Chapter 35

EPILOGE

As Fenton, Frank, Joe and their friends all sat around the table at their usual Denny's restaurant, they discussed the events that had taken place in the last few days.

"So who was the dude that had cleverly disguised himself as you all this time, dad?" Joe asked.

He looked around at all the faces of their friends that took part in this adventure/mystery that were eagerly awaiting his response with nods of agreement. Especially his brother. Frank had as much stake in this as the rest of the family, even more-so.

Fenton chose his words carefully. "The man's name was Charlie Neumann. He was, according to my sources, someone that Arlon had contacted because of a favor the guy owed him. He had his face perfectly reconstructed to look just like mine. He was drilled with information on my life, both in home and work. Another words he was brainwashed into thinking he was me. He was to take over every aspect of it to gain one thing. The formula; which was hidden in the medallion. One thing Arlon didn't count on was that Charlie had a hidden past. Not only was there mental illness lurking in his past, he was also an abused child on up to teenage years by an uncle." Fenton explained, looking up at Frank with much concern. "So we know where that came from."

Frank looked intently at his father to convey the apology and the regretfulness he needed him to know. Fenton imperceptibly nodded his acceptance.

"There was also a drug lord, name of Mario Casavetes, who got close to Charlie without him knowing and had slipped him drugs thinking he was me. I had put him away a few years ago at his kid's birthday party and he was embarrassed and talking revenge. He was into drugs hard core, selling them out of the country. So I guess he wanted to used them on me as pay back for his kid not wanting anything to do with him anymore. But he got the wrong person by mistake and gave them to Charlie. A little here and a little there the drugs ate away at his ability to rationally think straight and intensified his feelings, fears and his vises. All the while Arlon was paying Charlie to take over my life. He impressed on him his need to be Fenton to a T. But the drugs caused him to have flashbacks of who he was and at those times Charlie would rear his ugly head and reek havoc. The more the drugs took effect, the more he remembered who he was and started telling everyone he was Charlie. That was when Mario made the mistake of kidnapping Laura and stabbing her." Fenton swallowed hard, closed his eyes tightly and calmed himself before going on.

"He thought she was dead in the back seat, so he stayed to confront Charlie, again he thought he was me. Charlie killed him right then and there. Thank God he didn't take Laura with him or do more harm to her. The police said they found her and took her to the hospital. She almost didn't make it. After that he was found to be at Con Riley's house when he killed those police officers and hurt Phil, he was taken to the prison where he was poisoned that same night. Again someone thinking it was me, because they believed I put them in prison falsely."

"So how did you and Mrs. Hardy end up here?" asked Chet.

"I was working on Mr. Bishop's files when I was captured. He was of much concern to the bureau. I can't divulge certain things because we are still in the process of bringing him down. Since he is no where to be found at the moment, I can't let you know what we were working on. But I can tell you that he had captured me as well as Manny, my driver who was dropping me off at the airport at the time. Thank God he is now with his family."

A round of cheers and nodding heads followed, happily. Manny had been given a one way ticket: free of charge from the bureau, along with a hefty sum of emotional and work compensation: back home to his family in Sayville, Long Island after being thoroughly interviewed by the county police department.

"And thank God Royce is back with us." Joe said, patting him on the back with a grin.

"So tell us, how did Royce escape the evil clutches of his grandfather?" Tony asked, with a dramatic iconic version of a horror star's vampire voice.

Natalie slapped his arm affectionately. "Don't tease. It was probably pretty awful."

Everyone laughed.

"Well, it was kinda scary thinking my grandfather intended to haul me all the way to Ireland with him." Royce spoke up. "I tried to fight him all the way but he had me tied up. I couldn't get any circulation in my arms or feet. Good thing you guys showed up when you did."

"What happened?" asked Phil, looking toward Frank.

"When we managed to catch up to them at the airport, we found Royce in the back of the van and his grandfather left him because he was making too much noise and didn't want the attention. He knew he couldn't just untie him and walk him in. He didn't have his body guards with him this time because they didn't want to go. So he just got rid of them with silencers." Frank said, going silent.

"Then we lost him in the building. Thinking he had a ticket out of the country, we wasted precious time following that lead and didn't know he'd escaped out the many back entrances. He was long gone before we could catch him." Joe explained, irritated.

"I put out an all points bulletin on him, but after a few hours, we knew he had escaped again." Fenton put in. "And you boys were right. He was trying to learn of the inheritance to see if he could find it. But that was an abandoned cause, and now was on to his latest, which was trying to get the formula. I have no idea what he will try next. I'm just glad to have my wife back safe and sound." as he put an arm around her.

"How did you get here?" Biff asked Laura, as he sat close to Royce.

"When I woke up, I was in this room that looked like an operating room. Smelled awful!

But before that, the last I remember was going to my car to go back to visit Frank in the hospital. I just about reached my car when this…must have been-Mario person, had said there was an accident with my son and said to come with him. I knew better, and I tried to get away, but he was stronger. He took me to this garage looking place. I couldn't tell where we were because he blind folded me until we got there. He kept asking me where Fenton was and I told him I didn't know. He didn't believe me and started to stab me all over. I passed out from the pain and that's the last I remember until I got to that room." she said, wrinkling her nose and softly clutching her shirt at the neck. "This older gentleman told me he was going to fix me right up and let me go to my husband. Well, I was thrilled and anxious at the same time. It wasn't until I actually saw Fenton that I believed what was happening."

"How long did it take for you to heal?" Joe asked, quietly, tears in his eyes.

"I don't know. I was pretty much okay except for the stitches in my wounds which were almost healed. So I must have been there for about a week before he took me to your father. All I know was that I was pretty sore."

She looked at the faces of her sons and wrapped her arms around Joe who was seated next to her. "I am so sorry I put you all through a funeral thinking I was dead."

"Not me, mom." Joe corrected. "Aunt Gertrude and Frank. They went to both of ours."

"It was like a nightmare I couldn't wake up from." Frank swallowed. "I never want to go through that again. I am so relieved that neither of you are gone from my life. This has put me into such a tailspin I almost lost it."

"Well, we're all back together again." Joe said, his sapphire blues matching his smile, still holding his mom.

"My grandfather looked like he was feeling better. He looked better." Royce said, meekly. He wasn't looking forward having to spend any time in jail because of what he did to his grandfather. "I thought arsenic poisoning was fatal."

"It is, but in this case you gave him such a low dose and it wasn't for long. We found out that he was going to a doctor in Orchard Homes and was getting treatment for it."

"What kind of treatment?" Royce asked.

Its called Chelation therapy. It is used to remove toxic metals like arsenic lead and mercury. The procedure has been done for over forty years and is safe. A series of injections of ethylenediaminetetra acid-don't ask me to repeat that." he quickly said, chuckling, as everyone else did too, "is done in a doctor's office. So I'm sure he's feeling a lot better, but he may need to lie low for awhile now. So not sure how he will continue the treatments. Maybe that will be how we trip him up."

"Will Royce have to spend any time in jail?" Tony asked, his arm around Natalie.

"When we went to the police station this morning, he was given a sentence of five days in jail and the rest in community service for two years. He was let off for good behavior in assisting us in identifying the criminals. So he got off pretty well I think." Fenton smirked at Royce.

"When do you have to go in for the jail time?" asked Natalie.

"This Friday. And no visitors." Royce answered, looking down at Biff's hands that were entwined with his.

"Well, at least you don't have to be in there as long as you would for the community service." Biff comforted. "I think I can handle five days." he winked. Royce smiled at him.

"Well, thank you Mr. Hardy for clearing up things for us. We just knew you really couldn't have done all those bad things." Natalie said. "Even though I don't know you very well, everyone has spoken so highly of you that it was kind of hard to believe."

"Your very welcome, my dear." Fenton smiled at her. "Shall we all go back to our motel rooms before these good people decide to throw us out?" Fenton said, as he stood to go. "I for one want to make plane reservations for home. And I know you boys, and girl," he smiled and bowed to Natalie, "want to get settled for college and what not."

Everyone nodded and murmured their agreement standing from the table, and walking to the door.

Just as they stepped outside in the morning sun, Chou and Dani came up to thank them for everything, giving them all hugs. Rigs got out of his truck and walked over to them, shaking hands with Fenton and the boys.

"We were starved and wanted to come for breakfast." Dani said, "and we saw you coming out and had to thank you for everything you've done for us."

"Yes, thank you for your kindness in giving us our lives back." Chou graciously said, shaking hands.

"Its quite alright." Fenton said. "We all worked together to bring this to an end."

"Too bad he got away." Rigs said, with a frown.

"Oh, I don't think this will be the last we see of him." Fenton said, knowingly.

"Oh I forgot!" Dani said as she raced back to their car. She opened up the door to pull something out and, hugging it to her, walked back across the parking lot.

The boys were all talking among themselves when all of a sudden, Frank began to sneeze and sneeze.

"What the…" Frank sneezed again, covering his nose and mouth. Then he looked up and saw the problem. His eyes got wide and he started backing up.

"What is it, Frank?" Phil said, "You usually don't sneeze that much unless there's a cat around." then he looked around and said with a smirk, "Oh."

No sooner had he gotten the words out of his mouth than Dani came walking up to the group with a dark Siamese cat folded up in her arms purring loudly.

Joe started to laugh.
"I thought you might want this little dear." Dani said to Royce. "Your grandfather probably thought he got blown up in the explosion."

"Endora!" Royce said, smiling at the furry creature. He encircled it in his arms as he took the feline from Dani. "I didn't think I'd see you again. You can come live with me."

Joe was still laughing, bent over almost double. He knew his brother was allergic to cat dander but it was still hilarious to see him sneeze. Frank gave him a dirty look, rolled his eyes and walked away.

"Aw, come on, Frank." Joe followed him to their rental car. "Its funny. Okay, well, not funny, but…"

Frank got in and slammed the door, started the car and drove off. Joe stood with his mouth open not believing his brother took off without him.

Phil came up beside him and put an arm around his shoulders with a mock serious face.

"Ya know, you'd think you'd learn to not tease him in his time of misery, Joe."

"I can't believe he left me." Joe said, miffed. Then cracked a smile. "But it was pretty funny."

"Yes, it was pretty funny." Phil said, "Its funny you have to walk back."

"Hey!" Joe said as Phil took off for his own rental. "I need a ride!"

"Who's laughing now?" Frank said, as he came walking up behind Joe after driving around the block. Everyone chuckling behind him.

Joe stood still and slowly turned around. Then a smile lit his handsome face as he raced back to tackle his brother. Frank gave him a big bear hug, "I couldn't resist a little fun."

"I didn't mean anything by it." Joe said, seriously.

"I know, little brother. I know." Frank sat him down on his feet and messed his hair.

"You're the best Frank." Joe smiled, contentedly.

"And don't you forget it." Frank narrowed his eyes.

Joe rolled his eyes, "Wait until our next adventure. I'll be in top form then." pointing to his chest with his thumb, a smug smile on his face.

"I can hardly wait." Frank said, fondly.

THE END

Well, this is it folks! Hope you enjoyed the ride. It was fun and sometimes like pulling teeth, but it was worth it. Hopefully I'll be back with another adventure soon. : )

God bless each and every one of you and keep the faith.