Fanfic: Fortitude Ch 41, Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew

Final chapter, folks. It's been a blast. Thank you for sticking with it through the full 41 chapters and thank you for the fantastic reviews.

CHAPTER 41

"Oh my goodness!" Laura jumped to her feet. "Con's proposing."

"What?" Frank and Nancy rose up to look in the same direction.

Nancy said, "No, you're mistaken, they've only been together a few months. It's Con you're talking about, he—" her voice wound down, her mouth made a silent 'O!' shape.

Indeed, down on one knee, Con held Andrea's hand and gazed up at her intensely, while Andrea's fingers were over her mouth as she returned his look. He said something to her. They couldn't hear the words, they didn't need to.

Vanessa stood close to her future father, smiling broadly, one hand on her waist, not at all surprised. In contrast, James stared agog in utter amazement.

Con's other hand came out of his pocket and held a ring.

Frank glanced at Joe and Ezra to see they'd realized, and saw them twisted in Con's direction, then Frank drifted back to observe the rest of the drama play out.

Andrea nodded positively, then bent to encourage Con up off the carpet with a laugh. He rose to tower over her and stepped closer. She held out her splayed fingers, so he slipped the ring on and made it official. He kissed the back of her hand. She smiled reassuringly up at him, took his face in her hands and kissed him properly. Con gradually pulled her close until they moulded together, she on her tiptoes, he curled over.

The room erupted with cheers and claps. Con grew red up to his gills and Vanessa hugged them. James sat in his wheelchair with the look of a shell-shocked man, slightly dislocated from proceedings - at least until Con turned and bent to say something quickly. James smiled and they hugged.

So, Vanessa and James had their family; Andrea had her un-possessive, loyal and honest man; and Con, the rough 'n tough kid from the wrong side of the tracks, had bagged his prom queen!

Laura and Fenton went to congratulate them along with the general surge of humanity.

Frank turned to Nancy, "Wowsers!" His eyebrows went high. "HA!"

Nancy smiled widely. "So cool. Who'd have thought Con would propose so publically? He's usually a private person. Remember how they kept their affair secret?"

"He must have been confident she'd say yes." Frank caught Joe's eye, and they shook their heads in amazement.

Laura returned to the table where Nancy and Frank sat with Andrea and Vanessa in tow. The four women sat and admired the engagement band. Frank, trapped in the middle, had to 'Ohhh' and 'Ahhh' along with them.

Con had proved himself to have surprisingly good taste for a 'man's-man'. He'd chosen a beautiful and feminine piece of jewellery - rose gold with a central diamond and— "Look at the SIZE of that thing!" Frank sputtered.

The ladies turned and stared at him in silence. Nancy gave him a nudge.

"It's awesome," Frank muttered.

The large diamond had been married with other, smaller diamonds which graduated in size along each side of the band, and set into the shoulders.

"It's beautiful." Nancy said, and turned Andrea's finger so the light caught the stones and dazzled. "I don't know who Con went to, but the stone doesn't look to have many inclusions, and it's a great cut. An expert once told me people always think carat size is king, but they should go for clarity and cut, not size. Con chose both; he's got a great eye." She smiled at Andrea. "He talks about you all the time you know? He loves you. He thinks he's not good enough."

Andrea smiled. "He is, and I adore him."

Joe's face loomed into view next to Frank's ear; Frank jumped clear into the air and grabbed his heart. "Jeeze, Bro!"

"Sorry…Dude, this is embarrassingly girly. Be a man and come for a drink with us?" Joe glanced at the ring. "Is that monster REAL? Did Con rob a bank or something?" The ladies turned and stared at Joe this time. "What? It's massive!"

Frank stood and took Joe's arm. "Let's go, Bro," he muttered and pulled his brother away. "He just closed on the sale of his house, remember?"

They joined Joe and Ezra at the bar as Fenton and Con made their way over to them, along with James, careful not to run anyone over. It gave them the opportunity to shake Con's hand and congratulate him. Collig waved at the bartender and asked for a bottle of champagne.

James put the brake on, and tugged on Con's jacket to pull his attention down. "Give me your arm." Con offered and James used it to lift himself up from the seat. He hopped ungainly to the bar, went between Frank and Joe and leaned his forearms on the counter top. "I get ignored when I'm down there."

"Yes, I remember when I used one." Frank said.

"I ignore Jimmy anyway." Joe said.

Con collapsed the wheelchair and went to find it a suitable home where no one would fall over it.

Frank said to James, "If Joe and Vanessa marry, you'll be Joe's brother-in-law."

"Steady goes it!" Joe spluttered.

James grinned. "Cool!"

Joe's hands went to his hair. "NO! It'll make Con my father-in-law! He and Dad will be tag-teaming. That decides it, bachelorhood for me." He groaned theatrically, "Swift-change-of-subject, JAMES…when you gonna find yourself a girl?"

James paused for a few seconds in consideration. "Huh. Well it's not so simple." He turned his head to look Joe in the eye, chewed his lip nervously and then went for it. "I don't generally advertise it, not in my line of work, but…I allow everyone to assume I'm in the market for a girl, but in reality, you and Frank are more my type - especially you, Joe, what with being blond and racked." He ran his eyes down Joe's body and slowly smiled.

Joe's eyes went like saucers and he stood straight. "I assumed, you know…not that there's anything wrong with it, I'm more than okay with that, down with it…well, maybe not DOWN with it, but you get my drift? And as flattered as I am…Dude, you gotta know I'm with Vanessa, and like…bottom line, I'm straight…startlingly straight…and—"

"Joe, I'm kidding, I'm straight too. Boy, did you panic though."

Frank guffawed loudly. "Nice one, Jimmy. Do you need a shovel to dig yourself out of that hole, Bro?"

"Whatever, James!" Joe went beet red. "You gonna get yourself a girl or what?"

"Not that it's anyone's business, but, honestly, it's not on my radar. I'm still getting used to having a decent Dad, and adapting to a new mom and sister. And there's my leg and promotion. It's too much right now."

"Dude, you're definitely doomed to a life of solitude and being eaten by cats."

"Screw you, The Blond One!" James choked. "What IS this obsession's with pairing yourself off with someone? I didn't say I haven't dabbled." His eyes unconsciously moved and he looked at someone across the room, and then at someone else.

Frank followed his gaze and saw a group of women, two of whom looked back at James confused, and then regarded each other with suspicion.

"Nothing serious," James said quickly, broke eye contact and went pink. "Just fun."

"You PLAYER!" Joe gave James a push. Unfortunately, it unbalanced him and he slid along the highly polished, wooden bar, jigging like mad on his good leg. His forearms swept several glasses along in his wake. Beer and wine sloshed everywhere. The barman snatched up the champagne, and Fenton and Ezra dived to save the receptacles. Con appeared from nowhere, caught his son and righted him. They started to laugh at his near accident and someone threw a towel into the mix. Joe patted his friend's arms down.

"Thanks a lot, Joe!"

"Sorry, Dude. Can I do anything?"

"Yeah, find my pride." A tall bar stool appeared from somewhere and James perched the edge of his butt onto it. "That's better."

"Skedaddle, Joe," Con said and eased him to one side toward Fenton and Ezra so he could stand next to James. Fenton pulled Joe into their discussion.

Frank turned his back to the bar and addressed Con and James. "Did Carson contact you yet?"

"He's enquired after James' health several times," Con answered.

"I mean in his capacity as an attorney?"

"No, why?"

"Expect him to. He's pulling together a class suit against The Network. He intends to make claims for personal damages on our behalf. From what Carson told me, he doesn't think it'll take much pressure to lever compensation out of them, including for Officer Bach. The government will want this hushed up. There's already an injunction in place to prevent press intrusion. Should be enough to cover medical bills with some left over."

Con and James regarded each other. "It'll go some way to help," James said. "We'll await his phone call."

"Have they decided to formally charge Gray?" Con asked.

"If they have, no one's talking. I'm sure we'll hear at some point, but right now everything's hush-hush."

Con snorted. "Typical government move." He and James turned back to the bar and started a different conversation. Standing so close, Frank overheard their exchange. He didn't mean to listen, but it grew interesting as it progressed and piqued his curiosity.

James said quietly to his Dad, "Don't get married until I'm out of the chair will you? I don't want to attend in that thing."

"I want my name on your birth certificate first."

James paused in surprise and dropped his voice even more. "You don't need to. I know you're my Dad. It's not a problem. It's only a piece of paper."

Con's hand came to rest firmly on James' shoulder to make him listen good. "It's not only a piece of paper!" His brow furrowed and he pointed at himself with his remaining thumb. "Son, you might not find it a problem, but I do. My name should be on the dotted line, not Claud's. It should never have been Claud's"

James grinned sheepishly. "You asking me to change my surname back to Riley?"

"Only if you're okay with it?"

"More than okay."

"We might need Carson Drew's help. I got some stuff to say, but it's not for public broadcast and—"

Clearly Frank wasn't supposed to have eavesdropped, so sighed with relief when one of the hotel staff approached and gave him a ready excuse to walk away.

"Frank, there's someone at reception who wants to speak to you."

"I know who that is." Frank leaned and tapped Joe on the shoulder. "Bro, get my drink, I think Mrs Holliday's changed her mind and decided to come after all."

"Good, I think there's a case for being too cloak and dagger by staying undercover"

"She likes it. Don't spoil her fun. Probably in disguise."

"Yeah, as a man, fully moustached." Joe smiled and indicated to the bar. "Champagne?"

"Can't stand the stuff. A beer, but non-alcoholic, still on antibiotics."

Frank left the room and made his way to the reception desk. As he rounded the corner, he froze.

The person waiting for him leaned against the countertop on his elbows, a hand laid lightly on top of a document sized box. He sensed Frank's presence, looked across, and they locked eyes.

Frank knew this person. It wasn't Mrs Holliday with a moustache. Frank stared in bewilderment for a few more seconds, but eventually tore his eyes away to glance over his shoulder and check he hadn't been followed.

The man picked up the box and walked off out of sight around the side of the reception desk.

Frank pursued and caught up quickly. He took the person by the upper arm and sped them up even more. Halfway along the corridor, he stopped and stepped into the confines of a wall recess. He then used his body to obscure his friend from prying eyes. "John? What are you doing here?" he hissed, still astonished.

"Primarily to check you're recoverin'."

"What?" Frank shook his head in confusion. "I am. But how did—"

John lifted the box, "I couldn't trust what I've got here to the mail."

"What?" That puzzled Frank even more and he frowned at the box. "I don't…what are you talking about? Wait…start again." Frank centred his mind and forced his brain to concentrate on John's words.

"I can't turn it over to Arthur Gray now he's facing possible charges - not that I would have, he made some damn fool decisions with Pandora. I never could stomach the man. I prefer to deal with people of integrity like yourself."

'Nope, he still isn't making sense!' Frank tightly shook his head. "That's quite the juxtaposition, being a hired killer an' all—"

"Vermin Exterminator."

"Whatever. But…John…I don't get it! What's your connection to Arthur Gray? You're not here to try and talk me into taking assignments with you again, or to kidnap me?" Frank gave him a lop-sided grin. "I'm still not hungry for potato chips."

John laughed. "You got one arm incapacitated and I still wouldn't want to try abductin' you. I'm guessin' Con and the boys haven't told you?"

"Told me what?"

"The Red-Headed psychopath?"

Frank's head tipped, and he rolled his hand encouragingly.

"Con Riley didn't kill him, I did. Arthur Gray asked me to look out for you."

Frank's palm stopped circling, and his eyes moved as he thought. An eyebrow peaked. "You were in the trees behind us as he hanged me. I saw you. Thought I was hallucinating, my brain starved of oxygen. You were the Grim Reaper."

John laughed, liking the comparison. "Yeah, that's me - Death himself comin' a callin', but not to take you."

"You saved my life."

John's head tipped. "I guess I did. Not somethin' I generally do in my line o' work. Made a refreshin' change."

Frank put his hand out and John grasped on. "Thanks. Con said he'd take the fall?"

John shrugged his shoulders. "He didn't take much persuadin'. An' your pa and Joe were prepared to lie. They're honorable men. Did it go against Con?"

"Nah, a nutjob like him? No one questioned Con's motives. Or if they did, they didn't think it worth saying aloud." Frank frowned, "Were you there when we were out on surveillance? I sensed someone but blamed Con."

"Pretty funny when you hammered his leg. I nearly fell out o' the tree laughin'."

"Nice to know my instincts weren't so wide of the mark. But how did you track us down? I know the Red-Headed Man eventually found our safe house, but we think Nancy slipped up under hypnoses. How did you do what no one else could?"

"By luck not design. I saw the Bayport Cop Shop bein' fired on an' followed the gunmen back to Hope Industries. By the time I got back to Bayport, y'all had skipped town. So I hung out at the complex until you boys showed up - I knew you would eventually. Stayed close after."

"Why didn't you go as soon as you shot the psychopath, why hang around for Dad and Con? Cops were all over the place and Con could have put his lieutenant hat on to arrest you - heck, could've shot you on sight…mad as hell, really wanted to kill the guy."

"Your pa was the threat, not Con Riley."

"What do you mean?"

"In my experience, people who say they're gonna kill someone don't - it's the quiet ones you need to look out for, and your pa was mighty quiet. I saw his face in the complex protectin' y'all, and I saw his eyes when he came through the trees at me. Con, yeah, plenty mad and still will be, but your pa…he had the look of a man done negotiatin', past talkin'. If not for Con's presence, he would've shot first n' asked questions later."

"But—"

"Frank, there's no 'but', don't be puttin' a gun in your pa's hands for a while. I know a man on the edge an' he's teeterin'."

Frank raised a concerned brow. "I'll try and make him take a break. He's back in charge now, but I'll try. I'll talk to mom."

"See you do."

"So, given you knew Dad could've blown, Con could've arrested you, and the place swamed with cops, why did you hang around?"

"You were dyin' out there, I couldn't leave you, or Joe."

Frank snatched and shook John's hand again. Probably should have embraced, but would've been a step too far. They didn't let go of their palms, kept each other in a firm, comfortable, extended grasp.

Eventually John's hand slipped away and the box passed across. "Take it; it's weighin' heavy on me."

Frank accepted it clumsily. "What's in it?"

"Bits an' pieces."

Frank looked about. "You realize this place is full of cops?"

"An' that's why I'm goin'. Good luck, Frank. An' remember, if you crave a change o' pace, call me. You'd do well in my line o' work."

"Thanks for the offer, but it's not for me. Ask James. He's a crack shot."

John went quiet and thoughtful. "He IS good."

"I don't believe this, you're actually considering it! John…I'm joking!"

"It's not such a bad idea. He'd blend into a crowd easily, has an honest, open face, not being too tall's an advantage—" John looked passed Frank's shoulder and made a humming noise, but then slowly shook his head. "No, wouldn't work. He's a cop through and through. Doesn't fit the personality profile of a professional killer."

"And I DO!?"

"Yeah you do. A wasted talent. I was no different to you once. See ya round."

John walked away, and Frank watched him head for the front entrance. 'I wonder what happened in John's life to set him on the path of Vermin Exterminator.' Frank wondered silently. Someone touched his back and made him jump.

"Hi Frank," Officer Wong said. "Great party." He half turned. "Did I miss anything?"

John heard and spun with a panicked expression, it made Frank want to laugh. Instead, Frank said quickly to Marty, "Only Con's marriage proposal to his girlfriend…sorry, partner."

Marty turned to Frank bewildered, but continued to walk backward toward John. "You having me on?"

Frank laughed and his eyes flitted to John who grasped the opportunity to leave through the front exit and head off with long strides across the parking lot. "Nope, I kid you not."

"Oh man, trust me to miss that!" Marty raised his hands above his head, "I always miss something. She's a bomb-shell, lucky guy. Next time we go out with Jimmy, I'll be sure to invite you and Joe along." He turned back to the reception and went around the corner.

Frank exhaled audibly, returned to the reception desk, and to the sofa opposite. He settled the box on his lap, but before he could lift the lid, his phone buzzed. He pulled the cell from his pocket and looked at the newly repaired screen.

"Con bailed me out AGAIN! See ya, Frank. Wish Con and Andrea good luck."

Frank laughed loudly, put his phone away, and returned to the box. He lifted the lid and straight away saw the two missing phones from the agency's filing cabinet. They sat on top of a file bearing the inscription 'The Mysterious Nature of Pandora's Box' in Joe's scruffy scribble. Frank laughed loudly, suddenly appreciating the humor in the title.

John must have broken into their office and took them to stop the new Pandora Posse from getting them, or The Network. All that worrying for nothing!

Also on top of the file, he found his long-owned Swiss army knife the Red-Headed Man had threatened to use on Joe and himself. He picked it up and popped it into his pocket, glad to have it back.

He picked up the Pandora file to flip through it, but a small thing slipped out, hit the blue phone, and bounced around. Eventually, it settled in the corner with a clatter. Frank shot to his feet and his heart stuttered. The speed he moved caused the box to slide off his knee and hit the ground. He backed off a couple of steps and his vision dimmed. His head experienced pins and needles, and everything tipped.

"Frank?" He heard someone say from a distance, followed by quick steps. The person caught and directed him down on to the sofa. "You all right?"

Frank's head cleared quickly. "I'm good," he said and looked up to see Marty there. "Stood up too quick. Head rush." Suddenly he felt really drained.

"Heard you laugh and got nosy. Lucky I came back! Take it easy, Frank." Marty picked up the box and handed it him. "You're not so long out of the hospital. Don't overdo it. Do you want to lie down in my hotel room?"

"I'm good. I got my own room, but thanks for the offer."

"I'm going back. I'll see you in there but no limboing!" He turned and headed back to the function rooms.

Frank opened the box lid again slowly and took another peek at the small object that had bounced around and scared the bejesus out of him - the memory stick the woman had taunted him with containing the entire Pandora program. The flash drive that had gotten her killed.

After Frank had woken in the hospital, he'd begged his Dad to go and find it. So Fenton and Con had scoured the ground for two days, even used metal detectors, but returned empty handed. Chief Collig had gone through the psychopath's clothes packed into evidence bags, but failed to find the memory stick. He'd checked the woman's clothes, even though Frank knew it wouldn't be there. How was it they could find his tiny shirt buttons, but not a memory stick?

Frank might have suggested John as the culprit, if he'd known of John's involvement. Whether the others wondered about John's connection, he couldn't possibly know…although now, in retrospect, Con, his Dad and Joe had been unusually laid back about the absent memory stick. Told him not to get so worked up, that worrying wouldn't do any good. Maybe they'd figured it out but couldn't tell him because they'd given John their word?

Frank reached in and picked Pandora up. "Well, look at you!" he said and turned the tiny green, oblong object around in his fingers and examined it closely. He now knew how Nancy had felt when she'd been in control of the entire program. He tapped Pandora against the side of his nose thoughtfully, then slipped the stick into his inside pocket.

He repacked the box, held it against his stomach and went to join his brother for the promised celebratory drink. After, he planned to abdicate his responsibilities as host and take Nancy up to their room to celebrate in their own way.

THE END

Hope you all enjoyed the story, I'm flattered that some of you stuck through 41 chapters!

Coming soon…Ring of Destiny [revised]