Frank felt himself almost acting like Joe, and charge forward, but he knew a successful rescue required him to let Officers Lancey and Michaels make the arrest. He reminded himself they were professionals. They knew how to make an arrest with a minimum of fuss, because he had seen them do so in the past. They were the perfect duo to send out on this case. He turned to Con, "What is the plan?" he asked.

"We will burst into the house, and apprehend the remaining suspects, once Officers Lancey and Michaels make their move on Thomas Draven," Con replied. "And get Joe out of there," he added to Fenton and Frank.

Frank gave him a small smile, he turned towards his friends, "You guys stay out here. You can back-up the officers, okay?"

Biff, Chet, Tony, and Phil nodded. "Oh, Phil you stay further back, I'll give you my radio. You can radio for more back-up if necessary, this area should give you an excellent vantage point," Con ordered.

"Okay, I'll do that," Phil replied, not eager to take on such large adversaries as the Dravens.

It was then that their attention was riveted back to Thomas Draven. He noticed the two big men working on the car near where he parked the stolen car, but since that car had been parked there before he been here, and he never saw who lived in the neighboring house, he dismissed and didn't pay any attention to them, but just a fleeting glimpse.

He reached to open the car door, and all of a sudden, much to his surprise, a gun was pointing in his back and a stern voice said into his ear, "Police, you are under arrest!" He couldn't believe it. Those were undercover cops!

 

For a moment, he couldn't move, but whiled around with amazing speed, to face two standard police issue semi-automatics at him! He shoved at the one closest to him, and he tried to pull out his own gun, but the other one kicked up with a perfect karate kick, and kicked the gun out of his hand, but Thomas grabbed the officers foot as his gun went flying and twisted it. The officer went down, and he took off. He tried reaching the house, kicking himself in the head for not parking closer, or paying more attention to those men, but before he got even halfway there, he was confronted by two blond teenagers, one as big as him, the other, stocky and shorter.

"You're not going anywhere!" Biff growled, venom in his eyes, as he knew something of what they did to Joe.

"I'm not, am I, just try to stop me," Thomas sneered. "You blondes are so much trouble!" he tried to goad Biff and Chet.

But Biff and Chet were not about to be suckered. To take this guy down, they needed to use teamwork, just like when they were on the field together playing a game of football. With a quick glance at each other, Biff and Chet circled. Thomas, seeing his strategy was having very little effect, charged toward Biff, but Biff was prepared, and came up with the perfect right uppercut to Thomas's jaw, at the same time, saying, "This is for Joe!"

Thomas went down on his rear, stunned. It was then that both Officers Lancey and Michaels came running up, and quickly secured Thomas before he could recover.

"Thanks," Officer Aaron Michaels said to Biff, "This guy is quick for his size."

"No problem, these kinds of creeps never know when to give up," Biff replied.

"Tell me about it," Officer John Lancey replied, still nursing his twisted ankle.

With that Biff and Chet helped drag Thomas Draven over to the patrol car that recently pulled up. Thomas struggling the whole way there, but they also put leg irons on him that were in the patrol car and put him in the back.

Fenton, Frank, Con, and Sam all burst into the back door that Thomas left out of once the two officers ambushed him. They came upon Alex and Alexa sitting at the kitchen table enjoying a bowl of soup.

"What, you lied!" Alexa shouted at Fenton. "You said you had no clue."

But, Fenton never said anything in response. At that moment, he only wanted to see his son. He didn't need them to tell him where Joe was, he was down in the basement. He just needed to help subdue them, and then he and Frank would go down there.

All of a sudden Alex rose from his chair and ran towards the group, but everyone was ready for a fight, and after a brief struggle they had Alex handcuffed. More cops poured into the house, and Alexa went down with a brief struggle of her own, but they were quickly herded out to awaiting patrol cars.

"Sergeant Riley, the other boys are going to accompany us to the station, to help fill out reports," Officer Michaels said, as he came into the house to report to Con about the apprehension of Thomas Draven.

"Okay, go on, I'll be there as soon as I can," Riley said.

With all the Dravens rounded up and safely secured Fenton and Frank both made their way to the basement door. Frank nervously opened the door. The light was already on, and he slowly made his way down until he saw Joe leaning against the wall to his right. What he saw horrified him. He quickened his pace down the steps to get to his brother.

"Oh no," he gasped. "What have they done to you?"

Frank knelt by his brother, and quickly felt for his pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found a steady one. He then gently gathered Joe in his arms, stroking his hair, "Joe, you'll be okay. They can't hurt you anymore."

Fenton couldn't believe his eyes. Joe looked terrible. He was unconscious, bruised and bloody. His right eye was completely swollen shut. His face was bruised and swollen, and he had various nicks and cuts all over his exposed skin. He took out his pocketknife, and cut the ropes binding Joe's wrists. They didn't even bother binding his ankles. He also took off his jacket and put it around Joe, with help from Frank, he then knelt down and hugged both his sons.

Frank was crying by this time. Fenton was trying his best to comfort Frank. He knew Frank felt extremely guilty whenever Joe was hurt, and he couldn't do anything to prevent it. He felt it was his duty to protect his little brother, but Fenton himself, also felt overwhelming guilt. Not only was his youngest son badly beaten by people he had been trying to catch for the last several years, Frank had run the gambit of emotions since Joe's capture, and that was tearing him apart, since Frank could often maintain a level-head through almost anything. Anything except when he knew his brother was hurt, and he couldn't do anything to prevent it. Fenton, not one to display emotions, felt them threaten to overwhelm him, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. He needed to stay strong for his family, especially once Laura and Elizabeth got a good look at Joe.

A few minutes later, Sam came downstairs. When he took in the sight of Joe, he was horrified. He couldn't find words to describe it. He had seen a lot of people beaten up over the years he had spent as a private investigator, but the level to which the Dravens meted out their revenge on Fenton Hardy was unspeakable. He turned back around and went back upstairs.

"Con, you better call an ambulance, and get a blanket down here," Sam called, as he got back up the stairs.

"Okay, I'll do it right away," Con said. He had to go out to his patrol car, which one of the officers pulled up near the house, and called for an ambulance. He then went to his trunk and pulled out a blanket. He ran back into the house and followed Sam down into the basement. He gasped at what he saw. He had seen Joe many times with injuries he had received from many of his and Frank's cases, even injuries Joe received playing football, but none of them could compare to what greeted him. He handed Fenton the blanket, and he saw gratitude in Fenton's eyes as he and Frank wrapped Joe tightly in it.

"The ambulance is on it's way," Con announced.

"Have the Dravens all been taken to the station?" Sam asked, seeing Fenton was too busy comforting Frank to ask questions at the moment.

"Yes, they should be in the process of booking as soon as they get there," Con replied. "The Chief ordered it top priority because of all the evidence we have found against them connecting them to other kidnappings."

There was an uncomfortable silence. Then it was broken by the arrival of the paramedics. They were shown where to go by one of the officers processing the stolen car and the scene. When the paramedics got a good look at Joe, they also gasped, but they quickly came down the stairs with their equipment to start their examination.

Fenton stood and guided Frank away from Joe, so that the paramedics could tend to him. He knew it was important that he and Frank remain out of the way, so they could do a thorough evaluation and do their best to stabilize his son so he gets the treatment he needs. The paramedics gingerly laid Joe on his back and immediately took his vitals. They put bandages on his neck and other cuts, and put a neck brace on. They put an IV in his arm, and slid him on the backboard. Since the stairs were slightly steeper than most, they left the stretcher up the stairs. With Con's and Sam's help they got Joe up the stairs.

Then Joe was loaded into the ambulance. Since they needed the room to work on Joe, no one could ride with him to the hospital. Fenton thought it best anyway, because Frank needed every bit of support he could get from him.

Sam volunteered to drive Fenton's car to the hospital, and Con drove Fenton and Frank to the hospital. Con offered to let Fenton ride in front, but he sat in the back with Frank instead. The ride felt like it would never end. Neither Fenton, Frank nor Con could say anything through the shock they all felt.

Con pulled up to the emergency entrance of Benton Trauma Hospital. He got out and opened up one of the back doors, so Fenton and Frank could get out. They saw Joe being wheeled into one of the emergency rooms. They went to the waiting room to wait.

"I would stay here, but I have to go down to the station to fill out reports, and see about making sure that the Dravens can't get out anytime soon," Con said, apologetically. "Let me know, as soon as you get any updates."

"That's okay, Con. We'll keep everyone updated," Fenton promised, shaking his hand. "Thanks for the cooperation."

"No problem," Con replied, just then, Sam walked in. "Do you want to tell Laura and Elizabeth?" he asked.

Fenton couldn't say anything for a moment. He didn't know how Laura would take it, seeing Joe in the shape he was in, but he promised, "Not right now. I want to wait on word on Joe's condition first, and I want to tell them in person, I will need to go back to the house eventually," Fenton replied.

"Of course," Sam replied. He knew exactly how Fenton felt. He wasn't sure how they would react. Judging by Fenton's and Frank's reactions he knew it wouldn't be good. Fenton leaned over in his chair and put his head in his hands. He then felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Frank looking into his eyes, he could tell Frank was still upset. "The doctors will do everything they can for him, Frank," Fenton said to him.

"I know. It's just hard seeing him that way," Frank replied, he had gone numb with the ride to the hospital. He felt he couldn't cry anymore, and all he could do right now is wait for the doctor's prognosis. "Shouldn't we call Mom and Elizabeth that we found Joe?"

"Not yet," Fenton replied, shocking Frank. Fenton seeing the look on his son's face. "I want to wait to see what the doctor says, and I want to speak with them first. It is hard on me as it is."

It was agonizing. The not knowing was what was tearing at Fenton, knowing Joe was in pain was enough, but Frank was racked with guilt, and the emotions swirling in his mind threatened to break the surface at any moment, but he had to stay strong, he just had to.

Frank looked over at his father. He could tell his father was upset, and it was tearing at him to know he was holding on to his emotions by sheer will, but he could still see that they lied just beneath the surface. Sometimes, he and Joe marveled at what self-control their father had in dealing with difficult cases, involving a lot of emotion. There were times when their father investigated cases where children were being abused, and he was amazed their father kept his composure during those cases, or even rape cases he was called in to help solve when it had become baffling to the local investigators. All those cases required someone to be dispassionate towards the offender, and compassionate towards the victims, sometimes a very fine line to two, and emotionally draining. But this case was personal for him, and Frank knew it was taking a toll on him. Neither of them got much sleep, and both felt on the verge of collapse, but neither did either one feel they could sleep until Joe was out of the woods.

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.