Forest Fire (6 page)

“We saw how terrified Kawan was just now, and no wonder Lola and Kiki were looking so nervous earlier, if this thing has been going off every night. Someone is deliberately trying to frighten the orangutans,” exclaimed Zoe.

“For all we know, Kawan might have come back before, but been scared off each time,” said Ben.

“I'm going to put a stop to it,” said Zoe through gritted teeth, giving the box a hard kick. “Ow!”

“That won't do it,” said Ben. He put his fingers under the edge of the metal cover and prised it open. Inside was a battery and a timer set to go off in the early hours. He wrenched the wires off the battery and put the cover firmly in place. He grinned at his sister. “Better than breaking your toes.”

The birds' morning chorus filled their ears as the children crept back through the courtyard.

The air had become very hot and still. The minute they closed their door a sudden flash of light lit the bedroom. Thunder crashed overhead and a torrent of rain began hammering down like a deafening waterfall outside their window.

“We're back just in time!” said Ben.

“Glad we didn't get caught in that!”

“I hope that despicable man did!” said Zoe, pacing up and down. “We have to find out who he is.”

Ben gave a gaping yawn. “But not now.”

He lifted the mosquito net and flopped on to his bed. “Got to get a few more hours' sleep.” Ben dozed off almost immediately, but Zoe lay for a long time, imagining how terrified poor Kawan must be feeling right now. At last she fell into a troubled sleep.

CHAPTER
EIGHT

“Daud, Talib!” Mat's distant voice broke through Zoe's dreams. She heard some words in Malay and slipped her translator into her ear. “Come quickly,” she heard, “and bring your tools.”

She gave Ben a shake, then pulled on long trousers and a T-shirt and put her BUG into her pocket. She crept out. Ben staggered along behind, blinking sleepily in the daylight. They hovered unseen in the doorway that opened on to the compound. Yasmin was standing barefoot amongst the steaming puddles. She looked wide-eyed and anxious as her husband ran up to her. Biza clung to her neck, rubbing his cheek against hers as if to reassure her.

“It's OK.” Mat put his hand on her arm. “One of the walkways has broken.”

“He's found it already!” Ben whispered to his sister. “Maybe now he'll begin to realise there's something funny going on.”

“It was probably the storm earlier,” Mat went on. “I am so thankful it didn't happen when anyone was on it.”

“Are you sure it was just the storm?” sighed Yasmin. “We've had such bad luck lately. Do you think it could be the loggers from before?”

“They wouldn't dare,” said Mat calmly, as Daud appeared with the tools. “Try not to worry.”

He spotted the two children standing in the doorway and came over. “I'm sorry, Ben and Zoe,” he said in English with a regretful smile. “I must make some emergency repairs to one of the walkways this morning. But I'll be back this afternoon, and I have a surprise for you. In the meantime, Yasmin will look after you.”

He turned to Daud and told him what had happened in Malay. “Where's Talib?” Ben and Zoe heard him ask.

“He was chopping wood just now,” said Daud. “I don't think he heard you call.”

As he spoke, Talib sauntered round the corner behind him, carrying a pile of logs. A strange expression flashed across his face when he saw his employer.

“That's odd,” muttered Zoe, as the two workers followed Mat into the forest. “Did you see how Talib reacted?”

“Probably annoyed that he's got some extra work,” said Ben. Mat's wife turned dejectedly towards the door where the children were standing.

“Is everything all right?” Ben asked innocently, holding the door open for her to go through. “You all look so worried.”

“Just a broken walkway,” said Yasmin. She gave a weak smile and the children realised she didn't have her husband's cheerful, optimistic attitude to the recent events. “Would you like some breakfast?” She showed them through into the kitchen. “We have nasi lemak. That is rice boiled in coconut milk – it's quite delicious. But I must ask a favour. Could one of you hold Biza for me while I make it? He is such a naughty boy and stops me getting on.”

Yasmin peeled the baby orang-utan off her and held him out.

“That's Zoe's territory!” Ben laughed. “Get ready for the oohs and aahs.”

Zoe grinned and stepped forward. The little ape looked doubtful for a moment, but climbed slowly on to her shoulder. Zoe could feel his breath on her neck – and then his hand pulling her BUG out of her pocket! Zoe gave a cry and quickly snatched at it before it had made its way into Biza's mouth. As she tussled with his surprisingly strong hands and tried to block the shrieks in her ear she heard the sound of deep laughter from the doorway. Mr Ostrander came in, tucking his sunglasses into the top pocket of his shirt.

“You'll never get the better of Biza,” he said. “He rules the roost here. Isn't that right, Yasmin?”

Yasmin looked up from the cooker. “Morning, Pieter,” she said with a smile. “Yes, he may be the smallest but he's definitely in charge.” She waved him to a seat. “You remember Ben and Zoe.”

“Good to see you again,” said Mr Ostrander. He turned to Zoe, who was still struggling to put her BUG back in her pocket. “Be careful, or that little fellow will make off with your pocket gamer thing – and it looks too valuable to lose!”

Zoe grinned. If only he knew how valuable her BUG was!

“I'm afraid you've missed Mat,” Yasmin told Mr Ostrander. “He's gone off to make some repairs to one of the walkways.”

“Storm damage?” asked the plantation owner. “It was a fierce one last night.”

“Probably,” said Yasmin, putting the nasi lemak on to plates for the children.

Biza finally gave up the struggle for Zoe's BUG, dropped to the floor and made straight for Mr Ostrander's boot lace. Yasmin scooped him up. “Come on, you little devil. Time for your sleep.”

“What have you two got planned today?” asked Mr Ostrander.

“Mat's prepared a surprise for us this afternoon,” said Zoe.

“But we're not sure what's happening this morning as he's busy right now,” added Ben. “How big is your plantation, Mr Ostrander?” Zoe asked suddenly. “Do you know how many trees you have?”

“That's a difficult one!” Pieter Ostrander replied.

“And what size tractors do you use?” Zoe persisted. “Bet they're awesome!”

Ben stared at her, wondering why his sister was suddenly interested in the details of oil palm farming.

“Tell you what,” said Mr Ostrander with a smile, “as you're so keen to find out about my land, why don't you come and look for yourselves?”

Ben saw Zoe grinning at him. So that's what her plan was! She'd got them an invitation to the plantation. And it wasn't to count trees or look at tractors. Zoe was hoping they'd get a glimpse of Kawan and make sure he was all right.

CHAPTER
NINE

Zoe and Ben stood at the prow of Mr Ostrander's speedboat, watching it cut through the brown water of the Munia River. They'd had a tour of the processing plant and been plied with food in a very posh dining room. Now they were off to see the fields of oil palms close up.

On the right bank were the rows of oil palm trees Mat had pointed out from the walkway. The rainforest trees of the reservation spread away to the left. They could hear the sound of distant hammering coming from somewhere among them.

“That must be Mat and his men seeing to the repairs,” said Zoe. “They'll have to go and check the whole thing after that. It'll take ages.”

“Here's that bend in the river we saw yesterday,” whispered Ben. “We must be coming to Kawan's old territory.”

“So beyond it is the reservation boundary and the new palm oil plants,” said Zoe. “It's just coming into view now.”

“This is near where Mat said Kawan had been spotted,” said Ben. “Somehow we've got to have a look among those trees. But of course we can't just ask.”

“Why not?” said Zoe. “We don't have to say anything about Wild, after all.” Holding on to the safety rail, she made her way back to the cabin where Mr Ostrander was at the wheel.

“Has Mat told you about his missing favourite orang-utan?” Zoe asked their host.

“Ah yes, Kawan,” said Mr Ostrander, looking serious. “Mat was cut up about him leaving the reservation. I know the little chap's been spotted among my trees – although I haven't seen him myself.”

“Could we have a look there?” Zoe pointed ahead to where the land had been cleared and the ordered rows of small saplings were planted. “I'd just love to be able to say I've seen him – to reassure Mat that he's still all right,” she added quickly.

“Of course we can,” said Mr Ostrander.

As the river curved to the right, he steered the speedboat to a small jetty on the left bank and cut the engine.

“As you can see, these are my newest trees,” Mr Ostrander told them as they walked between the oil drums towards the more mature growth. “They'll be producing fruit for oil production in four years' time.

I've increased my work force by ten per cent for these. Good for the local economy.”

Ben looked at Zoe. He could guess what she was thinking. This was all very interesting, but they couldn't wait to get searching in the trees.

Mr Ostrander pointed over to a new red-roofed shed in the distance. “That's where the next crop of oil palm fruit will be stored. Then it will be taken to the processing factory.”

His mobile phone rang. “Excuse me,” he said, as he flicked it open. “Do have a look round. Let me know if you see Kawan.”

Zoe and Ben didn't waste any more time. They chased off between the rows of seedlings until they reached the regimented lines of trees. Keeping the edge of the seedling patch in sight, they walked among the low hanging fronds of the oil palms, listening intently to the calls of unseen creatures. Ben held up his BUG and pressed some buttons. “I'm analysing the cries,” he said. “No orang-utan I'm afraid – just birds.”

“Isn't that Talib?” said Zoe suddenly. “Over there, coming out of the little door at the end of the shed.” She got her Wild binoculars out and zoomed in on a figure carrying a heavy can. “It is,” she said in surprise. “What's he doing on Mr Ostrander's land? He's meant to be helping Mat repair the walkways.”

They crept towards the tall, wooden shed, and peered round to see Talib stop for a moment. He put down the can, pulled something from his pocket and unwrapped it. He placed it in his mouth and began to chew, throwing the wrapper to the floor. Then he picked up the can again and sauntered off into the trees.

“Did you see that?” gasped Zoe. She ran and picked up the silver wrapper. “This is just like the one I found beneath the walkway last night. Do you think it was Talib who sabotaged the walkway?”