Joe’s eyes flew open and he wondered if he was hearing things. He sat up quickly, his body groaning at the sudden movement.  

“Wait,” Joe said to the paramedics. He didn’t want to go anyplace. He wanted to know who was found. He hoped it was Frank. He struggled off the stretcher and moved back to the door. He pushed the door open and stepped down.  

Looking about, he saw several people moving in one direction. He stood motionless for a moment. Part of him wanted to see if it was his brother, but another part of him was terrified of what he would find.  

The need to know took over and he followed the other people, the pain in his left falling from his thoughts. He had just reached the group when someone stepped in front of him. Looking up, Joe said it was the Gray Man.  

“Let me through,” Joe said, trying to shove his way past. “I have to see who it is.”  

“Just hang on, Joe,” the Gray Man said, taking hold of Joe’s arm. “The firefighters are working to get the person out. You need to wait.”  

Joe looked at him. “Did you see who it was? Is it Frank?”  

“I don’t know,” the Gray Man admitted. “We just have to wait.”  

Joe tried looking over the shoulders of those standing in front of him, but the crowd of workers was so deep that his view was blocked. He could feel his stomach churning as the minutes dragged on.  

Please let that be Frank and let him be all right, Joe thought. This has been a nightmare for all of us and I just want my brother back. And I make this promise right here and now, if that is Frank, I am going to become the world’s best brother there has ever been. I won’t aggravate him to no end. I will help out whenever it’s need without any questions or lip and I will continually offer to do things for him. Frank is my best friend. I need to have my best friend in my life. Without him, I am not a complete person.  

“We’re coming out,” a voice said, interrupting Joe’s thoughts.  

The crowd stepped back and Joe could finally see where the rescue personnel were focusing all their attention. He watched as a rescue basket was slowly pulled from the rubble. He some gray hair and his heart began to plummet. Joe closed his eyes knowing that it wasn’t Frank. His brother’s brown hair was unmistakable. Realization set in that he would never see his brother alive again.  

Joe felt himself being pulled backward. He opened his eyes to get his balance. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw that the basket was coming his way. He closed his eyes once again, not wanting to see who had been rescued instead of his brother.  

“Stop right there!” the Gray Man commanded.  

Joe’s eyes flew open at the urgency he heard in the Gray Man’s voice. The basket was right in front of him and he could see the remains of a plaster cast on a leg.  

Hope surged through him as he glanced at the face of the person inside the basket. A smile filled his face as he looked at his brother. Frank had a gash on his forehead that was bleeding profusely. There were also cuts and scratches on the rest of his face. Frank looked pale, but Joe thought it was just from all the dust.  

“We need to go now,” one rescue worker said. “He needs to get to a hospital.”  

“Let’s go,” Joe said, stepping forward.  

The basket was carried to the ambulance and placed inside. Joe waited as the one paramedic started to work on his brother. The other suggested Joe ride up front with him.  

Within a short while, they arrived at the hospital. Joe quickly got out and fell in step beside his brother. He didn’t want to leave his side for a moment. He had gotten his brother back and wasn’t going to let them be separated.  

Once in the emergency room, Joe reluctantly stepped away from the gurney. He didn’t want to, but knew his brother was in good hands with the doctors. Joe allowed himself to be helped onto a bed next to Frank.  

As he watched the doctors clean his brother up and treat his wounds, it suddenly seems as if everything was slowing down around him. He tried to focus, but it was useless. He finally passed out.  

* * * * *  

His head was throbbing. He was exhausted, but he didn’t think he would be able to sleep anymore. He realized he was resting on something soft. He let out a sigh and sank deeper on what he assumed as a bed.  

As he tried to figure out where he was with his eyes closed, he let his others senses pick up any clues. He smelled a lot of disinfectant and could hear a squeaky cart being rolled down the hallway.  

Joe suddenly remembered what had happened with the explosion, he and his father being rescued from the rubble, his father being taken to the hospital, his realization that Frank was gone, shock when his brother had been found and then going to the hospital with Frank.  

He knew he had every right to be exhausted after going through the gambit of emotions. Joe now knew he had to open his eyes. He needed to find out where his father and brother were.  

Just as he started to open his eyes, he heard a door open. He forced his eyes open and blinked several times until they became adjusted to the light. Turning his head slightly, he saw his mother standing at the foot of the bed.  

“Mom,” Joe said softly.  

Laura hurried over to the bed and gave him a gentle hug. She kissed the side of his forehead. She leaned back and looked him in the eye. “Are you all right?”  

Joe took a quick inventory. His entire body was sore. His left leg was throbbing a bit. But overall, he figured he was okay. He looked back at Laura. “I’m okay, Mom.”  

“What a relief,” Laura sighed. “I was so worried about you when I got the phone call.”  

Joe pulled himself up slightly. “Mom, what about Dad and Frank? Are they all right? Have you seen them?”  

Laura let out a breath. “I’ve checked on your father. He’s got a concussion and a couple broken ribs. The doctors say he will be fine.”  

“Is he awake?”  

“He did regain consciousness several hours ago, but he is sleeping again.”  

“What about Frank?” Joe asked. “How is he?”  

Laura was quiet for a moment. “Your brother is in the ICU.”  

“What?” Joe asked. “Why is he there?”  

“Joe, you need to calm down.”  

“Mom, just tell me.”  

“All right.” Laura brushed the hair off his forehead. “Your brother is in the ICU because of his injuries. His leg was re-injured and they had to put pins in to set the bone.”  

“Oh, man,” Joe said. “That has to hurt.” He looked at his mother and recognized the concern etched on her face. “What is it? What haven’t you told me?”  

“Your brother has a concussion, just like your father and you,” Laura said. “But he also has internal injuries. Whatever fell on him broke his ribs, having on of the ribs tear a whole in one of his lungs. They have him sedated and on a ventilator to speed the healing process.”  

“What do the doctor’s have to say? Will he be all right?”  

“They are optimistic that he will be fine,” Laura answered. “But it will be a waiting game until they ease him off the medication and remove the ventilator.”  

Joe stared at the bed. He couldn’t believe how badly injured his brother was. He hoped Frank would be all right. His gaze shifted to his mother again. “I need to see him. I need to see Frank.”  

As he was about to climb out of the bed, the door to his room opened again. Vanessa poked her head around the edge. She asked, “are you up for company?  

“Absolutely.”  

Vanessa hurried into the room. She moved over to the bed and gave him a hug. He was glad to see her.  

“How are you feeling?” Vanessa asked, leaning back from him.  

“I’m all right,” Joe said. “How did you know I was here?”  

“I was at your house when the hospital called.”  

Joe looked at her, puzzled. “What were you doing there?”  

“Well, I had stopped by to see how you were doing and I saw Caren was there.”  

“Caren? Where is she now? Is she still at the house?”  

“Actually, she’s out in the hallway,” Vanessa said. “She didn’t want to be alone at the house.”  

“Invite her in.”  

Vanessa moved to the door and pulled it open. She motioned Caren into the room.  

“How are you doing?” Joe asked.  

“I’m okay, but I think I should be asking you that.”  

“I’m all right.” Joe focused on his mother. “But I want to see Frank. I need to check on him.”  

“I’ll go see if we can borrow a wheelchair,” Vanessa said.  

“You better,” Laura said. “Or Joe will go walking up there on his own.”  

“I’ll be back in a couple minutes,” Vanessa said and left the room.  

Within a few minutes, Vanessa returned to the room with a wheelchair. The three of them helped Joe into the chair before transferring his IV’s to the hanging stand. Laura handed Joe a sweatshirt that he slipped over his shoulders. Caren handed him a blanket to cover his legs.  

Laura got in position behind the wheelchair and pushed him out of the room. They made their way to the elevator and pushed the button for the fourth floor. When the elevator came to a stop, they got off and Laura led them down the hall to Frank’s room.  

They reached the room and glanced through the window. Even though his mother had told him about Frank’s injuries, his brother’s pale face and all the bandages didn’t offer a lot of reassurance.  

“Oh my,” Caren said.  

“The doctor said he would be all right,” Laura said, attempting to keep the emotion out of her voice. “We just have to give him time to heal from his injuries.”  

“Mom,” Joe said, looking over his shoulder to catch her eye. “Please push me in there.”  

“All right.”  

Laura did as Joe requested and wheeled him into the room. Once beside the bed, Joe reached up and put his hand on Frank’s arm. Laura backed away and left the room.  

Joe was stunned. He spoke softly. “Frank, I know you can hear me and I know you are going to be all right. Just so you known, Caren was brought to the mall and she is all right. I’m glad you gave her my number. She gave me some valuable information about what was going on and that helped me get to you. I wish I had found you before everything happened. But there is no way to change what’s in the past. And when you’re ready to wake up, I’ll be right here. I promise.”  

 

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors 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.