Fenton raced home, breaking every speed law in the city, but this was ok because Ezra was sitting right next to him in the car.
"I love you…" Laura's last words kept running through his head.
"This can't be happening…" he whispered just loud enough for Ezra to hear him.
"It'll be alright Fenton, we'll get there in time, and Joe's a cleaver boy…."
"They're not suppose to attack my family…I'm not suppose to bring the bad guys home…."
"We'll get them Fenton, I swear. We'll be there in time, we'll get them…."
'I won't let them hurt you Laura. I swear that I'll get you…'
Laura replaced the phone and pulled herself further under the desk. She could hear the two men approaching the office and held her breath. The door to the office cricked opened, and Laura closed her eyes.
"What are you doing going in there?" a male's voice said, a baritone.
"I was just going to check the office…" another male's voice said, this time a tenor.
"Use your head kiddo," the baritone said, with a slight joking note to his voice. "If a person was hiding, they wouldn't leave the door open."
"Yeah you're right. Where do you think she's at?"
"The bed room. That's where Fenton left her. Besides, she doesn't know we're coming…" The two man headed down the hall, leaving a surprised Laura still hiding in the office.
She had recognized both the voices.
Fenton pulled to a stop about four houses up from his.
"Why are you stopping here?" Ezra asked.
"So they don't know we're coming," Fenton said as he jumped out of the car, quickly followed by Ezra. The two moved fast, knowing that the back up was only moments behind them.
Fenton reached his house first, and was about to go in when Ezra pulled him back.
"You're not going in there…" Ezra started.
"What do you mean I'm not going in there?" Fenton hissed, eyes narrowing.
"Let me finish," Ezra barked, "You are not going in there unarmed," Ezra finished and handed Fenton a gun.
"Ezra…" Fenton said confused.
"Relax, it's my back up, now are you going to open that door or not?"
Fenton smiled and shock his head; he pushed his front door open slowly, thankful that it didn't make a sound.
"Where do you think they are?" Ezra whispered.
"Upstairs, Laura said she was in the office."
The two made their way up the stairs. As they reached the landing, Fenton peered around the corner to get a glimpse of the hall way. The office door was open, but there was no sign of anyone there. Cautiously he continued down the hall, singling to Ezra that he was going into the office.
Bracing himself on the left side of the doorway, he glanced around, thankful that he had listened to Frank's suggestion to add the mirrors, for they allowed him to see the entirety of the room.
'Frank…' he thought as he glanced at the mirror, 'hang on son, Joe's on his way, and I'm here helping your mother...these two guys they'll be my ticket to finding you…just hang on,' Fenton took a deep breath as he entered the room.
"Laura," he whispered, he could hear Ezra behind him, standing guard by the door.
"Here Fenton," Laura said as she wiggled the chair to get his attention.
"Good, sty there, stay hidden" Fenton whispered with relief. "Which way they go?"
"Down the hall, to our room. Fenton…I recognized them, I hared them speak and I recognized them! It was Detective Reynolds and Jesse!"
Slowly, painfully slowly, Frank started to open his eyes, instantly shutting them with a groan as the sun hit his eyes. "Joe…" he said weakly, his voice raw and sore from screaming and lack of water.
"Yeah, it's me…how you doing? Huh? You ok?" Joe spat out fast.
"Sss…slow down…ca…can't…understand…."
Joe laughed nervously, "Sorry…here let's get you up so we can…"
"Kill you."
Joe spun around to be face to face with Jimmy Kolplay himself. Behind him he saw Phil, Biff, and Joe being restrained by several men, all armed. Behind them was a van, engine running and doors open, ready for a quick getaway.
There were little options for Joe except to raze his hands, but he didn't have to do it quietly.
"The Cops are on their way, you kill us they'll charge you for murder on top of kidnapping and torture," Joe hissed.
"Oh, I'm well aware that the police are coming. They're about ten minuets out, and there's no way that I'm stupid enough to get tangled up in a murder charge. But on the other hand, I can't just let you boys wonder around telling everyone what I supposedly did," Jimmy said with a smirk.
"So what are you going to do?" Joe snapped.
"He's going to let you guys go, making sure that you know what really happened, and to make sure you tell his side correctly he's going to keep me," Frank said gruffly as he tried to get his throat working correctly.
Joe looked at his brother, shock plain on his face. Frank was pale and beads of sweet dotted his brow line. Joe could see his brother shaking from illness as well as dehydration. He belonged in the hands of doctors not a mad man's.
"Frank…" he began, but was stopped by a shake of Frank's head.
"Very cleaver of you Frank, I see you are the smatter Hardy," Jimmy sneered.
This time it was Frank's turn to let his anger flare, "My brother and I are a team, and both quite capable of thinking."
Joe felt a rush of heat as he hared the praise his brother gave, but anger quickly replaced it as Kolplay reached out and slapped Frank, hard enough to knock Frank from his seated position to the dirt.
"Hey!" Joe shouted and lunged at Kolplay, but was quickly knocked to the ground.
"Joe!" Frank gasped out, as he pushed himself up, "It's alright, stay calm." Frank then addressed Kolplay, his voice taking on a harsher, more aggressive tone, "And you, you can push me around all you like but don't you dare raze your hand against my brother, or my friends."
"You're a very smart boy Frank Hardy, but you forgot one thing, I hold the power," Kolplay hissed.
"You think you hold the power," Frank hissed, slowly and shakily getting to his feet. "But you're wrong. I hold the power. You see Kolplay, I know more then they do, I know what you're planning. I had a little time to figure it out," frank said sarcastically as he nodded his head to the grave he'd just been saved from. "Now, you won't get your hands dirty, so you won't kill anyone, because even being here, even giving the order is enough to give you life and you know it. And you won't risk anyone ratting on you, but you won't kill them, and you can't take us all, too risky. You can't take any of them because they're a threat. But you can take me, I'm weak, less likely to fight, less likely to run, plus, I'm less likely to tell the police what I know."
Frank paused for a moment, letting his little speech sink in. After a few moments he spoke again.
"So you got a choice, you take me and let them go, UNHARMED, or I fight you every step and force you to ether kill me or hurt me, but ether way, you waste time, and get a new charge pilled on."
Kolplay glared at the youth in front of him, anger rising. He knew Frank was right, and that he had already wasted valued time. "Let them go, but keep your guns on them. You," Kolplay pointed at Frank, "Get."
Before Frank moved he looked at Joe, who had stood up during his speech. Their eyes met and a silent message passed between them.
"Don't do what he tells you, I trust you, I can take care of myself. Don't listen to him."
"Keep you're head down, I'll find you."
Fenton was shocked into silence, "Are you sure?" was all he managed to choke out.
"I'm sorry Fenton…."
Fenton could barely hear her, he was too stunned. He had known Jesse almost all his life, his father and him had served together in New York, and while he didn't know much about Reynolds, he had like the young, ambitious man.
"Damn, such a waste," Fenton hissed as he pulled himself together. "Laura, stay put, Ezra and I will get them," Fenton said gravely. He looked up at his long time friend and saw the same grave, and shocked look in his eyes, but he was ready.
Again, Fenton took point, and the two old lawmen made their way down the hall.
sorry about the looooooooooooong wait. hope i didn't drive you too crazy. i think i'm going to onlny have one more chap after this, so you don't ave long to wait before it's finish. Happy Party Days you all, and please be safe.