BAND OF BROTHERS
by
Dreamweaver and Talefeathers
Chapter 6
The Chapters
Considering how long it had taken them to make their way in and find Frank, Daryl and Detective Sandburg, getting out was surprisingly simple, Joe Hardy thought to himself. Although by this time the little key-chain lights were flickering weakly and threatening to expire, his and Frank’s halogen lights were still beaming brightly and giving enough light for the five of them to make their halting way through the subterranean corridors. He carried one light, Daryl the other.
To Joe’s surprise, Detective Ellison wasn’t throwing his age, experience and expertise around and demanding to lead the party; he was apparently leaving that to Joe – and to Frank, whose memory of playing in the old theater was just as sharp as his brother’s. Ellison seemed content to allow the Hardys to lead the way – Frank leaning heavily on Joe’s shoulder as well as a sturdy length of rebar – while he and Daryl brought up the rear, supporting Sandburg between them.
“How’d you guys do it?” Frank whispered as they trudged along in the dimness. “I hoped you might remember this, but we didn’t have any idea how much of the building had gone down. We really didn’t have a whole lot of hope of being rescued,” he confessed. “Although Daryl kept saying Jim would find us.”
“Man, I don’t know how he did it!” Joe returned, equally softly. “He said he had really good hearing, and when we yelled for you he heard you answer – but that was later. He let me take the lead in getting in...because I knew the way. But once we were down here, he just...it was almost like he was tracking, ya know?” Joe sighed. “But jeez, the man was an Army Ranger, and all – guess we shouldn’t be surprised.”
“He’s not just ex-Army,” Frank responded. “Daryl said that he was stranded all alone in Peru, after a helicopter crash killed his whole team. For 18 months, Joe! He lived with a Peruvian Indian tribe...just think of what he might have learned from them!”
“Wow.” Joe was silent for a few moments. Finally he said, “Frank, I don’t care if the man’s from Planet Krypton, as long as he was able to find you and get everybody out safely!”
Walking some distance behind the two Hardys, Jim Ellison was having some trouble stifling his laughter, for to him, their whispered conversation was quite audible. He could have turned his hearing down to normal or below, of course, but he was reluctant to do so, for he wanted to be able to check for any signs of instability in the building which remained – at the moment! – above their heads. And to keep an eagle eye – make that ear – on his best friend’s condition, and that included constantly monitoring all Sandburg’s vitals.
Blair nudged him. “What’s so funny?” Evidently he’d felt him laughing. Not surprising, as Jim’s arm was wrapped snugly about him, and Blair’s arms were draped over his companions’ shoulders; he was nearly being carried along between the taller Ellison and Daryl Banks.
Jim bent his head so that his lips were millimeters away from his partner’s ear. “I’ll tell you later,” he breathed, “but trust me, you’ll think it’s funny too!”
Sandburg sighed. “I was worried about you,” he whispered, Sentinel-soft. “I knew you’d come looking for us – IF you were okay yourself. But I didn’t know...there was the thunder and lightning, and that’s always bad for you using your senses. And I – I was afraid you might...well, you know. You swear you didn’t have any trouble?”
Ellison nodded, and leaned in close again. “I’ll tell you all about it later,” he promised, and then squeezed Blair very gently, mindful of his damaged ribs. “But you know that when you’re involved, I’m less likely to spike or zone out; the stakes are too high, partner!”
Daryl, catching only a word or two of the detectives’ quiet conversation, just smiled to himself and kept his own counsel.
*****
At last the five of them clambered out of the last tunnel and into the open air once more. To their surprised gratification, the electrical storm had apparently blown over; only a light drizzle was now falling. Another surprise was the lack of people. When Joe and Jim had gone down, there had been frightened people, organized chaos among the law-enforcement cadre, and sirens and lights. Now it was nearly deserted!
“It must not have been as bad as they first thought,” Joe observed, looking around as they moved slowly towards the central plaza area. “Just that one part fell in.”
“And there weren’t many people in that area of the building,” Jim Ellison said dryly. “Since it wasn’t supposed to be open to the public, and most of the people on the floors above had already gotten out. You three might have been the only ones—”
“JOE! FRANK! JIM!”
They halted at the loud hail, and saw Con Riley sprinting towards them. He skidded to a stop, relief evident on his face.
“You’re all right – ARE you all right? Everyone else was accounted for, except for you...and I knew you two would have gone to find them, and you didn’t come back, and I didn’t want to leave without knowing what had happened to you—”
Blair and Jim spoke simultaneously: “Breathe, Con!” and then both broke into laughter. Blair winced and bent over slightly, trying to ease the strain laughing put on his ribs, and Jim hastily moved to wrap both arms about him in support.
“Easy, Chief....Well, as you can see, Con, we found our lost sheep – and with only minimal damage, I think. Frank and Blair need to get to a hospital, but I think Daryl’s just shaken up...and Joe and I are fine.”
“I’m fine too!” Daryl put in hastily. “I don’t need to be checked out!”
“All the ambulances have left,” Con said, adding his support to Joe’s so that Frank could let his rebar-cane drop to the ground. “There ended up only being a few dozen people who were actually injured, thank God! I can take Frank and Blair in my car, though...”
Ellison felt Blair stiffen at that suggestion. “It’ll be okay,” he reassured quietly, knowing that his Guide didn’t want them to be separated at the moment.
“Our van’s here,” Joe put in. “I can take Frank – actually, I could probably take everyone!”
“Why don’t you take Frank and Daryl?” Jim suggested. “Blair and I can ride with Con. Then you can drop us at our hotel later, Joe, since we’d all fit in your van.” Assuming that Sandburg’s not required to spend the night in the hospital! he added in his head. “We came here in the shuttle provided by the convention center.”
“That works,” Con agreed, and Joe nodded.
They were moving slowly towards the vast parking lot when suddenly the younger Hardy slapped a hand to his pocket. “I’ve gotta call Mom!” he gasped. “She’s probably been having kittens, if she heard about this and we didn’t call her!”
“At least you still have your phone,” Frank groused. “Mine’s smashed into little pieces!”
Daryl looked stricken as well. “After you do that, could I borrow your phone, Joe? I don’t have mine, and I think I’d better call my dad right away!”
Joe nodded, already hitting numbers on the keypad. “No problem...Hey, Mom, it’s me. We’re okay!”
Jim wasn’t consciously trying to listen in, but his dial control was slipping just a little at the moment. Mrs. Hardy’s voice came through loud and clear, sounding entirely unworried.
“Joe? Why wouldn’t you be okay? How were the games? I was wondering how late you were going to stay out....”
“Uh—” Joe was backpedaling frantically now. “You haven’t – uh – had the news on, then?”
“No, I haven’t. What did I miss? Did something happen at the game?”
“Well, sort of – a corner of the building collapsed into the basement – a water-pipe leak had damaged things, I guess.”
“The building collapsed?” Now Mrs. Hardy’s voice was distressed. “Were you and Frank involved? Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Well...Frank’s hurt his leg, but I’m going to swing by the ER and get him checked over, okay? And then we’ll be home.” Joe, catching the others’ eyes, momentarily clasped his hands on his chest and mimed praying before putting the cell phone back to his ear. “Okay, Mom?”
“Well...I guess so....If you’re sure....”
“I’m sure. We’ll be home after awhile – oh, it may be late, ‘cause we have to give a ride to some other people. We’ll explain it all when we get home. I gotta go, someone else needs to use my phone to call his folks too! Bye, Mom!” And Joe flipped his phone closed, ending the conversation.
Jim Ellison and Con Riley were laughing aloud; Blair was snickering, Frank was grinning broadly, and Daryl’s smile was full of admiration.
“Wow!” Daryl said, as Joe handed him the cell phone. “That was somethin’ else, man! But won’t you get it in the neck when you get home and your mom finds out Frank’s broken his leg and you didn’t tell her?”
“At that point she’ll be too relieved that I’m fine and it wasn’t worse that she’ll forget to scold,” Frank said hopefully.
“And I thought you were the best there is at talking your way out of things!” Jim said to Blair, still chuckling. “I think you’ve got some competition, buddy!”
“A worthy successor,” Blair said magnanimously. “I think Joe and I need to have some long conversations on the arts of obfuscation and misdirection! Call it advanced training....” He paused, swaying dizzily, and Ellison and Daryl both moved to support him again. “Some...sometime later,” the young detective added, and leaned heavily against his partner, closing his eyes.
“Hospital...now!” Ellison decreed, and glanced at Con. “I hope your car’s close, because he’s heavier than he looks!” Without further comment, he adjusted his grip slightly and swung Blair up into his arms. “Shhh!” he added to his protesting roommate. “You’re not getting a vote on this.” Blair sighed and subsided, letting his throbbing head rest against Jim’s shoulder.
“Stay right there; I’ll bring the car to you,” Riley replied,, and jogged away.
“We’re over this way,” Joe said to Daryl, and the three boys moved slowly in another direction. Daryl began punching buttons on Joe’s phone as they walked, and his voice drifted back to the Sentinel’s ears:
“Hello, Dad? I’m fine, I’m just fine...! Really!”
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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 original characters without express permission of the authors.