Frank parked in the Hooper driveway and got out. He pulled his coat over his head to afford some protection from the rain as he raced the couple of yards from the van to the front door.   

Knocking on the door, he wondered if he should have called first, as he didn’t even know if Biff was home. After all, it was Saturday night and he could be out somewhere. Not everyone’s lives were turned upside down because of Will….  

But a moment later, the door was opened by the surprised teen.  “Hey, Frank. What are you doing here?” he asked, already backing up to let the other teenager into the house.  “How’s Joe?”  

Biff was very worried about his friend, after finding him getting pounded on like that by Stephen and his buddies. Although he silently thanked Sherlock for dawdling during their walk, or else he never would have been there.  

“He’s fine,” Frank said as they stood in the hallway, “But he’s going to be lying low for a couple of days until we can get some sort of idea where William went or what he might be up to.”  

“Really?” Biff said, “Where’s Joe gone?”  

“Sorry Biff, but we have to keep that quiet for now. It’s a safe-house, that’s all I can say, “Frank apologized, hating to keep something like this from Joe’s best friend; Biff worried over Joe almost as much as Frank did.  But the other teen was nodding his head in approval. The older Hardy had filled him in on what was going on with William earlier while they were at the hospital, and he had been wondering if they would take some type of measure like that.  “You can see him at school on Monday.”  

“Good. At least that will make it difficult for Will to get to him…” Biff agreed, and then asked, “So have you and Callie got plans tonight?” He assumed Frank had just dropped by to tell him about Joe, but then the dark haired boy shook his head.  

“No, not tonight. What about you? What lucky girl is going to be spending her Saturday night with the Biffster?” he teased lightly.  

Biff grinned.  “Actually, I’m home tonight. My folks are out of town until tomorrow afternoon, and I just thought I’d hang out and watch a movie or something.”  

“Oh?” Frank said, his interest piqued – anything not to go home yet!  “What movie?”  

“Starship Troopers,” Biff said, and then looked at the other boy and grinned, “Wanna hang out for a while? I ain’t Joe…but I am blond.”  

That made Frank laugh even as he wondered why that movie had all of sudden become so popular. That was the one that Joe and Iola did not watch the night before….  

“Sounds like a plan…but I think I’d better spread the word around for everyone to be on the lookout for William first. We think he’s going to try and impersonate Joe again.”  

“Shit,” Biff said, as his eyes narrowed dangerously, “I would just like for him to try…any excuse, that’s all I’m asking!”  He pounded his hand into his fist for emphasis, and Frank agreed grimly, knowing exactly how Biff felt.  

Any excuse at all….

* * *

It was late when Doug felt the familiar vibration of his cell phone in his pocket. He had been dreading this call all day, as he already knew without even looking who it would be.  William.  

Closing the door on the small private room he had in Foundling Hall –a perk of being one of the oldest residents – Doug answered, tentatively, “Hello?”

* * *

William looked down into Joe’s eyes and he could see the fear so thick it hung around the younger twin like a pressing heaviness that he could see… and taste.  

“Hello, my sweetie…did you miss me?” he hissed as he pressed a little harder with his knee into Joe’s chest. The younger boy couldn’t say anything, as he could hardly breathe through the weight of his brother pressing down on his ribcage.  

“I certainly missed you…” with those words, a fiendish glint stole the twin’s features, and he pulled out a cigarette and lit it; enjoying the new terror that owned the boy brutally pinned beneath him.  

Oh yes, this was going to be fun….  

William’s eyes shot open and he sat up abruptly. His heart was hammering in his chest in anticipation as his breathing was labored from excitement.  Swinging his feet over the side of the bed, the boy sat up and took a few moments to collect himself.  

After they had gotten to Con’s house, Will had gone to the guest room to lie down for a while, as his head was still splitting. And he must have nodded off, because that was a hell of a dream.  

William had not had one of that intensity in a long time, and he knew it was driven by the knowledge that Joe was waiting for him. It wasn’t a dream…it was a premonition.  

Glancing at the time, he was surprised to see how late it was, and even more so that he had slept through supper. It was now ten p.m. and from the sound against his window, the teenager knew it was still raining.  

That might complicate things, he decided, as he’d need to be extra careful not to leave any telltale signs that he’d been out during the night. But he already had a plan which he modified only slightly after he heard his stomach growl….  

After he ate, he’d call Doug and have him meet him at the end of the street; then he’d excuse himself for the night, cut the security wire attached to his room’s window, and slip out. He was confident that once he closed his room door, Con would not open it to check on him – in fact, he was counting on it.  

Then after he’d ‘played’ with his brother for a while, he’d have Doug drop him back off and he’d slip in the way he slipped out.  

It was brilliant.  

“Con, is it okay if I use the phone?” Will called out, in case the cop saw an extension in use and picked it up just to make sure it was ‘Joe’.  

“Sure,” came his muffled reply, as Con figured Will wanted to call Frank.  “I’ve left you some supper if you’re hungry. Lamb stew and biscuits!”  

“Thanks!” Will yelled back, very pleased by the sound of that. He smiled to himself as he dialed Doug’s cell number, hmmm, wonder if my little Joey is hungry…yet?  

A few moments later though, as Doug recounted what had happened since talking to Will earlier that day, the twin was no longer feeling very hungry.  

Joe had escaped and was somewhere out there.

This was not good…not good at all!  

Incensed, William used a few choice words that made Doug shrink back from the phone, before hanging up on him. He’d deal with that imbecile later; right now he had a bigger problem….  

Where was his brother?

* * *

“Hey, where’s Sherlock?” Frank asked a couple of hours later, when the dog still hadn’t put in an appearance. The movie was now over and it was the first time he’d noticed the pooch’s absence.  

He had been a bit preoccupied after his father called him and told him that William had shown up at the house. Frank was still angry, and also shaken by how close they had come to seeing him. After his brother’s violent reaction to just hearing that Will might be coming back to town, Frank had no idea what to expect if Joe actually did see his twin – and he hoped they didn’t get to find out.  

Fenton had advised Frank to stay at Biff’s if he could, as the search continued for the delinquent twin – unfortunately the rain was hampering the police efforts.  Biff had immediately offered to let Frank stay over for the night, which the dark-haired teen gratefully accepted.  

He really did not want to go home yet – especially now, knowing that William was definitely close by. Frank had his own demons from that night….  

Biff tossed him another can of pop to help wash down the last of the pizza they had ordered as he rolled his eyes.  “He’s been upstairs the whole time. Silly dog. He’s been lying down by the patio door all night!”  

“Does he want to go out?” Frank asked.  

The other boy gave him a strange look and then admitted, “Actually, I’ve been so preoccupied by everything tonight that I haven’t even thought about that. It has been a while. Hold on while I let him out, okay?  He can go into the backyard, it’s too wet for a walk!”  

“Cool,” Frank said, opening the can he’d been given and taking a long sip before reaching for another piece of pizza. And then as he saw Biff leaving the room, he pulled out his cell and punched in Con’s number. He wanted to see how Joe was doing. 

* * *

Biff let the dog out, and was surprised when Sherlock ran straight towards his doghouse instead of doing anything else.  

“Sher…come on, pooch, it’s raining out here!” He had no idea what the dog was doing. But he saw him wagging his tail and heard him give a little whine before going inside the small house.  

“SHERLOCK!” he hollered at the dog, “Get in here now! If you don’t need to pee then get your black and tan butt back in here! I’m getting cold!”  

Still the dog didn’t come back out.  Biff was tempted to go and see just what was the big attraction in the doghouse this night, but it was just too wet and cold.  

So with one final, “SHERLOCK! That’s it, pup, you’re in the doghouse for the night!” Biff closed the back patio door and locked it.  

He wasn’t worried about Sherlock being the yard overnight. The fence was sturdy, the doghouse was weatherproof and the dog had fur. It was cold but nothing that would bother a dog.

* * *

Joe started when a wet nose was pushed into his face and it took him a few moments to realize where he was and what had happened.  

“H-hey Sh-She-r-r,” he whispered as he shivered and pushed the cold snout away, “Y-you d-don’t m-mind sq-squat-tters do y-you?”  

The dog licked his face in response, and then snuggled down next to him in the cramped space. Joe didn’t mind though – he was cold, still very wet, and appreciated whatever warmth the dog had to offer.  

The night was going to be a long one but right now with the rain still pelting down on the roof, Joe had no intention of going anywhere.  In the morning, he’d try and make contact with Biff.  He knew there was no way he would get near Frank or his own home without some sort of help.  

Biffster, I hope you’ll be in the mood for listening, Joe thought wearily as his eyes closed and he drifted off again.

* * *

Frank lay on the bed in the Hoopers’ spare room and frowned. He thought about what his father had told him about William showing up at their house, and it just didn’t make sense.  

Why would William make a move as blatantly obvious as that? It just didn’t fit with the diabolical mind that was ‘Evil Willy.’   *thanks Cyndy*.  

Use a knife to carjack a Good Samaritan right to their house??   

What was he going to do then?  

His frown deepened, as he had no answers, but the growing unsettling in the pit of his stomach told him it was going to be a long night. The only highlight was that when he spoke to Joe, his brother assured him that he was doing good and promised to call in the morning.  

Apparently Con had already told him about the most recent ‘Will event,’ and he was relieved not to detect anything in his brother’s tone to belie what he was saying…I’m fine, Frank. Honestly….  

The older brother scowled in the darkness and just hoped that wherever William was right now…he was cold, wet and miserable.  

At the very least.