Marco crossed his arms.
Ada waded out of the water, her board tucked under her arm.
"It's kinda hard to look out for you when you sneak out of the house at 5am." He shouted to her.
She strode towards him and wedged her board into the sand.
"I don't need you to look out for me, Marco. I thought we covered that."
He rolled his eyes. "Casey's missing!"
"I know."
"And you also know that Brax would skin me alive if anything happened to you."
She folded her arms in response. "I'm fine." She replied plainly.
Marco shook his head in frustration.
She took a breath. "I couldn't sit in that house anymore. It's been days. I was going crazy."
Marco's face softened. He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. "You're stubborn, you know that?"
She tilted her head and smiled at him.
"Do you feel better?" He asked.
She nodded. "Yeah."
"Let's go." He grabbed hold of her board and pulled it out of the sand.
She snatched it from his hands. "I can carry my own board."
"Jeez." He held up his hands in surrender.
Ada tucked the board back under her arm.
They walked up the beach.
"So, what happened with Jaxson?" She asked.
"Ad."
"I want the details."
"I've already told you. He wasn't so keen on the apology tour but I tried, alright?"
She pursed her lips. "You better."
He moved to stand in front of her, blocking her path. "I tried."
She sighed. "Alright, I believe you."
Ada and Marco wandered towards the house.
Ada stopped dead in her tracks, staring straight ahead. "You've got to be joking."
"What?" Marco looked at her and then followed her stare.
"Where the hell have you two been?" A voice screeched. "Casey's missing and you're out surfing!"
Ada and Marco scrambled towards the door.
"Mum?" Ada said.
Cheryl Braxton lingered outside the front door. Her eyes glared at them, accusingly.
"Yeah, you didn't forget me did ya?" She snapped. "Not all of us upped and left Mangrove River at the snap of Darryl's fingers!"
"Mum, what are you doing here?"
"What do you think I'm doing here? My son is missing, and no one tells me anything! Open the door and let me in will ya?"
Marco fumbled with the keys and pushed the door open.
Cheryl marched through the door first, Ada and Marco shuffled in behind her.
"I'm not surprised that you're still hanging around." She smirked at Marco.
"Cheryl." Marco nodded and forced a smile.
She threw her bag down onto the kitchen table and slumped into the sofa chair. "You always did look out for my daughter. Not like she deserved it, mind you!"
"Cheers, Mum." Ada said sarcastically.
Ada perched on the sofa opposite her. Marco stood behind Ada, his arms folded across his chest. A smile escaped his lips.
"Now, what's going on with Casey?" Cheryl asked.
"We don't know anything, Mum. Brax hasn't called."
"Well 'course you don't! Fat load of use you two are out there surfing!"
"We were just getting some air." Ada protested.
She leaned forward in the chair. "You weren't thinking about your brothers, that's what you were doing." She extended a finger and pointed it at Ada. "Maybe if you took your nose out of a book once in a while you'd be more helpful. I don't know where you think paying attention in school is going to get you anyway."
Ada tensed.
"Cheryl," Marco jumped in, "They've gone of grid, I can't through to Brax or Heath right now."
"Well, what I am my meant to do? I'm going crazy with worry."
Marco took a deep breath. "We just gotta wait. I can give you a lift back to Mangrove River." Marco stepped towards her, prompting her to stand up.
"I can't just go back there on my own! It's hard for me up there by myself, how do you think I survive?"
Ada looked up. "How much do you want, Mum? There's cash in that tin on the shelf."
"Well, you don't have to say it like that! You should want to take care of me."
"Yeah, whatever. Just take it."
"You don't have to cop such an attitude about it! You always were a spoilt little-"
"-We should get going, eh? Marco whipped the tin of the shelf and shoved it into Cheryl's hands. "There's a lot of traffic this time of day."
He grabbed his keys of the side and guided Cheryl towards the door.
Cheryl clutched the tin to her chest. "See, it's nice to have someone show me some respect."
Ada stood to her feet.
"We'll let you know if we hear anything, Mum."
"Yeah, I won't hold my breath. I'll ring Darryl myself." She yanked the door open and stormed down the path.
Marco turned back to Ada. "Be back soon." He gave her a wink and shut the door behind him.
Ada laid sprawled out on the sofa when Marco opened the door.
"I think she gave me a migraine." She moaned.
He put his keys down on the side. "She was here for five minutes."
"And I think she gave me a migraine."
"You didn't have to listen to her yapping all the way back to Mangrove River."
Marco sat down on the sofa next to her.
"Ugh, I'm sorry." Ada confessed.
"It's alright."
"God, she drives me insane!"
"She drives everyone insane."
Ada turned to him. "Thanks for taking her back."
"No worries."
Her eyes lingered on him.
He shifted forward.
"You okay?" He asked.
Her gaze flicked around his face.
She swallowed and moved closer, so their faces were only an inch or so away.
"Yeah." Ada said softly.
She closed her eyes and slowly leaned forward. She pressed a kiss on to his lips.
He kissed her back. First, light and slow. Then deep and fast.
He lifted her up off the sofa. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he carried her down the hallway.
Ada and Marco laid in bed, sound asleep.
Ada jumped awake at the sound of Marco's phone ringing. She leapt out of bed and grabbed it from the bedside table. She pressed it to her ear.
"Brax?" She asked, exasperated.
Marco stirred. He rubbed his eyes.
"What?" Ada said into the phone. "Now? Okay, we're coming."
Marco bolted up in bed.
"They found Casey!" She told him. "They're at the hospital. Let's go."
Marco pulled on his board shorts and grabbed a plain t-shirt from the floor. Ada shrugged on an old hoodie. It covered her down to the middle of her thighs.
They raced out the door.
Ada and Marco ran through the halls of the hospital.
"Excuse me," Marco grabbed the attention of one of the nurses. "Casey Braxton?"
"In there." She replied, pointing to a room ahead. "But it's family only."
Ada glanced to Marco.
"Go ahead." He said. "I'll wait out here."
Ada walked forward and pushed the door open.
Casey laid in the bed unconscious. A tube penetrated his nose. Grazes and scrapes were clustered on his arms. His skin gave off an unhealthy, yellow hue.
Heath and Brax stood either side of the bed. They both looked terrible. Bags hung below their eyes and blood crusted around cuts on their faces. Their clothes were coated in dirt.
Ada rushed to the side of the bed, moving past Heath.
"Case?"
She put her hand over his.
"He's alright." Brax told her. "He's severely dehydrated but the docs say they can sort it."
Ada turned to Brax. "What the hell happ-"
"Brax!" Marco yelled. He hung in the doorway, staring down the corridor.
Brax followed his stare.
Police swarmed the corridor. Leading the way was Detective Sergeants Pitt and Marsh.
"For god's sake." Brax seethed. He slammed his palm against the bars of the hospital bed.
"What's happening?" Ada asked.
The officers charged into the room.
"Mr Braxton, please step away from your brother and lead your family out of this room." Pitt said.
"Listen," Brax begged, "He was being held against his will, alright? We can explain everything."
"Leave it for the courts, Mr Braxton." Marsh said plainly.
"Step outside." Pitt ordered. "Your brother is now under arrest."
"He's unconscious, you idiots!" Ada cried. "How can he be under arrest?"
Brax moved around the bed towards the officers.
"Mr Braxton, get your family out of this room." Pitt commanded.
Brax glared at him. He nodded to Ada and Heath. "C'mon."
Marsh stepped towards the bed and clasped a handcuff around Casey's limp wrist. She fastened the other to bar on the bed.
"What the hell are you doing?" Ada shouted.
Marsh ignored her.
Heath ushered Ada towards the door.
"Hey!" Ada screamed. "I asked you a question!" She lunged at Marsh.
Marsh stiffened.
Heath, quick as lightning, swivelled around and grabbed her, pulling her back.
She struggled against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held firm.
Brax planted himself between Ada and the bed.
"Mr Braxton!" Pitt bellowed. "Get you sister out of here or I will arrest her."
Ada breathed heavily but stopped struggling.
Brax nudged Heath. "Let's go!"
Heath moved Ada towards the door. Brax closed it behind them.