Pawns & Enemies: A Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys Mystery

8. Frank

  "Ugh! Joe! Why are you behind the door?" I shout alarmed.

"Frank! Shhhh!" he whispers from the ground. He rolls over, stands up and dusts himself off.

"What's up with you?!" I exclaim.

"Close the door," Joe whispers.

I close it.

"Why?"

"Nancy!"

"Nancy? Nancy's not here. You're supposed to be watching her. I came to get you so you could see her criminal background report."

Joe spun around wildly. "Where is Nancy?"

Joe and I both dash for the lab door, open it and find Nancy at the computer. She stands up and plants her feet, arms crossed. Joe and I walk in.

"Close the door. You have got some explaining to do." Nancy commands.

Joe closes the door behind himself.

"Now," Nancy announces, "I know who you are and you know who I so spill."

I did not see this coming.

"What exactly do you know?" I ask.

"You are secret agents for A.T.A.C."

Two words "A.T.A.C." and "agents" blow into our faces. She said it so matter-of-factly too.

"So, we know you're a criminal trying to break open A.T.A.C.," Joe snaps.

Nancy looks at us in astonishment the starts laughing.

"How did you come to think that?" Nancy explodes.

"Well, A.T.A.C. said so," Joe says defensively.

"And you have a criminal report," I add.

"That you mean?" Nancy points to the screen. "I can explain everything on there."

"Ok" I sit down at the desk. "Why did you kidnap a six-year-old girl?"

Joe looks at Nancy in utter astonishment.

"They seriously put that on my record?" Nancy laughs. "I helped a little girl escape a burning house and camped out in the woods with her. The next day I got her to her parents.

"How about stealing a boat?" I ask.

"I stole a criminal's boat which they had stolen and got merchandise into the police's hands," Nancy explains.

Nancy's phone buzzes and begins to ring.

She takes it out of her pocket. "It's George, wait a second," she tells us.

"Hey, you did great. I'm going to put you on speaker phone," Nancy says into the phone. "Ok," she clicks a button, "George, you're on speaker. Let's hear your background check."

George must be like Nancy's personal secretary.

"Okay, so Frank and Joe Hardy. I'm just going to say everything together because its a lot of the same thing, " George states.

Wait, George is a girl?!

"So they have crashed over 20 other people's cars, drained gas from other cars, and purposely pooped three tires of a mayor's limo. Multiple cases of breaking and entering, trespassing and holding innocent people captive. They are blamed for at least three murders. They have been at the scene of over one hundred crime scenes before the police. Id on' think that counts as a crime because you do that all the time, Nance, without even trying. Stolen a few cars and kidnapped a teenager in their car. Pushed people into rivers and they caused a statue to fall onto someone resulting in a major injury. The rest is all junk. Like binding and gagging people who were supposedly criminals then turned out not to be, holding a gun to secret agents from A.T.A.C. and the Network and killing or being the cause of death of some criminals. You do that too except the agency part and they..."George was cut off by Nancy taking her off speakerphone.

"That's good, thanks. I'll call you later, good-bye." Nancy says pocketing her phone.

This whole time Joe and I stand frozen. We had no idea we did so much criminal activity. Or that it was all on record for people to find. George is good. I just wonder how she got so good at hacking.

"So, you're questioning me?" Nancy asks us."No, that we've leveled the playing ground I need you to help me."

Ok, so Nancy is not the bad guy. Well, duh she's not a guy but she's not the person we're looking for.

"Sure Nancy, what do you need?" Joe asks eagerly.

I could kill him for agreeing so easily.

"I need evidence A.T.A.C. agents are causing problems instead of solving them."

That snaps me out of my daze.

"We can't do that," Joe and I exclaim in unison.

"Why not?"

"Because it's, it's not happening," Joe stutters. "Where did you hear about this?"

"My dad," Nancy breathes unsure.

"We have to talk to him," Joe announces.

"Yeah. Oh, of course," Nancy pulls out that new shiny phone and dials a number. She hands the cell phone to Joe after pressing the speaker button. Joe holds the phone in front of his mouth.

"Nancy, did you get evidence already?" A male voice (Mr. Drew?) floods the room.

"Mr. Drew, this is Frank and Joe Hardy, your daughter is fine," I say taking the phone from Joe. "We would like to know where you got your information about A.T.A.C. agents from." I am surprised to hear a hint of aggression in my voice.

"My client told me she was being harassed by A.T.A.C. agents and thing were stolen from her home by them." Carson Drew responds.

"What is your client's name?"

"I am afraid that's confidential. I cannot give you her name. And don't ask for an address either."

"How about-" Nancy asks

"Don't bother, Nancy." Her father replies quickly. "The response will be the same."

Tough love.

"Okay. Bye, Dad." Nancy takes the phone and hangs up defeated. "Now what?"

"Well," Joe's face enlightens with his word. He dashes to the computer with Nancy and me two steps behind. He starts to type rapidly. The spins to face us. "Can you get into your dad's office after hours?" Joe inquires of Nancy.

"Yes, I can get in. I can get in anytime.' Nancy reveals, smiling at Joe. They were both saying something between their eyes. Then it dawned on me what they were planning: breaking and entering Nancy's father's office.

"No, you're not," I plead to look at Joe then Nancy's eyes. Both pairs of blue eyes bounce with excitement.

"Fine, if you're both so settled on the idea," I surrender. "But how will we be getting there?"

"Plane," they say in unison.

"You have a plane?" Nancy stares inquiringly at Joe.

"No, but Dad does."

"Dad left on business, probably on a plane," I remind Joe.

"My Dad knows a pilot and he might be willing to fly us," Nancy suggests.

For the fourth time today she pulls out her iPhone. She is getting really attached to that thing. She dials a number and listens to the phone.

"Hello, Paul Dean, please? Not there. I can take him or another to Illinois but Carson Drew... oh, you do have an opening. Thanks." Nancy hangs up and turns to us. "One trip from New York to Illinois coming right up. Pack your bags because we have to get there in an hour."