AN: So now its proven- all you had to do to make me put up a new chapter is make my phone stop working… (Ave, atque, vale, Lord Aragorn! You were as awesome as phones could get.) If anyone has a complaint that my updates are getting too far apart, and that you have to read it all from the beginning because you forgot what is happening, newsflash- so do I. Anyway, here you go-

Chapter 7

Five days ago, New York City

"What do you mean I can't meet him? Did he say that?" asked Frank, getting irritated with Noel. He had just found out that Joe was back, and that he was alright (mostly). He had to see his little brother.

"Look, Frank, amazingly, Joe's cover is still intact. Or so we believe. But it's a little shaky. He just told us not to contact him- that Elena's very suspicious, she's sniffing around," said Noel. He was about to say more, when his phone buzzed. Looking at it, he smiled and muttered, "Way to go, Hardy! One day back into the job, we already the details of Belov's next exchange."

"What?" asked Frank.

"He sent us the time and place for the next exchange."

"Will he be there?"

"I don't know, Frank."

"Doesn't matter. I'm coming."

"Frank, you can't- I'm not authorised to- we can't have the FBI-" began Noel.

"No, I'm not coming as a Federal agent. I was asked to stay out of this long ago. I'm coming as Joe Hardy's big brother. Something I haven't been in a long while." The look of determination in Frank's eyes, while reminding him of Joe, convinced Noel Callahan that whatever he said or did, Frank would have his way.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain all this to Hansen."

Four days ago, Joseph Gordon's apartment

Waking up that morning, Joe again wanted to call Frank, but couldn't make up his mind. He looked at his phone, there was a message from Noel-

Big brother coming to exchange.

Now Joe was pissed. This message told him two things- firstly, that Noel, and probably Tania, had orders from Hansen to catch Belov's men in the act, to intercept the exchange. Secondly, Frank was going with them. As if it wasn't enough that Hansen was endangering his life by not waiting for the exchange to get over to go find the men, but now Frank was in danger too. Joe knew how ruthless these men were, and he had done everything he could so far, to try keep his family away from them. He would do his best today- he called the men he was working with and told them that he would personally be supervising this exchange.

Four days ago, an unknown alleyway

Armand was insulted. That scumbag Hardy had gotten away. Armand realized his mistake- he had to win back Belov's trust. Working with Belov was his best shot at success. Belov had an up and running empire, all Armand had to do was win his trust back, and then oust him. Though he was never a 'man of action' per se, Armand was resourceful. He knew people, who knew people, and he believed that his intellectual capabilities were far above average.

One of his sources had told him that there was a rumoured exchange taking place between Belov and some guy who went by the name Bobby S. today at the docks.

Armand would be there, because he was sure Hardy would be there, and no doubt, so would the people he was working with- not Belov's men, the people from Defence Intelligence. Maybe Armand could use one of them to find solid evidence about Hardy, and produce it before Belov. Armand was excited.

Four days ago, Frank Hardy's apartment

Frank came home early. He had told Agent Morgan, whom he had learnt to trust with his life, after many a case solved together, that he was going with Noel and Tania to the docks, where the exchange was taking place. Morgan knew from how Frank talked about his brother that when it came to protecting Joe, nothing could stop Frank. He wondered how the brothers had drifted apart over the past two years, considering how fondly Frank spoke of Joe.

Presently, Frank was debating whether or not to tell his father. Finally making his mind, he called his dad.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Frank?"

Since Joe had gone missing two months ago, Frank had avoided his parents. He didn't know how to explain it all to them, or where to even begin.

"About Joe… See, he's not stationed in…." And so Frank explained everything to his father, and ended by telling him about tonight's exchange.

After asking Frank to be careful, and watch out for himself and for Joe, Fenton hung up. He was glad that Frank finally knew. Two years ago, the Gray Man had told Fenton how Joe would be useful, and that his 'services' would be invaluable. Fenton hadn't agreed, but realizing the urgency of the situation, Joe, who was always the one to put others before himself, unwillingly agreed. Fenton decided that he wanted to know as little as possible, because the more he knew, the more worried he'd be, and Laura would realize something was wrong. So the last time Fenton spoke to Joe, his last request was this- Dad, don't let Frank know. I don't want him to get caught up in this mess.

Looking at his watch, Frank stepped out of his apartment. It was almost time. He was finally going to talk to Joe today.

Four days ago, the docks

The moon hung low in the sky. There was a gentle breeze. In all directions huge shipping containers loomed up threateningly, like metal walls. This was an older part of the area, not used much now. This was the place chosen for the exchange.

Joseph Gordon was there first. His men were hiding in containers, on them, behind them. Joe alone stood exposed. Ignoring the gnawing feeling of fear in his gut, he ran his fingers through his hair, which seemed paler than usual in the moonlight.

The reason for Joe's fear was simple. A simple lie, a piece of misinformation. He had lied about the time of the exchange to Col. Hansen, so that she wouldn't send Noel and Tania barging in the middle of the deal. This meant that by the time Noel, Tania and Frank showed up, Bobby S. would probably be gone. Joe would ask Belov's men to leave too, and then he could talk them alone. Seemed like a good plan, except something in the back of Joe's mind told him it wasn't.

He sucked in a deep breath and winced, he was still sore all over from Armand's little slumber party. He looked at his watch. Bobby S. was already seventeen minutes late.

The rumble of a car engine told him someone was here. Almost instinctively, Joe put on his patented smirk, and waited for the new arrival to show.

"You see I'm here alone, and I only think it fair that you come out alone too," said Joe.

"Seemingly alone," corrected Bobby S., stepping out of the shadows, and into the glow of his car's headlights. "So, do you have it?"

"Do I indeed?"

"Don't give me that shit, Gordon. Just get this over with," said Bobby S. impatiently.

"But what if I told you he is full of shit, and is a cop?" asked a new voice, from behind Joe. Without even turning to look, he recognized that annoying drawl. Elena.

"What?" asked Bobby S. "Is that true? Because if you are, I swear to God-" he seemed so agitated that he didn't even finish his threat.

"You don't have any proof, Elena," said Joe, through clenched teeth.

"Yeah? If pull out my gun and shoot you now, no one's gonna come and arrest me?" she asked pulling out her gun, before Joe could even think.

"When Belov-" began Joe.

"He won't know. You see in your little period of absence, I bought his workers. All of them. They're loyal to me. The guys you have in the containers, all mine." Joe wanted to punch her. But considering she had a gun trained on him, he decided it wasn't the smartest course of action.

"So, just to be clear, again, if shoot you, nothing happens? Are you sure your cop friends are that uncaring towards you?"

Joe knew otherwise. No, they're not, he thought, they're just not here. Yet.

Boy, was he wrong.

Elena suddenly aimed and fired.

A spray of blood exploded from Joe's right knee, as he collapsed and landed hard on both his knees.

Unsure, what was going on, Bobby S. had called out his goons (of course, he brought friends to the party too).

Most unexpectedly, Noel and Tania came out from somewhere, Joe couldn't see from where, as the pain in his knee made his vision blurry. Of course- they had decided to come early, just to be ready. Behind them came Frank, and behind him came the whole damn cavalry.

The next few minutes were a blur. It was a melee of flashing guns and flying bullets. All of Noel's back up, Bobby S.'s guys and Elena's people were engaging each other. Joe pulled out his gun and from his position on the ground aimed at one of Elena's mountain-sized pals.

"Na uh, I don't think so." Elena stood above him, and pressed the tip of her boot into Joe's bleeding knee, as he cried out and writhed in pain.

Wrestling with someone, not even knowing who, Frank was trying to pry the man's gun from his hands. Then he heard Joe cry out and saw a dark-haired, slender woman standing over Joe's prone form. This must be Elena. Finally he wrenched the gun away from the man he was fighting, and knocked him out with a blow on the nose using the gun's barrel. Frank was on his way to Joe, when another one of Elena's men got in his way and engaged him.

In this little time that Frank was distracted, Elena snapped her fingers and one of her guys came up and painfully dragged Joe, trying to make him stand. He tried, but his injured leg gave way, and he fell back down on his knees, further aggravating the wound. His capturer gave up trying to make him stand, and just dragged Joe across the rough ground as he was.

The man unceremoniously dumped Joe in the back of an SUV, and the last thing that Joe noticed before passing out was that Elena was in the front of the vehicle, already driving them away, and that Noel and his guys had finally overpowered Bobby S. and his men. He spared one fleeting glance at Frank, and closed his eyes.

Frank was really mad. He had come so close, and yet lost Joe once more. He remembered the look on Joe's face, staring at him through hazy eyes as he was dumped in the back of the SUV, while Frank was pinned down some brawny guy. Joe's blue eyes seemed to say a thousand things all once.

Forgive me, Frank.

Help me.

I know you will find me.

Closing his eyes to re-orient himself, as Noel pulled off his attacker, Frank got up and dusted himself. With a steely determination in his eyes, Frank sent out a mental signal to Joe. I'll find you, little brother.

Meanwhile, from a nearby warehouse, Armand watched with great amusement. He recognized Noel Callahan as the Lieutenant who had 'arrested' Joseph Gordon after that failed meeting with that dirty cop McCreary. Armand decided to follow him, knowing that he would lead him to the proof that he needed against Joe Hardy. Then nothing would stand between him and success. Except maybe that brat Elena, but she could be taken care of easily. Armand just wanted Joe Hardy out of the picture, and he knew that David Belov would be able to do that for him – get rid of the nuisance that was Joe Hardy.

AN: As usual, excuse all typos. Yeah, if anyone recognized Bobby S- I got the idea of him from that episode of Castle, where Ryan goes undercover as Fenton O'Connell, the Irish mob guy…. Other than that, does Gunther from Kick Buttowski remind anyone else of a highly exaggerated, comical and animated version of Chet Morton?