Later that afternoon, Melanie herself came down to speak to Frank. She and Ned had spoken earlier, and she had promised that if anyone revealed the truth about Ned's old identity to Frank, it would be him. In accordance, she planned to face him as if he were any other prisoner brought in, as hard as it might be to do otherwise. To do otherwise would be treason against the organization, and treason meant death.

Melanie studied him through the one way glass at the door of his cell. He lay on his bed, head in hands, his mind obviously elsewhere. She tried to match Ned's face and his, but was unable to do so; the two didn't share any similar features. With a deep breath, she wished herself luck and entered his little cell.

He sat up when she came in, suddenly very alert. And also very frightened. In her years as the leader of her organization, she came to be very good at reading faces and his fear stood out to her as plain as day.

"So, the she-wolf herself comes down to see her prey," Frank said by way of greeting.

Melanie frowned. Obviously, he was not taking his captivity well. "You speak in ignorance and in haste, Frank, so I will forgive you."

"Ignorance you say?" Frank spat, rising from the bed. "If you call fourteen years of grief ignorance, and all of what I've observed and painstakingly concluded today ignorance, than yes, I speak in ignorance. But otherwise, it is you that speak in haste and ignorance."

She cocked her head, weighing what he said. Frank spoke mostly from passion, and she knew that passions blinds reason. She could beat him, the hole would show itself, that she was certain. It was just a matter of coaxing the hole to come forth... "Perhaps you can tell me what exactly you have concluded so that I may judge just how much you don't know."

Frank lowered his eyebrows. "I don't think so. I know your type and I will not unbutton my lips for you."

Melanie smiled to herself. He was playing right into her hand! "Then I will be forced to assume that you spoke in ignorance and haste, forgive you for your comments and start from the beginning."

Glowering, Frank said nothing, so Melanie began her little speech that she had designed for captured Network agents and the like. "The organization in which I run, known to you as the Assassins, is not what it seems. Mostly, we do whatever we need to do to make the world a better place, regardless of legality. That's why sometimes when people who disagree with that sort of helping discover us; we need to remove them, simply because we owe it to the world to stay in business. But the only people we kill are those that will work against the general good and cannot be stopped in any other way."

"And you expect me to believe that?" Frank asked sourly.

Melanie smiled gently, "Not at first, no. But you have the run of the island for a month to decide for yourself. At the end of the month, if you think that this is something you want to join, then you too will be an Assassin. If not, well, for the best of the organization, you must be taken out."

As she left his little cell, Frank wondered if this was what Joe had been faced with, and if, after living like an Assassin to save his life, had actually been converted.

Frank Hardy was a moral absolutist. No matter how many times during the following months, every death he listed off was justified and explained, he simply couldn't bring himself to believe that the killing was right. Yes, with the evidence provided, he agreed that these people should not be in power, but if it was killing them or letting them be in power, Frank would have to stay his hand.

He had been allowed everywhere, to talk to anyone he wished, as long as he made no contact with the outside world. The morning after Melanie visited him; he had been released from his cell and moved to a regular room. He had spoken with the leader several times during the month, and many other workers, including Allison, although she refused to speak to him after the first time. In fact, the only person he didn't speak with was Ned/Joe, the person he most desired to talk to. But every time he asked Melanie would tell him that 'Ned Brenden was away on business', and even once explained what that business was, although he had forgotten.

In his second week he had received news about Dave and Fenton. They had been told by Pacific Shipping that Frank Hanes had died in a freak accident, and after extensive investigation, had come up empty handed. The Hardy family was now grieving for two sons. Frank wondered how many other fathers and mothers were grieving for their children lost to the Assassin's cause and firmed his resolution.

When the one month mark came about, and he was asked for his decision, he took a deep breath, and told them that he couldn't join the Assassins. Melanie looked particularly distressed, but simply told him he had until morning to prepare himself. After that, he was taken back to the cell of his first night and was left alone to contemplate his last few hours on Earth.