Author's note: The chapter name comes from a Hardy Boys comic "Live Free, Die Hardy." (In case you're wondering.)

*Sound started to penetrate the darkness. Joe forced his eyes open, and took in his surroundings. They were in an alley, on top of an overturned dumpster. Taking a deep breath, to clear his thoughts, Joe sat up and rubbed his head. "Ow. Did you get the truck of the number that hit me?"

Frank didn't answer. He was laying beside Joe, still out cold.

Joe shook him. "Come on Frank, wake up! The crooks could be back any minute!"

The young detective slowly opened his eyes. "Wha? What just happened?"

"We fell. Wait! Did you get shot!?" Joe pointed at Frank's arm, where a patch of blood was drying.

"I thought I was, but it only feels bruised now." He slowly sat up, rubbing his arm. "Must have been a shard of wood or stone. Where do ya think the crooks took off to?"

"No idea. What happened anyway? I hit my head on the siding."

Frank thought about it for a second. "I don't remember. I must have hit my head too."

"Can you walk?"

"I think so."

They both staggered up, sore but mostly unharmed. Barely even limping, they rounded the corner, heading to the front of the building. They froze in their tracks.

All of the crooks were out cold on the ground.

"We'll, what happened here?" Joe asked, almost smirking.

"I don't know. But we'd better hurry, before they wake up."

Sirens pierced the night.

"Looks like the cavalry's here," Joe quipped.

"I wonder who called them," Frank thought out loud, watching the cruisers come down the street.

"Hurry Joe! We're going to be late for school!"

"Hold your horses! I'm coming." Joe rushed down the stairs. "Sorry about that. I was pulling a broom move this morning."

Frank thought it over a second, before asking, "A broom move? What's that?"

A huge grin flew across Joe's face. "Easy, I overswept."

Frank groaned, shaking his head. "That was terrible Joe!"

"You laughed, so it was worth it."

Frank shook his head again, but the smile was still on his face. Grabbing the fresh toast, he handed it to his brother. "You're gonna have to eat that in the van. We're almost late."

The trip to school was only a ten minute trip. But they still only managed to make it with only a few minutes to spare most days.

They parked in their usual spot, and rushed for the door. A group of students and teachers were walking around, looking stunned. They found Chet in the crowd.

"Hey Chet, what's up?"

"Yeah, why's everyone all up in the air?"

Chet swallowed the bite of granola bar, and said, "Professor Hopkins was just kidnapped."

"Professor Hopkins? Mister Hates-Everyone, and the biggest grouch in the whole school? That Professor Hopkins?"

"The one and only," Chet replied.

Joe could barely keep himself from laughing. "Bet ya twenty bucks that they bring him back within the hour."

Frank, ignoring his brother's lame 'joke', turned to Chet. "What happened? And when?"

"It happened about five minutes ago. He got out of his car and started walking up the sidewalk, when a black van drove up. Two men jumped out, shoved him in and took off. I think someone called the Police." Sirens backed up his statement.

The Police started asking questions, but it happened so fast, that no one had any real details.

Despite the kidnapping, the teachers and Police Officers told the students to get inside.

"We'll take care of it," Chief Cooling said.

The rest of the day was uneventful. The only change was a Substitute Teacher in Science class.

Yay, this one's much longer! I hope you enjoy it.

Sorry if it seems a little blunt at the end, but that's the only spot I have to stop right now. Just bare with me a minute (or a day or two) . . .