He slowly turned his head sideways and examined his surroundings. He was on a cot in a small shed. A door and boarded up window were directly across from him. Aside from the cot, no other furniture was in the room. A floor lamp stood by the door.

How did I end up here? he wondered silently. The last thing I clearly remember is being in the school with Nancy following some kids who broke in. There was a green light, but nothing else.

Frank looked at his wrist to see what time it was. It was almost noon. Frank struggled against the tape bindings trying to break loose. He knew Joe was pulling his hair out not knowing where he was.

As he struggled, Frank tried to figure out what the three people were doing messing with the computer on the teacher’s desk.

After 10 minutes, Frank stopped struggling. He knew he wasn’t going to get the tape off his wrists and get away. He knew Joe would be wondering where he was, but would Joe find him before his kidnappers came back. Frank closed his eyes as he tried to figure a way to get out.

*****

"Ned’s meeting us at the police station, right?" Joe asked Nancy as they ran to the van in the rain.

"Yeah," Nancy said. "I talked to him during lunch, but he didn’t have any luck. Hey, wait, aren‘t you supposed to be at baseball practice?"

"Yeah, but this is more important. I told the coach I had to pick up some medication for Frank."

"The coach may not like the idea of you lying to him."

"What else was I supposed to tell him? Oh, sorry Coach, but I can’t be at practice today because Frank has been abducted and I need to find him. The coach would call the paramedics to have me committed."

"You do have a point."

"Hey, Hardy," A voice called out. Joe turned and saw Nathan Miles and two other guys and a girl coming toward him. The girl stayed back and Nancy was unable to see her face.

"What do you want?" Joe asked. "I’m really not in the mood for an intellectual conversation with you."

"What’s wrong?" Nathan asked standing nose-to-nose with Joe. "Is someone upset his big brother isn’t here to wipe his nose?"

Nancy put her hand on Joe’s shoulder as he said, "I don’t need this from a loser like you." He turned to Nancy. "Let’s go."

"Rumor has it that Frank’s sick," Nathan said with a smile. "That’s pretty uncommon for him. He’s usually here, even with a fever."

Joe opened the van door and Nancy climbed in. Joe was about to close the door when Nathan grabbed Joe and spun him around. Nathan grabbed Joe’s shirt with both hands. "Is your brother really sick or is he hiding out somewhere?"

"Let go of me," Joe said breaking Nathan’s grasp. "Why don’t you mind your own business." Joe started to turn away, then turned back. "Just remember, if you lay a hand on me again, I will have you arrested."

"Nice threat," Nathan laughed and looked over to Nancy. "Hey, cutie, if you ever get tired of the jock, come find me. I’ll show you a good time."

Joe closed the door, went around to the other side and got in. He started the engine and drove off the school grounds. Once they were off the school grounds, Nancy asked, "What was that all about?"

"I have no idea. Nathan and I have never really gotten along," Joe said. "But right now, I’m more worried about Frank."

"So am I," Nancy admitted. "Maybe Ned came up with something this afternoon."

"I hope so," Joe said.

When they pulled into the visitors parking lot at the police station, Ned was just arriving. He pulled up beside the van. They got out and Joe asked, "Any luck?"

"Nothing," Ned said and they went inside. "Have you heard anything at school?"

"No," Joe said as they walked up to the front desk. "Hey, Con."

"Hi, Joe," Officer Con Riley said as he eyed Joe suspiciously. "What can I do for you?"

"I need to see Chief Collig," Joe said. "It’s important."

"Go ahead down," Con said waving them through.

"Thanks," Joe said and they went to the Chief’s office. He knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Joe entered the office followed by Nancy and Ned. Ned was closing the door as the Chief looked up at them.

"I figured you’d show up sometime today," Chief Collig said once they were seated.

"So, you know what happened?"

"Sure. Someone snuck into the school last night and broke the glass on one of the science lab doors."

"We followed the people in through an unlocked gym door," Nancy said.

"Were you able to recognize anyone?" the Chief asked.

"No," Nancy said looking down. "Frank and I split up to locate them, but I didn’t have any luck."

"What did Frank see?" the Chief asked impatiently.

"Frank’s the reason we’re here," Joe said and explained what happened the night before in the school. He finished by handing the note he had found in his locker to the Chief. "For some reason, I think whoever broke into the school is also responsible for Frank’s disappearance."

"So, you haven’t seen Frank in almost 24 hours," the Chief said.

"No," Joe said getting to his feet. "When we searched the school, we came across the lab. Whoever was in there was gone by the time we searched the second floor."

"We did find this earring," Nancy said pulling the pink and purple feather out of her pocket.

Joe looked at the earring and closed his eyes realizing he had seen a lot of those earrings around. There was one group that wore the earring as a sign they were close. He remembered who started wearing the earring first, Debbie Stellar.

"I think that earring belongs to Debbie Stellar," Joe said opening his eyes as Nancy handed the earring to the Chief. "She always wears one as a good luck charm in her left ear."

"Where did you find the earring?" Chief Collig asked as he turned it over in his hand.

"On the floor by the broken glass," Nancy said. "I think I know what’s going on."

"What?" the Chief asked.

"Just remember, this is a theory," Nancy said. "But I think the graffiti, the stolen computers and the broken glass were to keep the police occupied while someone hacked into different teacher’s computers and searched their files."

"But why?" the Chief asked.

"I believe they are selling tests and selling them to make a profit," Nancy said. "That’s my theory, but I don’t have any proof."

"But who is behind this?" the Chief asked.

"I’m not sure yet, but I plan to find out."

"Who else knows Frank is missing?" the Chief asked.

"Just you, my dad, the three of us and the people who have Frank," Joe said. "Isn’t there anything we can do?"

"I have an idea," Nancy said. "But it involves the Chief."

"Let’s hear it," Chief Collig said.

"What if the press gets wind of Frank’s abduction?"

"Then whoever abducted him would kill him," Joe said.

"I don’t think they will," Nancy said. "If my theory is right, and I do say if, these people don’t have the know how to kill someone. The people involved have to be students and they won’t kill another student."

"I hope you’re right," Joe said.

"Whoever has him knows they can’t keep him for long. They must have figured out you’d come looking for Frank."

"And if the press lets it slip that one of the Hardy boys is missing, the abductors may release Frank fearing the cops will find them," Ned finished.

So, you need me to let it ‘slip’, as you say, to the press about Frank’s disappearance," Chief Collig said.

"I think that would help," Nancy said. "I really think it would put a scare into them."

"All right," the Chief said. "Why don’t you three get out of here before I let it slip, so you’re not hounded be reporters."

"Thanks Chief," Joe said.

"Now, get out of here, some of us have work to do," Chief Collig said with a smile as he began preparing a statement for the press.

Once outside, Joe invited Nancy and Ned over or dinner to help him run interference with his dad. They accepted and agreed to follow.