Joe looked back at the two girls. What choice did he have? "Dr. Curan," Matt called out. In seconds the man entered the room. "Give Joe his medication," he ordered. "And then have Ren and Sampson take Joe to the range to begin his training."
"Where are you going?" Joe asked.
"To make sure the Hardys have arrived at the wrong destination," Matt answered.
"Leave them alone!" Joe shouted. This time his anger did permeate his fogged mind.
"Sorry, Little Brother," Matt said. "No can do. But you need to concentrate on those two," he added, nodding at the girls. "Or you will be the one killing them."
"One of the Network agents reported in that there had been a burst of activity near the Tibetan border," Fenton informed Frank and Laura. "The agent was positive Joe is being held there."
"When is the Network moving in?" Laura asked, hoping it would be soon.
"They aren't," Fenton replied. "They have absolutely no jurisdiction in the area and if any US agents are caught in the area then one of the treaties the US has with the Tibetan government will be violated."
"But we are going," Frank declared.
"Absolutely," concurred Fenton. "Call your friends and ask them to come over but don't tell them why. I am going to run over to Sam Radley's and have him make the arrangements. I don't trust our phone lines."
"But Sam's are all right?" Laura asked, unable to believe her husband would trust his line of communication either.
"He won't be at home when he makes the arrangements," Fenton promised, kissing the top of her head. "I should be back in an hour," he continued, looking at Frank. "Try to have Chet, Biff, Tony and Phil here."
Frank pulled out is cell and began dialing as his father left the house. "I'll make some sandwiches," Laura said, heading into the kitchen. She hated doing nothing. At least she could feed the small army that would rescue her son.
Later that evening, after Fenton had explained the situation to his sons' friends, he looked at them with a solemn face. "You all know how dangerous the Assassins are," he said. "And if you choose not to help no one will blame you. This mission will be dangerous and we will have no back up."
"No way I'm not going," Biff stated firmly. "Joe would do everything in his power, legal or not, to rescue one of us if we were in trouble." The others all agreed and so Fenton divulged the plans of their departure from Bayport the next morning.
"Why do we have to wait until tomorrow?" Chet asked. "Since we are driving to New York, we could do that tonight."
"We're driving to the city and catching the subway to throw off anyone who might be following us," Fenton explained. "We have to know where to go for the next leg of our journey before we leave because none of us will be together once we get to the subway."
"And we won't know all of the plans for the trip until Sam contacts us," Frank added.
"So, go home and get some rest then be in the parking lot of the Baptist Church on Pine Street at ten fifteen. Frank and I will be a little late, but it will look like you boys are going to church so that if anyone is following you they should call it quits when you go in for Sunday school."
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"Finally!" Frank breathed softly, sitting down next to his father on the plane. "We've spent all day going from one city to another just to wind up in Southport."
"The idea was to confuse anyone who was watching," Fenton reminded his son. "I'd say Sam did a good job."
"I'll agree to that when we land," Frank said, frowning. "I've got a bad feeling about this."
"You sound like your brother," Fenton told him with a smile.
"Yeah, well, I hope this time it only sounds like," Frank retorted. "Joe's feelings are generally right on the money."
They fastened their safety belts and prepared for take off. "I wish this had been a private plane," Frank commented, his eyes filled with worry.
"Me too," concurred Fenton. "But a private plane would have been too obvious. Besides, we have two layovers. One even requires us to take a taxi to another airport in a neighboring city."
As time passed, Frank's initial fear waned, and as they began the last leg of their journey he could recognize none of their earlier passenger mates except for his friends. "Almost there," he said in relief as the plane took off.
After the light at the front of the plane was turned off, one of the passengers from the front row got up and went to the restroom. Frank watched him walk by then turned to Phil who was sitting by the window. "I hope it doesn't take too long to locate Joe and the girls once we land," he said.
"You really think Callie and Camille are there too?" asked Phil.
"Mmm-hmm," Frank acknowledged with a nod. "They need someone expendable to keep Joe in line. Let's face it," he continued. "Joe doesn't even think about his own safety but when someone else is in danger, he will do whatever he has to do to keep that person alive."
"This is your captain speaking," the public address system boomed, preventing further conversation. "We will be making a slight detour. Please remain in your seats until further notice."
Fenton scowled. Something wasn't right. He stood up and stepped into the aisle, making for the cockpit, but he got no more than two steps before four men rose from their seats, each sporting weapons.
"Airplanes belonging to small airports with no major carrier lack security, Mr. Hardy," one of the men stated smugly. "Sit back down or everyone on board will die."