Then she spoke, "Joe look at me. I don’t have much time, silly. There’s something I need to tell you. You need to be careful, or…"

"Iola?" Joe said interrupting her. "I’m dreaming right?"

Reaching for Joe, Iola lightly touched his cheek. "Please let me finish. You are in danger, Joe. Something could happen that might change things forever…"

Then out of nowhere, came a loud clap of thunder. Hearing the rolling thunder, Joe’s eyes flew open. Feeling a chill run through his body, he thought for a moment. ‘Man I must really be dead on my feet.’

Over time, Joe had experienced some very vivid dreams of Iola. Some were horrific, while others seemed like bittersweet memories. This one however seemed real.

"Get a grip, Hardy!" Joe mumbled to himself. The thunder grew louder and had been joined by intense lightning. Realizing that the weather was rapidly deteriorating, Joe got to his feet and headed back to the barn. As he walked down the path, he could see a figure running in his direction.

"Joe, where are you?" Vanessa yelled.

"Right here, Babe," Joe replied as he picked up speed. Holding his arms out, he tightly embraced her. "I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to be gone for so long. I accidentally dozed off."

"Don’t worry about that, Frank told me you didn’t sleep well last night," Vanessa said breathless from running. "I was just coming to tell you that there’s a large storm headed our way. Mr. Morton wants everyone in the barn. He’s keeping his ears tuned to the weather radio."

"Well, we better head back then," Joe replied. The pair headed back up the path to the barn hand in hand. As they walked, Joe pulled Vanessa close to him, and softly said, "I love you. You are so amazing. I don’t know where I would be without you."

"Probably sleeping in the rain," she replied with a giggle.

Joe playfully dumped his giggling girlfriend in a fresh pile of leaves, and kissed her warmly.

"Ahem…" a voice interrupted them.

Joe blushed, realizing his mother had caught them!

Vanessa felt her cheeks start to burn immediately, now thankful that it was dark out and Mrs. Hardy could not see her face.

‘How embarrassing!’ she thought.

Laura stood before them with her hands on her hips.

"Uh… we were just heading back to the barn," Joe said stumbling over his words.

"I’m not so old, Joseph Michael, that I don’t remember what it’s like to be young and in love. Now move it!" Laura exclaimed as she swatted Joe on the arm.

Joe pulled Vanessa to her feet and helped her brush the leaves from her long hair. They made it to the old barn just as the rain started to fall.

*****

As soon as they returned to the barn, Joe heard his brother call his name. After joining Frank and the rest of their friends, Joe and Vanessa settled in to wait out the storm. Joe had started to act like himself again. Vanessa was grateful, but made herself a mental note to talk to Joe later, although she was fairly certain she knew just what was bothering him.

"Joe, Callie and I were just thinking that it might be fun to go to the mountains tomorrow for a picnic and hike," Frank stated with a grin. "Are you guys in?"

Looking at Vanessa, who nodded her reply, Joe exclaimed, "Sounds like a plan to me!"

The boys often went to the Adirondack Mountains, to hike or camp. Fenton Hardy had instilled a love for the outdoors in both Frank and Joe at a young age. The Hardy men tried to make it to the mountains for a long trip every year. Knowing how much his younger brother loved to go hiking, Frank had enlisted Callie’s help, and quickly planned the outing. He thought Joe needed a break, even if it would only be for an afternoon.

As the storm died away, the details of the outing were finalized. Chet and Cassidy would also be going along. Chet was grateful the brothers had invited them to go along. He was glad to have another opportunity to spend time with Cassidy.

"Frank, since Vanessa and Cassidy are spending the night at my house, why don’t you two meet up with Chet and pick us up on the way out?" Callie suggested as she got up to help with the cleanup.

"I think that’s a great idea, beautiful," Frank said with a smile, as he gave Callie a quick kiss.

With the task of cleaning up completed, Frank and Joe said their goodbyes to Chet and his parents, and headed for the van. The girls had already left in Vanessa’s car, on their way to Callie’s house. As they headed down the dirt road that led away from the farm, Frank noticed Joe staring blankly out of the passenger window.

Finally deciding he couldn’t stand it any longer, Frank said, "Joe I know something’s bothering you. What’s up? Why didn’t you sleep last night? Can I help?"

"Whoa, Frank, take a breath!" Joe said smiling. "It’s just that even as much as I was looking forward to tonight, I knew it would be hard. I had a strange feeling last night that I couldn’t shake. And no, no matter how much you want to, I don’t think you can help. Time and Vanessa are all I need. Time has already helped a great deal. I hardly ever have the nightmare any more. And Vanessa… well, as I told her tonight, she is amazing. I’m not sure I deserve her."

"I had a feeling it had something to do with Iola," Frank said sadly. "I won’t even pretend that I know how you feel, Joe. If anything ever happened to Callie…" Frank began, but found he could not continue.

"Frank, I need to tell you something else…when I took a walk earlier, I dozed off under a tree. I saw her Frank," Joe said in a haunted voice.

Frank remained silent, but gave Joe a sympathetic look.

"I know that I was dreaming, but it seemed so real. She said she had to tell me something. Frank, Iola said I was in danger and needed to be careful."

"Joe," Frank whispered. "I know dreams can seem very real. You were so tired…

"I know," Joe said cutting Frank off. "I just had to tell someone."

"Joe, you know you can tell me anything. I’m always here for you," Frank replied.

"Yeah, I know. Thanks," Joe said sincerely.

For some reason Joe’s eyes settled on the gas gauge. "Uh, Frank, we are almost out of gas. Why don’t we go ahead and fill up now, so we won’t have to do it before we leave tomorrow?"

Nodding his head at Joe’s suggestion, Frank pulled into the nearest gas station.

*****

A very nervous young man was also headed to the same gas station that night.

‘They must know, but how could they…I’ve been so careful. Why else would they want to meet me here if they didn’t know?’ the young man thought to himself.

Fear soon crept into his thoughts. "OK, I can do this," he muttered as he pulled into the station.

Pulling around back as he had been instructed, the fear and tension he felt doubled. The area was desolate, and the station itself was very isolated. Trying desperately to collect himself, he laid his head on the steering wheel. Seeing lights coming towards him out of the corner of his eye, he stepped out of the car.