Hostages of Hate Read Online Free

elderly lady appeared beside him. She wore a name tag for the same organization. But the Hardys knew her real job. She was the head of the Network, running it from a mansion in Virginia. They had saved her from an assassination attempt in an adventure they called The Lazarus Plot.
    "We're surprised to see you here, ma'am," Joe said.
    "But why?" the woman asked with a dazzling smile. "I'm the honorary chairman of the Council on International Law. I have to put in an appearance, even though I detest the idea of a meeting about something as violent as terrorism."
    The Hardys saw the ironic glint in her eye.
    "Well, I'm glad to see you. We've got something for the Network," Frank whispered. Walking to a corner, he told her about Callie's message.
    The smile disappeared from the woman's face. "There's nothing we can do about it."
    "Nothing?" Frank repeated.
    She said no more, just walked off into the crowd.
    "Interagency politics," the Gray Man whispered. "Our people are not supposed to get involved."
    "But what about the message?" Frank asked. "Can't we talk to whoever is running the case?"
    Now it was the Gray Man's turn to give them an ironic smile. "Would you believe U.S. Espionage Resources?" he asked. "You blew your chances with Roger O'Neill. He'll never listen to you now. And even if he believed you, there's nothing to be done."
    The sour look on the government man's face intensified. "It doesn't matter if there are two men or two hundred aboard that plane. They've got guns, and innocent passengers will get killed if we try anything. Not to mention that bomb."
    The Gray Man took a deep breath. "We don't even know that there are just two terrorists." He raised a hand as Frank started to protest. "I'm sure your girlfriend saw two terrorists. But they may have additional people planted among the passengers, ready to leap into action if needed."
    He let that sink in for a moment, looking at their mutinous faces. "So do me a favor. Leave this one to the professionals." Then a glint came into his eyes. "But if I know you two, you won't butt out. So I'll do what I can to help—which won't be much." He shrugged.
    "The Network can't be officially involved. Still, if we get a chance to show Espionage Resources up ..." He grinned. "Interagency politics works both ways." He nodded a goodbye and disappeared into the crowd.
    Frank smiled bitterly at his brother. "Just great. Callie risks her life to get a message out from that plane, and nobody wants to hear it— officially."
    "Maybe you just didn't tell it to the right person," Joe suggested.
    Frank turned to him. "You mean Dad?"
    Joe nodded. "Seems worth trying."
    Fenton Hardy was amused to hear about the code. "And all these years I thought you were just getting an education," he said.
    But he was deadly serious when he heard about Callie's message. "Only two," he said, eyes thoughtful. "That's a help. Let's see if we can get hold of one of the house phones. There are a lot of people I'll want to call." Before they could set off, however, a TV crew surrounded Fenton and the boys.
    "Mr. Hardy," said the correspondent. "I'm Gil da Campo. EuroNews Syndicate. Could we take a few minutes of your time? We'd like your comments on the hostage situation."
    Fenton Hardy stared at him. "There's nothing to discuss. As far as I'm aware, the situation hasn't changed."
    Then he realized that the camera was already running. "What is this?"
    "I understand that one of the hostages, a Miss Shaw, is a friend," — a close friend — of your son." Gil da Campo extended his microphone to Frank. "How does it feel to have a loved one trapped aboard the plane?"
    "What?" Frank stepped back as if the mike thrust in his face were a live snake. A cameraman with bright red hair stepped forward, focusing in.
    "Gustave!" da Campo shouted. "Tight close-up!"
    The Minicam operator darted around Fenton Hardy, pursuing Frank. But the Hardys were able to escape into the crowd. The EuroNews crew fell behind them. "Thank