Work Text:
Snatched
By
Olivia Sutton
Frank entered his Aunt Trudy’s house, but quickly realized something was wrong.
“Joe!” yelled Fenton and Trudy together as they heard Frank open and close the door.
“No, it’s Frank,” he answered as he continued into the living room of the house.
“Where’s your brother?” said Trudy.
“He went to the library to meet with Biff. What’s going on?”
“Joe never showed up at the library, and he’s not here. Biff went home to Jesse’s,” said Fenton.
“We called Jesse – she and Biff haven’t seen him,” said Fenton.
“We tried all your friends: Chet, Phil, Callie, even Belinda and Lucy, no one has seen Joe,” added Trudy.
“Do you know where he is?” asked Fenton.
Frank started to look concerned. “Last time I saw him, we were leaving school. He said he was going to the library to study with Biff. I offered to drive him, but he said no. Dad, what’s going on? Is Joe in trouble? Is he in danger?”
“I don’t know, but we have to find him.” Fenton turned to Trudy, “Trudy, call the police and report Joe missing. Then call Jesse and make sure she knows.”
Frank stepped forward towards his Dad, “What is going on?”
“You know I’ve been travelling out of town on a case, right? Well, there’s been a series of kidnappings in towns around Bridgeport – Bayport, River Heights, others. All of the victims were boys between thirteen and sixteen, and most were blond.”
“You don’t think?”
“I don’t know, Frank, but I’d feel better if Joe were home right now.”
Frank nodded and stepped towards his father. He touched his Dad’s arm and immediately had a vision, terrifying flashes, and images he didn’t understand. Frank gasped as he came out of it. He stumbled a bit as he backed up.
“Frank?” said Trudy.
“I’m OK,” answered Frank.
******
For the next eight days, Frank and Fenton searched for Joe. Jesse and the Bridgeport PD also searched for the missing younger Hardy. The Hardy boys’ friends also searched.
Finally, Fenton got a tip about something going on at a motel on the south side of town near the railroad tracks. He took Frank with him to check out the motel.
Fenton and Frank entered the fleabag motel and proceeded directly to the second-floor room where Fenton suspected Joe was being held. Fenton unlocked the door with a lockpick, but paused before entering, “Frank, wait here.”
“Dad,” Frank started to say.
“No, Frank, please, just wait here,” said Fenton.
Frank nodded in silent agreement.
About five minutes later, Fenton came back out. “Frank, go downstairs and call for an ambulance and the police. Then call for a cab, go home, get Trudy, and meet me at the hospital.” He handed Frank some cash.
“Wait! I want to see Joe! He’s here, right?” asked Frank.
“He is, but he’s hurt bad. Frankie, I don’t want you to see him like that. Not until we get medical help for him. Now go!”
Frank looked at his father. He hadn’t been called “Frankie” since he was a kid. “OK,” he responded, then turned and sprinted down the stairs. He called 911 from the hotel desk. Then he called a cab. Frank was numb and terrified at the same time. What did his father mean when he said Joe was “hurt bad”?
Later – At the Hospital
Frank and his Aunt Trudy waited in the friends and family waiting area of the ICU. Fenton had gone to talk to the doctor. He opened the door and exited Joe’s room. Frank rushed forward.
Fenton swallowed hard, then approached his sister and his son.
“Dad?” said Frank quietly.
“Joe’s alive but...”
“What happened?” asked Trudy.
“The kidnapper had him for over a week. When I found him, he had whip marks on his back and marks on his face from being beaten.”
Frank looked up at his father. That didn’t sound so bad considering some of the things he and Joe had been through recently.
Fenton took a deep breath, “And he was sexually assaulted. He was raped.”
Trudy gasped, then rose and took her brother in her arms.
Frank was confused. “Wait. Joe was…? I don’t understand. I thought only girls… I don’t understand.”
Trudy went to her nephew. “Frank, you know I prefer women, right?”
“You’re dating Jesse, Biff’s Mom.”
“And you know that two men can be in love, right?” said Trudy.
“Yeah,” said Frank.
“Gay men have sex by, well, anal sex.”
Fenton interrupted, “But rape is about power and control, not love. Someone really hurt your brother. He was bleeding.”
The penny dropped for Frank, “No! But he’s so young. He’s only thirteen!”
“We will deal with this as a family. We will help Joe heal. In every way,” said Fenton.
“Can I see him?” said Frank.
Fenton was about to answer and lead the two into Joe’s hospital room when JB arrived.
“What are you doing here?” asked Fenton.
“I’ve been trying to find Joe since Frank sent me a message that he was missing. Well, he asked if I knew where he was, which meant Joe was missing. I have my own contacts and ways of doing things,” replied JB. “I had a lead about the motel, but when I got there, I saw police and an ambulance. I came here.”
“Dad, he is a friend of Joe’s,” pointed out Frank.
Fenton sighed, then nodded. “OK, but you will have to wait to see him. We’re bending the rules as it is by letting everyone in at once. And Frank, Trudy, JB? Joe’s doctor said Joe hasn’t remembered much yet. We aren’t to tell him what happened. He has to remember on his own, in his own time.”
JB nodded, heading for one of the waiting room chairs.
Fenton and Trudy entered Joe’s room. Frank held back and turned to JB.
“JB, are you in a relationship with my brother?”
“What? He’s thirteen!”
“Not what I asked,” said Frank.
“No,” replied JB. “But Frank, don’t touch your brother, not without asking, not at first.”
Frank looked at JB, his eyes full of questions, then he opened the door to Joe’s room and entered.
In the hospital room, Frank saw his Aunt Trudy was at the right side of Joe’s bed, and his father at the left. He moved forward, and Fenton moved out of the way so he could get to the head of the bed, near Joe.
Joe lay in the hospital bed, unconscious or asleep, a hospital blanket pulled up to his shoulders. Two IVs were in his left arm. A black bruise was visible from his jaw to his cheek. Joe was pale. But beyond this, he didn’t look that bad, Frank thought.
“Joe,” Frank said quietly as he went to his brother’s side.
Joe thrashed on the bed and then woke up. He saw his family around him, then settled down.
“You’re safe now,” said Trudy.
“You’re in a hospital,” added Fenton.
Joe nodded, “Frank?”
“I’m here, Joe,” said Frank.
“Frank, where are you?” said Joe.
“I’m here,” said Frank, “I’m right here.” Frank leaned forward. “I’m right here. Is it OK if I touch your shoulder? Or your hand?”
“Of course. Why are you all being so weird?”
Frank touched Joe’s shoulder, hoping to provide comfort and to calm the younger Hardy. He immediately had a vision. Glimpses of his brother being snatched, the whippings, beatings, and finally…. Frank tried to pull himself out of it, to look away. He now knew what his brother endured. Frank gasped as he came to his senses and tried to hide what had happened. “JB is here. He thought you might be sensitive to touch.”
“You’d never hurt me, Frank,” replied Joe.
Fenton looked at his younger son. “Joe, do you remember who took you?”
“Took me? I don’t even remember what happened. Why am I in a hospital?”
“Joe, it’s okay. You can tell us. The sooner you start to talk about it, the better,” said Trudy.
Joe looked at her, then at Frank, confused and scared.
“What’s the last thing you do remember?” asked Fenton.
Joe responded, “Leaving school. I was heading to the library to study with Biff.”
“That was eight days ago. Do you remember anything else?”
Joe shook his head. At that moment, a nurse entered. “OK, time to leave. Joseph needs his rest. This is an ICU room. You can come back anytime. But please check with the charge nurse for this floor.”
“Goodnight, Joe. Love you,” said Aunt Trudy, then she made her way out of the room.
“Goodnight, Joe. We’ll be back soon,” said Fenton, then he left.
Frank lightly tapped Joe’s arm again, but the visions were too much. He couldn’t mention his visions in front of the nurse, so he said, “Joe, I’m here for you no matter what, OK?”
Joe nodded.
Frank exited the hospital room.
*****
Frank left Joe’s room. JB was there, and his parents weren’t. He strode towards the thief.
“Your folks left to get coffee and food.”
“We have to talk, JB,” he glanced around, then spotted a door marked staff lounge. He pulled JB inside.
“Now, are you and Joe in a relationship?”
“No! Frank, he’s thirteen. Barely. I’m not a pedo. I wouldn’t touch a kid. Especially Joe. God.”
“Then why did you tell me not to touch him?”
JB took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling, exasperated, then looked at Frank. “Because I’ve been where he is now.”
Frank did a double-take. “How’d you even know…” he left off.
“I heard what Fenton said. And I’ve heard the rumors about kidnappings in other towns. I mean, at least Joe’s alive, most of the other boys…” JB left off.
Frank moved forward, grabbed JB’s shoulder, and was immediately thrown into another vision. He woke up on the floor.
“What the hell was that?” said JB.
“Just the Power of the Eye, you do not want this thing in your head.”
JB pulled Frank up.
“So, you went through something like what Joe’s going through?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know why he can’t remember anything?”
“Either he’s afraid to talk about it or he was so traumatized he really can’t remember.”
“And?”
“And he needs help either way.”
“Frank!”
Frank heard his Dad shouting outside in the hospital corridors.
“Stay nearby for Joe. I gotta leave,” Frank opened the door and joined his father and aunt. They left the hospital for home.
*****
The next morning, Frank woke early, dressed, sneaked quietly down the stairs, then got in his car and drove to the hospital. He went directly to Joe’s ICU room. The room was empty. Frank began to hyperventilate. A young nurse saw him. “Are you looking for the young man who was in this room?”
Frank nodded, not trusting himself to speak.
“He’s been moved to a regular room. Let’s see the charge nurse. She can direct you to his new room, OK?”
“I’m Becky, by the way,” said the nurse.
“I’m Frank, Frank Hardy. Joe is my brother.”
Becky brought Frank to the main desk for the floor. “Janet, can you locate, um, what was that name again?”
“Joe, Joe Hardy. He was admitted yesterday,” said Frank.
Janet checked the stack of clipboards on her desk. “Joe, Joseph, correct? Joseph Hardy, yes, it’s right here. He’s been moved to room 604. It’s a regular room.”
“I can show you the way, just follow me to the elevators, then a nurse on the 6th floor can direct you from there,” said Nurse Becky.
The nurse led Frank to a bank of elevators and pressed the up button. In the car, she pressed the four and six buttons. At the fourth floor, she remarked, “This is my stop. I’ve hit six for you. When you get off the elevator, the desk will be just to your left. Ask at the desk for your brother’s room.”
“Thank you,” said Frank.
The nurse nodded.
On the sixth floor, Frank exited the elevator and went to the nursing desk. The nurse there gave him directions to Joe’s room.
Frank entered Joe’s room. Joe sat up in bed. To Frank, his younger brother looked a little better. He went to a chair at the side of the bed and sat down. “How are you, Joe?”
“Uh, okay. I still can’t remember anything, though. I thought I remembered being on my bike and being grabbed and pushed into a van. But then I realized that was one of the other times I was kidnapped,” said Joe.
Frank nodded.
“You know something, don’t you? Did you see what happened? Did you try to stop them and fail? Because if you did – this is not your fault, Frank!”
“What? No. I mean not like you mean. The last time I saw you before yesterday was at school when you said you were going to the library to study with Biff.”
“Then what? Why are you, and everyone, being so weird?”
“I…” Frank tried touching Joe’s shoulder, and he didn’t have a vision at least. “Yesterday, when I was here, when I touched you, I had a vision of what happened. The Eye showed it to me.”
“Then you can tell me about it. Maybe even you show me?”
“The doctors said we shouldn’t tell you anything, that you need to remember on your own. It could cause shock if we tell you. JB said the same thing to me.”
“JB’s here?”
“He was yesterday. He heard you were hurt.”
“OK, so let me get this straight. You saw what happened to me? What about Dad and Aunt Trudy?”
“There was a medical, um, you were examined. To find out what happened. By doctors.”
“This isn’t making a lot of sense.”
“I know. I want to tell you more, I do. But the doctors emphasized that you need to remember on your own. I know it’s hard, Joe. And it will take time. But you should remember.”
The door opened, and Fenton Hardy and Trudy Hardy entered the room.
“How are you feeling, Joe?” said Fenton.
“Good, I guess. I still don’t remember anything, even though I’ve been trying. But no IVs!” He held up his arm, then lowered it back onto the bed.
Just as the Hardys were getting comfortable in the room, a doctor entered. “Are you ready to be sprung, young man?”
Fenton looked at the doctor in surprise. The man appeared to be in his mid-forties with dark hair and blue eyes. “Sprung?”
“He is probably ready to leave the hospital. I need to perform a quick exam, get vitals, and such. Everyone else out, then I’ll let you know if he can be released.”
Fenton and Trudy left the room, Fenton grumbling about having just gotten there.
“Frank?” said Joe.
Frank still held onto his brother. “Can I stay?”
“I’d prefer it if you waited outside in the hall. This really won’t take long. I’ll check his blood pressure, pulse, temperature, all that good stuff. If everything is good, then I will start the release paperwork.”
“OK,” Frank said to the doctor, then he said to Joe, “I’ll be right outside, Joe.”
Frank left and joined his parents outside.
A few minutes later, the doctor came out. “Joe’s vitals have stabilized. The tears and cuts are healing. The antibiotics we gave him yesterday are doing their job. There’s no sign of fever or infection. We’ll send him home with oral antibiotics to take for ten days. I’ll give you a list of things to watch out for and another list of local and national resources. He’ll need blood tests every six months for at least a year, and urine tests too.”
Fenton nodded.
Frank looked confused but knew he could ask his Dad or Aunt Trudy about that later.
“The hospital will give you a referral to a therapist for Joe,” said the doctor.
Fenton nodded at that. Trudy gasped, then took a deep breath.
“I’m going to recommend his release. He can go home with you today. It might take a while for all the paperwork to go through. It always seems to. Also, I recommend keeping a close eye on him. At least until you know… At least until he remembers what happened and starts to process it.”
Fenton paled, “Thank you, doctor…”
“Doctor Kelly. Doctor Jack Kelly,” he pulled out a card and handed it to Fenton, “I’m an emergency specialist, not a psychologist or psychiatrist, but if you need anything, give me a call.”
“Thank you, doctor,” said Trudy.
“You can see him now. The registrar will bring his dismissal paperwork, a referral for a therapist, follow-up appointments, and lab appointments. And we can send the prescription to the hospital pharmacy, or if you have one of your own, if you prefer, we can do that too.”
“The hospital pharmacy is fine,” said Fenton.
“I’ll send the order in.”
The Hardy family entered Joe’s room. Doctor Kelly walked down the hall.
Much later that day, they brought Joe home. Joe was happy to be home. He sat around trying to relax for the rest of the day before the family had dinner. He even went to bed early, saying he was tired.
“I’m going to go upstairs,” Frank said to his Aunt Trudy.
“Worried about Joe?” she asked.
“Yeah, I can study in my room and keep the door open. I’ll know if he needs me.”
“Thank you for looking out for him,” remarked Trudy.
Frank didn’t answer.
*****
That night, Frank was awakened by his brother screaming. He knew it was a nightmare. He rushed to Joe’s room and to his brother, who was on his bed, wide awake, panting with tears rolling down his face.
“Joe? Joe! What happened?”
“I had a nightmare. And I remembered everything, Frank.”
“Tell me what happened.” Frank sat on the bed next to Joe.
“I… I was walking to the library to meet Biff. I was snatched and put in a van. They took me to the motel.”
“They took you to the motel right away?”
“Yeah. I only remember being in one place. This tall guy with grey hair – he beat me. He hit me with a whip. He beat my face with his hands. He said he was softening me up.”
Frank listened to Joe’s soft voice.
“I’m not sure how long it was. It was definitely longer than a few days. Another man came in. He’s… he’s the one who assaulted me. He came over, told me I wanted it. That everyone wanted him. He took off his belt, dropped his pants, pushed me on the bed, and then…”
“Joe? Are you sure?”
“I have to tell someone, Frank. Can I tell you?”
“Yes, of course.” Frank put a hand on his brother’s arm, “Is this OK?”
“Yes. You would never hurt me. And you aren’t the one who did this to me. But if I don’t talk about this now, I don’t know if I ever will.”
“OK.”
“He pushed me onto the bed, face down. He slammed into me, and he did it over and over and over. Finally, he stopped and he left. Got dressed and left, I guess. By that point, I was out of it.”
“Oh god,” said Frank, “Joe, I am so sorry. I am so sorry this happened.”
“Not your fault. But it hurt, Frank. It hurt so much. I… for a moment, I thought I was going to die from the pain.”
Frank hugged Joe close. “I am so sorry, Joe. I am.”
“Again, not your fault.”
“Do you remember what he looked like?”
“Piggy face, red hair – though it might have been a wig, short, fat. He was a white man. And I think Dad found me soon after it happened, because I only remember the one guy.”
“OK. We will have to tell Dad.”
“All the details?”
“The description of the man who did this, at least. Because I want to catch him and I want to make him pay.”
Joe nodded. “Frank? Does this… You don’t think less of me because of what happened, do you?”
“What, no! Joe, it wasn’t your fault. And you are still my brother. And I still love you.”
“You’ve been standoffish.”
“I didn’t want to trigger you.”
“Just hold me.”
Frank opened his arms, and Joe crawled into them.
“Joe. I love you. What happened doesn’t change anything.” Frank hugged Joe.
Frank held Joe tight. Joe gradually fell asleep in his arms.
*****
The next morning, Trudy went to wake the boys. Frank’s room was empty. When she opened the door to Joe’s room, she saw Joe asleep in Frank’s arms. Frank woke up at the sound.
“Frank?”
“He had a nightmare, and he remembered everything, Aunt Trudy.”
“OK, OK, you two should come downstairs. Tell Fenton and me everything. We should have breakfast. But no school today.”
Frank nodded.
“Frank? Did he sound OK? I mean, it's early days, but…” Trudy trailed off.
“I think he will be all right. It’s weird to say that now, considering, but… Joe’s been through a lot this year already, so… oddly enough, I think he will be fine.”
“I’ll let Fenton know. Let Joe get a little more sleep, then come downstairs, OK?”
Frank nodded, then hugged his brother tighter, pulling up the blanket to cover him up again.
*****
A little while later, Joe and Frank went downstairs. Trudy and Fenton were waiting.
“Joe, are you alright?” asked Trudy.
Joe looked at her, “I was assaulted, Aunt Trudy,” then he apologized, “I’m sorry, I know it wasn’t your fault. It wasn’t anyone’s fault, just something that happened.”
“Joe, it was the fault of the men who took you. Of the person who hurt you,” said Fenton. “Can you tell me the details? Do you want to talk about it?”
Joe hesitated. He went to the sofa and sat down. Frank sat next to him, his hand on Joe’s back. Joe calmly repeated the story he told Frank the night before.
Fenton nodded, “Joe, you need to tell the police what happened, too. We want these men caught.”
“Maybe that’s not a good idea,” said Aunt Trudy.
Frank looked from his Dad to his Aunt to his brother. He’d protect his brother no matter what, but he wanted vengeance, and he knew it. Still, he wouldn’t do anything at the cost of hurting Joe.
“Joe, you don’t have to go to the police if you don’t want to.”
Joe was quiet, thinking, then he quietly said, “I’ve told the story twice now. I can do it once more.”
Fenton sighed, then said, “The police might ask for more details, Joe.”
“I know,” Joe answered.
Fenton took a deep breath and then said, “So when you said, slammed into you, he did what exactly?”
“Fenton!” yelled Trudy.
“The police, and definitely a court, would ask the question, Trudy.”
Frank rubbed Joe’s back, “Joe, you don’t…”
“No, I think I do. If I don’t, I think this will haunt me for the rest of my life. The man, the man with the piggy face, put his penis in my asshole, he pushed into me over and over, and it hurt, it hurt so bad I thought I’d die. Is that what the police will need to hear?”
Frank pulled Joe into a hug. “God, Joe.”
“I’m alright.”
Fenton went to his youngest son. He also hugged him. “Joe, I’m sorry, I had to make you do that.”
Trudy sat in shock. Then she too walked over and hugged Joe. “We will get through this as a family, Joe. The hospital gave us a referral for a therapist for you. And I can call Jesse.”
“Maybe not someone I know so well. Maybe, um, a male cop, Aunt Trudy? If I tell Jesse, she’ll tell Biff, and soon all the gang will know, and I’d rather control when they find out, if ever. You know? I had no control here, and I know to catch these guys I need to talk to the police, but does it have to be Jesse? She’s becoming like a second aunt to me.”
Trudy nodded. Fenton nodded as well.
“OK, let’s have breakfast, then I will take you to the police station, and then back home. No school for either of you, at least for today. We’ll call for a therapy appointment. It might take a few days to get you in,” said Fenton.
“Therapy? I don’t want to talk to anyone else.”
“It will help.”
Frank shook his head a tiny bit.
Joe settled down. It would be an argument for another day.
They had breakfast. Frank kept his eye on Joe, but his brother seemed OK. After breakfast, Fenton decided to take Joe to the police to give his statement. Frank insisted on coming along. At the police station, they talked to Jesse.
“Jesse, Joe’s remembered everything that happened to him,” Fenton said to her, “He needs to make a statement, but he prefers a male officer he doesn’t know.”
Jesse nodded, “I can arrange that. Fenton, I am so sorry about what happened. I’m sorry we didn’t get to him sooner.”
“I know. It will be OK. He… he seems to be getting better already. Part of me doesn’t even want him to report it. But if there’s any chance, we can catch these guys and put them in prison... I want justice for Joe,” said Fenton.
Jesse found an officer to take Joe’s statement. The officer let Joe into an interview room and closed the door. Joe told his story again, which was recorded. Fenton and Frank waited outside. Then Joe signed the report.
Meanwhile, Jesse asked Fenton, “Is there anything you can add? Did you see anything at the motel?”
Fenton shook his head.
“Frank?”
“Dad didn’t even let me see him at the motel. I didn’t see him until the hospital. When he remembered, Joe told me first. He told me what happened to him. Then he had to tell Dad and Aunt Trudy. Now the police… Joe needs a break.”
“You can take him home, of course,” said Jesse. “Frank, are you all right?”
“Not really. But I will be. I need to be there for him, and I will be.”
“Go home, all of you. If there’s anything I can do, let me know,” said Jesse.
Joe exited the interview room then.
“Let’s go home, Joe,” said Fenton.
Frank looked at his younger brother. Joe seemed OK. He knew he’d have to keep an eye on him, but somehow, he knew Joe would survive this. He’d be all right.
The End