The Wrath of the Red Dragon, By Lizzie B.

[Made2LuvU]

The Wrath of the Red Dragon

Chapter Twelve

‘Life is just a lineup, tell me when my time’s up, too much on my mind today. There’s so much left that I would like to say. When I start to climb up, will you pull my line up, or am I just in the way? I think about it every single day. I think about it every single day. Fix us, ‘cause we keep falling apart, just keep falling apart. We’re tired of being alone. Fix me, ‘cause I keep falling apart, just keep falling apart. Will someone find me?’ –Nothing Left to Show (Hawk Nelson)

Frank Hardy cursed under his breath. Everything was falling apart, going from bad to worse in a matter of hours. ‘I never should have associated with her,’ he thought, a picture of Isabella clear in his mind, her scowl of malice mocking his pain. He was dressed up once more in his ‘punk’ disguise, ready to go to the jail and get some answers from Peterson. And now, he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

He sauntered up to the cell, escorted by a short, squat officer, who gave him a warning look before saying, “You’ve got ten minutes,” and leaving.

“Who are you?” Peterson asked, his black eyes blazing with suspicion.

Frank chuckled darkly. “Name’s Long.”

Peterson looked at the boy, disbelieving. “Your name is Long?”

“You know any Chinese?” Frank asked, baffling the criminal.

“No.”

“Then you won’t know that Long means ‘dragon’ in Chinese. Long is my code name. I was sent here by the head honcho himself.”

“Red Dragon sent you?”

Frank nodded, his expression unreadable. “He wanted me to let you know that Joe Hardy is now in our hands.”

Peterson grinned. “That’s great. Tristen’s work, huh?”

“Yeah. That kid’s good.”

“You’re telling me. What’s he planning to do with him?”

Frank paused for a moment, trying to control his panic and anger. “I…c’mon, Peterson, what does Red Dragon normally do to people who make him mad? What do you think?”

Peterson closed his eyes, a smile playing at his cruel lips. “Excellent. I know what you’re talking about. And Tristen is one of the best. When he tortures that kid, there won’t be an inch of his body that’s not begging to die. And after he’s dead, they’ll go after his brother, I guarentee it.”

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“Isabella? What are you doing? Why are you—how are you…no, how could you? You actually have the nerve to call me after all you’ve done and then—”

“Jazz! Please! You can yell at me all you want to later—”

“Oh, I will,” Jasmine interjected, steaming.

“—but now, I need your help.” For the first time, Jasmine noticed that Isabella’s voice had a slight tremor in it. “Tristen’s really mad at Frank. He’s kidnapped Joe, because Red Dragon told him to.”

Jasmine felt tears sting her eyes again, but didn’t let them show in her voice. “I know. Frank told me.”

“You talked to him?” Isabella asked softly, sounding scared. “Did he sound…you know…really mad?”

Jasmine snorted. “You’re unbelievable, you know that?”

“Look, I know what I did was wrong. But…it was so hard to let Tristen go when I finally got him back. We used to…we used to have so much fun together. I loved him with all my heart. And when he grabbed me and tied me up, it broke my heart. But then…then, he told me he wasn’t thinking. He just wanted me back so badly that he was willing to do anything to get me. He told me that we were going to kidnap Joe. He threatened me when I protested, but I didn’t think he meant anything by it. He had always been a little bit…” She broke off.

“Abusive?” Jasmine supplied angrily.

“No!” Isabella snapped viciously. “Over aggressive. But why am I telling you this? Look, he’s going to torture Joe until he dies tonight. He wants me to watch. I can’t let this go on. I see now that Tristen doesn’t love me anymore. He loves violence and pain, and that’s not right. He’s not who he used to be. He doesn’t know that I’m talking to you right now, and he’ll be looking for me any minute—I told him I needed a bathroom, which is in a gas station down the road. I’m staying to bluff him into thinking I’m still with his plan. But I need your help! Can you do it? Are you up to it?”

“Anything to save Joe!” Jasmine responded, suddenly determined.

“Okay, he is at the edge of town, in the abandoned—” She suddenly cut off. “I’ve got to go. Tristen’s coming! Do whatever you can to help. Bye!”

Jasmine stood rooted to the spot, a knot tightening in her stomach as she tried to decide what to do. The answer came to her almost instantly.

With lightening speed, the girl dashed out of her room, past her confused mother, and raced out the door.

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“So is he keeping him at the usual place?” Frank questioned, taking a step closer to the gangster.

“The usual place? Where we usually keep prisoners? Yeah, I’m sure.”

“So…where at in the usual place do you think they’ll keep him?” Frank asked, knowing he might have gone a bit too far.

Peterson grinned. “You’d really like to know, wouldn’t you, Long? Or should I say, Frank Hardy!”

Frank gasped. “How…?”

“I knew you were coming in here today, Hardy. I heard the jailers talking ‘bout you and your baby brother’s car wreck and how you had dressed up to be a part of the gang. They thought I was asleep.”

Frank lost it. Taking a step forward, the grabbed the scruff of the criminal’s collar, pulling him close. “Tell me where my brother is!”

Peterson drew back his fist and launched an iron fist into Frank’s gut. The latter stumbled back, gasping for breath as he fell heavily to the ground. As he fought for air, Peterson hissed, “They’ve got your brother somewhere safe, somewhere you’ll never find him. You won’t see him again in this life, bud. But since the gang’s coming after you next, then your mom, aunt, and dad, I’m guessing your whole family will be together again real soon.”

[Made2LuvU]

The Wrath of the Red Dragon

Chapter Thirteen

‘Stepping over, two steps closer. I sit around wasting time, feel like the poster for a self-help line. Will we know the truth when we’re older? For the first time in my whole life, I’m not afraid of feeling alive. For the last time, I’m falling behind, and nothing out there will change my mind. Let’s start over, crimson clover while these golden nights get colder. If I could press rewind, turn on a record and leave the past behind. Will we know the truth when we’re older?’ –First Time (Hawk Nelson)

“Sorry I took so long, Tristen,” Isabella said sweetly. She hadn’t been in the bathroom, merely walking around the gas station while she talked with Jasmine. When Tristen had seen this, he had inquired what she had been doing. “My stomach hurt,” the girl said. “I thought I might have been overheated from being in that old gym for so long, so I decided that a nice walk around would help it stop.”

“So you lied to me?”

“No, I walked after the bathroom.”

Tristen didn’t look convinced, but he also didn’t press the matter. “C’mon, Babe. I want to keep my promise to Hardy and start torturing him at eight o’clock like I said.”

Isabella glanced at her watch. Seven thirty. ‘Jasmine, where are you?’

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Frank stalked out of the jail, fuming. “I can’t believe it,” he muttered. He had called his mother and told her what the man had said. She had heeded his warning to be safe and keep the doors locked until he called back, and to try and get ahold of Fenton.

Now, he was at a loss. His brother was missing, and about to be tortured to death, and Frank had no lead, no clues, nothing. The feeling of a dark emptiness consumed him as he struggled to decide what to do. His aching stomach didn’t help his problems. Rubbing the aching spot where Peterson had hit him, he closed his eyes and tried to think.

Every time he shut them, however, he saw the horrifying vision of his brother, lying in a pool of his own blood, dying. ‘Frank,’ he gasped, ‘why didn’t you come for me? Why didn’t you save me? I needed you and you abandoned me. Frank! Frank, help me! FRANK! FRANK!’

“Frank!”

The boy jumped and spun around to see Jasmine running up to him at lightening speed.

“What is it, Jazz? I don’t really have time right now.”

“No, this is important. Izzy just called me.”

Frank grabbed Jasmine’s shoulders. “What? When? What did she say? What about Joe?”

“That’s what I was going to tell you.” A tear trickled down her face, but she continued, trying to be brave. “Tristen’s going to torture him tonight.”

Frank released his friend, dejected. “I knew that.”

“She told me she was sorry, Frank. I know you’re mad at her, and will find it hard to forgive her, but believe me when I say that Tristen really had her fooled. She’s being a double agent now, and she gave me some information.”

Frank’s head snapped up. “What?”

“Tristen came before she got to finish, but she said that they are keeping Joe at the edge of town, in some abandoned place.”

Frank knitted his eyebrows, deep in thought. “Edge of town…” Suddenly, it hit him. “The old gym! I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before! That has to be it, because even though it’s deserted, it’s been a favorite place for thugs and gangs and vandals. That’s where Joe is! I’ve got to go.” He raced for his car, Jasmine at his heels.

“I’m coming with you.”

Frank stared at her, sure he had heard wrong. “Jazz, this is going to be very dangerous. If you go, your life will be at stake. Are you willing to risk it?”

Jasmine looked him squarely in the eye. “I’m done living in fear,” she said strongly. “Joe needs me, and I’m going to help him. I’m going to make this right.”

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Tristen glanced at his watch, smirking evilly at the trussed-up teen lying on the floor before him. “Seven forty-five. What do you say we get an early start?”

His cell phone rang, distracting him. “What?” he hissed, then his eyes got wide in astonishment, and then narrowed in anger. “NO! Oh don’t worry. I’ll give them the message.”

He gently shut his phone, and turned to face Isabella and Joe. With a jerk, he threw his phone across the room, letting out an ear-splitting yell.

Alarmed, Isabella asked, “What’s wrong?”

“That piece of crap, Fenton Hardy, arrested Red Dragon. Caught him smuggling some stolen artifacts. Don’t know how he did it, but he did. And now, you’re going to pay!”

He grabbed Joe by the neck, and pulled him up. “I’LL KILL YOU!” he screamed. “I’LL KILL YOU AND YOUR WHOLE FAMILY!!!” He slammed Joe back on the ground, and the boy hit his head. Dazed, he could still feel the racking pain as Tristen Honeycutt begin to beat him mercilessly.

Blood trickled steadily out of several open wounds and as each drop hit the floor, they counted the seconds that Joe Hardy had to live.

[Made2LuvU]

The Wrath of the Red Dragon

Chapter Fourteen

‘The sun goes down and then she slips away. It gets so lonely after dark. If only we could relive yesterday. Tomorrow always seems so far. The end is near, so much is left to say. The world is getting cold tonight. Traumatized people are so afraid. I smile ‘cause everything’s alright.’ —Fourteen (Hawk Nelson)

Frank Hardy and Jasmine Richards raced through the entrance of the gym. “It’s really big,” Jasmine said hesitantly. “How do we know which way to go?”

A scream of pain split the silence. “Joe,” Frank gasped, as another horrified shriek sounded.

“No, Tristen, STOP!” he heard Isabella yell.

Racing into a back room, Frank saw a dreaded sight. His brother was lying on the ground, a small pool of blood surrounding him. Barely conscious, the boy was tied up, but no longer gagged. Tristen wasn’t worried about somebody hearing them. He wanted to hear Joe suffer.

Without a second thought, Frank leapt at Tristen Honeycutt, a scream of rage parting from his lips. The two tumbled across the hard concrete floor. Isabella and Jasmine rushed forward and began to examine Joe. “He’s hurt bad,” Isabella said shakily. “After Tristen found out about his dad arresting Red Dragon, he began to beat him. I tried to stop him, but he did this.”

Isabella faced Jasmine fully, and the girl saw the her friend had a large purple and green bruise on her left cheek, a split lip, and a bloody forehead.

“Oh gosh. What did he do to you?”

“Doesn’t matter. We have to help Frank so we can get Joe some medical attention.” Jasmine gently caressed Joe’s face and stood up, determined.

“Stay here, Iz,” she ordered.

“Are you sure? You don’t have to do this.”

Glaring at her friend, Jasmine growled, “Oh, yes I do.” Seeing the gun that had apparently skittered from Tristen’s grasp during the struggle, the girl grabbed it and turned it on it’s owner. Hearing the unmistakable click of a gun, both boys, badly bruised, turned around. “Get up,” she ordered Tristen, the gun held steady in her hand, her voice calm and quiet, yet demanding.

Raising his hands in the air, Tristen stood, the gun following his head the entire time. “Isabella, get the rope that had tied Joe up. Frank, tie him up good and tight. Izzy, after he does that, you call the police.”

Later, as the police took Tristen away, and an ambulence carried Joe off to be treated, Frank turned to Isabella and said, “Thank you. And I’m sorry about everything. I was too harsh.”

“No, you weren’t. I deserved it. But now, I’m just glad the police are going to arrest the rest of the gang.”

“It was brave of you to tell them the names and where they are.”

“I know. And until they’re all safely behind bars, I’m going into the Witness Protection Program.” She smiled slightly as a black van pulled up. “There’s my ride. I’ll see you soon, okay?” She kissed Frank tenderly on the lips and hugged Jasmine. “You were totally brave. I’m proud, Jazz.”

She got in the black van that was to take her to the safe location and Frank sighed. “I’m going to miss her.”

[Made2LuvU]

The Wrath of the Red Dragon

Chapter Fifteen

'I saw her yesterday, and I never felt a feeling like the one I felt today and now she's taking over me. I've never met anyone like you and I never could find the words to write you. She's been on my mind (she's working overtime). She's got perfect reasons, says she loves to talk to Jesus. And I think I believe her when she says life would be so simple if we all just learned to pray. She's got every little thing I wanted, and it still feels just like the day it started. Say goodbye to the broken heart and I could never express the way I felt before tonight. She sits there all alone, reading from a chapter she sometimes calls her own and now she's taking over me. This girl I once rejected has now become the girl of my dreams. She's been on my mind (she's working overtime). She's got perfect reasons, says she loves to talk to Jesus. And I think I believe her when she says life would be so simple if we all just learned to pray. She's got every little thing I wanted, and it still feels just like the day it started. Say goodbye to the broken heart and I could never express the way I felt before tonight. She's not an ordinary girl, I can see it in her eyes, just an ordinary boy, God must've heard m prayers last night!' --Every Little Thing (Hawk Nelson)

A month passed, and a large group of people had gathered at the Hardy household to welcome Joe home from the hospital. He had suffered rom two cracked ribs, one that had punctured his lung, a massive concussion, broken arm and had an infection in some of the cuts he had recieved from Tristen's painful abuse.

"Welcome home, bro," Frank said, smiling warmly at his younger sibling. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

Joe, his right arm in a blue cast, grinned and took a seat on the couch next to Jasmine, whom he was dating once more. "Hey, beautiful," he said, kissing her lightly on the lips. "I missed you."

Jasmine chuckled. "Yeah, it's not like I didn't visit you every day you were in the hospital."

"I still can't believe what Tristen did," Isabella said quietly.

Laura Hardy touched her on the shoulder gently. "I know it's hard. Tristen wasn't what you thought he was, and it hurt. But don't worry, dear. Things will look up."

"Yes, besides, you've got a new job ahead of you that will take up so much time, it's going to be hard to dwell on Tristen!" Fenton Hardy said, smiling cheerily.

"Really?"

"Why yes," Aunt Gertrude said, smiling knowingly. "And young Jasmine gets to help, too!"

"What is it?"

"You girls have to watch our boys, keep'em out of trouble," Fenton said, trying to be stern.

All the teens laughed. Joe turned to his dad and said, "Oh, come on, Dad, you know that's impossible."

As the laughter doubled, all worries were forgotten as the sun set in Bayport, and loved ones reunited.

THE END

So, how was it? It's over--augghhh! Plz review, and I'll get to work on another fic asap!

Emcat

[Made2LuvU]

And voila! It is finished! Please tell me what you thought!

[flo]

Girl you know I loved it. There should be like a 2 book, like a follow up but with like a different mission but same people. Know what I am saying. Well I loved it and can't wait to see what you do. Love you girl.
Izzy...lol.

[Made2LuvU]

Thanks a lot, Flo. That's a great idea. I hadn't even thought about a sequel, but now...A plan is forming in my mind... The Red Dragon is hunting down Izzy even though she's in the Witness Protection Program...Tristen is out for more "revenge"...and Jasmine joins the dark side because they offer her sprite--LOL, Kevin (don't ask, YFWE would know what I'm talking about). JK about the last one, but I'll try to start working on one asap. it could be called Red Dragon Returns but I bet u could think of a better title, lol!