"Is he?" Chet began as Frank checked the boy's vitals.
"He's breathing," Frank said, stopping Chet's question. He removed the gag from the unconscious youth's mouth.
"Who is he?" Biff asked, starting to untie the youth's hands.
"My guess is, Joe's former roommate," Frank replied.
"Steve Robbins?" Chet gasped. "Where could Joe be?"
"I wish I knew," Frank said, his expression grim. "But maybe he'll know," he added as Chet set about loosening the rope from the boy's ankles.
Biff chaffed the boy's wrists as Frank patted Steve's face. "Come on, wake up," he urged.
Steve groaned and his eyes blinked open. "Wha..who..." he whispered, his eyes taking in the three boys by the feeble light.
"I'm Frank Hardy," Frank introduced himself. "And this is Chet Morton and Biff Hooper. You're Steve Robbins?"
Steve nodded, a bit bemused. "But...how...why? They made Joe write those letters so no one would come."
"Frank and Joe had a code and Joe didn't follow it," Chet said, proud of his friends' ingenuity.
"Where's Joe?" Frank asked Steve.
"He was here," Steve said, sitting up with Frank's help. "He...oh, no," his voice faded to a horrified whisper.
"What?" demanded Frank, the blood draining from his face. "What is it?"
"Dobson said they were going to make Cook talk by torturing Joe because he and Joe's dad were friends," Steve informed them.
Frank took a deep breath and stood up. "Let's get you out of here." He and Biff helped Steve to his feet and, with Chet leading the way, the four made their way out of the cave.
"Are we going to the camp?" Steve asked as they exited the cave.
"You aren't," Frank said. Biff and Chet looked at him. "Chet, can you get Steve back to our camp and wait for Phil and the rangers?" Chet nodded his acquiescence.
"What are we going to do?" Biff asked.
"We're going to have a little chat with the Blevins'," Frank answered, his eyes hard, his expression determined.
************************************************************************
The belt came down, marring Joe's back for the twentieth time. He groaned and rubbed up against the tree trying to avoid the harsh leather.
"Stop it! Leave him alone," Cook begged, barely hanging onto his self-control after watching the boy being hurt because of him.
"Tell me about Maisden then," Dobson negotiated in a calm voice.
"He's...he's with the Network," Cook said, giving in.
Joe began moving around, agitated by Cook's words. "Hold still, Boy!" ordered Hash, bringing the belt down on Joe's tender back. Joe yelped beneath the gag but did his best to shout for Cook to be silent. The words were muffled, but Cook must have known Joe meant for him to clam up for he gave no more answers to Dobson and Joe's beating continued.
Frank and Biff entered the camp's office less than an hour later. It was almost dinner time and Jenny and Craig were preparing to shut the office up and head out to the camp's cafeteria when Frank and Biff arrived.
"Can we help you?" Jenny asked pleasantly, smiling as she greeted the two boys.
"Most definitely," Frank agreed, his voice curt. "I want to know where your cronies have taken my brother."
"Your...your brother?" Craig asked, surprised. "Who are you?"
"I'm Frank Hardy," Frank replied. "Now where is he?"
"I'm sorry, Frank, is it?" Craig said, trying to be complacent as he backed behind his desk. "But your brother reneged on his responsibilities as a counselor and left some time ago."
Frank practically flew across the room. He shoved Craig against the wall, gripping the man's tee shirt in a fist and squeezing it until Craig could barely breathe. Jenny rushed to help her husband but Biff quickly caught her, holding both her wrists in his strong grasp.
"I'm going to make this real simple," Frank snarled, knowing full well the kind of person he was dealing with. "I just saw Steve Robbins. He said Joe was tied up with him but he wasn't there when we found Steve. So, either you tell me where Joe is or I'm going to do some serious damage to your wife."
"My wife?" Craig thundered in disbelief, his voice drowning out Biff's shocked gasp.
"That's right," Frank said. "Your kind have been trained and conditioned to die rather than divulge information. But how well trained are you when it comes to watching your wife suffer?"
"You can't!" snarled Craig. "You're one of the good guys," he said, his snarl turning into a smirk.
"Joe's my brother," Frank declared, looking him squarely in the eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to get him back," he added, his voice filled with more than a promise.
"They took him up the trail behind the supply hut," Craig informed him, giving in.
"Tie her up and hand me some rope for this rat," Frank instructed Biff. Biff used some of the nylon rope which lay on the floor by the door to secure Jenny, then helped Frank tie up Craig. When they finished, they gagged their captives and left, locking the door behind them.
Biff latched onto Frank's arm as he made a beeline for the supply hut visible about a hundred yards away. "Hadn't we better wait for Phil, Chet and the rangers?" he asked.
"Joe may not have that much time," Frank responded tersely, continuing his trek as Biff released him and followed one step behind.
"Honestly, Cook," Dobson was saying as Frank and Biff got within hearing distance. "The kid doesn't have any skin left to hit. Why don't you just tell us what we want to know?"
The blood drained form Frank's face at these words and he grew faint. He would have fallen had not Biff quickly grabbed him and kept him upright.
"Very well," the voice continued. "I guess it is time to change tactics, so to speak."
"Wh..what are you going to do?" demanded an emotionally distraught voice.
"If you won't give us the information we need by having young Joesph beaten, perhaps you will talk when you see him burned."
"You disgusting bastard!" Cook yelled at the top of his lungs, straining at his bonds. The commotion was loud enough to afford Frank and Biff the diversion they needed to burst onto the scene. Frank tackled Hash as Biff took down the big, hairy Mars. Lane rushed to Hash's aid while Dobson stood by, observing but not participating.
Hash landed a solid punch to Frank's midrift but Frank was so enraged by what had happened to his brother, he felt nothing. Frank landed a hard right to Hash's left jaw sending him reeling backward into Lane.
Meanwhile, Biff was rolling on the dirt with Mars, neither able to get the upperhand. Dobson strolled over to Joe and held his gun to Joe's head. There was an omnious click and Frank froze in place. It took a little longer for what was happening to register with Biff but when he caught a glimpse from his peripheal vision of Joe and Dobson, he quit fighting. Mars landed a right onto Biff's jaw and he blacked out.
"The authorities are on their way," Frank said, trying to get Dobson and his men to take off. "Our friend went to the ranger station for help."
Rather than startle these men, they seemed amused. "Did he now?" Hash asked, snickering.
"What's so funny?" Frank demanded, a sickening feeling taking hold in the pit of his stomach.
"Let's just say that if your friend did arrive at the ranger station, he's dead by now," Dobson replied. "How do you think we keep everyone away from this area?" he demanded.
"Tie that one up," Hash ordered Mars, pointing at Biff. "I'll take care of this one."
"Who are you?" Dobson demanded of Frank as the youth's hands and feet were bound.
"Fred Croman," Frank lied, using the alias he had adoted with his disguise.
"And what are you doing here?" Dobson pushed.
"We were..."
"Snooping!" Craig replied angrily, arriving at that moment. "He's Frank Hardy."
Dobson's eyes turned even colder than they had been before. "Where is your father?" he demanded.
"I don't remember," Frank answered.
"Indeed?" Dobson asked, not believing him. "Perhaps we can nudge your memory a little." He turned to Hash. "Got a match?" he asked, whipping out a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket.
He smacked the pack against his had several times and then pulled one out. Hash lit it, grinning. "Now, tell me when you remember," Dobson said to Frank, bringing the lit cigarette close to Joe's bare, albeit blood-streaked, shoulder.
"He's breathing," Frank said, stopping Chet's question. He removed the gag from the unconscious youth's mouth.
"Who is he?" Biff asked, starting to untie the youth's hands.
"My guess is, Joe's former roommate," Frank replied.
"Steve Robbins?" Chet gasped. "Where could Joe be?"
"I wish I knew," Frank said, his expression grim. "But maybe he'll know," he added as Chet set about loosening the rope from the boy's ankles.
Biff chaffed the boy's wrists as Frank patted Steve's face. "Come on, wake up," he urged.
Steve groaned and his eyes blinked open. "Wha..who..." he whispered, his eyes taking in the three boys by the feeble light.
"I'm Frank Hardy," Frank introduced himself. "And this is Chet Morton and Biff Hooper. You're Steve Robbins?"
Steve nodded, a bit bemused. "But...how...why? They made Joe write those letters so no one would come."
"Frank and Joe had a code and Joe didn't follow it," Chet said, proud of his friends' ingenuity.
"Where's Joe?" Frank asked Steve.
"He was here," Steve said, sitting up with Frank's help. "He...oh, no," his voice faded to a horrified whisper.
"What?" demanded Frank, the blood draining from his face. "What is it?"
"Dobson said they were going to make Cook talk by torturing Joe because he and Joe's dad were friends," Steve informed them.
Frank took a deep breath and stood up. "Let's get you out of here." He and Biff helped Steve to his feet and, with Chet leading the way, the four made their way out of the cave.
"Are we going to the camp?" Steve asked as they exited the cave.
"You aren't," Frank said. Biff and Chet looked at him. "Chet, can you get Steve back to our camp and wait for Phil and the rangers?" Chet nodded his acquiescence.
"What are we going to do?" Biff asked.
"We're going to have a little chat with the Blevins'," Frank answered, his eyes hard, his expression determined.
************************************************************************
The belt came down, marring Joe's back for the twentieth time. He groaned and rubbed up against the tree trying to avoid the harsh leather.
"Stop it! Leave him alone," Cook begged, barely hanging onto his self-control after watching the boy being hurt because of him.
"Tell me about Maisden then," Dobson negotiated in a calm voice.
"He's...he's with the Network," Cook said, giving in.
Joe began moving around, agitated by Cook's words. "Hold still, Boy!" ordered Hash, bringing the belt down on Joe's tender back. Joe yelped beneath the gag but did his best to shout for Cook to be silent. The words were muffled, but Cook must have known Joe meant for him to clam up for he gave no more answers to Dobson and Joe's beating continued.
Frank and Biff entered the camp's office less than an hour later. It was almost dinner time and Jenny and Craig were preparing to shut the office up and head out to the camp's cafeteria when Frank and Biff arrived.
"Can we help you?" Jenny asked pleasantly, smiling as she greeted the two boys.
"Most definitely," Frank agreed, his voice curt. "I want to know where your cronies have taken my brother."
"Your...your brother?" Craig asked, surprised. "Who are you?"
"I'm Frank Hardy," Frank replied. "Now where is he?"
"I'm sorry, Frank, is it?" Craig said, trying to be complacent as he backed behind his desk. "But your brother reneged on his responsibilities as a counselor and left some time ago."
Frank practically flew across the room. He shoved Craig against the wall, gripping the man's tee shirt in a fist and squeezing it until Craig could barely breathe. Jenny rushed to help her husband but Biff quickly caught her, holding both her wrists in his strong grasp.
"I'm going to make this real simple," Frank snarled, knowing full well the kind of person he was dealing with. "I just saw Steve Robbins. He said Joe was tied up with him but he wasn't there when we found Steve. So, either you tell me where Joe is or I'm going to do some serious damage to your wife."
"My wife?" Craig thundered in disbelief, his voice drowning out Biff's shocked gasp.
"That's right," Frank said. "Your kind have been trained and conditioned to die rather than divulge information. But how well trained are you when it comes to watching your wife suffer?"
"You can't!" snarled Craig. "You're one of the good guys," he said, his snarl turning into a smirk.
"Joe's my brother," Frank declared, looking him squarely in the eyes. "I'll do whatever it takes to get him back," he added, his voice filled with more than a promise.
"They took him up the trail behind the supply hut," Craig informed him, giving in.
"Tie her up and hand me some rope for this rat," Frank instructed Biff. Biff used some of the nylon rope which lay on the floor by the door to secure Jenny, then helped Frank tie up Craig. When they finished, they gagged their captives and left, locking the door behind them.
Biff latched onto Frank's arm as he made a beeline for the supply hut visible about a hundred yards away. "Hadn't we better wait for Phil, Chet and the rangers?" he asked.
"Joe may not have that much time," Frank responded tersely, continuing his trek as Biff released him and followed one step behind.
"Honestly, Cook," Dobson was saying as Frank and Biff got within hearing distance. "The kid doesn't have any skin left to hit. Why don't you just tell us what we want to know?"
The blood drained form Frank's face at these words and he grew faint. He would have fallen had not Biff quickly grabbed him and kept him upright.
"Very well," the voice continued. "I guess it is time to change tactics, so to speak."
"Wh..what are you going to do?" demanded an emotionally distraught voice.
"If you won't give us the information we need by having young Joesph beaten, perhaps you will talk when you see him burned."
"You disgusting bastard!" Cook yelled at the top of his lungs, straining at his bonds. The commotion was loud enough to afford Frank and Biff the diversion they needed to burst onto the scene. Frank tackled Hash as Biff took down the big, hairy Mars. Lane rushed to Hash's aid while Dobson stood by, observing but not participating.
Hash landed a solid punch to Frank's midrift but Frank was so enraged by what had happened to his brother, he felt nothing. Frank landed a hard right to Hash's left jaw sending him reeling backward into Lane.
Meanwhile, Biff was rolling on the dirt with Mars, neither able to get the upperhand. Dobson strolled over to Joe and held his gun to Joe's head. There was an omnious click and Frank froze in place. It took a little longer for what was happening to register with Biff but when he caught a glimpse from his peripheal vision of Joe and Dobson, he quit fighting. Mars landed a right onto Biff's jaw and he blacked out.
"The authorities are on their way," Frank said, trying to get Dobson and his men to take off. "Our friend went to the ranger station for help."
Rather than startle these men, they seemed amused. "Did he now?" Hash asked, snickering.
"What's so funny?" Frank demanded, a sickening feeling taking hold in the pit of his stomach.
"Let's just say that if your friend did arrive at the ranger station, he's dead by now," Dobson replied. "How do you think we keep everyone away from this area?" he demanded.
"Tie that one up," Hash ordered Mars, pointing at Biff. "I'll take care of this one."
"Who are you?" Dobson demanded of Frank as the youth's hands and feet were bound.
"Fred Croman," Frank lied, using the alias he had adoted with his disguise.
"And what are you doing here?" Dobson pushed.
"We were..."
"Snooping!" Craig replied angrily, arriving at that moment. "He's Frank Hardy."
Dobson's eyes turned even colder than they had been before. "Where is your father?" he demanded.
"I don't remember," Frank answered.
"Indeed?" Dobson asked, not believing him. "Perhaps we can nudge your memory a little." He turned to Hash. "Got a match?" he asked, whipping out a pack of cigarettes from his shirt pocket.
He smacked the pack against his had several times and then pulled one out. Hash lit it, grinning. "Now, tell me when you remember," Dobson said to Frank, bringing the lit cigarette close to Joe's bare, albeit blood-streaked, shoulder.