“You’ve failed me only because you believe I would take drugs,” Joe explained, ignoring the outraged gasp his mother had emitted.

“Joe, they’re in your system. The doctor said you had to have been taking them for awhile because they were in various stages of breakdown,” Fenton told him. “Look,” he added, running a hand through his hair. “We can’t help you if you won’t let us.”

“I did not take any drugs,” Joe said succinctly. “And if they are in my system then I was given them without my knowledge.”

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Fenton asked, choosing to change the subject rather than argue the point at this time.

“Leaving Pete’s house,” Joe answered without even thinking about it. “I remember heading downtown and seeing....” he broke off, his forehead wrinkling with worry.

“Seeing what?” Fenton pushed.

“I...I saw a boat with all the colors of the rainbow rolling through town,” Joe answered, his voice low as his face betrayed his befuddlement.

Fenton winced; knowing Joe was remembering part of his LSD induced hallucination. “What’s the last thing you remember with clarity?” Fenton asked.

“I...I’m not sure,” Joe replied, a bit anxious as he tried his best to recall the time in question. “Leaving Pete’s and going downtown,” he ended, looking so upset Laura was about to cry.

“You’re saying from the time you left Pete’s house until the time you reached the alley someone gave you the marijuana and LSD?” Fenton asked, not believing him. “Then explain to me how it was in your system in stages?” he demanded gruffly. “Even if you had gotten the LSD at Pete’s before you left, that wouldn’t explain the marijuana. Who has been supplying you?”

“You want to know where I got it?” Joe screamed. “I got it at school! Then I lied about where I was so I could have some peace!” Joe snarled. “You certainly don’t give me any!”

As Joe finished speaking Dr. Mason arrived with Nurse Stover in tow. “What’s going on in here?” he demanded, easing Joe back onto the bed as the nurse lifted his wrist to take his pulse.

No one answered but Joe’s breathing remained rapid form where he had become excited. The doctor turned to Fenton. “I’m afraid you and Mrs. Hardy are going to have to leave.”

“No,” Laura declared firmly as she glared at him for making such a suggestion. “I’m not leaving.”

“You’re upsetting him,” Dr. Mason stated with a frown. “If his blood pressure doesn’t go down and stay down then he could end up back in a coma. Besides, if he doesn't stop moving, he’s going to open those stitches and that won’t do him any good either.”

The fight left Laura and she stood up with Fenton’s help. “We’ll wait outside,” Fenton said, wanting to talk to the doctor about Joe’s condition.

Laura pushed her way to Joe’s side and kissed his cheek. “We’ll be back,” she promised. Fenton took a step closer to Joe, wanting to say goodbye but the monitor above his head increased its tempo and the doctor held up his hand. With a heavy heart, Fenton took Laura’s arm and left the room without a word.

Several minutes later, Dr. Mason exited Joe’s room and closed the door behind him. He noticed the anxious look the worried parents cast at the door and smiled at them reassuringly. “I gave Joe something to help ease his pain,” he told the Hardys. “Nurse Stover is going to stay with him until he falls asleep.”

“But he was awake,” Laura stated the obvious. “When are you going to move him out of the ICU?”

“Yes, he’s conscious,” agreed Dr. Mason. “But his blood pressure remained elevated while he was comatose and has been erratic since he awoke.” He paused to let this news sink in before continuing. “Normally, that would not warrant his remaining in ICU but the knife caused a lot of damage. The knife did not enter straight; it entered from beneath the stomach causing more damage than would have been expected.”

“Wait a minute,” Fenton halted him. “What do you mean it entered from beneath? If he had done this to himself, wouldn’t the knife had entered straight or at least from an upward angle?”

“It would have been difficult to inflict this wound to himself, but not impossible,” the doctor acknowledged.

Fenton and Laura left the hospital after being informed they could return for a brief visit later. When they arrived home, they found Frank cleaning out the van. “Dad, I’ve looked everywhere,” Frank said when his parents got out of their car. “There isn’t anything to indicate Joe was into drugs.”

“I don’t think he is doing drugs,” Fenton said, then explained about Joe’s injury.

“You mean someone gave Joe the acid then stabbed him while he was out of it?” Frank picked up on his father’s wavelength. “Someone tried to kill him?” And in so doing, endangered him for the rest of his life! Frank added silently, consumed with rage.

“Pete Barlow,” Frank said after a moment‘s thought. “Joe went to his house. We’ll start with him.”

“No, he didn’t,” Laura said quietly. “He told us he lied about that.”

“He was lying when he said that,” Fenton said, putting an arm around her shoulders. “I had just accused him of knowingly taking drugs. He was lashing out to hurt me like I had hurt him.”

“You really think so?” Laura asked looking up into his brown eyes hopefully.

“I know so,” he answered with certainty.

“I’m going to the hospital,” Frank said. “I need to apologize to Joe and find out where Pete lives.”

“You can’t,” Fenton told him. “The doctor gave him something to reduce the pain. That and the medication he is on to help regulate his blood pressure knocked him out. We were told we could come back later this afternoon.”

“Fine. I’ll be back here by one thirty,” Frank said. “But for right now, I’m going to head to Phil’s and see if he can find out where Pete lives.”

“I don’t want you going near him alone,” Fenton said, frowning. “If he is responsible then he might slip you something too.”

“I’ll call Chet and Biff and see if they will tag along,” Frank suggested. “And I’ll make sure Chet doesn’t put anything in his mouth.”

“Good luck,” Fenton said.

“Be careful,” Laura added. She and Fenton watched Frank put the rest of his and Joe’s things back into the van and climb in before heading back into the house.

Frank arrived at Phil’s a little later and told him about Joe. “Can you get me an address for Pete Barlow?” Frank asked. “I don’t know his dad’s name so I couldn’t look him up in the phone book.”

“I can break into the school’s records and get it,” Phil said, quirking an eyebrow, but why do you need it?”

Frank told Phil about what had happened to Joe. “I’m going to call Biff and Chet and see if they will go over there with me. Dad didn’t want me going to see him without back up,” he concluded.

“What am I?” Phil demanded in mock outrage. “Chopped liver?”

“It’s not that,” Frank hastily said. “It’s just...”

“I know. I know,” Phil said, waving a hand at him airily and smiling. “You need muscle.”

“Chet? I need your help,” Frank said as soon as Chet said hello.

“What’s wrong?” Chet asked, immediately intrigued.

“Someone tried to kill Joe last night,” Frank said. “He’s in the hospital. Look, it’s a bit complicated,” he continued before Chet could ask any questions. “I’m at Phil’s now. Could you grab Biff and come over?”

“You got it,” Chet promised and hung up. When he and Biff arrived at Phil’s they found Frank and Phil in the basement where Phil had set up a type of electronic lab.

“Okay, we’re here,“ Biff said as he and Chet entered. “What’s going on? This bozo wouldn’t tell me anything,” he added using his thumb to point in Chet’s direction.

“Someone has been giving Joe pot and acid without his knowledge,” Frank informed them. “And on his way home last night, someone attacked him while he was having an acid-induced trip and stabbed him. He’s in the ICU at Bayport General.”

“How?” Biff asked, sitting down. His blue eyes revealed the shock he felt as he looked up at Frank.

“Who?” Chet demanded. “Is it...is it someone he met in rehab last summer? Someone who escaped capture?”

“Actually, I think it’s someone at school,” Frank admitted. “Joe went over to Pete Barlow’s last night. He must have gotten the LSD there.”

“But if he remembered leaving the Barlow’s he couldn’t have been given it during dinner,” Phil commented thoughtfully. “LSD has almost an immediate reaction, doesn’t it?”

“A few minutes,” Frank concurred. “At least, from what I’ve read. At any rate, while we’re at Pete’s, no one is to eat or drink anything.”

“Too bad,” Chet said with a wistful look. “Those brownies Pete gave Joe at lunch yesterday looked awfully good.”