CHAPTER 11- COUNTDOWN TO TERROR
Frank sat, head in hands, beside Joe's bed in the doctor's surgery. He was reeling with the horror of the situation. Joe was meant to murder him! So far Tyler's notes had been spot on. Their prediction had come to pass, despite the efforts of White's team.
He lifted his face and looked at his younger brother, pale and still. What had they done to him? Was some drug and a few hours of unnamed torture really sufficient to make Joe kill his own brother, his best friend?
Doc Mills had checked him over. No serious injuries. He had bruising to his arms and legs, as though he had been restrained. There was a weald on his neck, possibly from a dart, and a needle mark on the back of his hand. Mills had said it looked like he'd been on an intravenous drip. If they had hurt him, it probably was as White had said- by electric shock. Maximum pain, minimum damage.
Heart twisting at the thought, Frank reached out and stroked Joe's cheek. Joe twitched! Frank jumped, withdrawing his hand as though he'd been stung. The younger man was wakening up!
Frank sat back a little, wanting to be there to reassure his brother but unsure what might happen. He glanced at the clock. 2145. Two hours, fifteen minutes until Joe was meant to kill him.
Joe's blue eyes flickered open. He gasped, looking around himself at the unexpected scene. His gaze worked slowly around the room, before coming to rest on Frank's apprehensive face. Frank held his breath.
Joe looked into Frank's eyes for a few moments. He blinked a few times, confused, then visibly relaxed, smiling weakly. Frank let out the breath he was holding and reached over, taking hold of Joe's hand. 'Hey, little brother. How you doing?' His voice was thick with emotion.
Joe shut his eyes and shook his head. 'I…I don't know. What happened?' His voice was weak, hoarse.
Frank hesitated. 'We're not sure.' He said evasively. 'What do you remember?'
Joe's screwed his face up in concentration. 'We….we were at that cabin. There was a note. I think…..I think I remember running.' He tailed off.
'How do you feel?'
'Sore. Strange. Like I had a dream I don't remember. A nightmare…' he gasped in panicked realisation. 'Frank, did they get me?'
Frank looked into Joe's eyes, opening his mouth to break the news. He felt his bottom lip tremble and bit it, looking down quickly. He heard Joe inhale sharply, his question answered.
'Was there a note?' There was more than an edge of fear to Joe's voice. Frank held his hand tighter. He looked up again. He nodded.
Joe was horror-struck. 'No. Not you. Please not you!'
Frank managed to shoot him a lop-sided smile. 'It's OK, Joe. It's not going to happen. No way!'
'Oh God! When?'
The older Hardy hesitated. Once Joe knew, the clock would be ticking for both of them. There would be no going back. He took a deep breath, again squeezing his brother's hand. 'Midnight.'
Joe looked up at the clock in front of them. Panic set in. He struggled into a seated position, pulled his hand out of his brother's grip and shoved against Frank's shoulder with all the strength he could muster. 'You've got to get away from me, Frank! You have to go!'
Frank caught him by his wrists. He looked directly into the younger man's eyes. 'Listen! It's not going happen, Joe. White has a plan. We're both going to be fine.' Frank hoped he sounded surer than he felt.
'Wh….what plan?'
'White says the drug you were given controls you but it will wear off- the effects are temporary. We have to keep you safe from Tylers' goons until that happens. And we'll have to restrain you too. I'm sorry, Joe.'
'Frank. Do it, do it now! Tie me up, lock me up, get away from me! Please.' Joe was desperate, his voice shaking.
'There's time yet, Joe.'
'NOW!' Joe shouted. 'Please, Frank, please!'
Frank looked into his brother's terrified eyes. 'I won't let it happen, Joe. And you would never….'
'You didn't see Isobel, Frank.' Joe cut in, his words tumbling out at a hundred miles an hour. 'She couldn't help it! She couldn't stop! I don't want that to be me! Frank, I don't want to kill you! Please promise me you'll kill me if I try. Please!'
Frank's jaw dropped in shock. He shook his head. 'It's NOT going to come to that.'
Joe grabbed the front of Frank's shirt. 'Promise me!' He begged.
'No! Look, if it comes to it I'll stop you. I don't need to kill you. I just have to stop you.'
'Promise me you will if it comes down to you or me.' Joe pleaded, his voice breaking. 'Because if I kill you I might as well be dead anyway.'
Frank's lip quivered again. He nodded, unable to speak. He pulled Joe into his arms and held him close.
…
Frank strode across the street to the hotel. There was a lump in his throat and his eyes were burning. He had been told to leave Joe for the sake of them both. White had told him Joe would suffer while he was prevented from fulfilling his mission, and he had convinced him it would make it worse for his brother if the object of his programming were nearby. Doc Mills was standing by to sedate him closer to the time, in the hope it might help everyone concerned.
The level of security at the sheriff's office was unprecedented. The Sheriff and White were in the office with Doc Mills. Hannah and Abrahams, who turned out to be the man who had stopped the boys as they headed towards the interstate, were parked up outside the door. Six Network personnel were positioned in three cars, two in the parked up near the Sheriff's office and one around the rear of the building. Even Danny was about, walking up and down the street with two of his hound dogs. They had bayed at Frank when they saw him. That made him a touch more confident. It would take a significant full frontal attack for Tyler's assistants to get in to free Joe.
And Joe….Frank's face crumpled at the memory of his last view of his brother. He knew it would haunt him for the rest of his life, no matter what the outcome tonight.
Frank had helped his brother from the doctor's surgery to the Sheriff's Office next door. He had spoken to White about their security plans while Patrick and Hannah had 'settled Joe in'. He had gone to say goodbye.
Hannah had unlocked the door of the cell to let Frank in. He found his brother on his knees in the middle of the empty room. He was in a straightjacket. Velcro wrap restraints had been secured around his knees and ankles. He couldn't move. He was trussed up like some psychopath. His head was bowed. Frank couldn't see his face.
He had walked carefully up to his brother and knelt down in front of him, facing him. His voice had broken slightly as he spoke. 'Joe? I don't want to leave you. They think I should. I want to stay.'
Joe had looked up at his brother. He shook his head. 'You have to go. Get away from me Frank, please.' Joe was sweating. His voice was breathless. He was struggling to keep it together, terrified at the prospect of losing control like Isobel had, like Buick had. Terrified that, somehow, he too would escape. Terrified of the deeds he might watch himself do, unable to intervene. Terrified he would kill the person who meant the most to him in the world. He tried to speak but couldn't find the words to express what was going through his mind.
But Frank had known. He had slid forwards on his knees, getting as close to Joe as he could. Frank had put his hand round the back of Joe's head, then leaned forward until his forehead touched Joe's. He had whispered to his brother, his voice thick with emotion. 'Joe, if for any bizarre reason, something happens, I know it's not you. It's not your fault. But nothing's going to happen. You'll be fine here. If it hits you, nothing can happen. You can't get out. You'll be safe. I'll be safe. We can ride it out until the drug is out of your system. I'll be back, I promise.' He had kissed Joe's forehead. 'I love you, Joe.'
Frank had stood up and turned away, feeling his tenuous grip on his emotions slipping and not wanting Joe to see him fall apart. He had knocked on the cell door. Hannah let him out then locked the door behind him. As the door swung shut, he had caught a last glimpse of his brother. An entirely surreal, alien vision. Joe Hardy- vulnerable, helpless, with undisguised fear in his bright blue eyes.
Frank went into the hotel lobby. His head was spinning. He wanted to protect his brother, but he brother was going to try to kill him. He had to entrust Joe's wellbeing to men he didn't really trust. And he was expected to sit and wait in his hotel room while unknown, shadowy people snuck around, bent on trying to free his brother to enable him to kill and to die. He felt a growing ball of anger in his gut.
He looked at his watch. 2310. He looked around carefully. No one was watching him. The hotel was deserted. He checked rapidly through his pockets. He'd helped himself to a couple of items from the Sheriff's Office on the sly; an extra clip of bullets for his gun, and a pack of flexicuffs- strong, thick cable ties carried by law enforcement personnel for occasions when arrests outnumber sets of handcuffs. He opened up the fire escape door at the rear of the building and headed into the woods. He wasn't going to sit and wait for something to happen. He was going hunting. He was going to catch himself a man in black.
…