knowledge of a certain combination to a safe (which Joe hadn't even realized was for enough to put them away for a very long time) was never used.
This event, in turn, along with a few other factors, had set off the first kidnapping. Joe had expressed extreme anger at Frank for not sharing the fact that he was alive, but quickly set out helping him. The younger Hardy sibling had lied to their father, stole some files, and even killed some people. Of course, he had to be pulled away from existence as well. They managed to fake his death on Joe's fourteenth birthday while kidnapping their mother to move her to a more secure location.
It seemed to go downhill after that. While they did manage to kill off all of the serious corruptors of the group, Fenton had found out Frank's identity in the mess and instantly condemned him as a cruel murderer of everyone. While it could have been understandable when taking in Joe's "death", there were others issues with the man not accepting his responsibility for Frank's suicide attempt or anything else that occurred.
Once they were sure that Fenton would easily give them up to the law despite knowing the full truth, Frank was convinced that his father would never be anything more than a hindrance. He didn't understand anything but his sense of justice. Frank silently mused how this man could comprehend the twisted minds of others to become the successful PI he was known as if his thinking appeared linear.
"Let's get breakfast," Joe offered, standing up. "We have to finish fixing up the computer things later."
"I'm starving," Frank responded with a laugh.
Joe frowned at the phrase. "How the hell were you able to sneak a revolver into here without someone else finding out-"
"I haven't touched one since we've gotten here, Joe. What are you trying to imply?"
"That you're a completely different person than who you were before this mess happened." Joe sighed and, using the wall as leverage, got up. "You're still my brother and I love you."
"You were never my brother."
The blond rolled his eyes as he headed out of the door. "I'll let Jackie deal with you with her sarcasm later."
As the door slipped closed, Frank pulled said revolver from under his pillow. He had grown past the uncomfortable feeling of the metal beneath his head as he slept long ago, something he had picked up after killing the man who was supposed to be a mentor. Absentmindedly, he spun the chamber filled with five bullets, pointed the barrel at his temple, and pulled the trigger.
Snake still refused to let him die.
Can men really fused their soul with objects? The question of why Snake would do such a task when he "died" never appeared in his head. After all, the personality grew and disappeared just for him. Only for him.
He was so weak before Snake showed him the way.
He tucked the gun away underneath some loose floorboards he had discovered the first day of moving. He had set up his room so the bed was positioned above the hiding spot. Paranoia had become a friend, after all.
He finally lifted his gaze to the door. "Watching your son try to commit suicide by playing Russian roulette is very healthy, isn't it Mom?"
The woman didn't answer, and instead stared at her son from the crack that the doorway and door had created.
"Very healthy indeed…" he muttered, realizing that she wasn't going to answer. He got up and opened the doorway before brushing past her.
"I'm not surprised."
Frank paused at the words.
"I should have realized after finding that letter about your suicide," the woman continued softly. "The only thing that kept you from trying again was the idea of Joe dying. But you never got over that want."
"How would you know?"
"You aren't the only one who wondered how much Fenton would change with a family member dead," she whispered.
The words seeped into Frank's heart quickly, but he refused to let his surprise show. How many people has that bastard hurt without a second thought? Or worse, how many people has he hurt without even realizing?
"It'll be okay," he lied.
This time, Laura Hardy paled at the words. She somehow knew that he wasn't being truthful. But instead of protesting his words or meaning, she just simply nodded and turned away.
It took Frank a bit longer to understand what was behind his own words. Things would never be okay for this family. He should have realized that from the start. His own wishes and pinning, however, blinded him from this simple truth: his family, despite all that they had been through together, will not be able to stand the test of time.
He couldn't help but wonder if Fenton Hardy would be able to continue on with no one behind him.
The beginnig of the twist...