Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the canon book characters, and am making no monies from this story. Any Original Characters belong to the author(s).

This story was originally written in the early 2000s. There are many technological differences from today's world. Co-written with RokiaHDA, who wrote back then under the name of Aspen.

Thank you, all who left commentary. You're so appreciated!

Ides of August

By EvergreenDreamweaver and RokiaHDA

Chapter 21

Fenton Hardy clenched his fists tightly against his sides, and forced himself to take deep, calming breaths. He didn't dare lunge out into the hall and confront the Claremonts the way he desired, but oh, how he yearned to! Come on, calm down, get a grip….he told himself. He couldn't believe what he had just overheard. How could Randall Claremont have the audacity to announce to Lisa that something was going to have to be done about Frank? Well, Randall hadn't mentioned Frank by name, but who else could he have meant? It was Frank whom someone had been trying to kill, all along!

When he thought he could trust his temper, Fenton looked out into the hallway, and saw Lisa and Randall Claremont standing together, near the pay phone next to the waiting room. Neither of them was talking on the phone, but they were leaning against the wall beside it, and seemed to be carrying on a low-toned conversation.

Not wishing to speak to them, and hoping he might hear something else, Fenton started to duck back into the waiting room, but as he stepped back, he bumped into a garbage can, and knocked it into the beverage machine. The resultant clatter made both the Claremonts turn towards him.

"Hardy!" Randall Claremont smiled, his eyes lighting behind his wire-rimmed glasses. "Glad you made it! Have you talked to the doctor yet?"

Fenton nodded, still not trusting himself to speak. He couldn't lash out in anger, not yet. What he wanted to do was throw Randall Claremont against the wall and demand to know what he meant by the comment about "doing something about the boy." But what if he was mistaken? There was still that nagging sense of doubt, that feeling that something didn't quite add up. Even hearing Claremont voice the threat hadn't cleared up the confusion. What am I doing? Maybe if I talk to them, I can get them to slip, to admit to something! That's my best bet. If I'm confrontational with them, they'll just leave, tell me I'm ungrateful for what they did, and I'll never find out anything…. Fenton had been an investigator long enough to know that sometimes you learned more with sugar than with vinegar.

"Fenton, are you all right?" It was Lisa, her voice full of concern.

Then Fenton realized he was clutching the garbage can he had picked up, so tightly that his knuckles were white. He stared at the couple in front of him, trying to make sense of them and their actions. They could be behind the thefts…behind the attempts on Frank's life…even behind the murder in Stateline. And yet, for some inexplicable reason, they had brought the boys to the hospital, instead of leaving them in the woods to die…or finishing them off!

Why bring Frank back here instead of killing him?

"I think you'd better sit down, man," Randall Claremont said brusquely. He stepped forward and took Fenton's arm, and led him back into the waiting room, where he gently forced him into a chair. "You look shell-shocked. This the first time your boys have been hurt? They'll be all right; the doctor told us that before we went to eat….Fenton, have you eaten anything recently?" he added, in what sounded like genuine concern.

Fenton shook his head numbly. "No…" he admitted. "No, I haven't had time – haven't even thought about it." He stared at the floor a few seconds longer, then looked up at the hovering Claremonts. "Where – how – did you find them?"

"We were on our way back to Tahoe," Randall said, "when we saw these two young men lying beside the road. We stopped, saw how bad they looked, loaded them in the car, and turned around and headed back here, to the hospital. The younger one, the blonde, was awake enough to tell us their names, and where they were staying. I figured there couldn't be more than one group of Hardys staying in Stateline with sons named Frank and Joe, so I took a chance when we got here, and called you." He paused, and glanced at his watch. "How did you get here so fast?"

"We were given a ride by Cameron Jacobs, in his private helicopter," Fenton explained. I wonder where Jacobs has got to? he wondered idly. Oh well, I suppose he had business of his own to take care of. I'll be eternally grateful to him for getting us here so quickly, but I'd be just as glad if he went on back to Tahoe now. Fenton smiled grimly. He knew exactly why he felt that way about Cameron Jacobs! The fact that Jacobs was so obviously attracted to Laura – and was willing to act on his attraction – bothered him a good deal. Fenton didn't want to seem ungrateful, but he wished that Cameron Jacobs would go far, far away from Reno – perhaps Dallas, Texas, might be far enough!

"Fenton…" It was Lisa speaking again. "Would you like me to get you something to eat? And is Laura with Joe?"

He thought about that for a bit, and finally nodded. "Yes, thanks." I could use some food, he admitted to himself. And if I don't have to go get it myself, I'd accept it. "And yes, Laura's in Joe's room."

"I'll get you both some sandwiches, then, and bring them to Joe's room," Lisa told him, and left the waiting room.

Randall Claremont, evidently realizing that Fenton didn't feel like talking, excused himself also, saying that he had a few more phone calls to make, since his trip back home had been delayed. Left alone, Fenton got another cup of coffee from the machine, and went back down the hall to Joe's room, intending to spend a few more minutes with his younger son, and wait for Lisa's sandwiches.

He stopped before entering, for he saw Laura sitting close beside Joe's bed, leaning forward on it. Fenton smiled, and leaned against the door, watching. Joe was completely unaware of his mother's presence, but still, she held his free hand clasped in her own, and was leaning over it, eyes closed.

Softly, Fenton stepped into the room, and laid a hand gently on Laura's shoulder. Somehow, she must have sensed his presence, for she didn't startle, she merely lifted her hand to cover his for a moment, then turned to him, opening her eyes. He handed her the cup of coffee he had brought her.

Someone at the door cleared his throat, and Cameron Jacobs walked in, carrying two cups of coffee. One had clearly been sampled, for there was a brown stain on the plastic lid. He was extending the other towards Laura when he became aware that she already was holding one.

"Mr. Hardy, I would have brought you a cup of coffee, but you weren't here the last time I was," Jacobs said smoothly. He didn't offer the extra cup.

Fenton returned Jacobs' cool gaze with an equally cool one of his own. After all, it was his hand Laura was holding, not Jacobs'!

"Thank you again for getting us here, Mr. Jacobs," he said aloud. I am so ready to be rid of you! He didn't wish to seem rude, not after what Jacobs had done for them, but he was getting almighty tired of the resort owner's attitude…and the way he kept coming on to Laura. "I'm sure it's getting late…?"

"Oh, I'm a night owl," Jacobs said easily. "This isn't late for me at all! I want to make sure your boys are all right." He smiled charmingly at Laura, but she didn't return it.

"We're very grateful," Laura said quietly. "But really, we can't keep you here any longer."

Eventually, Cameron Jacobs took the hint and said he had to go. "I can't keep the helicopter on the landing pad any longer, I'm afraid – so if you don't need me any more tonight, I should be getting back to Tahoe. I still have business to take care of tonight…but I was more than happy to be of service."

Fenton extended his hand. "Thank you again."

Jacobs shook the detective's hand briefly, then bent over Laura's proffered hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. Fenton saw her lips tighten, but she didn't say anything, other than 'goodbye.'

"I'll walk you out," Fenton offered, and accompanied Jacobs to the helipad. He stood and watched as the man climbed into the chopper, fired up the engine, and finally flew away.

Fenton walked back to the fifth floor, and was heading down the hall to Joe's room when a nurse approached and asked his name. When informed as to who he was, she took him into the waiting room.

"Mr. Hardy, I just came out of surgery with Dr. Singh. Your son Frank has been taken to Recovery. He's still under the anesthetic he was given, but everything went well. Dr. Singh should be in to talk to you in just a few minutes." She smiled. "Your son should be just fine, Mr. Hardy," she concluded, and left the room.

Fenton sank into the nearest chair, feeling the tension drain from his shoulders as he sagged back…and then he leaned forward, and put his face in his hands.

#####

Megan stamped on the gas pedal and jerked the steering wheel hard to the left, to avoid the deer which was standing frozen in their headlights. She managed not to hit the creature, and somehow, thanks to the big car's ease of handling, also managed to keep the vehicle on the road. Shakily, she steered back into her own lane, breathing hard and terrified to her very core.

That was so close! I almost hit that deer! Megan was panting with near-panic reaction, but she kept telling herself to calm down. We've got to get to Reno…we've got to get there without wrecking the car! She felt Vanessa's hand cover hers on the steering wheel, patting her gently, reassuring her that they were okay.

"Good job, Meggie, good one," the younger girl murmured soothingly.

"Th-thank goodness there wasn't anything coming the other way!" Megan whispered. She settled herself back into the driver's seat and tried to relax a little. All right, we're going to make it there alive! All we have to do is get off this highway and onto 395 North, and we'll be fine. Surely there wouldn't be deer on the road in the city – that would be too unbelievable!

Both girls were operating on sheer nerve now – they had had a very long, stressful day, starting with the boys' departure early that morning…and they had no idea when it was going to end. On the East coast, it was already getting late, crowding their bedtime. But neither Vanessa nor Megan was about to give up. As tired as they were, both of them realized that if they wanted to see Frank and Joe that night, they needed to get to their destination. They had to keep going.

Megan kept driving, and after what seemed an eternity of winding mountain roads bordered by tall evergreen trees, they reached the end of the highway and turned north on Virginia Street.

"We're getting close," Vanessa murmured. She pulled out the written instructions Jorge had given them, and began reading them in the soft glow of the little light on her vanity mirror. "North on Virginia…past the Meadowood Mall, past the Atlantic, past the Peppermill…" She paused, ticking off the landmarks as Megan negotiated the traffic, for even at this time of night, Reno was busy living up to its nickname. "Now we come to a big intersection at Virginia and Plumb, by Park Lane Mall…yeah, there it is….At the next light, take Wells to the left, then go till you reach Mills and take a right….Hospital should be on the left in three or four blocks."

Finally, they pulled into the hospital parking lot, and Megan turned off the motor. For just a few seconds they sat there, weak with relief at their safe arrival – and then they were piling out of the car, hastily locking it, and rushing into the Washoe Medical Center, tired and anxious.

They paused at the front desk and inquired for either Joe or Frank Hardy. The receptionist took her time about looking up the information, and Megan suddenly found words tumbling from her mouth.

"Please, can't you hurry? Their parents are here too, Mr. and Mrs. Hardy; they came by helicopter, and we drove their car all the way from Stateline in the dark, and we nearly hit a deer, and…and…" She broke off, appalled at herself, and felt Vanessa encircle her with an encouraging squeeze. "I'm...excuse me."

The receptionist gave them an understanding smile. "Fifth floor, trauma," she said, and got to her feet. "Come over here, the elevators are right around this corner."

When they reached the fifth floor, Megan and Vanessa rushed immediately to the waiting area, hoping to find Laura and Fenton, but it was empty. They hurried back to the nurses' station, and asked again for Frank or Joe Hardy.

"Well, Joe's in 592," one of the nurses told them, checking her computer screen. "But Frank's still in Recovery."

"Recovery?" Vanessa asked. "What do you mean by that? What happened to him?"

"You'd better talk to their parents, honey," the nurse advised. "I'm not supposed to give out that sort of information to non-family members."

Now more worried than ever, the girls hurried down the corridor to room 592, where they found Fenton, watching over the sleeping Joe. They tiptoed in, and Vanessa gasped at the sight of her bruised and bandaged boyfriend, who looked decidedly fragile at the moment.

Fenton found himself more relieved than he'd realized, when Megan and Vanessa entered the room. Since some of his fears about the boys had been relieved, he'd been harboring visions of the girls slamming into a tree on the mountainous highway, having car trouble and being stranded alone in the dark…yes, it was definitely a relief to see them there, safe and sound! In a voice just above a whisper, he explained what had happened to the boys, and concluded by telling Megan where she might find Frank. With a gulp, she rushed from the room, in search of Recovery, while Vanessa settled down in a chair at Joe's bedside, curling her fingers gently around his lax hand.

Megan found the correct room without difficulty, and when she walked in, she saw Laura seated near the bed. The elder woman glanced up, then got to her feet and hugged Megan warmly.

"I'm so glad you made it safely!" she whispered.

Megan's eyes were fixed on the bed's occupant, and a horrified expression filled them as she looked at Frank. Three different IVs were running into his right arm and the back of his hand. His left shoulder was heavily bandaged, and the rest of his left arm was encased in a plaster cast. Monitors of some sort were attached to him, and he was evidently receiving oxygen or something, through prongs inserted in his nose. His face and what she could see of his torso seemed to be bruised and cut and scraped and scratched…

"Oh Laura…" she breathed. "He's…is he…?"

"Don't worry, honey!" Mrs. Hardy said reassuringly. "It looks worse than it is, with all the bruises and scrapes. He's going to be all right, really."

She guided Megan to the chair beside the bed, and patted her shoulder. "I'll leave you alone for a minute," she murmured, and left the room.

Megan instinctively reached for Frank's hand – and then stopped, balked by the IV apparatus. Very gently, she entwined her fingers into his, and then leaned forward and let her copper-curled head rest on the pillow next to Frank's pale, bruised face. "I love you, darling," she whispered. "I'm here…and I love you."

All too soon, a nurse arrived to check Frank's vitals again. Megan sat up guiltily, but the nurse just smiled at her.

"He's doing fine," she told Megan. "He's pretty much out of the anesthesia now, but of course he's quite heavily sedated. But everything looks good."

As the nurse left, Fenton entered, followed by Laura. "Megan, why don't you join Vanessa for a little while," he suggested. "She's in the waiting room. I've made some arrangements at a nearby hotel so we can all get some sleep – Laura, don't argue!" he broke off to say. "Both the kids are out like lights; they won't even know we're gone, and all of us are beyond exhausted at this point." He smiled at his wife and Megan. "Just give us a chance to say goodnight to Frank, Megan, and then we'll be on our way."

#####

The next morning found the Hardy parents, with Megan and Vanessa accompanying them, returning to the hospital, anxious to see how Frank and Joe had fared through the night. When they arrived, they discovered that Joe had been moved to a different room, this one a double – and the occupant of the other bed was Frank! He was sleeping soundly, and he looked vastly improved from the night before; there was more color in his face, and he was no longer connected to multiple monitors, but he was still receiving IV fluids.

Joe, however, was awake. He was lying back on the pillows with his eyes half-closed, a scarcely-touched breakfast on a tray still in front of him. When he heard people arriving, Joe opened his eyes, and smiled wanly at his family.

"Didn't mean to yank you all out of Tahoe," he murmured, "But I'm really glad you're here!" He blinked. "When did you get here? I must've slept through it…."

"Don't worry about it," his father said. "We were here last night."

"How are you feeling, honey?" Laura asked, as Vanessa moved to his side to take his hand. Megan gave Joe a quick smile, but immediately stepped over to Frank's bedside, and curled her hand around his.

"Not real great," Joe admitted. "My head still hurts a lot…and I was seeing double when I woke up. Dr. Ashton seems kind of concerned that the concussion may be worse than they thought – but since I didn't suffer any complications during the night, it won't set me back too much." He attempted a grin, wincing as the movement tugged the stitched cut on his cheek. "Besides, it's probably just from trying to convince my overly stubborn brother that I wasn't going to leave him out in the woods by himself!" he tried to joke.

Everyone chuckled obligingly, and Joe looked satisfied. His reputation as a mood-lightener was still intact. Now, he looked imploringly at his mother. "Mom, is there any way you can get me something to eat? The food here is worse than that stuff I had at summer camp the year I was twelve!"

Laura laughed, and laid a light kiss on his forehead. "I'll see what I can do," she half-promised.

Joe sighed, his smile fading. "Actually, I'm not very hungry. Leftover nausea from the concussion, the doctor said. I hope it goes away pretty soon." He looked over at the other bed, where Megan still kept her quiet vigil, holding Frank's hand. "He woke up earlier, just for a little bit. The doctor checked him over, and said he's recovering just fine, but they want to keep him really quiet, yet. But he should be awake later."

Fenton was about to question Joe about the particulars of what had happened to them on Mount Rose, when the sounds of scuffling movement came from the hallway. He quickly stepped to the door, and looked out. To his surprise, he saw a man running away, down the hallway towards the elevators. The fleeing man bumped into a nurse, knocking a tray from her hands, and as he did so, Fenton caught a glimpse of his face. To his utter shock and horror, he realized it was the man who had attacked Megan the day before!