Something was bothering Bernie again. Niggling at the back of his mind. Buzzing like a drone hidden among the trees. He knew it was there. He just couldn’t see it yet. He went over things as he and Ivy walked through the centre, trying to look inconspicuous. Hoping no one would notice where they were headed.

Bernie and Ivy were making their way to the garage yet again. They had decided to ignore Mr Meier’s directive about not leaving the research centre. Bernie had formulated a plan. They would take another vehicle and head out into the jungle once more, in search of the poachers. They would rescue Lea-Lea and the other animals.

As they approached the garage, Bernie shifted his thoughts to their plan.

‘At any one time,’ he said to Ivy, ‘where would you find the largest group of animals?’

‘There’s only one of each species,’ said Ivy. ‘They usually keep to themselves.’

‘But there were a whole lot of dinosaurs down by the water when you took me there.’

‘Yeah,’ said Ivy. ‘They get thirsty and that’s the main supply of fresh water on the island.’

‘Aaaaand . . .’ prompted Bernie.

‘That’s the only place where they gather in a group.’

‘Then that’s where we should go,’ said Bernie. ‘If the poachers used drones to scope out the island before they arrived, they would have seen that the animals gather around the water. It would be their best chance of nabbing the largest number.’

‘That makes sense,’ said Ivy.

As they entered the garage, Ivy made straight for a large storage locker. She pulled out two metal rods and handed one to Bernie. Bernie looked at his. It had a thick rubber handle at one end, with a red button, two metal prongs at the other end and a strap.

‘We don’t have any weapons,’ explained Ivy. ‘These will have to do.’

‘Um . . . what are they?’

‘Cattle prods,’ said Ivy. ‘They’re used when we capture animals for tagging. Just in case they get violent.’

‘And you reckon these will help?’

‘It’s all we’ve got,’ said Ivy, slinging hers across her shoulder. ‘And they’re not ordinary cattle prods. They’re souped up to work on dinosaurs. There’s a little dial on the hilt, so you can adjust it to the size of the creature you’re dealing with.’ She grinned. ‘Turn it all the way up. That should be enough to take out a drone.’

Bernie held his out at arm’s length. ‘We’d have to get pretty close to use it.’

Ivy grimaced. ‘It’s the best I can do.’ She turned to survey the vehicles. ‘So, what do you think we need? Another buggy for stealth? Or a jeep for speed?’

Bernie slung his cattle prod over his shoulder and looked around. His eyes lit up. ‘What about stealth and speed?’

‘The hovercraft,’ said Ivy. ‘That’s new. I’ve never driven it before.’

‘First time for everything,’ Bernie encouraged.

‘It would allow us to sneak up on the poachers,’ agreed Ivy.

CLANG!

They heard the door open. Ivy ducked down behind the storage locker, pulling Bernie with her. They peered out to see Bolete. He had a backpack on and was carrying a large case. He went straight to one of the jeeps and loaded his gear.

‘Where do you think he’s going?’ asked Bernie, his mind beginning to make connections.

‘Maybe he’s going to the fungal core?’

‘Now?’ asked Bernie. ‘Don’t you think that’s a little odd?’

‘Dad did tell him to go back to his mushrooms.’

In Bernie’s brain, the pieces began clicking into place. ‘You don’t suppose . . .?’

‘What?’ asked Ivy.

‘The link,’ said Bernie. ‘The link between the poachers and the island.’

‘Huh?’

‘How did the poachers find this place? It’s surrounded by that anti-radar fog and it’s not on any map. Which mean that someone had to tell them about it and help them get here. It might be him.’

‘Why him?’ Ivy didn’t look convinced. ‘He’s a bit strange. And I don’t like him. But . . . a poacher? He doesn’t even like the animals. All he cares about are his mushrooms.’

‘He knew we were going to find the broken propeller, so he could have let the poachers know to send a drone. At the meeting, he suggested I was delusional, trying to put everyone off the trail. And . . . on the Mist Finder, when I first arrived. I saw someone in the hold before the drone flew around. Now that I think of it, I’m pretty sure it was him. And, here he is, sneaking off. He doesn’t have to like animals to be in league with poachers.’

‘We’re sneaking away too,’ Ivy reminded him. ‘He might be going off on his own to find the poachers and save the animals.’

‘Maybe we should ask him?’ Bernie took a deep breath to calm himself. It was time for him to take action – to make the first move, rather than waiting to see what would happen. To be the hero! He stepped out from behind the locker and raised his voice. ‘Hey, Professor Bolete! Where are you going?’

Ivy groaned.

Bolete yelped and jumped around, blinking incessantly. Seeing Bernie, he seemed to relax a little. ‘None of your business. Didn’t Monsieur Meier tell you to stay out of things?’

‘So, Mr Meier knows where you’re going?’ persisted Bernie.

‘Well . . . of course he does. I am . . . I am going to check on the fungal core.’

Ivy sighed and stepped out of hiding to join Bernie. ‘Then you won’t mind waiting a moment while I check with Dad?’ She held up her arm and indicated the smart watch on her wrist.

Bolete’s face tensed. ‘I do not have time for this.’ He jumped up into the driver’s seat of the jeep and started the engine.

‘Hey, wait,’ called Bernie. ‘We just want to talk.’

Ivy and Bernie raced towards him. Bolete quickly leaned into the back of the jeep and fished out something, pointing it at them.

Bernie and Ivy came to a halt. It was a drone. An unmarked one, just like those that had chased and zapped them earlier.

I was right, thought Bernie. He was almost surprised.

‘It is you,’ spat Ivy. ‘Traitor!’

Bolete flicked a switch on the side of the drone. There was a hum of power and then the crackle and flash of electricity. Bernie and Ivy dived out of the way as the lightning sizzled past. As they hit the concrete floor, they heard Bolete’s jeep tearing off out of the garage.

‘Ow!’ groaned Bernie, getting to his knees.

‘Stay down,’ hissed Ivy.

Bernie was about to protest when he heard the buzzing. Bolete’s drone was in flight, no doubt searching for them. The two of them crawled up behind a ute and Ivy pointed to her cattle prod, then twisted the dial up to full. Bernie did the same.

Anticipation thrummed through Bernie as they waited, listening to the sound of the drone drawing nearer. As the drone flew over the ute, Ivy shouted, ‘NOW!’

She and Bernie jumped to their feet, cattle prods held out above them. They simultaneously poked at the drone as they hit the discharge buttons. Electricity crackled around the machine. It sparked, made a fizzing sound and dropped to the floor. Ivy smiled with satisfaction as she examined its smouldering carcass.

‘Looks like the cattle prods work,’ said Bernie.

‘We’ve got to tell Dad.’ Ivy stabbed repeatedly at her smart watch. ‘Damn. Must have broken in the fall.’

‘What do we do?’ asked Bernie.

‘Come on,’ said Ivy, racing for the hovercraft. ‘It’s getting late. It’ll be harder to do anything after it gets dark and we need to do something right now!’