Everyone but Thomas left the basement, he pulled out the knife he had around his waist. "Still fighting, most of the other kids had given up by now, frankly I’m glad you’re still fighting, it would make breaking you all that much more fun!" He yanked Joe’s head up, and put the knife to Joe’s throat. "But, fighting won’t help your old man find you, why don’t you just give up?"

"Never!" Joe spat at him, he could feel blood coming out of his mouth, from where he bit down on his tongue when they were beating him. He also felt his chest hurting, from where they had hit him, thinking maybe his ribs were bruised or cracked.

"Still fighting?" Thomas said. "Good, but the more you fight, the worse it will be, but I personally like the ones who fight to the end, it makes it all the more satisfying when your end comes." Thomas put the tip to Joe’s throat, but Joe only glared at him defiantly. Joe winced as he felt the knife tip pierce his skin, not far, just far enough to make it bleed pretty bad.

"I know, what will work," Thomas’ eyes brightened as a thought came to him, he pulled Joe’s hair, and made a move like he was going to hack off a lock of his hair, but Joe, realizing that Thomas was playing a mind game on him, just stared at him defiantly, just daring him to do it, but this only seemed to make Thomas angrier and he threw Joe’s head back, making Joe hit his head against the back of the chair, he winced as his head made contact with the chair.

"Why don’t you just get this over with!" Joe shouted at him, or as loud as he dared, getting tired of these stupid mind games.

"Now, now don’t be in such a hurry, all in due time, we’re having such a good time playing with your Dad, and your brother that we can’t stop yet. He’s out chasing some leads, desperately trying to find you, by now he has seen your picture," Thomas sneered.

"Just leave them alone!" Joe tried to shout, but all he managed was something over his normal tone of voice. He couldn’t stand the thought of what either his father or brother was going through, especially Frank, he could only imagine the pain he was going through because he knew Frank’s intense need to keep him from harm, that had saved him so many times in the past, because of his impulsive nature. He never told Frank how much he appreciated Frank during those times.

"We couldn’t have as much fun, if we left them alone, now could we?" Thomas sneered at Joe. "Your Dad, put our father in jail, and because of that he died in prison."

Joe tried to struggle in his bonds, but it hurt to move, he didn’t want to say anything, he knew Thomas was playing mind games with him, and the more harsh things got, the worse it was for him, he wasn’t about to let some creep goad him into saying something.

"I see, you are learning, but are you?" Thomas sneered, I can see it in your eyes, you think if you don’t say anything, we would just quit?"

But that only to seem to make Thomas madder, Joe doubted that silence would stop what they’re doing, but he only glared at Thomas just the same, with a huge fist, he hit Joe in his temple, he saw stars, and slumped in his bonds, unconscious.

* * * * *

Sam pulled his car into the Hardy driveway, their trip to Southport, yielded more information they had hoped to find, they found out where Joe was, and they found out that Joe had been returned to Bayport, they had called Chief Collig, and he promised to put out an APB on the Draven’s and the stolen car, and on Joe, but they were still no closer to finding Joe, Bayport had it’s share of places where Joe could be hidden. But Sam knew, that all they needed was that all important clue, and Joe would be home where he belonged.

Fenton had said nothing since they left Southport, Sam understood that, over his years of long association with Fenton, and his sons, he came to understand that they all cared deeply for each other and would do anything for a friend in need, and he intended to help in any way he could.

Fenton got out of the car, and slowly made his way to the front door, he half expected Frank to come bursting out of the house, to find out if he found out anything, since they had called, but he didn’t, he walked up to the and opened it, and called, "Frank!"

"In here, Mr. Hardy," came a familiar voice from the living room.

Fenton walked into the living room, followed closely by Sam, "Biff, where’s Frank?"

"He went up to his room, Joe’s kidnappers called not long after Sam called, and Frank heard them beating Joe over the phone," Biff explained.

With that, Fenton turned around and left the living room, he went upstairs, and when he reached Frank’s room, rapped lightly and opened the door. "Frank, are you asleep?"

"No," came Frank’s reply, as he sat up in bed.

Fenton walked over and put his hand on Frank’s shoulder, "We’ll get him back," Fenton tried to calm him.

"I know, but is was hard to hear them beat him," Frank replied. "Knowing there was nothing I could do about it."

"Did you tape it?" Fenton asked.

"Yeah," Frank replied.

"We better get downstairs, the sooner we bring Joe home, the better," Fenton said.

"Okay," Frank said, eager to solve this case and get his brother back, he got off his bed and followed his father downstairs, just as he got downstairs, Chet came rushing in, "Frank, we found what you were looking for!"

"You found out where they brought the camera?" Frank asked, hopefully.

"Yes, and they turned the video into the police, and they made a copy, and said to give it to you and your Dad," Chet replied, excitedly.

"They said, about a month ago, Alexa Draven came in and purchased the instant camera, the clerk said she remembered her, because she was so rude," Tony explained, coming in behind Chet.

"Thanks," Frank said.

"Thanks," Fenton said as well, as Chet handed him the videotape.

"Also, here is a photo and description on Alexa Draven, Chief Collig thought you would need it," Chet said, handing them to Frank.

"That’s great," Frank said. "That will help us find Joe, great work Tony and Chet."

"Anything to help," Chet responded, Tony nodded in agreement. "Do you need anything else?"

"Dad, you said that a pair of joggers saw them carry Joe to a stolen Ford Taurus," Frank commented. Biff, Chet and Tony gasped, Frank ignored this as he continued, "You also said they did this deliberately, did you get any information from them, when you talked to them?"

Fenton looked at Frank’s face, he knew Frank was getting down to business now, he knew his lapse of composure was from the shock of hearing them beating Joe, and his inability to stop it.

"Yes, it was a navy blue 1995 Ford Taurus, it was stolen from Southport two days ago," Fenton replied, "As far as any information from the witnesses, I wasn’t able to get much, as it seemed to have shaken them up pretty badly, I can understand why, after seeing what Joe looked like," Fenton explained.

"Were you able to ascertain his condition, Mr. Hardy?" Biff asked.

"His face was badly bruised, it looked like he had been slapped, his lip was cut in a couple of places, he had a black eye, but it didn’t look bad, but I doubt that’s the case now," Fenton explained.

"Well, the sooner we start looking, the sooner we find him," Frank said, his voice full of determination, he knew that losing control wouldn’t help him find his brother any sooner.

"The police officer I spoke to in Southport, also said the area where the house where Joe was has a lot of bikers and joggers that pass by there at that time of day, so I am thinking that they deliberately wanted to be seen, but with them in Bayport, I don’t think they want to be so obvious, so let’s go over the houses in the area that are rentals, we can take the photo to the owners to see if they recognize Alexa," Fenton said.

"Of course, they don’t want to attract attention by inhabiting a house that is supposed to be vacant, they rent the house, so it won’t seem so obvious," Frank said. He turned to Biff and Chet, "Biff, Chet, are you guys up to help search for the house? We have to call the owners, as opposed to going to the houses, we can arrange to meet them somewhere discreet so we won’t tip the Draven’s off to what we’re doing, we want to fins Joe ASAP."

"Count me in," Biff said. "I want to catch those creeps before they can do anything else to Joe."

"Me too," Chet echoed.

"This is harder than it seems," Chet said, how do we determine, what type of house they’re using?"

"I think, they would try to use a house, with a windowless basement, also I would think they would try and use a house that is a fair distance from the nearest neighbor," Fenton commented.

"So when we interview the owners, we ask if they have a basement?" Biff asked.

"Yes," Frank replied, we shouldn’t rule out houses that are somewhat close, especially if the house is fairly soundproof."

"That would depend on how well-built it is," Fenton commented. "I don’t think they would go all out, remember they try to spend as little time in town as they can."

"How can they afford to live this way?" Chet asked, curiously.

"They probably steal during most of the year, they are also suspected of robbing convenience stores throughout the region, they could probably steal enough to scrape by," Fenton replied.

"Okay, let’s get looking and calling, the sooner we catch those creeps, the better we all will feel," Biff said.

With that they all went to work, Sam left to try and locate the stolen car, Fenton, Frank, Chet, and Biff called all the local real estate companies to check on rentals that had been rented in the last month or so, all the while they prayed that they were on the right track, for they all knew that their thoroughness, was the key to finding Joe before it was too late.