Fenton groaned as he opened his eyes and was accosted by the light entering the warehouse from the skylight above. He rolled over onto his back and moaned as he forced his eyes to remain open and focus. After getting used to the light, he rolled onto his side, ignoring the pounding in his head, and lifted his knees up and managed to rise to a kneeling position.
He took his bearings then lay back down and rolled in an easterly direction until he reached a long worktable. Getting back to his knees he heaved himself up until he could reach a small knife lying on the table. Falling back to the ground he used the knife to cut at his ropes. It took several minutes for the dull blade to hack through the ropes but finally his hands were free and he set about untying his feet.
Fenton got unsteadily to his feet and staggered over to the door. Locked. "Blast it!" he cursed in a guttural voice. He went back to where he had dropped the knife and plucked it from the floor. Five minutes later, the door popped open and Fenton exited the building into the late morning sun.
He recognized the area. It would have been hard to forget because it was here that he and Frank had captured a classmate of Joe's who had killed seven students and had kidnapped Joe. It was here that Fenton had felt his world crash down around him when he had believed his son, like the other students, was already dead. Fearing this was an omen, he swallowed and began the trek toward the nearest phone.
Frank grunted and gave one harder smash against the pillar. He heard a snap and his arms fell to his side as one of the cuffs broke from the repeated abuse Frank had put it through. Frank pulled his freed wrist up and rubbed it, wincing at the contact. He pulled at the other cuff but it was holding fast. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a handful of change. Grinning, he chose a dime and used it to remove the screw from other cuff. I'm so lucky Joe taught me that, he thought. Still wish I knew where HE had learned it, though.
Frank made his way up the basement steps and listened at the door. Hearing no movement, he opened the door and entered the hallway. Unsure which direction he should take, he turned to the left and began walking, stopping when he heard voices coming from a room down the hall.
"This is ridiculous!" Moran snarled. "Picard just called and Hardy escaped. The blond got away as planned and Tom has him doing what we want. There is no reason to keep pretending."
"We will continue as we were," Morrison stated firmly. "A great actor stays in character even when the camera is focused on someone else. If we fall out of character then something may slip."
"You and your acting lessons," grumbled Moran. "I'm sick of pretending."
"Acting," Morrison corrected him.
"Pretending," Moran continued, glaring at his boss. "That we had to pretend Joe was Tom's kid while we were alone was crazy but now....everything is going as planned. Our real prisoner is safely tucked away in the basement and there is no one...no one, " he repeated, "to interfere."
That's what you think! thought Frank angrily although his face was covered in a big smile. Joe was free! His smile faltered. Tom is using Joe! Frank backed away from the door. I've got to get home, he thought.
"Going somewhere?" asked a wheezy voice from behind him.
Frank spun around in surprise, his mouth falling open. Wheezy grabbed Frank's upper arm in a strong grip before he could react but that didn't stop Frank from fighting back once he registered what was happening.
Frank lifted his other arm and delivered an uppercut to the man's left chin. Stunned but not out, Wheezy retained his hold on Frank's arm and shoved him up against the wall.
Moran and Morrison came hurrying out of the room. As Wheezy backhanded Frank and released his arm, Morrison looked at Moran. "You were saying?" he asked in a calm tone.
Moran scowled and took hold of the arm Wheezy had just relinquished. "Come on," he growled, dragging Frank along the hall.
Frank, however, was not going without a fight. He swung at Moran and connected with the man's stomach. Moran dropped Frank's arm and bent over, gasping for breath as Wheezy launched himself at Frank. Frank fell backwards with Wheezy grasping his neck. As Frank fought to breathe he brought both hands up and smashed them as hard as he could against Wheezy's ears. Wheezy released him and grabbed his head, falling off Frank as he was shoved away. Frank got to his feet but before he had taken two steps he was taken down again, this time by Moran. Frank kicked out and Moran relinquished the hold he had on Frank's foot. With a yelp, Frank pitched through the open basement door and down the steps. He lay at the foot, not moving.
He took his bearings then lay back down and rolled in an easterly direction until he reached a long worktable. Getting back to his knees he heaved himself up until he could reach a small knife lying on the table. Falling back to the ground he used the knife to cut at his ropes. It took several minutes for the dull blade to hack through the ropes but finally his hands were free and he set about untying his feet.
Fenton got unsteadily to his feet and staggered over to the door. Locked. "Blast it!" he cursed in a guttural voice. He went back to where he had dropped the knife and plucked it from the floor. Five minutes later, the door popped open and Fenton exited the building into the late morning sun.
He recognized the area. It would have been hard to forget because it was here that he and Frank had captured a classmate of Joe's who had killed seven students and had kidnapped Joe. It was here that Fenton had felt his world crash down around him when he had believed his son, like the other students, was already dead. Fearing this was an omen, he swallowed and began the trek toward the nearest phone.
Frank grunted and gave one harder smash against the pillar. He heard a snap and his arms fell to his side as one of the cuffs broke from the repeated abuse Frank had put it through. Frank pulled his freed wrist up and rubbed it, wincing at the contact. He pulled at the other cuff but it was holding fast. He reached into a pocket and pulled out a handful of change. Grinning, he chose a dime and used it to remove the screw from other cuff. I'm so lucky Joe taught me that, he thought. Still wish I knew where HE had learned it, though.
Frank made his way up the basement steps and listened at the door. Hearing no movement, he opened the door and entered the hallway. Unsure which direction he should take, he turned to the left and began walking, stopping when he heard voices coming from a room down the hall.
"This is ridiculous!" Moran snarled. "Picard just called and Hardy escaped. The blond got away as planned and Tom has him doing what we want. There is no reason to keep pretending."
"We will continue as we were," Morrison stated firmly. "A great actor stays in character even when the camera is focused on someone else. If we fall out of character then something may slip."
"You and your acting lessons," grumbled Moran. "I'm sick of pretending."
"Acting," Morrison corrected him.
"Pretending," Moran continued, glaring at his boss. "That we had to pretend Joe was Tom's kid while we were alone was crazy but now....everything is going as planned. Our real prisoner is safely tucked away in the basement and there is no one...no one, " he repeated, "to interfere."
That's what you think! thought Frank angrily although his face was covered in a big smile. Joe was free! His smile faltered. Tom is using Joe! Frank backed away from the door. I've got to get home, he thought.
"Going somewhere?" asked a wheezy voice from behind him.
Frank spun around in surprise, his mouth falling open. Wheezy grabbed Frank's upper arm in a strong grip before he could react but that didn't stop Frank from fighting back once he registered what was happening.
Frank lifted his other arm and delivered an uppercut to the man's left chin. Stunned but not out, Wheezy retained his hold on Frank's arm and shoved him up against the wall.
Moran and Morrison came hurrying out of the room. As Wheezy backhanded Frank and released his arm, Morrison looked at Moran. "You were saying?" he asked in a calm tone.
Moran scowled and took hold of the arm Wheezy had just relinquished. "Come on," he growled, dragging Frank along the hall.
Frank, however, was not going without a fight. He swung at Moran and connected with the man's stomach. Moran dropped Frank's arm and bent over, gasping for breath as Wheezy launched himself at Frank. Frank fell backwards with Wheezy grasping his neck. As Frank fought to breathe he brought both hands up and smashed them as hard as he could against Wheezy's ears. Wheezy released him and grabbed his head, falling off Frank as he was shoved away. Frank got to his feet but before he had taken two steps he was taken down again, this time by Moran. Frank kicked out and Moran relinquished the hold he had on Frank's foot. With a yelp, Frank pitched through the open basement door and down the steps. He lay at the foot, not moving.