Biff and Chet returned to the van later that afternoon escorted by two of the Network agents. Callie, Tony and Phil were elated to see their friends. They had been worried when neither boy had shown up at the van at the allotted time and had gone to look for them after an hour. They had just returned and were preparing to go visit the sheriff when the two put in an appearance.
"Where have you been?" Tony asked as they neared.
Biff shook his head. "We have to leave town," he said, opening the driver's door.
"Why? What happened?" Callie demanded in alarm.
"After we leave," Chet promised quietly, ushering the other teens into the van.
Acknowledging their friend's strange behavior as urgent, Phil, Tony and Callie ceased asking questions and got into the van.
"They are still following us," Chet commented from the passenger seat fifteen minutes later as he observed them in his side mirror.
"They'll probably follow us all the way back to Bayport," Biff stated.
"What happened?" Callie demanded, her curiosity at the breaking point. "Who is following us and why did we have to leave Conover so fast? And what kept you two so long?"
Chet told them about his and Biff's "meeting" with the Network agents. "So the Assassins do have Frank and Joe," Phil said, frowning. "The Network still believes they are alive?"
"It certainly seemed so," Biff affirmed.
"Then we have to get them out," Callie asserted.
"How?" Tony wanted to know. "If the Network can't even get their own men out then how are we supposed to break into a fortress and rescue Frank and Joe?"
"That's just it," Biff said. "They aren't trying to rescue them. They sent their men to their deaths to lure out the leader of the Assassins."
"And since the Network are still in Conover, the leader hasn't shown up and odds are Frank and Joe are still alive," Phil finished for him.
"But the dilemma remains," Tony pointed out. "How are we going to get them out without being stopped by the Network and without getting captured or killed?"
They finished the drive to Bayport in silence, each trying to think of a way to help their chums.
"I have an idea," Phil said as Biff turned onto Neutron Street. "Everyone meet at my place at nine tonight. That should give me enough time to find what we'll need."
Everyone agreed as Biff pulled the van into his crowded driveway. "Callie, I'll pick you up at eight forty-five," Chet offered. "Phil's doesn't have as much parking space as Biff's drive does."
"Pick me up too," Biff told Chet. He looked over at Tony. "Do you have to work at Mr. Pizza tonight?"
Tony shook his head. "I told Dad about Joe," he said. "Dad's going to let me have some time off until we find him."
At nine o'clock that night, Tony pulled his jeep to a stop in front of Phil's house. Chet pulled to a stop behind him as Tony climbed out and all four teens headed to the back of the house where there was a private entrance to the basement where Phil was usually to be found. Tonight was no exception.
They found Phil looking at a topographical map which he had spread out on the floor. He was lying down on his stomach, thoughtfully staring at one section. "Ready to let us in on your plan?" Biff asked, startling Phil.
"Yes," Phil answered, sitting up and straightening his glasses. "This is a topographical map of the area near Conover," he began. "The fortress couldn't be within the city limits because there would be no privacy. I doubt we could do a fly-over without being shot at by the Assassins or, upon landing, arrested for interfering by the Network. But I have narrowed the possibilities down. This area, right here," he pointed to a spot on the map roughly three miles from a lake, "is the most logical place to set up the type of fortress you said the Network guys mentioned.
"It can't be approached by air without being seen nor can it be approached on land. The forest comes close to the area but then there's a rocky incline followed by almost five hundred feet of open space before the hill is reached. Anyone trying to approach would be seen," Phil ended.
"So, how do we infiltrate the area?" Chet asked.
"There's a campground here," Phil said, pointing to an area roughly five miles from the designated site. "We can set up a camp there and hike over. Using binoculars, we can probably locate the weakest point."
"That's not much of a plan," Chet said, frowning.
"But it's a good start," Biff said. "I say, let's do it."
"Agreed," Callie concurred.
"No," Phil told her. "I don't think you should..."
"Stop right there," Callie ordered him, her brown eyes strikingly dark as she glared at him. "You're starting to sound like Frank. I didn't let him get away with it and I am not going to let you get away with it either. I am going on this mission with you and that's final." Her voice softened as she continued. "Besides, you'll need someone to remain at the camp to keep it legit in case anyone gets suspicious. I can always say you went for a hike if anyone comes snooping around and if you have to stay overnight to watch the camp, I can say you must have gotten lost."
"I really wish..." Phil felt obligated to try again.
"I'm going," Callie declared, cutting him off. Phil shrugged and gave her a wan smile. Frank wasn't going to like this.
"Daybreak?" Tony asked. Phil nodded.
"The Network will be keeping an eye out for my van," Biff said.
"No problem," Chet said. "Dad bought a used camper a few weeks ago. He thought it would be cheaper than renting a cabin every time he wanted to take a weekend off. I can get him to let us use it."
"I don't know," Biff said, shaking his head. "When you tell your dad why you need it, he'll forbid you to even go. After Iola..."
"I won't tell him about the Assassins," Chet said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'll just tell him Joe's been kidnapped and we're helping Frank rescue him."
"What if he wants to talk to Frank?" Biff inquired.
"He won't," Chet assured him. "Dad knows Frank and Joe. Shoot, when Iola died, Dad was hurt twice as bad. He had already gotten used to the idea of having Joe for a son-in-law."
"You're kidding, right?" Callie asked, a bit amused. "Iola was only sixteen and Joe had just turned seventeen."
"Yeah, but Iola had a crush on Joe since the fourth grade and she never did outgrow it. And Joe, well... we all know he liked to flirt, but with Iola he was serious," Chet ended, his eyes sad when he remembered how Iola's death had affected Joe. Had it not been for Iola dying, Frank and Joe wouldn't be in trouble now. Even after almost a year, Joe would still do anything for Iola.
"So," Biff said, clearing his throat which had somehow gotten a lump in it. "We meet at Chet's at dawn?"
"Not a good idea," Chet disagreed. "I'll pick everyone up at Biff's at dawn instead."
"Make it four," Callie suggested. "We need to get an early start."
"Where have you been?" Tony asked as they neared.
Biff shook his head. "We have to leave town," he said, opening the driver's door.
"Why? What happened?" Callie demanded in alarm.
"After we leave," Chet promised quietly, ushering the other teens into the van.
Acknowledging their friend's strange behavior as urgent, Phil, Tony and Callie ceased asking questions and got into the van.
"They are still following us," Chet commented from the passenger seat fifteen minutes later as he observed them in his side mirror.
"They'll probably follow us all the way back to Bayport," Biff stated.
"What happened?" Callie demanded, her curiosity at the breaking point. "Who is following us and why did we have to leave Conover so fast? And what kept you two so long?"
Chet told them about his and Biff's "meeting" with the Network agents. "So the Assassins do have Frank and Joe," Phil said, frowning. "The Network still believes they are alive?"
"It certainly seemed so," Biff affirmed.
"Then we have to get them out," Callie asserted.
"How?" Tony wanted to know. "If the Network can't even get their own men out then how are we supposed to break into a fortress and rescue Frank and Joe?"
"That's just it," Biff said. "They aren't trying to rescue them. They sent their men to their deaths to lure out the leader of the Assassins."
"And since the Network are still in Conover, the leader hasn't shown up and odds are Frank and Joe are still alive," Phil finished for him.
"But the dilemma remains," Tony pointed out. "How are we going to get them out without being stopped by the Network and without getting captured or killed?"
They finished the drive to Bayport in silence, each trying to think of a way to help their chums.
"I have an idea," Phil said as Biff turned onto Neutron Street. "Everyone meet at my place at nine tonight. That should give me enough time to find what we'll need."
Everyone agreed as Biff pulled the van into his crowded driveway. "Callie, I'll pick you up at eight forty-five," Chet offered. "Phil's doesn't have as much parking space as Biff's drive does."
"Pick me up too," Biff told Chet. He looked over at Tony. "Do you have to work at Mr. Pizza tonight?"
Tony shook his head. "I told Dad about Joe," he said. "Dad's going to let me have some time off until we find him."
At nine o'clock that night, Tony pulled his jeep to a stop in front of Phil's house. Chet pulled to a stop behind him as Tony climbed out and all four teens headed to the back of the house where there was a private entrance to the basement where Phil was usually to be found. Tonight was no exception.
They found Phil looking at a topographical map which he had spread out on the floor. He was lying down on his stomach, thoughtfully staring at one section. "Ready to let us in on your plan?" Biff asked, startling Phil.
"Yes," Phil answered, sitting up and straightening his glasses. "This is a topographical map of the area near Conover," he began. "The fortress couldn't be within the city limits because there would be no privacy. I doubt we could do a fly-over without being shot at by the Assassins or, upon landing, arrested for interfering by the Network. But I have narrowed the possibilities down. This area, right here," he pointed to a spot on the map roughly three miles from a lake, "is the most logical place to set up the type of fortress you said the Network guys mentioned.
"It can't be approached by air without being seen nor can it be approached on land. The forest comes close to the area but then there's a rocky incline followed by almost five hundred feet of open space before the hill is reached. Anyone trying to approach would be seen," Phil ended.
"So, how do we infiltrate the area?" Chet asked.
"There's a campground here," Phil said, pointing to an area roughly five miles from the designated site. "We can set up a camp there and hike over. Using binoculars, we can probably locate the weakest point."
"That's not much of a plan," Chet said, frowning.
"But it's a good start," Biff said. "I say, let's do it."
"Agreed," Callie concurred.
"No," Phil told her. "I don't think you should..."
"Stop right there," Callie ordered him, her brown eyes strikingly dark as she glared at him. "You're starting to sound like Frank. I didn't let him get away with it and I am not going to let you get away with it either. I am going on this mission with you and that's final." Her voice softened as she continued. "Besides, you'll need someone to remain at the camp to keep it legit in case anyone gets suspicious. I can always say you went for a hike if anyone comes snooping around and if you have to stay overnight to watch the camp, I can say you must have gotten lost."
"I really wish..." Phil felt obligated to try again.
"I'm going," Callie declared, cutting him off. Phil shrugged and gave her a wan smile. Frank wasn't going to like this.
"Daybreak?" Tony asked. Phil nodded.
"The Network will be keeping an eye out for my van," Biff said.
"No problem," Chet said. "Dad bought a used camper a few weeks ago. He thought it would be cheaper than renting a cabin every time he wanted to take a weekend off. I can get him to let us use it."
"I don't know," Biff said, shaking his head. "When you tell your dad why you need it, he'll forbid you to even go. After Iola..."
"I won't tell him about the Assassins," Chet said, waving a hand dismissively. "I'll just tell him Joe's been kidnapped and we're helping Frank rescue him."
"What if he wants to talk to Frank?" Biff inquired.
"He won't," Chet assured him. "Dad knows Frank and Joe. Shoot, when Iola died, Dad was hurt twice as bad. He had already gotten used to the idea of having Joe for a son-in-law."
"You're kidding, right?" Callie asked, a bit amused. "Iola was only sixteen and Joe had just turned seventeen."
"Yeah, but Iola had a crush on Joe since the fourth grade and she never did outgrow it. And Joe, well... we all know he liked to flirt, but with Iola he was serious," Chet ended, his eyes sad when he remembered how Iola's death had affected Joe. Had it not been for Iola dying, Frank and Joe wouldn't be in trouble now. Even after almost a year, Joe would still do anything for Iola.
"So," Biff said, clearing his throat which had somehow gotten a lump in it. "We meet at Chet's at dawn?"
"Not a good idea," Chet disagreed. "I'll pick everyone up at Biff's at dawn instead."
"Make it four," Callie suggested. "We need to get an early start."