As Joe was being led down the corridor he decided to give the plan a try anyway. Even if the timing was off, he had nothing to lose. He waited until they neared the corner at the end of the hallway then bent double and rammed himself into the Assassin nearest the wall. The Assassin's head cracked against the concrete and he put up no fight as he fell to the ground. Joe had already diverted his attention to one of the other men. He made a fist and brought back his hand as he raised up, landing a solid punch to the mid-section of another Assassin. A third grabbed Joe around the neck and began squeezing.
Joe lifted his left arm and brought it back hard, connecting with the side of his attacker but the hold did not ease up. Joe lifted both hands to try and forcibly remove the arm from around his throat. He was weakening when the pressure vanished. Joe spun around and stared in shock as he saw who had brought the man down.
Frank left Mike and the other two, still unaware of their fate, and closed the door shut after him. He was pleased to see the doors were locked only by deadbolts on the outside. This meant, he could easily free the other agents. He had only to unlock the doors that were dead bolted. He started his task, nerves causing his stomach to flutter but anger giving him strength to move. The first door he opened revealed two agents. Both had already been subjected to Mike's torture chamber but were still conscious if not very mobile.
"I'm going to release the others," Frank told the men in a whisper. "Maybe some will be in better shape."
"They would have to be," rasped one of the men. "They haven't had time to get at all of us yet. You work on freeing the others," he continued. "Rex and I will create a diversion."
"Sure you can handle it?" Frank asked.
"If we don't get caught before we get down the hall, we can," was the reply.
"Good luck," Frank told the men before taking off. He continued on his way, unbolting every locked door he came to. He finished the bottom level, then headed upstairs to the next one, moving slower and entering each door he unlocked, more to pause out of sight in case someone came his way than to greet each prisoner.
He had almost finished one pathway when a loud explosion rent the air. He smiled grimly; aware this was the diversion the first two agents had been talking about. He continued on, pausing at the corner as he heard someone coming his way. He glanced back, pleased to see that four agents had already joined him. Psyched, he was ready for the Assassins headed his way. But before they rounded the corner, there was a commotion. Frank peered around to see what was happening, expecting to see one or more of the Network agents taking advantage of the diversion and struggling to be free. What he saw instead froze him in shock...briefly. A ghost was taking down an Assassin. Another already lay unconscious on the floor. No! Not a ghost. He was losing!
Frank rushed forward and hauled the muscular Afton off of his brother, using a pressure point in the back of the man's neck to bring him down. Frank looked up into Joe's eyes as the other agents reached them. Frank flew across the brief distance and launched himself at his brother, enveloping him in a strong embrace. "They told me you fell out of the helicopter," Frank rasped, his voice thick with emotion.
"I did," Joe replied, grinning as he returned the hug then pulled back to look at his brother. "You didn't think I would die without killing you for this stunt, did you?" he demanded his words drowned out by another explosion; this one from above ground.
"What was that?" Frank asked, unaware there were anymore free agents.
"Chet and the others," Joe replied, a silly grin still on his face. "They are creating a diversion."
"Well, that makes two," commented one of the agents. "Let's get busy and release the others," he continued. "We need all the manpower available."
"Right," agreed Frank, grabbing Joe's arm and not letting him go. "You stay with me, though," he told him. "I am not letting you out of my sight until this is over."
Joe shook his head. "For once, brother dear, I am in total agreement." His voice held a tone that caused Frank to wonder if Joe ever felt the dread associated with the unspoken promise of retribution for doing something wrong.
"Shikes!" shouted Chet when the first explosion made itself known. "What caused that?"
"I don't know," Phil stated, his expression grim. "But it's a sure bet Joe will think it was us. Hurry and get those charges set. We just moved the timetable up."
The boys worked diligently and in almost no time were ready for their own diversion. Getting clear of the area, Phil detonated the dynamite. For the second time, an explosion was heard. It was easy to see the damage caused by this one. The boys had rigged the dynamite with fuses and laid them in around the southwestern perimeter of the camp. Although no actual damage was done to the fortress, the resulting noise had brought more than a few Assassins to the area. The other sides of the camp were now unguarded. The boys raced forward and made for the entrance.
"Locked," Biff said, trying the door.
"Get back," Chet instructed. He still had one stick of dynamite left. He lit the fuse and set it by the door then took shelter with the other two boys. In seconds there was a hole where the door had been. "Let's move!" he hissed loudly, leading the others inside through the smoking rubble.
Inside things were not going well for the Assassins. The first explosion freed the newly captured Network agents; it having caused part of the building to collapse, and everywhere Assassins were being taken captive. Apparently, a great multitude of the men had not bothered with their cyanide capsules since this was supposed to have been an easy take over.
The Gray Man came forward, his face drawn and his brow a bit fevered, but he was in considerably better shape than he had been the last time Frank had seen him. "You two get out of here," he instructed them. "We will round up the rest of the Assassins. Stan, George," he called out to two of the more healthy agents. "See to it these two get out of here in one piece."
"Yes, Sir," they agreed at once. They knew better than to disobey their superior.
"Frank! Joe!" came exclamations of delight. "You're both okay!" Biff, Chet, and Phil came rushing into the corridor where Frank, Joe and the others were and hurried over to them. Chet pulled Frank to him and gave him a hearty hug. "You know Joe's going to kill you now, right?" he asked.
"I kind of figured," Frank confessed, looking sheepishly at Joe who was not hiding his displeasure but not voicing it either. He knew there would be an appropriate time and this was not it.
"Before we go, I have a question," Joe said to the Gray Man before he could move away.
"What is it?" he asked warily. He could tell by Joe's stance that there were going to be some changes in the relationship the Hardys now held with the Network and he wasn't sure if he was going to be pleased or not.
"Wolfe said the Assassin leader, a female, wants me specifically. Alive. Why?" Joe asked.
"Are you sure?" Gray demanded, his face breaking out into a perplexed frown. Joe nodded. "To turn you would be my first guess," Gray responded. "But dead would have been just as good," he added. He shook his head, unable to come up with a plausible reason. He looked at George and Stan who stood ready to escort the boys to safety. "Take them to headquarters," he ordered. "If there is more to the Assassins wanting Joe than his right hook, we'll find out from one of the prisoners. Until then, I think it best if we keep him off the streets."
"What about our friends?" Frank asked. He already knew he wasn't going to leave Joe's side.
"Until after they have been debriefed, they should go to headquarters as well," the Gray man responded. "But," he added to the agents, "keep Joe Hardy in priority one protective custody until we get some answers."
Three days later, Chet, Phil, Biff, Tony and Callie were flown home, the camper returned the Morton home by an agent and Frank and Joe were sitting in the office of the Gray Man waiting for him to come and tell them what had been found out.
Over their three-day confinement, Joe had lectured Frank repeatedly for leaving him out of the loop. The one thing Joe had not told Frank was the decision he had made in the helicopter. No. He was saving that one for the Gray Man.
The Gray Man entered his office and took his seat. Frank quit pacing and sat down beside Joe who had not moved since they had been ushered into the office over an hour ago. "Well?" Frank demanded impatiently.
"Wolfe escaped," Gray informed them.
"Forget him," snapped Frank. "Have you found out why the leader wants Joe?"
Gray shook his head. "No," he replied. "No one who did talk knows why Joe is so important. They only know that their orders were to take him alive."
"Were?" Joe asked. "Not now?"
Gray leaned back in his seat and spread his hands wide. "The only new information we have on the Assassins is that the arrest at camp was a major setback for the organization and they are not pursuing any path of retribution."
"So we're okay to go?" Joe asked.
"Looks that way. Until next time, anyway," Gray amended.
"There isn't going to be a next time," Joe said. "As of now, Frank, nor I, are going to have anything to do with the Network or the Assassins."
"But they killed your girlfriend," Gray reminded him. Frank and Joe may not have been welcome when they first started poking their noses into Network business but they had become a valuable asset.
"And they nearly killed my brother," Joe said. "I will not lose anyone else I care about to the Assassins." He stood up and pulled Frank to his feet. "It's been interesting knowing you," he continued. "But don't call us and we won't call you."
"Joe, we have to find out why they were after you," Frank said as he followed Joe from the building.
"Why?" he asked. "It's over. We're done. Let's go home."
Frank followed Joe to the waiting taxi that would take them to the airport. He didn't want to argue with Joe's decision about the Network. Quitting was a good thing. But he was positive it was far from over. The leader of the Assassins had gone to great length's to try and get Joe. He knew with a certainty she would not quit and until she was stopped, Joe was in constant danger.
Frank left Mike and the other two, still unaware of their fate, and closed the door shut after him. He was pleased to see the doors were locked only by deadbolts on the outside. This meant, he could easily free the other agents. He had only to unlock the doors that were dead bolted. He started his task, nerves causing his stomach to flutter but anger giving him strength to move. The first door he opened revealed two agents. Both had already been subjected to Mike's torture chamber but were still conscious if not very mobile.
"I'm going to release the others," Frank told the men in a whisper. "Maybe some will be in better shape."
"They would have to be," rasped one of the men. "They haven't had time to get at all of us yet. You work on freeing the others," he continued. "Rex and I will create a diversion."
"Sure you can handle it?" Frank asked.
"If we don't get caught before we get down the hall, we can," was the reply.
"Good luck," Frank told the men before taking off. He continued on his way, unbolting every locked door he came to. He finished the bottom level, then headed upstairs to the next one, moving slower and entering each door he unlocked, more to pause out of sight in case someone came his way than to greet each prisoner.
He had almost finished one pathway when a loud explosion rent the air. He smiled grimly; aware this was the diversion the first two agents had been talking about. He continued on, pausing at the corner as he heard someone coming his way. He glanced back, pleased to see that four agents had already joined him. Psyched, he was ready for the Assassins headed his way. But before they rounded the corner, there was a commotion. Frank peered around to see what was happening, expecting to see one or more of the Network agents taking advantage of the diversion and struggling to be free. What he saw instead froze him in shock...briefly. A ghost was taking down an Assassin. Another already lay unconscious on the floor. No! Not a ghost. He was losing!
Frank rushed forward and hauled the muscular Afton off of his brother, using a pressure point in the back of the man's neck to bring him down. Frank looked up into Joe's eyes as the other agents reached them. Frank flew across the brief distance and launched himself at his brother, enveloping him in a strong embrace. "They told me you fell out of the helicopter," Frank rasped, his voice thick with emotion.
"I did," Joe replied, grinning as he returned the hug then pulled back to look at his brother. "You didn't think I would die without killing you for this stunt, did you?" he demanded his words drowned out by another explosion; this one from above ground.
"What was that?" Frank asked, unaware there were anymore free agents.
"Chet and the others," Joe replied, a silly grin still on his face. "They are creating a diversion."
"Well, that makes two," commented one of the agents. "Let's get busy and release the others," he continued. "We need all the manpower available."
"Right," agreed Frank, grabbing Joe's arm and not letting him go. "You stay with me, though," he told him. "I am not letting you out of my sight until this is over."
Joe shook his head. "For once, brother dear, I am in total agreement." His voice held a tone that caused Frank to wonder if Joe ever felt the dread associated with the unspoken promise of retribution for doing something wrong.
"Shikes!" shouted Chet when the first explosion made itself known. "What caused that?"
"I don't know," Phil stated, his expression grim. "But it's a sure bet Joe will think it was us. Hurry and get those charges set. We just moved the timetable up."
The boys worked diligently and in almost no time were ready for their own diversion. Getting clear of the area, Phil detonated the dynamite. For the second time, an explosion was heard. It was easy to see the damage caused by this one. The boys had rigged the dynamite with fuses and laid them in around the southwestern perimeter of the camp. Although no actual damage was done to the fortress, the resulting noise had brought more than a few Assassins to the area. The other sides of the camp were now unguarded. The boys raced forward and made for the entrance.
"Locked," Biff said, trying the door.
"Get back," Chet instructed. He still had one stick of dynamite left. He lit the fuse and set it by the door then took shelter with the other two boys. In seconds there was a hole where the door had been. "Let's move!" he hissed loudly, leading the others inside through the smoking rubble.
Inside things were not going well for the Assassins. The first explosion freed the newly captured Network agents; it having caused part of the building to collapse, and everywhere Assassins were being taken captive. Apparently, a great multitude of the men had not bothered with their cyanide capsules since this was supposed to have been an easy take over.
The Gray Man came forward, his face drawn and his brow a bit fevered, but he was in considerably better shape than he had been the last time Frank had seen him. "You two get out of here," he instructed them. "We will round up the rest of the Assassins. Stan, George," he called out to two of the more healthy agents. "See to it these two get out of here in one piece."
"Yes, Sir," they agreed at once. They knew better than to disobey their superior.
"Frank! Joe!" came exclamations of delight. "You're both okay!" Biff, Chet, and Phil came rushing into the corridor where Frank, Joe and the others were and hurried over to them. Chet pulled Frank to him and gave him a hearty hug. "You know Joe's going to kill you now, right?" he asked.
"I kind of figured," Frank confessed, looking sheepishly at Joe who was not hiding his displeasure but not voicing it either. He knew there would be an appropriate time and this was not it.
"Before we go, I have a question," Joe said to the Gray Man before he could move away.
"What is it?" he asked warily. He could tell by Joe's stance that there were going to be some changes in the relationship the Hardys now held with the Network and he wasn't sure if he was going to be pleased or not.
"Wolfe said the Assassin leader, a female, wants me specifically. Alive. Why?" Joe asked.
"Are you sure?" Gray demanded, his face breaking out into a perplexed frown. Joe nodded. "To turn you would be my first guess," Gray responded. "But dead would have been just as good," he added. He shook his head, unable to come up with a plausible reason. He looked at George and Stan who stood ready to escort the boys to safety. "Take them to headquarters," he ordered. "If there is more to the Assassins wanting Joe than his right hook, we'll find out from one of the prisoners. Until then, I think it best if we keep him off the streets."
"What about our friends?" Frank asked. He already knew he wasn't going to leave Joe's side.
"Until after they have been debriefed, they should go to headquarters as well," the Gray man responded. "But," he added to the agents, "keep Joe Hardy in priority one protective custody until we get some answers."
Three days later, Chet, Phil, Biff, Tony and Callie were flown home, the camper returned the Morton home by an agent and Frank and Joe were sitting in the office of the Gray Man waiting for him to come and tell them what had been found out.
Over their three-day confinement, Joe had lectured Frank repeatedly for leaving him out of the loop. The one thing Joe had not told Frank was the decision he had made in the helicopter. No. He was saving that one for the Gray Man.
The Gray Man entered his office and took his seat. Frank quit pacing and sat down beside Joe who had not moved since they had been ushered into the office over an hour ago. "Well?" Frank demanded impatiently.
"Wolfe escaped," Gray informed them.
"Forget him," snapped Frank. "Have you found out why the leader wants Joe?"
Gray shook his head. "No," he replied. "No one who did talk knows why Joe is so important. They only know that their orders were to take him alive."
"Were?" Joe asked. "Not now?"
Gray leaned back in his seat and spread his hands wide. "The only new information we have on the Assassins is that the arrest at camp was a major setback for the organization and they are not pursuing any path of retribution."
"So we're okay to go?" Joe asked.
"Looks that way. Until next time, anyway," Gray amended.
"There isn't going to be a next time," Joe said. "As of now, Frank, nor I, are going to have anything to do with the Network or the Assassins."
"But they killed your girlfriend," Gray reminded him. Frank and Joe may not have been welcome when they first started poking their noses into Network business but they had become a valuable asset.
"And they nearly killed my brother," Joe said. "I will not lose anyone else I care about to the Assassins." He stood up and pulled Frank to his feet. "It's been interesting knowing you," he continued. "But don't call us and we won't call you."
"Joe, we have to find out why they were after you," Frank said as he followed Joe from the building.
"Why?" he asked. "It's over. We're done. Let's go home."
Frank followed Joe to the waiting taxi that would take them to the airport. He didn't want to argue with Joe's decision about the Network. Quitting was a good thing. But he was positive it was far from over. The leader of the Assassins had gone to great length's to try and get Joe. He knew with a certainty she would not quit and until she was stopped, Joe was in constant danger.