Chapter 5

The van finally came to rest after striking a large oak tree. It lay on its roof.

"Joe! Joe, you ok?" Frank asked feebly as he craned he neck, trying to see his baby brother in the set next to him. "Joe? Joe, answer me pleas-"

"Frank?" came the weak voice of the younger Hardy.

By this time Frank had already managed to wriggle himself free of the wreckage and was kneeling by the passenger widow. "Joe, buddy, thank goodness you're alive! You ok? Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, just help me get out, will ya?"

"Are you sure you're ok enough to move. Maybe you better sit tight until I call for an ambulance."

"No, really I'm fine, just grab my arm."

After several rigorous seconds, Joe too had squirmed free. Both brothers stood looking at each other and the mass of cuts and bruises they found. Luckily, no one was seriously injured. Just then, they heard the slam of a car door coming from the top of the embankment. Hoping it was someone coming to help, the boys glanced up the hill. However, both of their mouths dropped in horror as they watched the man in the black sedan drawing near. They could just make out the deadly gun he held in his hands as the sun glittered off the silvery barrel. Before they had time to turn and run, the man was in full view, aiming his gun. Instantly, Joe recognized him.

"Hello boys," the man said.

"B-b-but your dead!" Joe exclaimed, flabbergasted.

"Dead? Who are you?" Frank voiced, all the while eyeing the guy and trying to figure a way out of their current situation.

The man stood snickering for a moment. Then he spoke. "Why, don't you recognize me Frank? Your brother does. And I thought that you were supposed to be the smart one, huh?"

"You murdering –" Joe shouted as he tried to make a move on the man that stood before them.

The man cocked his gun in return and held it eye level to Joe. "I wouldn't do anything foolish if I were you, little boy."

"Who on earth are you!" Frank demanded.

"Frank, it's Brian McNelson," Joe whispered.

"Brian McNelson? But dad said you were -"

"Dead," Brian finished. "Ah, yes. My death. Well boys, sometimes things are not always what they appear to be."

Joe was enraged. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY SISTER?"

"Temper, temper, young man!" Then he barked, "No more questions - walk! Keep walking until I tell you to stop. I'm watching you. Don't do anything foolish. I won't have any hesitation in shooting the two of you."

They walked deep into the woods and farther from any hopes of finding a way out of the situation. Once they had walked to a secluded area, Brian ordered them to stop. As he fumbled with his belt for a few moments until five small coils of rope fell to the ground, he kept his gun expertly trained on the two young men.

"Now, see the ropes on the ground. I want you, Joe, to take one piece of the rope and tie up your brother nice and tight. Tie both his legs and arms. Remember I'm watching you."

Joe bent down to pick up the rope. As he came up, he swung hard with his fist, hoping to catch his assailant off guard. Unfortunately for Joe, this did not prove to be the case. Brian fired a shot.

"JOE!" Frank shouted as he watched his brother fall to the ground.

Joe lay on the ground for a few moments, and then stirred, clutching his shoulder. A dark red spot was already spreading across his shirt.

"I warned you! Now, Frank, take that rope from your brother and tie his hands and feet. Must I warn you too that I won't hesitate to shoot? Next time I may not be so nice," Brian snarled.

Frank tried his hardest not to hurt Joe's injured shoulder further as he tied his brother's wrists. After he had completed his chore, Brian bonded Frank's hands and feet. Once that was done, he took the final chunk of rope and tied the boys to a tree.

"Please, tell me what happened to my sister. I need to know," Joe pleaded. His shoulder ached, but luckily he had not been directly hit by the bullet-only grazed.

"Ah, you want the truth, do you?" he smirked again. Then he reached into his oversized coat pocket and brought out two syringes. Then needles glinted in the afternoon sun. "Well, as you can see, I don't plan on allowing you to live much longer," he chuckled as he waved the syringes back and forth. "You're so deep in the woods; no one will ever find you. If you don't die of this 'medication' you certainly will die of either starvation or the elements. I don't see why I can't humor you for awhile." Brian reached out and plunged a needle into Frank's arm, shooting in the serum. Several seconds later, he did the same to Joe. He stood there watching for several seconds, then spoke. "Ok boys, before you drift off to never-never land, let me tell you a little bedtime story. First of all, of course I didn't die. The assassins are experts at faking their own death." Assassins! Joe thought. No! This can't be happening. "Yes, all you need is a dummy to pose for you and a few strings pulled at the local hospital. It's really that elementary. Anyways, as for your sister. Yes, I remember. The brat wouldn't shut up. Always cried all the time! We were hoping to turn her into an agent of ours. Oh wouldn't that be great! Fenton Hardy's own daughter working against him! But no, the brat was just too loud. So I gave her up for awhile. I dropped her off in some sleazy trailer park in Crystal Falls. Crystal Falls! The place was the biggest dump in all of Pennsylvania! But regardless, that's what I did. Who knows what happened to her now? I do happen to know that the couple I left her with, well, let's just say, wasn't your ideal guardians," Brain concluded. Then he stood up and looked at his drowsy captives. "Well boys, it's been fun chit-chatting with you, but I best be on my way. I have bigger and better things to do! Ta-ta!" With a mocking wave, he slowly crept out of view.

Several moments later, the boys were completely alone. Both felt terribly sick as a soft rain began to fall.