As his condition continues to deteriorate, Dan flees the Bay – but his disappearance soon leaves more than one life on the line. Charlie happily befriends Kim and Rachel, but what dark secret is this young man hiding?
Extended Summary
Sally is in shock following Dan’s kiss. Dan is overwhelmed with confusion but Sally does her best to reassure him his actions were a result of his brain injuries. Dan races off, utterly embarrassed as Sally chases after him. Colleen is tottling along as Dan pushes past and sends her flying. Dan disappears into the distance and Colleen is now in a tail spin! In contrast to the dramas outside, Tasha and Robbie are relaxing in the Diner. Rachel and Kim arrive with Charlie in tow, who is amazed by the Diner. He has never been somewhere so fancy! Kim and Rachel smirk – they’ve never heard the Diner being referred to like that before! They introduce Charlie to Tasha and Robbie, and in no time, Charlie is enjoying the company. Finally, he has some friends and he couldn’t be happier! Their fun banter is quickly broken by the dramatic arrival of Colleen, who is convinced she is suffering from serious injuries caused by Dan. Rachel is quick to tend to her, but whilst there is nothing more than a little bump and scratch, Colleen is outraged over her “attack”! Rachel receives a phone call amidst the action – it’s the hospital and they report that Charlie’s Gran’s blood test results have arrived and her ill condition was caused by the consumption of large amounts of sedatives. Rachel accepts Charlie’s explanation that his Gran must have mistaken them for vitamins. Charlie seems genuinely sorry – but is he really what meets the eye? Leah is at home, relieved to finally have some time to herself, but is instantly alarmed when Sally arrives and brings her up to speed on Dan’s actions. Leah accepts the kiss was meaningless accept for it being yet another indication of Dan’s increasingly strange behaviour since his accident. Leah becomes concerned for Dan’s whereabouts…
…Meanwhile, Peter is in daze as he drives along. It’s been a long day and the recent action-packed events are taking their toll. He does a double take and stares into the rear vision mirror with a frown – convinced he just saw a figure on the side of the road that looked like Dan. As he drives further away, he dismisses the thought – what would Dan be doing out there anyway? If only he knew! Leah is now in a state of panic. She has called everyone and there’s still no word on Dan’s whereabouts. Relief washes over her when Peter arrives. Leah explains Dan went missing and Peter’s heart sinks – that must have been Dan after all! Leah jumps into action and the search begins! Poor Dan is now off the road and is lost and disoriented far in the bush. As he stumbles along he is unaware of how he came to be in the middle of nowhere. In the distance, he notices a figure. At first he is unsure, but suddenly his confusion is gone when he sees Ryan beckoning him to follow. Dan is overwhelmed with joy, as he follows Ryan deeper into the bush – his mind is so preoccupied he doesn’t feel a branch that cuts his arm badly. Blood spills from the wound but Dan presses on, unaware of the pain and nasty tricks his mind is playing on him.
The search is in full swing and Alf is co-ordinating the team of lads including Kim, Robbie and Peter. Leah stays glued by the side of the phone, waiting for them to call with news. Dan continues to bash his way through the bush. It’s getting dark and the search team are now close. Dan ducks down as Alf’s spotlight passes in the distance, desperate not to be found by the ‘enemies’. The light passes as Dan looks around frantically for Ryan – he’s gone. Morning arrives and the search for Dan is continues. Charlie arrives to help, much to the appreciation of Kim and Rachel. Dan is hobbling through the bush, now clutching his arm and growing weaker by the minute. His world around him is a blur but slowly the image of Ryan becomes clear again. Dan presses on, but is not concentrating on the ground below him, when suddenly he reaches an embankment. Dan loses his footing and goes tumbling to the ground below where he remains dead still.
Charlie, Rachel and Kim are in full search mode. Charlie notices some blood droplets on the ground. They follow the trail as Dan comes up from behind them still chasing Ryan. Dan is disturbed when Kim and Rachel come to his aid his fear turns to aggression, as he lashes out swings a punch which connects with Charlie sending him to the ground. Charlie lay motionless, struggling to breathe, as Rachel realises Charlie has sustained serious injuries. Suddenly they have a new crisis – to save Charlie’s life!!