RETURN OF THE HARDY BOYS # 2

THE RETURN OF THE HARDY BOYS # 2 After solving the mystery, of Chet and Tony's kidnapping, Team: Hardy had decided just to "look into" the mans disappearance. What no one had considered, until this case, is that friendship, between teens, is NOT limited to local schools. One, such, example, was the night when girls, from another cities high school had invited the Hardy's daughters over, for a sleep-over. While Joe had been opposed, saying "The girls are too young, for this. How do we stop it" Frank had asked his younger brother "Could mom and dad stop us, when we were this determined?" Joe would remain at home, while Frank not only delivered the girls, to the party, but did a security check (just in case). Once Frank was satisfied that the only trouble the girls could get into would be in the one yard, Frank drove the orange van back home. On the way, Frank got to thinking about the Hardy's own school days. He even pulled off the road, when he realized that he had missed an entire stretch, of road, while lost in memory. "If dad caught me doing this..." then Frank reminded himself that their dad was buried. Still, he sat back, and remembered the cases that Joe and he had worked on, outside of Bayport. Frank did not realize how long he had sat there, until a cruiser pulled up. When the trooper exited his car, and stepped up to the van, Frank would look at him, saying "I remember you. Wilkins. High school quarterback. What brings you out, this way?" The officer would say "A report of a vehicle, off the road." When Frank would asked "Willy, Am I off the road?" Wilkins would say "No, Frank. It just looks that way, from the highway. By the way, what brings you by?" Frank would say "Just dropped my girls at a slumber party, and got thinking about the old days." Wilkins would say "Yeah, those WERE the days." When Frank asked "Do you remember the time, when our teams had to combine?" Wilkins would say "Yes, I remember. For some reason, half the guys, on each team, got sick. The coach let us create a team, instead of playing one another." When Frank would ask "Do you happen to remember WHY our teams got sick?" Wilkins would say "Sure. Shirley Pembrose. She spiked our food." Frank would say "I remember. Her plan was to put both teams in the hospital, so she could win a bet, that another school would win." When Wilkins would ask "Do you remember what happened, to her?" Frank would say "I would imagine that some sort of discipline was in order." Wilkins would remind Frank "You do remember how much she hated anything to do with dirt, or garbage." Frank would say "Of course. She took an "F", in Biology, rather than cut up a frog." Wilkins would say "Thats why, instead of juvenile prison, Shirley was sentenced to six months, working with the street cleaners department." Once this was set aside, Frank would ask "Do you remember how many points we won the game by?" Wilkins would say "The only thing I remember, better, is that both teams came up with the same tactics, just seperately." Frank would sigh as he said "The good old days. NO jobs, no bills. Just eight hours, of school, each day." Wilkins would add "Sleeping in, on saturdays." As the two men parted, both felt relieved, about the night. When Frank got home, his wife would say "About time." When Frank would ask "Is it really that late?" His wife would say "Any later, and I would be fixing breakfast." This is when Frank would mention seeing Willy Wilkins. When his wife sighed "What a dream boat. I thought he was headed for politics. Then he got involved with you Hardy's. Decided that law enforcement was better than politics." Frank would add "He made his OWN decision. Joe and I had nothing to do with it." When his wife made a sound, Frank decided on another tactic. He asked "You remember that big game. The one we were supposed to play AGAINST Willy's high school." When his wife would say "How can I forget. Half of the players took sick, right before the game. You, willy, Joe, and another boy, from the opposing team, asked the coach to let the teams blend." Frank would say "Good, so you Do remember. Now I have a question. Do you happen to know why Willy, myself, Joe, and the others, did NOT get sick, just before the game?" His wife would laugh as she said "You, really, dont remember, do you?" When Frank would say "Remember what?" His wife would say "Before the game, Mrs. Hardy not only fixed a massive breakfast, but then, while you were eating, she reminded you that sports are TEAM efforts." Frank would say "Now I remember. Yes, we ate so much, of moms cooking that we declined the snacks, at the game." His wife would say "Thank Heavens for your mother. She saved the game, without knowing it." (Shirley had, indeed, spiked the treats.) The following morning, Frank and Joe would travel to the next town, to collect their daughters (or to learn what trouble the girls had gotten into). What they did not expect was what they found. The girls were so much into the grid, of the city, that they were laying out, that they did not even notice their fathers. Franks oldest was making assignments, while two mothers worked in the kitchen, preparing meal packs, for the girls. When Joe would ask "WHAT is going on, HERE?" His own daughter would say "Sorry, dad. Our friends car was stolen, and we are working the case. If we find it, first, the boy says he will pay us $100." When Joe would say "Make, Model, and year." without even thinking, his daughter would say "Thats the problem. The car is sort of a hybrid." When Frank would ask "What KIND of Hybrid? Ford, Dodge, Datsun?" A boy would enter the room, saying "All of the above, and none of them. I built it from discarded parts. It contains parts from Rolls-Royce, Bently, Ford, Chevrolet, and so on." When Joe would ask "Let me guess. Shop class, right?" The boy would say "If I can PROVE that it works, then I will pass auto shop." When Frank would ask "What is its fuel economy?" The boy would say "THAT is the problem. I re-built the engine, to work on liquids, such as moonshine. It will, also, work on gas, and diesel. Atleast I THINK that it will." When Joe would say "Atleast it does not run on booze." The boy would say "According to my calculations, it SHOULD." Frank would say "In summary, we are looking for a car, which can operate on almost any liquid fuel, and may have un-limited range. Okay, what type of body did you choose?" When the boy said "Dodge Charger." then add "Only car I could find with a big enough engine compartment." When Joe would say "Tell me it is not orange." The boy would say "NO. Mostly blue and green. Dark colors." When Frank would say "I just called the local police. They have had three sightings." When Joes daughter would ask "Where?" Frank would say "Hold on." then asked the boy "How much is the horsepower rated at?" The boy would say "Not tested, yet." This is when Joe would look at his brother, asking "What happened?" Frank would have to say "IF it is the same car, it appears that your shop class project can out run the fastest pursuit cars, in the state." The boy would say "I suppose its possible." Frank would promise the boy "Look, since the car was stolen, you are NOT to blame." The boy just slumped his shoulders, saying "I just made life easier for some crooks." This is when, while eating some breakfast, Joes daughter would say "Not with Team: Hardy on the case." As the brothers climbed back into the van, Frank asked Joe "How do you feel?" Joe would smile as he said "Alive." What the thieves never counted on was not just the local kids snooping, but with kids, coming from Bayport, as well. Their options were closing, rapidly. What Frank and Joe never counted on was how teaching their kids defensive driving would evolve into pursuit driving. Niether brother had any idea, that their young, inspired, by the brothers stories, had created their own escape plans, as well as self defense, and even combat driving. Bicyclists, with head-set mounted radios, would cruise the streets, keeping watch. Since the car, in question, was a science project, it was not hard to find. It was just harder to corner. While the teens, and the police, kept the car "on the run", Frank and Joe decided to try spotting out its fuel dump. After all, every vehicle needs to re-fuel, eventually. These crooks were crafty. That was one point, in their favor. The Hardy's set off one explosive, by accident. Not realizing that age has its effects, on eye sight, Frank and Joe stumbled on a trip wire. The explosion blew up the still, until it was nothing but a jumble of metal. When teens, on dirt bikes, found three more stills, the Hardy's exercised much more caution, as one of the teens pointed out a trip wire. Odd thing was, the wire was not on the ground. What was it doing at the height of a 12 year old? Frank would say "Of course. Children play around this area, and the crooks dont want children setting off their traps." Ducking under the wire, the Hardy's, and the bikers, would find what almost looked like play ground equipment. Were it not for the sub-surface flame, and the safety rope, the still might have been missed, altogether. When Joe tasted the mixture, he would spit it out, then say "That is as close to pure alcohol as I, ever, want to get." Frank would say "THAT explains the cars power. The boy modified the engine. The crooks have modified the fuel, as well! No wonder no one can catch that car. The engine is running on a modified version of Nitrious oxide." Joe would say "Swell! Now all we have to do is CATCH it." Even while Frank and Joe were noting the amazing integration, of the fuel still, into the play setting, A group, of teens, would be examining the local high school property. If there were one thing the teens had NOT expected to find, it was a fully operational still, on school grounds. While Frank and Joe were busy recording the units, discovered, so far, the subject car would, somehow, elude all pursuit, leaving teens, and police, scratching their heads. WHERE had the car gone? When the high school still was discovered, Frank had Joe making more detailed notes, about both still locations. BY the time the brothers had arrived, at the high school, Joe had asked Frank "Who would be dumb enough to hide a still on school property?" Frank would say "I think we are dealing with an inventive mind." When Frank would ask "Joe, can you think of any place, dumber, to hide a still?" Joe would say "You are not thinking..." Frank would say "Why not? Who would think to look there?" When one of the look-out teens would ask "What are you guys talking about?" Frank would say "A local church. The one place no one would think of." While the teens thought that the older men were "off their rockers", still, the call was made. Thankfully, this city had only two churches. One, Catholic. The other, Baptist. Since Joe stated that it would be insane, to place a still inside a Catholic Church, Frank would say "Catholic church it is." While some teens had "gone ahead", to "scope out" the church, one teen had no-sooner, said "Its odd. Father Johnson is not around." Another teen would say "You looked in the wrong place." When Frank saw a fight brewing, he cut in, saying "Alright. WHERE did you see the priest?" The teen would say "Follow me." Sure enough, Father Johnson WAS in the supply room. Only NOT by choice. Even the Hardy's could see that the priest was bound, and gagged. No-doubt dumped in the supply closet, for "safe keeping". The other teens would come forth, whispering "There IS another still, inside the basement. This one is HUGE." Joe would ask Frank "Isn't it odd that we are finding the stills in places no one would think to look for?" The next days sun would be rising, by the time the Hardy's, and the teens, secured the church. Shortly after sun-rise, Father Johnson was relieved of his bonds. After that, the priest was loaded into that famous van. Twenty minutes later, the priest was resting, comfortably, on a couch, at a teens house. After being given food, and drink, the father would say "I regret to say that I never thought God's house would be attacked." When Frank would say "It will be fine. Now, if you could tell us about your kidnappers." Father Johnson would say "I am most sorry. They caught me, off-guard. I was resting when I THOUGHT I heard foot steps. Just after that, a black bag was shoved over my head." When Frank would ask "What about size? Accents? Anything?" Father Johnson would mention "I recall hearing them talk of a diversion. Someone was going to steal something, valuable. They planned to use the object to lure police away from town." When Joe would ask "I think I can figure out the diversion part, but what would be so valuable enough that a crook would want a town cleaned out of police?" The local teens had no more idea than the priest had. This is why Frank went to Joes daughters map. When Frank traced the sightings, he announced "Thats IT!" When Joe would ask "What is it?" It would be Joes own daughter who would ask "Why didn't I see it, before?" Frank would say "Dont worry. I only JUST figured it out, myself." It was true. On the map was a clear pattern. The auto shop car had begun appearing close to the CENTER of town. Its driver WANTED police attention. Each time, after this, the car was sighted, just more distant, from the city center. The question was "WHERE was it leading the police?" For that matter, what other crime was it covering? The auto shop car was performing so much better than even the inventor had predicted. The young inventor had been certain that the car would only last until class review. Now, the shop car seemed to WANT the police to chase it out of town. Then question was WHY? When teens, parents, and even the police, held a strategy meeting, to figure out WHAT a thief would find "valuable", everyone agreed that it would cost more, to rob the local bank, than the bank held. The local museum was rulled out, as well. All the museum contained, at the moment, was works, by local artists. Maybe, to the creators, the pieces were priceless. On the open market, the stuff was worthless. Now, sure, there were some, old, homes, in the area, which contained valuable items. The problem was that the owners were no fools. The items, on open display, were copies, while the originals were inside home safes. When Frank would ask "How secure are the safes?" The police chief would say "Dont worry. It would take a convoy, of explosives, to crack one of those." While everyone else, in the room, was thinking: money, jewels, etc., Frank had a thought. "What if the items are of value ONLY to the thieves?" The police chief would say "Mr. Hardy. If that is the case, then we would have to SEE, into the thieves mind, to learn what they value." Joes daughter would say "Uncle Frank is right. We keep looking for simple. This group may not have high tech, but they ARE intelligent, and resourceful." When Frank would say "I think I follow you. Please continue." Joes daughter would ask "First of all. When the hybrid was stolen. Did the thieves break in?" When the police chief scanned his notes, saying "No destruction noted." When the inventor looked confused, Joes daughter would say "Relax. I know the car was stolen. This, while you were in your shop, looking for parts." The teen would say "Thats right! I had the doors open, both for fresh air, and to not have to fumble with keys, constantly." "Next" Joes daughter would continue "I would suggest that this was not just a regular car-jacking." When the police chief would ask "Young woman, HOW can you know that?" Joes daughter would say "Easy. The thieves have stills up and running, all over your town. I suspect that, when the car vanishes, the thieves are re-fuelling. Also, there is the fact that the stills have military-style trip wires, as well as being disguised. Now, while these people are NO computer programmers, their intelligence is very high. The question is "What could a motivated, intelligent, person want, from this town?" The entire gathering knew that the inventors question would be "When do I get my car back?" When the police chief would ask the girls "So, you know about them. Now, tell us "HOW do we stop them?" Joes daughter would ask "Do you remember the classic movie: "Battle of the Bulge"? The police chief would ask "Why?" Frank would say "THAT is the answer!" When the police chief would ask "Would someone tell ME whats going on?" Frank would say "Its so simple, I cant believe I did not think of it, myself." When Joe would ask "Care to share?" Frank would say "During World War Two, the Germans built a class, of tank, called the King Tiger. It carried twice the armor of the American Sherman tanks." When Joe would ask "So what? The Germans LOST the war." Frank would say "Barely." When Joe gave an un-knowing look, Frank would say "Because the King Tiger had double the armor, and more than twice the fire-power, of the tanks, of the western allies, the allies could, never gain military superiority. This is why the Battle of the Bulge was so important." When Joe would say "That was 75 years ago. This is today." The police chief would join in, saying "My father told me the story. Since the allies did not have enough fire-power, they had to draw the King Tigers beyond their supply lines." Frank would add "If my history teacher was correct, Germany was starving, for fuel. The High Command had Germans foraging for any fuel that they could find." Joe would ask "Why are we talking about tanks? We are hunting a car." Frank would say "Same principle. All transporation needs fuel, to operate." The police chief would ask "HOW do we starve this car? We are finding stills, all over town." Joe would catch on, saying "Of course. Cut off the fuel supply." Frank would add "Chief, could you convince the local gas stations to close down their pumps, for awhile?" The police chief would say "Two, already are. One did not bother opening, today. The owner called in a fuel theft, of 50 gallons. The others will close as soon as we ask them." Frank would say "Good. While you are doing that, Team: Hardy will shut down as many stills as we can." Franks own daughter would ask "Question: What happens when the car has no access to fuel? Remember that a "trapped animal" is the most dangerous." Frank would remind his daughter "Dont worry. Just like people, machines cannot operate without fuel. Cut off the fuel and that car is just a paper-weight." (At least that is what Frank HOPED was correct) It would seem that the driver, of the stolen car, would, soon, find themselves with a problem. With the hybrids tank only a quarter full, the driver drove to four, of their fuel sites. At each site, however, the driver found a deputy, with both a radio, and a shot gun. When the driver hid the car, then checked the citys gas stations, the driver found even more armed guards. After the driver found deputies, at more than half of the still sites, the driver came to the conclusion: THEY HAD to PAY!" This is why the driver slipped the car, as silently as possible, out of town. They, then made a decision. If they could not steal what they came for, they would "punish" the town, in another way. Exactly as predicted, when the rod was placed between the head rest, and the gas pedal, then the car was shifted into gear, the hybrid would run off the cliff, to the rocks, below. The driver/thief would walk away, smiling, as the car exploded, upon impact. It would leave a plume of flame, tall enough to be visible, for miles. The following morning, the remains were checked, and what was left, of the car, declared safe. Investigators would rule that the car was un-inhabited, and set to "automatic", when it went over the cliff. All the teen knew, now was that his dream, of passing auto class, seemed as flattened as the destroyed car was. That is, until one of the deputies, the teens own, auto shop teacher, came to the teen, saying "Maybe, we did not place the car on the scale, and run calbration tests. Still, the fact is that the car operated even better than the most street-legal cars." When the teen asked "You mean..." The teacher would say "You passed class, with "flying colors"." While the Hardy girls would continue wondering what the thief might have been after, Frank would call off conjecture, by saying "This is a win. The case is closed. Lets go to grand-mothers house." Back in Baypoprt, Frank would congratulate the girls, saying "You did very well. Went for a sleep-over, and stayed to solve a crime. Maybe even prevented another crime." Joes daughter would mention "Dad, it does feel strange. All of that build up. All of that work. Finished in a blink of an eye. Now, I feel empty. I was hoping for more." Joe would pat his daughter, saying "Dont worry. You get used to it" When Frank would look at Joe, Joe gave Frank a "Dont say it" look. Once at Laura Hardy's home, with the teens eating, and relaxing, Joe would ask Frank "This IS the end of our detection work, right?" Frank would say "I HOPE so. I swear that the days are getting longer, and my bones hurt, even more, than ever." Joe would smile, at Frank, as Joe would say "Old man." The Hardys had no idea that a new case would, soon, be on their door step. What surprised Joe, about the congregation, was that his wife was present. When he asked "What..." then thank again, and said "Nice to see you." His wife would say "Your mother was right. Once you lie beside a man, for years, you miss him when he is gone." Joe would say "I swear to God. This was only supposed to be a sleep-over. We never gambled on a theft." His wife would say "Its my fault, for loving a detective. Now, it seems that I have raised a family, of detectives." While neither Joe, nor Frank, could decide on what would become of the orange van, now that it was upgraded, they decided to keep the van out of storage. Who knows. Maybe, in time, its "luster" will wear off.