To No1butjoe, MissMe113, Polaris, Miss Fenway, Nicole, whashaza, pally and Helen – thank you so much for reviewing! :-) Hope you continue to enjoy the story.

Triple Jeopardy

Chapter 21

Fenton Hardy crept noiselessly through the thick vegetation. It was obvious their escape had been discovered given the number of Jarrell's men who were searching the woods. They'd passed by him several times and once he'd almost been found. Checking the time, Fenton frowned. Having to avoid Jarrell's search party had cost him precious time. He'd hoped to have gotten Joe to safety by now, yet still hadn't even found his own way out of the woods yet.

Wondering how Joe was doing and worrying about what the slow progress would mean to his deteriorating condition, Fenton almost didn't hear the approaching figure until it was too late. Looking around desperately he saw nowhere to hide. In a last ditch effort he looked up and smiled grimly. With a small vertical jump, Fenton grabbed a low branch of the tree next to him and pulled himself up. Standing, he balanced on the branch, hidden from view.

Unable to see the figure until it stopped directly below him, Fenton swore under his breath. The younger, blonde haired man looked quite a bit larger and more muscular than he was.

'Keep moving,' Fenton urged silently, becoming more frustrated when the man pulled a snack bar from his pocket and sat down at the base of the tree.

The young man checked his watch, then peeled back the wrapper and took a bite. Looking at his own watch, Fenton realized he didn't have time to wait for Jarrell's thug to finish his snack. Every second he waited was a second Joe's condition worsened.

Bending his knees slightly, Fenton took a breath and launched himself out of the tree, landing directly on top of the startled man. Having the element of surprise didn't work as well as Fenton had hoped, though, as the man expertly flipped Fenton onto his back. Pinning him down with one hand, he made a fist with the other and cocked it back, prepared to launch what was certain to be a knockout blow. In the one instant before he delivered the punch, the young man took a good look at his captive and his eyes widened in shock.

"Mr. Hardy?!" Biff Hooper exclaimed.

"Biff?" Fenton replied equally surprised.

"Oh, man I'm so sorry." Biff quickly scrambled up off his best friend's father. Reaching out, he helped Fenton to his feet.

Fenton smiled. "Hey, you were only defending yourself. But thanks for not following through. I'd hate to be punched out by an amateur boxer."

Biff shrugged sheepishly, before turning serious. "Where's Joe? And Mrs. Hardy? Oh man, I need to check in with Frank." He looked around for his walkie-talkie, which he'd apparently lost in the struggle.

"Uh-oh." Fenton pointed to a smashed piece of plastic on the ground. "Sorry."

Biff winced for a moment, which was quickly replaced by his good-natured grin. "All in the line of duty. So where is Joe?"

"This way," Fenton pointed, turning serious. "He's hurt pretty badly. We need to get him out of here as soon as possible. I'll explain as we go. We don't have any time to waste."

oooOOOooo

Frank looked up, meeting his mother's eyes.

"He's not answering?" Laura asked worriedly.

"No." Frank frowned. Pressing the button again he spoke into the mouthpiece. "Chet? Tony? Phil?"

"Yeah." "Right here." "Find something?" The three replies came in quick succession.

"I found Joe and my Mom. But we seem to have lost Biff. Has anyone heard from him?"

A swift chorus of "No" only reinforced Frank's anxiety. Hating himself for it, Frank momentarily pushed thoughts of Biff aside as he realized his first priority had to be getting Joe to safety. Biff would have to wait.

"Okay. Maybe he's just having trouble with his walkie-talkie," Frank said hopefully. "In the meantime I need help getting Joe out of here. He can't walk on his own. Tony? Chet? Can you guys meet me here and help me carry him out? I'm rigging up a stretcher. Should be finished by the time you guys get here."

"Yup, just tell us where to meet you," Chet replied immediately.

"Will do in a second. Phil, can you go back to the cars and wait for us? We should be out in an hour – hour and a half tops. If we're not out by then, call the police."

"Got it. I'm out." Phil signed off.

After relaying his position to Tony and Chet, they all signed off and Frank turned to the task of creating a stretcher, while Laura tended to Joe. Approximately thirty minutes later, Frank heard the sound of a birdcall that repeated itself two more times. Frank responded in kind and moved towards the entrance of the small hideout. Pushing it aside, he poked his head out and saw Chet and Tony emerge from the trees. To his surprise, Fenton and Biff were right behind them.

"Look who we met on the way," Chet smiled, maneuvering his large frame through the opening as Frank returned to his brother's side. "Oh, wow." His tone dropped considerably as he saw Joe lying on the ground, eyes closed and flushed with fever.

"Hi, Dad," Frank said calmly, his voice belaying the relief shining brightly in his eyes.

Dropping down next to Frank, Fenton squeezed his shoulder and smiled before turning his attention to Joe. "Any change?"

"His temperature has gone up and the infection is getting worse," Laura replied. Now that help had arrived and she was no longer solely responsible for Joe's survival, her tough exterior was starting to unravel.

As Frank put the final knots in the stretcher he'd made, he explained to his father how Jarrell had attempted to blackmail him into lying on the witness stand. "I think we're ready," he announced, standing up. "Biff?" He pointed to the stretcher, raising his eyebrows. "If it can hold you, we'll know it's safe for Joe."

Biff rapidly scrambled onto the blankets and lay down. Tony, Chet, Frank and Fenton each took hold of a corner and lifted. While the blankets sagged slightly under Biff's weight, they held steady.

"Goo," Fenton said as they placed Biff back on solid ground. "Let's get him out of here."

Frank knelt down beside his brother and gently touched his shoulder. "Joe? Come on, wake up, buddy. It's time to go."

Opening his eyes, Joe glanced around and saw his friends. "Hey, guys."

Each of the boys returned the greeting, all a little spooked at seeing their friend so banged up and ill.

"Joe, we have to move you onto the stretcher," Frank explained.

"Okay." Joe acknowledged, inwardly steeling himself for the pain he knew it would cause.

Laura stepped back as Chet, Biff, Tony and Frank each took up positions on either side of Joe.

"On three," Fenton said, watching Joe's face carefully. "One, two, three."

As smoothly as possible, they lifted Joe off the ground and carefully placed him on the blankets. In spite of their efforts to keep him as still as possible, Joe hissed in pain. As they laid him on the stretcher Joe grabbed Frank's arm and held it tightly, his eyes squeezed shut.

"Give him a second," Frank ordered as the boys reached down to hoist the stretcher off the ground. He had correctly read Joe's signal that he needed a moment to recover before being moved again. When Joe's grip on his arm loosened, Frank asked if he was ready to continue. After getting a brief nod from Joe, Fenton counted again and they lifted the stretcher off the ground.

With Laura and Fenton keeping a close eye on Joe, the group trekked through the woods, making slow but steady progress. Each little bump turned into a new experience in pain for Joe, although he repeatedly refused offers to stop and rest. Focusing on his parents' words of encouragement, he insisted they keep moving.

Fifteen minutes into their journey Fenton held up a hand, bringing them to a halt. Cocking his head to one side he listened intently, hearing the faint echo of voices heading in their direction. With nowhere to seek shelter he realized a diversion was needed or Jarrell's men would quickly catch up with them.

Before he could formulate a plan, Laura spoke up in a harsh whisper. "Your father and I will act as decoys. We'll lead them off that way," she pointed to the north, "so you'll have time to escape."

Knowing they had no choice, Fenton agreed and turned to Frank. "If we're not already at the cars when you arrive, don't wait. Leave without us."

"But, Dad-" Frank began to protest, not wanting to leave his parents at the mercy of Jarrell.

"No!" Fenton snapped at his son, his voice quickly softening. "I'm counting on you to get your brother out of here. Please, Frank, don't argue with me. Just do as I ask."

Frank looked from his father to his mother, who nodded encouragingly.

"Yes, sir," Frank replied quietly.

Leaning down, Laura kissed Joe and whispered in his ear before standing on tiptoe to give Frank a kiss on the cheek. "We'll be fine," she smiled at him. "You just take care of Joe."

Frank nodded silently at his parents, trying to swallow the lump in his throat. "Let's go," he said to his friends, his voice tight with restrained emotion. Frank knew if his parents weren't waiting by the cars with Phil when they emerged from the woods, he'd never see them alive again.