hardy boys fan fiction
CLASSIFIED
SECRETS
hardy boys nancy drew fan fiction
by
Cherylann Rivers
Chapter
20
hardy
boys fan fiction
THE CHAPTERS
Before she knew what was happening, Iola came up happily behind her. "Cal? Do you want some cotton candy? It’s awesome!"
Callie looked at the food, and her stomach turned. She actually had been so hungry before when she couldn’t eat, and now she was past hunger. She wanted sleep. Still, she tried futilely to feign enthusiasm. "Iola? No, thanks. I.. I, um, have to go to the ladies room. Will you excuse me for a few minutes?"
Iola looked at her. "Sure. Callie? Are you still worried? I mean, Vanessa probably is fine. You don’t look like you’re having fun."
Suddenly, Callie couldn’t lie anymore. "Actually, Iola, I wanted to be back a while ago. I didn’t think you’d get the hopper pass and we’d wind up over in Disney World, itself. I’m tired, and I AM worried about Vanessa, and I really want to check on Frank."
Iola felt teary-eyed all of a sudden. Callie saw it at once, and instantly felt badly. "I’m sorry, Iola."
Iola took a deep breath. "Cal? I didn’t mean to mess things up. I… I was just trying to help. I saw that you were sad, and I didn’t want you to be. This… this is what I need. I mean, I didn’t need to be right here, right now, obviously, but sometimes being out and doing things helps me to relax a little. Since…." Iola could barely finish the words, but she carried on. "Since Lazarus, I’ve been so terrified of everything. You’re the only person I can turn to in order to have a good time with no hidden agendas. I love Joe dearly, I really do, but there’s so much pressure to return to normal, the way things were. And it’s so much harder than I thought." Now, Iola started to cry softly.
Callie hugged her. "I know, Iola. Joe’s a good person. He’s trying. He.. he loves you. I know he does."
Iola hugged Callie back. "Thanks, Callie. But since when do you have to TRY at love? He’s not the only one. I can’t go back to school yet, since I missed so much, and I feel like an outcast. I’m starting home-schooling and tutoring in the summer to get caught up. The, my family is driving me nuts. They’d kill me if they knew all the crazy stuff I’ve done with Joe since I came back. They don’t even want me to see Joe, really. They never actually said that, but the implication is there. I…. HATE THIS!" Iola shouted.
Callie was shocked. She hadn’t realized how much Iola had been holding in. Once again, she felt torn between the loyalty and love she had for Iola and the same loyalty and love she had for Vanessa. It’s ironic, she thought. I’m in the same predicament as Joe, and he hates me.
"Oh, Iola," Callie sighed. "I’m so sorry for you, I really am. If there was anything I could do to make you feel better, believe me that I would." Callie paused, thinking of what to say next. She was developing yet another migraine headache, which she had developed a lot over the past six months or so, and she felt slightly nauseated. Still, if Iola wanted to have fun, then Callie would have to allow that.
"Iola? I know you’ve been excited about coming here, so if you want to go on rides, or do anything else, I’ll do it. I’m warning you—I feel slightly like throwing up, so please—let’s avoid roller-coasters. Just please- do you mind if I call Frank? I just want to tell him we are and to see if he’s okay."
"Of course! Are you sure you don’t mind?"
"No," Calle said, slowly. "I honestly don’t."
"Ask Frank if he’s heard from Vanessa."
Callie smiled at her friend, noting her concern. She could see Iola was sincere about this whole bizarre situation. "I will. In the meantime, what DO you want to do?"
Iola’s face lit up. "Well, I’ve always wanted to see the parade of lights near Cinderella’s castle. I’ve heard it’s so pretty. They have a show at 10:00 and a show at midnight. Is.. is that okay?" Iola looked so nervous about inconveniencing Callie that Callie actually felt badly, even though she thought she might collapse on the spot from tiredness and a migraine.
"Okay, my friend. Whatever you want. Let me sneak away for a minute or two, okay?"
"Tell Joe I said hi."
Oh, sure, Callie thought, wryly, but she just nodded in Iola’s direction, who had gone to have a seat on a nearby park bench.
Callie took out her cell phone, which she noticed, right away, had a ‘low battery’ signal on it. With a groan, Callie realized that she had been unable to charge it the past three days due to recent events. She maybe had enough time for one or two phone calls, so she had to decide where to call. If she called the hospital, Frank might be at the hotel, and vice versa. So, without thinking, she tried his cell phone. As it was ringing, Callie felt tears begin to well in her eyes. She was so TIRED, and she was really worried about everything. Just taking the time to call Frank made her think of him, and how she wished she was with him right now. Sometimes, when he held her, she felt all her problems disappear. She longed for his arms around her now.
Much to Callie’s dismay, she got Frank’s familiar voicemail message. She tried to collect her thoughts to not sound like an idiot, and, at the same time, she saw the battery light flashing again. She heard a beep, and said quickly into the phone, "Hi sweetie, it’s me. I’m so sorry I’m not there right now—it’s a long story. I—I’m thinking about you, and I hope you’re feeling better. I was also wondering if you heard from Vanessa. Please let me know if I can do anything. Believe it or not, I’m at Disney World right now with Iola. We took a cab here, so I don’t even know how Iola’s planning to get us back. I’ll try to be back as soon as possible. I’ll leave the cell on, but I honestly don’t know how long my charge will last. I’ll try to check back later." Callie noticed her phone was dying, "I can’t wait to see you. I love you . Bye."
With that, Callie’s phone went dead. Seeing Iola smiling in the distance, Callie took a deep breath, and started her walk over there. Her plan was simple- get some water and some aspirins, sit down for a light dinner in the Park with something she could actually stomach, and try as best as she could to rest. "Well, Cinderella’s Castle, here we come," she said softly to herself, wishing that the night would soon be over.
** ** **
Vanessa Bender, meanwhile, had been escorted into a huge palace of sorts. Since the limo had pulled inside the castle- or whatever it was- Vanessa had absolutely no idea where she was. Mr. Happy, the driver, led her down a huge, elaborately decorated hallway into a room in the far corner. He was carrying her dress and shoes for her. She couldn’t help but to think ironically to herself, "Well, chivalry is not dead," and immediately swallowed the lump in her throat. Nothing about this situation was funny.
Finally, they stopped at the end of the hall in front of a doorway. Vanessa looked at the driver with his smile- always that constant smile. She felt sick.
"This is your room, Miss Vanessa. Dress quickly. Shower. Freshen up. You’ll have exactly one hour before you meet Prince Charming. I’m sure you’ll find everything to your satisfaction. You’ll have all necessary amenities, including some light refreshments."
"Is there a PHONE?" Vanessa asked, sarcastically.
"No, Miss Vanessa, although there is a television set and radio. The room is quite elaborate. The Prince will let you make any necessary phone calls, I’m sure. Now, make sure to wear the dress. I’ll be back in an hour. Enjoy." With that, he opened up the doors and escorted Vanessa in. Vanessa gasped. Everything was so… grandiose. The walls, the ceiling, the bed- yet, they were almost too grand, to the point where elegance is replaced by being ostentatious.
Before Vanessa could turn around, she heard the doors slowly shut behind her. Quickly, she ran to them. As she suspected, they were locked. Vanessa explored the room for the next fifteen minutes. There was food, a bar, a glorious bathtub with candles—yet, it all seemed to fake to her somehow, as if she took a deep breath she could blow down the room, a Hollywood production of sorts. She felt trapped, and thought for the thousandth time about how she could have been so stupid to get herself into this predicament. She deserved a big slap. On the other hand, she thought, so did Joe. Vanessa looked at her hands, which were shaking. And, as much as she tried to resist it, she looked at the dress. She knew she had to wear it. What kind of sick game was this anyhow? She looked at the clock. She had only forty minutes left.
At once, she heard the phone ring loudly, and she almost felt her heart leap out of her throat. Covering her chest with her hand, she muttered, "God1 I hope that’s the closest I’ll ever get to a heart attack!" Walking to the phone, she hesitantly picked it up. "H… hello?"
"Vanessa!" The voice was deep and friendly sounding, and, if Vanessa wasn’t mistaken, it had the faintest trace of an accent to it.
"Yes?" she stammered.
"Are you finding things to your satisfaction, my dear?"
"W- Who is this?"
"My dear, one must always answer the question addressed first. It is so very- American- to answer a question with a question. Now, let’s try again."
Vanessa held the phone away from her. This was getting out of control. Still, she wanted to know who was at the other end, so she tried to play along. "I… I mean, I don’t know what’s going on, but the room is lovely, yes."
"And the dress?"
Vanessa was shaking. "Yes, that too."
"Wonderful! I look forward to meeting my Princess at last."
Vanessa gasped. The Prince! It couldn’t be, but it was! What should she do? Vanessa panicked. Evidently, he sensed it. "Vanessa, don’t be afraid. You’re a very special girl, my last Princess. I will not harm you, you’ll see. At least, not so you remember." Vanessa gasped audibly. "That was a JOKE, my dear. Laugh. It is good for the soul, and for the heart, and its many secret chambers. What can I do to make you more comfortable?"
"Let me out of here!" Vanessa cried. She felt the tears start to fall.
"My dear, this was your choice. You’ll find everything you need. Look, do you wish to make a phone call?"
Vanessa couldn’t believe it. This had to be a cruel joke. "Come, dear, I can tell by your expression that you do. Go ahead. Just realize you are allowed one call. It will be monitored. Anything—undesirable—you say will have to be cut off. You understand. A good princess always follows the rules."
"Can I call my …boyfriend?" Vanessa was almost afraid to hope.
"Of course, my dear, as you will soon be mine. Say goodbye. Remember, we are monitoring your calls. I look forward to seeing you at supper. Goodbye, love." He hung up.
Suddenly Vanessa started to cry harder than before. What had he just said? Say Good bye? She tried to regain control, and then realized what else was not sitting well with her. Oh, God! He had said, ‘I can see your expression’. Vanessa froze. She was being watched.
With shaking hands, Vanessa dialed Joe’s cell phone. Damnit! He wasn’t there. Something was either wrong with this phone or his. Who knew? For all Vanessa knew, this was a place that couldn’t get reception. She had one more choice—Frank’s cell phone. Where there was Frank, there was usually Joe.
Again, with trembling fingers, Vanessa dialed Frank’s number. He didn’t pick up. Vanessa started to cry again. She heard Frank’s message, and tried to sound calm so they would let it go through. "F.. Frank? It’s me, Vanessa." Vanessa heard her voice crack. "I… I wanted to see Joe and to tell him I love him." Vanessa didn’t hear the phone get cut off. Then, she had a great idea—leave a clue. But what? Suddenly, she got it. "T.. tell Callie she’s such a sweetie, and that I said Goodbye. Tell Joe he’s the Prince I’ve always wanted- there’s nothing more to ADD. Well, I don’t want to get too PERSONAL, so I’ll say goodbye again." She hung up. What else could she say? She couldn’t tell Joe where she was she had no idea. Joe didn’t even know she had applied to this thing. Still, Callie did. And, if she remembered correctly, Callie had wanted to tell Frank. Please, God, let him understand that, she thought.
Again, the phone rang. Vanessa picked it up. "Very good, dear. You will make a wonderful Princess after all! I shall see you in a half-hour."
Vanessa, shaking, found herself one half-hour later, ready to go. She looked in the mirror. She was dressed like—like Cinderella, from the shoes to the gown to the way her hair was pulled back, at the Prince’s request. Hurry, Joe, please she begged silently. She heard a noise. The door opened.
*****
Joe Hardy looked at his watch. It was almost 9:00. He was in a car heading with his father as quickly as possible to Disney World. His father had been on Joe’s phone and his own since their discovery an hour earlier, alerting anyone and everyone he could possibly think of to this situation. How on earth would you abandon an entire amusement park? Joe shuddered, thinking of all the people who were in danger, including little children. He couldn’t fathom the thought. He thought of Iola- where was she? It was unusual not to have her call. Then again, maybe she had tried, but his dad was using the phone. More than anything, though, he thought of Vanessa, holding back his tears from his father. He needed her—the thought of harm coming to her was unconscionable. For the first time in a long time, Joe Hardy prayed, knowing in the back of his mind that he had just recently asked God that if he had protected Frank, he’d never ask for anything again. Looking up at the star-filled sky through tear-filled eyes, Joe prayed that God didn’t hold grudges.
** ** **
Frank Hardy was making as many phone calls from his hotel room as he could. His dad had given him all sorts of numbers and codes to call, and though some calls took convincing, he felt he was making headway. He had wanted to go with Joe, but his dad and brother had insisted he didn’t. Frank couldn’t disagree. He felt horribly The pain in his side was so intense now that Frank could barely think straight. He knew he had a fever and he knew, rationally, that he had to get to a doctor, fast. He couldn’t, though, not with the magnitude of this case. They had to prevent this bombing- they HAD to. For a brief moment, Frank leaned over the desk he was sitting at and rested his head on his hands. He felt tears come to his eyes, and was surprised at that. Rarely did he ever cry. Still, the case was so big, and the pain was so intense, that’s all he really wanted to do. An image of Callie briefly floated through his mind. Frank bit his lip. He really wished she was here. Where WAS she anyway?
All of a sudden, Frank heard a slight vibrating sound that he wouldn’t have noticed had he not been silent for a moment. With a groan, he realized it was his cell phone. Someone had left messages for him. Of course, it was on the other side of the room. Weakly, Frank got up, and limped over to the bed. With all the pain his right side was causing him, he had almost forgotten about his leg, which, at that very moment, almost gave out. Still, Frank managed to make it to the bed. Plopping down gently, he hit his password and listened to his voicemail.
His face drained of color. Callie! God, no! She was at Disney World?! Frank felt his heart stop beating. Anything but that1 "Callie," he whispered softly, "no." Frank almost stopped after that message, but didn’t. Now he knew how bad things were. It was Vanessa! As Frank listened to the message, his worst fears were confirmed. He immediately picked up on Vanessa’s code, since he knew what was going on. They had her! These terrorists had Vanessa, and they were planning on blowing up one of the biggest and most crowded places on earth, where the girl he loved was waiting, unaware of the horrors to come.
Frank felt dizzy and weak. He instantly called his father, forwarding both messages to him. He could tell his dad was listening to each word, and that he would be the one to tell Joe the news. "Oh, Frank," he ended with. "Son, this is horrible news. I’ll be in touch."
Frank tried to make his way back to the desk, and did, slowly, He coughed, causing ripples of pain to explode within him. As he pulled his hand away from his mouth, he noticed there was blood on it. Finally, Frank couldn’t take it any longer. His body was physically at its breaking point, and he felt his heart was as well. Weakly, fighting back all pride, Frank dialed 9-1-1. After all, this was the biggest emergency he’d face in his life , and he wanted to make sure he was around to face it. He sat back in the chair and waited for the ambulance to arrive. Fighting for consciousness, he thought of Vanessa, and Iola, and his father. He thought of the innocent people in Florida. Most of all, he thought of Joe and Callie. Finally, the darkness encircled him.
Let the author know what you think of this story
Home Library Authors Rogue's Gallery Vehicles Chums Message Board Rap Sheet Links Contact
Disclaimer
The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation, The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow them without express permission of the authors.