Disclaimer: I do not own the Hardy Boys or any of the book characters.
Thank you: Wendylouwho10 who read over the story for me and made content suggestions, helped with the flow, and provided some spelling/grammar corrections. Typos are mine and I discover them all the time. :-)
Rating/Setting: Rating is T. Setting is blue spine-ish and AU. Timeline: Taken; Recovery; Retribution; Wild Pitch; and now this story. While you don't NEED to read the previous stories, things will be referenced and perhaps even some from my younger Hardys stories.
Chapter Eleven
Joe and Vanessa looked around their new room. Just hours earlier, Joe had called and she met him and a Mr. Carstairs at the hotel. They packed their things, turned in their keys and followed the man's vehicle to a small apartment complex. It wasn't fancy by any means but it was so far above where they had been staying that Vanessa didn't have to feign excitement as they looked over their new accommodations.
"I think you'll like this place much better than where you were staying," Carstairs said with a smile.
Vanessa turned to him with a big smile. "There is no comparison. Thank you so much!"
Carstairs looked to Joe and said, "Well, it's part of the benefits that come with Jake's new job. He'll explain how things will work." The look he gave Joe now was a hard one. "Following the rules exactly is what allows you to earn the money and stay here. Break the rules and you're out."
Vanessa looked from Joe to Carstairs and back to Joe. "What does he mean, Jake?"
"I'll explain later, Val," Joe said quickly and then to Mr. Carstairs he said, "I understand the rules. I don't want to mess this up."
"Good," Carstairs said. "Then I'll leave you all to get settled. Laundromat is in the basement. The cafeteria is on the first floor. As we discussed, I'd like you to use the cafeteria as much as possible."
Joe nodded his understanding once again.
When Carstairs closed the door, Vanessa pulled a device out of her purse that would locate any bugs in the room. She went carefully around the room. "It's clean." She then walked over to Joe and lightly touched the bruise that was forming on his cheekbone. Dropping her hand, she asked, "How bad was it?"
"I had to defeat a guy twice. He was okay, but my mom is better." Joe was smiling as Vanessa laughed. "I'm telling you. Don't judge; she's really tough."
After reading about what Laura Hardy did for her sons at Whitaker's State Park, Vanessa had no doubt that the woman was a fighter. Turning her attention to the room, she began to investigate: full size bed with spare linens in the closet; large bathroom with towels; efficiency kitchen with dishes/utensils/pans; kitchen table with three chairs; a dresser and tv. And it was clean! Vanessa took note that cleaning supplies were provided along with a vacuum in the linen closet. "This is a dream compared to the Osprey," she said as she sat on the bed. "Bed doesn't feel lumpy either."
"That's a relief because after my workout today added to that construction work, I'm in need of a good night's rest," Joe said as he put some of his toiletry items into the bathroom medicine cabinet.
"Shall we check out that cafeteria downstairs?"
"Yeah, but we need to have a plan going in." Joe moved to lean against the bathroom doorframe. "Frank may be down there and he isn't expecting me. We can't have him acting surprised to see me."
"No one would probably notice but you're right. We can't take that chance," Vanessa agreed. She thought for a moment. How about if I go down and see how things are. I can find out if he's already down there. I can say I just came down to check out the menu or to see if they are busy. No one would question that."
Joe nodded. Carstairs had said that the only people living in this complex were involved in some fashion with the fight ring. "That should be okay, but it won't be a solution."
"I have an idea, but I want to think a little more. We can talk about it when I get back."
"Okay," Joe said as Vanessa headed out.
She was back in less than fifteen minutes. "The elevator works well," she said as she closed the door. "Frank's not down there yet, but there was a lot of talk about him, or David rather. Seems he dislocated a guy's shoulder and elbow last night." She saw Joe pale a little. "You knew he was going to do something like that," she said gently.
"Yeah, I know," Joe said as he looked away. "I guess I just wasn't prepared to hear it."
"Well, they're expecting him to come down any time. I guess they want to see how he looks after the match. Seems the other guy barely laid a hand on him."
Joe snorted. "Not surprising. Frank is incredibly fast. I tend to be a little clumsy with my movements."
Vanessa looked at him incredulously. "Seriously?"
He looked at her perplexed. "Yeah."
"I watched you spar with Overman, remember? You aren't clumsy. Your style is probably just different than your brother's." She paused and then added, "and your mother's."
Joe couldn't help but smile back. "So what's this plan of yours?"
"Well, I'm the one that really needs to talk with Frank. So I thought it might be good to give me a reason to."
"What do you mean?" Joe sat down on the edge of the bed.
"We've already be cultivating the thought that you're a bit of a bully towards me."
"Yeah," he agreed.
"I think on the way into the cafeteria, you should be lecturing me on how to act. When we get inside I tell you off. You kiss me and then I slap you and you slap me back." Vanessa's words came out in a rush.
"Whoa! Whoa!" Joe said as he stood up. "You want me to kiss you and slap you?"
"Yes. It goes with your character."
Joe tried to run his hand through his hair but the hair gel had clumped when he had sweated earlier and he couldn't do it. "I don't mind the lecture, but I think the other is going too far."
Vanessa crossed her arms. "Tell me how your brother would react if he saw that going on?"
"He'd come over to do something about it, even if it might endanger his cover."
"And what would he do when he came over?" she prodded.
"He'd probably take a shot at me." Joe stopped and looked her in the eye. "Whether I hit him back or not, it would be enough to cover any surprise he might show from seeing me here."
"Exactly."
Joe still looked uncomfortable. "Can't we just yell at each other? Do I really need to slap and kiss you?"
"Would Frank butt in if all it was was yelling?"
"Probably, but you're right. If it looked like I was forcing myself on you and hitting you, he'd be over in a heartbeat."
Vanessa gave him a smile as she said, "And that would get our first awkward kiss out of the way. It would also be a good reason for us not to do any kissing in public."
"That would be good," Joe agreed. "And would you be running to Frank to talk about what a bad boyfriend I am?"
Vanessa's smile grew. "Indeed. In fact, it might guarantee that you and Frank fight." Her smile faded. "But maybe that wouldn't be a good thing."
"At some point, if we stay here long enough, I'll have to fight him. In fact, if we make a big enough deal about it, that fight could be the opportunity you need to get the data." Joe started pacing.
"What do you mean?" Vanessa asked in confusion.
Joe looked at his watch; fifteen minutes had come and gone. "We need to get down there." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room. "Get ready to pucker up, Val."
They were in alone in the elevator and he asked, "How far from the elevator to the cafeteria?"
"About thirty feet."
"Okay then. I'll start in on you as we leave the elevator," he said as he saw the light stop on the main floor. As the door opened, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her down the hallway muttering.
Vanessa pulled back a little but Joe was moving with purposeful strides down the hallway. "Let me go!" Vanessa said loudly.
"No."
"Well, you're going in the wrong direction, you moron!" Vanessa said as she pulled her arm away from him. She pointed emphatically in the opposite direction. "The cafeteria is that way. If you would just listen to me once in awhile."
Joe could barely keep the smile off his face. He had just assumed it was to the right. But then, you know what happens when you 'assume' something. He kept the smile off and glowered at her instead. Several boys were in the hall looking at them curiously. He grabbed her arm again and began moving in the correct direction. "Yeah? Well, just remember I'm the one that got us out that crappy hotel you found."
"Because I was nice to the waitress," Vanessa added. She had quit struggling and was keeping up with Joe.
"The waitress wouldn't have been any help if I wasn't good at this," Joe said as they entered the cafeteria. More heads were turning their way, including a certain brunette head that he recognized. Turning so his back was to Frank, he dropped Vanessa's arm and pointed in her face. "Just remember I'm the one with the job and if want any money, you better behave."
Vanessa's eyes flared a little even though it was only part of the act. "And what does 'behaving' look like?"
"Like this," Joe said as he reached out and grabbed her. He pulled her body flush to his and brought his lips to hers in a bruising kiss.
Vanessa's instinctive reaction fit well with the plan they had as she pushed away at him and when he let go, her hand flew to his face and the slap resounded loudly.
Joe felt awful as he brought his own hand up to slap her back. The blow caused Vanessa to stagger slightly. He was getting ready to steady her when he felt someone grab him by the shoulder. As he was being swung around, he heard a familiar voice say, "Pick on someone-"
Frank didn't get to finish as his eyes met Joe's and recognition flared. He was spared having to speak further when Joe's fist connected with his jaw. Frank staggered back. Joe had pulled his punch or he'd have been on the floor.
Rushing to cling to Joe, Vanessa said, "Please don't, Jake. It won't happen again." She turned to Frank who was staring angrily at the pair and being held back by another boy. "Thanks mister…."
"Winder. David Winder. I don't take kindly to getting punched," he said as he pulled his arm from the boy beside him. As he crossed his arms over his chest, all movement in the cafeteria stopped as everyone focused on the two teen boys and the pretty girl.
"And I don't like it when people butt in where they're not wanted," Joe snarled back. He felt Vanessa holding him tightly.
"Well, we don't hit girls. We save it for the ring," Frank looked his brother over. "Better hope we don't meet anytime soon."
Joe snorted. "Why not? Are you top dog or something?"
Frank dropped his arms to his sides and walked forward so that only Vanessa's body was separating them. "As a matter of fact, I am." His posture and tone was completely cocky and self-assured.
"He dislocated Sean's elbow and shoulder last night," one of the other guys in the room said.
Joe already knew it but looking Frank in the eye and seeing no rebuttal was difficult. His face was neutral as he said, "Doesn't matter to me."
Vanessa pulled at Joe's arms, wanting to separate the brothers. Their act was very good and a little unsettling for her. "Let's get in the line, hun," she said as she put some space between the two and began pulling him toward the line. Once she got Joe in front of her she turned back to Frank who was staring at them and mouthed, "Thank you." As she got into line behind Joe she spoke loud enough for Frank to hear, "How about I get our laundry done after we eat. I have a lot to wash after that hotel."
"Yeah, sounds good, Val." Joe was still thinking about Frank and the dislocated joints. Was this something that Frank did just once or was being a brute part of his cover? He didn't like thinking about that.
.**********.
Frank had heard Joe's pretend girlfriend drop the hint about laundry. He'd meet her there later to find out what was going on. The other fighters wouldn't think anything of it. He could play it off as equal parts checking on the girl and getting information on a competitor. However, that wasn't what he was really thinking about right now. At the moment he was angry that ORT had sent his brother in. But there wasn't anything he could do right now but ORT would get an earful when the mission ended. He sat back down at his table and stared at his brother as he went through the line. The tattoo and haircut had definitely thrown him off to start.
"He looks like he could be trouble," a fighter named Taquan said. He and Frank got along and Taquan wasn't up to Frank's level so they hadn't fought.
"I bet it's all attitude," another fighter named Marcus said.
Frank shook his head. Joe's cover wasn't all about attitude though that would be part of it since he was acting like a bully towards his girlfriend.
"What?" Taquan asked, "You don't think it's attitude?"
"No, it's not all attitude. I just got a feeling from looking in his eyes." He glanced to Marcus. "But we'll see what he's like when we get to practice tomorrow. Wonder who Carstairs will put him with to spar?"
"I'm fine if it's me," Marcus said. "I'd like to take him down a peg or two."
Frank looked from Marcus to his brother. Marcus was pretty good and could be more than a match for his brother. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. If Joe was better than Marcus, then he and Joe would end up being paired pretty soon, especially when Carstairs learned of their altercation tonight. He shook his head and hoped that the pretty girl with Joe had some answers.
