The next day after Frank and Joe were released from the hospital, their friends gathered at the Hardy house to come up with a way that they could locate the person in an attempt to find Callie and rescue her before anything happened.

As the others talked, Frank tried to focus on them, but he had only one thought on his mind: Callie. All night long he had been awake, trying to figure something that he could do for her and was slowly formulating a plan. He had been working out the details in his head, knowing his father probably wouldn't approve of it. But part of him was determined to go with the plan anyway, just if it meant he was with Callie.

"Frank? Are you listening?" Joe asked.

"I heard every word you said," Frank lied. "And I think it will work."

"Frank, we were talking about taking a break and getting something to eat," Phil Cohen said.

"That's what I meant," Frank said. "We've been working hard on this and a break for some food is probably what we all need to focus once again."

"Come on," Joe said, swinging his wheelchair around. The doctor had insisted Joe use a wheelchair until his ribs healed a little more knowing crutches would cause him a more pain. "I know Mom has plenty of stuff ready for us in the kitchen."

The others followed Joe out of the living while Fenton put a hand out of Frank, motioning for him to wait a moment.

"What is it, Dad?" Frank asked.

"I was about to ask you that," Fenton replied. "You've been awfully quiet for the last hour or so and I'm worried about you."

"You don't have to worry about me," Frank said. "Everything is all right."

"Frank, I can see it in your eyes that you have something planned," Fenton began. "And part of me is wondering how dangerous it is going to be. You just got out of the hospital and have a broken arm. You can't be planning to put yourself in anymore danger."

"Dad, I can't sit back and do nothing," Frank said. "We know that whoever took Callie may try to take me. What if we give them the opportunity and do so? If I was with Callie, we would have a better chance of escaping together." Frank looked into his father's eyes. "While you all are trying to track him down, I could end up on the inside and be working from there. Dad, this may be the answer we're looking for."

Fenton was quiet and Frank could just picture the wheels turning in his father's head as he thought through the plan. Fenton finally let out a breath. "You know that I really don't like this plan, but I do see your point. It may be the answer we need."

Frank sighed in relief knowing this was something they had to do.

"But we will be taking precautions to protect you."

"I understand," Frank said, grateful to finally be doing something that could help Callie instead of sitting around.

*****

While eating a little lunch and discussing his plans with everyone, his mother piped in. "Frank, I can't allow you to do that."

"Why?" Frank asked.

"First of all, he has already threatened Callie, which means he's fully capable of killing you if something goes wrong, in which you won't do Callie any good."

"I guess I never thought of that," Frank said, reminding himself he never thought of all possibilities.

"And second of all, we know his sister works for Mr. Shaw," Laura paused to collect her thoughts, there was no way she could tolerate Frank knowingly getting himself kidnapped. "Can't you invite her over to ask her some questions that might be able to help in locating this guy without anyone getting hurt?"

Frank thought this over, although, strangling this guy sounded like a good plan, he had to admit that finding Callie unharmed sounded even better, and he knew that deliberately getting himself kidnapped almost always had it share of pitfalls. He knew of several occasions when the guy could have taken Callie without harming him, Vanessa or his brother. "So what do we do now?"

"I'll go call her," Fenton said, "and ask her to come over."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Frank asked.

"From all reports this guy only had the guy who was outside your hospital room when Phil, and I got a call from Sam Peterson, that he was killed in a attack on the family he worked for," Fenton explained, "but before he died, he confessed to playing a part in Callie's kidnapping and there was no one else that was willing to help him and he doesn't know where Callie is being held."

Fenton left, leaving everyone wondering what to do, "She's on her way," Fenton said, returning to the dining room.

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.