Summer Bay is about to descend into fear and chaos once again as Home and Away delivers one of its most suspense-filled weeks in recent memory.

With Gage’s long-awaited court appearance suddenly brought forward, the River Boys launch a terrifying campaign to silence anyone preparing

to testify against them — and several lives may now be hanging in the balance. The explosive storyline follows the brutal fallout from Theo Poulos’s near-fatal attack,

after his dangerous romance with Lacey placed him directly in the River Boys’ crosshairs.

Viewers will remember the horrifying moment Gage exacted his revenge on Theo after discovering his relationship with Lacey. In one of the soap’s most shocking scenes, Theo was tied beneath a hydraulic car lift while Gage lowered a vehicle toward him, leaving him fighting for his life.

Although Sunny managed to summon help before it was too late, he suffered a savage beating himself at the hands of Gage’s violent associate, Spanner.

Now, with the gang leader facing prison, tensions are escalating rapidly across Summer Bay as the River Boys become increasingly desperate to stop the truth from reaching the courtroom.

Lacey initially agreed to testify against Gage before being placed under police protection in a secure safe house while Theo recovered in hospital. Sunny also provided a statement against Spanner following his own assault, but authorities did not classify him as being under the same level of threat.

Instead, Remi stepped in to help protect his friend, arranging for Sunny to stay at the local motel under private security surveillance.

Despite the danger surrounding him, Sunny has attempted to rebuild some sense of normality by growing closer to Dana during his isolation. Their romance continues to intensify next week, though the growing threat surrounding the River Boys soon places enormous strain on their relationship.

Meanwhile, Theo remains emotionally shattered following a heartbreaking phone call from Lacey, who ended their relationship for what she believed was both their safety.

Already frustrated and vulnerable after his traumatic injuries, Theo directs his anger toward Leah, blaming her for interfering after she previously warned Lacey to stay away from him while he was recovering in hospital.

The emotional confrontation leaves Leah devastated when Theo orders both her and Justin out of his hospital room, insisting he no longer wants them involved in his life.

As next week’s episodes begin, Remi visits Theo to discuss what happens once he is discharged from hospital. However, Remi is blindsided when Theo announces he has no intention of returning home to Justin and Leah.

With Theo refusing to go back and no alternative accommodation available, Bree steps in with a risky but practical solution.

She suggests that Theo and Sunny temporarily move into the Pier apartment together while she stays with Remi instead. The arrangement would allow both men to remain under the protection of hired security guards already assigned to Sunny.

Cash approves the plan, though Theo quickly becomes frustrated when he attempts to push Cash for information about Lacey’s whereabouts.

Cash refuses to reveal any details beyond confirming that Lacey is safe and no longer being tracked by the River Boys.

What Theo does not realize is that the gang’s surveillance operation may be far more advanced than the police suspect.

Although the River Boys suddenly stopped following Cash after Lacey reached the safe house, their disappearance was far from innocent.

In reality, the gang had already located the safe house and no longer needed Cash to lead them there.

Back at the apartment, Sunny settles in quickly and wastes no time enjoying the freedom of living away from constant supervision. But his hopes for private time with Dana are immediately interrupted once Theo arrives home from hospital.

At the same time, Dana’s relationship with Sunny begins creating growing tension with her protective sister Harper.

While Bree believes Sunny and Dana genuinely care about one another, Harper becomes deeply alarmed after learning about Sunny’s injuries, his involvement with the River Boys case, and the security surrounding him.

After speaking with Leah and Justin, Harper confronts Dana directly and warns her she is repeating dangerous patterns from the past.

Terrified that her sister could become caught up in violence all over again, Harper firmly orders Dana to stay away from Sunny until the situation is over.

But Dana refuses to back down.

The danger intensifies dramatically when Lacey suddenly arrives at the apartment to see Theo, revealing she has made a life-changing decision — she is no longer willing to testify against Gage.

Believing the River Boys will leave her alone if she stays silent, Lacey has abandoned the safety of the police safe house entirely.

Theo is horrified by the decision and immediately insists she stay with them at the apartment instead.

However, neither Theo nor Lacey realize they are already being watched.

Unknown to the group, the River Boys had been monitoring the safe house the entire time and secretly followed Lacey straight back to Summer Bay.

Soon, the gang begins closing in.

During a seemingly innocent trip to the beach with Dana, Sunny unknowingly walks directly into danger while accompanied by bodyguard Matias. Hidden nearby, River Boy Diesel quietly observes the pair through binoculars, carefully monitoring every movement.

The chilling surveillance sends a terrifying message — the River Boys are everywhere.

Then comes another bombshell.

News suddenly spreads that Gage’s court hearing has been brought forward to the very next day, creating panic among everyone involved in the case.

Tane and Harper immediately warn Sunny and Dana that continuing to see each other is too dangerous under the circumstances. Reluctantly, the couple agree to keep their distance until the trial is over.

But the River Boys are already moving ahead with their intimidation campaign.

Later, while Dana is alone at Salt, Diesel approaches her and casually offers to buy her a drink. At first, the interaction seems harmless.

That changes instantly when Dana mentions she is seeing someone.

“Sunny, right?” Diesel coldly replies.

The moment leaves Dana frozen with fear.

As she notices the River Boys tattoo on Diesel’s arm, he quietly warns her that Sunny “better keep his mouth shut.”

The threat becomes even more terrifying when Diesel and several gang members follow Dana downstairs before Tane intervenes and forces them to leave.

Shaken by the encounter, Dana spends the night sharing a room with Harper at Tane’s house. However, Harper wakes the next morning to discover Dana has disappeared — and immediately realizes where she has gone.

Meanwhile, over at the apartment, Justin arrives carrying suits for Theo and Sunny as preparations begin for the courthouse appearance.

Determined not to let Sunny face the ordeal alone, Dana arrives moments before departure and insists she is coming too.

Soon, Theo, Sunny, Lacey, and Dana all pile into a people carrier alongside their bodyguards, believing they are finally heading toward justice.

But only meters away, the River Boys are already waiting.

As the witnesses’ vehicle pulls away, Diesel finishes a phone call and calmly repeats the chilling order he has just received.

“No one is to testify in court today.”

The final scenes show the River Boys’ ute pulling out behind the group’s vehicle, silently following them toward the courthouse as danger closes in from every direction.

With fear mounting, loyalties tested, and the River Boys becoming more ruthless than ever, next week’s Home and Away promises explosive confrontations, terrifying suspense, and a race against time that could change Summer Bay forever.