I want to thank everyone for your wonderful reviews! (Please keep them coming!) A special thanks to (JustAnotherGirlInTheWorld) who has helped me with my grammar and improve my story. You have been a great help! :)

To Obsessivebookdiva thank you for the tip. Maybe you could give me a few suggestions on, what I need to fix. I will do my best to fix my mistakes.

I don't know how to break free from repeating the same sayings. I am trying my best to improve my story and hopefully become a better writer.

(I don't own the The Hardy Boys)

The Hardy Boys

(Heartless)

Sequel: A Friend in Need

Chapter 22

About an hour later at the hospital, Fenton's mind was reeling. As he rubbed his tired eyes, his body begging for sleep. Fenton refused to give in, by focusing on other things. He called Sam, quickly explaining the situation and telling him not to say anything to Laura about Frank.

Sam was on his way to the hospital with Laura. Fenton didn't know how to tell his wife.

"How do I tell her? Our oldest son might be..." Fenton shook the thought out of his head, "No, no, Frank is alright. He has to be."

After a few moments of silence, he added, "I'm coming Frank... Just hold on."

Fenton called all of Frank and Joe's friends, knowing that Joe would need their support. Phil, Biff, and Chet sat with Callie and Vanessa in the waiting room. They were all waiting anxiously on news about Joe, and they were curious to know where Frank was.

Fenton told them he would explain as soon as everyone got to the hospital. They watched the detective pace back and forth with worry-lines across his forehead. They all exchanged looks with each other, knowing it wasn't good news.

Dr. Stevens had just arrived, so Fenton filled him in on the situation. For Joe's sake, he would need the doctor's help. If the worst case scenario happened and Frank was... Fenton again shook the thought out of his head. "No, no, Frank is alright."

"Fenton!"

Fenton whirled around to see Laura rushing up to him with Sam right beside her. To everyone's surprise, Tony was right behind them. Laura immediately ran up to Fenton, giving him a hug.

Fenton looked at Sam. "You brought Tony with you?"

"I'm sorry, Fenton," Sam replied, "He insisted on coming."

"Tony, is your father here, too?" Fenton asked. Tony being here didn't make things any easier. He didn't know how Tony was going to take the news about Frank.

After a short silence, Tony shook his head.

"No, he's at home with the baby. But I made a promise to him that I would stay calm," he pleaded, begging to stay, "Please... I just want to be here for Frank and Joe. Like they were for me. I've been taking medication for my anxiety. I'm doing a lot better."

"It's okay, Tony, you can stay," Fenton said, turning to Dr. Stevens. He nodded, ready to help out just in case. Phil, Biff, Chet, Callie, and Vanessa all gathered around to welcome their friend home, which Tony greatly accepted.

Laura noticed the bandages around Fenton's wrists. "Are you okay?" she asked, worriedly.

"Yes, dear, I'm fine."

Laura started looking around. "Where are Frank and Joe?"

She saw the hesitation in her husband's eyes and knew something was wrong. She looked at Fenton, demanding, "Fenton, where are the boys?"

"Laura, please calm down."

Fenton put his hand on his wife's shoulders. He could see her eyes were all red from crying.

"Come and sit down, I'll explain everything," he said as he guided his wife to a chair, "The good news is, we got Mathers."

Laura snapped, pulling herself away from husband. "Fenton, where are the boys?!"

"Alright, Laura, I'll tell you."

Fenton gulped, knowing this was not going to go well. Laura's face practically paled when Fenton told her about D.K. Mathers kidnapping them and what he did to Joe.

"Dr. Bryce is with Joe now," he added.

"And Frank? Is he with Joe too?" Laura asked slowly. She saw the hesitation in Fenton's eyes and started to panic. "Fenton, where is my son?!"

She got no response.

"Where is Frank?!"

Fenton squeezed his wife's shoulder and took a deep breath. "Laura... tonight there was an explosion at a warehouse. Where we were held by Mathers."

He saw the look of horror on her face, and had to force himself to continue.

"Frank is..." Fenton began, hearing gasps from around the room.

"No!" Laura screamed. Fenton put his arms around her, trying to comfort her. "No! Please God, no! Not Frank!"

Phil, Biff, and Chet all sat in shock, unable to believe that their friend Frank Hardy was dead.

"No, not Frank," Chet muttered. His eyes started to mist, thinking of his friend. It had only been a year since his little sister, Iola Morton, died in a car explosion meant for Frank and Joe. Chet never once blamed them for his sister's death. He blamed the Assassins for his sister's death. Now he shuddered at the possibility that Heartless has taken the life of his good friend.

"This is so unreal," Phil said, shaking his head and fighting back tears.

"Frank can't be..." Biff's voice trailed off.

"Frank," Callie said softly, thinking of her boyfriend. Vanessa held her friend in her arms, comforting her as they cried. Vanessa was doing her best to be brave for Joe, but still looked completely shaken.

Dr. Stevens could see the mix of emotions on Tony's face.

"Tony," Dr. Stevens said kindly, kneeling in front of Tony and asking, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Tony grumbled, folding his arms to his chest as his leg shook nervously.

"Tony, look at me."

Tony looked at Dr. Stevens.

"I'm here for you, and anyone who needs to talk."

"Frank's alright," Tony said as he swallowed a lump in his throat, "I know he is."

There was a smothering silence that filled the room.

"Laura, listen to me. All of you listen to me." Fenton said, released his wife as he wiped the tears from her face, trying to stay strong. He looked around at all the young faces. "Frank is missing... right now, that is all I know. I am remaining hopeful that he is alive until I know otherwise. Chief Collig is keeping me posted on what is going on. As soon as I know Joe is alright... I'm going back out there."

"I'm going out there, too!" Sam replied, wanting to do anything to help find Frank.

"Me too!" Chet, Phil, Biff all spoke up.

"We want to help find Frank," Chet offered.

"Thank you, I really appreciate that," Fenton said, nodding his head at Phil, Chet, and Biff. He lowered his voice as he said, "But you guys must keep an eye on Joe."

"Joe!" Laura's eyes widened. "He must be worrying himself sick."

"Laura, that is why I called everyone here," Fenton continued, telling them about Joe's behavior in the ambulance. "He fought us, kicking and screaming in the ambulance, trying to get to Frank. Then it was as if life was slowly draining out of him right before my eyes. I'm afraid that if Frank is... is dead..." he stumbled on the words. Clearing his throat again, he added, "We're going to lose Joe, too."

Everybody looked horror stricken at these words.

"He is going to need all your support," Fenton said.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of Joe," Chet said, assuring Fenton, "You just bring Frank home."

"Thank you, Chet."

Just then, Dr. Bryce walked into the waiting room. Before he could say anything, everyone stood up.

"How's Joe!?" they all asked at once.

"Joe's in stable condition," the doctor explained, "We are giving him antibiotics to fight off any infection from the knife wound. He may have suffered some nerve damage, but with some physical therapy he should have full use in no time."

"Is he awake? Can we see him?" Laura asked anxiously, "I want to be there when he wakes up."

"Yes, he should be waking up. I know you want to be with him when he does," Dr. Bryce offered, looking at the young faces around the room. "I'll let you know when you can see Joe."

"Is there any news on Frank?" Dr. Bryce asked Fenton, Laura, and Dr. Stevens as they stepped into Joe's room.

"Nothing yet," Fenton replied, squeezing his wife's hand. "I'm going back out there just as soon as I see Joe..."

Then they heard the most heart-wrenching scream of "Frank!"

"Joe!" Laura and Fenton cried out in unison when they saw the two nurses trying to hold Joe down on the bed.

"What's going on?" Dr. Bryce shouted, rushing to his patient's side. Joe's face was ghost-white.

"Joe what...?" Laura let out a gasp of shock. Joe's eyes were glued to the television above his hospital bed. Fenton, Laura, and Dr. Stevens gathered around to watch and listen to the words of a young, television news-reporter. She was standing across the street from the burned-out warehouse. Firefighters behind her were sifting through the ruble of debris.

"This morning a deadly bomb ripped through an abandon warehouse on the south side of Bayport."

Fenton put his arms around his wife, trying to comfort her. The news reporter continued.

"Authorities are saying it happened sometime around midnight. A group who calls themselves 'Heartless' is responsible for this horrific act. The leader is reported dead by authorities. Some people were severely injured in the bombing and were taken to area hospitals. The blast killed at least ten people, and police are working hard to identify the bodies."

Fenton felt his stomach churn at the thought that one of those bodies might be his son.

"Authorities are also saying that at least two people are still missing. One of the missing victims is said to be eighteen-year-old Frank Hardy, the oldest son of Detective Fenton Hardy..."

Everyone fell into silence, not sure of what to say as Fenton turned off the television.

"Frank is alive. I know it," Joe spoke up clutching his chest, "I feel it in my heart."

They all turned to him, shocked, as he repeated himself.

"Frank is alive."

What do you think? Please review and...I'll bring Frank a back. I promise good stuff is coming :)