Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Frank was frustrated. He just couldn’t understand his younger brother’s behavior. He seemed almost…resentful after Frank rescued him. Frank knew that Joe must have been very frightened and was probably sick of being the pawn in every scheme against his father, but that had nothing to do with Frank’s situation! If only Joe could see Frank’s side. Whenever something happened to Joe, Frank always got a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. Joe was, of course, his only brother, and Frank didn’t know what he would do without him. If something happened to him…Frank couldn’t even think about that. And then there was the fact that he felt his brother’s fate was on his shoulders…it was too much pressure. Frank was almost to the place where he couldn’t handle it. He wanted to talk to Joe about this, but when his father suggested that Joe wasn’t feeling well, he shoved it out of his mind for time being.

When they started back towards home, Joe leaned back against his seat, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he related his capture to his father and brother. "I was coming back from a workout in the gym," he began, "and the parking lot was deserted. I was almost to the van when this man jumped me...I could have fought him off," he muttered defiantly, "but he was like a pro-wrestler, plus, soon after that another man joined him."

"What did they look like?" Frank inquired eagerly.

"The one who originally grabbed me was about 6'10", and he was huge, must have been--what--four hundred pounds, but no fat. All muscle. The guy who joined him seemed to be the brains. He had frizzy black hair, wore thick rimmed spectacles, and was very small. Anyway, the big guy grabbed me and jammed a gag into my mouth. Then he tied me up--painfully tight, mind you--and the other guy came along and said, 'Well done, Bos'n. You've done your job well. Blindfold Blondie and then carry him to the van. I'll take it from there.' So they blindfolded me and I felt the giant pick me up and he threw me into the back of a car."

Joe said that they had driven for several hours before they had stopped and the men had untie his feet and forced him to walk into an unknown area. He said he put up a fight, but the big guy slugged him and knocked him out. "When I woke up, My feet were rebound but the blindfold was off. All I could tell was that I was in some kind of dark, dank shack. Then, from outside, I heard the frizzy-man call you, Dad. He said that if you wanted me to live, you would drop all charges against Mr. Hobs."

"I know," Fenton said grimly.

"Then they left. Drove off. I was sure that they were going to leave me to starve. That's when you guys came along." He paused. "But how did you find me?"

Frank looked fondly at his little brother. "When the van was found empty in the gym parking lot, we immediately suspected something was wrong. We called the police and they agreed that you had probably met with foul play," he said. "We couldn't find any clues, however, and were getting discouraged. Then we had a hunch that maybe someone inside the Chinese Restaurant--you know, China Fun, the one across the street from the gym--had witnessed your abduction."

Fenton took up the story. "Frank and I questioned many people in the restaurant, and were getting very discouraged when we finally got a great lead...a Chinese fellow said that he had seen your entire abduction."

"But why didn't he call the police?" Joe asked, annoyed.

"We weren't sure," Frank said, frowning, "but it really ticked us off. We asked him and he merely said that he was afraid that the kidnapers would harm him if he told, but since we weren't police, he guessed it was okay."

"Hmmm..." mused Joe. "That sounds rather sketchy."

"Yes..." Fenton muttered absent-mindedly.

"What is it, Dad?" the brothers asked excitedly. They could tell their father was thinking hard.

"I'm not sure..." said Fenton, "but do you know who the old Chinese man strongly reminded me of?"

"Who?"

"Hobs."

"You mean, the arsonist?"

"Yes..."

"But why would he help you?" Frank asked, knitting his eyebrows.

"Well, we can't be entirely sure that it was him...but just his whole manner, the way he behaved, along with some physical features, reminded me of Hobs."

"He's not Chinese, though, is he?" Joe asked.

"No, but it's very possible that he's using an alias."

"But that still doesn't clear up why he would help you find me," Joe muttered.

"No."

The trio sat in silence for a while. Then Fenton spoke up. "I have an idea. Let's talk to him tonight. He claimed that he worked and lived in the restaraunt. Why don't we eat there tonight? Then afterward, we can speak to him...find out if he really is Hobs. How's that?"

****

Later that day, when Joe claimed he was feeling great again, Fenton, Frank, Joe, and the boys' mother, Laura, came to the restaurant.

The boys once again related the story of Joe's capture and rescue to their mother, but Joe began looking annoyed again. When Frank asked why, Joe just shrugged and stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom," he muttered.

Sure his brother wasn't being truthful, Frank got up and followed him. He stopped him right before he entered the bathroom. Then, signaling for Joe to calm down, he pulled him aside. "What exactly is your problem today, Joe?" Frank asked harshly, not thinking before he spoke. He felt bad afterwards, but not for too long. Joe had a quick retort.

"My problem? What about your problem. I don't have a problem. You're the one who's accusing me of having a problem. When you accuse somebody of having a problem, even when they don't have a problem, doesn't that mean you're the one with the problem?"

Frank growled, "Look, Joe--"

His brother cut him off. "Don't 'look Joe' me. What the heck is wrong with you today? I mean, I have been captured, tied up, gagged, blindfolded, knocked out...all because some wacko wants Dad to drop his freakin' charges. But what would you know about any of that? Your life is perfect."

Frank laughed bitterly. "MY life is perfect?" he spat. "Oh, I don't suppose babysitting my perfect little brother counts as anything?"

"Babysitting?"

"Yeah, that's right," said Frank, his voice getting louder as he got worked up. "You lead the perfect good boy life. Everybody loves you, and you know that we'll go to any measures to save you. But you're never thankful. All you can ever do is complain."

"OH really?" spat Joe angrily. "Why don't you get kidnapped all the time? Just because you’re the youngest?"

"It'd be better than looking after your sorry--"

"Don't even say it!" Joe yelled. "Just get out of my life! You think you're so great, so perfect. Well you're not. Just get the freak over it."

During their argument, the boys had attracted many curious eyes, thankfully, however, the eyes of people whom they didn't know. But there were two people they knew very well...two very angry people.

Fenton and Laura ran to where the boys were fighting and shushed them. The Fenton, his voice shaking in anger and embarrassment, said lowly, angrily, "You are being a disgrace. Stop acting like you are five, the two of you." He sighed, then said submissively, "I'm sorry, it's been a long day. Joe has been through a bad ordeal and so has Frank. Let's just go home," he said quietly, "and we'll interview the Chinese man tomorrow."

At that moment, a tiny Chinese lady came up to the boys and held out a plate of fortune cookies. "Cookie?" she asked.

Trying to cool themselves off, the boys each took one. Then they headed home, still fuming.

****

The brothers did not speak again that night. When they went to bed, a storm started. At precisely midnight , a large jolt of thunder shook the house and a bolt of lightening split the sky...bringing a strange phenomena along with it...

****

When Joe awoke, we was a little confused to find himself in Frank's room, but thought nothing of it. Maybe he had went to sleep in here last night and didn't remember.

Frank, waking up in Joe's room, figured the same thing. The two boys, neither one of them bothering to look at their reflections, stepped out of the rooms and met in the hallway. Then both sets of eyes grew wide in shock and fear.

The impossible had happened. There was no other way to describe it. Frank was now Joe, and Joe was Frank. They had switched.

Both gasped and said at the same time, "I'd better be looking in a mirror!"

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency 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.