"So, we meet again," said Powers, glaring at Joe.

"Yes, and this time, I’m going to take you down," replied Joe in a low, threatening voice.

Wayne threw his head back and laughed loudly. "Is that a threat, Kid? Because I think you’ll find I have the advantage," he waved the gun to further emphasise how big an advantage it was.

The other three members of the gang crowded into the room looking at the devastation left by the teenagers’ search. Amongst the men was John.

Wayne gestured with the gun towards the corner of the room. "Get over there and put your hands on your heads." Doing as they were told they put their hands up and huddled close together.

"Not you two," he said addressing Callie and Vanessa. "I want you over here - can’t have the boys getting over excited and heroic can we. You girls are my insurance!"

"Leave them alone!" Joe growled.

"Hey, I’m not going to hurt them. But if you mess about with me, you might force my hand!"

Callie turned to face Joe, with her back to Powers. "It’s okay, Sweetheart, don’t worry about us." His eyes widening in surprise as her arms snaked around his neck and hugged him tenderly, brushing his lips with hers. Her hands slid slowly down to his chest and she pushed her arms inside his jacket. He felt something being removed from his inside pocket and suddenly understood what she was doing. She pulled away from him and looked him in the eye giving him a cheeky wink. Vanessa stood with her mouth gaping.

"Okay, enough of the floorshow, now, get over here." She walked towards Powers and stood beside Vanessa who was now regarding her with suspicion, Callie winked at her also and Vanessa visibly relaxed.

"Jack, get some rope and tie these boys up - good and tight this time, we don’t want them getting away again!"

"Wayne, what do you think your doing? We can’t keep these kids prisoners!" said Jack who was a short, wiry man, aged around 40 years.

"What do you suggest we do Jack? Set them free to run to the cops? Look around you, they know all about the operation now."

"Yeah, but…"

"JUST GET THE ROPE!"

Jack jumped and without saying another word left the room and returned moments later with lengths of twine.

"Hands behind your backs," ordered Wayne. None of the boys moved. Powers grabbed Vanessa by the hair and pulled her towards him causing her to hiss through her teeth and grimaced with pain. "Obviously, I wasn’t making myself clear, don’t make me repeat myself."

"Okay, okay, just leave her alone," said Biff putting his hands together.

"You’re hurting her, you moron!" spat Callie.

He homed in on her "You want some too?" Callie shook her head quickly and stepped out of range into John who took her by the upper arm.

Jack tied Biff’s hands and then went to work on Joe. He pulled the rope tightly against his wrists and he felt a searing pain as the rope dug into the skin. He was relieved to be wearing the bandage, or it would have been considerably more painful. He managed to control his facial expression, not wishing to show Wayne Powers any sign of weakness.

Once Biff, Chet and Joe where bound he released Vanessa’s hair and grasped her arm instead, pushing the weapon into her ribs.

"Len, Jack, take them upstairs - and make sure they don’t get out of the room this time!" Len was the forth man of the group. He had a smart haircut and wore an expensive looking suit. He indicated for the boys to follow Jack and they began to walk.

"Don’t forget," began Wayne, they all stopped and looked back. "Try anything funny and it’s bye-bye girlfriends!"

Joe watched as John and Powers took the girls by an arm each and marched them out. The last sight he saw was of Vanessa looking wistfully back at him, locking eyes with her momentarily before she was pulled into the room.

"Keep going kid," said Len pushing him roughly in the back. They walked upstairs and entered the same room Biff and Chet had occupied earlier.

"Jack, I can tell that you’re not happy with what’s going on," said Joe. "Why don’t you let us go and we’ll give you two a head start before we call the cops?"

"Nice try, Kid," replied Jack.

"You’re not going to stand by and let that thug terrorise two defenceless girls are you?"

"Sorry, we’re not in control of this operation any longer, Wayne is," explained Len.

"What do you mean?" asked Chet.

"Shut up, Len!" protested Jack.

"Why? The kids already know everything, what harm can it do? If I know Wayne, they’ll be dead by tonight anyway!" Jack shrugged his shoulders and Len turned back to the teenagers. "Wayne found out about our adoption set-up and blackmailed his way into the operation."

"You’re selling kids to childless couples, right?" asked Joe.

"We were good at it too and making real money. That is, we were until Wayne decided he wanted in on the action. He’s crazy, almost insan..." he paused not able to finish when he heard a voice yelling up the stairs.

"GET BACK DOWN HERE YOU TWO, WAYNE’S CALLING A MEETING."

Jack and Len immediately left pushing the chair up against the door knob. The boys listened to their receding footsteps.

"Joe," said Chet, worried. "Your arm’s bleeding."

Joe dismissed the comment and turned to Biff. "Try the door and see if you can open it."

Biff, turned his back to the door, bent forward slightly and attempted to turn the door knob. "Sorry, no go, my hands are totally numb, he did a really good job on me this time."

"Me too, agreed Chet."

"What are we going to do?" asked Biff, frustrated, looking to Joe for direction.

"I don’t know, but I think Callie’s got a trick up her sleeve!" he said smiling.

***

Wayne pushed the girls down to the floor in a corner of the large room. "Sit there. If you do exactly as you’re told, you won’t get hurt, understood?" Both girls nodded, frightened and held hands.

The other three men entered and they all sat down around the table and began to talk in low tones, ensuring that the girls were unable to overhear. Jack and Len began to look uncomfortable, gesticulating wildly with their hands and shaking their heads in disagreement. Vanessa was watching them closely, trying to lip read what was being discussed.

Callie gently nudged her friend with her elbow to get her attention and let go of her hand. She looked down and Vanessa followed her gaze. Vanessa watched, fascinated, as the outline of an object slipped down Callie’s sleeve and out into her waiting hand – it was Biff’s cell phone. "Sorry about hugging your boyfriend," she whispered. "But I had to get the mobile out of his pocket," she pushed it back up her sleeve and leant back against the wall.

"How are you going to use it without them seeing?" asked Vanessa.

Callie raised an eyebrow and suddenly put her hand to her forehead. She started to sway and gave off a feeble groan.

"Cal, are you okay?" asked Vanessa in a loud voice, putting her arm around her friend with a worried expression on her face. The men turned as one to see what was happening.

"I feel faint," she replied and fell limply against her friend with her eyes closed.

Jack jumped up and rush to her side. "What’s the matter with her?" he demanded.

"She’s fainted!" replied Vanessa. She carefully laid Callie down, took her hand and rubbed her wrist briskly. Her eyes fluttered open and looked at Callie confused. By now the other men had stood to observe what was happening. Vanessa placed the back of her hand on Callie’s forehead.

"She’s pretty hot, is there a restroom around here?"

"Yeah, just down the corridor," said Jack.

"Help me get her to her feet," she stood and helped Callie, who showed she was unsteady on her feet by stumbling. Jack caught her by her other arm and they slowly walked her from the room.

"I hope you’re satisfied," said Vanessa, addressing Wayne. "Look at what you’ve done, you nearly scared her to death."

Wayne shrugged his shoulders, unmoved.

They entered the restroom and Callie leant against the wash basins. Vanessa put her arm around her and started to run the cold water. Turning to look at the men, she said. "Thanks for the help boys, you can leave us alone now, this is purely woman territory."

Jack turned to leave and looked surprised at Wayne who stood motionless. "Come on Wayne, we can wait outside the door."

"No, they’re planning something."

"Don’t be paranoid, they’re just a couple of girls! Besides, there are no opening windows, so there’s no escape route."

Wayne took another long withering look at them, finally conceded and left with his companion.

"Phew, I didn’t think they were ever going to go," said Callie, making a miraculous recovering.

"We should get an Oscar for that bit of acting. Quick make the call!"

Callie pulled the cell-phone from her sleeve and dialled the Hardys’ number.

***

Frank was lying on the sofa in the sitting room, dozing when the phone rang piercingly, jolting him awake. "That must be Mom and Dad," he assumed. He stood unhurriedly, gave a leisurely stretch, yawned and reached for the phone. "Yo!" he snapped, by way of a welcome.

"Frank, is that you?" asked a frightened voice.

"Callie, is that you babe? What’s digs?"

"Whoa, slow down Girl! What do you mean you’re being held prisoner? Who is?" asked Frank confused.

"All of us, Joe, me, Vanessa, Biff and Chet - quick, bring your dad to the phone…"

He heard her take a sharp intake of breath and the sound of a loud, gun shot permeated the airways, followed by Vanessa’s screams. Frank’s hand jumped and he hit himself hard in the temple with the phone’s receiver. Staggering back he tripped over the coffee table and went down heavily, pulling the phone from the table. He was starting to get to his feet, feeling pretty foolish when his head started to hurt and the room began to spin swiftly. The pain became more intense causing him to clutched his head and cry out. Flashing lights started behind his eyes, blinding him and he fell back to his knees and began crawling about the floor trying to locate the phone, finally, just when he thought he would go mad with the pain, his brain went into total shut down and a merciful blackness enveloped him.