A/N: Thanks to Mel, Max2013 and Caranath for reviews; and many thanks for Caranath for pointing out my technically difficulties. I've read this chapter about twenty times myself so hopefully everything is good to go =D) Also I've changed the errors (I hope) in ch8 so if you're bored, feel free to read it again. No major plot changes - just continually details. Slight plot twist at the end of this, perhaps, though.

Joe stared at his father in shock, completely unable to believe that his father was alive. From everything Frank had said, he was pretty sure his father was dead. Then again - he guessed he could be sure this was his father. But what if this man wasn't his father and he trusted him anyway?

Joe had no memories of his father, since his parents had split when he was one, and he'd only seen a few pictures of him on the news. Joe exhaled and didn't respond, unsure what he was supposed to say. A few different responses ran through his mind, the first one being where the hell have you been all my life. One of the other thoughts that ran through his head that he didn't dare voice was, why the hell have you been faking your death?

"I'm sorry to meet you like this," Fenton continued, glancing down the hall, "and I can't talk long. At least, not as myself. Just, don't do anything stupid and I'll get you out, alright?"

Joe frowned, not wanting to trust this person who claimed to be his father. "Um..." he said.

"You don't trust me - that's completely understandable," Fenton said, "But I'm going to have to ask you to try. And don't say anything about me being Fenton. I'm 'J.'"

"Right," Joe said, still in shock at the fact that his father was alive - or at least, this person who claimed that he was his father was still alive. He swallowed as he heard more voices around the corner again. How busy was this place? How many people did they have working for them? Thoughts flashed by at a thousand miles a minute and he took a breath as he tried to shut them off and focus on the present.

"Hey J," Obnoxious' voice called out. Joe groaned; he was back again. "How's the brat?"

"'The brat' is fine," Fenton said, slipping back into what Joe hoped was an undercover role. "What's his name anyway?"

"Why do you need to know his name?"

"Why wouldn't I? What else am I going to call him if he acts up?"

"The brat," Obnoxious said. "But it's Joseph."

"Oh? Why'd the boss want him, anyway?"

"His mother's been interfering with our business," Obnoxious responded simply. "We needed to scare her off."

"There are easier ways to scare someone than by grabbing their kid," Fenton said, a smirk in his voice, "That don't give you near the jail time."

Obnoxious snorted. "Fine. We needed leverage. We sold a kid into someone's home who she took out and removed when she got involved. Wouldn't be a problem, except the kid knows way too many details of our operation."

"How do they know so many details if they're 'just a kid'?" Fenton asked, raising his eyes. Joe was glad he asked, because he had the same question and didn't think he was entitled to be asking questions.

"Don't know - didn't deal with him. Just know it's boss's orders. She's also removed at least three others from houses that she was working with. I guess the wives got bitchy, tried to divorce the husband, and in the process the kids got taken out of the home too. If she keeps up we won't have no business left."

Must not be very good business if she only took out three people and you have to worry about it, Joe thought. Then again, what if they want to stop her before she takes out any more? Joe paused, and why is Mom, as a lawyer for the domestically abused, doing anything to do with these removals? This was just way too confusing for him.

"Do we really have to watch him?" Fenton asked, speaking up again. "I mean, couldn't we just like handcuff him and leave him be? I have more exciting things to do than watch 'the brat'." He used quotation marks as if he was annoyed that Obnoxious wouldn't refer to him by his actual name.

"Boss wants him watched," Obnoxious said simply.

"Why? He's in a cage..."

"Good point... I'll go talk to him." Obnoxious walked off and trailed back what felt like a few minutes later with someone following him, who Joe quickly dubbed 'Boss'. Boss was wearing a suit and tie and looked almost like the person who had kidnapped him - if the person who had kidnapped him had worn a grey suit instead of a blue one.

Joe supposed he could have always changed clothes, too. Still, something in him doubted that Boss had been the actual one to kidnap him - didn't bosses usually send their henchmen out to do this shit?

"Boss, there is no reason to watch him," Obnoxious said as he gestured towards Joe, who was now sitting up and staring at the wall, trying to act innocent. It was hard - he really wanted to be doing something to get out of here, but there was no point if there were three men right in front of him. While he believed J's claim to be Fenton Hardy, Joe wasn't sure how much he could trust him - after all, the man did abandon him for 12 years.

Then again, what if it wasn't his choice? Joe thought, Mom also didn't contact Frank for twelve years. I don't know. He had to admit he blamed Frank less now for not being able to trust their mother.

"We could just leave him. I mean, he's what? Twelve? Thirteen? Fourteen?"

"Young," Fenton spoke up. "Can't be more than twelve." Joe clenched his jaw, hoping his father was trying to throw them off and hoping his father hadn't forgotten his age.

"I don't know - he looks thirteen to me," Obnoxious said.

'Boss' spoke up again. "Twelve or thirteen, it doesn't matter. What does matter is that you're right. Leave him in the cell for now but cuff him to the bars. Actually, Obnoxious, give me your cuffs," he said, taking them from the man. "Joe, come here."

Joe decided resisting was futile at the moment with three looming grizzly bears watching over him and reluctantly came closer to the bars.

"Hands," 'Boss' said and Joe reluctantly allowed himself to be handcuffed to the bars. "Good. Let's go for lunch shall we?"

Joe watched them walk away, wondering how he was supposed to get out now. Well, obviously they didn't want him too. That was the point of the handcuffs.

Such a shame they didn't know his determination to get out of here. He had to let Frank know his father was alive. And figure out if - oh, their father. Not just Frank's father. Joe exhaled and blinked, now fully realizing why Frank was calling his mother Laura all the time - he hadn't been comfortable enough with calling her 'Mom.'

Things were going to be interesting, that was for sure.

Frank bit his lip, pacing back and forth in the hospital bedroom. He'd been allowed to change in his own clothes. Despite much reluctance, Laura had left him to go fill out some missing police reports and go home overnight. He'd told her he'd be fine. They had a guard posted, for heaven's sake - there was no need for her to stay here. He suspected she'd be back before visiting hours and badgering the nurse to let her in. The only reason he was staying overnight was because he'd never had a concussion before and they wanted to monitor him. Frank had asked why he couldn't be monitored at home, but they'd said they'd needed him there to run checks.*

He was fourteen - he'd be fine. Or at least he thought so. It was about midnight, and the man guarding had disappeared, probably either for shift change or coffee. His door had been closed but he could see out the window where the guard usually stood.

Someone opened the door and he scrambled back to bed, trying to look like he was at least pretending to be sleeping. "Frank?" Fenton asked. "We don't have much time."

"What are you doing here?" Frank demanded before noticing that his face was covered by a mask.

"I'm supposed to kidnap you for my undercover role," Fenton said with a roll of his eyes.

"Where's the guard?"

"Not here. Sent him on a coffee run. Quite a nice chap."

"So…. I'm guessing you aren't kidnapping me…"

"No. I'm only even pretending to so that it's noticed that the gang knows where you are. Start making a scene," Fenton ordered as he saw the guard come back.

"Security cameras, Dad?"

"Already taken care of. Gang cut the wires." Fenton sighed, "Make sure Laura knows who she's dealing with." He nodded to Frank, then lightly grabbed him by the arm. "Not me. Just the gang."

"Stop! Why are you doing this?" Frank demanded, raising his voice. "Let me go!"

Fenton pretended that he noticed the guard come in, taser drawn. In a swift move Fenton let go of Frank and raced out of the room.

"What was that?" the guard asked, frowning as he grabbed his cell.

"I think… I think he just tried to kidnap me," Frank said, rubbing his eyes.

The guard groaned as he dialed who Frank thought would be the man's his supervisor. "What'd he look like?"

"I don't know," Frank said, as he honestly didn't remember what his father was wearing. "I thought you were watching my room! He was wearing a mask."

The guard groaned and moved outside to make a phone call.

Frank bit his lip and sighed, really hoping his brother was okay. He sighed as he looked out at the phone - he needed to call Laura if the guard wasn't. As he turned back to look outside, he saw the guard pointing the gun at him.

"I guess it's true what they say," the man snapped, leveling his gun at Frank's head, "If you want something done right, you've gotta do it yourself."

A/N: *I know nowadays it's probably not realistic he'd keep him overnight, but borrowing the liberty for plot's sake.

Fun guesses for today: What's the gang going to say when Fenton comes back empty-handed? Why exactly does the gang want Joe?

Many thanks for the reviews-Liz