Chapter Twenty-Four
Nancy heard a noise, startling her awake. The train was no longer moving and there were no sounds coming from outside the room. The curtains were still drawn though sunshine tried to peek through the sides giving the room an eerie glow. She looked down to see Frank sleeping on the floor by her bed, the scars from his injuries slightly visible in the dim light. Her eyes roamed the semi-dark room until she landed on a lone figure sitting in the chair across from her. An open newspaper blocked her from seeing who it was though she almost thought it was her father as the man was wearing an impeccable suit. Nancy moved slowly to try to get off the bed, keeping the blankets and sheet close to her. She cursed herself for not keeping her clothes near her but knew they wouldn't dry otherwise. As she was just about to put her foot down, avoiding Frank, the man cleared his throat loudly.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said. The newspaper crinkled as the man leveled it down to look at her. He smiled, wrinkles crinkling at the corners of his eyes behind his reading glasses. Frank finally stirred after the man spoke, sitting up quickly and watching him with unease. Nancy eased herself back on to the bed slowly.
"Mason Wallace?" Nancy croaked out. Frank turned to look at her, stunned that she knew who the man was.
"Hello, Nancy," Mason replied kindly, still smiling. He looked down at Frank giving him the evil eye. "Frank Hardy, I presume?"
"What are you doing here?" she demanded, gathering her blanket and sheet close to her again though she was very well covered. "Did Dad send you?"
"No, I'm here on official business," Mason answered. "He's back in New York with Mr. Hardy's family waiting for me to call them. They want you to come home."
"Is that why you're here?" Frank asked skeptically. "Or are you going to arrest us?"
"No, Mr. Hardy," Mason looked at him in earnest. "I'm here to ask for help from you. I highly doubt though that I would want to parade you two out the door and onto the platform with nothing on. A fact that I will leave out of my report along with keeping it from your families. I am going to leave you two alone to get dressed. I will be out in the hall so I trust that you will not keep me waiting long."
Mason walked out leaving the two to wonder how he even got in the room let alone find them. Nancy gathered the blankets around her, stumbling out of bed as she tripped over Frank. The two burst out laughing as she grabbed her clothes on the way into the bathroom. Frank quickly changed in the room, looking at the clock reading 12:05pm. They had been sleeping for over eight hours straight and he knew they couldn't be far from the border to Canada. He just wished this Mason guy hadn't found them so easily. What's to say that Powers couldn't do the same? Or maybe he's working for Powers and is here to take them back.
Frank continued to think of who the man was and especially how Nancy even knew him as he pulled on his slightly damp clothes. His thoughts soon went to mush when Nancy stepped out of the bathroom. Although he saw her the night before and knew what she wore, Frank couldn't help but gaze at the dress that hugged her every curve. Powers may be psychotic but he sure knew how to dress a lady. Frank watched her strap heals on that miraculously stayed on her feet when they jumped into the ocean. He continued to watch as she gathered their few belongings and stuff them into their knapsack. Nancy had to repeat his name again in order to knock him out of his thoughts of her.
"What?" he asked dumbly, shaking his head.
"I said 'are you ready?'" Nancy gave him an odd look as he put his shoes on quietly. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said, smiling at her. "Just thinking about things and watching you. Do you really know this guy?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Nancy said, sighing. "He's a friend of Dad's from years ago but Dad really hasn't talked to him lately. Only when he needs something or vice versa. They had a kind of falling out a few years back after a well publicized case and they haven't really spoken since. I guess until now, that is. He said Dad knows he's here."
"Can he be trusted?"
Nancy walked over to him and sat on his knee. She took his face in her hands and kissed him tenderly.
"I'm hoping he can be. Whatever else is going on in that handsome head of yours," Nancy said thoughtfully, "it can wait. We will be fine, no matter what happens. You'll see."
"I almost lost you," Frank whispered, wrapping his arms around her. He looked into her crystal blue eyes and saw the love she had for him.
"But you didn't," she said softly. "I will always come back to you no matter what. I love you, Frank Hardy, and not even that bastard Powers will take that away."
"You are my whole world, Nan," he said, leaning his forehead against hers. They kissed again only to be interrupted by an urgent knock at the door, reminding them of who was waiting. "Is he really someone to trust?"
Before Nancy could say anything more, Mason rushed back into the room and locked the door.
"Change of plans," he said quickly.
"Why? What is it?" Frank asked, concerned. Nancy got up and waited for Mason to explain.
"I just got word that two known associates of William Powers just entered the terminal and are headed this way. Good thing I had the train evacuated." Frank quickly rose as Nancy pulled on their knapsack. He wanted nothing more than to put as much distance between them and whoever was there.
"Who are they?" Nancy asked as Mason opened their door and peered out.
"It wasn't specified. We're clear," he replied motioning for them to follow him. Just as they came to the end of the car, the tell-tale sound of a silencer pinged, the bullet just brushing past Nancy's head. No, not a bullet, she saw. A tranquilizer dart! She turned to see Anna Mitchell aiming her gun at them again. Nancy pulled Frank around the corner just as the dart hit the wall where he once stood. She heard Anna curse out loud as a male voice scolded her. Nathan! Nancy thought. Frank pushed her forward behind Mason who was trying to move as quickly as he could through the train car.
"How did they find us?" Frank asked, huffing through the car.
"Probably the same way we did, by asking the right questions," Mason replied, guiding them downstairs to get off the train. He turned toward them once they hit the platform crowded with the waiting travelers. "I need you to trust me. I have a car out front waiting. If you want to hear me out, follow me there. If not, you'll have to find a way out of here on your own. It's your choice."
Mason dissolved into the crowd leaving the two to contemplate their decision quickly. Frank didn't trust anyone at the moment but he felt that they really didn't have a choice but to follow Mason. He looked at Nancy and waited for her to answer though she remained quiet, thinking about what to do. Her eyes widened as she caught glimpse of Nathan stepping onto the platform and stare right at them, smirking.
"I don't think we have a choice, Frank! Let's go!" she cried, following the direction Mason went into the terminal. Nathan and Anna rushed after them, pushing people out of the way in the process, leaving a lot of protests and grumbling in their wake. As Nancy and Frank burst through the front doors of the station, a dark sedan waited, Mason waiting by it. He opened the back door once he saw them and got into the front passenger seat.
"Are you sure about this, Nan?" Frank asked quickly. He could see Nathan and Anna still struggling through the crowded terminal. "I don't know about this guy."
"Me neither," Nancy said looking back. "But what choice do we have?"
"The first chance we get," Frank replied quietly, "we ditch him."
"Agreed." Nancy climbed into the car first and Frank closed the car door behind him just as Anna finally burst out of the station. Nancy turned to look out the back window as the other woman threw a tantrum and screamed, watching the car pull away.
Frank watched as the train station slipped out of view and the car moved into countryside. He was just about to ask where they were going when he noticed the window separating them from the driver was closed, blocking their view. His internal alarms going off, Frank reached for the door, the locks clicking into place. He gave Nancy a concerned look as gas filtered in through the vents, filling the area.
"I'm sorry to do this to you, Nancy," replied Mason's voice over an intercom. Nancy began coughing as Frank continued trying to open the doors, pounding on the windows. "This was the only way I could get you to listen. Don't worry, though. You won't be harmed in any way. Sweet dreams."
Frank looked around the car, trying to find something to break open the door but nothing was visible. He gazed over at Nancy whose eyes rolled up as she finally passed out. She fell onto the seat before he could reach her.
"Nancy!" Frank cried, coughing. "Mason, you son of a…" The last word wouldn't come out as darkness finally took over, Frank's final thoughts of protecting Nancy.
"Damn it!" screamed Anna, as the car disappeared down the road. Travelers around them scurried past her in order to avoid confrontation. "We had them! Again! How is it they have this insane luck of getting away from us?"
"Shut up, Anna!" cried Nathan. "We wouldn't have been delayed if you hadn't taken a wrong turn! That's not luck on their part. It's you being completely incompetent in driving a damn car! I'm not going to be the one boiled alive by Mr. Powers for this one either!"
"Oh, yeah?" she got into his face. "I wasn't the one who let a boy get the better of me at the warehouse! Joe Hardy was in your grasp and you let him get away then! Even I could have done better!"
"Let's see you try the next time! I already took the heat for that mess! You, on the other hand, were on the ship and let her get away! I'm surprised you didn't try to kill her then!"
"What?! And have Mr. Powers kill me as well?" Anna looked at him incredulously. "That brat will get hers in the end. Mark my words."
"Whatever." Nathan laughed, pulling out his phone. "And she'll beat the shit out of you again, just like last time." He got quiet suddenly as Powers answered the phone.
"I take it from your tone with Ms. Mitchell that you were not successful, Nathan," replied Powers.
"You are correct, sir," Nathan said stiffly. "Someone was already here by the time we arrived. A man in a suit. They were able to get away."
"This does not please me one bit, Nathan," Powers replied calmly. "I have a feeling who was there though and we will deal with him in due time. We will have to go to our original plan in locating them. I have Marty and Garrison setting up parameters and algorithms for their search. It should find them easily within the next few weeks or months. I'm willing to wait as long as it takes. Get back here. Now!"
"Yes, Mr. Powers," Nathan nodded as the line went dead. "Let's go, Mitchell! Powers wants us back on the double!"
Anna swore again, watching the direction the car took, trying to will it back. She wanted nothing more than to strangle the girl until her eyes popped out. Anything for all the humiliation she had caused her.
"One day, we'll settle this," she mumbled to no one in particular as she followed Nathan to their car.
Author's note:
I didn't think I would have so much fun in writing this chapter but I did! I love writing the temper tantrums of Anna but also the disdain Nathan has for her. I honestly didn't know this plot twist with Mason was going to exist until a few days ago when I changed up the story yet again. When I brought in the character, I thought he would just be passing through like most of the other minor characters (Grundy for example). Then I thought of a new twist that still brings us to where I want to go with it so hopefully you all like it! Don't forget to review though! You don't know how much it means to me to hear what you have to say! Thanks to those who did for the last chapter!