Biff, Chet, Tony and Frank lifted the heavy limb off of Joe. "Easy, man," Paul said to Joe, pushing him back gently as Joe started to sit up. "Better make sure there's no serious damage."
"I'm okay," Joe said, starting to sit up again. "Ouch," he said, grabbing his side and wincing in pain.
Paul eased Joe back onto the ground and looked at Artie. "Go and call an ambulance," Artie ordered Frank.
"I've got a cell phone;" Callie said and pulled it out. She dialed 911 as Frank knelt down beside Joe.
"How bad does it hurt?" Frank asked, worry etched on his face.
"It doesn't feel broken," Joe answered. "But it sure does hurt."
"Let me see," Iola said, kneeling beside Joe. "I'm trained in first aid," she told everyone. Iola was a volunteer at Bayport Memorial Hospital. She gingerly felt around Joe's side. "Okay, I'm going to be as easy as I can," she said, looking into his eyes. "Tell me when it hurts."
"Ow!" Joe shouted as Iola touched a particularly tender spot.
"You may have bruised a bone," Iola said.
"A bruise?" Joe asked, wondering if this would kill his undercover job.
"Don't worry, Kid," Artie said, figuring Joe was worried about his modeling. "If the doc says you're okay, we'll keep you in a shirt. No one will notice," he promised, being nice for the first time Joe could remember.
"Thanks," Joe said, smiling at him.
"I'll ride with him to the hospital," Frank said, hearing the ambulance getting closer.
"No. I need your help," Artie told him. "Paul, you ride with Joe and make sure he's okay. Call Kenny when you get to the hospital and he'll take care of everything."
Frank wanted to argue but couldn't without blowing his cover so he nodded his consent and watched as Joe and Paul left with the paramedics.
"I'll go to the hospital and check on Joe and call your mom," Iola whispered.
"Thanks," Frank said, smiling at her. "I'd appreciate it."
Danny rode back to the studio in the limousine while Frank and Artie took down the equipment and boxed it up. Chet and Iola drove to the hospital while the Hardys other friends returned home.
"Mmm," Joe said, gritting his teeth as the doctor felt around his side.
"We'll get it x-rayed," Dr. Bates said to Joe. "But I don't think anything is broken. Who is your friend?" he asked because he had seen Paul arrive with Joe.
"His name is Paul," Joe told him. "Oh, yeah, my name is Joe Hendricks," he added.
"Undercover," Dr, Bates observed, smiling. "Be careful," he added. "I don't want to see you back in here."
"I will be," Joe promised as Iola came into the room wearing her uniform and pushing a wheelchair.
"How are you doing?" she asked, coming over and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"He'll be fine," Dr. Bates answered, smiling at the twosome. "Take him down to X-ray," he ordered, handing her his chart.
"I called your mom," Iola told Joe as they headed for X-ray. "I told her someone came with you and that I would let her know what the doctor says just as soon as we find out."
"Thanks," Joe replied gratefully. "What did you think of the photographer?" he asked her.
"Tough," she answered. "But he seemed genuinely upset when you got hurt," she added. "What kind of case are two working on?"
"Two models have gone missing," Joe informed her. "Plus, there were several cameras stolen last night; a fire before that; and someone tried to steal some designs before they had been put into production."
"That's been bugging me," Iola said. "I thought designs were top secret before a show but you guys were out in a public place."
"Demar designs clothes for the higher priced department stores," Joe explained. "After a design had been purchased it's put into mass production. The clothes we're modeling will already be in the stores by the time the photos hit the media. The designs are only top secret until production starts," he ended as she pushed him into the X-ray department.
"I had to sign up to work today so I could get back here with you," Iola told Joe. "So I've got to leave you here and go do a few other things but I'll be back to take you to Dr. Bates," she promised.
"Sorry," Joe apologized. "I didn't mean to wreck your day off."
"Don't be silly," Iola told him with a smile. "Don't you know by now I'd do anything for you?"
Joe grabbed her hand as she started away and pulled her back and down onto his lap. "Ditto," he whispered and kissed her until someone coughed behind them. Joe turned around and saw a disapproving nurse standing there with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Bye," Iola said and took off. Joe looked sheepishly at the nurse who had just shook her head and wheeled him back for his x-ray.
"How is he?" Kenny demanded, striding into the emergency room about forty minutes later and seeing Paul.
"The doctor is still with him," Paul told him. "He should..." he started to add but at that moment the doors opened and Iola wheeled Joe out.
"Where's the doctor?" Kenny demanded of Iola.
"He's with someone else by now," Joe said. "I'm okay," he added. "I just bruised a bone."
"Let's see," Kenny demanded. Frank had given Joe his jacket to wear before the paramedics had taken him away so Joe unzipped the jacket and let Kenny look. "It doesn't look too bad," Kenny commented, frowning. "Can you still work?" he asked, not seeing the burst of anger that flared in Iola's eyes before she could hide it.
"No prob," Joe responded with a carefree smile.
"Excellent!" Kenny said, relieved. "Hmmm," he added, looking down at Joe quizzically. "I've got it!" he shouted, snapping his fingers, his eyes glowing. "Do you feel well enough to come back to the studio now?"
"Sure," Joe said, although his side was crying out NO!
"I have to wheel him to the car," Iola said, getting a firm grip on the wheelchair handles as Kenny tried to push her aside.
"Fine, fine," grumbled Kenny. "Paul, you need to come too," he added as Iola wheeled Joe out the door.
"I'll call your mom," Iola whispered quickly before Kenny and Paul got within earshot again.
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Arriving at the studio, Kenny rushed inside leaving Joe and Paul to follow at a slower pace. When the two entered the studio, Kenny was having an animated conversation with Artie. Frank, who was within earshot of the two men, rolled his eyes at Joe and Paul. Artie turned and said something to Frank who grimaced then set about looking for a background.
Kenny turned to Joe and Paul. "Go see Shelia," he ordered them. "Danny has already left for the day but we can get some shots of the three of you later. Tell Shelia I said breezy," he added as the two walked off.
An hour later, Joe walked out of the dressing room wearing a pair of silver metallic parachute pants with a neon blue lightening bolt running down the side. His silver metallic shirt boasted a small neon blue lightening bolt on the upper left arm. Paul was wearing the same design except his was metallic gold with neon red lightening bolts. They took positions in front of the background that Frank had found. It was a fall sunrise and the props they were using made it look like the two were biking along a one-car lane.
"Frank, turn the fan on low," Artie ordered as he started snapping pictures of the two boys. "Aim it so they're getting a breeze from the right."
Frank walked over to the fan and moved it into position. He then flipped the switch. A spark flew; a burning smell penetrated the air; and Frank gave a startled shout as the fan burst into flames.