I decided to write this story after reading so many stories where all the women, for the most part, stay at home and let the men do the work. First fanfic ever. Let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: I don't own Frank, Joe, Laura, Fenton, Callie, Vanessa or Nancy Drew. Honestly, I don't even wish that I did. And I don't own Chief Collig, Sam Radley, or Con Riley if I decide to make him show up later.

Fenton Hardy looked at the sunset, and then turned his attention back to the road.

He was returning to Bayport from a long, hard case in New York City that had lasted three months. He had been called in because a note found at the scene of the homicide was related to one of the cases he worked on when he was a detective at NYPD 28 years ago. The investigation that followed involved hours of painstaking detective work – long stakeouts, interviewing witnesses who wouldn't see a buffalo if it ran in front of them, pouring over telephone logs and tracking down people who did not want to be found. A team of NYPD detectives and him and finally cracked the case, which resulted in the conviction of three politicians from both political parties on corruption charges. The poor bloke who had been killed was a small-time thief who had seen the chance for easy money and underestimated the ruthlessness of people who had been successful at extortion for 30 years and the lengths they would go to keep it a secret.

Shaking his head at the stupidity of some criminals who believed that honor among thieves applied to all thieves and all criminals, Fenton turned his thoughts toward home. He had called Laura before he left the city, and he was expected shortly. With both of their sons in college, and his taking on less cases in expectation of his upcoming retirement, he and Laura now spent more time together, and Fenton enjoyed every minute of it…

No cases! No parents! I'm free, thought Joe Hardy as he slammed his sociology textbook shut. It's time for me to enjoy the weekend. It wasn't that Joe didn't love either his family or detective work. But, he had also felt the need to get away a little more, and try things on his own. So, at 19, when Frank had gone to MIT a year ago, he had chosen UCLA to get a completely different environment than he was used to where nobody had heard the name Hardy. However, that didn't mean that the itch to investigate wasn't there. When his friend was accused of cheating on a test a few weeks ago, he was able to not only prove that he hadn't done it, but find the real culprit. When Lucy's car got destroyed in a hit and run, he was able to track down the driver with a little help from Frank. And there was the time when… face it Hardy he thought, you'll still be investigating cases for a while yet. At least right now he could devote his attention to his two highest priorities: the latest party and his new motorcycle…

"No, Mr. Hardy that response is incorrect," said the professor glaring at Frank. If you look at the algorithm you will see that... Damn it Frank thought quietly. I'll never manage this stuff. Whereas he had always been at the top of his class in Bayport High School, here at MIT amidst all the other brilliant computer science and engineering students, he felt like he was just managing to keep up. He snapped to attention as the professor patiently explained to another student why his response, while not entirely correct, was better than Frank's. Everyone feels this way, even in their second year of college, he told himself. But that didn't make him feel better. If he wanted to join the FBI or the NSA after graduation, he would need top grades all four years.

"One last thing," the professor said. "In three weeks, we will have a test on this material and I fully expect that half of you will flunk it unless you don't shape up."

"But we've only been in school for a week!" protested a student who was either especially brave or especially stupid.

"And if you continue like that," said the professor, "you will not be one of the ones who will pass either this test or any pop quiz, and you certainly will not pass my final. Any more questions?"

In the silence that followed, Frank vowed to himself that he would study 24/7 in order to be in the half that passed the test.

As the three men went about their lives, they were unaware of the events that were already happening, and would seriously disrupt not only their plans, but the way they viewed the world. For the Hardy world has typically been composed of men, with the occasional exception of one Nancy Drew. This was about to change.

--

--

The kidnappings were planned down to the last detail. They had to be. These three men had been accustomed to danger. The trick was to get them when they least expected it. Complacency, familiarity with one's surroundings makes one not as watchful... It helped tremendously that they were apart. None of them wanted to take on two Hardys at once. Three was out of the question.

For the youngest Hardy, it was simple as cake. Some guys that he met when school started invited him to a frat party. It was just a matter of making sure he lost track of how much alcohol he was consuming and slipping the pill into his drink. Then, it was perfectly natural for two friends to offer to take him home.

Frank was in the computer lab at MIT on a Saturday night studying for the exam that he had vowed not to fail. Someone forgot to tell him that we're not in grad school he thought and went to get himself a coke as a way of taking a break from studying and give himself more caffeine so he could keep studying. He couldn't help but look around a little more closely at the people in the room. His danger sense, which rarely failed him, was telling him that something was wrong now. He glanced cursorily at the young guys who were also unfortunate enough to have eccentric professors, and then looked more closely at the second student. He turned back to the machine and saw the third guy standing there who looked like a freshman.

"Do you have change for a dollar?" the newcomer asked, holding out a dollar in his hand.

Distracted by the presence of the second student who had what looked like too much technology on him to really be a student, he failed to notice that the "student" with the dollar was wearing gloves until after the dollar bill was in his hand. As Frank turned to run, he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, and could only put out a hand toward the papers on the counter.

Oh, thought the man with gloves watching the papers scatter all over the floor. If this is the kid, I wonder how hard the father is going to be...

Fenton Hardy had a few weaknesses. He was damn good at his job and pretending to mug him in an alley or any other dramatic showdown or a similar dollar trick probably wouldn't work. But, he was also a good husband. So, to make him unaware of the danger he faced, his sense of danger had to be blown completely out of proportion.

"I'm sorry," the smooth voice had said over the phone. "There has been an accident. Your wife got hit by a car, and she is in the hospital."

Without thinking about who was calling him, Fenton dropped the phone and ran out to his car that was parked outside of his office. Although he did notice the two men in the parking lot who were watching him, he resolved to find out who they were after he had checked on Laura. Fenton never made it to the hospital. As he drove down the deserted street, four cars blocked him in and the guns in their hands encouraged him to quietly leave the car, and obey the orders to leave the key in the ignition and drink the sweet liquid that caused him to drift off. They were watching too closely for him to even try dropping a business card…

--

He smiled as he looked at the monitor. The father and both sons were unconscious on the three thin mattresses in the Spartan room with only three beds and a naked light bulb in the ceiling. Although the room was soundproof, the bugs in the wall would allow him to hear everything his three prisoners said.

Now for phase two. He looked forward to this most of all

--

Callie woke up in the chair when the phone rang. She had fallen asleep waiting for Frank to come back from the computer lab. Assuming that Frank must be sound asleep, she looked toward the bed and found it empty. That's odd, she thought, maybe he fell asleep in the computer lab. She reached for the phone to answer it.

"Miss Shaw?" the slick voice on the other end asked.

"Who's this," said Callie, disliking the voice immediately.

"Do you know where Frank is?" asked the voice.

"He's not here," she said assuming it was an obnoxious student calling for Frank to do his homework for him. Even though Frank felt like he was barely getting by, he was actually doing very well at MIT, as evidenced by calls like this. "I suggest you try the computer lab and the study room next to it."

The voice laughed. "I can assure you that he is not there. I would suggest you call Laura and ask her where he is."

"Who's this," demanded Callie, but the line was dead. After looking all over campus and calling public safety to let them know that Frank was probably missing; after calling the Hardy household and getting no answer, she decided to drive directly to Bayport in Frank's car.

Vanessa Bender left the gym pleased with her workout. While Frank had gone to MIT, Joe to UCLA and Callie to study linguistics and philosophy at MIT, she had decided not to go to college. She was working for computer graphing designer for a large firm in Bayport to make sure she'd have enough money to eat and pay rent. She actually spent most of her time studying Aikido with instructors in Bayport. She loved every moment of it.

As she was walking to the bus, a guy walked up to her and shoved a crumpled paper in her hand. "Someone gave me 10 bucks to give this to you," he said gruffly. She looked down and unfolded the paper and read the wordsWhere's Joe? When she looked around again, the man who gave her the paper had disappeared. Not even waiting for the bus, and regretting that she didn't have her cell phone, she broke into a run, headed for the Hardy home.

Callie and Vanessa got to the house at the same time. One look at each other's faces said it all - Frank! Joe! Although they dealt with the occupational hazards of being in love with two detectives, every time something happened to them, the feelings of anxiety always returned. Their only hope was that either this was some horrible joke or that Fenton would be able to find Frank and Joe in time. Not knowing where Fenton could be, they rushed inside and went straight to the kitchen where they knew they would find Laura Hardy.

Laura Hardy, wearing an apron, looked up from chopping onions. "Hello!" she said. "Vanessa, Callie, I haven't seen you in ages. How are you? What brings you here?"

"Laura, I called. I didn't get an answer so I came straight here," said Callie.

"I took Fenton's suit to the cleaners," said Laura. "Then I went to my friend Mrs. Perkins's house for tea. I just got home a couple minutes ago. What's wrong?" she demanded urgently, noticing that Callie and Vanessa were unusually pale.

"Frank's missing!" cried Callie. "He was studying late last night, but never came back. And then I got a call from someone with a nasty voice suggesting that you should know where he is. I alerted public safety that Frank may be missing and then I came straight here when I couldn't get you on the phone.

"And someone came up to me and put this paper in my hand when I was leaving the gym," said Vanessa picking up the story and putting the "Where's Joe?" paper on the table. "I met Callie at the door."

Laura looked shocked as her eyes scanned the pieces of paper. Oh no, her subconscious whispered. There was only one person she had known who left messages like this. But, that thought instantly vanished. The ringing phone shattered the tense silence. 1…. 2…3…4…

She slowly went to answer it and made sure that the speaker was on. As the wife of one detective and the mother of two, she knew how this all went by now. Somebody would call and demand a ransom, demand the release of a prisoner, or threaten to kill Frank and Joe as revenge for either them or Fenton putting someone in jail. She would try to get as much information from them as possible before getting a hold of both Fenton, Chief Collig and Sam Radley. "Hello, Hardy residence," she said cheerfully, pretending for her son's sakes that everything was fine and she had no sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Hardy residence," the voice sneered, practically spitting the word Hardy. "I believe I am actually talking to Laura Basden." All the color drained from Laura's face as she dropped the phone and fell into the nearest chair.