Chapter - Kidnapped!

	Chapter - Kidnapped!
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"Ding-Dong!"

"That can't be John and Rodney. They won't be here for a few minutes yet, at least."

"Fred! Can you get the door?" Fred's mom called from the kitchen.

Fred looked through the spy hole and saw two men, each with a pizza. He couldn't see their faces because of their hats.

"Peter's Pizza."

Fred opened the door. "We didn't order a pizza."

The men looked up and one dropped his pizza box, which fell open, empty. He saw, as they stepped forward, that they had nylons over their faces and they both held guns. They shoved Fred out of the way as they pushed into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Everyone sit on the floor and put your hands on your heads."

Fred's mom walked in from the kitchen. "What are you kids doing in here?"

A gun swung to point at her. "Please co-operate and no one will get hurt."

In just 3 or 4 minutes, they all had their hands professionally tied behind their backs.

Just then, "Ding-Dong!"

The shorter of the two men check through the spy hole and opened the door to greet John and Rodney with a ready gun. "Walk in casually, and no one gets hurt."

When they were tied up, the shorter man asked, "So, where's the camera?"

"The camera!" John looked chagrined. "I left it on the kitchen table!"

The shorter man spoke to the taller one. "Check their pockets for small cameras and film. Then check their car."

The search yielded no camera or film. "Right. Why did you leave it at home? It was the reason you were coming here."

"No," argued John. "The reason we were coming here was to talk. I planned to let the police know about the camera and film. And it's still all soggy. I drained the case at the hospital, but it's still all soggy."

"Did any water get inside the camera?"

"Maybe. I haven't opened it yet."

"Right. You come with us. Fred, you too. Fred Rideway, I mean." Both Fred's had started to speak.

Fred's mom warned, "Don't you hurt my little boy!"

Fred said accusingly, "You listened to us on two sets of bugs. That one on the window, and one on this phone, right?"

"What about it?"

"You didn't know the others were planning to show up and surprise us, did you? You were expecting just the two of us at the dock, right?"

"You're wasting my time. We're leaving now. No one makes any phone calls or tries to get loose for an hour. That way, after we get that camera, we can safely drop off the boys some place quiet and go about our business. Understood?"

Everyone nodded, solemnly or nervously. Fred's mom said, "You hear that? You do what the man says."

"Fred, Rodney. Out to the car. I'll wrap these jackets around you so no one sees your hands tied, and remember, if you try to run away, we'll just have to come back and get someone else to go with us."

They listened from inside the house to the clatter of footsteps, the slamming of car doors, and the lonely sound of the car starting and driving off.

John broke the silence thoughtfully. "Why did Fred talk about the bugs?"

"I don't know. He's always doing something to get in trouble." Fred's mom groused, as she shuffled across the floor to lean on the wall.

Everyone moved to more comfortable positions. Fred C and Angie sat back to back, trying to get each other's wrists untied, and giggled as they touched each other.

Stan stood up and walked to the kitchen with Sarah, and came back with a knife behind his back. "Right. Everybody try to get their arms in front of them. One of us might be able to."

John wouldn't let go. "I still think what Fred was saying was important. Where is that old 'science project' bug anyway?"

"It's on the mantel right over there. He kept it there with its battery as if it was a souvenir of a trip to the beach."

John looked at the mantel. "You mean over there where he was pushed when they came in?"

"Yes. He always does ..."

"It's not there! And it's not on the floor! I bet he's got it with him!" John was very excited.

"Got it!" Miriam had her arms in front of her. In a few minutes everyone was free. "I'll go next door and call the police."

"But the man said an hour!" Fred's mom was outraged.

"Why not call from here?" Sarah frowned as if she was a bit confused.

"Like Fred said, this phone is tapped. No one should use it at all, for anything."

"I have to phone my mother." Fred's mom insisted.

"From next door. Don't go out the front. Someone may be watching." Miriam was efficiently taking control. "And I want to talk to her, too. I think she can see Rodney's house from her place."

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