"Probably looking for me," Joe replied. "I got lost going from the shelter to the house in the tunnels."
"There is a tunnel system?" Gray demanded, grabbing Joe's arm in a tight grip.
Joe nodded then closed his eyes wishing he hadn't. "I really don't feel so good," he said, laying a hand against his stomach.
"It's probably the Rhyozine," Gray commented.
"The what?" Joe asked, feeling hot again.
"Rhyozine," Gray answered. "When we took over the submarine we had an intensive interrogation with the captain. He was ordered to begin administering the Rhyozine to you on the trip to the island. Nausea; fever; dry mouth; those are some of the possible side effects. The Rhyozine was supposed to make you easier to control."
"Figures," Joe commented bitterly.
"Why did they kidnap you?" Gray asked.
"Because I'm the heir," Joe said with a wry smile. "The real Joe Hardy and I were switched at birth. Danny died a couple of years ago and then you killed my natural father a little after that. My natural mother decided she wanted me back since Danny and Jeremy were both dead."
"You really lead an exciting life even when you don't try, don't you?" Gray commented with a shake of his head.
"Boring might be nice for a change," said Joe not disagreeing.
"Well, I can't guarantee a long change, but I think you would be better off on the submarine while we wrap up here," Gray said, motioning for one of his men to come nearer. "Tyler, take Joe back to the ship," he ordered the man.
"They have a supply of weapons in the basement of the house," Joe hastily informed Gray as Tyler took his arm. "The tunnel entrance is in the kitchen and Laurel, the leader, is in the shelter. The, uh," Joe paused as his stomach bubbled and he felt another wave of nausea threaten to engulf him. "The Assassins are armed with tranquilizer darts. Laurel didn't want me to be killed if I tried to escape."
"Thanks, Joe," Gray said, smiling at the youth. "Now go and get some rest. You'll feel better after a few hours." Joe nodded and allowed himself to be led to the boat that belonged to the submarine.
"Don't look so happy," Frank warned his father. "What if Joe thinks the storm is over?"
"We'd better find him," Fenton declared, his smile turning into a scowl.
The two headed toward the front of the house but froze when they heard movement from the kitchen. "Hide," hissed Fenton.
Taking cover, they listened as the door opened and footsteps approached. "Find the basement," a familiar voice ordered.
"Gray?" Fenton demanded, not coming out of hiding.
"Hands in the air and show yourself," ordered Gray, not taking any chances.
Fenton and Frank lifted their arms high above their heads and stood up. "Aren't you early?" Fenton demanded. "The storm isn't over yet."
"By then, it may have been too late," Gray replied. "We caught a spy in headquarters. He was feeding some guy named Lance information."
"Which explains why the artillery was brought in this morning," Frank said. "The Assassins have..."
"Had a submarine," Gray corrected him before he could even finish. "It's ours now and most of the Assassins on the island are prisoners except for a few still roaming around outside that will be taken care of soon if they haven't been already. We arrested the leader as well."
"Did you find Joe?" Fenton asked in concern. "We have a captive in the basement that told us Joe had gotten away."
"We did," Gray acknowledged. "He's on the submarine," Gray answered. "The medication they were giving him made him sick."
"The sub won't be safe in the hurricane," Frank said, worried.
"Once it's deep enough, it will be," Gray assured him. "But we don't have much time left before the second wave hits. Let's finish what we can and get off the island," he suggested, quirking an eyebrow.
Fenton nodded. "I'll show you where the basement is," he said, leading the way.
By the time the eye had passed, the Hardys, the Network and the Assassins were all deep beneath the surface. "Did you get them all?" Joe asked Gray as he, his dad and Frank entered the small room where he had been recovering. He had taken another nap after being given some Gatorade and was now feeling more like his old self. Apparently, the effects of the medication wore off once it was no longer being administered.
"Except for the one called Lance," Gray answered. "We couldn't find him anywhere but once the storm has passed we will start a full-scale search and comb the island from its peak to the depths of the tunnels."
"How long will that be?" Frank asked.
"The storm is expected to pass by in another hour. It wasn't big and it has already lost some of it's punch and been downgraded to a tropical storm," Gray stated. He turned to leave. "There are things that need my attention," he said, knowing the three needed to talk. "We should be safe to surface in about two hours," he concluded, exiting and closing the door to give them their privacy.
"You shouldn't have come with the Network," Joe began.
"We didn't," Frank interrupted him. "We were on the island before they arrived."
"We wanted to get you out of the line of fire before the Network arrived," Fenton explained at Joe's surprised look.
Joe looked away from them, afraid to see the shame and disgust he knew would be there. "You should have stayed away. I'm...I'm not even your real son." Joe waited for the eruption of anger that he thought would come but was completely taken off guard when Fenton came to him and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"You don't understand," Joe said, shaking his head and trying to pull away. "At the hospital..."
"You and Danny were switched at birth," Fenton said. "I know. Your mother and I found out nine years ago."
"You...nine...how...?" Joe wanted to know, his face a classic example of shock.
Fenton told Joe the same thing he had told Frank. "And you didn't want to switch us back?" Joe asked, confused.
"Of course not," Fenton stated with finality. "Joe, it takes more than flesh and blood to make a child. You are my son because of who you came to be not because of whom you were born as."
"What Dad is trying to say is that destiny made a mistake by having you born a Hardin so you were switched with Danny at birth to rectify the situation," Frank told Joe, his voice gentle but sincere.
"It really doesn't matter that I'm not a real Hardy?" Joe asked in disbelief.
"But you are," Fenton insisted. "You are as much a Hardy as Frank or I. You are my son and nothing can change that. I love you. Your mother loves you."
"I love you," Frank put in quickly.
"And the fact that you have different genes doesn't matter at all," Fenton continued. "In every way that counts, you are a Hardy. You may not have been born one, but you were raised one. And that will never change and I will fight anyone to the death who tries to take you away."
Joe knew without a doubt his father was speaking the truth. He could see it in his eyes. If Laurel ever managed to escape and come for him again, she would have the fight of her life and then she would lose. "Mom feels that way too?" Joe asked, his blue eyes still a bit unsure.
"Are you kidding?" Fenton asked, laughing. "When she saw the surveillance photos Jeremy had taken of you, she called me and told me to bring you home and if I needed her to come, she would personally eliminate that woman who had the nerve to steal her baby!"
Joe's eyes were bright as he hugged his father, all the anxiety and fear he had felt evaporating as he felt his brother sandwich him in from the other side.
"You dope," Frank told him when they broke apart. "Did you honestly believe you could get away that easily? You still owe me a shirt."
End