This chapter will be Ford's point of view. I have realized that I switch between characters a lot and I don't know if it's very good for writing.

Ford wiped the sweat off of his forehead after placing the last metal piece in place.

The portal was almost complete, although it would go a lot faster if Fiddleford would return back soon from the store. Stanford didn't mind, he needed sometime to himself to think out what has happened in the past 24 hours.

Bill told him what happened after he blacked out. After Rico knocked him out during their fight, Bill was able to take control of his body and help Phillip take control of the situation. He wasn't very specific as he would have liked but he said that even Lee was there to give some punches to the man. Those thoughts made Ford swell with proud for his brother.

Stanford laughed to himself, "He always was good at getting back up from a boxing match." Stanford walked over to the table and started flipping through his book. He needed Fiddleford for the next part of the sequence. It required two people to start up the portal and he wanted Fidd's to look over his math again before starting it up. Better safe than sorry.

There were still some things that seemed off about what Bill told him though. Like how Stanley would just leave like that. Not even waiting for him to wake up, he would never… would he? Bill wouldn't lie to him though, he was his muse and friend. The only person who understood his need for his work and was helping him create his greatest findings yet.

But he remembered how excited Lee was to come live with Ford. They have been separate for so long but when they were together it was like the duo was never broken up. Ford hadn't forgiven him about his project, and why should he! He was just waiting for the right time, a conversation for another day.

Memories started to flood in of the past, his project, and his brother's lies. Stanford bit on his pen he had been chewing to hard and the ink exploded all over his chin and dripped down his shirt.

"Ah darn it!"

Besides, who should he believe! The brother, who copied off of him in school, ruined his future and got himself in trouble. Or his muse, who saw potential in him and is helping him become a better scientist and making his life work come true.

Ford wasn't sure if he liked the answer he came up with.

….

Stanford got tired of waiting down in the basement for Fiddleford so he decided to go up to the first floor to wait him out. After a good 25 minutes, Fiddleford finally came home with two full bags of groceries and started to unbag them onto the table. Among the food were canned goods, bread, eggs and pasta noodles that Stan liked.

"What took you so long?" said Stanford.

Fiddleford looked up from the cabinets that he was stalking with the cans, "The store is a far way to walk without Stanley's car anymore. Also I don't have the keys for Phillips rental."

"What are you talking about? Stanley's car should be out there, he went back to DC with Phillip in his car." Said Stanford.

"Well maybe they decided to take Stan's." replied Fiddleford. "Either way, we have to walk places now unless we get a new car."

Just another hole in Bill's story about what happened after he passed out. Lee loved that car, when they were younger he would use the money he earned working at their Dad's shop and use it on that car instead of their boat. If he wanted answers he better ask someone that was there when it all went down.

"Fiddleford," said Stanford, "what happened after I got knocked out?

Fiddleford paused, "What do you mean, didn't Bill tell you?"

"I just want to compare it to what he told me, try to get my baring you know," said Stanford.

Fiddleford turned to the last of the groceries that were still left out. "Oh you know, um after you hit your head Bill took over your body and took care of the rest."

Stanford's forehead wrinkled from his confusion. That was even less information than Bill gave to him, something seemed off. He decided to try something.

"So that's when Stanley took him down himself right?"

"Uh," said Fiddleford, "yeah that's when Stanley took care of Rico himself."

"That's funny, because Bill told me that he and Phillip took care of the man all by themselves," countered Stanford.

Fiddleford didn't say or do anything, just kept his back turned most likely so he wouldn't have to face his friend caught in his own lie.

"What really happened Fidds?"

Fiddleford sighed and pulled out one of the kitchen chairs and sat down. Fiddleford reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet and gently placed a photograph of his wife and son on the table.

"I can't lie to you Ford. I have tried by not saying anything but you started asking questions and I realized that I can't do it. You're my best friend Stanford, and you deserve to know the truth. But at what cost..." Fiddle ford drifted as he picked up the picture of his family.

"Fidds, what's going on?"

"Bill told me that if I told you what really happened to your brother, that he would kill my family. He said that he couldn't afford to wait any longer for the portal to be opened!"

….

When Stanley woke up the first thing he felt was the dull throb of a headache in the back of his head. Looking around he saw it was dark, he must have been out for the whole day. Rico's bag was still where he left it so he didn't come back yet, he had to move fast before he got back.

"So, you're finally up huh?" said a voice just a couple of feet from his right.

….

For the last 45 minutes Stanford and Fiddleford have been wandering around town with a picture of Stanley asking if they have seen him or his El Diablo. Many of the folks just shook their heads and gave apologies and some just walked right on past.

The two boys were starting to feel like failures at their "mission" to find Ford's baby brother when they walked into the Skull Fracture. It was the only place left to look and not to many of the 'civilized citizens' as Ford put it, hangs out there.

When they walked into the joint, they saw gruff men doing various things. One man was getting a beat down by another in the corner of the bar, no one seemed to think it was strange or to separate them. Another looked like he was on his 5th pint of beer while slurring to the bar tender demanding more.

All of these men seemed to have multiple of tattoos and jackets with rude gestures and saying on the backs. Not the type of people Stanford would normally associate with, but at this point he was desperate.

Then he saw a face he knew, Manly Dan. He was over at some machine to test his strength even though Stanford knew for a fact that he was the strongest lumberjack in town.

They walked over and attempted to get his attention in the noisy bar.

"Manly Dan, may I ask you a number of questions?" said Stanford.

Manly Dan turned around and gruffed, "Why should I!" he then turned around and punched the wall, small pieces of wood hit the boys faces.

Amazed at the man's hand not being broken at contact with the hard surface Stanford decided he should continue.

"It's me, Stanford Pines, the researcher up in the woods for who you built the shack for. I was wondering if you have seen my brother or maybe his car here in town. Perhaps if not maybe a strange Hispanic man he was last seen with."

Manly Dan didn't even look at the picture, he didn't need to. He knew what his brother looked like and what type of car he drove when they both came into town for the first time.

"Yeah, I've seen him! He almost ran me over when I was coming back home from work yesterday! I was coming out of the woods and suddenly he drove past me like a maniac. Going up the river toward the old abandoned mines."

Fiddleford gasps, "The mines, Ford that's not too far from the shack! A couple of miles at best!"

They both thanked the man and let him continue what seemed to be his 'stress relive' for the day. If you asked Stanford it's not a very healthy to punch hard surfaces for stress.

As they went outside they noticed that it was starting to get dark and they wasted the entire day looking for answerers when they should have just gone to the last place first. Ford could have Stanley right now with him, take him home and make sure that no one could get to him again.

First they had to find a ride to the woods.