"If you really have such a poison, why not just use it on me?" asked Joe, not believing him.
"Why, Joseph, if I used the poison on you then how could we raise you properly?" Austin countered. "Besides, you are old enough to start learning the family business. And..."
"I don't want to learn your family business and I don't want to be your heir," Joe told him defiantly.
Austin merely smiled and walked over to a shelf which held several video tapes. He removed one and handed it to Joe. "Watch it in the living room," he instructed Joe. "Then, I will expect you at dinner after you dismiss the Hardys."
"What about Paul?" Joe asked.
Austin reached down on his desk and flipped a switch. "Charles," he summoned the butler. "Please come to my office."
A moment later Charles answered the summons in person. "Return the baby to the orphanage," he ordered Charles. "And demand a retraction from the society column piece."
"Yes, Sir," Charles replied, leaving.
"You may go now," Austin told Joe, sitting back down and returning to work.
Dismissed, Joe made his way to the living room and removed the tape from its case. He frowned when he saw the label. It identified the tape as the final in a series of tests for a new drug designed to help people with autism.
He put the tape into the VCR and hit play. Sitting down on the sofa, he hunched forward so his back would not touch the leather surface. He watched the video in growing horror as the results of the drug were announced.
The drug, after multiple attempts, had resulted in the test subjects ultimate demise. The drug did draw the afflicted person out of their shell but in so doing created a reaction which resulted in the subject's uncontrollable desire to kill.
"Furthermore this drug, when breathed in by healthy people, results in a form of dementia with the only relief being solitary confinement away from all forms of noise. Even the victim's own breathing is painful to hear," the scientist on the screen said. "Here, I must note that this test was not intentional. Our facility was raided by the natives and the drug was released into the air infecting the natives and several of our own research team," the man clarified. "This drug is being classified as a medical failure but is being reclassified as a biological weapon and all research will be turned over to the United States government. The sample you, Mr. Moody, requested, must be destroyed. The powder must be released into a vial of water and shaken up. Water will destroy it's properties.
"I'm sure that by the time you receive this tape, the government will have been in contact. Regretfully, this missive was a failure. Our surviving crew will be returning to the states at the end of the week."
Joe stopped the tape, his face white. With trembling hands he removed the tape and put it back in it's sleeve. This wasn't real, he thought. Austin had hired someone to say those things. And the footage which had accompanied the tape had to of been actors.
Joe made his way back to Austin's office. He stepped through the open doorway and with his back stiff in an effort to prove he wasn't buying the lie Austin was selling, set the tape on the desk.
Austin, having expected this reaction, lifted a folder from the edge of his desk and handed it to Joe.
Joe looked through it then returned it to Austin. "You win," Joe whispered. "I...I'll tell the Hardys to leave," he added, turning away.
"One more thing, Joseph," Austin's voice stopped him. Joe turned to look at him inquisitively. "You will refer to me as your father. Not Sir, not Austin and certainly not Mr. Moody."
"Yes S....Father," Joe answered.
"Go and put on some decent clothing," Joe was ordered. "Tomorrow you get your new driver's license and..."
"I have one," Joe interrupted.
Austin slammed his hands on his desk and stood up. His voice low and menacing, he said, "Don't ever interrupt me again."
Joe bowed his head and waited for Austin to continue. "You will get your license and passport in your real name tomorrow and we will dine with an associate of mine tomorrow evening. Today, you will go with Charles and purchase suitable clothing. He should be back shortly. I suggest you see Mr. Hardy about his, and his son's, dismissal, then get ready to leave." Austin paused and smiled as Joe nodded. "Hardy wasn't too bright. Did he really think I needed a personal assistant and a gardener's assistant at the same time? Those positions were set up because I knew they would not let you come alone." Joe winced. They had all fallen into Moody's trap.
"From this minute on, you will be involved in the family business and you will be sociable when ordered to do so. However, let me remind you, if you displease me in any way, you will be punished. Your age and your involvement will not save you."
"Understood," Joe mumbled, then started out of the office.
"One more thing," Moody stopped him. "If you kill yourself, or as before, try to take your own life, then the poison will be used on the Hardys." Joe nodded without turning around and left the room.
Joe went in search of his dad and found him in the upstairs study. "You shouldn't be here," Fenton hissed, rising to his feet and hurrying over. He tried to give Joe a quick hug but Joe moved away. Hurt, Fenton lowered his arms.
"I want you and Frank to leave," Joe told him, looking out of the window as Fenton watched his back.
"No," Fenton replied, his eyebrows coming together thoughtfully.
"You don't have a choice," Joe told him, not turning around. "You're fired."
"You can't fire me," Fenton told him, his tone filled with curiosity although he asked nothing.
"I can," Joe said, taking a deep breath and hardening himself. He had to be convincing. "You're not wanted here," he continued, turning to face Fenton. "Get your son and leave."
"You don't have the authority to fire me," Fenton began but Joe interrupted him.
"My father knows who you are. Frank too," Joe said, working overtime to keep his resolve as Fenton flinched at Joe's words.
"Then we will all leave," Fenton said. "Get your brother and..."
"I don't have a brother," Joe said.
"What?" Fenton demanded.
"The baby isn't a part of my family," Joe said. "He has been returned to the orphanage where he came from."
"Joe, I don't..."
"Just leave!" Joe snarled. This was too hard. He had to get out of here. "I want you out of this house..." he swallowed. "Out of my life within an hour," he ended, hurrying out the door.
Fenton watched as Joe ran out of the room then returned to the desk and continued copying the list of names and what appeared to be account numbers he had discovered on a computer disk. Finished, he stood up, put things back where he had taken them from, then headed to the room he had been given to retrieve his things. He had no intention of leaving Joe to the mercy of the Moodys but it was obvious they had some kind of hold over him. He would find out what it was and break it if it was the last thing he ever did.
As Fenton was passed the nursery on his way downstairs, he peeked in only to discover the furniture had vanished along with the baby. He continued down the stairs and found Joe, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, standing almost at attention by the front door. "Joe..." he said, but Joe turned his face away.
"Good-bye, Mr. Hardy," Austin said, coming up from behind him.
Fenton rounded on Moody. "What did you do to him?" he demanded, glaring.
"As you can see, I have done nothing to him. My son has simply decided to take his rightful place as my heir. He has chosen to stay with me and Ami of his own freewill," Austin answered. "Ask him."
"Joseph?" Fenton asked, turning back to his youngest son.
"He's telling you the truth," Joe forced the words from his mouth. "I want to stay with my real parents."
"Why, Joseph, if I used the poison on you then how could we raise you properly?" Austin countered. "Besides, you are old enough to start learning the family business. And..."
"I don't want to learn your family business and I don't want to be your heir," Joe told him defiantly.
Austin merely smiled and walked over to a shelf which held several video tapes. He removed one and handed it to Joe. "Watch it in the living room," he instructed Joe. "Then, I will expect you at dinner after you dismiss the Hardys."
"What about Paul?" Joe asked.
Austin reached down on his desk and flipped a switch. "Charles," he summoned the butler. "Please come to my office."
A moment later Charles answered the summons in person. "Return the baby to the orphanage," he ordered Charles. "And demand a retraction from the society column piece."
"Yes, Sir," Charles replied, leaving.
"You may go now," Austin told Joe, sitting back down and returning to work.
Dismissed, Joe made his way to the living room and removed the tape from its case. He frowned when he saw the label. It identified the tape as the final in a series of tests for a new drug designed to help people with autism.
He put the tape into the VCR and hit play. Sitting down on the sofa, he hunched forward so his back would not touch the leather surface. He watched the video in growing horror as the results of the drug were announced.
The drug, after multiple attempts, had resulted in the test subjects ultimate demise. The drug did draw the afflicted person out of their shell but in so doing created a reaction which resulted in the subject's uncontrollable desire to kill.
"Furthermore this drug, when breathed in by healthy people, results in a form of dementia with the only relief being solitary confinement away from all forms of noise. Even the victim's own breathing is painful to hear," the scientist on the screen said. "Here, I must note that this test was not intentional. Our facility was raided by the natives and the drug was released into the air infecting the natives and several of our own research team," the man clarified. "This drug is being classified as a medical failure but is being reclassified as a biological weapon and all research will be turned over to the United States government. The sample you, Mr. Moody, requested, must be destroyed. The powder must be released into a vial of water and shaken up. Water will destroy it's properties.
"I'm sure that by the time you receive this tape, the government will have been in contact. Regretfully, this missive was a failure. Our surviving crew will be returning to the states at the end of the week."
Joe stopped the tape, his face white. With trembling hands he removed the tape and put it back in it's sleeve. This wasn't real, he thought. Austin had hired someone to say those things. And the footage which had accompanied the tape had to of been actors.
Joe made his way back to Austin's office. He stepped through the open doorway and with his back stiff in an effort to prove he wasn't buying the lie Austin was selling, set the tape on the desk.
Austin, having expected this reaction, lifted a folder from the edge of his desk and handed it to Joe.
Joe looked through it then returned it to Austin. "You win," Joe whispered. "I...I'll tell the Hardys to leave," he added, turning away.
"One more thing, Joseph," Austin's voice stopped him. Joe turned to look at him inquisitively. "You will refer to me as your father. Not Sir, not Austin and certainly not Mr. Moody."
"Yes S....Father," Joe answered.
"Go and put on some decent clothing," Joe was ordered. "Tomorrow you get your new driver's license and..."
"I have one," Joe interrupted.
Austin slammed his hands on his desk and stood up. His voice low and menacing, he said, "Don't ever interrupt me again."
Joe bowed his head and waited for Austin to continue. "You will get your license and passport in your real name tomorrow and we will dine with an associate of mine tomorrow evening. Today, you will go with Charles and purchase suitable clothing. He should be back shortly. I suggest you see Mr. Hardy about his, and his son's, dismissal, then get ready to leave." Austin paused and smiled as Joe nodded. "Hardy wasn't too bright. Did he really think I needed a personal assistant and a gardener's assistant at the same time? Those positions were set up because I knew they would not let you come alone." Joe winced. They had all fallen into Moody's trap.
"From this minute on, you will be involved in the family business and you will be sociable when ordered to do so. However, let me remind you, if you displease me in any way, you will be punished. Your age and your involvement will not save you."
"Understood," Joe mumbled, then started out of the office.
"One more thing," Moody stopped him. "If you kill yourself, or as before, try to take your own life, then the poison will be used on the Hardys." Joe nodded without turning around and left the room.
Joe went in search of his dad and found him in the upstairs study. "You shouldn't be here," Fenton hissed, rising to his feet and hurrying over. He tried to give Joe a quick hug but Joe moved away. Hurt, Fenton lowered his arms.
"I want you and Frank to leave," Joe told him, looking out of the window as Fenton watched his back.
"No," Fenton replied, his eyebrows coming together thoughtfully.
"You don't have a choice," Joe told him, not turning around. "You're fired."
"You can't fire me," Fenton told him, his tone filled with curiosity although he asked nothing.
"I can," Joe said, taking a deep breath and hardening himself. He had to be convincing. "You're not wanted here," he continued, turning to face Fenton. "Get your son and leave."
"You don't have the authority to fire me," Fenton began but Joe interrupted him.
"My father knows who you are. Frank too," Joe said, working overtime to keep his resolve as Fenton flinched at Joe's words.
"Then we will all leave," Fenton said. "Get your brother and..."
"I don't have a brother," Joe said.
"What?" Fenton demanded.
"The baby isn't a part of my family," Joe said. "He has been returned to the orphanage where he came from."
"Joe, I don't..."
"Just leave!" Joe snarled. This was too hard. He had to get out of here. "I want you out of this house..." he swallowed. "Out of my life within an hour," he ended, hurrying out the door.
Fenton watched as Joe ran out of the room then returned to the desk and continued copying the list of names and what appeared to be account numbers he had discovered on a computer disk. Finished, he stood up, put things back where he had taken them from, then headed to the room he had been given to retrieve his things. He had no intention of leaving Joe to the mercy of the Moodys but it was obvious they had some kind of hold over him. He would find out what it was and break it if it was the last thing he ever did.
As Fenton was passed the nursery on his way downstairs, he peeked in only to discover the furniture had vanished along with the baby. He continued down the stairs and found Joe, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt, standing almost at attention by the front door. "Joe..." he said, but Joe turned his face away.
"Good-bye, Mr. Hardy," Austin said, coming up from behind him.
Fenton rounded on Moody. "What did you do to him?" he demanded, glaring.
"As you can see, I have done nothing to him. My son has simply decided to take his rightful place as my heir. He has chosen to stay with me and Ami of his own freewill," Austin answered. "Ask him."
"Joseph?" Fenton asked, turning back to his youngest son.
"He's telling you the truth," Joe forced the words from his mouth. "I want to stay with my real parents."