Biff had decided that he needed to try and escape when they moved him.  It was his one chance.  There were only two guys here; sure, they had guns, but he had taken on worse odds before.

Waiting until the men had a lull in their conversation, Biff let out a loud groan and started to pretend that he was going to throw up. 

Jeff shook his head disgustedly. “Damn it – this place smells bad enough in here without him puking all over the place!”  The other nodded resignedly and the two men got up and went over to unshackle the boy and take him outside to be sick.

Biff made his move, and as soon as his arms were free he tried to tackle them. However, Biff underestimated how weak he had become, and as his arms fell uselessly to his sides and he dropped like a lead weight to the floor, he realized that this was indeed a very bad idea.

“That was mistake, trash,” Jeff seethed as he pulled out his gun and prepared to shoot Biff in the leg. “Remember what I said, I won’t kill you, just give you a little owie…”

Before he could shoot, the door banged open and Remus Plyth strode in. “Hi ya, Dad!” he said with fake joviality.  Jeff was immediately suspicious.  Although he and Remus did get along, his son had never referred to him by his paternal honorific.  But before he could question it, Remus stood in front of Biff to shield him and pushed the gun down. “I don’t think you want to do that.”

Before he could ask him why not, two more people entered the room, and Fenton Hardy shot Jeff’s companion as he spun around to take a shot at the strangers.  Remus grabbed Jeff and the two scuffled for a few minutes before Jeff pulled away with his hands up in surrender.

Biff grabbed his hero from behind in as tight a hug as he could with numb arms. “What took you so long?!”  he hollered as Frank started to release the other boys. 

Remus pulled away and looked at Biff Hooper for a few minutes before he walked back towards the van, got in the passenger side and waited.

“Is he okay?” Biff asked as Frank gave him a quick slap on the back – very glad to see him.

“It’s good to see you Biff – you have no idea what you put your mom and dad through – and because of that, what you put me through!”  Frank laughed at Biff’s confused look before Biff caught on.  He could already imagine Frank having to listen as his parents tried to tell him what had happened, each one trying to outdo the other.

“What about Joe?”  Biff asked again, but Frank just shook his head sadly.

“He got amnesia from the car accident and he still doesn’t know who he is.  And up until a little while ago, he thought he really was Remus Plyth.” 

In the background, he could hear sirens and within minutes, two police cars arrived to take care of the kidnappers and the exhausted boys.  Biff went with the Hardys back to the estate after assuring the police that he was okay and didn’t need to go to the hospital. 

“The only thing I need is some FOOD!” This made everyone laugh.

Everyone except Joe/Remus, who just sat in the passenger seat and stared out the window.

* * *

The Gray Man helped escort Andreya into her office.  He had thought that was as good a place as any to search for any evidence.  But when they opened the door, they found Pharaoh sitting at her desk with a gun pointed at them. “Please come in,” he said.

The Gray Man motioned for the others to wait outside and he then pulled Andreya into the office with him.  He released her arm after the door closed. 

“Pharaoh, thank God!” she gushed as she smirked at the older man.  Her son would save her – but something in his tone made her blood freeze when he spoke to her.

“Don’t thank Him yet – and in fact, given everything that you have done, I doubt you’ll ever get to thank Him.  Thank the devil maybe, but wait a few minutes and then you can do it in person!”

She gasped, “What…”

“Oh mother, dear, sad, twisted mother – don’t look so surprised!  Don’t you remember a story you once told me about the man and the vicious dog?  There once was a man who bought a puppy for protection.  To make the dog mean, the man beat the puppy.  Sure, the puppy became mean and everyone was afraid of him, but he did not do it to protect the man.  He hated the man – he did it because he was afraid of the man. Well, one day the man tripped while going down the stairs, and the dog, seeing the man as he was – weak and hurt, ate the man….isn’t that a wonderful story?”

Pharaoh continued, just warming up, “You beat us, you assaulted us, you murdered us – and that wasn’t enough for you, was it?  It never was enough for you.  And you did this for what?  To keep us near you – isn’t that what you used to say to me…?  ‘Oh my little Pharaoh, I’m doing this because I love you so much but with love comes a price’ – isn’t that what you said…?  The beloved price…”

Andreya tried to interrupt but he stopped her by firing a shot into the wall above her head.  “I’m not finished talking yet, mother.”

The man in gray shook his head at the agents as they started to enter the room when they heard the shot.  “Out,” he mouthed while Pharaoh continued,

“I know what you did, you know.  You and Terry think you’re so smart – you tried to kill Remus, didn’t you?  Why?  To remind me of the precious price?  Or was it to punish our Father – yes, my Dad, the poor fool who loved you, but all you did was pay him and treat him like dirt.  But then something happened didn’t it?  Remus and Jeff started to spend time together and you were so jealous, weren’t you – you couldn’t stand that Remus might actually care for Jeff without any price…so you tried to kill him….But wait – you did kill him didn’t you??”

The Gray Man was shocked; of all the people he had suspected for the murder, he never would have thought that Andreya would do it!

“But you didn’t count on Joe Hardy, did you?”  Andreya was almost translucent from shock.  “Oh, I knew.  At first I wasn’t sure because he really does look like Remus, doesn’t he?  But something didn’t fit right did it – Joe still had a soul – he wasn’t dead.  I saw it when I first looked into his eyes, and you saw it too.  He wasn’t dead like Remus…like me…he was still innocent – you knew that and you tried to take that away from him too didn’t you?” 

He stopped as he remembered how upset Remus, no Joe, had been after his mother had left that night.  “You tried to seduce him.”

Andreya finally cut in, “I wanted my son back!  Yes, I did have Terry kill Remus – but then when I saw Joe in that hospital bed, and saw how he looked just like Remus, I thought I had a second chance.  A better chance – Joe Hardy was a better son than Remus ever was!” She said the last part so quietly that the man in gray had to strain his ears to hear her.

* * *

A short time later, the Hardys arrived back at the estate, and as they climbed out of the van, two agents approached Mr. Hardy and told them about what was happening in the study.  Immediately Joe/Remus started running into the house and was outside the door when the first shot rang out. 

It took both Frank and Fenton to keep him from bursting in.

“It’s okay,” said one of the agents as he left the door ajar enough for them to hear, “he just fired a warning shot at her to get her to shut up.”

“I doubt that will work for long,” Joe/Remus mumbled but only his father and Frank heard.

* * *

“How stupid do you think I am?” Now she turned the full power of her glare and hatred on the man in gray – ”Did you think I had never heard of the great detective Fenton Hardy or his sons, Frank and Joe?  I read the papers – and they have been known to show up in them every now and then.  I always take a keen interest in anyone who might be a problem.”

“As soon as I saw the very first picture of Joe Hardy, I knew he was a ringer for my son.  I had even thought how fun it would be to have Remus switch places with him.  You never had the pleasure of meeting my son, Mr. Gray – yes, I know who you and your meddlesome son are, or should I say were?  A shame about Jacob – but he died well.”  She tried to get a reaction from Mr. Gray but he would never give her the satisfaction.

Right now he was just pleased that he would finally get to put this woman away for a long time….

“Remus was a very cruel, worldly boy; it would have been interesting to see what the Hardy household would have looked like after he spent time there.  Although I hear Laura Hardy is very pretty.” 

Frank almost came through the door when he heard that insinuation in her voice, but his father put a comforting hand on Frank’s arm and Frank saw the grim look on his father’s face.

“So, yes, when they gave me Joe – I was delighted….What a precious play toy he would be – fresh meat.”  Her eyes shone as she thought about him.  “Of course I had to be sure who he was, so I sent Terry on an extra little errand while he was in town a few days ago.  I heard a rumour Joe Hardy was dead – so Terry did a little undercover work for me, pardon the pun – but when the casket turned up empty I knew…” her voice trailed off whimsically as she still looked at the man in gray.

Joe Hardy opened the door and walked into the office before anyone could stop him. 

“Hi ya, baby – how about giving your mother another big kiss…” Andreya held open her arms as if to embrace him but before she had the chance to finish her sentence, Pharaoh shot her.

“I’m sorry, Remus – I mean Joe…” he said breaking down, and Joe tried to comfort him.  It broke Frank’s heart to see Joe trying to be strong when he knew that his brother was ready for a breakdown himself, but Joe tried to stay strong.

“It’s okay, Pharaoh, we’re all okay – please give me the gun!” 

Pharaoh looked down, horrified at the gun in his hand, but he wouldn’t drop it; instead he placed it against his own head.

“No…. I have to end it now – Remus… Joe – there’s no other way.”  The older teen’s eyes were watering and Joe fought to keep his own surging emotions under control, but his nerves were shot and he was an emotional wreck.

“No Pharaoh, please!  I’ve already lost so much – please don’t take away the only brother I know!”  At that Joe collapsed to his knees, and Pharaoh, more concerned with Joe than himself, dropped the gun and ran to his “brother.”   Taking him in his arms they rocked together while all around them the audience watched in silence. 

Fenton took Frank down the hall a little ways where Frank broke down – Joe wanted Pharaoh, not him!

“He doesn’t remember, Frank – just give him time,” Fenton begged desperately.  He couldn’t bear the idea that he might lose both of his sons. 

Joe was already gone… without his memory… and Frank might be lost too because of his….

Biff just watched in silence.  He was still reeling from the shock of the past few days.  First Joe was dead, now Joe was alive – but not Joe.