Alpha Force stood in Sydney airport, bags at their feet and blank looks on their faces.

'Um... Small question. What the hell do we do now?' Amber said bluntly.

'That's a really good question, Amber. Hex? Any ideas?' Li raised her eyebrow and glanced at the Londoner.

Hex looked a bit uncomfortable. 'All we have to do is find the next clue.'

'It could be anywhere,' Paulo wailed. His friends looked at him in surprise. 'I am allowed to whinge. We have been standing here for 15 minutes and I am fed up.' With that, he slung his bag over his shoulder and marched towards a café. Li blinked and followed him.

Alex decided to voice his opinion. 'Let's have a listen to that song again.' Hex set up his palmtop and they listened to it, getting several strange looks from other passengers. Amber bobbed her head in time to the beat until Hex slapped her arm.

'Stop it,' he hissed. Amber grinned and started to sway in time. Alex and Hex grimaced and pushed her into a seat.

'Sit still and be inconspicuous,' Alex said dryly.

'Party poopers,' Amber muttered.

The song came to its end and the three teenagers looked at each other blankly.

'Well that was helpful,' Amber remarked standing up. 'Paulo and Li have the right idea. I'm gonna go get some food. You guys want anything?' When Alex and Hex shook their heads, Amber made her way over to the café that Li and Paulo had gone to. Hex followed her with his eyes and frowned. Alex noticed.

'What?'

'That café. What's it next to?' Hex asked slowly.

Alex looked. 'Ah... A bar?'

'Exactly. And what would that bar be called?' Hex was standing now, gathering his and Amber's bags up.

'Thunderhouse. Why is that important?'

'Well the first verse we heard of that song was about beer and guys chundering. Bars tend to serve beer and more often than not where you have beer and drunk people, you got vomit. The second last line said something about "can't you hear the thunder" which fits with the name "Thunderhouse".'

'You kids aren't allowed in here. Underage.' The bouncer guy was tough looking but he spoke nice enough.

'We were wondering if you had anything for us. John Middleton might have left something.' The bouncer nodded and disappeared inside the bar, reappearing moments later with a young woman.

'Hello. You two must be friends of John's niece. Is she here?' the woman asked.

'Over getting food,' Hex said pointing to the café.

'I suppose I can give you the next clue then.' She rummaged in her apron. 'Oh how rude of me. I'm Phoebe Fields.' She shook Hex and Alex's hands.

'I'm Alex and this is Hex.' She smiled and continued to delve into her apron pockets.

'Where did I put it? Just this morning I printed it off and now I've- Here it is.' Phoebe pulled a crumpled, stained piece of paper out the pocket on her jeans. 'Sorry about that. Well I best go and serve my customers. Amazing how many people want a drink after they've been on a plane!' She skipped back into the bar. Hex and Alex thanked the bouncer for his help and wandered over to the café.

'Where did you go?' Amber asked.

'We got the next clue,' Alex said nonchalantly.

'You did?!' Li and Amber squealed. 'What did it say?!'

'With you three in mind, we haven't opened it yet. Here it is.' Alex pulled the paper from his jacket and placed it on the table, flattening out the creases as best he could. Amber craned her neck to read the words printed on the paper.

'"Jump in the deep end to find your next clue. Hope you haven't seen the movie!"' Amber paused and flipped the piece of paper over. 'That's it?! What is with these short, confusing clues? What does it mean?' She shook the paper angrily. 'Tell me!'

Hex gently grabbed Amber's hands and pulled the paper from them. 'Let me see.' He scanned the few words and mumbled under his breath for a couple of seconds. '"Jump in the deep end" could mean that we have to either do something outside our comfort zones or it could take a more literal meaning as in we actually have to jump into the deep end of something. Water probably. Could be both. "Hope you haven't seen the movie." Hmm. A movie. Now say the first part relates to actually diving into deep water, then the movie would probably be about something that lives in the water. "Hope you haven't seen the movie" could mean that the thing in this water that we must jump into could be dangerous and we would be more than likely be more terrified if we saw this movie.' Hex mumbled to himself while his four friends watched in bewilderment. 'Hang on a tic. What's this?' In the bottom corner of the page was a number. '1970s.'

'Jaws was written, not made into a movie, in the 1970s,' Alex said.

'Say that the movie that John hoped we hadn't seen was Jaws, which fits with the 1970s bit, then I suppose we're meant to go swimming with sharks.' Li and Paulo grew big eyed while Amber squeaked.

'Swimming with sharks?' she asked in a strangled voice. 'Like the big, fish things that live in the ocean? Like the thing that tried to eat us when we were lost at sea?' Li nodded enthusiastically.

'Bags diving,' she said happily. 'Paulo? Do you want to dive too.' He nodded and she grinned at Amber. 'Don't worry, Amber. Paulo and I can dive. The question is, where?'

The five friends sat in silence, thinking.

'I am so sorry!' Phoebe panted up to their table. 'I forgot all about this.' She flung another sheet of paper and a business card down on their table and darted back to the bar. Amber seized the paper and read it eagerly.

'"Hi guys! Well done for finding your second clue. Your first few clues I have made a bit easier by giving you hints but it will get harder and don't expect a letter from me every time. The card should tell you where to go but you have to work out what you are meant to do. Have fun!"' Amber finished reading and flicked the card towards her. 'Where's Manly?'

Li and Paulo stood by the entrance to the tank, wetsuits on and huge grins on their faces. This is so awesome! Li thought. Wow! I can't believe I'm about to dive with sharks!

Alpha Force had taken the ferry to Manly which took them about a half hour or so. Once there they had gone to Oceanworld and shortly after that Li and Paulo were getting ready to dive in the huge 5 million litre tank. Alex, Amber and Hex stood in the viewing tunnel, waiting for Li and Paulo to appear.

'There they are!' Amber cried as Paulo and Li splashed into the tank. They swam around slowly, getting nudged by sharks, rays and assorted fish.

'What exactly are they looking for?' Hex said quietly.

'I have no idea,' Alex answered.

'Do they?'

'I don't think so.'

Twenty minutes later, Li was cruising next to a grey nurse shark when she spied an open treasure chest. Motioning to Paulo she dove towards it, leaving the shark to continue its swim without her. She circled the chest cautiously, hoping that there wasn't a huge fish in there ready to bite her hand off. The chest seemed to be clear and she reached down into it, Paulo hovering nervously at her side. The clue was in a waterproof bag and Paulo gave Li a hug. A ray watched them suspiciously as they swam to the top of the tank. They had done it.

'How long does it take to get changed?' Hex complained.

'Yeah. I want to see what the clue is,' Amber added. Alex was going to add a comment when Li and Paulo made their entrance. They sat around a table in the Oceanworld cafeteria and carefully pulled out the paper from its waterproof casing.

'Li can read it, since she found it,' Alex said. Li pulled the paper towards her.

'"You five are on a roll! Keep it up! This isn't so much of a clue as a request. You will all have jet lag so go to the hotel in Sydney I booked and rest up for however long you need. When you think you are all ready to continue the hunt, head back to Sydney airport and go to the car rental counter. Ask for Gus and he will tell you your next clue." There's a receipt and direction to the hotel here as well. A rest sounds like a really good idea. I'm stuffed.' Li lay her head down on the table, suddenly feeling the effects of jet lag.

'Come on, Li. Lets get the ferry back then we can all have a big, long sleep in comfy beds.' Amber grabbed the petite Anglo-Chinese girl under her arms and started to drag her across the cafeteria, towards the exit.

'Just smile and wave,' Hex muttered to Alex as several other visitors to the aquarium looked uncertainly in Amber and Li's direction. 'Why does she feel like she needs to attract attention everywhere she goes?'

Alex smiled. 'You wouldn't like her any other way.'

Hex glared at his friend. 'What's that meant to mean?' Alex shrugged and ran to catch up with Paulo, leaving Hex grumbling to himself.

Hope you guys like it so far. This should be the basics for each chapter (a clue or two per chapter). If you've read any of my other fics you would probably guess that I am a big fan of Amber/Hex pairing but not so much Li/Paulo. This story will be mostly adventure but could have a touch of Amber/Hex. Hope that's ok for everyone and I apologise to those fans of Li/Paulo. I find it way harder to write.

Emmalea xx