"Fenton and Laura Hardy, will you please come in?" A tall, thin man opened the door to the courtroom and motioned them in. They walked in apprehensively. On the Judge’s seat, in contrast to the other man, sat a short pudgy man-Judge Alex Montreros, a friend of the family. He gave them an embarrassed look, and then briskly got to business, pretending not to know the family at all.

"Fenton and Laura, it has been brought to my attention that you’ve become the guardians of three young children, whom you are trying to adopt?" Fenton nodded mutely. When he didn’t say anything more, Judge Montreros raised an eyebrow, but then continued. "Then, when in your care, the four year old, Jason is his name, I believe, was kidnapped, and as of today, still hasn’t been found. Am I right?" This time, Laura nodded. The Judge sighed, and then said, "Today, you are here because you have been termed as incompetent parents. Finally, Fenton spoke.

"Sir, that’s ridiculous. We have two other sons who have grown up and made something of themselves and are now going to college!" The Judge nodded, then asked,

"But, you two aren’t as young as you use to be. Who will help take care of the kids?" Laura spoke up.

"Our other kids will! They are nineteen and eighteen years old, they can help. They are both going to college in Bayport Community College, as soon as the year starts. In fact, our older son, Frank, transferred there from UCLA willingly to help out." The judge asked skeptically,

"He transferred from UCLA, one of the best colleges, to a community college?" Fenton and Laura both nodded.

"But, the initial thing is that Jason got kidnapped when in your care. Pending a full investigation, I order that custody of Jason, Jennifer, and Jaclyn be handed over to Social Services. This will be effective…today!" Laura burst into tears, and Fenton put an arm around her protectively. Two Social Service workers, who had been sitting and listening, came and gently took the babies away from the Hardys. The judge spoke gently.

"As soon as you find Jason, he is to be handed over to SS, okay? Case dismissed." He hit his gavel on the podium, got up, and left. Fenton and Laura left, with Laura still crying.

********************

Meanwhile, Frank was all ready to go undercover, with his gangster clothing, blue eyes (he had out contacts on), and stubble on his face. He went over to Elm St., and waited in some bushes. It was 5:30, and Chief Collig had said that he was going to send over a patrol car at 5:45. So, at 5:40, Frank went to the dark blue sedan and knocked on the window. The window opened and Frank saw an ugly, pockmarked man with what appeared to be a lazy eye.

"Whaddya want?" The man asked in a gruff voice.

"Hey, listen. I was under one of the windows of that house," He pointed to a house. "The lady there called the police to report a suspicious car. She gave the license plate number, make, and model of this car. You’d better go fast!" The man’s expression twisted into a scowl.

"What were you doing under the window?" he asked.

"I was, um…well, I was about to rob it." Frank blushed. "But, look, it’s already 5:43…the lady called at 5:40, and the officer said five minutes!"

"Okay, get it!" They quickly drove away, and as they were turning the corner, they saw a police car come on to the street from the other side.

"Whoa, kid, you saved me!" then man said. Then he got suspicious. "Why?"

"Well…" Frank said, "I just wanted to help…and figuring you were up to something…I wanted in on what was going on." The man stared at Frank, then said,

"Well, you did just save me. Let’s take you to the boss!"

********************

When Fenton and Laura got home, it was 6:30. They found Joe anxiously waiting. They told him what happened, and he got upset. Then, hugging Laura, he told them,

"Don’t worry…everything will be okay…" Laura sighed softly, and then went up to her bedroom. Fenton looked after her worriedly.

"She’s really taking this hard," he whispered. Joe sighed, but got down to business. He went upstairs, and got ready. He put on all dark clothes. He then checked to see if the car was still there. Seeing it gone, he realized Frank must have led them away. He gave a silent thanks to his brother, knowing his job had just been made fifty times easier. He thought about just going and getting the plans, and not worrying about the ‘break in’, but decided to stick to the plan, just in case they have someone watching Collig’s house. Just then, he saw his Aunt Gertrude’s car pull in. He ran downstairs and then stopped suddenly when he saw a man with her…a man holding her hand. He slowly walked over to her, gave her a hug and kiss, then stepped back, studied the man, and gave him a small, guarded smile.

"Come in, come in!" Laura said, ushering them in. Gertrude had a big smile on her face, and Frank realized he had never seen her so happy before. Wondering what was up; he decided hear it first, and then go. Gertrude introduced the man.

"Guys, this is Matt…my fiancé!" Fenton and Joe’s mouth flopped open, but Laura just smiled happily. Then Joe turned to his mom.

"This is why you screamed when Aunt Gertrude called!" he exclaimed. Laura nodded, and then Matt spoke up.

"I really love Gert," he said, giving her a special smile.

"The wedding is on July 15^th!" Gertrude announced.

"Whoa…that’s only a month away!" Joe said. Matt nodded and smiled.

"I can’t wait!" he murmured. Then Gertrude looked around with a puzzled look on her face, as if just then realizing something.

"Where’s Frank?" she asked. Everyone’s smile dropped, and soon, the whole story came pouring out. By the end, Laura and Gertrude were crying and Matt had an expression of absolute shock on his face.

"Oh my God…" he whispered.

"Don’t worry," Joe said determinedly. "This will all end tonight!" With that he got up, made sure he had his wallet, keys, and cell phone, kissed his mother goodbye, and was out the door.

********************

Frank, meanwhile, had finally gotten to meet the big guy-Max!

"What have we here" he asked. He was a tall man, surprisingly handsome in a rugged way.

"Boss," said Steve, the other man. "This kid saved me from the cops!" He quickly told Max the whole story.

"Well, Son thanks!" Max said.

"He wants in on!" Steve said. Max looked thoughtfully at Frank.

"I trust you’ve listened to his story, and it sounds true?" he asked Steve. His partner nodded. "Well…we do need someone to take care of the kid while we get the stuff," Max mused. "What’s your name?" he asked Frank.

"Fred Darling," Frank answered.

"And your story?"

"My Dad gots money. Lots of money. He won’t gimme none of it. Said if I want money, I have to earn it," Frank replied, hoping he sounded the rich, spoilt brat who wants "in" but didn’t really talk like that.

"Ahhhh," Max nodded. "Well…I’ll give you $100,000 if you do this job right. Deal?" he asked.

"Deal!" ‘Fred’ answered. Max and him shook hands, and then Max led into another room.

"Here’s the boy. Stay here and keep an eye on him," he told Frank. "Steve, you come with me." Motioning to his partner, they left the room, and soon Frank heard the car start up, and he knew they were gone, probably to Collig’s house. He then looked at Jason. Jason was lying on a small cot, his hands tied to the top of the bed. He was sound asleep. He went over to him, and untied him quickly, then picked him up and rocked him, trying to get him to wake up.

"Jase? Little bro? Wake up, Kiddo, please wake up." Slowly, Jason’s eyelids flickered open, and he looked up at Frank with fear and tears in his eyes.

"Please don’t hurt me!" he begged in a whisper. Frank’s heart broke, and he hugged Jason tightly.

"I won’t hurt you, Jason. It’s me, Frank!"

"Frank?" Slowly, a small smile spread across Jason’s face, and then he started crying. "Can we go home now? Please?"

"Of course," Frank whispered softly. Then, putting Jason down, he quickly took out his cell and called his Dad.

"Hello? Dad, it’s me, Frank. I’ve got Jason," he said into the phone.

"Thank God!" Fenton whispered, tears of joy slipping down his face. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, just tired. Here’s where we are." But before he could give directions, he heard a voice.

"I knew you weren’t for real!" Frank looked up and paled when he saw Max standing there. "I just knew it!! That’s why I stayed behind to keep an eye on you! Well, Mr. Frank Hardy…I guess you’re my prisoner too!!" He pulled out a gun, and pointed it at Frank. "Drop the phone," he whispered in a deadly serious voice. Frank stared at him, and then got a little defiant. He shook his head no. Max cocked the gun back, and let a deadly bullet fly straight through the air…right at Jason!