Here it is Chapter 19! Hope you like it!
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A special thanks to (JustAnotherGirlInTheWorld) who has helped me with my grammar and improve my story.
You have been a great help! :)
The Hardy Boys
(Heartless)
Sequel: A Friend in Need
Chapter 19
(Six hours earlier)
Fenton was home the minute his boys called with news about Heartless. He, too, had news.
Fenton walked into the kitchen to find Frank at the table.
"Dad!" Frank said as looked up from his coffee and a half-eaten sandwich,
Just by the look on his face, Fenton knew right away that something was very, very wrong.
"Frank, what's wrong?" Fenton asked hurriedly.
"Al-Rousasa was D.K. Mather's... brother!"
"What?"
Fenton's eyes widened as he slowly sank into a chair next to Frank.
"Dad, I did some digging on D.K Mathers's criminal records."
Frank quickly filled him in on what Joe had said about Mathers looking familiar.
"I looked up his real name, Daniel Kasey, on your computer," he explained, "He has, or had, a fraternal twin brother named Allen Kasey. The man we now know as Al-Rousasa."
Fenton's face practically paled, letting Frank's words sink in.
"Where's your brother?" he asked, worriedly
"Upstairs, sleeping in my bed," Frank answered, "And Joe doesn't know any of this yet. Do you have any idea, what this will do to him?"
"Yes, I do," Fenton replied, nodding and thinking of the night Joe almost took his life with handful of sleeping pills. How close he came to losing his baby boy. If Frank hadn't...
He shook the thought out of his head, trying to focus on something else. Frank, however, could see the mix of emotions on his father's face.
"Dad? Are you okay?" he asked tentatively.
"I will be, once we get Heartless," Fenton answered with a heavy sigh.
"Dad, I have more news about Heartless. You need to hear."
Fenton poured himself a cup of coffee, then gave Frank his full attention. "Okay, Frank. Go ahead."
Frank quickly filled his father in on their meeting with the Gray Man.
"Heartless latest recruiter. His name is John Cypher, but he goes by Cypher."
Frank handed his father a photo of a tall, skinny man in his late twenties. He had a short, black haircut and was wearing jeans with a white tank top.
"Cypher is Mathers right-hand man," Frank continued on, "From what Gray said, if we find him, we will find Mathers. When Angela found out about her father's death, she said she finally felt free from Santos. Angela was quite adamant about finding Cypher, so that Gray could clear her criminal record and she could start a new life for herself and her son. Gray advised her not to go Gang Alley by herself without backup."
Frank sighed grimly, looking at Fenton. "Angela went to Gang Alley on her own. She hasn't been seen since yesterday afternoon."
"So... last night at the Scoreboard Arcade..." Fenton said slowly, looking at Frank and letting his son's words sink in, "Was probably the last time anyone saw Angela Santos alive."
"We fear she may be dead," Frank replied, running a hand through his hair, "Joe and I were going to check out Gang Alley tonight. Gray is getting his team together for back up."
"Now, I'm not so sure it's a good idea to take Joe to Gang Alley," Frank said, shaking his head, "With this news about Mathers. it's just not save for him."
Frank saw a look on Fenton's face that told him he knew something.
"Dad, what is it? Is this about your news?"
"Yes, Frank," Fenton replied with a sigh, "And I'm afraid it's not good. Last night a military truck carrying explosives went missing."
"Do you think Heartless...?" Frank's voice trailed off.
"Yes, I do," Fenton said grimly, "Somewhere in Bayport is enough explosives to blow us off the map."
"What about Gang Alley?" Frank said, thinking out loud. "They have already taken over that part of town. Maybe the explosives are hidden there."
"It's a possibility," Fenton said, letting out a deep sigh and nodding slowly.
There was a silence, and then he added, "I am heading to the station to give Chief Collig the news on Cypher."
Fenton stood up and head for the door. Frank walked out with him.
"I know I've told you this before," Fenton said as he got into his car, "But you are not to let Joe out of your sight. I do not care if you have to hog-tie him, just keep him safe."
"That goes for you too, Frank. Stay safe."
"Don't worry, Dad, Joe and I are glue..." Frank started to say. Then, all of the sudden, a figure in dark clothing grabbed him, and everything when black.
"Frank! " Fenton shouted. Before he could turn and come the son's ad, he felt something hit him on the back of his head. Everything went black for him, too.
Fenton's eyes fluttered open, but then he quickly closed them due to a splitting headache. He opened them slowly, realizing he was sitting in the middle of a room tied a chair. Fenton tried moving his arms, but to no avail
"What's going on?" he asked as he started pulling against the ropes, trying to loosen them, "Where am I?"
Suddenly, images of Frank being attacked by a dark figure came flooding back to him.
"Frank!" he called in worry. When he didn't hear a response, Fenton started to panic. He pulled against the ropes trying to loosen them. "Frank!"
Fenton scanned the room, but there was no sign of his oldest son. "Where's Frank?"
Suddenly, Fenton heard the sound of his oldest son moaning next to him.
"Frank?"
Fenton's vision was clear enough to see his oldest son tied to a chair just a few feet away. Only, Frank wasn't moving.
Fenton pulled against the ropes, trying to loosen them. "Frank, please, wake up! Frank!"
Fenton breathed a sigh of relief when he saw movement from his oldest son. Then he heard him ask, "Dad?"
Frank's eyes fluttered open, then he quickly closed them, also due to a splitting headache. He found himself tied to a chair .
"Dad, what's going on?" Frank asked as he started pulling against the ropes, trying to loosen them. The last thing he remembered was someone grabbing him from behind, then everything went black.
"Frank, are you alright?" Fenton asked worriedly.
"Yeah, I think so."
Frank's eyes widen. "Joe? Dad, Where's Joe?"
"I don't know," Fenton said sadly, shaking his head,
They both scanned the room, but saw no sign of Joe.
"Joe!"
"Joe!"
"Joe!"
Frank and Fenton started pulled against the ropes, trying to loosen them. "Joe! Where are you?"
Fenton was in a panic, not knowing where his youngest son was.
"Hello Detective," Came a gruff voice.
A cold shiver ran down Frank's spine. There was a tall, muscular man in his late forties or fifties, with a short, military-style haircut. The man was wearing military fatigues, standing between the two Hardy men, glaring down at them.
"D.K Mathers! "
"Where my son!" Fenton snarled, feeling rage building up inside of him, "If you hurt him, I'll hunt you down! Now tell me, where is Joe!?"
"Young Joseph will join you momentarily." D.K Mathers said, giving Fenton an evil grin, "Then the games will begin."
Just then, a tall, skinny man walked into the room. He had a short, black haircut and was wearing jeans and a t-shirt with a leather jacket over it. Frank and Fenton immediately recognized him. Cypher! Two teenage boys escorting a blindfolded Joe Hardy walked into the room and shoved him into a chair. His hands were immediately tied behind his back.
Joe blinked twice for his eyes to adjust as the blindfold was removed. He scanned the room until his eyes landed on Frank and Fenton.
"Dad! Frank!"
D.K Mathers walked up to Joe, back-handing him across the face. "Shut up!"
Joe saw stars from the blow to the face. He could taste blood on his lip. Glaring up at Mathers, he was intent on not giving him the satisfaction that it hurt.
"Don't touch my brother!" Frank snapped, going into big-brother mode and pulling against the ropes, trying to loosen them.
"Leave my son alone, Mathers!" Fenton shouted, "Or so help me, I will tear you apart!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that, Detective," Mathers replied cooly, turning to Joe, "You see... young Joesph here needs to pay for his crime."
Frank gasped at the thought of it.
"Joesph Hardy," Marthers said with an evil grin, "You're on trial for the murder of my brother. If convicted guilty, you will die!"
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