Born2Try, the process of incorporating all the storylines over the last few years just involves reading recaps on 'Back to the Bay' or 'Digital Spy'. I cover a week at a time, plot my chapters and incorporate Charlie and Joey into them. This 2010 season is quite difficult as I haven't actually seen a lot of the episodes. That's also a struggle in 'Dear Diary' so I have to use a lot of imagination! So now you know! Love, IJKS xxx

Chapter Three Hundred and Thirty Six

With Xavier, Martha and Gina bound in the rapidly filling water tank, Killer phoned the farm. With his trap set firmly in place, his plan was to lure Hugo out. Nobody had ever crossed him and got away with it and he wasn't prepared for that to change now. Hugo's family were obviously his Achilles' heel and Killer was more than willing to exploit that.

"Of all the nights for it to rain," Charlie complained, as her windscreen wipers worked overtime.

Joey sat beside her in the passenger seat of the car and peered out of the windows and into the darkness, hoping that Xavier would somehow pop up out of nowhere.

"Do you think he's really been kidnapped?" she asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Charlie said. "But I stopped believing in coincidences a long time ago."

Joey nodded and sighed, sinking back in her seat. Even with the whole town looking for the boy, everything suddenly felt hopeless.


"I really think we should call the police," Rachel objected.

Killer had given Hugo a location to meet him at, demanding that he hand himself over in exchange for his family. All three of them had been rather alarmed to realise that it wasn't just Xavier that was missing now.

"We don't have that luxury," Hugo said, pulling his coat on and preparing to leave the farm for the first time in weeks.

"But…"

"Rach, normally I'd agree with you," Tony said. "But this Killer guy has Xavier, Gina and Martha. If Hugo hands himself into the cops now, it won't do any good. He might as well phone this guy back and tell him to kill the others."

Rachel sighed heavily and supposed he had a point. But she still didn't want Tony to go with Hugo for the exchange. He was her husband and they had baby Harry to think about too. She couldn't bear for him to put himself in danger.

"Just… don't be long," she said quietly. "And please be safe."

Tony nodded and kissed her goodbye before heading out into the night with Hugo.


Xavier, Martha and Gina sat in a terrified line in the water tank. They each fought with their restraints and tried not to admit how frightened they were. The rain was pouring down and the tank was filling up. If nobody found them in time, all would be lost.


Charlie pulled over when her phone rang. It was Rachel.

"Charlie?" the Doctor said rather urgently into the phone.

"Rachel, what's wrong?" the police officer replied.

"Look, I don't know what to do," she said. "Xavier, Martha and Gina have all gone missing…"

"All of them?" Charlie squeaked.

She knew she should have made sure everyone paired up. Joey flinched at the concern in her voice, wondering what was wrong but not wanting to interrupt the call.

"We had a phone call," Rachel explained. "And Tony's gone down to meet this guy, Killer."

"Did Hugo go with him?" Charlie asked, getting right to the point.

"Um… we haven't seen Hugo or…"

"Rachel, I know he's staying at the farm," Charlie cut in. "And if they really have gone missing then we really don't have time to mess around being dishonest with each other."

She heard Rachel sigh on the other end of the line.

"Yes," she said quietly. "Hugo's with him. He's gone to hand himself over to this guy in exchange for Martha, Gina and Xavier."

"Do you know where they've gone?" Charlie asked.

Joey rummaged in the glove compartment for a pen and paper so that she could write down the location Charlie read out.


Hugo's heart pounded rapidly in his chest as he tore across town and to the wooded location Killer had directed him to. Beside him in the passenger seat, Tony was silent and tense, wondering if they were doing the right or the wrong thing. There was no middle way in this situation. And whatever the outcome, it looked to be bleak.


Charlie stopped outside the Surf Club where she had arranged to meet Angelo. He tried to get in the front, realised Joey was sitting there, pulled a face and hopped onto the backseat.

"Why the hell is she here?" he demanded as Charlie sped away. "This is a police operation."

"Well, we already sent civilians out on the search party," Charlie replied, glancing at him in her rear view mirror.

"If she has to come," Angelo said. "She should at least be in the back. She's got no skills and no qualifications. She shouldn't be involved with this."

Joey whipped her head round angrily. Charlie rolled her eyes and braced herself for the argument that would undoubtedly come.

"We've got three people missing and possibly dying," Joey snapped. "Are you seriously sulking about who gets to ride shotgun?"

Angelo winced, supposing that he probably did sound rather stupid. Still, he held onto his complaint, mumbling that she shouldn't be here. Joey opened her mouth to argue again. Keeping her eyes firmly on the road, Charlie gently touched her leg.

"We really need to focus, guys," she said. "We have to pull together if we want to save them. Fighting amongst ourselves isn't going to help."

Joey nodded and sank back in her chair. She couldn't quite resist mumbling that Angelo had started it.


Hugo pulled up abruptly as soon as he saw Killer's car. The lights were on full beam and rather blinding. He winced and wound the window down. They'd paused earlier in their journey so that Tony could hide on the backseat. The last thing they wanted to do was spook Killer into hurting someone.

"Get out of the car," Killer barked into the darkness.

"Not until I know my family are safe," Hugo replied anxiously.

"I don't think you've got much left to bargain with," Killer pointed out. "Now, get out of the car."


Angelo leant forward, gripping the backs of both Charlie and Joey's seats.

"Step on it, would you?" he urged.

Joey glared at him but remained silent.

"I don't have lights or sirens on this car," Charlie said.

She was already breaking the speed limit but there was no way she was going to get reckless, especially on a stormy night like this one.

"And put your seatbelt on!" she added.

Joey snorted. Angelo grimaced and sank back into his seat, grudgingly doing as he was told.


"Hugo, you have to do something," Tony hissed from the backseat of the car. "They could be dying by now."

Hugo nodded grimly and chewed his lip.

"Brace yourself," he instructed.

Then he shot forward and rammed straight into Killer's car.


"This looks like the place," Joey said, peering out of the window into the dark and stormy night.

Charlie nodded, focussing on the ground beneath them as she turned off the main road and onto a dirt track leading to the woods.

"Let's just hope they're all somewhere obvious," she muttered anxiously.


Killer came to all too quickly and found Hugo standing nearby, facing away from him. He had dragged him out of the car and onto the wet, muddy ground. Fighting nausea, he clambered to his feet. Stumbling forward, he knocked Hugo to the ground.


"Help!" Martha screamed at the top of her lungs.

She knew it was going to do any good but it made her feel better, at least psychologically. She, Gina and Xavier had soaked feet from where they were stood at the bottom of the water tank. They were wet and cold and scared as the water line crept further and further up with the rain.


Tony watched anxiously from the car as Hugo battled with Killer. Panicked, he climbed out of the vehicle and crept forward, scanning the dark ground for anything he could use as a weapon. Silently, he cursed himself for not thinking ahead. They should have brought weapons with them. They should have been able to deal with this Killer better than they were. Grabbing a rock, he lurched forward and smashed their enemy over the head with it.


Charlie, Joey and Angelo screeched to a halt just in front of three scuffling men. All three of them jumped out of the car as Tony dropped the rock he had been holding, an unknown man lay unconscious on the ground and another man, who looked uncomfortably similar to Hugo, dashed out of sight and deeper into the woods. Each with a different priority, Charlie and Angelo moved in different directions. Charlie hurried forward and made Tony aware of her presence. He was shaking and soaked with sweat and rain.

"He was attacking me" he said. "I didn't…"

"I know," Charlie said as softly as she could, kneeling down and checking Killer's pulse.

Tony nodded and stumbled back uncertainly, sinking onto the ground. Joey stayed back, watching the scene and not wanting to interfere. Angelo had hurried after Hugo.


Hugo charged through the woods, dizzy and in pain. He could hear Angelo yelling after him, making it clear that he was giving chase. Exhausted and almost willing to give himself up, Hugo flung himself behind a larger tree, surrounded by bushes. He leant against the trunk, quietly attempting to catch his breath. Angelo hurried past, oblivious.


"Help!"

Joey's ear pricked up at the sound, bearable audible through the rain. She watched Charlie handcuff Killer as he slowly began to come to. Tony was sat on the ground, looking stunned and bewildered with his elbows resting on his knees. In cop mode, Charlie pulled out her mobile phone to call an ambulance.

"Help!" the voice yelled again.

Deciding that Charlie was quite busy enough, Joey turned, cautiously exploring the woods around them.

"Please?" the voice cried. "Someone help us!"

Joey stopped abruptly when she spotted the water tank. Without hesitation, she hurried up to peer inside. Her heart almost stopped when she saw Martha, Gina and Xavier looking pained and frightened.

"Joey!" Martha cried in sheer relief.

Joey leapt inside the tank and hurriedly untied her friends. Her hands were trembling from sheer adrenaline.

"It's okay," she said gently, when she saw just how tearful Martha was. "Everything's okay now."


Breathless and frustrated , Angelo arrived back at the scene where Charlie was keeping guard of Killer and watching for the ambulance.

"I lost him," the policeman said, distraught.

"Where's Joey?" Charlie asked, suddenly alarmed.

Angelo merely shrugged.

"I haven't seen her," he said. "I was too busy trying to bring a murderer to justice."

He glared at Tony as if it was his fault. For his part, Tony barely noticed.

"Keep an eye on him," Charlie instructed.

She headed further into the words, urgently calling her girlfriend's name.


Next time… Charlie and Angelo interrogate Killer, John and Jill have a close call with Gina and Hugo returns from hiding out…