Warning: In this chapter, everyone swears. OK, not everyone. But a few people do.

Phil and Joe were escorted to the kitchen, where they were left. The Gray Man - or at least the man who called himself that - was sitting there, about 100 feet away, within earshot or just out of it Joe didn't know and didn't care. "Phil, are you okay?" Joe asked, looking over his friend for any bruises or broken bones.

"I'm fine, I'm more concerned about you. Your house was bombed-"

"OH MY GOD, WHAT?" Joe said. "That - ugh! I'm going to fucking kill him-"

"But nobody was inside, I was actually stopping by to check on Laura and Frank but nobody was there. I left and I swear, it was like the movies."

"The movies?"

"You know, kaboom, crash, explosion? I was walking to my car - I always park it in visitors', about half a block away, and the dude saw me. He ran, full-front and I didn't even know what was happening until he body slammed me. He grabs me by my arm and goes 'you're coming with me' and I was like, 'huh?'"

"Was it that dude?" Joe asked, pointing at the gray man, "Or the other one?"

"Neither, I've never seen him before in my life."

"Huh," Joe mused.

"Yeah. He said he was going to kill me at first, then he opened up my wallet and saw my tech support ID, then grabbed me and threw me in his car."

"...Weird," Joe muttered.

"Weird is correct. Then he asked if I knew the people who lived in the house who blew up. I wasn't feeling real generous, so I said, what house that blew up? He said, I like you, I'm taking you to my boss. Somehow the boss connected me to the whole thing and I ended up here."

"He stalked my Facebook, but I don't think he just stalked my facebook. Something isn't adding up here," Joe said, glancing around. "I don't even know if there are security cameras, but at this point I'm too angry to care. You're sure that nobody was home?"

"Yeah. The front door was open so I went through the whole house. Was going to call someone but well…."

"Seems like baddie was actually just covering his ass then," Joe remarked. "He's claiming that he wants me to hold hostage and brainwash into an assassin along with you, but if he just grabbed you randomly…"

"Do you think they want my computer skills?" Phil asked, wincing.

"It's possible…" Joe let his voice trail off. "But I don't think so. I think… I think something more is at stake. Either that, or I think the dude's just running around like an idiot and trying to plan things last minute while grabbing potential future operatives."

"I think I like the last one better," Phil muttered..

"What, why? You want to be the future organizational worker of a terrorist group?" Joe retorted.

"No," Phil said, "But if he's unprepared…" he let his voice trail off and looked at Joe.

"Then we have a chance at beating him."

"Bingo."

Laura Hardy stared at the house. They'd gotten a call from Sam that they needed to come back, urgently. "Thank god we weren't here," she said. The entire house was rubble. She closed her eyes, "I hope the sick bastard isn't trying to convince Joe that we're dead."

Fenton grimaced. "No kidding. Sam has these," he added, giving Laura back her electronics. "We may as well stop hiding and go on the offensive. He's only going to escalate from here."

Laura nodded, booting up her cell phone and stepping aside to check her phone messages.

Nancy sighed, "What do you think his motive is?"

"He's running scared, at this point. I've only seen him or his crew work this sloppy once and that was after his right-hand got fried," Fenton remarked. "Your father is on his way, he should be here any minute now-hang on a minute, stay here with Joe," he ordered, seeing a man at the edge of the driveway.

"No," Frank said, "We're coming too."

Fenton shook his head. "Fine. But be fast." With that he approached the man, "Grey? Please tell me your cover isn't blown."

"It's not, do you think I'd be here if it was?"

"Do you expect me to believe that you'd be here if it wasn't?" Fenton retorted.

"Phil Cohen. Friend of Joe, am I right?"

"...Yeah," Nancy said, "Why?"

Laura came running up to them. "Phil's mother is on her way over. She's terrified, Phil was abducted and she has a letter for someone named Fenton. My God…" Laura exhaled.

"Phil was abducted by the same man that has Joe," the Gray man spoke up.

"Who the hell are you?" Laura turned to him, "You know who has my son?"

"Yes, I do, and shouting at me won't get him back any faster. I'd say let's go inside, but…" the gray man looked at the rubble. "Anyway, I'm free for a bit so I'm trying to figure out the best way to free Joe and Phil without blowing my cover. Fenton, a word alone?"

"I think at this point, Gray, the more heads we have here the better," Fenton said, noticing the look on Laura's face.

"It's just as well. I'm going to be transporting Joe and Phil to the Assassin headquarters. I need someone who can intercept me and rescue them, without looking suspicious. Takers?"

Phil sighed as he looked at Joe. "Well, the plane landed."

"Brilliant observation, Watson."

"And we're still in it."

"...Do you want a prize?" Joe asked, looking at his friend.

"And," Phil continued on, "the guard isn't here."

"You're three for three, Phil."

"Had much sleep lately?" Phil remarked, opening the fridge and grabbing both him and Joe an energy drink. He figured that he'd take advantage of the food while he was there. Especially since it was sealed.

"Too much," Joe deadpanned. "What're you thinking?"

"He's not really planned this out at all, from what I can tell. I mean, why kidnap me because I saw a crime? Why not kill me? And if you have computers, why not actually make me do something with them by now?" Phil asked.

"I don't know…." Joe let off a voice.

"So…." Phil said, "I think… while the plane is stopped…"

Joe raised an eye, "Do you only think while the plane is stopped?"

"I think while the plane is stopped, we need to get the heck out. You know, like escape."

Joe sighed, "Sounds good to me, but if we get hurt, you're telling my Mom."

"Iola honey, there's a package with your name on it. Did you order anything?"

"No, Mom," Iola said, "But I'm not opening that. Do you happen to have Laura Hardy's number, by chance?" she asked, looking up from her phone.

"Yeah, why?"

Iola showed her mother the group text Nancy had sent.

DO NOT OPEN ANY BOXES THAT YOU DO NOT REMEMBER ORDERING - OK, JUST TO BE SAFE, CHECK ALL BOXES. HARDYS ARE BEING TARGETED.

"...But if the Hardys are being kidnapped... Iola, what's in that box?"

"I don't know, but I think we need to leave. Now. Where's Chet?"

"Right here," Chet said, getting his cat. "We can have someone come look at it when we aren't here. Back door?"

"Back door sounds good," Iola said as the three walked out the door.

"I'm texting your father and telling him not to go towards the box, and to not come home," Iola's mother said as she started up the car and pulled out of the driveway, "Actually, no, Chet - you text him. I'm not texting and driving. I don't care if the box is nothing, I've seen too many movies."

"I sent Nancy a text about the box. She said that the would have Bomb Squad over ASAP, and that everyone was going to Phil's house-Oh. Chet, did you get that text?"

"No... I'm on Mom's phone, not mine," Chet remarked.

"Phil Cohen was kidnapped. Whoever this group is, they aren't content to go after Laura and Fenton. They want everyone in this town."

"Great," Iola's mother remarked. "Just the peaceful weekend I wanted."

"Iola's family is on their way," Nancy said as she came in the house. "Just got word back from them. They had a mysterious box show up addressed to Iola. I sent bomb squad over to look at it."

"Good. This guy is just insane now - instead of keeping his focus to me, or to Laura... it's way bigger than that. It's almost like he's targeting the entire group here. Why?"

"Well," Carson said, coming in and sitting down, "That's what we need to figure out. I just got word that another house here was blown up, and this time it had someone in it - someone who isn't liked to this group. They barely escaped alive. We need to put a stop to this quickly before this entire town becomes rubble."

A/N:

So will they try and escape and if so will it be successful?

Also, why is Al-Roussia targeting, well, everyone?

Thanks for all your reviews! -Liz