He wondered if they watched him all the time or just when they were with him. He was positive he was in some sort of operating room that had been redone to accommodate the many people involved in duplicating him. Oh yes, he knew what they were up to. Stealing his fingerprint via the skin off his thumb and having the boy who had his build practice speaking like him and studying the photographs so intently could only mean they planned on having one of their men take his place. But why?

Did this have something to do with the reason his dad had sent him to boarding school in the first place? Joe tried pulling his wrists from the cuffs again, wincing as more skin rubbed off in the process. He sighed and leaned his head back. He had no idea where he was or if his family even knew he was missing. And if they did know, would they be able to find him? He knew Baldwin would never tell the truth about his disappearance. What would they have to go on?

And would they even try? It still hurt that his dad had sent him away. True, Joe now knew there was an ulterior motive behind the exile but why just him? And why hadn’t his dad told him the truth? Why had his dad let him think he didn’t want him around? Maybe they didn’t really want him around Joe thought, sinking deeper into his depression. But Frank did. Frank had tried to tell him he was wrong. He had tried to make him feel better but....But Frank hadn’t tried to talk his dad out of sending him away. Not really. He said he had but his last night at home Frank had spent in his room; not arguing with their father.

Feeling worse than he had since he was first sent away from home, Joe let his head hang down and his wrists go limp. Maybe they’ll like the new me better, he thought miserably. If the new me doesn’t kill them, he tacked on silently as his face broke into a scowl.

***

Frank exited the ship with shaky legs. They had overtaken the US Carolina and confiscated her cargo. The crew and captain had been locked below deck, all securely bound, and left behind. Tu-Mey had insisted there was too much cargo to deal with any captives and so all had been left behind.

Frank breathed a sigh of relief. He hated this part of undercover work. Hurting innocent people was something that bothered him no matter what the cause so he was grateful he had not been instrumental in hurting any of the men or in helping to enslave them via the black-market that his father had mentioned.

“We’re heading to the bar,” Ben said, coming over and slapping Frank on the back. “Drinks are on Tu-Mey!”

“Not tonight,” Frank declined the offer with a firm shake of his head. “I think I need to get my sea legs operating before I start drinking.”

Ben let out a loud guffaw. “You didn't do too badly,” he told Frank. “At least you didn’t throw up.”

“Yet,” Frank qualified for him. “I gotta go,” he added, trying his best to sound nauseated.

“Next time!” Ben shouted after him as Frank hurried away from the docks.

Frank threw up a hand in acknowledgement but never turned around as he continued away from his comrades in crime. When he was a full mile away from the docks he slowed his gait a bit.

If they were all going to the bar, Tu-Mey included, then he stood a better chance of investigating the old hospital now. Sure, there would be some guards around but he doubted security would be as taxing now as it had been earlier.

Frank hailed a cab and took it most of the way out. Getting out about a mile away he hiked the rest of the way. He was glad to see he had been right about the security. He watched the side entrance to the building and saw only one guard every few minutes. He waited until the guard passed by for the fourth time and turned the corner of the building before running from his hiding place to the door. He pulled out the knife he had purchased earlier and quickly popped the lock on the door and went inside.

Not wasting time looking over the area he had been in earlier, he took the direction Tu-Mey had taken earlier. Frank slowed down and ducked in a room when he heard footsteps approaching. He listened at the door until they passed then started to exit. Opening the door he started to leave stopping as he saw a lone figure out of the corner of his eye seated behind a one-way mirror in the next room.