I kept everything inside and even though I tried it all fell apart. What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I tried so hard and got so far. But in the end, it doesn't even matter. I had to fall to lose it all. But in the end, it doesn't even matter.

-----Linkin Park

Nancy opened her mouth to shout a warning to the girl, but stopped when she saw a flash of blond streaking across the garage so fast that it was just a blur. Then Kinzy went flying off to the side just seconds before the huge light crashed into the ground, only inches away from the Harley.

After making sure her heart wasn't going to leap out of her chest, Nancy quickly hurried over. "Are you guys okay?" she asked in a worried tone of voice.

Joe, who had been the one who had tackled Kinzy to safety, rolled over and took a deep breath. "Oh, man. It's going to take me a few minutes to catch my breath."

Kinzy just lay there on the floor, face down, not moving. Joe reached over and placed a gentle hand on her back. "Kinzy, can you hear me?"

She didn't answer, and, for a moment, Joe started to get worried. Then, very quietly, he heard her say, "I can't look. How bad did it scratch up the bike?"

Joe's eyes went wide, and, even though Nancy shot him a warning look, had to ask, incredulously, "You almost got creamed by a huge light, and all you're worried about is your motorcycle???"

"Joe," Nancy hissed, trying to stop him before he got himself in trouble with Kinzy. "Kinzy, the bike is fine. The light missed it. There's not a scratch on it."

"Thank God for that at least." Kinzy put her hands on the floor and pushed herself up to her knees. "I don't know what I would have done if that thing ever got hurt."

Joe just stared at her with disbelief written all over his face. "You really care about that bike, don't you? At least, I hope you do, if you were willing to risk your life for it."

Kinzy, still on her knees, nodded. "It was Steve's. He gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday. He always joked about how I loved that thing more than he did."

"Oh!" Joe's face softened. He felt stupid for getting on to her for worrying about it now. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"That's okay." Kinzy quickly got to her feet, dusted herself off, and then turned to look at the Harley, sitting there unharmed. Then she frowned and looked up. "I wonder how that light managed to fall? Those things are bolted to the ceiling."

"That's a good question," Joe said grimly, staring at the broken light. "One I intend to find the answer to. Here, help me up."

Kinzy grasped both of Joe's hands with her own, and then hauled him to his feet. After dusting himself off and making sure nothing was broken

or seriously injured, he--along with the two girls--cautiously approached the light.

As they got closer, Joe began to get an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Kinzy had been right. Those lights just didn't fall on their own. Not without some help. Some human help.

The only logical explanation is that someone had to cut through the cable with a welder's torch, he thought grimly. Which means that whoever tried to kill Kinzy yesterday is still around. And that they're watching our every move.

They stopped next to the light. As Kinzy ran off to check on her beloved motorcycle--just to double check that it was okay--Joe knelt down and picked up the heavy cable that had suspended the light from the ceiling. One look at the end, and his suspicions were confirmed.

With a sigh, he dropped the cable and got back to his feet. "Looks like it was cut."

Kinzy, finding that her motorcycle had suffered no damage, whirled to face him. "Just like yesterday," she said angrily, silver eyes flashing dangerously. "I just wish they would leave me alone! Oooh, when I get my hands on these creeps..." She shook her head. "Never mind. Right now, we've got other things to worry about." She swung one leg over the motorcycle, then gestured for Nancy to get on behind her. "Come on, Nancy. Joe, you can follow us on the four-wheeler."

"Hey!" He put his hands on his hips and looked up at the two girls. "Why don't I get to ride on that thing? I just saved your life!"

"That's easy," Nancy answered. "I don't know how to drive a four-wheeler."

Looking at Joe's crestfallen expression, Kinzy couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, Joe. I'll take you on a ride before you leave."

He brightened. "Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Good deal." He gave them a little bow. "I'll be waiting outside. Don't take too long." With that, he spun on his heel and walked through the door.

Kinzy pushed a button on one of the handlebars, and, with a loud creak, the garage door began to open. Nancy put her arms around the younger girl's waist, a feeling of excitement beginning to swell up within her. It grew when Kinzy started the bike, and she could feel the power underneath her.

"Hang on!" Kinzy shouted over the roar of the engine. She revved the bike up once, then shot through the door.

Nancy tightened her grip on Kinzy, feeling the quick adrenaline rush. Her heart was pounding as Kinzy angled the machine to come up alongside the four-wheeler. "Woah. What a rush!"

Kinzy turned around and grinned, those liquid silver eyes sparkling. "Wait until we get out on the open roads. Your heart won't quite racing for hours."

"Just don't go too fast," Joe cautioned, sitting on the four-wheeler. "This thing doesn't even have half the power of that Harley, and I don't fancy getting lost."

"I'll try," Kinzy said teasingly. "But, don't worry too much. It's only a short trip to the Ranger station. That's our first stop."

Nancy frowned. "Why are we going there?"

"To find out where we're going to go," the river guide explained. "They send each of us out to a certain section of the park when something like this happens. The first one who spots signs of flooding calls it in, then the Ranger's send people out to that area to star building the sandbag wall. We can still do stuff today, we'll just have to do them in that area."

"That's cool with me." Joe looked up and squinted at the sky. "Better get a move on, though. It looks like it's going to start pouring any minute now."

"All right then," Kinzy said, revving the bike again. "Let's go!"

Joe grinned. "I'm right behind you."

The bike quickly shot out of the driveway, the four-wheeler right behind. Then they took off down the road, leaving a cloud of dust behind them.

Overhead, a roll of thunder sounded off in the distance, and the first raindrop fell to the ground...

Frank was having the time of his life. He and his father, just sitting there by the lake, fishing. Things couldn't be better. Even the overcast sky couldn't dampen his spirit. Kinzy and his brother were the last things on his mind.

He felt a tug on his fishing pole, and he immediately began reeling his line in as fast as he could. "Dad, I've got another one!"

"Get him, son!" Fenton shouted encouragingly. They both watched the water in anticipation as Frank furiously turned the reel.

Suddenly, with a loud splash, a large fish--obviously hooked to the end of Frank's line--broke through the water, flopped around in the air for a second, then hit the water again.

Frank let out a war whoop. "Man, that's the biggest one all day! I've got to get him in."

"You can do it," Fenton said, sounding almost as excited as his son. He was overjoyed to see Frank so happy, and he was determined to keep him that way for as long as he possibly could.

Both Hardys were so occupied by the fight with the fish that both of them failed to notice the first few rain drops as they fell.

"Come on," Frank muttered under his breath, pulling back hard on his pole, continuing to reel his line in. "You're not going to get away from me that easily."

Finally, after a few more seconds of reeling and one last, frantic tug, the fish lay on the ground at Frank's feet, flopping about.

"Yes!" Frank pumped his fist excitedly, then slapped his father a high five. "I got a big one!"

Fenton grinned at his son's enthusiasm. "Way to go, son. Now, let's get him off that hook and into the bucket with the others."

"Sure thing." Frank knelt down and gently grasped the struggling fish around the middle, then began to carefully work the hook lose. Once it wad out, Frank walked over to a large bucket where other wish were swimming lazily around. He dropped his prize in along with the others, then turned around and walked back to his father, a self-satisfied grin on his face.

He felt something wet hit him in the back of the neck just then. Frowning, he looked around for the source. He knew it wasn't from the lake. He had no clue as to where it had come from.

He felt another one, this time on top of his head. He looked up, and found himself having to squint as the tiny raindrops began falling.

"Oh, no," he groaned. "Here comes the rain."

"Here comes the rain!"

Nancy winced as the first drop hit her in the face at an incredible speed, leaving her skiing stinging from the impact. She ducked her head down, using Kinzy as a shield from the rain. Craning her neck so that she could look up, Nancy noticed that it was only a spattering of rain, not a Curtin. She felt relieved at that. Maybe it won't get any worse.

Joe, on the other hand, didn't mind the rain slapping him in the face. He had his eyes glued to Kinzy, and not just because he didn't want to get lost.

Look at the way she handles that thing, he thought in awe. So confident, so sure of herself. I would definitely want her at my back if I needed someone.

For the first time since Iola's death, he didn't feel guilty about looking at another girl. It still hurt, but that was because he was thinking about Iola. But he didn't feel the same overwhelming guilt that he had been feeling ever since the accident.

What can I say? She's smart, funny, and not afraid of anything. And she knows exactly what I'm going through. How can I not be attracted to her?

Because you can't get your dead girlfriend out of your mind.

Joe gritted his teeth and edged the ATV forward. Today is going to be a good day, and nothing is going to ruin that, got it? Nothing.

Kinzy began to slow down, then gestured to Joe that she was turning to the right. He waved his hand in acknowledgment, then began slowing down as well.

Down the small paved lane sat the Ranger station. Joe was able to make out the green roof from the road. As he turned in after the Harley, he could see that it was a two story, Spanish style house surrounded by a large parking lot and a spacious garden. Cars were scattered all around it.

Kinzy quickly swung into a parking lot somewhat close to the entrance. As Joe pulled into the parking spot next to the bike, the two girls swung off and stood on the ground. Nancy's legs were a little wobbly, but she had a bright spark in her blue eyes. "That was really fun!" she said excitedly.

Joe grinned at her enthusiasm. "There's nothing like riding the open roads on a motorcycle, I'll give you that. As long as you don't mind the bugs in your teeth."

Nancy made a face. "Yuck. Remind me to keep my mouth closed."

"And your head down when it starts to rain," Kinzy said teasingly as she came to join them.

Nancy blushed. "Hey, it hurt hitting me so fast! I had to have a shield of some kind, and you were the only one I had."

The white-haired girl laughed. "Don't worry about it. I don't blame you. That rain really does hurt when it hits you going fifty-plus miles an hour." She looked up. "Speaking of which, we'd better get in and get out of here before it really starts coming down. I don't want to be driving then. Neither do you, Joe."

"Well, then. What are we waiting for?" Joe linked one arm through Kinzy's, at other through Nancy's. "Let's go!"

Arm in arm, the smiling teenage boy and two giggling teenage girls headed towards the entrance of the Ranger station.

They fished as long as they could; both knowing that rain usually brought the fish closer to the surface, and easier to catch. But it finally got too bad, and they had to pack up and leave.

Frank's good mood vanished as quickly as it had come. He sat in the front passenger seat of the van, arms folded, staring moodily out the window, saying nothing.

Fenton felt like cursing any and every one he could think of. He felt like his had been doomed from the very beginning, as nothing seemed to have gone right yet.

Maybe we should just go home, he thought miserably. Before anything else happens.

Almost as soon as the though had entered his mind, it was gone. I can't do that to Joe, he told himself. It doesn't matter how bad it is here, it's better than being at home. I can't take him home. Not now.

Looking out of the corner of his eye, he saw Frank's sulking form hunkered down in the seat and felt like sighing.

I only wish I could make both of them happy. He seems pretty happy when Nancy's around, but Nancy is the wedge that's driving them both apart. He and Joe both need each other right now, more than ever. I only wish I could make them realize that.

"I'm sorry our fishing trip got rained out," he said softly, peering out past the rain and wipers to see the road.

"You can't help it," Frank said grumpily. "You didn't cause it to rain. We shouldn't be too surprised, though. Almost everything else about this trip has gone wrong." He snorted. "Probably Kinzy's doing."

"Kinzy?" Fenton sounded amused. "How could she have caused all of this?"

"I think she's a witch," the older Hardy boy said frankly. "She's managed to brainwash Joe and Nancy and take them away. She probably prayed to her little witch god or goddess to make it rain and ruin our day."

Fenton didn't want to, but he had to laugh. "That's a pretty wild theory, son. I can just see Kinzy in a black robe and a black pointed hat outside under a full moon chanting and cursing us."

For a moment, Frank looked as if he was going to get angry. But then his face softened, and the corners of his mouth turned up in a smile. "You're right," he said quietly, turning to look at his father. "It is rather stupid. But it's kinda funny, thinking of Kinzy as a witch." He shook his head. "I still think she's brainwashed those two."

Fenton shrugged. "Maybe she has, just not the way you think. She's just being nice and friendly, and they want to be around her."

"Instead of me." Frank sighed. "It's not like I can blame them. Especially Nancy. Not after the way I treated her last night."

"No one can blame you for being a little uptight," his father said softly. "This has been hard on you, too. I would be worried if you weren't showing some emotion."

"It's nice to be worried about by someone," grumbled Frank. "Joe's too concerned with himself to see that I'm upset, too."

"That's going to change," Fenton said firmly. "As soon as Joe comes home tonight--and he is coming back--the three of us are going to sit down and have a nice, long talk. Just the three of us. We're family, Frank. And nothing is going to tear us apart."

"Kinzy."

As the young, green-clad Ranger spoke her name; Joe couldn't miss the obvious relief in his voice.

"Hey, Chad," she said, coming to stand in front of the small desk that he sat behind. "How's it going?"

"Not too good," he answered with a sigh. "We were hoping you were going to check in. We're spread pretty thin as it is. Nikki and Holly had an accident last night, so that's two less people we have."

Kinzy's silver eyes went wide at the mention of the two girls that were in the accident. "Are they okay?" she asked worriedly. "I didn't hear anything about it."

"It happened late last night, and they're fine," Chad assured her. "A little bruised, so they stayed overnight at the hospital. It could have been a lot worse, though."

"Thank goodness," she said in relief. The she shook her head. "Anyways, where would you like us to go? We are at your service."

The Ranger looked at the two other young people who were standing beside here, trying no to listen in on their conversation. "Friends of yours?"

"That, and reinforcements." Kinzy gestured for them to come closer. "This is Joe Hardy and Nancy Drew. They're campers who said they'd give us a hand with the flooding problem. Guys, I'd like you to meet Ranger Chad Smith."

The young Ranger stood up and tipped his hat. "It's a pleasure. And thanks for helping out. We really need it."

Nancy smiled at him warmly. "We're glad to help out, especially since it seems you're a few people short."

Chad gave her a nod, then turned back to Kinzy. "Speaking of accidents, Doc told me you had pretty close scrape yourself yesterday. You okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks to Joe here. I just bruised me arm. He saved my life."

The younger Hardy boy blushed and ducked his head as the Ranger's eyes were suddenly filled with admiration. "Hey. I was just following orders. I panicked when you fell. If you hadn't been telling me what to do and kept calm about it, I would've gotten us both killed."

"But you kept your head. That's what matters. Anyway you look at it, you still saved my life." She grinned at him, then turned back to Chad. "So, where you sending me this time?"

"Where else?" he handed her a map with a circle drawn in red ink. "You get the upper end of the West Bank."

Kinzy rolled her eyes and pouted. "Great. Why do you people keep sticking me there? That's always the first place to flood!"

Chad held up his hands, but he was grinning. "Hey, don't blame me. I'm just the messenger. I don't decide who goes where. But you are the best river guide we've got. That might have something to do with it."

"Thanks a lot," she said dryly, picking up the map. "Next time, tell them to put me somewhere different. So I can see more of the park. And, if you see Nikki and Holly, tell them I said hi and to get better soon."

"I will," he promised. Then he was off o answer the phone that had begun to shrilly ring.

Kinzy sighed as she stared glumly at the map he had given her. "I can't believe this. Why do they always put me there?"

"You heard the man," Joe answered with an impish grin. "You're the best suited for the job."

"So they should move me around!" she protested. "They know that that's always the first place to flood. All they have to do is put someone there to watch for flooding and call it in. If I'm so good, then they're just wasting my talents."

Nancy laughed. "Maybe you should protest," she said, eyes twinkling. "You know, make a sign and march around outside. I can just see you doing that..."

Kinzy snorted. "Yeah, right. They'd probably lock me up in jail and make me see a shrink. I'm not supposed to go up against the system. I'm the model employee. Too bad it doesn't earn me a pay raise."

She stopped, then shook her head. "What am I talking about? I love my job. I wouldn't trade it for any other job in the world. And, if that means going to the same God-forsaken place every time it floods, then so be it."

With a cheerful grin to replace her earlier scowl, she walked to the door. "Come on, then. We've got work to do!"

Joe and Nancy blinked at her for a moment, jaws slightly open, then burst out laughing. They walked out the door and into the rain, ignoring Kinzy's puzzled look.

Everything was wet and cold. Frank's sour mood just got worse when he realized that he couldn't even start a fire because it was raining so hard. So he had to sit inside his tent--which wasn't as 'rainproof' as it promised to be--eating cold food.

"This vacation sucks," he muttered.

Fenton, hearing his son's words, shot a glance in his direction. "Cheer up, Frank. Come one, where's your sense of adventure? This is what camping is all about! Roughing it in the wilderness with no modern conveniences to help you out."

"A fire would help," Frank shot back, taking another bite of his sandwich.

"This is true." Fenton shrugged. "But it's kinda hard to make a fire when it's pouring down rain."

"And that definitely puts a damper on my spirit of adventure. When you imagine a camping trip, you think about a nice, warm, glowing fire to cook s'mores over. This rain kinda ruins all of that and puts you in a bad mood."

"So I've noticed," Mr. Hardy remarked warily, rolling his eyes. He had a hunch that Frank's bad mood was due to more that the cold rain, though.

Frank sighed, then washed down the last of his sandwich with a long swig from his Pepsi. "So, what do we do now? I don't know about you, but I don't much feel like sitting around here all day long in the rain."

"Do you have anything particular in mind?"

Frank shrugged. "Well, we haven't hit all those little souvenir shops in town. I thought we could pick some things up to take back home to the girls."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Fenton got to his feet, and went to the tent flap and quickly unzipped it. He squinted out through the pouring rain, then turned back to Frank. "We can go, if you don't mind getting a little wet."

"I'm already wet," he pointed out, gesturing to his rain and mud spattered T-shirt and jeans. "I don't think a little more rain is going to hurt too much."

"We'll, if you're ready to make a dash for it, we'll go."

Frank stood, brushed the dirt off of his jeans, then gestured to the pouring rain with a slight grin. "After you."

The two vehicles, capable of going at high speeds over the roughest of terrains, were now forced to only inching down the muddied street. Joe kept having to blink through the curtain of rain that ran into his eyes in order to see the back of Kinzy's motorcycle. This was not the time or place for him to get lost.

"This is a terrific way to spend my vacation," he thought. "Stuck in the middle of a rainstorm with my brother's girlfriend to help out a beautiful girl who has a killer on her tail, and she knows why but won't tell me." He shrugged. "I guess it could be worse."

He winced. "Don't think like that, or it will get worse. What with the luck I've been having lately..."

Up ahead, Kinzy's one taillight flashed bright red. Joe squeezed the lever on the left handlebar, slowing the four-wheeler down to a halt. Through the rain that had turned into a torrential downpour in just seconds, he was able to make out Kinzy's arm, which was pointed to the left. He waved back, letting her know that he understood. She made an okay sign, then the brake light turned back to a dull red as she deftly turned the Harley down a pot hole-ridden road that looked as it hadn't been driven down in years, Joe following. He winced as the ATV bounced around as he hit pothole after pothole, but he was overly thankful that he was on the four-wheeler. He could only imagine what it would be like to go down this road in a car that wasn't made for terrain like this.

Kinzy continued making turns, and Joe was aware of how dark it was becoming as they headed deeper into the forest, the thick trees all but obliterating what little light came from the sky overhead.

After a while, the brake light flashed bright once more, then died as Kinzy killed the engine. Joe pulled up behind her as she and Nancy climbed off the bike. Once he had turned off the ATV, he quickly walked over to join them.

Nancy's eyes were wide and bright, sparkling with excitement. "That was the most incredible ride I've ever been on in my life!" she said breathlessly. "After a while, the rain didn't even hurt anymore. And it kept the bugs away, so I didn't have to worry about them getting in my teeth." She did a little twirl, he face turned up to the rain. "I think I'll trade my Mustang for a motorcycle."

Kinzy laughed as Joe came to stand by her. "She's hooked," she said her silver eyes dancing. "I think I've created a monster."

Joe grinned back at her. He couldn't help it. Her happiness was contagious. In fact, everything about her was contagious...

"Come on," she said, breaking into Joe's thoughts and causing to Nancy to stop mid-twirl. "The river's just ahead. It's hard to hear over all this rain. Be careful. It's also hard to see. I don't want either of you falling into the river."

Almost without thinking, Joe reached out and took her hand. She looked at him for a moment, surprised by this move. Then her face melted into a gentle smile and she gave his hand a squeeze. Then she turned to face Nancy, who had begun twirling again. "Come on, Tinkerbelle. Grab Joe's other hand. I don't want you to go staggering off anywhere and get lost."

Nancy obeyed, staggering like she was drunk over to the other two. "That was fun," she said with a grin, catching Joe's other hand.

Kinzy giggled, and Joe just shook his head. "Come on," he said, tugging the girls forward. "Let's check this baby out."

Frank drove the van into the 'city' of Yellowstone, and he and his father came face to face with a long, busy strip of department stores, souvenir shops, and fast food joints.

"Well, well, well," said Fenton, amused, as Frank tried to find a parking spot. "It's a regular Las Vegas down here."

"It's good for the tourist trade," Frank told him, cutting off the engine. "Probably most of the money used to run the park is made here."

"Anyway they can get it," his father said as he slid out of the van. "Besides, it's good for the park's publicity."

"Yeah, yeah." Frank grinned as the locked the driver's side door and put the keys into his pocket. "It's also good for a couple of lonely old guys who have nothing better to do on a rainy day."

"And that's the best thing about it." Shading his eyes from the rain, Fenton flanked up the street. "Where should we start?"

"How about right here?" Frank suggested, gesturing to the shop they now stood in front of. Turning, Fenton looked up to see a sign that read 'Yellowstone Rocks! Home of the famous Yellowstone rock candy and other souvenirs.'

The detective looked over and returned his son's grin. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

Still grinning, the two men hurried forward and entered the shop.

"Oh, no...."

Joe didn't like the tone of Kinzy's voice at all, nor did he like the expression on her face as she stared down at the muddy waters of the Colorado River.

"What's wrong?" he asked, also looking down. He wasn't an expert on these types of things, but he thought the water looked awfully high for it to have been raining for such a short amount of time.

"The water's way too high," she told him. "It shouldn't be that high yet. Unless..."

Using a hand to shield her eyes, she first looked upstream, then up at the sky. "I wonder if..."

While Joe and Nancy exchanged confused glances, Kinzy dashed back to her motorcycle, returning a moment later with a walkie-talkie in her hand. "Chad," she said, having to yell into the thing in order to be heard. "Are you still there?"

There was a faint crackling noise, and then the voice of the young Ranger they had spoken to earlier could faintly be heard. "I'm here, Kinzy. What's up?"

"Do you know if this storm started up-or downstream?"

"Hang on." There was a brief pause, then the radio crackled again. "It started upstream. Why?"

"Because the river's already started to flood," she told him grimly. "This storm's probably been going on for a while before it got here. This water's already getting way too high."

Chad swore. Even though he was standing a few feet away, Joe was still able to hear him over the rain. "Great. Well, I can call some of the others up and I can get some sandbags."

"I know some other people who might be willing to pitch in and help," Kinzy told him, staring at Joe.

"Good. Go get them, then get back. We're going to need all the help we can get if the river's rising this fast."

"You got it. See you later, Chad." She lowered the walkie-talkie with a sigh. "Okay, gang. New game plan." She pointed at Joe. We're going to have to go find your dad and brother, whether you like it or not." Then she turned to Nancy. We're going to need your dad and friend as well. We've got to get those sandbags up." She shot a troubled glance at the rolling river. "In just a few hours, we're going to have a serious problem here."

"Then we don't need to be standing around here," Joe said firmly, stepping forward. "Knowing Dad and Frank, they're not going to waste their time sitting around the campsite telling ghost stories. They'll be out doing something. We were supposed to go fishing today, but..." He shrugged. "We had a change of plans."

Kinzy nodded. "All right. So we've got to search for your family. What about yours, Nancy?"

The older girl squinted at her watch, then grinned. "Bess probably isn't even up it," she answered. "They're still at the campsite, I bet."

"Good. Once we've found Frank and Mr. Hardy, Joe can go with them to get your Dad and Bess. You and I will have to get back here quick. They always get us girls to sit on top of the wall and put the sandbags up since we're lighter."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Nancy turned to Joe. "Is it okay with you?"

He gave both girls a smile. "Hey, I'll live. I mean, I'm going to have to face them sometime, right?"

Kinzy grinned happily. "That's the spirit!"

They found the two Hardy men sitting in an ice cream shop on the strip thirty minutes after all being crammed onto the four-wheeler. When asked if they would come help set up the sandbag wall, they immodestly agreed. Frank, Joe was upset to see, didn't look happy when he found out Joe would be coming with them instead of Nancy.

Kinzy must have noticed it too, because as they prepared to leave, she pulled Joe aside. "Are you going to be okay?" she asked softly, a worried expression on her face. "I'm sure Nancy wouldn't mind going with them and letting you go with me if you want."

Joe shook his head, but he smiled to let her know how touched he was. "That's okay, thanks. I'd like to go ahead and get all this awkwardness between us over with."

"If you're sure, then okay." She smiled, but he noticed that she still looked worried, and it stirred something in him. "I'll see you back at the river, then."

"Be careful!" he called, and she waved her hand in acknowledgment. He felt an empty hole inside as he watched the two girls climb back onto the four-wheeler and speed off. He wished with all his heart that he could have gone with Kinzy. He knew that he needed to be with his family, but that didn't mean that he wanted to.

He was snapped out of the thoughts by a hand that was placed on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw his father smiling gently down at him, as if he knew of Joe's feelings.

Which he probably did.

"Come on, son," Fenton said softly. "Let's go."

Things were in full, hectic swing when the girls arrived back at the upper West bank. People, sandbags, vehicles...It had been transformed from a quiet spot into a flurry of activity.

A few lines of sandbags had already been laid down, but Kinzy could still see that the river had rose considerably in the time that she had been gone.

As they stood there surveying the scene, Nancy noticed a young man break away from the large group of people surrounding the sandbags and begin hurrying towards them.

"Kinzy!" he exclaimed, sounding both breathless and relieved at the same time. "Thank God you're here. Chad mentioned you were bringing friends?"

She nodded. "Damien, I'd like you to meet Nancy Drew. Nancy, this is Damien Matthews, yet another crazy river guide. Nancy's helping us out, and there's about five others headed this way."

"Good." Damien gestured for the two girls to follow him, then began walking back towards the group of people. "All the guides--hiking, river, and all--are out, and so are a lot of other employees. We also went to the Bluebird Lodge and cleared it out. A lot of people grumbled, but they're helping out."

Kinzy nodded towards the sandbags. "How many of these walls do we have going up right now?"

Damien though for a moment. "Four, I think. Most of them at the points where the river comes close to populated areas. Those places were evacuated, and the people and things moved to the nearest lodge."

"Good." Kinzy gestured to the now angry waters. "This sucker's rising fast."

Damien looked over and gave her a quick smile. "Maybe the river gods haven't been pleased with our sacrifices lately."

Kinzy couldn't help but grin back. "We were supposed to do that today, weren't we? Until it started raining, of course. They didn't even turn the river on today."

Nancy looked puzzled. "This may sound stupid to a couple of river guides, but--River gods? Sacrifices? What are you talking about?"

"It's a little ritual thing we like to do," Kinzy explained. "On days like yesterday and today, when the river's shut down, we go down the river and collect as many valuables as we can. Stuff like rings, watches, necklaces, those kinds of things. We use them, as well as rocks, to build little 'temples' up and down the river. We say it's our sacrifice to the river gods."

"Oh, I get it." Nancy smiled. "Sounds kinda neat."

"We all get a big kick out of it," Damien told her, walking up to the group. He paused, obviously searching for someone. "Hey, Will!" he finally shouted. "Kinzy's here."

Immediately, a young man broke away from the group and jogged over towards them.

As he came closer to them, and they were finally able to make out his features, Nancy's breath caught in her throat. "He's gorgeous," she thought, eyes going wide. "He looks like--like Ned!"

The boy in question had blond hair that he wore longish, his bangs threatening to cover his desert-sky blue eyes.

She also couldn't help noticing the warm smile that appeared on Kinzy's face as he approached.

Once the boy reached the group, he walked strait over to Kinzy and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Are you okay?" Nancy heard him murmur to her just before pulling away. He held both of her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes with concern. "When I'd heard you'd had an accident while climbing, I--I nearly flipped out!"

"I'm fine," the white-haired girl assured him. "Just a bruised arm. That's all. But, enough about me. Will, I'd like you to meet Nancy Drew. Nancy, this is Will Haskins, a hiking guide as well as an old family friend. He thinks all of us river guides are nothing but a bunch of thrill seekers."

"And you've yet to prove me wrong." Will flashed Nancy a bright grin and held out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nancy."

"Pleasure's all mine," she said, a bit breathlessly. Her arm tingled as he shook her hand. His touch was like electricity. And those eyes...

The introduction over, the hiking guide turned back to Kinzy, who had been watching Nancy with a grin. "You two are going to have be on the wall, as usual," he told her. "Are you sure you can handle that with your arm?"

She nodded firmly. "I'm going to have to, aren't I?"

"All right. But, if your arm starts hurting, you let one of us know, and we'll replace you." His gaze was stern. "Got it?"

"Got it."

Will nodded, then turned towards the sandbag wall, which was slowly beginning to rise. "Let's get this show on the road."

They rode in an awkward silence to the Drew's campsite. For once, Joe didn't know what to say. He was afraid that saying the wrong thing would set of this powder keg that lay between him and his brother. He also didn't know how to word the apology he had planned on saying the next time he and Frank had had a chance to talk.

Fenton, however, was silently encouraging his sons to talk. Even if it was just to argue. Anything was better than this awful silence. At least arguing would prove that they still cared for each other.

It was Frank who finally broke the silence. But his words weren't aimed at Joe, much to the younger Hardy's disappointment.

"Dad, do you think we'll have to go somewhere else if it starts flooding really bad?" he asked, pointedly ignoring his brother. Joe turned to stare out the window.

Fenton shrugged. "I don't really know, Frank. Probably. I'm betting this place floods really fast."

Frank nodded. "Oh. Makes since. Thanks."

"I hope we get moved to a lodge like Kinzy was saying," Joe thought. "That way, Frank and I won't have to be around each other as much. Of course, we're supposed to be spending time together, since this is a vacation and all. But, I think 'vacation' is too light a word in this situation."

"Why, oh why, didn't I switch with Nancy and go with Kinzy instead? We would all have been a lot happier."

"There's Carson," Fenton muttered. Looking up, Joe saw that they were already at the Drew's campsite. Carson, wearing a rainjacket with the hood pulled over his face, was hammering a tent stake deeper into the ground. Hearing the van pull up alongside the Mustang, he looked up and waved.

"I'll tell him what's going on," Joe said quickly and, before anyone could protest, had gotten out of the van. He was already soaking wet, so getting back in the rain wasn't a big deal. Besides, it got him away from that dreadful silence in the van, if only for a little while.

Nancy's dad stood as Joe approached him. "Hello, Joe," he said cheerfully. "How are you? We missed you on our trip yesterday."

"I'm fine," Joe answered. "And thanks, Mr. Drew."

"Anytime. Now, I doubt you three drove all the way out here just to chat. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Joe nodded. "Actually, there is." He quickly outlined the situation with the rainstorm, the rising river, and the need for campers to come and help put up the sandbag walls. "Will you come and help us?"

"Of course we will," the older man answered. "You go and get Bess. She's still in her tent. Let me put my things away, and I'll be ready to go."

"Yes, sir." The younger Hardy boy turned to the second, larger tent and walked up to it. "Bess?" he called out. "It's Joe. We need you."

Inside, he could hear lots of shuffling, then the sound of the flap zipper being pulled. A second later, Bess cautiously poked her head out. "Joe?" she asked a bit sleepily. "What's going on?"

"We've got to get to the river and help Nancy and Kinzy put up a sandbag wall," Joe explained as patiently as possible. He loved Bess dearly, but she could be such a ditz, and he was impatient. He took his time so that he wouldn't have to explain it again.

But, to his relief, she nodded. "Right. Just let me get a jacket and I'll be right there." And, with that, she disappeared back inside the tent.

Joe stood back up, blinking in surprise. "That wasn't as hard as I'd thought it would be..."

She was back shortly afterwards, the hood of her jacket pulled up to protect her from the rain. She quickly zipped up the flap to her tent, then turned to Joe. "All right. I'm ready."

Joe nodded, then hurried after Bess through the rain towards the van. Carson was already climbing inside. Joe hopped back into the front passenger seat while Bess climbed in beside Frank. They slid the side door shut, then Fenton backed out of the small driveway.

"So, what exactly is going on here?" Bess asked. "And where's Nancy?"

"At the river with Kinzy," Frank said, nearly spitting out the guide's name as if it was poison. "The river's starting to flood, so they're helping put up a sandbag wall. At least, that's what Joe said."

"Is that where we're going?"

Frank nodded. "Kinzy so graciously volunteered us, so we're going to help."

Bess shrugged. "Well, I'm kinda glad she did. It's not like there are a ton of things to do on a rainy afternoon like this. Besides, I thought you liked helping people out."

"That's not the problem," growled Frank, feeling annoyed at Bess's cheerful nature. "I do like helping people out. But I don't like being volunteered for a job without being asked if I want to help first. Kind of throws kinks into my plans."

Joe kept his head down, as if his soaked sneakers had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world. He didn't want Frank to see how much his face was burning.

Bess simply shook her head, feeling disgusted at Frank's selfish attitude. She still hadn't forgiven him for yelling at Nancy the night before. So she leaned forward so that she could chat with Joe, ignoring Frank completely.

"We missed you on our hike yesterday," she told him. "It was really hot, but it was a lot of fun. Especially the swimming."

"So I heard." Joe shrugged. "I had a pretty, ah, interesting day."

"I heard about Kinzy's accident," she said softly. "What happened? All Nancy said was that she'd fallen while you two were climbing."

"Yeah. She's fine, thanks." Joe smiled. "Just banged her arm up a bit. She's been driving her motorcycle around all day without a problem."

Bess's eyes went wide at that. "She has a motorcycle?!"

Joe nodded. "Yup. A Harley, at that. Nancy's been riding it all morning. I think she's hooked. She's already been talking about trading in her Mustang for a bike."

"Ooohhh no," came Carson's voice from the backseat. "She's not about to get a motorcycle. The Mustang's bad enough, but at least it has a roof! I refuse to go trapezing around the countryside on the back of a motorcycle, especially while it's raining."

"Awww, come on, Carson," Fenton said, flashing the other man a grin through the rearview mirror. "Where's your sense of adventure? I love taking the boys' motorcycles out for a pin every now and then. It's a pretty thrilling experience."

"Oh, yes. Thrilling and painful." The lawyer winced. "I took a ride on once, and it hurt to walk for days afterwards. And when I sat down... I prefer not to have to go through all that unnecessary pain, thank you."

"I love motorcycles," Joe said. "They're great--Turn left here, Dad. That's where they are. Anyways, bikes are great, as long as you don't mind getting bugs in your teeth."

"Bugs in your teeth??" Bess made a face. "Nancy is definitely not getting a motorcycle now."

"There they are!" Joe suddenly exclaimed, pointing through the windshield.

The large field, which was normally empty, was now full of cars, people, and lots and lots of sandbags. The wall was already three feet tall. People--mostly girls--were sitting on top of the wall, accepting sandbags from the people that handed them up and placed them on the wall.

Fenton quickly pulled into an empty spot, and Joe jumped out before the van had completely stopped. Lifting his head to shade his eyes from the rain, the scanned the top of the wall until he spotted the tell/tale white hair. A blond head was close by.

"There's Kinzy and Nancy," he said, pointing them out to the others, who had come to stand around him. "I guess we go over there and see what we need to do."

"Lead the way," Fenton said with a smile.

Joe began to trudge across the muddy field, waving to Chad when he saw the young Ranger in the crowd.

As they came closer to the wall, Joe began eyeing Kinzy with increasing worry. She didn't seem to be caring too much for her own safety. She was reaching way too far over to grab the sandbags, and she almost fell over the other side and into the river a few times. Joe couldn't help noticing that she was trying not to use her injured arm if possible. "I wonder if she brought her medicine?"

Before he could worry too much more, she spotted them.

"Joe!" she shouted over the roar of the water and babble of people, waving. "You guys made it."

Joe nodded as he came to stand underneath her. The others, he noticed, had walked strait over to Nancy. "Yeah. We're all here. How's it going so far?"

She shrugged. "Okay, I guess. We've got a lot done, as you can see."

"What can we do?"

"You're going to start handing me those sandbags," she told him. Then she leaned forward, over the sandbags. "Hey, Frank! Give Bess a hand up on this thing, then you guys can start handing her and Nancy sandbags."

Joe held his breath, waiting for the inevitable to happen. Frank resented the river guide, and his bad temper was still up. Joe was just waiting for his brother to blow up at her. But he didn't, much to Joe's surprise and relief. Instead, he simply gave her a curt nod and turned to do as he was asked. Joe let out his breath in a long sigh.

"Okay, flyboy," Kinzy said, turning her attention back to him with a grin, her hair plastered to her scalp by the rain that was continuing to pour down relentlessly. "Grab a sandbag and start handing 'em up."

He reached over and picked one of them up, frowning at how heavy they were. He shot a concerned glance up at her. "Are you okay? How's your arm?"

"It's fine," she told him, holding out her arms to accept the sandbag. "Now, will you quite worrying? We've got to get this thing up before the water gets much higher."

Almost reluctantly, Joe handed her the sandbag.

Things went on like this for a while afterwards, Joe handing the sandbags up to Kinzy, who then placed them on top of the wall. Up and down the wall, others were working just as hard.

Kinzy was throwing caution to the wind; leaning over farther than was necessary, looking as if she were about to topple over onto the ground. Joe would start to move forward to catch her if she fell, then breathe a sigh of relief when she would catch herself.

Nancy was so soaked that, when she felt her shoe being sopping wet, she paid it no attention. But, when she felt the faint sensation of water swirling around her ankle, she couldn't help but look down. Her eyes widened in alarm at what she saw.

The rolling waters of the Colorado River were now up to her leg.

"Kinzy!" she shouted, raising her voice to be heard. Once she had the guide's attention, she nodded down at the river. "We've got a problem."

Kinzy looked down at the water, and, though Nancy couldn't hear her, she could tell by the look on Kinzy's face that the other girl swore.

"Damien!" she yelled, turning to scan the crowd for the river guide Nancy had met earlier.

"Will!" she suddenly shouted, and Nancy's head snapped up at the chance of seeing the handsome boy again.

Turning, Joe saw a very tall, very handsome guy hurrying towards them. He stopped next to Joe, looking up at Kinzy, who had leaned over to talk to him. "I need Damien. Now! "

Without a word, the boy turned and jogged off.

"What was that all about? Joe asked, turning to hand her the sandbag.

"The water's starting to get way, way too high," she told him, leaning over to take the sandbag. He saw her wince, and concern flooded him again. "Damien's the one running this shindig, so he need to know quick."

"And the blond guy?" Joe had a hunch as to the relationship she had with him. Even though he wasn't dating her or anything, and had only known her for a short time, Joe found himself growing jealous.

Kinzy smiled. She knew exactly what he was thinking. "That's Will. He's a hiking guide, as well as an old family friend. He was Steve's best friend since they were little kids."

"Oh." Joe's jealousy faded away, and he was embarrassed for having felt it in the first place. "What's Damien going to do?"

"Haven't got a clue, actually." She placed the sandbag down. "Probably send out an alert. The camping areas will be evacuated."

"Where will everyone go?" he had to ask, hoping that somehow he and Frank would be split up, reaching for the next sandbag.

"Well, there are all these different lodges placed all around the park for those lazy bums who don't feel like roughing it. We'll move all the real campers to the lodge closest to them. Or we'll put them up at an employee's house. Will's house is open, and ours is, too. We can usually keep about ten people."

Joe's eyes lit up at that. "I don't suppose you would mind taking in a pair of squabbling brothers--since Dad'll make us stay together-their dad, one of the brothers' girlfriend, her dad, and best friend?" He tried not to sound too hopeful.

Kinzy laughed, and, as she leaned over to accept the next sandbag from him, he saw that her silver eyes were sparkling. "I think we can handle that without much of a problem. As soon as we finish getting this wall up, we can start moving all of your stuff to the house."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Joe began to reach for another sandbag, but stopped when, above the roar of the crowd and the water, he heard a voice, definitely male, shouting Kinzy's name.

Kinzy must've heard it too, cause she immediately sat up and began looking around. She saw him right off, because she threw up a hand and waved.

Joe never even saw whom she was waving at. At least, not until a guy suddenly appeared next to him, sweating and out of breath. He looked up at Kinzy with questioning eyes. "What's up?"

"We've got major problems," Kinzy told him, gesturing to the river. "It's up to our ankles already. And it's still rising just as fast."

The boy--Damien, Joe guessed--swore loudly. "This isn't good, he said grimly, staring at Kinzy. "We don't have the manpower to deal with this!"

"Is there anything we can do?" Kinzy asked, having to shout as a particularly loud gust of wind came roaring down from upstream.

Damien looked troubled for a minute, then sighed. "Well, we really need everyone we can get putting up these walls, but could you and a few of your friends go and check out the flood plains on the East Bank? By the camps? We don't have anyone down there yet to check it out."

"Sure thing." Kinzy swung her leg around, and Joe quickly moved forward to help her down. She gave him a warm smile, then turned to Frank and Nancy, who had been watching the whole exchange. "You two ready for a little road trip?"

Frank looked as if he were about o say something, but snapped his mouth shut when Nancy also swung her leg around and began to slid to the ground.

"Thanks," Kinzy said with a grateful smile. Then she reached into her pocket and pulled out what Joe recognized as the key to the four-wheeler. "Here," she said, tossing it to Frank. "You and Nancy can take the four-wheeler. Joe and I will take the bike."

Joe's eyes went wide at the prospect. "It's about time," he said with a grin. "I'm finally gonna get to ride on that Harley."

"Come on, flyboy," Kinzy said, taking Joe by the elbow and rolling her eyes at Nancy, who giggled. "Let's get going so we can get back." She and Joe began walking off, Nancy trailing them. Frank followed them, looking sullen.

The two vehicles were sitting right where they had left them, now surrounded by a sea of cars. Kinzy and Joe quickly got onto the bike, Frank and Nancy mounting the ATV.

"This is romantic," Nancy joked. "A ride through the rain on a four-wheeler."

Frank had to smile as he stuck the key into the ignition switch. He felt his spirits beginning to lift. He could never stay mad at Nancy, and they both knew it. "Yeah. My idea of real 'quality' time. Kinda goes along with the way this whole vacation has been."

"Quit being so moody," Nancy said, nudging him in the ribs. "Try to look at the bright side of it." She grinned. "Like getting to spend time with me." Frank laughed. "Yeah. Definitely a plus."

The two vehicles quickly pulled out onto the road, the powerful Harley leading the way. The rain, it seemed, was coming down even harder, almost as if it was trying to push them back. Nancy ducked her head, trying to miss as much rain as possible. Even Frank's shoulders were hunched, eyes squinted as he peered through the rain at the back of Kinzy's motorcycle, using the single taillight as a guide.

"This is murder," he thought, wincing as the ATV bounced over a particularly large pothole. "This thing was not made to be driven out in the pouring rain. For that matter, neither was I."

"I wonder where these flood plains are," Nancy shouted in Frank's ear. "I hope they're not too far away."

"Me, too," Frank replied. "Four-wheelers were definitely not designed for comfort."

"And the van was?"

"Hey, at least the van has padded seats, shocks, radio, air conditioning... Then again, it's not made to cover the same kind of terrain as this thing is. Durability over comfort."

"You're telling me." Nancy clung tighter to the cargo bars, hoping not to get bucked off.

Lucky for them, it was only a short while later when Kinzy turned off the muddy river that had once been a road into a large field. Through the rain and past the trees, Nancy could see the angry Colorado was coming out of its banks.

Kinzy parked the Harley a good distance away, so that the waters wouldn't have a chance of reaching it any time soon. Frank pulled up alongside her, and they all jumped off and began walking towards the river.

"I can't believe how fast this thing has risen," Nancy murmured. "I mean, I've never seen any of the rivers at home do this."

"That's because this storm started upstream," Kinzy explained. "By the time the storm made it down here, it had already dumped a lot of water into the river. And this is with the river shut off. If it had been on--"

She cut herself off with a loud cry. As the other three teens watched in horror, a figure, dressed all in black so that he was nearly impossible to see, darted out of the trees and knocked a shoulder into the river guide, sending her toppling headfirst into the river.

"Kinzy!"

Joe dashed forward, completely ignoring the black clad figure as he ran off, falling to his knees at the edge of the river. Maybe he could catch her as she--

"Joe!"

He heard her cry from somewhere close by. Peering through the darkness, he saw her clinging to something--a branch that had gotten stuck in something--a few feet away from the bank. He couldn't ignore the look of pain on her face.

"Hang on!" he shouted, hoping she could hear him over the roar of the water. "I'm going to get you out of there. I promise."

He dropped to his stomach and wriggled forward as far as he could without having to worry about losing his balance and falling in. Then he reached out to her. "Grab my hand!"

"I can't!" she called back, her voice strained. "It-it's my arm. I hit it on something when I fell in. It's useless, Joe. If I let go with my good arm, I won't be able to hang on."

Joe quickly wriggled back and jumped to his feet, looking around wildly for his brother. "Frank!" he shouted, spotting him off to his side, alone. Nancy must've ran off after whoever pushed Kinzy in. "I need your help. I can't get to her!"

Frank nodded and began walking forward, but stopped, however, when they heard Nancy's voice coming from somewhere to their left.

"Frank! I need your help!"

The older Hardy boy turned and stared into the darkness. The suddenly had the very unpleasant feeling of being torn in two.

Joe watched him, fists clenched at his sides. "Frank, we have to get her out of there now! " He was beginning to become hysterical. "She won't be able to hold on much longer! Nancy can take care of herself!"

"He's got a point," Frank told himself, knowing that he was trying to justify one of his choices of decisions. Still, he couldn't get the images of what might happen to Nancy if he didn't help her. What if the man was armed? What if he knocked Nancy into the river. They they'd never find her! But Joe was his brother, and, by the look of Kinzy's face, she wouldn't be able to hold on much longer. But--

"Frank!" Nancy's voice cut through the darkness again, farther away this time.

In that moment, he made his choice, the hardest one he'd ever had to make in his life.

Whirling back around, he fixed his brother with a stern gaze. "Stay right here," he said firmly. "Right here. I'm going to go find Nancy, then I'll be right back to help you pull Kinzy out, okay?"

Joe just stood there, staring at his brother, feeling as if someone had just dumped a bucket of ice water over him and ripped out his heart at the same time. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

My brother... I can't believe what he just said. He just told me that he is picking his girlfriend over me. His brother, his best friend... I guess I really have lost him, just like I've lost everyone else.

Without even meaning to, Joe dropped his head in a slight nod.

Frank stared at him a little while longer, backing up, until he turned and headed away, feeling as if his feet were encased with lead.

Joe just stood at the edge of the river, feeling as if he were about to cry. But he knew what he had to do. So he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Goodbye, Frank," he murmured.

Then, with a silent prayer, Joe dove headfirst into the river.

Promises Made