Remus Plyth stared white faced at the computer monitor.  It was all there. 

Not only had he found out that Iola Morton was a Bayport teen who died in a mysterious car explosion, he found out that the police suspected it was a revenge attack against her boyfriend and his brother. 

Remus just kept staring at the boyfriend’s name as it glowed on the screen.  “JOE HARDY” and his mind kept hearing, “I knew you couldn’t be dead - Joe Hardy is too much a survivor!”

The article showed Iola Morton as a beautiful brunette, and Remus felt like his heart was ripped out as he looked at her – why can’t I remember you?

Horrifying as it was, he was even more shocked when he searched on “JOE/JOSEPH HARDY” and then stared at the face of a ghost as he read the obituary:

JOE HARDY, son of Fenton and Laura Hardy, was stolen from his family in a tragic car accident one day before his 17^th birthday. He is sadly missed by his older brother, Frank, his aunt, Gertrude, and a multitude of friends – sadly, too many to print here.

Joe was a star athlete, amateur detective, and will be remembered for his big heart, love of life, sense of humor, courage and loyalty. 

We will always miss you, little brother…

Remus stared at the photograph that accompanied the tribute for a long time.  And when he heard his brother shouting FIRE, he was in the bathroom staring at the same photograph, only this time it was his face in the mirror. 

Who am I?

* * *

Andreya came running from her room when she heard the shouts of her oldest son, and almost collided with Terry, who came running in from the kitchen.  At the same time, she heard the sound of the security alarm going off, telling her that someone had breached the main gate.

“Damn,” she growled and grabbed Terry’s hand before he could run out to see what was going on.  “Take care of Remus!”  He nodded curtly and headed for the stairs.

She saw Pharaoh running into the house and shouted out to him, “What’s going on?”

“The barn is on fire!”  he yelled back, reaching for the phone on the wall to dial 911.  He knew that his mother cared more for those animals than she did for her sons, and was not surprised to hear her scream, “NO, NOT MY BABIES!” as she raced out. 

Smiling sadly, Pharaoh replaced the receiver without placing the call.  Then slowly he walked to his mother’s office and pulled open her desk drawer, removing the small gun she kept there, and then sat down to wait.

* * *

The agents swarmed onto the estate and moved towards the house.  They knew they had to contain the scene quickly and with as little casualty as possible.

“NO! NOT MY BABIES!” the mad woman screamed as she ignored the advancing agents and ran for the barn.  Mr. Gray signaled for two men to follow her as he followed Fenton and Frank into the house.

The first thing that struck Frank was how quiet it was in the house.  It was monstrous, with expensive and auspicious furniture all tastefully placed.  His father motioned for him to get behind him, and they advanced up the stairs towards the second floor.  Joe’s bedroom was on the third floor and Frank briefly wondered where the elevator was.

* * *

When Terry got to the room, he didn’t bother to knock, he just pulled out his gun, pushed the door open and went in.  He saw Remus in the bathroom, and enjoyed the look of fear that crossed the boy’s face when he noticed him and the gun.

“Hello, Joe,” Terry said sweetly.  Remus Plyth stared at him in shock, his mouth moving but no words coming out.

Terry motioned for him to come out of the bathroom, and then Remus found his voice.  “Then it’s true…” he whispered. 

Terry laughed, “Oh yeah – it’s true…”

Terry lined up his gun on Remus’s chest and squeezed the trigger.  Remus heard the shot and flinched involuntarily as he waited for the end to come.  When, a second later, he opened his eyes, instead of seeing angels, he saw two strangers standing in the door.  Terry was dead on the floor.

He stared at the two men as they started to come towards him, but something in his eyes made them stop.  They saw the fear and held back.

Frank’s heart was breaking.  He finally saw his little brother and he wanted to run, grab him and never let go, but when he saw the look of terror and confusion in Joe’s eyes, he stopped.  This couldn’t be rushed. 

Fenton spoke softly as if to a wounded animal.  “Are you okay?” he asked a “safe” question.  Joe was obviously still very confused and he didn’t want to throw too much at him… yet. 

Frank’s eyes flickered around the room and came to rest on the computer screen.  Joe Hardy’s obituary picture was staring back at him.

Remus still had not answered, but he was staring at them, unsure of what to do.  The boy with the dark hair and handsome face from his flashback pointed to the computer screen and said something.  Remus, feeling on the verge of just passing out, nodded blankly and watched as the boy typed in something and then stood back. 

Another picture came on the monitor and he motioned for Remus to look at it. 

For a few minutes Frank didn’t think Joe was going to move, but then the younger boy slowly made his way to the monitor and stared at the new picture.  It was a picture of the dark haired boy and the caption underneath read ‘FRANK HARDY,’ and then he looked at the other face in the picture sitting beside Frank and he knew…

He knew that Remus Plyth was a fraud.

* * *

The man in gray was relieved when he finally caught up with the Hardys.  They had found Joe in time.  Although he was only seconds behind them, he felt that they needed to find Joe by themselves, and hung back just a little longer. 

After a few minutes he went in and saw Joe staring at a picture of him and Frank on the monitor.  It was taken of them after winning the interstate football championship last fall. 

“I’m sorry,” he said when Joe turned to look at him.

“Then this is true?” whispered the boy as he glanced back at the photograph and then at the two other men in the room. His voice sounded so stricken that Mr. Gray felt like the man leading an innocent sheep to slaughter.

“You are Joe Hardy,” he said, nodding. 

The boy continued to look at the picture and seemed unaware of anyone else’s presence for a few minutes, and then he spoke. “Who is this?”

Frank looked at the figure that Joe was pointing to in the picture.  His heart leapt – it was Biff. 

“His name is Biff Hooper.”  Joe nodded as he glanced back down and saw the name BIFF HOOPER next to his own. “He was… he is… he’s your best friend.” 

Remus’s mind was reeling – he still couldn’t remember anything, but he did know one thing for certain.  That blond haired boy, Biff, was in danger.  And he needed to help.  He couldn’t explain it, but he felt such a strong need it consumed him. 

Without a further look at the other men or an explanation, Joe/Remus raced out of the room and down the stairs. 

As he tore down the stairs with everyone else in pursuit he had two other thoughts – where is my brother… no! where was Pharaoh… and where was Andreya??

* * *

Andreya was furious.  Within seconds of leaving her house, she was overtaken by agents dressed in black and put into handcuffs. 

“You can’t arrest me – don’t you know who I am?  I’m Andreya Plyth; I’ll have your badges!”  she shouted, mistaking them for police officers.

“Lady, we aren’t the police,” one of men informed her, and for the first time in her life Andreya Plyth was scared.

As she was taken into the house, Joe/Remus came running down into the foyer, and stopped when he saw her in handcuffs.

“YOU!” she shouted, “why couldn’t you just die when I gave you the chance?!” Joe/Remus was speechless as she continued, “No, you had to come back didn’t you? I should have buried you instead of Romulus…!”

She was still screaming when Joe/Remus just turned and went past her and out the door.  Frank and Fenton were hot in pursuit; he was not getting away again.

“Where are you going?” demanded Fenton as he and Frank barely made it into the van before it was put into drive and sped down the long driveway and into the road.

“That guy in the picture…”

“Biff,” Frank supplied.

“Yeah, Biff, he needs our help!”  Joe/Remus went on to explain what happened from the time he met Biff until he left him tied to a wall.  “If we don’t get there soon, my father… umm… Jeff will have them moved!”

They continued the rest of the drive in silence.  But Frank and Fenton couldn’t help but stare at the one person they had never thought they would see again.  If Joe/Remus noticed, he didn’t say anything, as he was too busy trying to stay sane.

Who am I?