When they came back and took Frank Hardy from his prison, it was nighttime, and dark. It was also raining heavily. Raindrops stung Franks face as he was dragged by Stan into the fresh air. It was the kind rain that falls after long periods of dry weather, continuous heavy showers, filling up the streams, weighing down the leaves of the trees and turning the ground into a muddy quagmire.

It also made walking from the cavern and up the hill difficult for Frank and his captors. Franks hands were tied behind his back and he lost his balance several times. He could tell that they were getting annoyed with him, and was rewarded with a blow to the head the third time it happened.

"Stop time-wasting, you’re not gonna get away" "Noone gets away from Fraser, its easier to accept your fate and choose a quick death, the more you struggle the more pain you’ll feel. Remember that" The big man laughed a deep, throaty laugh.

‘How many times have you done this before’ wondered Frank to himself, ‘how many people have you killed for Frazer’

Eventually they made their way back to the clearing. The same scene as yesterday awaited him, Joe and Vanessa stood on two small stools underneath the same oak tree. Around their necks were the two nooses, the other ends firmly attached to the branch of a huge oak tree.

The ropes were tighter this time though, Frank could see that even standing on the stools they were digging into Joe and Vanessa’s necks. They weren’t gagged this time, but Frank didn’t think either of them could talk at this stage.

The rain hadn’t stopped falling, and Joe and Vanessa had obviously been standing there for a long time. Their clothes were completely soaked through, and they both were shivering.

A sudden flash of lightning seemed to light up the night sky and Frank could see in it the terror on Joe Hardy and Vanessa Bender’s faces.

Frank looked into Vanessa’s eyes, it was almost like she didn’t even see Frank, could see nothing in front of her except the terror of inevitable death. Frank knew they were in grave danger but they had been before and Vanessa was usually very strong. Something was different this time, and Frank wished he knew what that was.

Then Frank looked at his brother. Joe was barely conscious; he was having trouble remaining upright and even more trouble staying awake. The rain was beating down on the seared and sliced flesh on his back and chest. Joe’s head was bent forward and rain dripped from the ends of his blond hair onto the ground in front of him.

Joe was trying to speak to him"‘…me Frank, pick me" was all that Frank could here. The voice was so strained that Frank didn’t even know if that was what Joe had said to him, he looked at his brother, at the pain in his blue eyes.

"Well now, isn’t this a touching scene, Frank and Joe Hardy, detectives extraordinaire, partners to the end. And Vanessa; the love of Joe’s life, the girl that saved him from depression." "All here together for the climax, the main event"

Frazer stepped out of the shadow he had been standing in. He walked over to Vanessa and took her chin in his hand.

"Vanessa, you really are a pretty girl you know that, lovely long blond hair" He took a strand of her hair in his hand as he spoke. "Id say your Mama is very proud of her pretty daughter."

Suddenly he pulled on the strand of hair, pulling Vanessa’s face towards his; she cried out in pain and then began to whimper.

"It’s a pity Mamas not here now, to see her sniveling wreck of a daughter now isn’t it"

Frazer released Vanessa and walked over to Joe, who was trying desperately to loosen the ropes around his wrists, his face a mask of anger.

"Joe Hardy, younger son of Fenton, the sports star, the guy all the girls love. What’s that I see in your eyes Joe, is it fear?. You know that big brother can save you this time."

Finally, Frazer came over and stood in front of Frank. Now Frankie, we come to the main business of the night. You see, in the beginning I was just going to kill you, plain and simple. Put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. But then I thought that was a bit easy. It would be a lot more fun to destroy your life first and then kill you"

Frazer’s eyes seemed to see straight through Frank, unblinking.

Frank forced himself to stare back, willing himself not to show fear. He couldn’t let Frazer think he was winning. At the back of his mind he knew that his father would find them, he just prayed that it was in time.

Frazer looked over at Joe and Vanessa. "The first step in destroying your life, Frank is here and now. Look at the two of them Frank, look at the fear in their eyes. Look at how much they have suffered already. You can save them, well; to be more exact you can save one of them"

"This is my proposition for you Frank, I’m going to hang one of these two people in the next two minutes, and you’re going to decide which one.

"I wont do it" Franks voice came out stronger than he actually felt. "Kill me instead, just kill me"

"This is not the movies Frank, you don’t get to make those kind of choices" "If you don’t choose one, I’ll simply kill them both. Joe and Vanessa will die here in front of your own eyes, and as a result of your actions." "This way you get to save one of them"