"In fact," the homeless man said, "I wrote down the plate number."
"You did?" Frank asked. "Why?"
"I write down the plate numbers of the people that give me a lot," he told them. "That way I can be sure to be out in the open if they come back."
"I see," Frank said, his excitement growing. "May I see the plate number of this lady's limo?"
"For a price," the man replied craftily.
Frank reached into his bag and pulled out one of the stacks of one hundred dollar bills that they had found in Boris' locker. "Will this do?" he asked.
The man's eyes looked like they would bug out of his head. He grabbed the stack of bills and shoved a tattered scrap of paper at Frank.
Frank looked at the paper as they stood up. Just then, three identical black Cadillac Escalade SUVs pulled to a stop at the curb. Three similar looking men in identical black suits hopped out of the SUVs.
"Agent Hardy?" one of the men asked as they approached the waiting group.
"That's me," Frank said as he faced the men.
"I'm Agent Dietrich from the LA Field Office," the man said. "We brought your rides."
"Thank you, Agent Dietrich," Frank replied.
"Will there be anything else, sir?" the agent asked.
"I think that will do it," Frank told time.
"Very good, sir," he said. He hopped into the lead SUV along with the other two agents and they roared away.
"Nice wheels," Joe whistled as he examined the Cadillacs.
"Let's get going," Frank said. "We have a limo to track down." The Hardys and Nancy hopped into one SUV and Eric and Sage hopped into the other. Frank punched the license plate number that the homeless guy had given them into the computer built into the dash. He had just hit "enter" when there was a knock at the window.
"Hey, buddy," an airport police officer said, "you can't park here. You need to move along or I'm going to have to give you a ticket."
Frank rolled down his window and held up his FBI credentials. "It's official business," he said before he rolled up his window. The police officer shook his head and walked away.
"All right," Frank said, "here we go. The limo is registered to a Jack Johnson of Hollywood." He hit another key on the keyboard. Jack Johnson's information scrolled onto the screen. Frank read out loud for the benefit of the others in the car. "Jack Johnson is a retired actor. No criminal record, but he is on a federal watch list."
"What for?" Joe wanted to know.
"Ummmm." Frank hit another key. "Suspected terrorist affiliations."
"No duh!" Joe scoffed. "If he's lending Gina Abend his limo, that definitely counts at 'terrorist affiliations.' Does it tell us anything we don't know?"
"Just his address," Frank said.
"Who's watch list is he on?" Brandi asked. "We don't want to be stepping on any toes."
"Looks like it's the FBI," Frank replied. "And according to this note, they have him under 24/7 surveillance."
"Well, that will never do," Joe said. "Why don't you give the FBI a call and have them back off for a few hours?"
"I have a better idea," Frank replied with mischievous grin. "I'll have the Gray Man call the FBI and have them back off."
Joe grinned back. "You're right," he said. "That is a better idea."
"I know," Frank replied with false modesty, "that's why I get paid the big bucks." Frank quickly called the Gray Man and told him what was going on.
"I'll call off the FBI and have a strike team meet you there," the Gray Man told him.
"Sounds good," Frank said and ended the call. He leaned over and hit another button on the computer keyboard. The SUV's GPS system updated with Jack Johnson's address and a moment later a computerized voice started giving Frank driving directions. As he pulled away from the curb, he called Eric in the vehicle behind them and updated him and Sage on the situation.
***
Forty-five minutes later, the Hardys' small convoy pulled to a stop several hundred yards away from the entrance to Johnson's estate. The six young people piled out and huddled to make a plan of attack.
"I printed off some satellite photos of the mansion on the drive over," Brandi told them as she spread several pictures out on the hood of the Hardys' Escalade.
"Wow," Joe said, "that place is huge."
"Which is why we are going to wait for the strike team to arrive before we even attempt an assault," Frank replied wryly. He studied a stack of papers in his hand. "According to what he has on file with the city, Johnson's estate is protected with the latest in security features. And you can be sure he probably has some extra features that he didn't tell the city about."
"What? Like guard dogs?" Joe cracked.
"Probably," Brandi retorted, "also Assassin commandos and machine guns. Not to mention Gina Abend."
Frank studied the photos some more. "Okay," he said finally, "I think I have a decent plan. One team will hit the front gates and drive right up to the front door." He pointed to the photos to illustrate his instructions. "Simultaneously, three other teams will breach the other three sides of the estate using C-4 to blow through the walls. A fifth team will stay mobile in case they try to run. Are there any questions?" There were none. "Okay, as soon as the strike team gets here, we'll be good to go."
Just then, Nancy's cell phone rang. "Hello? Hmmm. No, I think we should stick with the green. Okay, talk to you later."
The others snickered until Nancy gave them a withering look.
***
Twenty minutes later the strike team pulled up beside them in a convoy of SUVs and an armored personnel carrier. Frank quickly explained the plan of attack to the Network commandos.
Ten minutes later the five teams were in position surrounding the retired actor's estate. "Check in," Frank said over the radio link."
"Team Two, ready."
"Team Three, ready."
"Team Four, ready."
"Team Five, ready."
"On my mark," Frank replied. "Three. Two. One." As Frank ended his countdown there was a tremendous noise as Frank rammed the gate driving the APC and the other three teams detonated the C-4 explosive to blow holes in the estate walls. Frank drove the vehicle right up to the front steps of the mansion as black SUVs drove up to the other three sides of the house. As soon as the vehicles came to a stop, the Network agents jumped out of the vehicles and stormed into the house.
Frank and Joe, bringing up the rear of the team at the front of the house, suddenly stopped in their headlong rush towards the front door.
"Do you hear that?" Joe asked.
"Yes, I do," Frank replied grimly. The brothers shaded their eyes as they looked toward the sky just in time to see a Blackhawk attack helicopter speeding away from the house.
Joe spotted a cylindrical object on the side of the chopper. "Frank!" he yelled over the racket. "Was that what I think it was?"