Secret Safari (8 page)

Everyone was waiting at the refuge for EJ and her precious cargo to return. The SWR staff worked quickly to unload the cages and begin the medical check of the animals. They would be treated and microchipped before they were released. SJ took EJ out to the enclosures where she saw the large elephant standing, hosing herself with water.

‘She will be ready to return to her herd soon,' said SJ. ‘Clever thinking to use the bracelet so we could find her but you can have it back now.'

EJ took the bracelet and tied it around her wrist. Now it would be there to remind her of Africa. ‘Look!' she cried. ‘Tandi's mother and sister are being released.'

The cage with the cheetah mother and her cub was placed at the gates of the refuge. As the cage door opened, EJ set Tandi down on the ground. The little cub sniffed the air and meowed. A roar came from the mother cheetah and Tandi raced across towards the cage. The mother cheetah ran out and began to lick her cub while the other began biting its tail. EJ's eyes watered with happy tears.

‘That family is back together, thanks to you, EJ,' said SJ45, also wiping a tear away. ‘And Adriana is on her way back to
SHINE
detention and A1. And it's time for our family to get together again, too. Our work is done here. You have rescued the animals and the microchipping program is in place.'

‘But what about whoever Adriana was working with?' asked EJ.

‘We're too late,' said EJ. ‘
SHINE
agents just missed catching her in West Africa. We think she escaped to France.'

‘So we have to go home,' said EJ sadly.

‘Not quite,' said SJ. ‘Remember we still have one bit of the holiday left. We are going to meet the boys on the beach at Zanzibar before we fly home. And, I must say, I wouldn't mind a few days at the beach.'

All the same, EJ was sad to say goodbye to Rafiki, Hasi and everyone at SWR. As Rafiki drove them back to the airport, the wildebeest herd and zebras flocked across the plains. It was as if they were giving EJ and SJ a special escort to say goodbye.

‘
Kwaheri, asante
, EJ,' said Rafiki. ‘Goodbye and thank you. Come back again.'

‘
Kwaheri, asante
, we'd love to,' said SJ and EJ together. And, hand-in-hand, they walked out on to the tarmac and on to the plane.

It was a quick flight across to Zanzibar, an island off the coast of Africa. It was quite different from the mainland. There were beautiful white sandy beaches, palm trees and glittering blue water. Emma and her mum were lying on sun loungers under the shade of a yellow beach umbrella when Bob and Dad came across the sand.

‘Well, you guys must be exhausted from all that animal watching,' said Dad.

‘Yeah,' said Bob, laughing. ‘We've been white-water rafting and parasailing but you guys must be really wiped out from all that extreme sitting and looking.'

‘We had it pretty tough,' said Mum, smiling.

‘Oh, sure,' said Bob.

‘You have no idea,' said EJ, opening one eye to look at him.

‘Well, race you into the water,' cried Bob and Emma couldn't resist. She leapt out of the lounger and ran after Bob, nearly catching up with him before he dived into the surf. Her brother could be annoying but it was sort of good to be back together again.

After her swim, EJ lay back on the lounger and slept, enjoying the warm sun on her back.

‘Excuse me, your drink,' said a voice. EJ looked up to see a waiter from the hotel holding a tray with a tall glass filled with fizzy aqua liquid topped with pineapple and strawberries and a straw and paper umbrella.

‘Oh, thank you,' said EJ, ‘but I didn't order a drink.' Although she did think it looked delicious—and aqua was her favourite colour!

‘Enjoy it with our compliments,' said the waiter. ‘And I think you will like looking at the umbrella.'

‘I will? Oh, okay.' It looked like an ordinary umbrella to Emma but she took it out and looked at it. Then she saw something written on the inside of the shade.

EJ sipped the drink. It was deliciously fizzy but all of a sudden Emma felt a bit flat. She had forgotten all about school and the netball team—and Nema and Laila.

It was the first day back at school after the break. Everyone was excited, talking about the holidays—and about who would make the netball team when the list went up on the sports board. Elle, Isi and Han raced up to Emma as soon as she arrived.

‘How was Africa?' cried Isi. ‘The photos you emailed looked amazing. I can't believe you got so close to all those animals! Hey, cool bracelets!' she said spying the friendship bracelets Emma had kept on her wrist.

‘And how cute was that baby gorilla?' said Hannah. ‘And you were holding it, Em. That is so awesome.'

‘You weren't the only one who went overseas for a holiday, Em,' said Elle. ‘Nema went to France. Apparently her mum won a competition too. How weird is that?'

‘Very weird,' said Emma. ‘Did you say she went to France?'

‘Paris to be exact, Emma,' said Nema, walking up to the girls. ‘The world centre of fashion and of beauty, so much better than some dirty smelly animals.'

‘But the animals are beautiful,' said Isi. ‘You should see the photos! Emma actually held a baby leopard.'

‘Spots and stripes, that's the new direction everyone is talking about in France,' continued Nema, not really listening. ‘But keeping it real, no fakes.'

‘Real animal skins? That's horrible!' cried Elle who loved clothes but loved animals more.

‘No, that's high fashion,' said Nema. ‘Something you wouldn't understand at all.'

But Emma was starting to think she did understand. There were too many coincidences.
SHADOW
hunting skins, the
SHADOW
agent using French and now Nema in France. Emma was about to tell Isi something when a girl cried out across the playground.

‘The netball team list is up!'

Nema rushed past Emma, almost knocking her down as she ran over to the board. Emma, Isi, Hannah and Elle followed. Emma was so nervous she thought her heart was going to jump out of her chest. Girls were crowding around the board making it nearly impossible to see. But Elle, with her long legs, was taller than most of the girls and could see over everyone.

‘We're in!' she cried. ‘We're all in the A-team! Em is goal shooter, I'm centre, Is is wing defence and Han is goal defence!'

Emma took a big breath. ‘Really? Elle, are you sure?'

‘Of course I am. See for yourself!'

Em and her friends were all in but neither Nema nor Laila made the A-team, which was a little surprising as they were pretty good, even without cheating.

Laila stomped up to Ms Tenga who was standing nearby. ‘I was in the A-team at my last school,' she whined. ‘And Ms Black said we would be A-team for sure.'

‘And you both could be A-team too,' said Ms Tenga, ‘but,' she continued, looking straight at Nema, ‘you need to play by the rules.'

‘Why do rules matter if we win?' asked Laila.

‘It matters,' said Ms Tenga. ‘It really does.'

‘Stupid game,' huffed Nema. ‘I didn't really want to be in the team anyway. Apparently you have to cut your finger nails.'

‘You have to be a team player, Nema,' said Ms Tenga. ‘I'm sure you can be one.'

Emma wasn't so confident but she wasn't worried about that now. She was too excited about getting in the team with her besties.

‘I have some more good news,' said Elle. ‘You know the athletics competition finals I went to during the holidays. The Shining Stars one?'

‘Yes!' said Isi. ‘Yes, Elle, yes, yes, yes, tell us!'

‘I will if you shush for a moment, Is,' said Elle, laughing. ‘Well, I won in my section.'

‘Elle, that is brilliant, you are brilliant!' cried Emma. ‘Did you get a ginormous trophy?'

‘I wish,' said Elle. ‘That was the only weird thing. I just got an envelope with a letter telling me to pick up my prize at a light shop next week. Isn't that strange?'

Isi and Emma looked at each other. This was big news.

‘I hope I don't just get a letter if I win the writing competition I'm going to enter next month,' said Hannah.

Oh, I hope you do, Han,
thought Emma,
I really hope you do. What a team we'd all be then. Maybe everything is going to plan after all!

‘Race you back to class,' said Elle.

The others laughed. As if they could beat Elle!

‘Let's all go together,' cried Emma running after Elle. ‘Go us! Go Wildcats!'

‘Go Wildcats,' they all shouted and the four girls ran, all holding hands, across to the netball court and in to class, all the way chanting the St Cree Wildcats chant. Emma wasn't sure what was going to happen next but she felt okay about it. Everything seemed all right again, at least for now—thanks to a little help from EJ12!

Emma Jacks and EJ12 will return in

BOOK 13
FASHION FIX

find out more at
ej12girlhero.com