Bernie dived into the undergrowth as the chopper rose into the air. Panting hard, panic threatening to overcome him, he ran for the hovercraft, Ivy beside him. He could still hear the shouts of poachers and the cries of various animals, and, above that, the sound of the approaching helicopter.

He jumped into the passenger seat as Ivy started the engine and took off. Trees and bushes and other vegetation zipped past at alarming speed in the splash of the headlights. Bernie wondered how Ivy was able to navigate in the gloom.

He screamed as the tree they were passing splintered apart in a blaze of flame, the ground beneath it erupting. The helicopter had caught up to them already. Ivy swerved the hovercraft to avoid the destruction as dirt and debris rained down on them. The sound of the chopper blades from above the canopy dogged them as they changed direction.

Although the sun had not yet set, it was low enough that very little light made it into the jungle.

Lightning arced from the sky again, and more vegetation paid the price. Ivy changed direction.

‘They must have a pretty heavy-duty TED unit on that chopper,’ called Ivy.

Bernie remembered the tripod he had seen aboard the helicopter and the metal box near it.

More lightning. Another explosion. Ivy swerved again.

‘It’s trying to herd us back to the clearing,’ shouted Ivy, as she struggled with the steering wheel.

‘What do we do?’ cried Bernie.

‘We don’t have much choice!’ Ivy reached for the dashboard and the jungle around them was plunged into darkness as she switched off the headlights.

‘What are you doing?’ yelled Bernie. ‘You can’t see where we’re going.’

‘I’m retracing our path to the lake,’ she explained. ‘Dangerous without lights. But better than giving away our position so that we get zapped.’

‘True!’

There was another explosion, but it was further away, behind them.

‘Looks like it’s working,’ said Bernie. ‘Ow!’ A branch struck his face. He gingerly touched his stinging cheek to feel wetness. Blood!

‘You all right?’ asked Ivy.

‘I’ll live,’ he said. ‘But maybe you should slow down a little.’

Moments later they burst through the foliage into the clearing. And what a sight beheld them. It was utter chaos! Ivy slowed the vehicle.

Flames lit up the area. The second transport helicopter was on fire, belching thick black smoke. The last of the captured beasts were jumping from its cargo hold to escape the inferno. Creatures were running in all directions. Not just the ones that had been freed from the cages, but a whole host of others had emerged from the jungle to help them. The brachiosaur was kicking at the first of the transport helicopters. Dippy the Diprotodon was chasing one of the poachers. Pterry was swooping down on another as the man threw himself into the water to escape. The other poachers were either lying unconscious or were being warily watched by creatures. And in the middle of it all was Lea-Lea, clutching Bernie’s cattle prod. The poacher being chased by Dippy ran past her and she prodded him. He fell to the ground with a yell.

Ivy brought the hovercraft to a stop beside Lea-Lea.

‘You,’ she said with amazement. ‘You did all this?’

Lea-Lea chirruped happily.

‘I guess she’s a lot smarter than we thought,’ said Bernie.

The three of them looked up at the sound of rotor blades. The helicopter crested the trees and swooped down towards them. Lea-Lea stretched her neck up into the air and squawked, loud and long. Bernie saw the gigantopithecus emerge from the jungle and look up to the sky, beating its fists against its powerful chest and making an almost Tarzan-like yell. Other animals took up the call. It was like a battle cry – a call to arms.

A burst of flame shot up into the night sky. The helicopter swerved away, barely escaping the blast.

‘Look!’ Ivy pointed.

By the flickering light of the burning transport helicopter, Bernie could see the fire-breathing komodo dragon, smoke pouring from its nostrils. He couldn’t help himself. He let out a cheer. The animals of Monster Island had all come together to repel the threat.

‘Way to go, Bob!’ shouted Bernie.

But the threat wasn’t over yet.

A blast of lightning shot from the helicopter towards the dragon. It missed, zapping harmlessly into the ground. The dragon responded with another roar of fire, again causing the helicopter to bank suddenly in order to avoid destruction.

Bernie watched as the chopper circled the clearing before heading off over the trees.

‘Must have decided this was too much,’ said Bernie.

‘Yeah,’ said Ivy. ‘But it’s headed in the direction of the fungal core.’