76Hello again everyone! I'm sorry for the confusion. It was pointed out to me that some facts were wrong and I want to be as accurate as possible so I fixed my mistakes. This is my newest fanfiction! I hope you enjoy it as much as the first one. This is not a sequel but its own story.
There is an informative chapter so may seem a little wordy. I'm just covering all my bases so please bear with me! Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own Nancy Drew or the Hardys and the information about the FBI is off of the official FBI website.
It was almost dawn. The early October morning air in Virginia was chilly, making steam appear over the small pond next to the running path. Frozen dew covered the grass and a low mist hovered. The only sound was the soft pounding of two pairs of feet and panting breath.
"What's the matter Drew? Tired?"
Twenty-four year old Nancy Drew looked over her shoulder and grinned. Her blue eyes sparkled as she saw that her running partner was starting to breathe harder. Even though she had always kept in shape, Nancy couldn't believe how much physical training went into being an FBI agent. Her muscles were tired and she was breathing harder but she felt extremely energized.
"Not on your life Hardy! That's why I'm in front."
Frank Hardy laughed. Also twenty-four, he and Nancy were in their fifth week of FBI training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Frank's younger brother Joe, twenty-three, had also been accepted. Six years after helping Special Agent Daniel Burr solve a case at Quantico by posing as new agents, Nancy and the Hardys were now real NATS – New Agents in Training.
In order to apply to the FBI, a college degree from a four-year university was required as well as three years of professional work. After talking with Agent Burr and the head agent in charge of applications, the trio found out they could by-pass the three years of profession work requirement because of the help they had given over the years on different cases. That put them on the younger end of the FBI applicant pool but Nancy and the Hardys were accepted immediately.
Once accepted into the 20-week program, trainees go through hours of instruction in four major concentrations: academics, case exercises, firearms training, and operational skills. Within these areas, agents also learn collection of evidence and how to use intelligence methods as special agents.
Nancy smirked at Frank as he picked up his pace until he was even with her. They had a mile to go in their five mile run. There was a physical training test administered during the first, seventh, and fourteenth weeks of the session. In order for the NATS to pass the test they must achieve a minimum score in each of four areas: sit-ups in one minute; timed 300-meter sprint, push-ups, and a timed 1.5-mile run.
"How's Joe holding up?" Nancy asked as they jogged down the trail. Before the three of them joined the FBI, Nancy and the Hardy boys had been amateur detectives. Nancy had been in the Chicago area and the Hardys had lived in the New York area. Sometimes their cases would connect or they'd ask each other for help. They had become good friends over the years and highly respected each other.
"He complains about the food but there are plenty of pretty girl agents to outweigh that problem," Frank replied, rolling his eyes, "but he's doing well. He hadn't believed me the first few weeks were going to be tough. He does now!"
"I haven't had much time to catch up with him, the way classes and training have been scheduled," Nancy said, thinking about the younger Hardy. His ability to flirt and be charming was infamous. It made her smile.
"Tell me about it. I thought it'd ease up after the first month but boy was I wrong!" Frank said. He glanced over at Nancy and studied her. Her medium length strawberry blonde hair was tied up in a pony-tail that rocked back and forth as she jogged. She was in the regular FBI-issued workout t-shirt, now covered in sweat at the neckline and back from the run, and it was a snug fit around her chest. The black jogging shorts with the FBI emblem showed off her amazingly long and toned legs.
Frank felt his pulse jump and it had nothing to do with the run.
Stop it Hardy. Frank scolded himself as he focused on the trail ahead of him.
Over the last few years, Frank and Nancy had grown into best friends. While at college, they had helped each other through the breakups with their significant others, Callie and Ned, and now pushed each other in training and challenged each other in their classes.
Even though they had shared intimate moments while working on cases together in the past, once in a freezing shack and another when posing as newlyweds in Cairo, neither had let anything happen at Quantico. They hadn't wanted to ruin a good friendship or have feelings interfere with their work.
Nancy was the one who didn't want to ruin a good friendship. But we're so good together! Frank thought with frustration. We understand each other.
"Hello! Earth to Frank!"
Frank snapped out of his thoughts and focused on Nancy's face. He let a sheepish grin slide onto his face and saw the laughter in her blue eyes. He noticed they had reached the end of the trail.
"I'm sorry Nan, I was thinking about Joe," Frank lied, "What did you say?"
"Hardy, you're an awful liar," Nancy said, stretching her arms down to her legs. "I asked if you wanted to grab breakfast before Ethics."
"I am not. Breakfast sounds amazing. I'll get Joe and see you there Drew," Frank said, heading towards the men's locker room.
Nancy smiled to herself as watched as Frank walked away. Frank fit the description of tall, dark and handsome perfectly. His brown eyes were warm and intelligent and sometimes mischievous. She couldn't help noticing how well his shirt fit over his broad shoulders. She felt her face flush as she stood there watching him. There had always been a spark between them and sometimes Nancy felt there still was. However, she had firmly made sure they were just friends. She thought she could only survive one heart break for a lifetime.
She bit her lip to keep herself from going back down that road. Over the past few years Frank had been the best friend a girl could ask for. He was funny, witty and extremely intelligent. Nancy knew he worked hard to keep in shape, having seen the proof of it herself when she watched him play Shirts vs. Skins flag-football with some of the other guys. Nancy sighed. Frank was a good-looking guy, the complete package.
Don't do it Nancy. A voice told her. Keep it friendly.
Nancy shook her head and turned towards the women's locker room trying not to think about the older Hardy's amazing attributes.
For being early morning, the cafeteria was full of fellow FBI trainees. Coffee was hot, breakfast available and conversations about classes and training filled the air. Nancy filled her tray with fruit, toast and a bowl of Wheaties. She grabbed a glass of orange juice and headed towards the check-out line.
Breakfast of champions. Nancy thought with a smile.
"Nan! Over here!"
Nancy turned at the sound of her name and grinned when she saw the Hardy brothers sitting at a table by one of the windows. She waved and turned back to pay for her breakfast and headed in their direction.
Joe was sitting across from Frank, three plates of food in front of him. One was full of eggs and bacon, the other was piled high with pancakes and waffles and the last had home-style potatoes and hash-browns slathered in ketchup. Frank had eggs and bacon with toast and an empty cereal bowl next to him.
"I'm glad I got here before it was time for seconds. There would have been nothing left!" Nancy laughed after seeing Joe's feast. She sat next to Frank and grinned at Joe. Joe looked up with a mouthful of eggs and grinned back.
"I can't help it – I'm a growing boy who needs a lot of fuel." He said between mouthfuls. Frank shook his head.
"Chew, swallow then talk little brother," Frank said as he put jelly on his toast. He glanced over at Nancy with a pained look on his face. "You'll have to excuse him. He missed out on lessons in manners."
Nancy laughed again as Joe flicked a piece of scrambled egg at Frank. Standing next to each other, someone wouldn't be able to tell that Frank and Joe were brothers. Joe had blond hair and blue eyes filled with mischief. He was an inch or so shorter than Frank and had much broader shoulders. Where Frank was serious and down-to-Earth, Joe was wild and carefree. Both brothers were intelligent in their own way, though Joe tended to hide it more than Frank.
Some things never change. Nancy thought as she dug into her breakfast. After a minute, she looked at Joe again.
"So, Joe, I hear the first month has been a little tougher than you thought it would be," Nancy said, taking a sip of her orange juice. Joe looked thoughtful for a minute then nodded.
"Yeah, it is," He said, "I thought Frank was just trying to pull my leg but now I realize this is really hard work." Then he pointed at Frank, "Don't say it."
Frank looked confused.
"Say what?" He asked, not looking at Joe. Nancy could see he was trying to hide a smile.
"You know exactly what!" Joe said, returning to his toast.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, but I did tell you so."
"That!" Joe cried. Nancy burst out laughing and Frank grinned. He couldn't help but pester his younger brother…or make Nancy smile.
"What's your first seminar after breakfast?" Nancy asked Joe. She was amazed to see in the short time she had been sitting there, Joe had managed to clear two of his three plates.
Where does it go? She wondered, looking over his bulky but muscular frame.
"Two hours of physical training and then investigative techniques," Joe answered, finishing off the rest of his food. "The guy is pretty smart and isn't afraid to show more techniques than just his own."
"He's pretty good. Though I do have to say we're pretty good in the investigative techniques area," Frank said. Nancy nodded in agreement.
"Still, it's required," Joe muttered. Then he perked up again, "However, Shelly is in that class and I'm not one to pass up helping a pretty girl with homework!"
Nancy giggled and Frank rolled his eyes. Typical Joe!
"Well, I suppose we better get going if we want to make it on time to Ethics," Nancy said, glancing at her watch and stood up. Frank threw his napkin on his tray, grabbed Nancy's tray and headed to the trash.
After making plans with Joe to meet for dinner, Frank and Nancy headed to their lecture as Joe headed towards the gym.
Joe stopped and turned back towards his brother and Nancy. He watched as they laughed and talked – and stood a little closer than a normal pair would if they weren't interested in each other. Ever since Frank had broken it off with Callie, Joe had wondered why he didn't ask Nancy out. With a shrug, he turned back towards the gym.
Note: Special Agent Daniel Burr is from the Spies and Lies NDHB Supermystery. Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter! I just want to warn those looking for the mystery that it won't show up for a few chapters. I hope you come back for more and I hope it's more accurate!