A/N: Happy Halloween, guys! ;-)
Thanks to Ozma, BlueEyes444, and MCR-1993 for the wonderful reviews of chapter 5! :D Enjoy chapter six and don't forget to review!
Paradise Broken
Chapter Six
Paradise, Colorado
June 3, 2010
Frank and Johnny stumbled out of the car and hobbled into the Drake household. Sally still wasn't home.
"What the heck was that about?" Frank gasped as he plopped down on the couch and rubbed his bruising leg. "Is everyone in this town out of their minds?"
"Apparently," Johnny said darkly, then his eyes widened as he took in Frank's condition. "You're bleeding."
And so he was. Steve had attacked the eldest Hardy viciously, leaving a deep cut from the razor-sharp point of the stake in his arm which was bleeding profusely. Johnny scurried out of the room after saying something about a first-aid kit. While he was gone, Frank checked the clock and realized that Joe should be back any minute now and wondered what his brother had found out from following Black.
Johnny returned a few minutes later with a first-aid kit and helped Frank to clean and bandage his arm. He stretched it out in front of him and winced. It hurt, but he'd be okay. With nothing else to do, Frank and Johnny settled themselves on the couch and waited for Joe to return.
Thirty minutes later, Frank was beginning to feel very nervous. Joe was supposed to be home half an hour earlier but had never shown up. At first, Frank hadn't panicked because it wasn't unlike Joe to lose track of time while on a case and forget to call. Or maybe he had found a good lead and was following Black without having time to let Frank know where he was at. But after a while Frank realized that his brother wasn't just running late—something was preventing him from returning.
He abruptly stood, facing Johnny. "Something's happened to Joe," he said seriously. "I'm going to go look for him."
"I'm coming with you," Johnny said in response, jumping up from his place on the sofa but Frank shook his head.
"No, you need to stay here in case Joe calls—he's got your number. Also, it could get dangerous and I am not going to be responsible for anything bad happening to you."
Johnny began to protest but Frank held up his hand. "Please just let me do this," he said and Johnny nodded, looking annoyed to say the least. Frank relaxed a bit and then asked, "Where do you think Black would keep Joe if he had him somewhere?"
Johnny bit his lip in thought for a moment then responded, "The church, probably. That's where he spends most of his time."
Frank nodded. "Thanks, Johnny." He hesitated. "Everything will be okay, Johnny, I promise."
Johnny fixed Frank with a determined stare. "You don't have to try to console me, Frank," he said firmly. "I may be four years younger than you, but I'm not a child, and I definitely know how to take care of myself."
Frank nodded. "Joe and I will be back soon."
"I hope so. Bye, Frank."
Ten minutes later, Frank had arrived at the church. He had found a broken window—halfway below ground, so he assumed it was a basement window—at the front of the building. Getting down on his stomach, he peered into what looked like a men's bathroom with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and comb on the counter.
Frank managed to squirm through the window and landed agilely on the balls of his feet on the white linoleum floors. His senses on alert, he looked and listened for any signs of Marsuvees Black but the bathroom was empty.
He went through the door into the basement of the church where there was a crudely carpeted hallway leading to several open doors—classrooms. The one on the left had a cot instead of a table. Marsuvees Black was most definitely staying here.
At that moment, Frank heard a strangled yell from outside the building from the churchyard—behind the church. It was Joe.
Frank sprinted down the hallway and ran as fast as he could up the steps, through the sanctuary, and toward the churchyard to save his brother.
Samuel entered his father's study, his eyes wide and urgent.
Fenton looked at the small blonde boy of fourteen and saw the resemblance to David in his features. It was still very difficult for Fenton to accept what David had told him, but the fact of the matter was that he did not, at the moment, have any other choice and even though David made no sense, he made perfect sense at the same time.
"This is my son, Samuel," David Abraham said, proudly introducing his boy with a worried, distracted look in his eyes. "Samuel, Fenton Hardy."
Samuel inclined his head in Fenton's direction then turned back to his father. "I tried to talk to Billy and the others but they just won't stop writing," he said urgently. They have no idea that what they are writing is causing such chaos in Paradise." He hesitated only for a moment before adding, "Marsuvees Black has complete control of the townspeople now and they have one of the visitors in their clutches." Fenton gasped.
"Which visitor? Who?"
"A boy named Joe," said Samuel and Fenton closed his eyes, knowing his son was in grave danger.
"We have to get down there! We have to help him!"
Samuel and David shook their heads simultaneously. "There is nothing we can do," David said sadly. "But Samuel, I cannot ask this of you...but you must..."
"I will do what I can to stop them in time," Samuel said solemnly. "I love you, Father."
David's eyes filled with tears and Fenton didn't understand. Why was he letting his young son go down to Paradise alone? Why was there nothing Fenton or David could do? And why on earth could Fenton not help his son?
Feeling desperate, Fenton asked before Samuel could leave the study, "Do you know what they are planning?"
Samuel hesitated. "A lynching," he said softly, then exited the room with a determined look on his young face.
Fenton dropped his head in his hands and cried.
A/N: Just a warning, the story is going to take a VERY dark turn with the next chapter. Hope that doesn't discourage you from reading, though! ;-) Please review, and chapter 7 will be here soon!
~Emachinescat ^..^