Chapter 9

"Fenton, do you want a sandwich?" Sam Radley's voice broke into Fenton's musings as he stared out the plane window.

"What?" said Fenton, turning to face him. "Oh, no thanks, Sam. I'm not very hungry."

"You haven't slept tonight, Fenton," Sam reminded him. "The least you can do is eat. You're no good to your family half dead."

Fenton knew he had a point.

"Thanks," he said, reluctantly taking a sandwich.

It had taken their pilot half an hour to file a flight plan, and Sam had used that time to get some drinks and snacks from the airport vending machines.

Con watched the exchange with some interest. He had seen another side of Fenton Hardy tonight, a more human side; one that cared deeply about his family. Con decided that his first impression of Fenton had been wrong.

Suddenly, Con yawned. "I don't know about you two, but there's still forty minutes of the flight left and I'm going to use them to catch a quick nap."

Con put his seat back, closed his eyes and was asleep in seconds.

Sam raised his eyebrows at Fenton. "Sounds like a pretty good idea, wouldn't you say?"

Fenton shook his head. "You go ahead and get some rest. I'm too keyed up to sleep."

Minutes later, the sound of Sam's gentle snores wafted in Fenton's direction.

Fenton smiled to himself. Sam had proved himself to be a great associate and friend tonight. Fenton knew he had been too cautious with Sam at work, not giving him any real responsibility or showing any confidence in his abilities. However, he could now fully appreciate what a great detective Sam was, and fully intended to show him the respect and trust he deserved in the future.

Despite how young he was, Con Riley had also proved himself to be an excellent police officer; cool and level-headed under pressure. It was something Fenton had always prided himself on until tonight.

Fenton sighed. He knew he had gone to pieces after he had heard about his family's kidnapping, but it was hard to be rational when it was his own family in danger. After all, they had only gone on a simple family vacation and now they were in the hands of some very dangerous men.

I should have gone with them.

Fenton tried not to think about it. He would make it up to them when he saw them again.

If I ever see them again.

Fenton got up abruptly, shaking the painful thought from his mind.

I need some company or I'll drive myself mad!

Fenton glanced at Sam and Con. Both were sleeping soundly and Fenton was unwilling to wake them. He threw his eye towards the cockpit of the plane, then moved silently in that direction and opened the door.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked quietly.

"Be my guest," Jack Wayne turned and smiled at him briefly before turning back to the controls.

"I'm sorry," said Fenton apologetically, sliding into the seat next to Jack. "I just couldn't sleep and the other two are dead to the world back there."

"That's okay, I could use the company. Work keeping you awake?"

"Not exactly." Fenton stared uneasily into the night sky.

"Anything you want to share or should I just mind my own business?"

Fenton glanced at the pilot. He liked the man's direct and honest nature, but could he trust him?

You trusted Sam and Con, a little voice in the back of his mind prodded.

Fenton decided to take a chance. He had been pleasantly surprised by human nature tonight.

"My family were kidnapped and we're heading up to take a look at the cabin they were taken from," Fenton told him.

"What?"Jack shot him an incredulous glance. "Ah jeez, I'm really sorry. Anything I can do?"

"You're already doing enough just by flying us there."

"What happened…" Jack began then shook his head. "Actually, don't answer that. I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"It's okay, I don't mind," Fenton assured him and told him everything that had happened.

When he finished, Jack let out a low whistle.

"I've read a little about that in the paper! And I've read about you too, but I never realised you were that Fenton Hardy."

"Right now I wish I weren't, then my family wouldn't be in danger."

"Don't worry," said Jack. "From what I've read about you, and from what I've seen of Con and Sam, you'll have your family back safe and sound in no time."

"I wish I had your confidence, but thanks all the same." Fenton gave him a weak smile.

They sat in silence for several minutes, Jack shooting Fenton an occasional glance.

"What are you going to do after you've looked around the cabin?" asked Jack suddenly.

"I don't know," answered Fenton. "I really don't. There's only so much three of us can do."

"Maybe you'll find something at the cabin?"

"Maybe." Fenton shrugged helplessly.

Jack looked at him thoughtfully. "I'm going to be landing in less than ten minutes. Why don't you go back and buckle up? You can wake the two sleeping beauties while you're at it!"

"Okay. And thanks for listening Jack. I didn't mean to burden you with my problems."

"Don't worry about it," Jack told him.

Fifteen minutes later, all four men were climbing out of the small plane. Dawn was breaking, and its feeble light allowed the men to get a clear first look at Mount. Trenton; which consisted of a single airstrip and one grimy two-story building.

"Boy, you weren't kidding about this being a small airport!" said Sam to Con.

"Is there anywhere we can hire a car?" asked Fenton, peering towards the building.

"Nope," Con answered.

"But then how are we…"

"I made a call before we left Bayport," Con told them. "An old friend is picking us up."

"Any room for a fourth passenger?" asked Jack suddenly.

"Sure," said Con turning to him, surprised. "You need a ride somewhere?"

"Wherever you're going is just fine with me," said Jack easily. "I'd like to help in any way I can."

The others looked at him speechless.

"But I couldn't ask you to do that!" said Fenton finally.

"You didn't, I offered," Jack told him. "Now, what's say we go meet this friend of yours, Con?"

"Joe, help me, we need to move this crate back," said Frank, climbing down from the crate.

"What!" Joe exclaimed. "But, Frank, that was really hard to move!"

Joe's hand was really starting to hurt after all that pushing.

"Joe, please!" Frank begged, as he began to push the crate. "We can't let those guys see it over here or they'll know we opened the window."

Joe's eyes widened in realisation and he started to push with Frank.

It took just minutes to push the crate back to it's original position; Frank was so excited about his idea that the spurt of adrenaline that came with it gave him extra strength.

"Joe, I have an idea," said Frank in a low voice as soon as they were finished.

"What are you going to do?" asked Joe.

"Not me, you!"

"Huh?" Joe was bewildered.

"I won't fit out that window, I'm too big," Frank told him. "But you're not…"

"No way!" Joe shook his head vehemently. "I'm not leaving you and Mom!"

"Shhh!" Frank hissed at him. "Joe, listen to me! Mom needs a doctor, she's really sick. You have to go for help."

"But, Frank, I don't even know where we are," Joe protested. "And you're a Boy Scout, you can find help better than me!"

"I told you, I'm too big to fit through that window! It has to be you, Joe."

"But what about you? What if those men get angry when they find out I'm gone?"

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Frank assured him. "Please, Joe?"

Joe bit his lip and glanced over at where his mother lay. His heart was pounding and he felt slightly sick. He really didn't want to do this. What if those men hurt his mother and Frank when they found him gone? What if he got lost?

"Frank, how am I going to find my way?" Joe asked softly. "And how am I going to get back to you and Mom?"

"You're going to draw a map," said Frank. "Like you did yesterday, remember? The kidnappers left us pens and paper; take a pen and some paper with you."

"When do I have to go?"

"I think those guys will probably come back soon and give us something to eat. You should go after that 'cause they probably won't come back until morning and that gives you the whole night to go for help!"

"The whole night?" Joe's heart sank even further. He would be outside in the dark.

Frank knew what his brother was thinking. "Joe, I know it sounds scary, but Mom needs our help. Just think of it like you're going on an adventure like MacGyver."

Joe sighed. It was easy for Frank to say that. He wasn't going to be the one out in the dark, and even if he was, Frank wasn't afraid of the dark.

But Joe was.

Suddenly, their mother moaned and the boys hurried over to her. Both were shocked by how pale she now was. Hurriedly, Frank put his hand to her forehead.

"Joe, she's really hot!" he cried in alarm. "I think she's running a fever!"

Joe looked from his mother's pale face to his brother's scared one.

"Okay, I'll go," he said in a small voice.

Frank's face broke into a smile. "Joe, that's great! When we get out of this, Mom and Dad are going to be really proud of you."

"Yeah, sure," Joe muttered. His stomach was in knots.

"Those guys should be back soon," said Frank, "so we haven't got much time. Joe, what did you see last night when we were brought here?"

Joe frowned, thinking hard.

"Trees," he answered finally. "Lot's of trees."

"Which means we're still in the woods," Frank guessed. "Did it take a long time to drive here?"

"It felt like it," Joe admitted. "But I'm not really sure how long it was."

Just then, the boys heard movement from the kitchen upstairs and footsteps came down the stairs to the basement. They watched the basement door in silent trepidation.

Seconds later, it was flung open and one of the masked men strolled into the room. Keeping his gun on the boys, he glanced over at Laura.

"She asleep?" he growled at the boys. It was the man with the harsh voice.

Both boys nodded vigorously.

"Good!" He flung the bag of food at them. "Either of you boys need to go?"

Quickly they shook their heads.

The man laughed. He had a horrible, barking laugh that made both boys cringe.

"Last chance before beddy-byes," he taunted them.

When neither boy answered him, he gave another bark-like laugh and strode to the door. "Fine, but don't expect anyone else to bring you later if you need to go. We're done with you Hardys for the night!"

The door slammed shut behind him and the boys heard him lock it.

They looked at each other and sighed with relief.

"Joe, you'd better eat something first," said Frank. "You're going to need your strength."

Joe nodded and pulled a sandwich from the bag the kidnapper had thrown at them. Opening it, he took a bite. It tasted like paper.

"Come on, Joe, you need to eat," Frank urged.

Joe forced himself to eat the sandwich, and to ignore his growing anxiety.

Meanwhile, Frank had scavenged one of the other food bags that the kidnappers had given them, and was filling it with a sandwich, fruit and some biscuits. The he threw in a pen and some paper. When he was done, he peeled off the sweater he was wearing and then the t-shirt.

"What are you doing?" asked Joe as he watched Frank put the sweater back on again.

"I'm giving you my t-shirt so you'll have extra clothes outside," Frank explained, as he stuffed the t-shirt into the food bag. "I'd give you my sweater but I don't want them asking questions about where it's gone."

Joe stared at his brother. Frank's cleverness was a little scary sometimes.

Five minutes later, Joe was ready. He gave his sleeping mother a quick kiss then joined Frank beneath the window.

"We put the crate back, so I'm going to have to help you out the window," said Frank, trying to keep his voice from wavering. Now that Joe was actually leaving, Frank was nervous about sending his little brother out into the woods alone, but he didn't want Joe to see how nervous he was.

Joe nodded. He was too scared and apprehensive to see how nervous Frank was, and tried desperately not to show it.

I can be brave like Frank and Mom!

They stood beneath the window and stared at one another for a second before Frank reached over and gave Joe a hug.

"Be careful, okay?" he told Joe, a lump growing in his throat.

"You too," said Joe, trying to swallow the lump in his own throat. "And take care of Mom! I'll try and get back as quickly as I can."

The brothers exchanged one last quick hug and then Frank knelt down. He cupped his two hands together and Joe put his foot into Frank's hand, and his hand on Frank's shoulder.

"Ready?" Frank asked.

"Yeah," Joe nodded.

"Okay. One, two, three…" Frank gave a mighty push and Joe was propelled upwards. Quickly, he pulled himself through the tiny window. It was a tight squeeze but Joe was small enough to do it.

Once outside, he stuck his head back through the window for Frank to hand him out his food bag.

"Bye, Joe. Be careful," said Frank again.

Joe nodded. "I will. Bye, Frank!"

Then he was gone and Frank was left standing alone in the gloomy, silent basement.