CHAPTER NINE

The Thingamabob

‘You should have stayed,’ Bertolt said, coming into the dressing room and seeing Darkus slumped on the sofa.

‘No.’ Darkus shook his head. ‘We shouldn’t have to put on a show to persuade them what we are saying is true.’ Baxter was sitting in his cupped palms. He brought the rhinoceros beetle close to his face. ‘Don’t they have eyes? Can’t they see what’s happening? Lucretia Cutter will have the whole world in the palm of her hand before they’ve made up their mind whether or not to do anything about it.’ Baxter lifted up his front leg and petted Darkus’s nose. ‘Oh, I’m all right, Baxter. Don’t you worry about me.’ He smiled and the rhinoceros beetle opened his mouth, smiling back.

‘Darkus,’ Virginia said, sitting down on a chair opposite, ‘we totally agree, but Dr Yuki Ishikawa came up on to the stage after you stormed off. He was in the audience the whole time.’

‘Dr Ishikawa’s here? I didn’t see him.’ Darkus sat up. They’d met Dr Yuki Ishikawa in Greenland. He’d refused to come with them to the Film Awards, but his wisdom had helped Darkus save Baxter from the cold weather, and given him the idea that helped them win the battle in the Hollywood Theater.

‘They treat him like some kind of Jedi,’ Bertolt nodded, coming to sit beside Darkus.

‘Yeah, he was brilliant.’ Virginia’s brown eyes shone. ‘He’s taken samples of Lucretia Cutter’s beetles, from the ones we collected in our pooters at the Film Awards and from the genetically modified wheat weevils she released in Texas. He shared some of his observations with the other entomologists.’

‘The first thing he discovered is that the beetles she’s breeding have short life spans,’ Bertolt said.

‘The adults die after just one or two days,’ Virginia added.

‘And they appear to be mostly male,’ Bertolt said.

‘So he’s come up with two ideas to tackle the infestations,’ Virginia said. ‘The first is to distract the male beetles with the pheromones of female beetles.’

‘The entomologists are going to set up pheromone traps, to lure the beetles away from the crops,’ Bertolt explained. ‘And then they are going to use the Sterile Insect Technique where they only release sterile males so that if any beetles mate there won’t be any babies!’

‘The entomologists were all a-buzz with ideas of how to tackle the infestations,’ Virginia said, ‘suggesting natural predators, like you used at the Film Awards, and other ways to protect untouched crops.’

‘So, we do nothing,’ Darkus snapped. ‘Set up pheromone traps and clear up the mess. Sounds like a great plan.’

‘I thought you’d be pleased,’ Bertolt said, crestfallen.

‘Dealing with the infestations isn’t going help get Dad back, is it? Or clear his name?’ Darkus scowled at Virginia. ‘Being here is a waste of time. I thought there’d be loads of brave entomologists, who’d want to come with us to the Amazon and take on Lucretia Cutter. Dad said they’d help us, but half of them think he’s guilty.’

Virginia put her hands on her hips. ‘Your dad never said they’d fight Lucretia Cutter. He didn’t actually say what they’d help us with, did he?’

‘Darkus, entomology is a science,’ Bertolt said softly. ‘It’s not a sport. It’s hardly a surprise that they’re not weapon-wielding bodybuilders, is it?’

‘Yeah, well, we don’t need their help anyway.’ Darkus stuck out his chin. ‘It’s always been us and the beetles against the world.’

‘We’re on the world’s side, idiot,’ Virginia tried to tease him into smiling, ‘it’s Lucretia Cutter who isn’t.’

‘Ahem.’ The three of them looked round to see Uncle Max leaning against the wall, listening to their conversation. ‘I do hope you’re including me in that “us”, Darkus?’

There was a knock at the dressing-room door.

‘Hello there.’ The giant American man with the bushy beard opened the door and poked his head in. He had rosy cheeks, friendly blue eyes, and beetle tattoos down his arms: a stag on one and an Atlas beetle on the other. ‘I’m looking for Darkus Cuttle.’ He stepped into the room. ‘May I shake you by the hand, sir?’

Darkus stood up, awkwardly, and shook the man’s hand.

‘I’m Hank, from the Entomological Society of America.’ He pointed at his T-shirt. ‘We sure are grateful for all that you’re doing to help protect our harvests. Dr Ishikawa said he would never have come to ICE if you hadn’t flown to Greenland to alert him of Dr Johnstone’s experiments.’

Darkus felt his cheeks getting hot. Virginia folded her arms and beamed out an I told you so look at him.

‘Thank you, Mr, err . . .’

‘Burton, but you can call me Hank.’ He pointed at an empty chair. ‘May I?’

‘Please do,’ Bertolt said, as they all nodded. ‘What can we help you with, Mr Burton – I mean, Hank, sir?’

‘Actually, I may have something that will help you.’ He unzipped his black leather bum-bag. ‘I can’t work out for the life of me what this thingamabob does.’ He handed over a square black screen the size of a matchbox. ‘When you turn it on, a white hexagon lights up with six triangles inside, but nothing happens when you press them.’

‘Why do you think this will help me?’ Darkus turned it on and looked at the device, puzzled.

‘Because it was found outside the Hollywood Theater, in a pile of clothes near the stage door.’

‘I don’t understand.’ Darkus looked at Hank.

‘It seems that someone threw all of Lucretia Cutter’s luggage out of her chopper before it took off. Everything was brought to us, at the ESA, in case it could help us combat the attack on the wheat harvest. Most of it was clothes and useless stuff, but we did find that thingamabob.’

Bertolt sprang forward, taking it out of Darkus’s hands, studying it intensely.

‘Thank you,’ Darkus said.

‘No, thank you.’ Hank dipped his head. ‘I wish there was more I could do to help you. Professor Appleyard told me what you children did to prevent Lucretia Cutter’s attack. It was mighty courageous.’

Darkus looked at Bertolt. ‘Do you know what it is?’

‘It looks like a fancy TV remote control.’

‘Can we take it with us?’ Darkus asked.

‘Of course. It’s yours. Only wish there was more I could do.’ Hank drummed his palms on the arms of the chair. ‘I hear you’re going giant beetle hunting? I would sure love to come with you guys. I’m handy with a shotgun. Have you any idea where to find Lucretia Cutter?’ He tipped his head. ‘Whole world’s looking for her, sure know a bunch of folks who’d kill to find out where she’s holed up.’

Darkus glanced at Uncle Max. ‘I’m sorry.’ He shook his head.

‘Well, if you need me, for anything at all, you can contact me here.’ He held out a piece of paper. ‘I have to go back to Washington and advise the White House on the best way to deal with these attacks. Dr Ishikawa’s findings will be a great help. If we can lure some of the wheat weevils into honey traps, we may be able to save some of our harvest. Right now, the best we can hope for is damage control. This attack has hurt our economy real bad.’

Darkus took the paper and as Hank Burton got up to leave, a familiar face appeared in the doorway. ‘Dr Ishikawa.’ He bowed his head. ‘It’s good to see you.’

Bertolt and Virginia followed his lead as the smiling scientist entered the room.

‘It is wonderful to see you again, Darkus Cuttle.’ The skin around Dr Yuki Ishikawa’s eyes concertinaed as he smiled. ‘I wanted to give you my best wishes for your journey, and bring you these.’ He took three tiny bamboo cages from a cloth bag. They were similar to the one about his own neck containing a beautiful pink preying mantis. ‘They are for your beetles. There are many predators in the Amazon, and we know how dangerous a predator can be, don’t we?’ He laughed, his eyes twinkling. ‘Your actions at the Film Awards were inspired, young man. I could not have done better myself.’

Darkus felt his face getting hot for a second time. ‘Thanks. I wouldn’t have thought of releasing the birds if you hadn’t said that thing about every creature having a predator.’

‘Ah, but you did think of it, and that made all the difference.’ Dr Ishikawa handed him the largest of the three cages. ‘For Baxter, to keep him safe in the jungle.’

‘Are you coming with us this time?’ Darkus asked.

Dr Ishikawa shook his head. ‘There is great need for my work here. I can do the most good disarming Lucy Johnstone’s foot soldiers, her transgenic beetles. So here I must stay.’

‘You have to help this time.’ Darkus stepped closer to Dr Ishikawa. ‘Please. We don’t know what we’ll find out there. We’ll be hopelessly outnumbered.’ His voice was strained and he found himself blinking back tears. ‘I don’t know how to fight her,’ he admitted.

Dr Ishikawa gave a little shrug. ‘Then, perhaps, you shouldn’t.’

Darkus gave an exasperated sigh. Why did Dr Ishikawa always speak in riddles.

‘You are the Beetle Boy.’ Dr Yuki Ishikawa fixed Darkus with his eyes as dark and calm as underground pools. ‘Only you know what that means.’ He touched his finger to Darkus’s forehead. ‘Think.’ He paused. ‘Be a scientist. Observe. Be curious. Ask questions.’ He moved his finger and pointed to Darkus’s heart. ‘Do what you feel is right.’ A broad smile spread across his face, as if he’d solved a complicated puzzle, and he nodded. ‘Yes. The Beetle Boy must do what he feels to be right.’