Frank fought to open his eyes as strong hands grabbed him and pulled him into a fireman's carry. Fenton navigated the rubble and struggled through the half-buried door. He prayed the stairs would support them as he carried his son up the short flight. Fenton stumbled once and almost dropped Frank but managed to retain his balance and hold on by ramming his left knee into a beam for support. Three minutes later, Fenton deposited his eldest son on the sidewalk outside amid cries of amazement and horror.
Fenton sank to the ground breathing heavy and groaning as his knee began to radiate pain from the beating it had taken inside the building. When the demolition manager arrived, Frank was conscious and free. Several men milled around anxiously as others attempted to keep both Hardys down until an ambulance could arrive.
"I need to talk to the police," Fenton told the manager.
"Of course," the man agreed at once. He handed Fenton his cell phone, wondering how much trouble he and his men were headed for.
"Chief," Fenton said when he was put through. "They know where Joe is. Alert the school now."
Fenton returned the cell back to the manager when he had finished. "Thank you," he said.
"Uh..." the manager looked confused.
Fenton gave the man a wan smile. "I'm sorry," he said. "My son and I were kidnapped and placed in the basement of this building barely an hour ago. You, nor your men, have any responsibility for our being inside when you began the demolition."
"Thank you," the manager said a bit relieved. "But you and your son...?"
"We'll be fine," Fenton assured him. "Although, I do think Frank should be examined at the hospital. He has had a couple of hard knocks in the past twenty-four hours."
"And so should you," the manager said, frowning. "Your leg is bleeding and it's obvious you have been hit in several places," he added, seeing multiple bruises on Fenton's face and arms.
"Perhaps you are right," agreed Fenton. He did, after all, need a lift to the hospital where he knew Laura would meet them. Chief Collig would definitely let her know. "Could I borrow your phone one more time?" he asked, planning on leaving Laura at the hospital with Frank while he took care of Joe.
Fenton took the phone and called Jack Wayne He had just finished making arrangements when the ambulance arrived. Returning the cell phone, Fenton waited for Frank to be checked and carried to the ambulance before he was ushered inside.
Joe made it through his next class with difficulty. His lack of interest had been noticed and he had been given extra assignments as punishment. At least in gym, he could take his frustration out in exercise he thought, heading for the gym.
He entered the gym with his escape plan for afterwards complete in his mind. Once this class was over he would have at least four hours before he had to worry about being missed. If he ran as fast as he could then he could clear the campus and hitch a ride to the airport without being observed. There, he would have to use a payphone and call in for a ticket to Bayport using the credit card his dad had given him and Frank for emergencies. It was fortunate he had memorized the number, the expiration, and the three-digit number on the card's reverse.
"Line up!" barked Baldwin. Joe took his place next to Gordon Robbins, a sixteen year old with blond hair and hazel eyes. Joe stared straight ahead, feeling like he should be wearing a soldier's uniform instead of the short sweats he had been given.
Baldwin put them through their daily drill of exercise and laps then marched them outside to run the obstacle course. Joe had his time down to five minutes; a full minute better than anyone else, but Baldwin singled Joe out for an extra series of runs after class.
"Why?" Joe demanded after the other students had departed. "My time was better than the others were. I can do this obstacle course in my sleep."
"Indeed," agreed Baldwin. "You do seem to have no problem and that is why I think you should be placed in an advanced class. I want to see how long it will take you on the advanced course."
Joe sighed. He hated having to delay his departure but unless he wanted to make Baldwin suspicious he had no choice. "Fine," he agreed reluctantly. "Where is it?"
"Follow me," Baldwin instructed and led the way. Joe followed his teacher off the field and across campus.
"Why is it so far away from the gym and the other field?" asked Joe.
"We don't want to discourage the students who aren't as athletically inclined as you and the others chosen to participate in the advanced course," Baldwin replied.
Baldwin led Joe through the fence and into the woods behind the school.
"I didn't know the school owned this area too," Joe commented, his steps slowing. Something wasn't right.
Baldwin looked back. "Keep up," he ordered.
"I think I'll pass," Joe said, backing up. "I really don't want advanced gym anyway."
"What you want doesn't matter," Joe was informed. "Now come along."
"No," Joe refused. "We aren't even on school property any more."
"Of course we are," Baldwin snapped. "This land was purchased recently and hasn't had time to be developed and fenced in."
"I'll ask the Dean first if it's all the same to you," Joe said, not believing him. All of his instincts were screaming at him to return to school grounds. "See you tomorrow." Joe turned and started running but stopped when a gun was fired and the tree in front of him bounced bark.
"You will come or you will die," Baldwin informed Joe in a cold voice.
"Who are you?" Joe demanded, turning to glare at his teacher.
"Coach Baldwin," he answered.
"Yeah, but not working for our government, at least, not legitimately," Joe stated.
"So you have discovered the truth about the academy," Baldwin stated. "It doesn't matter," he continued. "As you said, I do not answer to your government."
"Why do you want me?" Joe inquired.
"I was ordered to watch you and take you when you had been trained," Baldwin answered. "So I got a job as the gym teacher. However, my orders have been changed. If you remain here, you will die so you must accompany me."
"Why would I die?" asked Joe.
"Because I informed McFadden, via Hartley, where you could be found," Baldwin answered.
"But why?" Joe demanded in confusion. "If you didn't want me until I had been trained?"
"Taking you now will save many questions. McFadden's men are on their way to kill you as we speak," Baldwin replied with patience. "You will come with us and it will be made to look like McFadden's men succeeded in taking you. Sadly, they will have a major accident and their plane will crash, killing everyone on board. The wreckage will be so miniscule there will be no trace of survivors except, perhaps, scattered bones over a twenty-mile radius."
"But why? What do you want with me?" Joe asked again.
"You will find out soon enough," Baldwin informed him. "Now move," he was ordered. "If I can't take you alive I have orders to leave you dead."
His face set in a scowl, Joe did as he was ordered, preceding Baldwin further into the woods. Half an hour later, they arrived at a dirt road where a van was waiting. Joe was secured in the rear under armed guard and Baldwin returned to the school.
Fenton parked the car in the lot at Bayport's Airport and hurried to the hangar that Jack Wayne used. "Ready?" he demanded.
"You got a call," Jack told him, his blue eyes troubled. "Chief Collig said for you to call him as soon as you got here."
"Great," moaned Fenton. He had been forced to have his leg x-rayed at the hospital before he was released. He should never have gone to the hospital in the ambulance but he had realized that too late. Doing so had convinced Laura he was seriously injured and since Joe was in a training school for government fieldwork she, nor Frank, believed Joe was in immediate danger. Fenton, although knowing there was no way McFadden's men could get at Joe during classes, knew that after his final class was over he would be less protected.
Fenton checked his watch as he waited for the Chief to come online. Joe's last class would have ended almost an hour and a half ago. Sure, the chief had called to warn the school but even so, could they protect Joe from Hartley and his cohorts?
"Fenton, I need you to come to the station," Collig said when he answered. "I'm on my way to Virginia," objected Fenton. "Joe..."
"Isn't there," Collig ended for him. "His gym teacher said three men arrived while he was putting Joe through laps and took him away. Baldwin, the gym teacher, was hurt pretty bad. He was taken to the local hospital."
"Then they will be bringing Joe back to Bayport," Fenton said. "Can you set up roadblocks and cover the stations and airport?" he asked.
"Fenton, please come to the station," Collig begged, his tone conveying a terrible urgency.
"Just tell me, Ezra," Fenton said, gripping the receiver in dreaded anticipation.
"Hartley, Stency, Joe and another of McFadden's men, Feldbert, were seen boarding a plane shortly after Joe was taken," Ezra informed him in a hushed tone. "It exploded about ten minutes after take off."
Fenton sank to the ground breathing heavy and groaning as his knee began to radiate pain from the beating it had taken inside the building. When the demolition manager arrived, Frank was conscious and free. Several men milled around anxiously as others attempted to keep both Hardys down until an ambulance could arrive.
"I need to talk to the police," Fenton told the manager.
"Of course," the man agreed at once. He handed Fenton his cell phone, wondering how much trouble he and his men were headed for.
"Chief," Fenton said when he was put through. "They know where Joe is. Alert the school now."
Fenton returned the cell back to the manager when he had finished. "Thank you," he said.
"Uh..." the manager looked confused.
Fenton gave the man a wan smile. "I'm sorry," he said. "My son and I were kidnapped and placed in the basement of this building barely an hour ago. You, nor your men, have any responsibility for our being inside when you began the demolition."
"Thank you," the manager said a bit relieved. "But you and your son...?"
"We'll be fine," Fenton assured him. "Although, I do think Frank should be examined at the hospital. He has had a couple of hard knocks in the past twenty-four hours."
"And so should you," the manager said, frowning. "Your leg is bleeding and it's obvious you have been hit in several places," he added, seeing multiple bruises on Fenton's face and arms.
"Perhaps you are right," agreed Fenton. He did, after all, need a lift to the hospital where he knew Laura would meet them. Chief Collig would definitely let her know. "Could I borrow your phone one more time?" he asked, planning on leaving Laura at the hospital with Frank while he took care of Joe.
Fenton took the phone and called Jack Wayne He had just finished making arrangements when the ambulance arrived. Returning the cell phone, Fenton waited for Frank to be checked and carried to the ambulance before he was ushered inside.
Joe made it through his next class with difficulty. His lack of interest had been noticed and he had been given extra assignments as punishment. At least in gym, he could take his frustration out in exercise he thought, heading for the gym.
He entered the gym with his escape plan for afterwards complete in his mind. Once this class was over he would have at least four hours before he had to worry about being missed. If he ran as fast as he could then he could clear the campus and hitch a ride to the airport without being observed. There, he would have to use a payphone and call in for a ticket to Bayport using the credit card his dad had given him and Frank for emergencies. It was fortunate he had memorized the number, the expiration, and the three-digit number on the card's reverse.
"Line up!" barked Baldwin. Joe took his place next to Gordon Robbins, a sixteen year old with blond hair and hazel eyes. Joe stared straight ahead, feeling like he should be wearing a soldier's uniform instead of the short sweats he had been given.
Baldwin put them through their daily drill of exercise and laps then marched them outside to run the obstacle course. Joe had his time down to five minutes; a full minute better than anyone else, but Baldwin singled Joe out for an extra series of runs after class.
"Why?" Joe demanded after the other students had departed. "My time was better than the others were. I can do this obstacle course in my sleep."
"Indeed," agreed Baldwin. "You do seem to have no problem and that is why I think you should be placed in an advanced class. I want to see how long it will take you on the advanced course."
Joe sighed. He hated having to delay his departure but unless he wanted to make Baldwin suspicious he had no choice. "Fine," he agreed reluctantly. "Where is it?"
"Follow me," Baldwin instructed and led the way. Joe followed his teacher off the field and across campus.
"Why is it so far away from the gym and the other field?" asked Joe.
"We don't want to discourage the students who aren't as athletically inclined as you and the others chosen to participate in the advanced course," Baldwin replied.
Baldwin led Joe through the fence and into the woods behind the school.
"I didn't know the school owned this area too," Joe commented, his steps slowing. Something wasn't right.
Baldwin looked back. "Keep up," he ordered.
"I think I'll pass," Joe said, backing up. "I really don't want advanced gym anyway."
"What you want doesn't matter," Joe was informed. "Now come along."
"No," Joe refused. "We aren't even on school property any more."
"Of course we are," Baldwin snapped. "This land was purchased recently and hasn't had time to be developed and fenced in."
"I'll ask the Dean first if it's all the same to you," Joe said, not believing him. All of his instincts were screaming at him to return to school grounds. "See you tomorrow." Joe turned and started running but stopped when a gun was fired and the tree in front of him bounced bark.
"You will come or you will die," Baldwin informed Joe in a cold voice.
"Who are you?" Joe demanded, turning to glare at his teacher.
"Coach Baldwin," he answered.
"Yeah, but not working for our government, at least, not legitimately," Joe stated.
"So you have discovered the truth about the academy," Baldwin stated. "It doesn't matter," he continued. "As you said, I do not answer to your government."
"Why do you want me?" Joe inquired.
"I was ordered to watch you and take you when you had been trained," Baldwin answered. "So I got a job as the gym teacher. However, my orders have been changed. If you remain here, you will die so you must accompany me."
"Why would I die?" asked Joe.
"Because I informed McFadden, via Hartley, where you could be found," Baldwin answered.
"But why?" Joe demanded in confusion. "If you didn't want me until I had been trained?"
"Taking you now will save many questions. McFadden's men are on their way to kill you as we speak," Baldwin replied with patience. "You will come with us and it will be made to look like McFadden's men succeeded in taking you. Sadly, they will have a major accident and their plane will crash, killing everyone on board. The wreckage will be so miniscule there will be no trace of survivors except, perhaps, scattered bones over a twenty-mile radius."
"But why? What do you want with me?" Joe asked again.
"You will find out soon enough," Baldwin informed him. "Now move," he was ordered. "If I can't take you alive I have orders to leave you dead."
His face set in a scowl, Joe did as he was ordered, preceding Baldwin further into the woods. Half an hour later, they arrived at a dirt road where a van was waiting. Joe was secured in the rear under armed guard and Baldwin returned to the school.
Fenton parked the car in the lot at Bayport's Airport and hurried to the hangar that Jack Wayne used. "Ready?" he demanded.
"You got a call," Jack told him, his blue eyes troubled. "Chief Collig said for you to call him as soon as you got here."
"Great," moaned Fenton. He had been forced to have his leg x-rayed at the hospital before he was released. He should never have gone to the hospital in the ambulance but he had realized that too late. Doing so had convinced Laura he was seriously injured and since Joe was in a training school for government fieldwork she, nor Frank, believed Joe was in immediate danger. Fenton, although knowing there was no way McFadden's men could get at Joe during classes, knew that after his final class was over he would be less protected.
Fenton checked his watch as he waited for the Chief to come online. Joe's last class would have ended almost an hour and a half ago. Sure, the chief had called to warn the school but even so, could they protect Joe from Hartley and his cohorts?
"Fenton, I need you to come to the station," Collig said when he answered. "I'm on my way to Virginia," objected Fenton. "Joe..."
"Isn't there," Collig ended for him. "His gym teacher said three men arrived while he was putting Joe through laps and took him away. Baldwin, the gym teacher, was hurt pretty bad. He was taken to the local hospital."
"Then they will be bringing Joe back to Bayport," Fenton said. "Can you set up roadblocks and cover the stations and airport?" he asked.
"Fenton, please come to the station," Collig begged, his tone conveying a terrible urgency.
"Just tell me, Ezra," Fenton said, gripping the receiver in dreaded anticipation.
"Hartley, Stency, Joe and another of McFadden's men, Feldbert, were seen boarding a plane shortly after Joe was taken," Ezra informed him in a hushed tone. "It exploded about ten minutes after take off."