A/N Helllllllllo, people, isn't it amazing how fast I updated? Lol. Okay so I was bribed…twice…by two people…but still…lol…

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Vanessa smiled to herself when her teacher, Mr. Johansson, ran into the classroom a few minutes after the bell ran. His frequent lateness was a source of amusement for many of his students. Although as a result of it, he hardly ever marked anyone else tardy, making him one of the most popular teachers.

He flashed everyone in the room a quick smile as he scanned through the columns of computers quickly attempting to locate any missing students. He frowned to himself when he noticed Frank wasn't there. Frank almost never missed class unless he was kidnapped or in the hospital.

"Does anyone know where Frank is?" He asked as he knocked over a stack of papers in his quest to find the attendance sheet. "I could have sworn I saw him this morning…" Mr. Johansson added as an afterthought.

Vanessa frowned at this. She had just seen Frank at lunch and he had seemed fine then if only a bit on the quiet side. "Mr. Johansson?" Vanessa called raising her hand.

"Yes, Miss Bender?" He asked kneeling to pick up the papers.

"I just saw him at lunch, he's probably just running a bit late." Vanessa supplied. Her teacher nodded absently at her and agreed to give Frank a few more minutes before he marked him absent.

"Today as you know is a Wednesday which means you can all work independently on your projects for the competition next month, if you need help feel free to ask me." He directed.

Vanessa spent the entire class period trying and failing to maintain her focus on her project. She kept glancing at the door hoping that Frank would appear but he didn't show up. The fact that Frank Hardy had missed a class could only mean that something very bad had to have happened.

Frank never missed a class, no matter what. The only way he didn't go to class was if he were kidnapped, or if he was in the hospital. So, the fact that Franklin Matthew Hardy hadn't shown up for his favorite class, was practically a sign of the apocalypse. The day that Frank missed a class of his own free will would be the day you should start building a bomb shelter, because clearly disaster is upon you.

Thanks to Frank, Vanessa spent practically the entirety of the class wondering where her boyfriend's brother was. The only point during which she was not looking toward the door was when she snuck her cell phone out of her purse and text messaged Joe, telling him that his brother hadn't shown up for class, and she had asked if he was aware of this fact. Joe had been in gym class at the time, and had his cell in his gym locker and as a result didn't respond and therefore remained unaware of his seemingly missing brother.

Later…

Joe frowned when baseball practice started and his brother didn't show up. Frank was the starting pitcher on their team and their coach was a bit upset that his pitcher wasn't there especially with the big game they had coming up that weekend. Joe swallowed as the anxious feeling returned full force causing his stomach to churn. "Coach?"

"Yes, Hardy?" Coach Stevens growled in the direction of his shortstop.

"Er…Can I go um…look for Frank…" Joe asked cautiously. "You know in a very fast manner so that we can both uh get back to practice…" Joe continued trailing off as he took in the vein throbbing at his coach's temple.

"I. Suppose," Couch Stevens grit out between clenched teeth. "You have ten minutes to find out where your brother is or you're both staying after to run laps." He added as an afterthought.

"All right, thanks Coach!" Joe exclaimed flashing him a grin as he took off running back toward the school with his duffel bag in hand. Joe pulled his cell phone out of the bag as soon as he entered the main hallway and dialed Frank using his speed dial.

Frank…

Frank groaned quietly from his position on the cement floor of the utility closet. Regaining a semiconscious state, he opened his eyes, narrowing them in an attempt to ward off the throbbing in his head. He peered slowly at his surroundings trying to remember what had happened.

He let out a loud groan as it all came flooding back to the front of his mind. The man…he hit him…told him he needed to listen to the warnings…he gave him a note…Frank squeezed his eyes shut tight as the world split in two. Damn. I don't think I'm going anywhere. He thought somewhat bitterly as he lay on the cold floor of the closet.

Mustering up what little strength he could manage Frank hit the door of the closet with his fist; hoping that someone would hear it and come help him.

Joe…

Joe frowned when Frank's phone went straight to voicemail, meaning that Frank hadn't turned it on. Being the model student that he was, Frank almost never had his phone on during classes, and the fact that it was still off signified that his brother had never actually gotten back to his locker after classes that day. Joe glanced at the display on his phone and noticed that he had a new text message hoping that it was from Frank Joe opened his inbox. He sighed slightly disappointed that it wasn't Frank who had texted him, but still glad to hear from Vanessa. Joe read through the message and let out a muffled yell of frustration, Frank hadn't been in eighth period either.

Joe scowled at his phone, and chucked it back into his duffle bag, after glaring at it as thought it had mortally wounded him.

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear the pounding noise coming from the janitor's closet. Joe had been headed past it on his way to Frank's locker. Joe jiggled the handle cautiously but found it to be locked. "Hello…?" Joe called cautiously. He heard a muffled groan and he could have sworn he heard someone say his name.

"Frank?" Joe asked excitedly. He heard a pained yes in response. "Hold on, I'm going to get you out of there." Joe reassured his brother through the door. "I just need a lock pick." Joe muttered. "Hey wait, you have one in your locker…"

Joe murmured more to himself then his brother. He headed a few feet down the hallway to Frank's hallway and hurriedly spun the combination lock and yanked the latch up. Joe mentally thanked his brother for being so organized as he was able to immediately spot the pick set. He slammed the locker shut and hurried back to the utility closet. Joe knelt down in front of the door and worked the lock getting it open in under a minute. He reached up and pulled the hanging cord for the light flooding the small room with light.

Frank groaned and squeezed his eyes shut as tight as they would go as the offending light reached his eyelids. "Turn that off." He commanded with a groan.

"What happened? Joe asked not complying with the request as it interfered with his ability to examine his brother for injury.

"Someone hit me. Now. Turn. The. Light. Off." Frank commanded. Joe eyed his brother critically as he leaned over peering into Frank's face. Frank raised a hand in a feeble attempt to swat Joe away.

"You need to go to the hospital." Joe decided when he saw the gash on the back of his brother's head.

"Don't." Frank muttered. " 'M Fine." He added when Joe snorted in disbelief.

"Sure, whatever you say, Big Brother." Joe said with a laugh. "I'm calling an ambulance."

"Nooooo, Joe." Frank said. "You can't!"

"Quiet." Joe ordered already speaking to the operator. Frank tried to roll his eyes but ended up experiencing worse pain in his head so he quickly gave up and closed his eyes again intent upon going to sleep. "Stay awake." Joe ordered as soon as he glanced at his brother after hanging up the phone.

"Don't want to, so tired…" Frank muttered trailing off. Joe sighed and shook his shoulder lightly.

"Come on, Frank, just stay awake for a few minutes longer and then you can go to sleep, okay…?" Joe asked squeezing his brother's arm when Frank tried to go back to sleep.

"Tired…"

"No, stay awake; tell me about your computer project…" Joe said seizing upon Frank's program for the contest as a conversation topic in the hopes of keeping his brother conscious.

"Project…organizes…factors…crimes…" Frank muttered his explanation coming out as a string of words which made no sense. Joe nodded in the hopes he would keep talking. "Revolutionizes…scene…works…competition…" Frank continued. Joe sighed in relief when he spotted the EMTs heading toward them accompanied by his principal whom he had neglected to get.

"What happened here, Mr. Hardy?" Principal Campbell asked Joe as they loaded Frank onto the stretcher.

"I don't know; Frank wasn't at practice so I came looking for him when I passed the closet I heard a pounding sound, got the door open and found Frank." Joe explained breezing over the part where he picked the lock. The principal looked like he wanted to ask more when the medical technicians informed Joe that they needed to go. Joe flashed his principal a quick grin and promised to have his parents call him before following the EMTs out of the school and into the ambulance. Joe grabbed his brother's hand as they sat in the back of the ambulance. "You okay?" He asked softly watching his older brother with concern.

"Eh, I've been worse." Frank answered with a grin although his eyes remained closed. Joe allowed himself a small smile which quickly disappeared when his brother stopped speaking seemingly going unconscious or falling asleep; Joe wasn't sure which one. The rest of the ride was spent in relative silence. Joe was stuck in a reverie as he wondered what happened to his brother and Frank had slipped once more into darkness forgetting about the note he had been given for the second time that day. Before the day was over he would be unable to forget the words which had been inscribed upon the simple sheet of paper, but for the moment he was blissfully unaware of the dangers that awaited him.

The man grinned manically in the darkness of the dusty room. The games were finally beginning. They would be pleased. Finally the Earth which had wept in these troubled times would be healed when Frank Hardy paid the ultimate price.

The boy would learn the errors of the world he lived in. He would truly appreciate how the ways of people had brought the pain upon the Earth. And he would be sorry, yes, Frank Hardy, would be sorry for what he had done, for he was a part of it, they all were. But unlike most the boy would have a chance to repay his debt; the Earth would receive retribution for the sins of his people. The man knelt bowing his head not daring to raise his eyes to the stone alter in front of him.

"My son, have you warned the Chosen One." A black hooded man asked stepping out from behind the alter.

"Yes, I have, the games have begun, the boy will make the sacrifice, he is the one that has been prophesized!"

"Indeed, my son, he very much is the one for which we've waited for. Mr. Hardy will give the Earth her vengeance for the horrors they hath inflicted upon her fragile soils. It has been spoken and it will be done. The Chosen One must sacrifice his earthly being in the name of the Earth. And he will be glad to have done it for it is his most solemn duty." He informed the kneeling man as he reached down offering the man his hand. "Stand, my son, soon it shall be time, and we must plan, for the time of reckoning is upon us." The first man accepted his hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Of course, Father Mine, I will do as you wish, for it is my most sacred obligation and the path I have elected to follow for the sake of our dear Mother Earth." He said with a bow to the alter. The second man followed eyeing the figurine which sat upon it with reverence.

"Do not fear, Mother, for you shall have your vengeance. We shall make sure of it. The Chosen One has been located and he will fulfill his destiny, for as it has been seen, shall it be done." Finishing his prayer the man turned on his heel his robes billowing around him. The first man followed in his wake after giving the alter a final look of admiration.

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