DISCLAIMER: I don't own Charlie Bone, never have and probably never will

Disclaimer: I don't own the Charlie Bone series, Jenny Nimmo does!

Plot: Olivia's thirteenth birthday, in Florida! At first it seems to be going perfectly to plan, but then somebody goes missing and everything goes haywire……

Pairings: Kinda TancxEm

Chapter Three

The rain lashed down into their faces like it really wanted to drown them, and the wind howled in their eyes and messed up their hair.

Emma, nearly bent double against the sheer force of the storm, wanted nothing more than to race back to the party, get into the cars and drive back to the hotel. The last thing she wanted to be doing was walking out into a gale and then swim out to some rocks, just to find a boy in a tantrum.

But she thought of Tancred, and forced herself to carry on.

Lysander was pacing anxiously before the cars. The weather wasn't as bad as it was for the three out looking for Tancred, but it was still enough to send everyone else scurrying for shelter as bright cracks of lightning ripped apart the rolling purple clouds up above.

He was feeling guilty. This was why he wasn't huddled inside the cars like everyone else, and was instead berating himself as the sand was slapped by the rain, and his legs covered in gloopy muck.

I was right not to go, he told himself firmly, it would have been suicide to go out there with Tancred in such a mood.

Then why did you let Charlie and the other two go out then?His conscience replied snarkily.

Lysander gazed out in the direction the three had taken, noting the way the waves were agitated and black, white spray flying high into the air.

Because they wanted to, he convinced himself, they'll soon come back.

But what if they don't?

This, the African refused to think about. He glanced into the car window and saw Olivia, Naren, Fidelio and Gabriel playing a card game. He shivered, feeling the rain and the wind starting to get to him, and, climbing into the car to join them, he didn't listen as his conscience whispered, What if they die?

Finally, a huge flash of lightning illuminated the sea, showing a huge hump of rocks about fifty metres out from the sand.

A lone figure was huddled upon it, pale as a ghost.

Charlie let out a sharp cry, "OI! TANCRED!"

Tancred didn't look around, didn't even seem to hear their cries as they capered about on the shore, dodging back and forth from the breakers rolling in, black and relentless.

There was only one thing for it. Charlie looked at Emma. Emma looked at Billy. They all looked at each other. Emma nodded, feeling a strange twisted sensation in her stomach. Then, after a moment's hesitation, his wine-red eyes wide behind his glasses, Billy nodded too.

Charlie took a step into the water, wading in until it came up to his neck. He looked back. The other two hadn't followed him yet, Emma's blue eyes troubled and her blonde hair windswept across her pale face.

He gave them what he hoped was an encouraging grimace, choking on salt-water as a wave washed over his head.

He emerged, spluttering and pushing his sopping fringe out of his eyes, to see that Emma was already halfway to the rocks, striking out swiftly and determinedly, Billy following her doggedly.

They pulled themselves out onto the rocks. By now, Tancred had noticed them and was standing on the slippery stone, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"What on earth are you doing here?" the storm-boy finally managed to gasp, his hair crackling wildly and the winds whirling around him like a tornado.

"We needed to come and get you because -" Charlie was cut off by a yell of pain from Emma, who was hauling her slight frame out of the water. Tancred bent down to help her out, a frown crossing his features as he saw the blood trickling down the rocks and into the sea from the gash on her fore-arm.

"Bother!" Emma said, trying to staunch the flow of blood with her soaking, salt-water laden t-shirt.

Tancred rooted around in his pocket and pulled out a damp, though remarkably clean hanky. He tied it around her arm with surprising gentleness, a slight blush mantling his cheeks. Charlie watched this with interest, but was distracted by Billy's squeak of terror.

He swung around, wondering what on earth could possibly have caused Billy to make such a sound of fear, but was stopped dead when he saw the sleek black triangles cutting swiftly through the inky water.

"Is that-" he croaked, feeling his knees begin to knock.

"Yes." Billy replied squeakily.

Sharks!

Thankyou so much for all your patience with my unpredictable updates! Thankyou so much to all of my reviewers – there is too many to mention here as this needs to be a quickie – and I promise that next chapter I'll list in full ALL of my reviewers. Special mention if you review again, or have reviewed for all three chapters!

I won't be able to update for a week, starting Monday, as I'm on a school trip to Germany, away from computers and this wonderful website! But I'll see if I can slip in a small semi-chapter before I go, as a special treat to all of you lovely people out there!