hardy boys fan fiction

SAVE THE WORLD
 hardy boys nancy drew fan fiction
by

PiperMerlyn

Chapter 4

 hardy boys fan fiction

THE CHAPTERS

INTRO

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

Later that evening, Joe came down to the lobby where Chen met him and handed him the keys. Joe grinned at the smaller man. "Thanks, Chen, I owe you one." His grin faded slightly. "Did you have any trouble?"

"No, no trouble, Mr. Hardy. Mr. Thorne was ready to be rid of it."

Joe nodded and started to leave, when a thought came to mind. He didn't remember telling Chen the name along with the address. He spun on his heel. "Mr. Chen, how do you know who lives there?"

Chen shrugged. "My son dated Mr. Thorne's daughter for awhile."

Joe studied the man for a long moment and then nodded. "Small world then."

Chen bowed low. "Yes, yes, small world."

Joe walked slowly across the grand lobby and out of the hotel. He played catch with the keys for a moment and then stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the hotel. Maybe the leak had been much closer than they'd assumed. 

The valet brought his vehicle and Joe started to get in and then paused. The valet key worked only on the driver's side door and the ignition. The rest of the car's inner and outer locks had to be opened by the master key alone.

"Is something wrong, sir?" asked the valet.

"I know this is probably a bad time, but I haven't checked the oil in a good month or so."

The valet frowned. "I am sure, sir, that the oil is fine."

"I'll check it anyway." Joe reached down and pulled the hood release lever. As he straightened up, he felt cold steel pressed against his neck.

"Easy, Mr. Hardy," came a low voice. "Back away from the car slowly."

Joe did as he was  told and tried to see who it was out of the corner of his eye but the sudden sharp pain as the butt of the gun struck the back of his head made him forget all else as he blacked out.

                                                ***

Whatever he was lying on, spread-eagled, was ice-cold. Joe Hardy opened his eyes and swallowed hard as he saw the sterile room and what looked for all the world like a laser in one corner. Hadn't he seen this in a movie once?

"Mr. Hardy," came Bernard Thorne's voice. "You continue to irritate."

Joe swallowed hard again. "I aim to please." He watched two Oriental men push the laser contraption over to the table he realized he was strapped to. "Isn't this a tad melodramatic?"

"Oh, that is not for you, Mr. Hardy."

Joe let out a sigh of relief. "Good. I'm allergic to lasers, I'm afraid."

"It is for her."

Joe twisted his head around and felt his heart sink. India Sloan lay on a metal table, strapped down as well. Her head lolled to one side and her eyes were closed. "Why?" asked Joe with a snarl, his anger flaring.

"She is a spy, Mr. Hardy. Death to spies."

Joe's eyes went wide. "No. Spectre is disbanded. It doesn't exist anymore."

"Then the propaganda is working, Mr. Hardy."

Joe tugged at the leather straps holding his wrists to the table. "When I get free--"

"Idle threats, Mr. Hardy. As soon as the laser powers up, Miss Sloan will be dead and it will all be over."

A sudden loud explosion rattled the walls and made Thorne stagger. He frowned and ordered the two Oriental men to leave the laser and go investigate. The two men darted out of the room just as another explosion sounded even closer. The floor bucked and it knocked the table Joe was on, on its side. Joe winced as it jarred his shoulders.

Thorne glanced at the door and darted for another door. He glared at Joe. "I will tend to you both at a later time," he threatened as he left the room.

"Joe!" Felix Leiter rushed into the room, brandishing his 9mm Beretta. "Where is he?"

"He ducked out," said Joe.

"Damn." Leiter undid the straps and Joe pulled his arms free and worked on his ankles. Leiter spun around, caught sight of the unconscious girl and cursed roundly.

Joe rolled to his feet and went over to the other table. "You actually brought the cavalry?"

Leiter flashed him a grin and undid the straps holding India to the table. Joe hefted her up and frowned at Leiter. "Tell me you didn't come alone, that it was all a bluff."

"Of course not, do you think I'm crazy? That my friend, would be you."

Joe snorted and nodded to the door Thorne had used. "He went that way."

"Probably should go that way too. I mean, I may have burned one bridge too many in coming here."

"And you have the nerve to call me crazy," muttered Joe, heading for the door. "Come on, old friend. Let's get out of here." He glanced over his shoulder at Leiter. "Well, what are you waiting for? 

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

Joe pushed open the door and found himself in a dimly lit hallway. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Part of the Thorne Estate but it's separate from the house." Felix took a deep breath and pushed the door closed. "Too bad this doesn't lock."

Joe gave Felix a look. "You didn't bring the cavalry, did you."

"Sorry, they were busy with some reenactment in North Dakota." Felix flashed Joe a grin as they hurried down the hallway.

Joe rolled his eyes. "God, you're getting as bad as me."

Halfway down the long corridor, India began to wake up. She stared at Joe, startled and then cleared her throat. "Put me down."

"Are you sure you can manage?" asked Joe, not trying to be condescending.

"I'm fine." India took a deep breath and looked around. "Where are we?"

"Secret passage," said Joe, trying not to grin. "The big honcho took this route, so it should be safe."

India arched an eyebrow at him and started down the corridor. Felix came up close to Joe. "She likes you."

"Could have fooled me."

Felix laughed as they followed her down the corridor. There was the sensation of going down although there were no steps. After nearly an hour of walking, they came to a doorway slanted above them. Joe shook his head. "Don't tell me. The cellar door."

India gave him a haughty look and pushed open the wooden doors. Sunlight streamed in, making Joe blink. "You know I'm getting tired of missing out on my beauty sleep."

"Well..." Felix's brown eyes twinkled. "Never mind."

They stepped up and out and found themselves in a vast flat area with trees forming a boundary at the horizon. "Where are we?" asked Joe, getting tired of asking the same question.

India looked around. "I'm not sure. But the sun isn't high, so I'm going to say that's east."

Joe sighed. "Let's just get back to the hotel and regroup."

                                                ***

Joe Hardy stared out the floor-to-ceiling window, sipping his cold soda. The assignment had been a bust, since Thorne got away. And there was no sign of the daughter either. Joe sighed. And to make matters worse there was no guarantee that Thorne couldn't pick up where he'd left off and keep buying satellite companies. Joe sighed again. He was tired of chasing his tail.

A knock sounded on his door and Joe strode across the suite to answer it. He was in such a grumpy mood he wasn't even going out to eat. He pulled open the door and froze.

Artemis Thorne pushed the food cart into the room and pushed the door shut. "Where is my father?"

"I would have thought you would at least know that. He took off before I could ask him."

Artemis pulled a wicked looking Bowie knife from a sheath at her waist. "I can cut you so you'll bleed to death slowly." She advanced on him.

Joe glanced down at his glass and then threw it at her, sending the contents directly into her face. She squealed and dropped the knife. Joe snatched up the knife and pulled her close. "Why don't we try this tango again? Where was your father headed when he left that underground torture chamber?"

"My eyes--they're burning." Artemis blinked rapidly as her eyes watered. "What was that?"

Joe shrugged. "Soda. Where is he?"

She struggled for a moment and then went limp. Joe wasn't going to fall for that old trick and held on tightly. When he didn't let go, she started struggling again. "Let me go."

Joe shoved her away and locked the door. "Unless you plan on doing a swan dive off the balcony, there's no where for you to go." He looked down at the knife in his hand for a moment and then looked back at her. "What's going on, Artemis?"

"My father doesn't think I can handle the business."

Joe narrowed his eyes. Had India been right to say the scheme was the daughter's not the father's? "So, you decided to buy up the satellite companies. It would have been quite a boon to hand to your father. Is he now the head of Spectre?"

"Yes."

"With all the satellites in your command, you would control the world."

She squared her shoulders. "As I should."

Joe stared at her. "Don't tell me you really believe you're that Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt."

Her chin came up and her dark eyes were hard. "Father named me Artemis. I am his daughter and I deserve this."

A sudden knock on the door distracted Joe. Suddenly, Artemis lunged at him, crashing into him. They fell to the floor and the knife skittered out of both their reaches. Joe flipped her onto her back and pinned her arms. "Stop that. I try to have a normal conversation and you rush me."

The knocking grew louder. "Joe!" came a familiar muffled voice. "Open the door."

"If I let you up, are you going to rush me again?"

She snarled at him and Joe sighed. "I'll take that as a no." He glanced over his shoulder but didn't see the knife immediately. "Damn."

"Joe--!"                                        

                                                ***

"Joe!"

Joe Hardy came up off the couch and opened his eyes. "Wha--?" He blinked and saw his brother staring down at him, looking quite concerned. Joe sagged against the couch cushions and swallowed hard. "What? Where's the fire?"

Frank frowned as he looked at his brother and then reached for the remote and shut off the movie. "How could you sleep with that racket on?"

"That wasn't racket, that was James Bond." Joe's heart rate slowed down and he sighed. "Oh man..."

Frank started to ask him what was wrong when he heard the front door open and saw his parents come in, talking softly. Laura turned to look at Frank and Joe and arched an eyebrow. "Frank, I didn't think you'd be back this early."

"The movie wasn't as long as we thought, Mom."

"Well, did you have a good time?"

Frank nodded and Joe got an odd look on his face. "Yeah."

Frank looked at his brother, puzzled. "Joe?"

"Hmm?" Joe looked over at Frank and patted his brother's shoulder. "I think I'll go back to sleep now."

Laura came into the living room. "Joe, are you okay?"

"Fine, Mom, just want to finish the dream."

Fenton bit back a smile. "Son, it doesn't really work that way. It's not like pausing a movie and coming back to it. Once the dream's cut short, that's it."

Joe frowned, thought it over and then swatted Frank's arm. "That's for waking me."

"You were talking in your sleep. Who's Artemis?"

Joe blushed much to the amusement of his parents. He cleared his throat and glared at Frank, daring to ask another question. "Never mind, I think I'll go up to bed."

Joe gathered up his crackers, Gatorade, tissues and his blanket and started up the stairs. Frank watched his parents hang up their coats and head up the stairs as well. Frank stood in the middle of the living room, puzzled. He looked at the now blank television and then slowly smiled. That would explain the blush. Frank sighed and started up the stairs.

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