Hardy Detective Agency featuring Hardy Boys Fan Fiction

Joe spared a glance around the marketplace. A quick look told him there was a good dozen carpet sellers in the immediate vicinity. "You like being vague, don't you."

She grinned. "I thrive on it."

Jon shook his head. "What's with you and women?"

"Go on. Meet with him," said Joe, ignoring his brother. "Meet me later."

"Can't. Too risky."

Joe heaved a sigh. "Tomorrow night. Here."

Kendra started to shake her head, then apparently changed her mind. "Fine. Midnight. Here."

"Midnight."

Jon watched her leave. "Surely, you don't trust her."

Joe thought back to Thailand. "More than you'd think."

"She's a mercenary, one step below a terrorist."

"She's a person who follows her own path."

"Her path is on the wrong side of the law."

Joe shrugged. "And sometimes the most effective. " He started to walk away when a cold chill swept down his spine. "Damn it."

"What?"

"I think Casi's in trouble."

"Don't be ridiculous. She's fine."

Joe shook his head. "I think I'll go check on her."

Jon frowned and followed him out of the souk. "We left her at the hotel."

"Doesn't mean she stayed there."

"What kind of trouble could she get into?"

"Lilith Raven."

"You said she was in Ireland."

"That was two days ago."

Jon shook his head as he steered his brother along the sidewalk. "You're being paranoid."

"You don't have to come."

Jon sighed and stayed with Joe until they reached the hotel. At the double door entrance, Jon grabbed his brother's arm. "Wait. I have a room here. Let me. 2114, right?"

"Right." Joe started to shake his head to tell his brother he wanted to go, the mission be damned, but his brother had already darted inside. He clenched his hands into fists and started to pace. She was fine. He was panicking for no good reason. What seemed like an hour later--although Joe's watch claimed five minutes--Jon came back out of the lobby. Joe opened his mouth to ask but Jon shushed him and clapped a shapeless khaki hat on his head. "Come on," said Jon, his tone sounding way too serious for Joe's peace of mind.

"Casi--"

Jon shushed him again and led the way up two flights of stairs to Casi's room. The door was open but the room was neat and tidy, except for where the corner of the sheet was pulled free of the mattress. Joe stepped inside and yanked off the hat, fighting not to panic. Jon squatted beside the bed and stuck his hand between the mattress and boxspring. Finally, he pulled out a tiny cylindrical object. It was a bullet. "Does Casi have a gun?"

Joe swallowed hard, lost in his personal tortures.

Jon pocketed the bullet and got to his feet. "Joe?"

"Lilith was here."

"That's what you said last time."

"This time I know it." Joe walked stiffly toward the desk, running his fingers over the desktop. "Lilith has her to get to me."

Jon shook his head, pulled out the bullet and studied it. It was new, not a mark on it. According to the numbers and letters on the bottom, it was a bullet for an automatic weapon. "Does Casi have a gun?"

"No."

Jon scanned the room. "Don't you think she would have put up one hell of a fight if it was Lilith?" He focused on the bullet again. Why had it been under the mattress, like it was hidden?

Joe thought back to the car wreck nine months ago. "Not necessarily." He swiveled on his heel and started for the door.

Jon stepped in front of him. "Oh no you don't."

"Get out of my way."

"Nothing doing. Sit down."

Joe punched his brother in the shoulder. "Move."

Jon slipped the bullet back in his pocket and retaliated with a gut punch. Joe doubled over in reflex. Jon pushed him down to the floor. "I said sit."

Joe glared up at him and sucked in a hard breath. "Shit! You didn't....have to hit so hard."

His brother grunted and rubbed his shoulder. "Neither did you. I'm still not over the cooler incident."

"I have to save her."

Jon sat down heavily on the bed. "You bursting in there, pistols cocked and cannons blazing, would endanger innocent people including Casi."

Joe turned his head to look at him. "Who?"

Jon sighed. "The children. Shakira has two children, seven and five."

Joe made it to his feet and shook his head. "Jon, no."

Jon's head shot up. "Shut the hell up. She's guilty by association. That's---" He shook his head and stood. "Damn it, I don't care. I don't want her hurt."

Joe stared at his brother for a long moment. "How long do you think you could've made it last, Jonny boy? Once she found out---"

"Shut up."

"You were the one who told me never to get involved with a suspect."

"That was Uncle Graham." Jon's shoulders slumped. "Once she finds out, she'll hate me."

"At least she'll be free."

"No, she won't. She's guilty by association at the very least. Wilder...."

"What Jack don't know, won't fry your butt." Joe shrugged. "She vanished once, she can do it again."

Jon looked over at him. "You know what you're suggesting?"

"Yeah....I do." Joe looked off into the distance, not really seeing anything. "I'm suggesting the same thing I suggested five years ago..." He finally faced his brother. "In Germany."

"That was different, damn it."

"You said he was guilty by association."

"He'd committed genocide."

"He was eighty-five years then. Don't you think his conscience was punishment enough?"

"If he had one."

"He did." Joe took a deep breath, told himself it was the past, it couldn't be changed now. "He died in prison last year, congestive heart failure."

Jon shook his head. "Heinrich Gauss didn't deserve your mourning. He killed thousands of Jews---"

"I know. But to not show compassion would be worse." Joe glanced around the room. "I'm going."

"By all means, let's go rescue your love." Jon started for the door, adding under his breath. "And destroy mine."

Joe opened his mouth to call his brother back but instead just shook his head and hurried after him. Everything could be explained later.

***

She sighed and lowered the binoculars, then looked around. From this angle, there was no easy way in. She fiddled with the binoculars, imagining what she would have to explain: I don't do kidnapping but I let her get kidnapped. "Real brain, Logan."

Seated on the low balcony rail, Leslie Logan shook her head. This was not good. She'd seen the tall blond with the sunglasses and beard eying MacFairlaigne's hotel window but hadn't thought much of it. She'd only talked to Donovan once but she had the impression he'd have backup plans for every situation, and that maybe she wasn't the only person he'd called.

But the kidnapping proved her wrong. A few nosy questions had prompted information galore about this fancy estate she was watching. Son kills father, turns reputable company into a crime syndicate, then vanishes after splitting the company with his eldest three children, who subsequently disappear as well.

Leslie peered through the binoculars again and spotted a woman sneaking into the outer wall. Leslie xeroed in on the woman and the door, marking the spot visually. Her luck was definitely turning for the better. She climbed off the low rail with a grin. Emerson was right on occasion--patience and persistence did pay off. She glanced at her watch. It had been only half an hour since the kidnapping yet she felt a sense of urgency. Emerson called it her feminine intuition, she usually accused him of being chauvinistic.

Leslie sighed. She knew one thing for certain. There was more to this than meets the eye...

***

She opened her eyes slowly, feeling sluggish. Her mouth was dry and her throat itched. Cassandra took a deep breath and promptly sneezed--which made her head hurt. With a groan, she pushed herself to a sitting position and looked around. Narrow arched windows covered with lattice work, smooth sand-pink walls, candles on a low table instead of a lamp. Something about the room seemed oddly familiar, like she'd seen it in a dream. Casi stood up carefully and moved to dust off her skirt and tunic only to find they were gone, replaced with a black cotton djellaba. Instantly, she hated it. She moved to the door and was surprised to find it opened easily.

"Hello again."

"You." Casi took a step back and glared at him. "I should've shot you while I had the chance."

He was still wearing the sunglasses despite the dimness but she could see he had a tight-lipped look about him, like he was angry. "She's right, I am a good actor. Best stage actor all through college." He looked down either end of the shadowy hallway, then grabbed her arm. "Come on."

Casi yanked her wrist free. "Like hell. I 'm taking care of Lilith before I leave."

"You don't quit, do you."

"Go away."

He pulled off his sunglasses then and even in the dim light, she could see his eyes were an intense jade color. "You're no match for her. It's better if you leave. Now."

Casi pushed past him. "I don't think so."

He grabbed her arm again, spun her around to face him. "I could easily sling you over my shoulder and carry you away."

"Try it, Mister Macho, and see if it doesn't earn you a swift kick in the crotch."

"Yeah, right."

Casi cocked her foot back. "Willing to test my reflexes?" she asked, her voice growing hard.

"Nice kitty," he said in a sudden concialitory tone. He even let go of her arm. "Don't bite the hand that's trying to set you free." He shook his head. "Going after Lilith isn't very smart. She's killed before."

"I know. I want to pay her back in spades." She looked around the bare corridor. "Is this the Hadad place?"

"Yes." He took a step away from her. "There's a secret way out of here."

"Why do you care?"

He frowned and shook his head. Finally after a long moment, he sighed. "He's not worth your life."

Casi took a deep breath, remembering the fear she'd felt when Jaime had told her Joe had gone missing, how the fear had intensified finding the wrecked car. It blended with the fear from nearly nine months ago when she'd found him floating unconscious in the pool....She found her eyes filling with tears. 'Would you die for him?'......"God knows, I'd die for you if it came to that."......"That's a cop-out. I want you to live for me."......"I love you."......"Say that again, I don't think I heard right."....."I love you."....."Yes, he is."

He studied her for a long moment with those intensely green eyes. "You really mean that, don't you."

Would you die for him?......Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.*....Casi squared her shoulders. "Yes....I do." I will, she added silently. "Lead the way."

***

"There's no way in other than the front gate," reiterated Jonathon from the narrow shadow of a date palm.

Joe gestured to the figure close to the wall. "Then what's that?" A black rectangle appeared, the figure in white disappeared inside and the wall was seamless once again.

"So that's how she sneaks out."

"Moonlight rondezvous? That is so lame."

"Worked for Bogart."

"That was Casablanca. Where are we again?"

"Shut up."

"Let's go. We'll discuss that later."

The afternoon sun turned the wall a delicate rose as the brothers casually crossed the street. Jon pretended to have lost something on the sidewalk as Joe felt for the hairline crack that would mark the hidden entrance. "Bingo," he whispered as the crack widened to a one-inch slit.

"That is such a stupid song," muttered Jon.

Joe grabbed his brother's shirt and yanked hm backwards. "Come on." He darted inside into complete darkness and froze at the quiet click of a gun being cocked. "On second thought---"

"Quiet," whispered a contralto voice.

Jon stepped inside, pushed the door shut. "On second thought what?"

"You could've kept watch out there."

Joe winced as the gun barrel jabbed him in the ribs. "I said quiet." The gunman flicked a lighter just as Jon went for his gun. "Don't even or I'll waste your friend here."

Jon squinted in the dim glare of the flame. "He's not my friend."

"Yeah, sure. And I'm the Queen of Sheba."

"Nice to meet you, your majesty," said Joe. "I'm curious, though, did you and King Solomon---ouch." He added as she jabbed him again. "Okay, sorry, I get the message. No personal questions."

"What are you two jocks doing here?"

Joe turned serious. "Rescuing someone."

"MacFairlaigne?"

Joe felt her step back a few inches. The light flame winked out. He frowned at the movement and the question. "How did you know?"

"Well, her brother---"

Joe groaned. "Donovan hired someone to bring her back to Ireland?"

"Yeah."

Jon stepped forward, orienting on her voice. "Who are you?"

"Leslie Logan, private investigator."

Joe shook his head. "This is rich. Casi'll kill him for sure."

Jon gestured to the door, then realized she couldn't see him. "We'll take it from here."

"Right," said Joe. He banished the thought that this time Donovan may have been too late in trying to keep his sister safe.

"I can't just turn my back on this." Logan clicked the lighter again, apparently not comfortable discussing this in the dark.

"You can be our back-up," said Joe. "If something---"

"No."

Joe ignored his brother. "If we're not out of here by sundown, get in touch with Desiree Seymour, Shakira's advisor. She's an ally."

"No," said Jonathon again.

Leslie seemed satisfied and she nodded. "Okay."

Joe sighed. "Can I borrow the lighter?"

"As long as I get it back."

"Deal."

Jon waited until she'd left through the hidden door. "Why the hell did you do that?"

Joe shrugged and raised the lighter high. All he could see was a narrow dark tunnel stretching in both directions. "All part of the plan."

"What damn plan?"

"This." Joe pivoted and swung a hard right at Jon's jaw. His brother sank to the dirt without a sound. Joe shook his hand to get feeling back in his fingers. He'd learned years ago that Jon had a certain spot at the base of his jaw. "Sorry, bro. This is my fight." He hadn't taken more than a dozen steps when a dim overhead light came on. Standing in a doorway backlit by afternoon light stood Lilith Raven.

"Hello, Joseph. Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly." she said, pleasantly.

Memories of that car wreck and what came after made his hand throb. Then he remembered what she'd told him and felt the anger grow. "This fly fights back," he growled out.

Lilith shifted position, only then did Joe see the weapon. "How tough are you?" she asked.

Joe reached for his gun as she fired. A small dart imbedded itself in his neck...and then the world faded out.

***

Casi was quiet as she followed him down the built-in railless steps. Then she saw what was at the center of the room and went ice-cold. "No." she whispered, feeling her heart break.

"Ah, Cassandra." Lilith Raven turned to look up at her. "Rest well?"

Casi darted around the man she'd already named Jade and moved to go to Joe but Lilith blocked her path. "Seems I have him."

"No." She took a deep breath. Damn it, if the woman had wanted her off-balance, then she was doing a damn good job. "What did you do to him?"

"Nothing catastrophic. He should be waking up soon." As if on cue, Joe groaned and stirred in his seat.

Casi reached out a hand but he was too far away. She noted her hand was shaking, whether from unshed tears or anger, she wasn't sure. "Let me go to him."

"If you wish." Lilith stepped aside.

Casi hurried over and knelt by his chair, her fingers aching to untie the ropes binding his hands, his ankles. "Joe?"

"Casi." He opened his eyes and gave her a lopsided grin. "Thank God, it was just a nightmare," he mumbled.

"Joe."

His grin faded as he noticed the black djellaba and that he was tied to the chair. "No," he muttered.

"I'm okay." Casi shivered at his paleness. "Joe, I'm okay."

He didn't seem to here her as he noticed Lilith Raven. "Let her go. You have me."

"Yes, I do." Lilith walked up to him, took a strand of Casi's hair and toyed with it. She was wearing a solid black pantsuit and her blond hair seemed to shimmer in the overhead lights. "I have both of you," she added, lifting her clear colorless eyes to look at him. Slowly, her lips curved into a smile.

Joe fought down the revulsion he felt having her so close to Casi. She killed Bryce...Again, he felt her weight as she sagged against him, already dead. Only now the face was Casi's. Panic clawed at his heart, his soul, desperation seemed to drag the next words out of him. "My life for hers."

"No." Casi shook her head, feeling her own sense of desperation. "I want you to live."

"My life for hers," Joe repeated, trying not to listen to Casi. God, it was hard. "Let her go."

Lilith tightened her fingers on Casi's hair. "I'll think about it."

Anger flooded through her, making her hot inside, even outside. She back-handed Lilith without thinking and winced as strands of hair pulled free of her scalp as Lilith fell backwards. Casi got to her feet, shaking with fury. "I've had enough of you."

Joe swallowed hard. "Casi, no."

She didn't seem to hear him or was ignoring him on purpose. She advanced on Lilith as the latter stood up. "You should've stayed down." Casi swung her fist, connecting with Lilith's jaw. Lilith staggered back, stunned. Casi swung again.

Lilith dodged her fist and charged, knocking Casi to the floor. She put both hands on Casi's throat but before she could choke her, Casi slammed her palms on Lilith's ears at the same time bringing her knee up, catching Lilith between the legs, effectively stunning her. Casi rolled the woman onto her back. "I will kill you."

"You don't have the guts."

Someone dragged Casi off Lilith. Casi fought to get free but it was useless. "Let me go." Then she saw it was Jade. "Let me go."

Lilith got to her feet, looking rather bruised. "No. Hold her, I want her to see this." Lilith stalked over to her and punched Casi in the stomach hard enough to knock the breath completely out of her.

Casi fought to breathe as Lilith motioned to two men to take Joe out of the room. "Where.....are.....you.....taking.....him?"

"You'll see." Lilith nodded to her stepbrother. "Bring her."

***

Jon wondered who'd turned the lights out. And why his jaw hurt. He staggered to his feet and lurched forward as memory sharpened. "Shit," he muttered, massaging his jaw. He owed his brother big time. He felt his way forward when it occurred to him, he was probably going the wrong way. Just then, he stepped on something. He bent down and felt for it. Smooth, rectangular--the lighter. Relieved, Jon flicked it open and clicked it. Welcome light--however dim--flooded the tunnel. He hurried forward until he found a door. He shoved it open only to be welcomed by a shriek. Shakira was standing on the stairs, wide-eyed. "J-jonah?"

" 'Kira? Where's Raven?"

"She left." Shakira stared at him. "You're after her."

"Yes." Jonathon took a deep breath. " 'Kira, you need to leave here. You and the children--and Desiree. Go far away."

Shakira started to turn, to come back down the stairs. "No."

"Please. Go where it's safe."

She continued down the stairs, hurried over to him. "Come with me."

"I can't."

Shakira froze. "You." She flashed back to the reading and went weak. She took an unsteady step backwards. "It's you. You are the one who will destroy me."

"No. 'Kira..." Jon shook his head. "This business--is it worth your life, your soul?" He reached out for her, only to grasp empty air. "Run away."

She stood there for a long time and studied him, finally tearing her gaze away to look around. "I was born here..."

"It's a building. Your memories are inside you."

Shakira looked at him once again. "Run away with me." She reached out and this time their fingers touched.

Jon let his hand drop and he shook his head. "I can't. Go. Hurry. I--" He cleared his throat. "I hope one day we'll meet again."

As she left, Jon took a deep breath and turned for the door. He glanced over his shoulder but she'd already vanished up the stairs. "I love you." With a shake of his head, he left estate and veered around the corner.

"There you are."

He froze and glanced around to see a dark-haired young woman looking anxious. "A van just left heading in the direction of the airport," she added.

Jon nodded and made a beeline for his car. As he slid into the driver's seat, Logan got in beside him and closed the door. "What are you doing?"

"Going with you."

"Oh no you don't."

Leslie shook her dark head. "I'm involved now whether you like it or not. And I can take care of myself."

Jon started the car, pulled out of his parking space, shifted gears. "Fine," he snapped. He didn't say another word as he drove as fast as he dared along narrow streets. As they neared the airport, Jon saw a cargo helicopter painted in desert camaflauge lift up and zoom off, barely skimming treetops and minnerettes. Jon slammed on the brakes and pounded the steering wheel with his fist. "Shit, that explains it."

Leslie watched the helicopter disappear. "Because they're flying under radar?"

Jon nodded. "How do you know that?"

Leslie shrugged. "You'd be surprised."

Jon pulled off on the side of the road and sighed. He'd recognized the helicopter's call numbers. They belonged to the Hadad family, he knew that much. "They're heading east."

"Nothing out that way but sand."

"Not necessarily. Desert's good about hiding camps." Jon made a U-turn and got back on the road. He headed back for the center of town.

Leslie scowled. "Aren't you going to go to the airport? Ask questions?"

"Why? They're flying under the sensors. Ten to one, they didn't file a flight plan---"

"How do you know?"

"Raven wouldn't leave such an obvious trail."

"But we can't sit on our hands and do nothing."

"I don't intend to."

***

The flight was short. They'd landed on what had looked to be a sand dune. But as they disembarked, Casi saw it was a landing pad. As they left the landing pad via an elevator, Casi realized the landing pad was the roof of a camaflauged building. She looked around and noticed Joe wasn't with them. "Where's Joe?"

Jade shook his head and steered her to a window blocked by metal shutters. Slowly, with a screech of metal, the shutters parted. Casi barely spared a look since all the view was of sand. She looked at Jade. "Stop her."

He shook his head and half-turned away from her. "I can't."

"Why?" She turned to look at him, touched his shoulder, felt the tension. "You're not bloodkin."

"She's still my sister," he said heavily.

"How the hell can you stay loyal to her?" Casi would have gone on but a movement outside caught her eye. "What...?" She looked out the window to see two men half-dragging Joe into an old Army jeep with a canvas top. "No."

"Get rid of him and there is no more contention," came Lilith's voice as she entered into the room. "You are a fighter. Join us."

For the briefest of moments, Casi flashed back nine years--Halloween, cats disappearing, a tall, dark imposing man, a deep voice, I can sense your power. Join me and grow... The memory made her feel sick. "No, no, no." She whirled on Lilith but Jade stopped her. "You--"

An explosion rocked the building, causing sand to spill through the window. Casi spun around to see the canvas top in flames and parts of the jeep scattered and on fire. Ice-cold shock hit her, turning her numb. She couldn't even cry, her mind was a blank. Then she screamed...

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The Hardy Boys Fan Fiction authors of the Hardy Detective Agency have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.