Free The Demolition Mission by Franklin W. Dixon Page A

as the flare ignited the combustible liquid.
    â€œToo bad it had to end this way,” the man said as he hurried off down one of the tunnels.
    â€œJoe!” Frank called. “Can you hear me?”
    But Joe was still out cold. And as smoke began to fill the basement room, Frank found it was hard to even see his brother. Frank’s eyes began to water,and the smoke in the air made it difficult to breathe. “Joe!” he tried again.
    We’ve got to get out of this, Frank said to himself. He was growing dizzy from lack of oxygen. His head drooped forward, and he knew he was only seconds away from passing out.

9 Where’s Callie?
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    Frank made a superhuman effort to stay conscious. Although Joe had tied him up, Frank knew his brother was experienced at tying slipknots.
    Frank struggled with the ropes. Soon he managed to work loose his wrists and untie the ropes around his ankles. Grabbing the fire extinguisher from a nearby wall, Frank immediately smothered the flames.
    He knelt down next to his brother, who was still unconscious. “Come on,” Frank said, slapping Joe’s face.
    Slowly Joe came to. “Did you catch him?” he asked groggily.
    â€œHe got away,” Frank said. “But we’ve still got the Saurion.”
    â€œHow do we get out of here?” Joe said as Frank helped him to his feet.
    â€œWe go out the same way the Saurion came in,” Frank told him.
    The Hardys headed back out of the large basement room into the tunnel through which the helmeted man had fled. Joe shone the flashlight on the tire tracks that cut through the dust of the concrete floor.
    â€œThere’s no question that this is the way the Saurion was brought into that room,” Frank said.
    â€œThere’s a ramp,” Joe said when he saw the tunnel divide. One branch headed off to the left, the other sloped upward. Joe started up the ramp.
    â€œThese are just boards thrown over the opening from outside,” Joe said. Pushing a board aside, he found himself looking out into the late-afternoon light. He hoisted himself up. His brother followed.
    â€œWe’re behind Building A,” Joe said. “There’s the overhead door we thought couldn’t be used.”
    Frank looked around. “And this old tunnel ramp is shielded by these oil drums.”
    â€œLet’s get over to Building A,” Joe said. “Stock should have a small tractor or something to help us bring up the Saurion.”
    â€œGot any ideas on who the guy in the black helmet was?” Frank asked his brother as they headed over to the Stock Motor Car Company.
    â€œMaybe it was Marvin Tarpley,” Joe said.
    â€œThe guy had the same build—short andmuscular,” Frank said. “Anyway, at least now we know that because of where the Saurion was hidden, the thief and the person who’s responsible for the incident is probably someone right on the grounds.”
    â€œBut who has something to gain from hiding only the Saurion?” Joe asked. “And who would want to go so far as to try and kill people over the car?”
    â€œThat’s what we’ve got to find out,” Frank said. “Right now,” he added, looking at his watch, “we’ve got to tell Felix Stock his prototype’s been found. Then you’ve got a new job with the derby.”
    Frank saw Chet sitting in the van when the brothers reached the front of Building A.
    â€œHey, I thought you guys would never get here,” Chet said as they approached. “I almost ate all this food myself.” Through the van window he handed the Hardys a cardboard tray piled with hot dogs, bags of chips, and soda.
    â€œDid you see Callie over there?” Frank asked as he unwrapped a hot dog.
    â€œNo, but I overheard Dwaine Rusk complain that Joe’s late.”
    â€œWhere’s Felix Stock?” Joe asked, munching on a potato chip.
    â€œHe’s working on a second