Pine Box
A/N: hey, so i made a few changes, and aded a new chapter. thanks for the reviwes, and the editing. let me know if i need to fix anything else.
"Jeez Jake, what took you so long? I've been waiting in this damn cold forever," said a man, about six feet tall, with dirty blond hair and brown eyes in his early thirties. The man was well built, handsome except for the long, jagged, scare that ran down the right side of his face. He was wearing a black shirt and blue jeans with a leather jacket.
"Sorry Mike, this place aint easy to find," said a much younger version of the man from be hind the wheel of a beat up 1979 GTO. "What ever, just get me out of here," Mike said as he flopped down into the car. "Sure thing, where to bro?" "City bound, Bayport. I want to see an old friend.
With that, the bothers drove away from Jessup State Prison.
18-year-old Frank Hardy stepped outside the store into the night air. He was feeling very smug with himself for finding the perfect gift for his younger bother, Joe. For the last two weeks Joe had been preparing for the chemistry final, and since he was getting nowhere he had asked Frank for help.
On one particular night Joe had gotten so frustrated that he was ready to give. That's when Frank made the promise that if he'd pass the final then he would buy him a present. Joe had passed, with flying colors.
Frank looked down at the bag he carried, inside was My Chemical Romance. He smiled at the thought of Joe's laughter at the joke. 'I got you good little bro,' he thought. Little did he know, that while he was thinking of his prank, the man that was following him was thinking of his revenge.
Frank ruffled in his pocket trying to find his keys. The van was in view, and he couldn't have been more relieved. For the last two blocks he had an uneasy feeling, and years of training had taught him that, that feeling meant danger. 'Come on Hardy, ger it together. Just a few more feet.'
He was only twenty steps from the van, twenty steps from safety. He never got there.
Seven steps from the van was an ally, there hidden in the shadows was the man who ws following him. Once he relised Frank was heading to the parking lot behind the strip mall, he knew exactly where to hide. As soon as Frank came into view, the man charged him. Frank was taken by surprise and could do nothing as the man pinned him down, hitting his head on the pavement. Frank was left in a helpless daze and the man took full advantage, slamming Frank's upper body into the pavement again, this time knocking him out.
"Damn, now I have to drag your ass to the car," the man said as he kicked Frank in the side.
"Joe? is that you?" Laura Hardy called from the living room sofa. She had been alone for the evening. Fenton Hardy, her husband, was out on a case, Gertrude had to visit a friend, Vanessa, Joe's girlfriend, had taken Joe out, and Frank was only god knows where. She didn't mind however, it gave her a chance to relax, read a favorite book and have her space. However, it was getting late, eleven thirty, and as a mother she couldn't help but worry.
"Hey mom, where are you?" Joe called as he shut the front door.
"I'm in the living room. Is Frank with you?"
"Nope, haven't seen him all evening," said blond haired, blue eyed, seven teen year old Joe Hardy as he walked into the living room. "Why?"
"Oh no reason. Just I just really nerves with your father on a case," Laura said as she got up and despaired into the kitchen. She reappear a few seconds latter carrying a glass of water and an apple for Joe.
"Dad's been on hundreds of cases, why does this one bother you so much?" Joe asked as he took the apple from his mother.
Laura sighed and sat on the sofa. "I know, it's just that this one is different. This time it's a gang instead of on person. And I'm not talking about your run of the mill street gang. It's an organized fanatic cult that's already killed ten people."
"He's not under cover, it's a stake out. He'll be fine mom."
"Yes, I know. Now where is your brother? He's been out all evening. He always calls when he's out this late. Maybe you should give Callie a call," Laura suggested.
"I'll do that mom," Joe said as he left to get the hall phone.
"Hey, Fenton wake up. Kolplay's coming out," said Jess, a thirty-year-old detective with red hair and green eyes. Jess was the son of one of Fenton's oldest friends. He was a young bounty hunter/ detective and had approached Fenton for help. When Fenton read the case file, he couldn't refuse.
The Kolplays were a fanatic anti-government cult. They had claimed responsibility for twelve bank robberies, four riots, and three bombings that left ten people dead. There was also evidence that they were collecting guns.
The man they were watching was the oldest son of James Kolplay, Jimmy Kolplay. Jimmy was the front man of the family, the good-looking twenty eight year old was the one who recruited for the cult. They're plan, get to him they get to the father.
Jimmy had just exited the Bayport Plaza, and gotten into a cap.
'What are you up to now Kolplay,' Fenton thought as he said, "Follow that cab Jess." Jess gave Fenton a weird look as he pulled out of his parking spot. Fenton gave an embarrassed smile, "No joke intended."
It was now midnight, and Joe was hanging up after talking to Tony. He had called Frank's cell, which was off, then Callie as his mother suggested, and then Chet, Biff, Phil and Tony. No one had seen or heard from Frank. 'Jeez bro, you've done it this time. Where they hell could you be? This isn't like you,' Joe thought as his stomach tightened with worry as he tried Frank's cell again.
It was still off. 'It isn't like you to leave your cell off, or be late with out calling. Something's wrong.'
"Any luck?" Laura asked as Joe hung up again. One look at her face and Joe knew she already knew the answer.
"Nothing," he said, "now I'm worried."
"Hmmm…. Where could he be?" Laura asked in worried frustration. On cue, the phone rang.
Fenton and Jess followed Jimmy ten blocks to a different, much more rundown looking hotel with something that barely passed for a café with patio seating. Jimmy got out of the cab, and walked over to a table. At this time of night there was almost no one out. There was however two men sitting opposite each other at the table closest to the ally way on the left of the hotel. Jimmy took a seat at the table next to them and began talking to the oldest man.
Fenton and Jess watched from their car, across the street. "Man I wish I could hear them," Jess said as he passed a pair of binoculars to Fenton.
"Well you could go ask them to talk a little louder…Shit." Fenton said causing Jess to tense. "When the hell did he get out?" Fenton said as he passed the binoculars to Jess. "The oldest of the two bothers, the two that Jimmy is talking to…"
"Yeah I see them. Who are they?" Jess asked watching the men.
"The older one is Mike Williams, he's a thief, a violent one at that. He did mostly bank jobs and hotels. He liked vaults. He'd beat anyone who got in his way into unconsciousness, and he's sadistic as hell.The younger one is his bother, Jake. He's his bother's partner, a small time thief and con-artist. I knew he was helping his bother, but when I caught Mike, he took all the blame and I couldn't trace anything to Jake, so he was never charged."
"Wonder what Kolplay wants with them?" Jess asked as he passed the binoculars back to Fenton.
Jimmy Kolplay got out of the cab and walked over to the far table in front of the Chester Café. He smiled when he saw that his appointment was waiting. He took a seat at the table next to him, careful not to be to close. Prisons had a bothersome smell to him, and no matter what, they always leaved a trace.
"Michel Williams I presume," Jimmy said as he held out his hand what was meant to be a charming smile. Mike took it hesitantly and responded,
"I prefer Mike, Mr. Kolplay."
"And I prefer Jim, or Jimmy. I see you already have done a little research," Jimmy was referring to the print outs that Mike had placed in front of him on the table. Instead of responding, Mike followed a group of women walking by. Jimmy followed his gaze and that was when he first noticed Jake.
"Who's the kid?" Jimmy asked with out breaking his smile.
"Don't worry, he can be trusted."
"We asked you to come alone."
"I do all my transaction with him. I would've told him about our meeting anyway."
"Very well, if he can be trusted…." Mike gave a nod and Jake just staried blankly at him. "Have you thought about our offer?"
There was a pause as Mike took a moment to think. "The answer is no. Normaly i'd do a job liek these for the fun of it. But I don't work with people who blow up buildings with children in them. I'm a low life, but I'm not that low."
"We are not murders Mike," Jimmy said, a slight edge creeping into his voice, "Besides I did a little research on you to." With that Jimmy pulled a photo from his pocket and handed it to Mike. Mike took one look at it and turned ghostly pale. "Keep it, there are copies."
"You bastard," Mike said as soon as he could find his voice. Jake looked over his bother's shoulders and his blank face became a mask of surprise and anger.
"We'll still pay you of course," Jimmy's smile had turned smug as he got up from the table, "Maybe a little extra, since it now looks like we're hiering two employs."
"Rot in hell," Mike said when Jimmy offered him his hand.
Jimmy just laughed, a cold laughed that made both brothers shrink, "See you tomorrow Mike."
"Is Fenton Hardy there?" came a distorted voice as soon as Joe said hello.
"Who is this?" Joe asked his body tensing, something was wrong.
"Don't worry about it. Tell Hardy to back off."
"Who is this?" Joe demanded hotly again.
"Someone who's holding on to something near and dear to your hart. Now be a good brat and tell Hardy to back off. Or we'll knock him off" With that the person on the other end hung up. Leaving Joe angery, confused, and worried.
"Joe, what's wrong who was on the other line?" Laura asked, sensing Joe's feelings.
Joe hung up the phone slowly as realization hit, 'oh God' he thought. "Somebody has Frank."