So sorry everyone! I managed to put up the wrong chapter last night. Some of you may have read the next chapter before this one. Thank you Max, but being such a smarty pants as to spot my deliberate error - 100 points to him. :-)


CHAPTER 9

The darkening of the sky helped to obscure the approach of James and Officer Ben Wright, as they stepped up to the rear of the office complex which housed the Hardy, Riley & Son's detective agency.

After the Pandora Posse's attempt to gun down Fenton and Con, the two cops were on high alert. Their holsters were unclipped and their hands rested on their weapons, ready for a fast draw if required. They were in full combat fatigues, nothing left to chance.

They found themselves faced with a door constructed predominantly of wood, with a glass window in the top, glazed with reinforced, obscured glass. They looked at one another, and by unspoken agreement, James ducked down and scooted under the window. He kept going until he could raise himself with his back tight against the wall without alerting anyone inside to his presence. He took his gun from its holster and readied himself with it, as did Ben.

They eyeballed one other. Ben raised his free hand and splayed his fingers to count down from five to zero. They nodded in time as each finger closed. On the 'zero' James pushed down on the door handle and threw the door open. Ben turned into the hallway, and held his gun out, his right hand balanced on top of his left as he visually scanned the corridor. James spun in a second later. "CLEAR!" Ben yelled.

At the sound of Ben's instruction, the front door opened at the other end of the corridor and two more cops stepped in. They began to systematically work their way through the first floor, knocking on doors and trying door handles until they confirmed there were no occupants in any of the ground floor rooms.

One officer peeled off and moved to the rear door to stand outside on guard duty, while his partner looked out the front window, positioned to the side to survey the street for trouble. James and Ben made their way quickly up the stairs.

They moved from door-to-door to ensure no people were on the second floor either. No surprise on a Sunday they found every room empty and locked. Finally they reached the Hardy, Riley & Son's Detective Agency. Stationed either side of the door, Ben and James listened for sounds from within but couldn't detect anything.

James carefully turned the door handle and found the door locked solidly. He holstered his weapon, took the keys Frank had given him and began to open up. The door unlocked easily and they walked inside.

James found the office as he expected to find it. On the other side of the door, the larger half of the agency housed Frank, Joe and Vanessa's desks. Also in the room, a tiny kitchenette which held a basic coffee making area and a small refrigerator - a large enough space for two desks comfortably, but with the addition of a third, tight, or, 'Comfy' as Joe described. Vanessa had been asked to find them new premises, but hadn't had luck in checking off all the items on Fenton's ever growing wish list.

On the wall to the right of the door, hung a newly installed, interactive white board courtesy of Vanessa, a replacement for the archaic, underused, cork notice board. Fenton and Con's desks were in a smaller room, off to the side of the larger one, their desks on either side of the only window and positioned to face one another.

"Ben, will you keep an eye out the window?" James asked as he holstered his weapon. He went and retrieved the key chain from the door and shut it. He then headed toward Frank's pristine desk, and the filing cabinet, while he fished for the small cabinet key.

Ben positioned himself to the side of the window and peered out.

James' fingers lit upon the tiny key so he shoved it into the lock and yanked open the top drawer. Inside he found a long row of files bearing imaginative and wild titles for the various cases the agency had worked on. The titles looked like Joe's handy work with ludicrous names like "The Sinister Signpost", "The Voodoo Plot" and the especially funny "The Bombay Boomerang". James laughed. He would have liked to go through the lot, but he knew he couldn't dally. He plunged his arm between "The Tower Treasure" and "The Missing Chums", delved about the bottom of the drawer and found the phone chargers. The leads were neatly woven and tied off - clearly Frank's work. He set them on top of the cabinet and dived back in. This time his hand didn't find anything the entire bottom of the drawer seemed empty.

He must have sighed audibly because Ben asked, "Whassup, man?"

"I can't lay my hands on the cell phones. Frank described where they were so exactly and knowing him, if the chargers were there then the phones should be too." He tucked his thumbs into his belt thoughtfully. "Is it still clear outside?"

"All quiet."

"I'm taking the files out." James leaned into the drawer, lifted a handful of records and laid them onto the floor, then pulled out more and stacked those on top. It soon became obvious the drawer wasn't hiding any phones. They simply weren't there.

Undeterred, James re-hung the files and moved through the other drawers, but found nothing more than the odd paperclip. "They've gone," he admitted. "Or Frank didn't put them where he thinks he did." He turned to Ben. "Let's get back to HQ. I'm having zero luck here."

Ben agreed and came away from the window.

James locked the cabinet, turned away to follow his partner, but then froze as something occurred to him. He frowned at Ben, about faced, unlocked the cabinet and slid the drawer open once more. He began to flick through each case file, systematically reading each title as he flipped, not wanting to believe one glaring absence until he reached the last. "Well, hot diggity!"

The Pandora case papers were as conspicuous by their absence as the phones!

-o0o-

James arrived safely at the precinct, and went through to the locker room with his buddies. He unburdened himself of his Kevlar vest, made his weapon safe and locked it up. Only then did he head to Conference Room 1 and back to Frank's team.

He reached the door and pushed through to find Frank sat bolt upright in his chair while the Doctor, who usually attended when a suspect needed to be declared medically fit, shone a light into his eye. "Oops, sorry!" James spluttered, embarrassed, and backed out to leave them alone.

"It's okay," Frank said and waved James in. "We're about done. How do I look, Doc?"

She shrugged. "I can't see how the bump to your head could have been hard enough as to cause the symptoms The Chief describes. But given your history, perhaps I'm not the right type of doctor you should be consulting."

"Pretty much what I thought." Frank said. "Thanks though."

The doctor dropped the light into her pocket and left the room.

"Hi Chum," James greeted, and took the chair opposite. He tipped his head curiously.

Frank offered an explanation. "Ezra and Joe insisted the Doc have a look at me. She couldn't find anything physically wrong though."

Joe and Vanessa followed next with Collig two steps behind, Frank's phone in hand and his mouth set in a tight line.

"We have news, I—" Vanessa started, but Frank interrupted her.

"Wait until everyone gets here, saves going over the same ground. The Doc didn't find anything wrong with me, by the way."

"Didn't she?" Joe asked.

"Where you hoping she would?" Frank asked with a wry smile.

"Good. Put it down to stress," Collig said. "Frank, we may have to push on without Fenton once Con gets back with Laura and Vanessa's mother, as there's been an incident."

"Chief! Didn't you tell them?" James asked, aghast.

"Tell us what?" Frank asked.

"This 'incident'," Joe asked suspiciously, "Did it involve a militia of cops in Kevlar vests loaded to the gills with enough weaponry as to take on a small army? The 'militia' I asked you about?"

"I didn't want to panic either of you. They were involved in an attempted drive by shooting involving their car. Con's uninjured but Fenton' been taken to the hospital with a minor head wound."

"What?"

"Chief!" James snappily interrupted. "With all due respect, Sir, to describe it as a drive by shooting, it's…no…war zone is how I'd describe it. It's a wonder either of them came out the other side alive!" It wasn't like James to become so irritated, especially not with his boss, who he admired, but what he'd witnessed had unnerved him. Collig's stoicism on this occasion had annoyed him. "You agreed Frank's leading on this investigation. That means letting go and being open."

"What happ—" Vanessa started, but Collig talked over her.

"Tread carefully Anderson! There's a fine line between plain speaking and insubordination." Collig glared down his nose at James from his standing position.

James didn't back down this time. He crossed his arms and stared back just as levelly.

Frank half rose, slammed his fist down onto the table and snapped Collig's attention around. He started to say something, but Frank waggled a finger to silence him. "Can we agree everyone's allowed to speak their minds while in this room? Leave rank at the door, it's not helpful and things are tense enough."

Everyone silenced and waited for Ezra to explode. He didn't. He shrugged his massive shoulders and sat down instead. He placed Frank's phone carefully on the table in front of him.

Frank exhaled and leaned his hands on the table top. "Bear in mind James' name has been included on the death list and Con's his father. He has as vested an interest in this as any of us. Being a Bayport cop is of small consideration to him right now. And please, Ezra, don't start withholding information, it's destructive. Trust me, I know."

Collig's eyebrows dropped and the tension went out of his shoulders. "You're right…Anderson's right. I apologize," he said. "Sometimes I forget you're no longer kids."

"Sorry if I overstepped the mark, Sir," James said.

Collig went to whack him on the shoulder. It seemed he considered it a fatherly gesture, but it hurt…a lot! James predicted his intent and kicked the chair away on its wheels to avoid the stinging blow. A sharp pop happened, and dust particles hit James full in the face. Vanessa screamed and everyone moved on a downward trajectory. "What the—" James started to say and swiped at his eyes, but then all at once The Chief manhandled, and tipped his chair down to the ground. James hit hard and, through watery eyes, saw the underside of the table and Frank crawling toward him.

"Did you get hit?" Frank demanded to know forcefully.

"By what?" James asked, trying to blink the dust away. Finally it dawned on him what had caused the strange noise and powder spurt. A slug had entered the room, and thudded into the drywall right by where his head had been before he'd thrust his seat back. "No, it missed!"

"Everyone out and keep low," Collig bellowed.

James tried to extricate himself from the chair but ridiculously found his jacket pinned on one side between the floor and the back support, and his sleeve on the other side hooked on the arm. He couldn't pull himself free - as good as tied down. He wasn't making a good show of himself! 'Clumsy idiot!'

He looked to see Joe snatch up for the door handle, and pull it wide. A bullet thudded into the drywall to the side, and Joe pulled his arm quickly clear. He turned to reach for Vanessa but Collig beat him to it. He scooped her up and threw her though the doorway before him and Joe quickly followed.

On top of him now, Frank pried James' arm free, and then James half lifted himself so Frank could release the jacket. "Out, now!" Frank shouted and James scrabbled. Once on the other side of the door, he dropped over onto his back in time to see Frank take the chance of snatching his phone from the table. Then Frank dove through the doorway himself.

Joe, on his belly, reached through, grabbed the side edge of the door, and pulled it with a yank. It slammed shut even as Frank landed next to James and the Mission Impossible theme tune belted out on his cell.

Frank hit the answer button and pressed the cell to his ear, "WHAT!?" he bellowed.

"will die if Frank Hardy does not give us the code…Fenton Hardy will die if Frank Hardy does not give us the code...Laura Hardy will die if Frank Hardy does not give us the code...Nancy Drew will die if Frank Hardy does not give us the code…Con Riley will die if Frank Hardy does not give" The message marched relentlessly on.

-o0o-

"YOU SON'S OF BITCHES! YOU'RE SCREWING WITH THE WRONG GUY!" Frank bellowed, cut the call off mid-stream, and growled at the screen.

The Posse's intention clearly wasn't to hurt him - his back had been fully exposed through the window as they'd aimed at James. They'd even continued to try and gun James down, even after Ezra had moved him out of range. They basically didn't care who they hurt, so long as it wasn't Frank.

Frank got up off the floor and turned to Chief Collig, "I've got to get everyone out of here."

"No need for that Son, we can protect you."

Frank offered his hand to James and hauled him to his feet. "You okay?"

"I'm alive, Buddy."

Frank turned back to The Chief. "Ezra, no offence but this is a cop shop and they tried to gun Jimmy down through your meeting room window!"

"Nearly got me too," Joe said.

"Bro?"

Joe shrugged and went to check Vanessa.

Frank tipped his head at Collig. "I rest my case."

The Chief conceded Frank's point. "Do you have somewhere to go?"

"Yes."

"What do you need?"

Frank glanced around at the others, to calculate mentally. "I need three unmarked cars…no four with sizable trunks, and trusted drivers. I need to retain the use of two of the vehicles. I don't want any cars used today, or at least none that have been out on the public highway. Can you help us? I can pay, I have money. It's not an issue."

"Frank," Joe interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"Trust me, Joe. Get ready to go, we're leaving." He turned expectantly to The Chief.

Ezra nodded, "Don't worry about the money. If you bring to justice whoever tried to do for Bach, you can wreck the cars as far as I'm concerned."

Frank's phone rang again. He swore, switched it to silent and pocketed it. "I'm taking James; it's not safe here for him. He's better off with us until this is over." It wasn't a request. Clearly his plan included taking James, whether Collig approved or not. Out of courtesy, Frank asked James. "That okay with you?"

"I guess, if The Chief approves."

Collig looked at his subordinate and scratched his nose thoughtfully. "Consider yourself temporarily promoted to the rank of Detective." A beefy palm came down on James' shoulder. "Congratulations, Anderson, you're going deep undercover. Make me proud."

James' eyes went wide.

"You earned it. I had you pegged anyway, but this tipped the balance. We'll talk more when you get back." Ezra half grinned, and turned to Frank. "I'll meet you down in the basement parking lot," he said and left.

Frank moved to the elevator and hit the call button. "C'mon on guys," he said. "Leave your phones."

"Why?" Joe asked.

"Because it'll give the Posse the impression you're still here. No doubt they're tracking your movements; in fact, I'm convinced they are given how they've targeted us so far. It'll buy us time."

"This feels out of control," Vanessa said.

"And that's good because the Posse won't see it coming."

James hadn't moved, shocked, and still staring in the direction Collig had left.

"James!" Frank said, but he didn't hear so Frank pulled him by the arm. "Pal, we've got to move. Leave your phone."

"Yeah," he said and joined them. "Yeah, of course."

They piled their phones up by the side of the elevator as the doors began to slide open to reveal Con, Laura and Andrea on the other side. The two ladies pulled small travel cases on wheels, and with Con, Rebel, his deaf German shepherd, ex-police dog. Con moved to step out but Frank pushed him back and used his legs to block Rebel from exiting. "Give me your phones," he ordered and transferred his hand to hold the door open.

"What, why?"

"Just do it," Joe said.

"But what's going on?" Con asked, and relinquished his cell to Joe, along with Laura and Andrea.

"What's Dad's ETA?" Frank asked.

"On his way back. Why, what's going on?" Con repeated.

Joe added the three phones to the other cells. Then they piled into the tight space of the elevator and headed for the basement. "I'm not sure what's happening but I'm enjoying watching Frank make Ezra eat out of his hand."

"We're disappearing," Frank said.

"Why?"

"Because they're trying to kill you to get at me."