Don't own the Hardy Boys

Thank you for your reviews.

The Hardy Boys

(Heartless)

Sequel: A Friend in Need

Chapter 6

"What is she doing here?" Frank asked, feeling his detective instincts kicking in and wanting to find out. "Hold on, Joe, I'll be back."

Frank quickly made his way into the coffee shop. He started scanning every corner of the place with his eyes, looking for the girl. Finally, his brown eyes landed on Angela sitting at a table in a far corner, talking casually to a man.

Frank's mouths dropped when he saw a man in a gray suit and glasses sitting with Angela. The Gray Man, a high-up member of a top-secret crime fighting organization, of the Network.

"What is this?" he said, under his breath. After a few minutes, their conversation had ended. Angela stood up quickly and walked out a side door. She got into a cab and was gone in a flash.

"Mind if I join you?"

The Gray Man looked up to see Frank Hardy glaring at him.

"Frank?" Gray started to ask, "What...?"

"What are you doing with Angela Santos?" Frank demanded, leaning over the table to meet the Gray Man at eye level, "Why isn't she in jail?"

"She's working for the Network," Gray said. Nervously, he gulped. He knew this was not going to go well.

"What?!" Frank exclaimed in disbelief, feeling his temper rising, "Have you forgotten what she and Santos did to Tony... and to Joe?!"

"Frank, just calm down." Gray Man replied, "I can explain..."

"Oh, I'm sorry if I seem a little emotional," Frank shot back, a sarcastic bitterness in his voice, "Joe is laying in the ICU, fighting for his life, all because of Heartless."

"Yes, I've heard about Joe," Gray sympathized, knowing the ordeal Frank was going through. "I'm so sorry. If there is anything I can..."

"I assure you, Joe is in good hands," Frank interrupted, taking a seat across from Gray, "I just have a few things to say to you."

This was an opportunity he could not pass up. He needed to take advantage of it.

Gray just nodded. "Go ahead, Frank."

"I am grateful to you for saving Joe," Frank said, taking a deep breath to calm himself down, "If it wasn't for you, he would be in the hands of the Assassins. But let's get something straight. Joe and I have a big issue with trusting you."

He sighed for a moment before continuing.

"You know how we feel about your methods," Frank said, getting right to the point, "When it comes to getting information out of people, I mean. We told you about Tony's post-traumatic stress disorder from his ordeal with Santos, witnessing a murder, and his mother dying. We made it very clear to you that Tony wasn't ready to talk. But you were so adamant about questioning him."

Frank took another deep breath, trying to hold back the anger flailing within him, again.

"Gray, you gave us your word that you would be careful on how you handled Tony," Frank said in a matter-of-fact tone, "But you broke your word."

The Gray Man could see the seriousness in Frank's eyes.

"We shook hands on it," Frank continued, "And for that reason, we can't trust you."

"Frank," Gray said, clearing his throat, "I apologize again for breaking my word to you. I was under a lot of pressure from the Network. It was never anything against you or your friend."

"You will have to earn our trust back." Frank replied, before getting back to the main issue, "So why is Angela working for you?

"Angela is working for us as an informant."

"What?" Frank gasped, "You're going to trust her?"

"We made a deal with Angela," Gray answered, "She provides us with information. In exchange, we will make her criminal records disappear."

"I think that's a bad idea," Frank said, shaking his head, "What about Santos?"

"He's dead."

"Dead?"

"It's for real this time," The Gray Man stated, "Sei Duro killed himself."

"How?"

"Like a well trained terrorist. Sei Duro had a cyanide capsule hidden in a false tooth. Now the second-in-command has taken his place as the ring leader. Angela just informed me who that is."

He took a dramatic pause before continuing.

"Daniel Kasey, known as D.K. Mathers," Gray continued to explain before he was hit with a bunch of questions, "He is just as dangerous as Sei Duro. D.K. Mathers is heavily trained in martial arts with a military background."

Gray handed Frank a photo of a tall, muscular man in his late forties or fifties, with a short, military-style haircut. The man was wearing military fatigues.

"We believe Mathers has a secret hideout either here in Bayport, or a surrounding area."

Frank noticed a tattoo on the man's left bicep. A black heart with a blood-red outline and a spiked X through it.

"I recognize this." Frank said, pointing at the tattoo. He quickly filled the Gray Man in on what happened to Joe. "I don't suppose you know what it means?"

Frank saw a look on Gray's face that told him he knew something.

"I take it you know something," he said, observing the hesitation in the Gray Man's eyes. "Gray? What does the Heartless symbol, mean?"

"It means Heartless is in charge," Gray said, letting out a heavy sigh, "It could also mean they're claiming their territory."

"Territory?"

"Heartless is trying to take Bayport over as their territory."

Gray's chilling words ran down Frank's spin, but he only continued.

"And... just like your friend Tony, Heartless could be trying to recruit Joe."

I think..., it's time for a certain blonde boy to wake up. Don't you? Hint...Hint. Please Review.