chapter1

Joe Hardy relaxed beside the pool in the backyard enjoying the sun as it shone brightly, reflecting off the water, his blue eyes hidden behind glasses running his hand through his long blond hair. Frank and him grew their hair for a case, that he and Frank had just solved. They were recovering from the bruises of being jumped into a gang, ten minutes of free for all. Not the one for just taking a beating, Joe had been tempted to lash out at the gang members.

Hearing laughter from the pool he watched as Frank ducked his girlfriend Callie. At six foot one with brown eyes and brown hair his older brother. His hair had just been cut the day before, but he had left the earrings in his ears. They both got them done one in each ear. Joe thought that it suited Frank, but as usual Callie had disagreed with him. She wanted Frank to take them out, but so far Frank hadn't and Joe hoped that he didn't.

"Hey little brother are you gonna join us?" Frank called out from the pool. Waving his arm that was wrapped up in a bandage during the case, he had been slashed with a knife. It took twenty stitches to close it, calling back, "I wish I could, but with this, I can't till it's healed."

With a nod, Frank dived under and swam over to the other side of the pool where their mother was dangled her feet in the pool, while talking to their dad who was relaxing in a deck chair with a drink.

Laura Hardy, at five foot eight, was the shortest of the family with long blond hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and bright blue eyes, slim and she always had a smile on her face. Her job kept her busy. Being a social worker made demands on her life, so when she got a rare day to relax she took it. Even rarer was the fact that everyone was home. While Frank looked just like his dad did at eighteen, Joe was a male version of their mother.

Fenton Hardy at six foot two, an inch taller than Frank, was retired cop from New York. He had moved his wife and two young sons to Bayport and started his our firm with his sons following in his footsteps. They had helped their father solve many cases for him and of their own. They knew that their mother wanted at least one of them to become a lawyer or a doctor, but that was a pipe dream of hers. If the boys had a say and they did, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. They both loved solving mysteries.

Joe watched as Frank got closer to their mom without her noticing him, as he watched as Frank grab her leg and pulled into the pool. Joe laughed as he watch her surface and begun chasing Frank around the pool, "Young man you are gonna pay."

Fenton hid his smile behind his glass when his wife glanced over at him, "Fenton are you going to let your son get away with that?" She demanded.

Before she could reply, the doorbell begun to ring. With a smile, Joe headed inside before his mother dragged him into the matter.

Walking through the kitchen, Joe headed towards the door. Opening it, he saw a man he thought he knew, but wasn't sure.

"Hello may I help you?" Giving the man the once over he saw that he worn his suit well even in the heat. A little shorter than he was with black hair and green eyes.

"I hope I haven't come at a bad time but is this the home of Fenton Hardy?" Opening the door a little bit wider, Joe nodded as the man carried on, "I don't have an appointment to see him, but I need to talk to him about a problem I have."

"Please come with me, Mr. Godly, I'm Joe." Leading the way to the pool side he could hear his mom laughing. It seem that he missed seeing his father falling into the pool.

Joe grinned at the sight of his dad struggling to get out of the pool. Once out, he brushed his hair out of his eyes and tried to wring the water out of his shirt and pants.

"Dad this is Mr. Godly, he would like to talk to you about a matter of his." Smothering his grin he asked, "What happened?"

With a glare over at his older son he replied, "If I didn't know better I'd think you have been teaching your brother things."

"Hey, I'm not taking the blame for what happen to your dad. You slipped, I was no where near you." Exclaimed Frank who was lounging in a rubber tube with his mom trying to flip him out.

Gertrude Hardy jumped up from her seat saying, "Fenton Hardy if you go dripping water on my fleshly dried carpets I'll wring you out to

Gertrude was Fenton's tall angular, unmarried sister had peppery temperament, she was always quick to express her opinions openly, and often made dire predictions about the cases her brother and nephews took. She lived with them and helped Laura with the work around the house and to keep eye on her nephews. She secretly praised her nephew to the other members of the family.

Edward smiled saying, "Well looks like that is settles that then. We can chat out here till you're dried out."

Gertrude poured him a glass of ice tea handing him the glass. Edward loosed his tie while longing to just strip down and cool off in the pool, Fenton watched as he threw longing looks at the pool and asked, "Would you like to take a dip?"

Edward shook his head, "No that Ok," Throwing another look over at the pool he said, "Damnit yes I'd love to jump in and cool off."

With a smile he sized his up saying, "You look to be the same size as my son Frank you can borrow some shorts from him." Looking over at his wife who had just managed to topple Frank out of the tube once Frank surfaced he called out, "Frank can you lend Mr. Godly a pair of you shorts."

Sighing, Joe headed back into the house and trooped upstairs and entered his brother room opening the draw where Frank kept his shorts he pulled out a blue pair. Draping them over his arm he closed the draw and then headed back into the hall and opened the hall cupboard where they kept the towels. Grabbing a yellow beach towel. He closed the door and trooped back downstairs and spotted Mr. Godly standing in the kitchen handing the gear over to him he led him to the downstairs bathroom saying, "You can get changed in here Mr. Godly."

Walking back outside he noticed that his dad had taken his shirt off and had joined everyone in the pool his mother had climbed onto his shoulders and was challenging Callie and Vanessa to a fight, "Come on girls I challenge you a shoulder fight Me and Fenton against you younger ones."

"What we're going to take them all on?" Fenton yelped from the bottom. Frank called out, "You're on come Callie jump on." swimming over to where Callie was standing he dived under while Callie spread her legs wild enough apart for her to sit comfortable on his shoulders by then Edward had rejoined them and jumped into the pool, lounging against the side of the pool.

He watched noticing that a blond teenage girl with silver blue eyes and dark blond hair was sitting beside Joe to the side watching the fun calling out, "

Vanessa looked over at Joe who nodded saying, "Sure." To the others she called out, "We're taking the winner on."

Joe heard the doors of Chet car slam shut and heard voices saying, "Oh Man I can't wait the Hardy's annual barbecue are always fun."

Joe smiled knowing that six foot four blond green eyed Biff Hooper was taunting Chet Morton, who love for food was well known throughout Bayport. Blond, blue eyed Chet Morton has a long time love affair with food it was known that Chet didn't like to fight or get involved in the mysteries that Frank and Joe loved to get into, but Chet backed them up every time they needed him. Chet moonfaced appeared around the side of the house and behind him was Tony Prito in contrast between the blondes in the group.

Tony had black hair and black hair had a great sense of humor great sport he played baseball, football and basketball they all did apart from Phil Cohen. He preferred to play chess and was a whiz with anything electrical and had be a great help in solving mysteries that had the boys stumped.

"Great. Get into your gear they have a challenge going on." Biff pulling off his shirt and throwing it over in the general direction of the chairs lining the pool side yelling and whooping he jumped into the pool causing the water to spill over the sides the other but Joe followed him in yelling and leaving Joe to stand at the side watching his friends and family having the time of their lives.

Dragging a chair over to the side he watch for a bit feeling bored. He headed over to the barbecue and fired it up watching the flames he zoned out for a bit thinking of the case they had just solved and cursing his luck to getting the knifed.

Joe heard Callie squeal as she fell off Frank's shoulders, when she surface she called, "Hey Joseph?" cringing he slowly turned and glared at her, Joe hated it when people called his by his full name and Callie knew it.

Frank and the others stopped mucking about to see what Joe would do, like Joe, Frank didn't hear his whole name often and he only heard it when he was in deep trouble and only his parents and teachers got away with calling him Franklin and Joseph. Anyone else would be in for a fight.

With a glance over at his brother Joe asked, "What?" Barely controlling his temper Joe worn a forced smile, he tried not to fight with Callie but she made it hard for him to do so and she often got him going.

Frowning he turned and headed into the house and smiled as he pulled open the door to the fridge when he saw that their mom hadn't got any of Callie flavor of drink so grabbing a can of raspberry soda that he knew she hated and headed back outside and handed it to her and said, "Here you go Callie."

Without looking at the can, Callie nodded and dismissing Joe as she talked to Vanessa. Opening the can she took a gulp of drink once she had a taste she spat it out jumping out of the pool she yelled, "Joe, you did that deliberately you know I don't like raspberry."

Joe shrugged his shoulders saying, "You didn't tell me what flavor you wanted, there no diet cola in the fridge."

Frank watched as Callie deflated right before his eyes waiting for her to apologize to Joe but she threw the can onto the grass and jumped back into the pool and started talking to a stunned Vanessa who was watching Joe as he stormed away.

Fuming, Joe threw the meat patties onto the hot plate and watched them sizzle adding cropped onions, bacon and the burger buns on to the grill, flipping the patties till the were a golden brown.

Joe smiled saying, "Chet if you got one of my specials, I'll have to kill you, you forever try to con one out of us and you know that it not allowed."

Ed listened to the exchange and asked Fenton who was floating on his back, "Why can't Chet have the special?"

With a smile Fenton explained, "Joe's special is only for family members. It's been that way for years and Chet always tries to get one, don't worry it's a standing joke between them Chet knows that he would never get one just like the others know but he keeps trying."

Callie listened still fuming about what happened and knowing that she would get even at Joe called out, "Joey could you add an egg to my burger?"

Frowning Laura said, "It's not for you to understand if Joe prefers to be called Joe instead of Joseph or Joey that is up to him and you are to respect that."

Jumping out of the pool, she walked over to Joe and helped him to make the burgers once it was done she called out, "OK come and get it before it gets cold."

Making sure that he had Vanessa's burger and Frank's Joe headed over to them calling out, "Van enjoy and here your Frank's."

"Most welcome love." Leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek he headed back to grab his burger as he strolled pass Callie who was talking to Biff and Tony bumped into Joe causing Joe to fall into the pool.

Fumbling to regain his balance swinging his arms as he fought to remain standing he realized that it was a losing battle. Taking a deep breath, Joe hit the water close to the side of the pool when he hit the water his arm hit the side of the pool causing a sharp pain to shoot up to his arm.


	Survivor 1 Joe Hardy relaxed beside the pool in the backyard enjoying the sun as it shone brightly, reflecting off the water, his blue eyes hidden behind glasses running his hand through his long blond hair. Frank and him grew their hair for a case, that he and Frank had just solved. They were recovering from the bruises of being jumped into a gang, ten minutes of free for all. Not the one for just taking a beating, Joe had been tempted to lash out at the gang members. Hearing laughter from the pool he watched as Frank ducked his girlfriend Callie. At six foot one with brown eyes and brown hair his older brother. His hair had just been cut the day before, but he had left the earrings in his ears. They both got them done one in each ear. Joe thought that it suited Frank, but as usual Callie had disagreed with him. She wanted Frank to take them out, but so far Frank hadn't and Joe hoped that he didn't. "Hey little brother are you gonna join us?" Frank called out from the pool. Waving his arm that was wrapped up in a bandage during the case, he had been slashed with a knife. It took twenty stitches to close it, calling back, "I wish I could, but with this, I can't till it's healed." With a nod, Frank dived under and swam over to the other side of the pool where their mother was dangled her feet in the pool, while talking to their dad who was relaxing in a deck chair with a drink. Laura Hardy, at five foot eight, was the shortest of the family with long blond hair that was pulled back into a ponytail and bright blue eyes, slim and she always had a smile on her face. Her job kept her busy. Being a social worker made demands on her life, so when she got a rare day to relax she took it. Even rarer was the fact that everyone was home. While Frank looked just like his dad did at eighteen, Joe was a male version of their mother. Fenton Hardy at six foot two, an inch taller than Frank, was retired cop from New York. He had moved his wife and two young sons to Bayport and started his our firm with his sons following in his footsteps. They had helped their father solve many cases for him and of their own. They knew that their mother wanted at least one of them to become a lawyer or a doctor, but that was a pipe dream of hers. If the boys had a say and they did, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon. They both loved solving mysteries. Joe watched as Frank got closer to their mom without her noticing him, as he watched as Frank grab her leg and pulled into the pool. Joe laughed as he watch her surface and begun chasing Frank around the pool, "Young man you are gonna pay." Fenton hid his smile behind his glass when his wife glanced over at him, "Fenton are you going to let your son get away with that?" She demanded. "Well now what can I do about it?" He asked as he stood up. Before she could reply, the doorbell begun to ring. With a smile, Joe headed inside before his mother dragged him into the matter. Walking through the kitchen, Joe headed towards the door. Opening it, he saw a man he thought he knew, but wasn't sure. "Hello may I help you?" Giving the man the once over he saw that he worn his suit well even in the heat. A little shorter than he was with black hair and green eyes. "I hope I haven't come at a bad time but is this the home of Fenton Hardy?" Opening the door a little bit wider, Joe nodded as the man carried on, "I don't have an appointment to see him, but I need to talk to him about a problem I have." Joe said, "That's fine Mister?" "Oh so sorry I'm Edward Godly." "Please come with me, Mr. Godly, I'm Joe." Leading the way to the pool side he could hear his mom laughing. It seem that he missed seeing his father falling into the pool. Joe grinned at the sight of his dad struggling to get out of the pool. Once out, he brushed his hair out of his eyes and tried to wring the water out of his shirt and pants. "Dad this is Mr. Godly, he would like to talk to you about a matter of his." Smothering his grin he asked, "What happened?" With a glare over at his older son he replied, "If I didn't know better I'd think you have been teaching your brother things." With a smile Joe said, "Moi? Teach Frank, I think me father got it wrong I learnt from him." "Hey, I'm not taking the blame for what happen to your dad. You slipped, I was no where near you." Exclaimed Frank who was lounging in a rubber tube with his mom trying to flip him out. Fenton glanced over at their guest saying, "Would you like to discuss this inside?" Gertrude Hardy jumped up from her seat saying, "Fenton Hardy if you go dripping water on my fleshly dried carpets I'll wring you out to Gertrude was Fenton's tall angular, unmarried sister had peppery temperament, she was always quick to express her opinions openly, and often made dire predictions about the cases her brother and nephews took. She lived with them and helped Laura with the work around the house and to keep eye on her nephews. She secretly praised her nephew to the other members of the family. Edward smiled saying, "Well looks like that is settles that then. We can chat out here till you're dried out." Smothering a grin, he lead the way to the patio chairs asking, "Would you like a drink?" Slipping his jacket off throwing a glance over at the pool, he said, "Would love one." Gertrude poured him a glass of ice tea handing him the glass. Edward loosed his tie while longing to just strip down and cool off in the pool, Fenton watched as he threw longing looks at the pool and asked, "Would you like to take a dip?" Edward shook his head, "No that Ok," Throwing another look over at the pool he said, "Damnit yes I'd love to jump in and cool off." With a smile he sized his up saying, "You look to be the same size as my son Frank you can borrow some shorts from him." Looking over at his wife who had just managed to topple Frank out of the tube once Frank surfaced he called out, "Frank can you lend Mr. Godly a pair of you shorts." Shaking the water out of his ears, swiping at his eyes he said, "Sure, Joe can you get them for him?" Sighing, Joe headed back into the house and trooped upstairs and entered his brother room opening the draw where Frank kept his shorts he pulled out a blue pair. Draping them over his arm he closed the draw and then headed back into the hall and opened the hall cupboard where they kept the towels. Grabbing a yellow beach towel. He closed the door and trooped back downstairs and spotted Mr. Godly standing in the kitchen handing the gear over to him he led him to the downstairs bathroom saying, "You can get changed in here Mr. Godly." "Thanks please call me Ed." With a nod Joe asked, "Would you like me to wait or can you find your way back?" "You can leave, I think I can manage to find my way to the pool." Walking back outside he noticed that his dad had taken his shirt off and had joined everyone in the pool his mother had climbed onto his shoulders and was challenging Callie and Vanessa to a fight, "Come on girls I challenge you a shoulder fight Me and Fenton against you younger ones." "What we're going to take them all on?" Fenton yelped from the bottom. Frank called out, "You're on come Callie jump on." swimming over to where Callie was standing he dived under while Callie spread her legs wild enough apart for her to sit comfortable on his shoulders by then Edward had rejoined them and jumped into the pool, lounging against the side of the pool. He watched noticing that a blond teenage girl with silver blue eyes and dark blond hair was sitting beside Joe to the side watching the fun calling out, " "You wanna be my partner we take on the winner?" Vanessa looked over at Joe who nodded saying, "Sure." To the others she called out, "We're taking the winner on." Joe sat with his feet in the pool his shorts getting wet with the splashing going on from both teams. Hearing a car backfire he said, "Chet and them are here." Joe heard the doors of Chet car slam shut and heard voices saying, "Oh Man I can't wait the Hardy's annual barbecue are always fun." Hearing someone reply, "What you mean Chet is that it's the food you look forward to." Joe smiled knowing that six foot four blond green eyed Biff Hooper was taunting Chet Morton, who love for food was well known throughout Bayport. Blond, blue eyed Chet Morton has a long time love affair with food it was known that Chet didn't like to fight or get involved in the mysteries that Frank and Joe loved to get into, but Chet backed them up every time they needed him. Chet moonfaced appeared around the side of the house and behind him was Tony Prito in contrast between the blondes in the group. Tony had black hair and black hair had a great sense of humor great sport he played baseball, football and basketball they all did apart from Phil Cohen. He preferred to play chess and was a whiz with anything electrical and had be a great help in solving mysteries that had the boys stumped. "Hey there guys what the buzz?" Biff called out, "Hey buddy how you holding up?" "Great. Get into your gear they have a challenge going on." Biff pulling off his shirt and throwing it over in the general direction of the chairs lining the pool side yelling and whooping he jumped into the pool causing the water to spill over the sides the other but Joe followed him in yelling and leaving Joe to stand at the side watching his friends and family having the time of their lives. Dragging a chair over to the side he watch for a bit feeling bored. He headed over to the barbecue and fired it up watching the flames he zoned out for a bit thinking of the case they had just solved and cursing his luck to getting the knifed. Joe heard Callie squeal as she fell off Frank's shoulders, when she surface she called, "Hey Joseph?" cringing he slowly turned and glared at her, Joe hated it when people called his by his full name and Callie knew it. Frank and the others stopped mucking about to see what Joe would do, like Joe, Frank didn't hear his whole name often and he only heard it when he was in deep trouble and only his parents and teachers got away with calling him Franklin and Joseph. Anyone else would be in for a fight. With a glance over at his brother Joe asked, "What?" Barely controlling his temper Joe worn a forced smile, he tried not to fight with Callie but she made it hard for him to do so and she often got him going. "Can you be a dear and bring me a soda?" Callie replied smiling sweetly at him. Frowning he turned and headed into the house and smiled as he pulled open the door to the fridge when he saw that their mom hadn't got any of Callie flavor of drink so grabbing a can of raspberry soda that he knew she hated and headed back outside and handed it to her and said, "Here you go Callie." Without looking at the can, Callie nodded and dismissing Joe as she talked to Vanessa. Opening the can she took a gulp of drink once she had a taste she spat it out jumping out of the pool she yelled, "Joe, you did that deliberately you know I don't like raspberry." Joe shrugged his shoulders saying, "You didn't tell me what flavor you wanted, there no diet cola in the fridge." "Joseph Daniel Hardy, don't you lie to me." Callie responded. Laura jumped down from her husband shoulders saying, "He not lying, I forgot to get some." Frank watched as Callie deflated right before his eyes waiting for her to apologize to Joe but she threw the can onto the grass and jumped back into the pool and started talking to a stunned Vanessa who was watching Joe as he stormed away. Fuming, Joe threw the meat patties onto the hot plate and watched them sizzle adding cropped onions, bacon and the burger buns on to the grill, flipping the patties till the were a golden brown. Calling out, "Frank, you want a special?" "Sure do Joey." Frank shouted back. "I do too." Their father called out. "Mom?" Joe asked, "You want one as well?" "You know I do sweetie." Chet said, "Me too!" Joe smiled saying, "Chet if you got one of my specials, I'll have to kill you, you forever try to con one out of us and you know that it not allowed." Ed listened to the exchange and asked Fenton who was floating on his back, "Why can't Chet have the special?" With a smile Fenton explained, "Joe's special is only for family members. It's been that way for years and Chet always tries to get one, don't worry it's a standing joke between them Chet knows that he would never get one just like the others know but he keeps trying." Laughing Ed said, "I get it now." Pouting Chet called out, "You're no fun Hardy." Callie listened still fuming about what happened and knowing that she would get even at Joe called out, "Joey could you add an egg to my burger?" Frank stunned hissed, "Callie stop it." With a look of pure innocence she asked, "Stop what Frank?" Glancing over at his brother Frank said, "Stop taunting him you know only the family can call him Joey." Shrugging she said, "I don't get this name business with your family it's crazy." Frowning Laura said, "It's not for you to understand if Joe prefers to be called Joe instead of Joseph or Joey that is up to him and you are to respect that." Jumping out of the pool, she walked over to Joe and helped him to make the burgers once it was done she called out, "OK come and get it before it gets cold." Making sure that he had Vanessa's burger and Frank's Joe headed over to them calling out, "Van enjoy and here your Frank's." Vanessa smiled, "Thanks Joe." "Most welcome love." Leaning over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek he headed back to grab his burger as he strolled pass Callie who was talking to Biff and Tony bumped into Joe causing Joe to fall into the pool. Fumbling to regain his balance swinging his arms as he fought to remain standing he realized that it was a losing battle. Taking a deep breath, Joe hit the water close to the side of the pool when he hit the water his arm hit the side of the pool causing a sharp pain to shoot up to his arm.