Nothing really new here - I just decided to touch up on this bit and make this the official Epilogue - so I can start on the second bit. Sorry I haven't been around for a while - but been having a rough time settling in. I hope to be able to start reading again soon. Can't wait to see what new stories are out there

In the Gingerbread House with Candyman

By Jolly

EPILOGUE

Excerpts from various public media:

"... Most of the victims have been rescued in a highly secret and efficient operation on Halloween dawn with only minor injuries. There were three reported casualties. The younger son of nationally well-known PI, Fenton Hardy, and an FBI agent were reported killed when the underground dungeon collapsed during the rescue mission. The kidnapper was also believed to have perished during the dungeon collapse. The local police and the FBI have concluded that the kidnapper was a copycat..." Bayport Times, Nov 1.

"There will be a memorial service for Joseph Paul Hardy on Nov 8, 10 a.m., at the Holy Trinity Church. Joseph is survived by his parents, Fenton and Laura Hardy, and his elder brother Frank Hardy." Bayport Times, Nov 3.

"... The FBI had, under intense public pressure, reopened the 13-year-old case where twelve of their best undercover agents were murdered, presumably by a psychotic serial killer using special Secret Service issued bullets. The push was headed by the immediate families of the deceased agents. They have expressed their anger at what they perceive as a deliberate government cover-up…" Bayport Times, Nov 11.

"It would seem that the Secret Service was implicated in the deaths of the twelve FBI undercover agents thirteen years ago... One has to consider the possibility that the Candyman was a mythical creation to deflect attention from..." New York Tabloid, Nov 13.

"The number of tourists to Fire Island has more than tripled over the last fortnight as news of the discovery of the infamous Arkenay's Sleeping Beauty Tower spreads. The West Fire Island is now filled with campers and treasure hunters trying to find Arkenay's hidden family fortune in gold. No one has any idea how much that fortune might be worth. Dr. Pearson, a historian with New York University who studied the Arkenay family, estimated the hidden fortune to be worth anywhere between 20 to 60 million dollars in today's terms. All ferries and seaplane-charter services report brisk business..." Fire Island Chronicles, Nov 18.

"Did the Secret Service resort to satanic experiments in the late 60s and 70s to create the perfect agent?" Conspiracy Central Online Blog, Nov 20.

oooooo

In a little room in an unknown location at an unknown time, two Secret Service agents sat and stared at the newspapers clippings on their desks, and discussed their implications.

"All right, Marcus, this is seriously hampering our ability to cover up. We have all those over-zealous treasure hunters swarming all over West Fire Island, not to mention the media hounding the FBI and us about that 13-year-old case," the stockier built agent in his black suit stated in an irritated tone.

"I do not believe it is possible to hush up the entire incident like we did thirteen years ago, Karl. This time he got his exposure. What we can do now is to minimize damage by ways of misdirection," Marcus replied in a calm voice.

"We should have just killed that demon child back then. But they had wanted to try to harness its abilities," Karl groused.

"We still have his sister. He won't do anything as long as we have his sister," Marcus pointed out.

"You know he'll kill us all without a thought when he finds her, don't you?" Then he shuddered at an old memory. "And you DO remember HOW that little demon kills, don't you?"

"Then we just have to make sure he never finds her," Marcus stated in a matter of fact tone.

Karl stared at his long-time partner in disbelief. How can he be so calm? Karl wondered, and threw out a suggestion. "Why don't we just kill her? Then he'd never find her, and he'll never know, and we don't have to waste effort and time hiding her."

"He knows she lives. That's why he hadn't come after us yet." Then Karl rubbed his temple a little tiredly. "Look, the only way for us now is forward…"

Karl muttered a number of curses under his breath. "Except this time, he got the exposure he needed. We now have to deal with the public, the media, and with him. And, we're going to have Hardy on our necks too for the supposed death of the younger son. Hardy already got Maxwell Kendall on his side."

"You don't believe that kid's dead?" Marcus asked.

Karl snorted. "The way Hardy is chasing this case? No. My guess is our Candyman got that kid to set Hardy onto us. We have to do something about Hardy and also Kendall. Both of them are too good to be easily bought off or distracted."

"We already have people working on removing Kendall from his post. But it has to be done slowly. And Kendall's proving to have the resilience of a cockroach. As for Hardy, we'll see if he has any preference between his elder and younger son." Marcus shrugged.

Karl leaned back into his chair with his hands placed comfortably behind his head before commenting on the stray thoughts running through his head. "I am curious. I wonder why he took the kid. I mean, the last time he took Gray – the best of the lot. I would have thought he would have taken John Broadwick, who's making first class detective at 31. That is a very impressive achievement. Or even Eleonora Carlos, who's about to graduate top of her class from the Police Academy backed by a degree in Psychology. Both the Hardy kids are too young, though the elder would have been the more logical choice..."

Marcus looked up from the notes in his hand. "That's why I am looking into young Joseph's background here."

"And?"

"That kid's a loose cannon. He should have been dead several times over. He survived two car bombs and—"

"What are you trying to say, Marcus?"

"One thing our Candyman did not have on his side so far is luck. And I must say that young Joseph is one incredibly lucky kid. If you believe in such things, then our Candyman chose to take with him a darn lucky and loose cannon ball..."