Alex opened his eyes, then shut them again. He was terribly weak, and knew that he had slept for too long. Some how, Alpha Force were all still sleeping, and the longer they went without food, the more dangerous it would be to sleep, because the chances were, they wouldn’t wake up.

Moving his hand around, he felt a sturdy pebble and picked it up. Opening his eyes again, and narrowing them to a slit against the harsh sunlight streaming into the cave, he chose his target and feebly slung the stone at it.

The rock clattered against the wall, and fell to the ground, effectively rousing the two boys. Hex woke with a start, as did Paulo. Feeling as drowsy as Alex, Paulo rolled over to shake Li, considerably gentler than Alex’s method. She awoke slowly, not really wanting to, he nudged Amber as well. The two girls were dead tired, and could barely sit up.

“Why, aaoohh, are we so tired?” Li whispered, not bothered enough to speak up. “I’m hungry!”

Paulo sat up. “We need food. And water. How long. Has it been? Since we ate?” He asked slowly, pausing to yawn.

Hex stumbled to his feet, holding onto the cave wall as he rose. Gathering all his strength, he pushed himself along, and out of the cave. The sunlight was receding and dark storm clouds approaching. Noticing a rabbit loitering nearby, he knelt forward, but tripped and fell. The rabbit tried to scarper, but she was trapped by Hex’s elbow. Gripping her head with the other hand, the boy was about to –

“No!” screeched Li, who had also left the cave. “You can’t do-”

She broke off as Hex released the rabbit, which had all along been his intention. He looked horrified as he realised what Li had suspected him of doing. Turning away, he weakly got up, brushing off Li’s attempt to help.

“Thanks, Li.” he muttered gruffly, forgiving her. She hugged him softly then moved forward to try and spot something edible.

“I would have eaten it,” muttered Alex to Paulo from inside the cave. They had watched the event from safety, while Amber glared at them. “I’m that hungry.”

“You’d eat a poor little rabbit? Ugh,” she grumbled, not quite a cheerful morning person.

Cursing the Brecon Beacons, if Alex was correct, for not having edible plants close, Li returned to the cave after Hex, studying the wan faces of her group. They were desperate, and Li shook of Alex’s restraining arm, as she rose to leave again.

“I’m going to get fish,” she trembled, coughing violently. Their fire had gone out during the night, and though exhaustion had taken over, making the team semi-unconscious as they rested, the moisture hadn’t left the clothes, and they were almost as wet as yesterday.

Paulo stood up, his head brushing the roof of the cave, and bent forward a little. “Li,” he started, frowning. It had started to rain, and the light pitter-patter was rapidly turning into a storm. The cave would get wet inside, but they had a store of sticks from yesterday, which could keep them going.

If they fetched more sticks now, then they could dry off by the flames. Paulo shook his head, but didn’t notice that Li had gone, slipped off in his moment of thought.

Pulling Alex up, they both ran after Li, who was climbing down over the cliff, leaving Hex and Amber together in the cave.

Amber walked over to Hex, and for a moment he thought she was going to sit in her lap, but when she straightened, he saw a bunch of sticks in her arm.

Nudging her arm, he wandered out of the cave, grabbing up branches as the water plastered his hair to his face. When his arms were full, he returned, bearing enough wood to last them through the night, which would soon be upon them.

Alex stumbled through the cave entrance, clothes soaking once again, and almost fell on top of the fire. He gladly stretched himself out next to it, and looked just about ready to fall asleep when Amber prodded him with her foot.

“Paulo? Li?” she prompted, as Hex poked the fire.

“Speak of the devil.” Hex added, as Paulo appeared carrying Li, looking furious. In her hands were six fish, their eyes glazed over. The two teenagers were wet to the skin, water rolling off them in waves, creating huge puddles on the floor. Li looked worse for wear, even wetter than Paulo, though how that was possible, Amber would never know.

She took charge, putting Li and Paulo next to each other as close to the fire as possible. Taking the fish from the younger girl’s grip, Amber passed them to Hex, who passed them to Alex with a look of bemusement on his face.

Alex sat up slowly, and placed two large rocks into their ‘fire pit’. When they were really hot, he rolled them out, and was about to place two fish on them, when Paulo moved. Shaking his head, the Argentinean took a knife out of some hidden pocket, and scraped the scales off deftly, and slicing them down the middle. Flicking the insides onto Hex, who grimaced sarcastically, he then put the fish onto the stones, passing his knife to Alex.

“Li,” Amber said softly, nudging the other girl. Frowning slightly, she placed her hand onto Li’s forehead, and recoiled. “She’s burning up, Paulo!”

Paulo shook his head, disbelieving. Testing her temperature as Amber already had, he drew back in horror. Li was running a high fever, and was almost delirious. This ‘mission’ was more of a toll on the team than they had previously thought.

Li always acted like she was fine, but she wasn’t. She’d been badly ill when she was younger, as she had told Paulo once, which was why she had focused so much on being good at climbing and fighting. It convinced her parents and over-protective brother that she was all right.

The drug, the fight, the explosion, the water, the cold – the odds had been stacked up against Alpha Force from the start. Alex stirred; noticing Paulo was almost frozen, unable to move.

“Hey, Paulo. She’ll be fine! Fish is ready.” he reassured them, punching his shoulder, not really helping, but trying to. Hex stretched, sitting up, as he seemed to slide down with every breath. Reaching out for some of the food, he passed half to Amber, who thanked him, and swallowed it down.

Alex ate a little fish, put the remaining three onto cook, and gave Paulo the rest of his food. “Here,” he babbled, “give a bit to Li, yeah?”

Paulo nodded woodenly, eating almost mechanically, and turning back to Li. The colour had drained out of her face, and he realised with a shock she was getting worse.

“No…” Amber trailed off, before twisting to face Hex. “Hex – you got your palmtop by any chance?”

The look on his face could have been amusing, if the situation wasn’t so serious. Rolling over slightly, he pulled the computer from his waist, and flicked the on button. It was amazing – it still worked. The battery was scarily low though, and he turned it off immediately, cancelling any programs which were running.

“I got signal! It’s strange, I shouldn’t but… Quick! Who should I email? Can your uncle trace the message?” He almost shouted at Amber, hope making him sharp. Nodding rapidly, Amber replied to tell him that they were in a cave, and desperately needed food, water, dry clothes and medicine. Also, the weather conditions.

Quickly noting it all down in an email, after flicking the power switch again, Hex added that they couldn’t reply, as the power had gone. He just managed to send it, when the warning light went red, and the palmtop turned off.

Paulo had barely noticed the excitement, his mind engrossed in other things. Li was shivering, but her body temperature was absurdly high. She had been coughing viciously, her small body convulsing with each one. She would have been sick, but he hadn’t been able to give her any food.

Alex flipped the fish off the stone with he knife, and passed them to Amber. She broke them into five, passing bits to each team member. Alex and Hex swallowed theirs quickly, and Paulo and Amber eat slowly, but Li was muttering, not even noticing the food next to her.

Paulo passed the food to Alex, who ate it, because he had had only a little first time round. Li was whispering, but nobody could catch what she said, when all of a sudden, she sat up, her arms flailing round, wild eyes, looking but not seeing anyone, and shouting.

“No! Oh, no! Not that!” she screamed, long and loud, calming only when Paulo grabbed her arms and lay her down again, lying next to her this time. She needed to stay quiet and calm until the help that Amber had said was on its way arrived.

Mr Middleton jumped, startled out of his reverie, when Paul, the joint owner of the hotel placed an arm on his shoulder.

“There’s a message for you at reception,” he said, smiling warmly, before turning to go.

John, who had been thinking over a plan that had recently been formed, waved his apology to the group. The twins were asleep, jetlag possibly, and Matti and Gary looked furious at not doing anything, while Carla and Fuchsia discussed the plan in every minute detail.

Owen, the waiter who was on reception, passed the scrap of paper over, before John Middleton returned to his group. Reading it, he whipped his phone out, and pressed the 3rd button.

“What news?… Ah ha… Yeah… There?… Email?… OK… Thanks.”

Matti looked up. He had obviously been listening, but not wishing to sound rude, he asked what news there was.

Middleton replied, “I have precise co-ordinates, from an email sent by Hex. He requested several items, and speed. They’re in trouble, but they are in a cave in the Brecon Beacons, quite near to Crib Goch.”

“What are our options?” Gary questioned, all frustration gone.

“We can drive to Swansea, get the items, and rent a helicopter, or two, or three, from the airport there. I don’t think there is any other way.”

Cynthia looked up, clearly angry that the plan they had decided on was to be thrown away, while Fuchsia just looked pleased Hex was obviously not dead.

Matti shook the twins awake, but they just murmured grumpily, and turned over. Shaking them again, Matti stopped when Gary picked Jonathan up in his arms, and lifted George up likewise. Mr Middleton quickly paid the bill, and bought cars from the people in the hotel for well more than they were worth. There was no time to wait for taxis.

Reaching Swansea, the car containing Fuchsia Gadding, John Middleton and Carla Valencia went to the airport, to rent the two largest helicopters and two pilots, as Matti wasn’t experienced enough to fly in the bad weather they were having.

The other car sped on to Tesco Extra, purchasing the items that Hex had asked for, before returning back to the others.

“Hang on, Li.” Matti whispered, settling back in his seat in the helicopter, unheard by the rest of the group. “We’re coming.”

The thunder crashed outside, the rain getting even heavier as the ferocious winds howled, effectively masking the whirr of the helicopter blades which landed just outside.

The twins jumped out, followed by Matti and Gary, burdened down with big blankets and bananas and chocolate bars. There were snap soups as well, which heated up in an instant. They all raced towards the cave opening they could see just ahead, pelted by rain, and accompanied by the storm orchestra.

The other helicopter touched down, and the two women and John Middleton climbed out, carrying bandages and medicine, with bottles of water. Running after the others, nobody noticed Fuchsia in her haste, drop a small packet of aspirin, the only medicine they had bought (since Hex hadn’t been very clear).

Li tossed and turned, shivering and coughing, next to Paulo, he tried frantically to keep her still. Amber watched them with trepidation while Hex and Alex chatted softly to try and stay awake.

A shadow suddenly fell across the cave opening, and split into two, which both leaped across the fire and onto Li.

Gary and Matti appeared then, dropping their packages in the dry, grinning cheerfully. John Middleton nudged them out of the

way, so that Carla, Fuchsia and he could drop their parcels, and greet their children with cries of relief and love.
“Li!” shouted George and Jonathan, shaking her roughly. “We’re here! We rescued you!”

Paulo stood up, and ran to his mother, hugging her tightly. “Dios, Mamma, I’m sorry.” He whispered, as she broke down in tears of joy.

Alex greeted his dad, smiling broadly as he punched his father playfully. “Hey, Old man.”

“Hey. Still ugly?” Gary replied, gathering Alex into his arms, and embracing him, like he hadn’t done since Alex was a lot younger.

“Uncle!” screamed Amber joyfully, leaping to her feet, and running to him. “I missed you – what happened? Why are you here? How are you here? Why are we here?”

“So many questions!” he replied, laughing. “So – you hungry?”

Matti rushed over to Li, when she didn’t get up. “Li?” he asked quietly, fear gnawing at his senses. “No. Li!”

Jonathan got up, and fetched a bottle of water, a couple of blankets and some food when George nudged him. Returning, his twin and he tucked Li up warmer and tried to get her to drink. Turning around, staring at all the happy reunions, Matti glared.

“What happened to my sister?” he asked scarily, George and Jonathan each holding one of Li’s hands.

Paulo moved away from his mother, to go to the pile of food and blankets.

“Did you bring medicine?” Amber asked, as her uncle nodded.

“Where?!” Paulo yelled, frustrated, as he couldn’t find any.

Matti strode over and tore the pile apart, not finding any medicine.

“Where is it? And what’s wrong with her?” shouted George, almost in tears.

Gary and Alex sat down, and told everyone to do the same. “You need to keep calm.” Gary commanded, before asking Alex to explain.

Paulo jumped in, telling all that happened, ignoring the looks of astonishment from the adults, as he stared down at his girlfriend. ‘I love her’ he thought.

“How did you get here?” Hex asked abruptly.

“Helicopter, but they left.” his mother replied, hugging her son close, ignoring his look of annoyance.

“What? Why?” Alex frowned, pleasing his father with his maturity and sensible questions.

Li muttered incoherently, throwing the blankets away. She was paper white, with two red patches high on her cheekbones.

George and Jonathan had never seen her like this, she had never been ill that they remembered, but Matti had. The cold wasn’t doing any good. She needed food and water and warmth, that was all. He remembered when he was younger, crying because Li wouldn’t get out of bed, because she couldn’t. And when he was looking after her, not realising she was ill, making her play football, when she fell over and couldn’t get up. Nobody knew what was wrong with her, and she hadn’t had a relapse of the strange illness since she was about 6.

Amber turned away, begging her uncle to phone, and get the helicopter’s back. He had no signal, and neither did the other adults.

Alex, Gary and Hex left, returning with more wood, which they left by the fire. Everyone wrapped themselves in blankets, and settled down around the fire for the storm to peter out, so they could walk to the nearest campsite.

Paulo and Matti were either side of Li, and George and Jonathan sat by Matti. Alex was next to Jonathan, and his dad was close by. Then there was John Middleton, with Amber on his lap. Hex sat next to Amber, leaning on his mum, who was chatting with Carla, who sat next to Paulo.

George got up, and, kicking Jonathan, started to deal the food around. Nobody seemed to want to talk, except Li, who murmured. Paulo held her hand and didn’t look at anybody.

Alex finally spoke up. “I’m sorry, this is all my fault. I shouldn’t have let Li fight in the first place.”

“No,” Amber broke in before anyone else. “It’s mine. I started Alpha Force, and now Li is hurt.”

“No – don’t ever say that Alpha Force was a bad thing. It was something great.” Hex mumbled.

“Yeah, and we helped people. We all enjoyed it.” Paulo finished, staring down at Li. “Well, I did. I never would have met you otherwise.”

“Me too.” Amber looked at Hex and smiled. “I never had fun, and I didn’t have a purpose, before this.”

“I’m so glad I met you Amber.” Hex blushed, a bit uncharacteristically.

John Middleton stopped chewing on his chocolate, and looked up. “Why do you want Alpha Force to stop?” he asked. “I’m happy for it to go on.” He wasn’t, but he knew Amber loved it, and he loved her.

Gary shook his head. “You’re mad, you are, Ugly. You could have told me – I might have helped, you know! Why stop now?”
“Please, Hex, if you love it, don’t stop. That’s ridiculous. I loved your father, but I let him go, and I never should have.” Fuchsia smiled at her son.

“Paulo, do you love Li?” Carla asked abruptly, always one to take the bull by the horns. Everyone looked up, interested in Paulo’s answer.

“Yes Mamma. I love her, and I know we’re young, but I believe our love will last for a life time.”

“Then by all means, continue Alpha Force.” his mother concluded, tears in her eyes.

Matti looked up, anger shining in his eyes. “Oh, that’s great, but what about Li?”

“Matti? George? Jon?” came Li’s faint whisper in the silence that followed her brother’s angry outburst. “Calm down, it’s only a commercial!” She winked, and her brothers all crowded around. “I had this horrible nightmare! I dreamt that I got shot. It was really nasty.” Li started to cry, and the rest of Alpha Force looked away, because Li was acting unusually. “I was coughing up blood, and I died.”

Paulo started to cry; remembering the event that she thought was only a dream. Matti sat her up against the rock, and she turned to Paulo. “Oh, hey Paulo. I dreamt you said you loved me as well!”

Paulo nodded frantically. “It was true Li, I do. You weren’t dreaming!” and he knelt forward and kissed her, before George and Jonathan pulled him back.

“Excuse me…” started George, as always.

“…but that’s our sister…” Jonathan added.

“…you’re hitting on.” finished his twin, before punching Paulo.

“Euph,” exhaled Paulo, winded. “Note to self: don’t fight Li, or her brothers,” before blocking Jonathan’s kick. Matti didn’t do anything to stop them – he didn’t really like Li having a boy who loved her. The other residents of the cave were all studiously ignoring them as it wasn’t their fight, but everyone was eavesdropping outrageously.

Li, who was barely awake, grabbed the water bottle that was next to her, and flung it at George, who stopped moving. Jonathan, the younger twin, stopped too. “Stop fighting over me, boys!” she said with a yawn and a grin, before dropping off into an easier sleep than before.

Amber couldn’t help but grin at her friend’s easy carefree tone when she was sick. Li always knew how to cheer people up. Hex noticed Amber’s smile, and copied her. He knew what she was thinking. Alex, glancing over at his best friends, saw their smirks, and chuckled slightly. George and Jonathan, still tired out from their long flight, yawned and snuggled up next to their sister, like they used to when they were a small. It seemed the Chang family never got enough sleep. George winked at Paulo, the very image of Li, and Paulo laughed, and left the three to their sleep.

Hours later, most of the group were asleep, after having eaten their fill, and warmed themselves up with the blankets and roaring fire. However, Gary was awake, tending to the fire, thinking things through when Li awoke, and started coughing.
Grabbing a water bottle, he gave her a drink so that she’d calm down, and she murmured, “Thanks, Alex” before turning over and sleeping again.

Mr Craig returned to his previous spot, wondering whether he had made the right decision to let Alpha Force continue. First of all, they all needed to get out of these mountains.

He jumped up, and lurched over to John Middleton. The rain was stopping, and they should be moving on within the hour, he thought. Gary tripped over a stick, and the noise awoke every one, who struggled out of the blankets and got up.

“The storm has stopped,” Gary started. “We can move on, and soon.” The adults all agreed, and began to clear the cave up, and sort the blankets and things into piles to carry.

Alpha Force sat down next to Li, and grinned at her. She woke up when Amber picked up her hand, and whispered hoarsely.

“Where am I?”

“We’re in the cave, and your brothers just accepted you and Paulo.” Alex filled her in. “Remember?”

Li’s look of confusion scared him. “No, we were in the jeep.”

Hex punched her lightly, smiling. “Very funny, very funny.”

“Hey, it’s not fair! They all believed me!” she whined happily, not really upset. Paulo beckoned the twins over, from where they were scratching patterns on the cave wall.

“Yo!” George and Jonathan muttered, shy around Li’s friends. Leaning closer, they heard her whispered instructions, and nodded excitedly. “Um, got to go, um, feed the fish!”

“Right…” Hex drawled. “That was totally normal.”

Paulo sat down next to Li, and grabbed her hand. “You’re freezing!” he discovered with a shock.

“Nah, I’m just too cool for school!” she answered with a grin, trying hard to suppress a shiver.

Amber and Alex noticed, and the girl tucked the blanket tighter around her friend.

Hex and Amber were sitting close together with the twins on either side. Every now and then, George or Jonathan would stretch and move in a bit more, so Amber was practically sitting on Hex’s lap. Not that she minded much.

Suddenly, the boys jumped up and ran over to the adults, screaming with laughter as they pointed at the two teenagers.

Everyone turned to look, and Amber jumped up, her cheeks burning. Oh, the twins were as bad as Li… This must have been their whispered plan… Revenge is always a dish best served cold, she thought happily, as her uncle strode over.

He grabbed a water bottle, and winked at his niece, who was still blushing furiously. When he stood up again, he announced that they were ready to go, and the children all stood up, Li helped to her feet by Paulo.

Matti watched her anxiously, checking she was up to the long trek. It was about 20 miles, according to the map that Carla had had the foresight to bring.

The packs which Fuchsia had so carefully made up were distributed, everyone carrying as much as they could, except Li, who was too weak, and Paulo, who was going to help Li along.

They set off, Gary, Alex and John with Amber in the front, then Hex and his mum. Li and Paulo were next and then Carla, who was back to being the lovely mother she normally was, entertained the twins, who were walking with their brother, keeping up the rear, watching their sister anxiously.