The teens split up, each taking a separate room in order to cover more ground in less time. "I think I found it!" Chet's triumphant voice came from the Austin's bedroom. All the teens rushed to his side, save Joe and Vanessa who remained in the kitchen.
"Where?" Frank demanded, looking around the very masculine room. He had been in Ami's and the contrast was startling. Where her room had been all pastel, Austin's room was mostly red and black. No wonder they had separate bedrooms, Frank thought.
"In the top drawer of the nightstand," Chet told him.
Frank pulled the drawer open and saw a small box with a chemical compound written on it. Using a handkerchief, he took the box out and lifted the lid. There lay a small vial filled with a light gray powder. Frank eased the lid back down and put it back in the drawer. "Good work, Chet," Frank complimented his pal. "Now, let's get out of here and call Dad."
The teens returned to the kitchen in time to see Vanessa help Joe button his shirt. He had finished his snack and been treated in their absence. "Did you find it?" Vanessa asked, looking over at Frank as he entered the doorway.
Frank nodded. "Are you going to be okay?" Frank asked Joe, looking him in the eyes. He hadn't seen Joe's back and he knew he wouldn't have asked that question if he had. He wanted to get Joe out of there. Just take the poison and go. Sure, Moody might get away, but Joe would be safe. But he had to give his dad's plan a chance to work. So he asked. If Joe answered no, he would not be okay, then Moody nor his own father mattered, Joe was out of there.
Joe nodded. "Why not just take the poison and go?" he asked, a deep hurt appearing in his eyes. Could his father be right? Was he worthless? It certainly seemed so. Even Frank wanted to capture Moody more than he wanted Joe home.
Frank must have read something of Joe's thoughts in his eyes for he hurried to Joe's side and took him gently into his embrace. "I love you!" he declared fiercely. "And if you want to leave now, we will. But if we don't get Moody, he may try and get you again and I don't want to give him that opportunity."
"I'll be okay," Joe said, smiling. "Even if something goes wrong and I don't get to go back with you, I know I have people who care about me. He can't ever take that away from me."
"Nothing is going to go wrong," Frank promised. "And even if something did, I would kidnap you and take you somewhere where he could never find you."
"I hate to interrupt," Phil said. "But we need to leave before they return."
Joe's gaze slid to the basement door. Frank swallowed. He didn't want Joe to have to be put back in the dark basement in chains.
"I'll do it," Biff volunteered. He followed Joe down the stairs and put the shackle back on Joe before leaving him and turning out the light.
The next morning the grades from the math exam came back. Joe looked at his grade and grimaced. It was a 98. He hoped his family would hurry up. He had been lying yesterday when he had said he would be okay. After this grade, he would be lucky if he would be able to go to school the next day.
At lunch, the guys told Joe about Frank's call to Fenton last night after they had returned from the Moody mansion. "Your dad said an antidote still hasn't been invented," Chet told him.
"But the Department of Defense has decided to launch a full scale investigation into Austin Moody and his holdings," Phil put in, seeing the distressed look on Joe's face.
"So everything is going to be okay," Biff said.
"Yeah, that's great," Joe said, not really paying attention. His thoughts were still thinking about his math grade. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the memory which forced its way into his mind.
"You have one of the best tutors in the country and this is the best you can do!" Austin yelled at Joe, waving the paper with a giant red 96 on it in his face. "Why don't you pay attention?"
"I did," Joe protested feebly, trembling.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Austin declared, dropping the paper and grabbing Joe by the left arm. He twisted Joe's arm until he heard a crack. Joe screamed in pain as Austin released him and shoved him to the floor.
"What is all this noise?" Ami demanded, entering the room, her blue eyes flashing.
"Your son isn't doing his homework," Austin told her.
"I did it," Joe said, whimpering as Austin turned to glare at him. "I did study," he insisted.
"How many times do you have to be told?" Ami demanded, looking down at Joe in disdain. "You only speak when you are spoken too."
"I am going to be late," Austin declared, glancing at his watch.
"You run along, dear," Ami told him, kissing his cheek tenderly. "I'll deal with Joseph's punishment."
"I shan't be too late," Austin told her, leaving.
"Come on," Ami growled at Joe after Austin had departed. She grabbed Joe by his broken arm and hauled him down to her bedroom. There, she shoved him onto the floor a few feet from the door and went to the dresser. She opened the top left drawer and removed a length of cord. "Open your mouth," she ordered, going back to Joe. He did as instructed and she tied one end to one of his back teeth. She took the other end and lashed it to the doorknob. "Back up a little," she ordered him.
Joe scooted back a bit, a whimper escaping him as he realized what she was going to do. She slammed the door as hard as she could. Joe pitched forward, landing on his face, but his tooth remained intact. "Damn!" she exclaimed. She untied the cord from the door and hustled Joe to his feet and out of the room. She dragged him upstairs and into the guest room. She opened the door leading onto the balcony and looked down into the yard below.
"Charles!" she called out. "Charles!"
"Yes, Madam?" asked Charles, looking up from where he stood by the lawn's edge, oil can in hand. He had been checking the oil in the car.
"Bring me the heaviest rock you can find," Ami instructed.
"Yes, Madam," Charles replied, sitting the oil can down at once. In minutes he had joined her on the balcony.
"Set it on the railing," she told him. "Then come and hold onto Joe."
Charles did as requested and she tied the loose end to the rock. She shoved it over the edge. Charles held Joe tight as he screamed, his tooth following the rock down. Ami turned to him. "Will you ever make another poor grade?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Joe. Joe. Are you okay?" Phil asked, worry etched on his face as well as in his voice.
Joe opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, bringing himself back to the present. "Yeah. I'm fine," Joe replied, distractedly.
When Joe arrived home that afternoon, he was granted a slight reprieve. Both Ami and Austin were gone. Charles parked the car and got out. Joe climbed out and started for the house but Charles blocked his way. "Come to my quarters," Charles told him. "I have something for you to do."
"F...F...Father ordered me to do something in his office when I got home," Joe hedged.
"Be quick about it, then," Charles ordered, moving away.
Joe hurried into the house. For one quick moment, he wished his parents were there. If they punished him for not making a 100, then Charles would leave him alone. He still didn't know what he had in mind, but he had already proven he could be cruel when instructed. What he might do on his own terrified Joe.
Joe kept busy in the office until his parents returned. Austin sent for Joe at once.
"Let me see your grade," he instructed. Joe hesitantly removed the paper from his back pocket where he had been carrying it ever since he had received it. He unfolded it and handed it to his father.
Austin looked at the paper then at Joe. "Still as stupid as ever, I see," he stated, his gaze not leaving Joe's face. Joe looked at the floor. "How do you expect anyone to ever show you any respect when you can't even answer a few simple questions right?" Austin continued.
"That creep!" Biff declared, his face red in anger, as he listened to Austin through the speaker. "Joe made a 98 on that test!"
"Shh!" Frank said. Austin was speaking again.
"You are so dumb. How could anyone ever like you? It's no wonder the Hardys gave you up so easily. They were probably grateful to have you taken off their hands!"
"Yes, Father," Joe agreed, too pleasantly.
"Think it's funny, do you?" Austin demanded, slapping Joe across the face. "Charles!" he called out.
"Yes, Sir," Charles replied, coming into the room.
"Take Joe to his room and have him strip to his underwear. Then tie him to the bed," Austin ordered. "I will be there momentarily."
"Where?" Frank demanded, looking around the very masculine room. He had been in Ami's and the contrast was startling. Where her room had been all pastel, Austin's room was mostly red and black. No wonder they had separate bedrooms, Frank thought.
"In the top drawer of the nightstand," Chet told him.
Frank pulled the drawer open and saw a small box with a chemical compound written on it. Using a handkerchief, he took the box out and lifted the lid. There lay a small vial filled with a light gray powder. Frank eased the lid back down and put it back in the drawer. "Good work, Chet," Frank complimented his pal. "Now, let's get out of here and call Dad."
The teens returned to the kitchen in time to see Vanessa help Joe button his shirt. He had finished his snack and been treated in their absence. "Did you find it?" Vanessa asked, looking over at Frank as he entered the doorway.
Frank nodded. "Are you going to be okay?" Frank asked Joe, looking him in the eyes. He hadn't seen Joe's back and he knew he wouldn't have asked that question if he had. He wanted to get Joe out of there. Just take the poison and go. Sure, Moody might get away, but Joe would be safe. But he had to give his dad's plan a chance to work. So he asked. If Joe answered no, he would not be okay, then Moody nor his own father mattered, Joe was out of there.
Joe nodded. "Why not just take the poison and go?" he asked, a deep hurt appearing in his eyes. Could his father be right? Was he worthless? It certainly seemed so. Even Frank wanted to capture Moody more than he wanted Joe home.
Frank must have read something of Joe's thoughts in his eyes for he hurried to Joe's side and took him gently into his embrace. "I love you!" he declared fiercely. "And if you want to leave now, we will. But if we don't get Moody, he may try and get you again and I don't want to give him that opportunity."
"I'll be okay," Joe said, smiling. "Even if something goes wrong and I don't get to go back with you, I know I have people who care about me. He can't ever take that away from me."
"Nothing is going to go wrong," Frank promised. "And even if something did, I would kidnap you and take you somewhere where he could never find you."
"I hate to interrupt," Phil said. "But we need to leave before they return."
Joe's gaze slid to the basement door. Frank swallowed. He didn't want Joe to have to be put back in the dark basement in chains.
"I'll do it," Biff volunteered. He followed Joe down the stairs and put the shackle back on Joe before leaving him and turning out the light.
The next morning the grades from the math exam came back. Joe looked at his grade and grimaced. It was a 98. He hoped his family would hurry up. He had been lying yesterday when he had said he would be okay. After this grade, he would be lucky if he would be able to go to school the next day.
At lunch, the guys told Joe about Frank's call to Fenton last night after they had returned from the Moody mansion. "Your dad said an antidote still hasn't been invented," Chet told him.
"But the Department of Defense has decided to launch a full scale investigation into Austin Moody and his holdings," Phil put in, seeing the distressed look on Joe's face.
"So everything is going to be okay," Biff said.
"Yeah, that's great," Joe said, not really paying attention. His thoughts were still thinking about his math grade. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the memory which forced its way into his mind.
"You have one of the best tutors in the country and this is the best you can do!" Austin yelled at Joe, waving the paper with a giant red 96 on it in his face. "Why don't you pay attention?"
"I did," Joe protested feebly, trembling.
"Are you calling me a liar?" Austin declared, dropping the paper and grabbing Joe by the left arm. He twisted Joe's arm until he heard a crack. Joe screamed in pain as Austin released him and shoved him to the floor.
"What is all this noise?" Ami demanded, entering the room, her blue eyes flashing.
"Your son isn't doing his homework," Austin told her.
"I did it," Joe said, whimpering as Austin turned to glare at him. "I did study," he insisted.
"How many times do you have to be told?" Ami demanded, looking down at Joe in disdain. "You only speak when you are spoken too."
"I am going to be late," Austin declared, glancing at his watch.
"You run along, dear," Ami told him, kissing his cheek tenderly. "I'll deal with Joseph's punishment."
"I shan't be too late," Austin told her, leaving.
"Come on," Ami growled at Joe after Austin had departed. She grabbed Joe by his broken arm and hauled him down to her bedroom. There, she shoved him onto the floor a few feet from the door and went to the dresser. She opened the top left drawer and removed a length of cord. "Open your mouth," she ordered, going back to Joe. He did as instructed and she tied one end to one of his back teeth. She took the other end and lashed it to the doorknob. "Back up a little," she ordered him.
Joe scooted back a bit, a whimper escaping him as he realized what she was going to do. She slammed the door as hard as she could. Joe pitched forward, landing on his face, but his tooth remained intact. "Damn!" she exclaimed. She untied the cord from the door and hustled Joe to his feet and out of the room. She dragged him upstairs and into the guest room. She opened the door leading onto the balcony and looked down into the yard below.
"Charles!" she called out. "Charles!"
"Yes, Madam?" asked Charles, looking up from where he stood by the lawn's edge, oil can in hand. He had been checking the oil in the car.
"Bring me the heaviest rock you can find," Ami instructed.
"Yes, Madam," Charles replied, sitting the oil can down at once. In minutes he had joined her on the balcony.
"Set it on the railing," she told him. "Then come and hold onto Joe."
Charles did as requested and she tied the loose end to the rock. She shoved it over the edge. Charles held Joe tight as he screamed, his tooth following the rock down. Ami turned to him. "Will you ever make another poor grade?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Joe. Joe. Are you okay?" Phil asked, worry etched on his face as well as in his voice.
Joe opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, bringing himself back to the present. "Yeah. I'm fine," Joe replied, distractedly.
When Joe arrived home that afternoon, he was granted a slight reprieve. Both Ami and Austin were gone. Charles parked the car and got out. Joe climbed out and started for the house but Charles blocked his way. "Come to my quarters," Charles told him. "I have something for you to do."
"F...F...Father ordered me to do something in his office when I got home," Joe hedged.
"Be quick about it, then," Charles ordered, moving away.
Joe hurried into the house. For one quick moment, he wished his parents were there. If they punished him for not making a 100, then Charles would leave him alone. He still didn't know what he had in mind, but he had already proven he could be cruel when instructed. What he might do on his own terrified Joe.
Joe kept busy in the office until his parents returned. Austin sent for Joe at once.
"Let me see your grade," he instructed. Joe hesitantly removed the paper from his back pocket where he had been carrying it ever since he had received it. He unfolded it and handed it to his father.
Austin looked at the paper then at Joe. "Still as stupid as ever, I see," he stated, his gaze not leaving Joe's face. Joe looked at the floor. "How do you expect anyone to ever show you any respect when you can't even answer a few simple questions right?" Austin continued.
"That creep!" Biff declared, his face red in anger, as he listened to Austin through the speaker. "Joe made a 98 on that test!"
"Shh!" Frank said. Austin was speaking again.
"You are so dumb. How could anyone ever like you? It's no wonder the Hardys gave you up so easily. They were probably grateful to have you taken off their hands!"
"Yes, Father," Joe agreed, too pleasantly.
"Think it's funny, do you?" Austin demanded, slapping Joe across the face. "Charles!" he called out.
"Yes, Sir," Charles replied, coming into the room.
"Take Joe to his room and have him strip to his underwear. Then tie him to the bed," Austin ordered. "I will be there momentarily."