"We've got to get him out of here before they kill him," the red head said, tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "Vanessa?" Frank asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.

She nodded. "I didn't want Joe to be alone," she explained. "So I put on a disguise and got a job here." She paused and sniffed. "When I got here earlier, I heard Joe screaming for help. After two orderlies and Dr. Wagner left, I came in and Joe was like that," she added, looking over at him.

"Wait a minute," he said. "I thought you didn't care."

"Of course I care," Vanessa said angrily. "But I wanted to stay with Joe while you found the real killer. He shouldn't have to be alone."

Frank swallowed. "Thank you," he said barely a decibel above a whisper. He looked over at his brother. "We're going to need help to get him out of here," he told Vanessa.

"I'm not leaving until Joe does," she said stubbornly.

"Good," Frank said, smiling at her. "Make sure they don't get any more Maisieno to give him," he ordered.

"Get any more?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah," Frank said, grinning as he removed his lock-pick kit from his pocket. He walked over to the cabinet and picked the lock. He removed the bottle from the cabinet, moving the other bottles around to make it look like nothing had been taken. He then relocked the cabinet.

"I'm going to give this to Dad," he informed Vanessa. "He'll run it through the proper channels. In the meantime, I'll call the gang together and we'll get Joe out of here." He walked over to where Joe lay. "Don't worry baby bro," he said, leaning over and kissing Joe's forehead. "We're getting you out of here." He turned back to Vanessa. "Be careful," he warned Vanessa. "I'll be back soon," he promised, leaving.

When Frank arrived home, he ran upstairs to his father's study. He set the bottle of Maisieno on the desk and handed his dad the sheet of paper Vanessa had given him.

Fenton read the slip of paper and picked up the bottle. He disconnected from the internet where he had been accessing prison files and stood up. "I'll go to headquarters and start arrangements to have Joe transferred," he said.

"Don't you mean released?" Frank demanded.

"Son, Joe..." Fenton started but Frank interrupted him.

"Dr. Wagner's trying to kill him!" Frank shouted angrily at his father.

"But Joe is still under suspicion of murder," Fenton reminded him. "We know he didn't do it, but not only was Joe's necklace found near the body, but he also confessed. Whether we want to admit it or not, Joe has a mental problem and denying it isn't going to help him get better."

Frank looked at his father, swallowed the hurtful words he wanted to say, turned and left. It didn't matter what his dad said. He wasn't going to leave Joe where he could be vulnerable again.

Frank got in the car and drove to Biff's. Once there he called Chet, Tony, Callie and Phil Cohen, another friend of theirs who could do anything with electronics. After everyone had arrived, Frank explained the situation.

"How are we going to get him out?" Chet asked.

"And where is he going to stay after we do?" Callie asked. "Frank, until you find out who really killed Cornett and robbed Maxines, they'll be looking for Joe," she told him, trying to make him see how right his dad was to get Joe transferred.

"But I need Joe to help solve the mystery," Frank started to explain only to be interuppted by Biff.

"Frank, Joe can't even help himself," Biff said gently.

"You don't get it," Frank said, a bit impatiently. "The doctor is the one trying to kill Joe!"

"We got that," Biff said. "But Joe still isn't all there."

"The Maisieno caused Joe's glazed expression and as for the violent behavior, he probably figured out what Wagner was up to," Frank explained. On the way over, Frank had contacted Sam Radley, a friend and associate of his father's. Sam had looked up the drug online and discovered it was used a sedative but the side-effects included schizophrenia, glazed eyes and drooling. Continued use would lead to brain damage and eventually death. The drug was released to be used exclusively on the severe mental ill and then only one time and only as a last resort.

"But Joe said he was hearing voices," Tony said. "That was before Wagner ever got a hold of Joe," he reminded Frank.

"Look, I don't know if Joe's really sick or not. Right now, I'm not concerned with that. What I am concerned about is Joe living to face a trial if that's what it comes down to. Someone set him up. And whoever arranged for Joe to be put in Dr. Wagner's care in the first place could put him in danger again."

"So how do we break him out?" Tony asked.

"Don't they guard that place like a prison?" Chet asked.

"The only guards are the orderlies and according to Vanessa, at least two of them are involved in this mess," Frank replied. "They do have a security system," he continued. "That's where you come in Phil," he said to the five foot eight slender boy with glasses and brown hair and brown eyes.

"What kind of system do they have?" Phil inquired.

Frank gave a huge grin as he replied, "A Cohen 2000."

"Yo, man! One of your dads," Chet shouted at Phil, whose father owned and operated his own security firm in Bayport.

"Callie, we need you to go in as a volunteer the way Vanessa did. A disguise would be a good idea," he added. She gave a brief nod. "Chet, we'll need you to wait outside in the van so we can make a quick get-a-way."

"I thought Joe busted your van," Chet said.

"He did," Frank admitted. "We'll have to use Biff's. Tony, you can help Phil. And Biff, we need your muscle inside."

"You got it," Biff agreed.

"When do we start?" Callie asked.

"Now," Frank said. "Dye your hair and drive your mom's car," he suggested as she was leaving. "Vanessa had the right idea. Whoever is doing this probably knows what all our friends look like."

"I've got some walkie talkies at the office we can use," Phil told Frank. "They're on a special frequency so no one can eavesdrop."

"Great!" Frank said. "We'll swing by and get one on the way to Corwin."

Phil and Tony left for Cohen Security. Phil had to have time to access the security link to Corwin without catching anyone's attention. After they had left, Chet suggested he meet them at Tamin's Bagelry and departed. Frank looked at Biff. "We'll have to give you a make-over," he said. "Only family members can see Joe and someone may recognize you." Biff nodded and they went upstairs.

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"Why not?" Fenton thundered at Chief Collig. "Wagner's trying to kill Joe. Here's the evidence," he added, waving his hand at the bottle which now set on Chief Collig's desk.

"I already told you," Chief Collig replied calmly. "There's no proof that Joe was given the Maisieno."

"Get a blood sample," Fenton ordered forcefully. He knew Chief Collig was right, his years on the New York City Police Department had taught him that. But right now he didn't feel like an ex-cop. Right now he felt like a scared parent.

"We can't until morning," Chief Collig told him. "After three o'clock, the patients are confined to their rooms. The doctors only see them after that time if it's an emergency," he added, trying to calm Fenton. "Joe will be fine until tomorrow and we'll be there at dawn waiting when they are completely staffed and the bloodwork can be done."

"This is an emergency," Fenton argued.

"But Wagner won't be near Joe until tomorrow," Chief Collig repeated himself, more to the point this time.

"Who are you trying to protect?" Fenton demanded. "This is my son's life we're talking about. I never thought you'd go bad," he added in disgust.

"I know it's Joe's life we're talking about," Chief Collig shouted, standing up and placing both hands on his desk. "Do you honestly think I don't care about Joe?" he demanded. "This has to be done by procedure. Judge Parkinson isn't available until tomorrow morning and without his consent Joe can't be transferred or have a blood sample taken even if there was someone at the institute who could do it. If we move now, whoever is trying to hurt Joe is going to get away," he added, more softly. "If I thought Joe was in imminent danger, then I would go in tonight and get him out of there. But he's not," he ended, sending Fenton a look begging him to understand. Fenton glared at Chief Collig then left his office, slamming the door on his way out.

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Joe blinked and moved his head. "Joe," Vanessa said, rushing over to his side. Joe blinked at her and his breathing became heavier. He tried to speak but the words would not form. "Shh," she said. "Frank's going to get you out of here. He.." she broke off as she heard the knob turn on the door. She hurried back to her hiding place.

"Hello Joseph," Dr. Wagner said, coming into the room followed by Jeff and Fred. "Starting to feel normal again?" he asked in mock sympathy.

Joe just blinked at him, trying to focus. "Now, now, we can't have that." He went to retrieve the Maisieno. He unlocked the cabinet and searched for the bottle with a frown on his face. Not finding it, he relocked the cabinet and turned to look at Joe, his face hard and eyes cold.

"I'm no fool," he said. "If it's gone then someone, your father perhaps, is suspicious. Time for us to leave." He turned to Jeff and Fred. "Go get a gurney," he ordered.

Vanessa had heard everything from her hiding place. If they took Joe then she knew she would never see him again. She had to do something. She waited until the orderlies had left then crept from her hiding place. Standing upright, she surprised Wagner from behind. He turned just in time to feel a sharp blow to his head as Vanessa brought the display of a brain crashing down on him. He fell to the floor dazed.

Vanessa quickly released Joe and helped him to stand. He wobbled and she quickly wrapped an arm around his waist and put his arm around her shoulders. "Joe, please try to walk," she begged.

Joe tried to do as she asked but his balance was off and his entire weight fell onto Vanessa. She sagged to the floor as Joe fell on top of her. She pushed Joe off and started to her feet only to have her ankle caught in a vise-like grip. She looked down. Wagner was looking up at her with an evil grin. He pulled her ankle hard and Vanessa fell backward, her head slamming into the hard floor. She lay there unconscious.