CHAPTER 12

Joe and Fenton glanced at one another. The wounded expression passing across Frank's face as he hid behind his hands worried them.

Frank didn't remove his palms from his eyes, but said reassuringly to his Dad's concerned enquiry, "I'm fine, I'm thinking, trying to remember. Give me a second. I'm concentrating."

They gave him a moment of silent grace and finally his hands came down. "I'm trying to recall if I deleted my message, I'm pretty sure I did. So wary I…oh man, it's so hard to remember…what's going on? My head's like treacle. No…I think I restored the factory settings and destroyed the SIM cards so they could be used as spares in future. I think."

"If you did that, then you've got nothing to worry about," Vanessa said.

"I can't be one hundred percent sure I did though."

Joe said, "Dude, it might have put us slightly on the back foot, but there's not a lot the Pandora Posse can do with one portion of the code even if they do have it. We need to get the rest of it and turn it somehow to our advantage. You said something about getting yourself a head doctor?"

"What do you mean?" Fenton asked, concerned.

"I spoke to Doctor Cox; remember her?"

"From Gresham Hospital, the Psychiatrist?"

"The Emily Cox who asked us to take part in her study about sibling relationships?" Joe asked.

"She's a trained hypnotherapist too. She's agreed to see me tomorrow to see if she can clear the blockage I've developed. She thinks it's a stress reaction to what's going on, my brain trying to protect me again." Frank turned to his Dad. "Will you come with me?"

Fenton nodded. "So that's what you meant about your brain being like a computer and needing the information downloading?"

Frank nodded. "But I'm nervous, it's giving someone free access. I don't want to without having someone at my back. Even if she can make me go under, I'm a sceptic when it comes to that mumbo-jumbo."

"I dunno so much," Con said. "Happened to me once, on stage - embarrassing. I did the John Travolta dance from Saturday Night Fever."

"Which's why I want you there, Dad," Frank said. "Thanks Con, you made an uncomfortable thought even worse."

"Sorry, Junior."

"Son, Doctor Cox won't make you do a dance, the woman's a professional psychiatrist not a stage artist!"

Mrs Holliday appeared at Frank's shoulder. "Maybe she can knock some sense into that brain of yours," she said, dropped a glass of milk down in front of him and tapped him on the head. "Make you realize what a fool you've been about Nancy." She gave Fenton another glass of water and stood expectantly, waiting for Frank to respond.

Frank ran the back of his hand over his forehead. "Vanessa," he said quickly, and cut Mrs Holliday off so she went away again. "Did you come up with anything?"

"Plenty," Vanessa said. "There's loads of intel flying around in the Dark Net that's gotten the hacker community buzzing. Rumor has it there's a self-learning program being developed with the ability to destroy anything it comes up against, and will be powerful enough as to put the hackers out of business. It's nicknamed 'P'. Ring a bell?"

"But isn't taking down the hackers a good thing?" Con asked.

"Not necessarily. Not all hackers are bad. Some work to help companies plug the holes in their firewalls - banks and such like - even defence systems and the various spy and government agencies. Multinationals will pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to uncover vulnerabilities in their systems. If something like Pandora came to the market, the hackers would be out of business overnight. And they're not stupid; they've worked out what we know - 'P' could be used for the opposite of good. Collaborative groups of system engineers have been creating self-preservation alliances in order to develop an anti-program to attack 'P' if it's activated. It'll be World War Three in cyber space if 'P' goes live."

"That as bad as it sounds?" Fenton asked.

"To be honest I'm surprised it's not kicked off already, tension's amped right up with the factions flaming each other. There are splinter groups springing up all over the place. That on its own is gonna be destructive if they go to war."

"Hmm," Frank said.

"Dark chatter's rife with anecdotal evidence that some of the best programmers and coders have gone offline over the last few months to work on a top secret project. It's hotly believed they're working on 'P'. Apparently it's on the verge of completion and after, they'll only need one further component to get it activated."

"The missing component has to be the code," Joe concluded.

"Do you think you could pull together a group of these hackers, coders and programmers?" Frank asked.

"Why?"

Frank leaned forward. "To form an attacking force, an online army of our own who can support us in the virtual world. We may soon have the code, and we could use it, but how much better would it be if we had a group of experts out there to help, who have an equitable interest - whether they be good or bad? In fact I don't care which side of the fence they sit on, so long as they're working with us, and are the best."

"Great idea!" Vanessa exclaimed and leaned toward him. "I have several online friends who are involved. I've got a particular friend who's very knowledgeable, and knows practically everyone who's worth knowing. He's trustworthy in as far as what he does could land him in jail if word got out. I'm assuming it's a 'he', of course it could as easily be a woman."

"I don't want you blackmailing anyone."

"No…what I'm suggesting is, we make it a 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' agreement. We have the information the dark net community have been scrambling around for, or hopefully we will after you've seen your doctor friend. They'll be likely to want to work with us, and we can form a breakaway group of our own…or even unite a few of the squabbling factions. Play them at their own game, as it were. I'm sure it could prove profitable for us. They're desperate to get the upper hand and we might be in a position to offer it."

"Do it," Frank said.

Vanessa frowned. She caught Con grinning and Fenton put his arm around her shoulders to give her a squeeze. "I knew we made a good decision offering you the job. You're more than proving your worth."

"Thank you," Vanessa said and went crimson. "It's much more satisfying working with you guys, even though it's terrifying some of the time."

"Compute-Soft's loss is our gain."

Frank turned to Joe, "What about you, Bro? What luck did you have with locating Nancy Drew?"

Mrs Holliday clicked her tongue. Frank rolled his eyes and closed his mouth into a tight line.

"None, and I'm worried. I spoke to Carson, and he and Hannah have been trying to get hold of her for two days but keep hitting dead air. Carson says it's out of character. She always keeps in regular contact even when she's undercover. They were plenty panicky over the phone."

"What's she working on?"

"An auction house has asked her to look into a case involving antiques going missing during the auctioning process, actually during the auctions, after the viewings. Expensive pieces switched with knockoffs. Sounds like an interesting case. Nan's been staking out a particular auction house, and they saw her leave to follow a guy who'd been showing an interest in jewellery. She hasn't been heard from since."

"Worrying."

"And check this out - the auction house she's helping? They have four branches, two in River Heights and two in New York. They saw her last at their branch in NYC, but not since."

"But that's only an hour away!" James said. "Why didn't she let us know she's in town?"

"We're not together anymore, remember?" Frank said.

"Doesn't mean we're not friends though, and split amicably. I don't get it. Her folks are right, it's out of character, not the actions of the Drew we know. I've not known her for as long as you guys, but even I can tell that's not right." He paused for a moment in consideration and then ploughed on, "While I'm able to speak my mind - you calling her 'Nancy Drew', what's the heck, Frank?"

"What do you mean?"

"THANK YOU!" Mrs Holliday said. Her head appeared around the door to the kitchen.

James put his hands up, and nodded at her.

"I said that to Fenton earlier," Con muttered.

Frank audibly sighed. "Look, I don't want to get bogged down in a discussion about a past relationship. What matters is finding Nancy Drew. I'm willing to go out on a limb and say the Pandora Posse haven't got her. If they had they'd be using her as leverage. I think she's gone to ground."

"I agree with you Frank," Con said. "But I also agree with James. What's happening with you and Drew? Can't you see how darned strange you're both being? Calling her 'Nancy Drew'? It's a cruelly detached way of referring to someone you used to call 'the one'."

Frank turned slowly and gazed coldly at Con from under his dropped brow.

"You really can't see the strangeness in it?" Con raised his hands and made a balance motion. "I'm not trying to stir the pot, but it's affecting your thought processes."

Joe leaned back in his seat to observe. He could see the muscles feverously at work in Frank's jaw, a sure sign of growing aggravation. He slightly elevated a finger to catch his father's eye and raised his eyebrows warningly.

Fenton nodded almost imperceptibly.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Frank said frostily and positioned his silverware down on his plate. He rested his elbows either side of his plate and bought his hands tightly together. "Plan of action for tomorrow." He looked at Joe, "You and Con go and see Arthur Gray, see if you can get him to talk, although I won't be holding my breath." He turned to Fenton next, "You and I are going to see Doctor Cox to see if she can unblock my brain, which reminds me—" he opened up his phone and began to enter a to-do note. "I've got to text her an overview of what I want from her." He concentrated on the screen for a few seconds and then dropped the phone down and looked at James, "Can you and Vanessa drive into New York and see if you can get a handle on where Nancy Drew—"

"There he goes again with the 'Nancy Drew'," Con muttered under his breath.

Frank snapped, "CON! Stop breaking my chain of thought." Both hands rose to his temples but he still stared steadfast at James. "See if you can find her. Do you think you can handle it?"

"I'm a cop, Frank. It's my bread and butter but what I said about Nancy, I don't want you to—"

"Thanks."

"Don't you want me to talk to my friends on the Dark Net?" Vanessa asked. "And for the record I want it noted I'm with James and Con too. It's weird Frank and—"

"OH MY GOD would you all STOP?" his hands now fists, he cut off eye contact and looked down at the table top. "It's NONE of your BUSINESS!"

They quieted and Fenton used the opportunity to shake his head at everyone to leave him alone.

Frank grunted, unrolled his hands and lowered them gently palms down onto the table. Then he rolled his neck, took a deep breath and looked at Vanessa from out under his lashes, his eyes deadened, intense and dark.

Vanessa sat away in her chair and grabbed Joe by the hand under the table.

Joe said, "Frank…" in a low, warning tone.

Frank blinked and his gaze softened. He said calmly, "Vanessa, please don't contact your hacker friend yet. Wait until we know we've got the code. We need to know exactly where we stand first, and I don't want to make things worse on the dark net, okay?"

"Fine."

The Mission Impossible Theme Tune belted out on his phone. He glanced at the screen to see it was the 'Unknown Number' that had plagued him on and off all day. "AND YOU CAN SHUT THE HELL UP TOO!" he bellowed. He picked it up to turn the ringer to silent.

A tumbler of brandy came down to him. Frank took it automatically in his free hand, threw it back in one slug and then dropped it down onto the table with a thud.

"Better?" Mrs Holliday asked.

"Yes thanks. Sorry everyone…sorry Vanessa. I think we covered everything. I'm tired, going to bed. Need to text Doctor Cox." He picked up his phone and headed for the door. As he passed Vanessa, he gave her shoulder a gentle stroke. "Fresh start tomorrow, yeah?" He waved over his shoulder, and exited the room while he pressed the heel of his hand to his brow. "Good work, Vanessa."

Con gave Frank enough time to get out of hearing distance and then tipped a thumb. "What the hell…was that?"

"I don't know," Fenton answered.

"I've never seen that before," Joe said. "You okay, Van?"

"Yeah, wow - intense much!"

-o0o-

They slept well, so anaesthetized by the previous day's experiences none of them had stirred; a testament, in the most part, to Frank's careful planning. They felt safe and secure.

After breakfast Frank gathered the troops in the lounge for a briefing prior to hitting the road for their various assignments.

Joe watched Frank, but his irritation of the previous evening at Con, Vanessa and James' questions had evaporated. His early night, a good sleep, must have helped.

"We clear as to what we're doing?" Frank asked. No one said anything. They gazed impassively and offered nothing. "Maybe I worded it badly. Let me put it this way, has anyone any questions?" Another round of blank stares followed. Frank tipped his head in Fenton's direction. "Don't put me in charge again. I don't know how you do it."

"Try it with an air of pomposity," Fenton said with a wry grin.

"Do we look at you like that when you're giving us briefings?"

"Pretty much, but there's usually a glimmer of intelligence from you."

Con objected, "Watch it little man!"

Vanessa put Frank out his misery. "I've got a question. How can I make contact with my online contact without a computer?"

"There's one here," Frank said.

"Oh! It is any good?"

"I'll give you the tour later. There's something else I want to show you which will help to set Joe's mind at rest but can wait." He turned away and reached down the side of the winged chair. "But while we're on the subject of tech, I should have given these to you yesterday." He pulled a bag out and unloaded a series of small white boxes. He consulted the names written on each lid as he passed them around. "James, this is the phone intended for Nancy Drew but I guess it's no biggy."

"Cool," James muttered. He accepted it and opened the box to extract the cell phone.

"You answered the only question I had," Joe said and opened the lid on his to find a black cell phone nestled neatly inside. "Nice. Better than the one I had to leave behind." He smirked at his brother, "Did you upload Hoppy the Hamster?"

"No, and don't! But what I did do is input your numbers onto each cell, but remember James' is listed as 'Nancy Drew'. These phones are untraceable, and they're loaded with GPS software only my phone can access. So if anything happens I'll know exactly where you are. Please don't mess with the settings."

"What if the battery goes flat?"

"Use the external battery pack in the box. You plug 'em in and click the switch. I've charged them fully too."

Joe dug into the box and his hand came out with a tube shaped piece of kit with a short lead coming out the end. It looked like a stick of dynamite.

"That's it," Frank confirmed.

Con said, "We don't have enough transport."

"Mrs Holliday has lent us one of her cars." Frank reached to pick up an envelope from off the table. He went from person-to-person, and handed them a credit card. "Don't access your own bank accounts, use these. And please let's be careful out there. None of us are returning to Bayport but it doesn't mean we won't be spotted, especially you Vanessa. A near six feet tall, blonde, Amazonian woman? You're instantly recognizable even from the back."

Delighted by his description, Vanessa smiled broadly. "Wow! Thanks Frank. Why don't you ever compliment me so imaginatively?" She asked Joe.

Joe frowned at Frank. "What have I told you about hitting on my girlfriend?"

"Just be careful," Frank said, and grinned. "Any more questions?"

James held a finger up. "Are you a cyborg, Frank?"

"I direct you to Fenton Hardy…Dad?"

"Thanks Frank," Fenton turned to James. "No, pure humanoid. Born from my seed."

"Ew!" Vanessa grimaced. "Mr H…gross!"

Mrs Holliday appeared in the doorway. "You leaving?" she asked. Rebel stood next to her, his watery, loving eyes turned up to her face. Her palm rested lightly on his head. Every now and then, her fingers moved to scramble his fur into tiny crop circles.

"Didn't take him long to make friends did it?" Con said.

"He's a smashing dog, Con. Such a well-trained boy. I thought it would be difficult to communicate with a deaf dog but for some reason he doesn't have a problem hearing me."

Con's mouth kinked up, "Ah. Some people have a knack with him I guess."

"If you ever need a dog-sitter, I don't mind having him."

"May take you up on it one day."

"I'll hold you to it. No kennels for this boy!"

Frank said, "I'm glad you're getting on because, if Con doesn't mind, Rebel should stay here and look after you."

Con nodded. "Fine with me, Junior. I'd been tempted to make him growl at Arthur Gray but that'll work too. I hope we catch up with Gray today, I want to meet this man of myth."

"Trust me Con, he's no myth."

"If anything happens, you know where I'll be, young Frank," Mrs Holliday said.

"I'm sure it won't be necessary."

"Make sure you wrap up warm," Mrs Holliday instructed them and headed off into the kitchen with Rebel. She lifted a finger, "Remember, filthy weather equals filthy noses! Good luck."