AN: Hi guys! Here is another chapter. Sorry for the late update but thank you so much for all of the positive reviews. Just a heads up, this chapter is a bit gruesome so prepare yourselves. Also, it may be a while before I update again because school is starting up again so I will be pretty busy. But I promise that I will try to update as much and as soon as possible. Once again, thank you so much for all of these positive reviews. Please REVIEW! :)
At the warehouse…
Frank had been strapped down onto the table for quite a while now. Ever since his captor, Andrew he remembered had told him that he wanted Frank to suffer; he has had a cold feeling running throughout him. He wounds were really starting to throb as the cold metal seeped into his skin, making goose bumps appear on his bare arms and the back of his neck.
The door to the room opened and Andrew walked in along with two big, buff men.
"Hello, Mr. Hardy. I hope you are comfortable here." Andrew said, with false politeness.
"Yeah, it's a walk through a fresh meadow." Frank said, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"Wonderful! Now I would like to introduce you to my colleagues, Mike and Ben." Andrew said, gesturing to the two thugs behind him.
Mike and Ben smiled evilly and cracked their knuckles as they slowly made their way forward.
"Why are you doing this?" Frank asked fearfully.
Andrew's eyes hardened as he leaned down to look Frank in the eye.
"You killed my family Frank Hardy. My wife, my son, and my daughter were killed because of you."
"What are you talking about? I don't understand." Frank said, panic lacing his voice.
Think back to about a year ago. You were trying to solve the kidnapping of daughter of a wealthy philanthropist. Think hard. Does it ring a bell?" Andrew said, glaring daggers as Frank.
Frank's eyes widened in realization.
Flashback…
It was a normal day for the Hardys. Fenton and Joe were already in the office. Frank had had a long night the night before. Chloe had been sick with a fever all day. Nancy and Frank had taken yesterday off and were both at home with Chloe.
The rest of the Hardys had visited and tried to cheer the little two-year-old up. Laura had made Chloe's favorite tomato and basil soup; Joe gave her a stuffed snowman that sang an adorable song; Vanessa had brought over all of Chloe's favorite Disney Princess movies, and Fenton had brought Chloe's absolute favorite thing; Snickers! The family had a fun night last night and Chloe had looked much better as the Hardys began leaving.
Both father and son looked up as Frank walked in through the door, looking a bit weary and rugged with dark circles under his eyes, but still better than he had looked yesterday.
"What are you doing here Frank? Is Chloe okay?" Fenton asked, worry for his little grandbaby instantly filling his voice.
"Chloe's fine dad. Her fever broke late last night and she has been running around all morning. Nan's staying home today just to make sure that Chloe is completely fine. Thought I could come in and catch up on all the stuff I missed yesterday." Frank said.
"You didn't really miss much bro. We are still working on that kidnapping. You know, Jake Dalton's daughter, Sophia. That rich dude who donated like… a million dollars to some charity that helps orphaned children. Someone took her three days ago and they haven't heard anything since." Joe said.
"Yeah. They still haven't made any ransom demands?" Frank asked questioningly.
"Nope."
The shrill ringing of the telephone interrupted their conversation. Frank walked over and answered.
"Hello, Hardy Detective Agency… Mr. Dalton… yes… they called?... What did they say?" Frank spoke into the phone.
Fenton and Joe watched anxiously as Frank talked to Mr. Dalton over the phone. Frank hung up and looked at the two.
"It was Jake Dalton. The kidnappers called and demanded a ransom. They want 10 million dollars and they gave him a location to bring it to tonight."
Frank handed the address he wrote down to Fenton, who booted up the computer and looked it up.
"Got it. It's about 6 miles out of Bayport. I'll sync the directions to your phone." Fenton said to Frank.
Frank and Joe made their way out to Frank's car and followed the directions, leading them to an abandoned cabin in the middle of some woods outside of Bayport.
Both brothers pulled out their guns and made their way towards the cabin.
"Joe, I'll go in the front, you go around back. We are switching to radio mode. DO NOT ATTACK. We just need to make sure Sophia is here and then we'll come back tonight when the exchange happens with come cops for backup." Frank said.
Joe nodded in agreement and made his way towards the back.
Frank circled around in the front and walked up to a window. He peered in carefully but saw no one. Just as he was about to open the window and go in, the door to the room opened. He quickly ducked out of sight and cautiously got up. He saw two men bringing in a girl with a black bag over her head. They sat her down in a chair and removed the bag before leaving the room. In front of him sat Sophia Dalton, alive and well.
"Joe, I see Sophia. Head back do you copy?" Frank spoke into the radio.
"Copy that. Heading back." Joe said over the radio.
Frank made his way back to the car and met up with Joe.
Later that night, Frank and Joe went back to the cabin with some Bayport police officers following them for backup.
Frank once again went through the front with about 6 police officers while Joe took the others through the back entrance. He kicked in the door and immediately saw Sophia Dalton bound to the chair. The policemen held the kidnappers at gunpoint and Frank quickly freed Sophia and led her out. But before he left, one of the kidnappers yelled at him to not take Sophia. If he took Sophia, they would kill his family. Frank turned around and saw the young man who called out to him, on his knees, begging for Frank to leave Sophia.
"I'm sorry, but she is innocent. She will not be the victim of your psychotic ways." Frank said glaring at the man, before taking Sophia out of the cabin.
End of Flashback…
"You-you were the one who kidnapped Sophia Dalton." Frank said, trembling in fear.
Andrew laughed manically.
"Yes I did kidnap her. But do you know why? An underground gang kidnapped my family and threatened to kill them if I did not kidnap that girl. Believe me, I did not want to kidnap that innocent little girl but I had no choice!" Andrew screamed in Frank's face as Frank flinched away.
"I begged you to leave the girl. But you took her anyways and what do you know? The next things that I got sent in jail were pictures of my dead family. Do you know how they were killed?" Andrew asked diabolically.
Andrew walked over to a drawer and pulled out an envelope. He walked back over to Frank and pulled out some developed prints. He thrust a picture in front of Frank's face and all the color drained out of Frank's face.
There were three dead bodies in the picture. A young woman, eyes wide open on the ground, covered in bullet wounds from head to toe was surrounded by a little boy and a little girl, whose age was probably the same as Chloe's. The boy, Andrew's son, Frank assumed, had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, arms, and legs. The little girl was probably killed in the worst way possible. Whip marks covered her torso, arms and legs, she was cut in multiple places, blood oozing out of the wounds, and she was pinned to the floor with nails.
Just looking at her made Frank want to vomit.
"Do you see this Mr. Hardy? This is what they did to my family, all be cause of you." Andrew accused furiously.
"Listen to me Andrew. I was hired by Jake Dalton to find his daughter and bring her back safely. I'm truly very sorry for what you and your family suffered through but please; I never wanted this to happen. Those people who killed your family should suffer the consequences. I'm a detective; I can help you find their killers. Please." Frank pleaded.
"It's too late for that now Frank. I ended their lives myself. But you are still left. And believe me, when I am through with you, you will beg for death." Andrew said, a maniacal glint in his eyes.
Andrew walked towards the door and turned around to face Mike, Ben, and Frank, who was still strapped to the table.
"Boys, Mr. Hardy doesn't look to well. He seems really pale. Give him some color." Andrew said, eyeing all of the torture weapons in the room, before turning around and leaving the room.
Mike and Ben turned to face Frank and they slowly made their way towards the table.
"I love you Nan. I love you Chloe." This was Frank's last thought before his world erupted in pain and he blacked out.