101 Ways To Ruin a Mermaid's Life

Story 24: Bella, Emma, and Rikki

I Said I Would (3rd person POV)

"She's gone, Zane," Rikki called early that morning. "We've looked everywhere."

"She must be trying to swim to America," Zane whispered. "She isn't thinking clearly."

"Ok, guys we just need to calm down," Will whispered looking around to make sure no one was close enough to hear what they were saying.

"Calm down?" Bella asked rising her voice just a bit too high then realizing her mistake. "Our beat friend is on a death note trip going throw who-knows-what and you want us to calm down?"

"There are some really dangerous things out there, Will," Emma said, "Even I haven't seen everything, and I've seen a lot."

The five friends were standing on the beach. With only few people around the early in the morning and late in the season, it was an ok spot to speak freely and not worry about anyone hearing. They were discussing the sudden disappearance of their best friend. She was found missing after Emma had tried to call her, and she didn't answer. It had already been a day since she left, and everyone was starting to freak out.

"Ok, look," Zane said, trying to clam everyone. "I have a plan, but it is big. Everyone has to listen and cooperate. That means no fighting from anyone." He looked to Emma and Rikki. "Emma, I need you to get that ring Lewis gave you before you left. Bella I need you to get the earrings Lewis gave you for your birthday. Rikki I need you to get your locket. Will come with me. We meet at my house in an hour. Make sure your parents will not be expecting you for a few days."

The five broke, moving quickly on their earns. Zane took Will back to his place, where they picked up some instruments Lewis had made, and his laptop, set up with programs Lewis had created. The boys loaded everything into three bags and met with the girls before heading down to the marina, where Zane's father kept his boat.

"So we are steeling your father's boat?" Rikki asked when she saw where they were going.

"That's part of the plan," Zane said as he loaded the last bag onto the boat. "Ok, before he left, Lewis had given me a few gadgets that should help us today. Did you get what I asked." The girls showed him the jewelry. "Good, each of those items contains a small, water proof tracking device." The girls were in shock.

"Lewis has been tracking us?" Rikki asked.

"Well, actually, he's been tracking you and Cleo," Zane clarified. "You two are the only ones who wear the device every day, or a lest you did."

"Remind me to kill him," Rikki said placing the locket around her neck as Emma and Bella put on their devices as well.

Zane pulled from a bag two listening devices and said, "These will let you hear us, but we still can't hear you, unless you are above water, for obvious reasons. There are only two, so only two will be in the water at the same time. The other will be on the boat with me and Will."

"So let me get this straight. We're going to find Cleo," Bella asked.

"That's the plan," Zane said as he boarded the boat, hoping the girls would follow.

The plan was to wait till they were past Mako Island to start their search. Zane was hoping Cleo was just hiding, but he was positive she wasn't.

"First in is Emma and Bella," Zane said handing them the earpieces. "I need Rikki up here for now. She is they only one who knows everything about everyone."

Emma and Bella nodded and jumped in the water, leaving Rikki with Will and Zane. Zane asked Rikki a few question about everyone's speed, endurance, and other things like that. Will took note, a bit surprised at what the girls could really do.

They had also pulled up a tracking program on the laptop that could track the girls all over the world. The tracker had four colored dots, blue, red, white, and purple. Each colored dot had a code name on a side bar, blue-water, red-fire, white-ice, purple-jelly. The side bar made it easier to pin-point a certain tracker, or certain person, making finding them easier. The only problem with using it on Cleo was her tracker was in the locket she never wore.

The water was clear, as far as Bella and Emma could see. There were many different types of fish, and many rocks and corals. There were also shadows, shadows Cleo could easily hide in with her tan skin and brunette hair. It was why Emma and Rikki couldn't find her the last time she ran away.

"Stay close," Zane said to the girls. "We don't want to lose you as well."

Rikki pulled out a map, and a red pen. She lay it in front of her and Will and said, "Emma's fast, faster than Bella, but I can tell you Bella has much more endurance."

"In about four hours you and Emma will switch," Zane said. "We're stopping in Hawaii."

"If we're lucky we will find her before then," Will said making places on the map.

Time passed slowly. It felt like days before Emma and Rikki switched. The searching was endless, and everyone was fearing they would never find her. They were weren't even half way into the Pacific Ocean when they decided to stop for the night.

"Zane, this is silly," Emma said as the sun went down and the half moon came up. "We are never going to find her."

"Don't cut yourself short, Em," Zane said. "We'll find her. Even if it takes forever."

The next morning, the searching started again. This time they started with Emma and Rikki in the water. Will and Zane worked around the clock to keep all of the equipment running smoothly. Everything was going well, except the fact that Cleo was nowhere in sight. There wasn't even a small trace of her.

It only took two days to make it to Hawaii. Everyone was upset that they hadn't found anything that would lead them to Cleo. They didn't spend much time in Hawaii, not even a night. Finding Cleo was still their main priority.

The searching continued for another two days before the boat landed in California. As soon as they were on land, they went to Lewis's dorm and told him what happened.

"I haven't seen or heard from Cleo in a while now," Lewis confessed. "I didn't even know she was missing."

"This is bad," Emma said.

"If she isn't here, isn't anywhere between here and Australia, and isn't at home, where could she be?" Bella asked.

Every looked down not wanting to say what they all were thinking.

"Like I said, we will find her even if it takes forever," Zane said and everyone looked to him, knowing it was going to be a long forever.

A/N: I don't think this one is one of my best, but still tell me what you think.