Crap. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Why wasn't my brain working, why had it decided at this exact moment to freak out and pool into a useless mess? None of my thoughts could form into anything that made sense and the more I tried to concentrate on sorting them out the more frantic and wild they became. It was as if every worry I'd ever had was choosing this exact moment to swarm through my head overflow it. I just needed to think clearly. That was all I needed to do.

What would my mom do?

I made myself form the question in my head and hold it there clearly, I waited as all the background noise slowly faded out around it. I gripped onto that single question like a life ring while the roaring ocean quietened around me. I had to think.

Around me Nico was pacing frantically up and down the corridor, Mitch was stood deathly still with his eyes wide and staring into the distance, Sawyers mouth was twisted into a grim line and behind his eyes I could see a thousand cogs ticking as, like me, he tried to figure this whole thing out.

"Why don't we ring the police?" Nico suggested interrupting my thoughts.

"Are you insane?" I demanded, "he did all of this because he thought I told you four about my moms murder, imagine what he'd do if he thought I'd told the police. We can't, it would put Grey at risk."

"Cara's right," Mitch agreed, "we can't get anyone else involved, it would only make it worse."

"What do you suggest we do then?" Nico growled. I knew he didn't mean to be aggressive, he was just concerned about his friend. We all were. This photo had changed everything, it meant Grey was in real danger. This wasn't a game anymore.

"We go and get him," I told them simply.

"What do you want us to just waltz across the field to the pool?" Mitch snapped.

"Yes," I replied matter of factly.

"What if he sees us coming and does something to Grey?" Sawyer asked shaking his head slowly in dismissal of the idea.

"It's the only way to get to Grey, to just walk across the field and get him," I resigned myself to the truth, "I'll go. I won't put any more of you in danger. I'll get him and I'll face this man. It's me who should have to face this not you."

"You must be losing your mind if you think we're going to let you go alone," Nico stated.

"I have to," I cried back, "it's the only way."

"We're going with you," Mitch agreed with Nico his voice rising slightly.

"No you're not. I can't have anymore of you getting hurt because of me. I have to do this alone. Please," I pleaded.

"Just stop it Cara," Mitch shouted back, "this whole idea is ridiculous you're not going on your own. It's better we all go, we'll protect you."

"Stop being the hero for one god damn minute Mitch and listen to me, this is the only thing that makes any sense. I go and you stay here to call the police if anything happens," my voice cracked at the end without my permission.

"What the fuck do you mean, if anything happens?" Mitch roared, his need to protect was making him aggressive and I knew this was killing him inside.

"Shut up," Sawyer ordered in the most authoritative voice I had ever heard him use. "Mitch is right," he announced solemnly,

"What?" I interrupted.

"You're not going alone, we're all going, protection in numbers," Sawyer continued decidedly.

"What do you mean all?" I asked suspiciously, I could tell a plan was forming in his mind.

"Everyone," Sawyer spoke his thoughts aloud, "all the Kings Bridge boys go down and we go amongst them. They can't do anything with a big group there. Too many witnesses. Then when they all go into the changing rooms we go into the pool and get Grey."

"What do you mean just get Grey?" I demanded, "you don't think we can actually just walk in grab him and walk out and this guy is going to be like, oh yeah just take him, no problem. Why don't you arrest me as well while you're at it?"

"It's our best shot," Mitch chimed in, his expression gloomy, "Sawyer is right, this is the only way."

"What about all the other boys?" I sighed. They weren't thinking this through clearly, why weren't they listening to me? "We can't put them in danger as well and what if they walk into the swimming pool while we're still in there. How do we explain that? This isn't going to work."

"Do you have any better ideas?" Nico rebutted.

"Yes, I go alone."

"You're not going alone," Mitch insisted at the same time Nico yelled,

"Not happening."

"Enough!" Sawyer shouted taking charge of the situation, "we've spent enough time arguing. We just have to put a plan into action. The best way to decide is a vote, all in favour of Cara going alone raise their hand." Of course mine was the only hand raised. "All in favour of going with all the Kings Bridge boys raise your hand," three to one.

"This is stu ...," I began irritably but Mitch gave me a look so harsh I clamped my mouth shut immediately. I understood what that look meant, this was nonnegotiable, we were getting Grey and we were doing it now.

"Let's wake everyone up then," Nico broke through the uncomfortable silence.

It was game time!

Sawyer was the first to spring into action, another surprising move from him and before I could comprehend what was happening he was racing up and down the corridor throwing all the doors open and shouting in a whisper scream, "water fight in the swimming pool! Now!"

Instantly the corridor became flooded with boys yawning and stretching and jostling their way downstairs. Nico and Mitch had beaten them to the stairs and were waking up the two floors below already. I only stood stock still among the crowd. This wasn't how things were meant to go.

"Cara, are you okay?" Ben appeared by my side concerned, "you look as white as a sheet."

"Umm," I stumbled, "I guess I haven't had a water fight in a while, I'm a bit nervous."

Ben only raised a disbelieving eyebrow that told me he was half insulted I thought he would fall for that and half worried about me, "Cara I'm not stupid."

"Can I just tell you later?" I begged looking right into his eyes for reassurance.

"Of course," he gave my shoulder a friendly squeeze, "you know I'm always there for you right?"

I nodded with tears in the corner of my eyes, "yeah, I do," I agreed my voice thick with emotion.

Ben slowly walked away even though I could tell he really didn't want to. My conversation with him had given me a new resolve though, I had to do this for Grey. Even though I didn't like this plan one bit I had to put my own feelings aside and do what was best. That's what my mom would've done.

So I joined the pack as we headed down through the dorms and out the back door towards the swimming pool. Nico, Mitch and Sawyer who'd all separated to wake everyone up found me through the mass of boys, all still in pyjamas clutching swimming shorts, and stood around me in a protective ring. I could see their eyes darting everywhere at once trying to spot any possible danger.

Although I tried to ignore it my heart was beating furiously in my chest and every time I closed my eyes I could see my moms blood slowly oozing out across the carpet and staining it's pale beige fibres. In the rise and fall of my chest I could tell this wasn't going to end well.

We arrived at the pool unharmed though and all the boys immediately swarmed into the changing rooms in a large mass like a swarm of bees to a hive. The four of us hung back and once they were all inside Mitch immediately twisted the lock on the door to shut them in. Without saying anything Nico ran down to the other exit and locked that as well. They worked in perfect synchronisation without any words needing to be spoken, they could communicate perfectly through looks and body language. After all the boys were bolted in we all looked at each other dazed, part one of the plan was completed and now all that was left to do was get Grey.

The door to the swimming pool seemed to pulse like an ominous sign, a warning. It drew us towards it though.

Suddenly, I felt my phone buzz and I leapt back like it had just electrocuted me. What had they done now?

My hands trembled so much I nearly dropped my phone several times as I held it up to see the text I'd just received. Mitch, Nico and Sawyer all crowded behind me to see and their faces held the same blank white expressions of pure fear that I'm sure mine did.

It was another photo.

For a split second my heart stopped beating, I swear I felt it freeze inside me as fear flooded through me. The type of pure paralysing terror I'd only ever felt once in my life before, the exact moment when I'd heard the trigger click before my mom died. This feeling was the very same because the picture showed the barrel of a gun pointing directly at Grey's lifeless body on the floor.

He was going to shoot him.

My heart couldn't handle it.

I couldn't lose another person I loved.

I couldn't.

I wouldn't.

I was sprinting towards the swimming pool doors before my mind could comprehend what my heart had already decided my body should do.

"Cara!" Mitch cried grabbing onto my arm, "he'll kill you!"

"I don't care," I yelled violently yanking my arm out of his with all the strength I had, "I'm not going to watch anyone else get killed. I won't let it happen I've lost too many people I love already."

With that I pushed open the doors, sending them flying back and slamming against the walls with a deafening crash. My eyes instantly scanned the room, it was empty.

The swimming pool was utterly still and calm like a pond in spring and all the space around it was empty. No one was here. I froze in horror, where was Grey? Then I spotted something at the far end of the room, a dark shape.

I was sprinting towards it so quickly it shocked me, adrenaline coursed through me causing me to run faster than I ever had in my life. As I drew nearer I could tell it was a body curled into a crescent moon shape on one side.

Grey!

As I reached him I collapsed to the ground hitting my knees with a thunk on the solid tiles which should have hurt but the panic I felt was too overwhelming to feel anything else.

"Grey! Grey!" I shook him frantically. I could see he had a cut on his forehead, the cause of the blood mingling with the chlorinated water around him. It looked like he'd been knocked out with something.

My hands searched to find a pulse on his neck. There! I had to check two or three times to be sure but I was certain I could feel something beating beneath my fingers. He was alive!

"Let me," Sawyer carefully moved me out the way and checked Grey himself. I hadn't noticed him, Nico and Mitch all arrive around me with ashen faces.

"Grey, please wake up," I whispered into his ear as soft tears trickled from my eyes onto his damp skin.

"He won't wake up for a while," a voice sounded harsh and nasal from across the room. I recognised that Russian accent and my head whipped around sharply.

It was him! The person who'd killed my mom sat right there in the seats, the one place I hadn't looked.

He was dressed in an expensive looking black suit and sat on the fourth or fifth row with his legs propped up casually on the chair in front. As if he was relaxing to watch his favourite TV show ur something.

"What have you done to him?" I cried desperately.

"He's only unconscious, he'll wake up in a bit," the man shrugged indifferently. His face remained blank and uncaring. I wanted nothing more than to race over and punch him over and over again in his cold marble eyes.

"Bastard," Mitch roared and it took both Nico and Sawyer grabbing his arms to hold him back from charging at the man.

This caused the man to show some kind of emotion as his face broke out into a wickedly devious smile and he began clapping his hands. The awful echo of his sadistic applause bounced around the huge room.

"How sweet," he crowed in his nasal drawl that sent shivers down my spine and flashbacks racing through my mind.

"Let them leave," I implored, "they haven't done anything wrong, it's me you want. Please just let them go."

"You're quite the persuasive one aren't you, sweetheart," his mouth twisted into a venomous smirk and Mitch growled at the last word and Nico and Sawyer had to grip even tighter to hold him in place, "just like your mother. She thought she could get away with anything and look what happened to her."

"You killed her," I spat as I stood up and took several steps towards him. I didn't care any more and ignored the boys cries of protest. All I wanted to do was hurt this man, hurt him the way he'd hurt me.

"I would say I'm sorry darling," he simpered in the most revolting bitter tone, "but I'm not. Your mother had to learn a lesson just like you do. Actions will always have consequences. Always."

"She never did anything wrong," I hissed furiously as my blood boiled with anger and I took a daring step closer.

"Cara stop!" I was distantly aware of Nico screaming but I was oblivious to everything but the man in front of me as he slowly rose from his perch to look down at me.

"Your mother," he spat vindictively, "was a cheat and a liar who didn't know her place. She'd had it coming to her for a long time."

"Shut up!" I screamed at him through a mouth full of bitter tears, "she didn't deserve to die you liar."

"You're just like your mother," the man walked down the stairs slowly and deliberately, I forced myself not to step back or flinch. He came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs only a couple of meters from me, "she couldn't keep her mouth shut Cara and neither could you. She didn't play by the rules and neither have you. So Cara, what have I taught you?" I waited panting in anticipation for him to answer his own question, "someone will always have to pay."

It seemed as if the world had suddenly turned into slow motion as he raised his arm and I saw a gun pointing directly at my head. I was staring straight down the barrel and not a single muscle in my body would allow me to move. My mind was screaming at myself to do something but I was frozen in place. I was aware of screams and shouts but they were blurry and distant like they were from far away and muffled by walls.

BANG!

My body was braced for the impact of the bullet, my mind was prepared. I was going to be with mom again. I closed my eyes tightly.

But instead of the force coming from the front it hit me from the side and I felt myself being bowled over sideways and flying through the air. I hit the water of the swimming pool with a great splash and felt myself sinking underneath with the weight of any body on top of me. My mind struggled to catch up with the moments as they happened.

I was plunging deeper into the water; my arms flapping and water going up my nose, into my mouth and filling my lungs as I gasped in shock. My eyes fluttered open and blinked frantically against the sting of the chlorine. I could see another dark shape of a body that had pushed me into the pool above me. Then I saw blood.

All around me the pool water was tinting a bright red. A scream formed in my closed mouth. There was so much blood. Where was it coming from? Who did it belong to?

I couldn't breathe, I tried to make my body move but it was stiff with shock and panic, was I bleeding, where had the bullet hit me? Who had pushed me in and why weren't they moving? Had they been hit? Who was it?

Slowly my vision began to cloud at the edges as the pool slowly turned more and more red. Until finally all I could see was never ending black.