by Jan Burchett
“Kawan always comes to that call,” explained Mat. “Now he must be too far away to hear it. When the grand opening is over, I’m going to go and find him. Peter let me look on the plantation before, but I haven’t had the chance to do a thorough search. The plantation’s not a natural home for an orangutan, so he’s probably eating the young oil palm seedlings. That’s not fair to Peter.”
They watched the footage of young Kawan responding to Mat’s call. He stopped his task, climbed on Mat’s head, and clung to his ears.
“Aww,” said Ben. “That’s pretty cute. Can we watch it again?”
Zoe shot Ben a puzzled look. It wasn’t like her brother to get excited about animals. That was her thing.
But as the film replayed she saw him pull out his BUG and hit a button on it. Now she knew what he was up to. He was recording Mat’s call! She smiled. If they could get to Kawan’s old territory, they could play the recording through the megaphone on the BUG. Hopefully the orangutan would hear it and come home.
Ben looked out the window at the courtyard. He stared hungrily at the feast spread out on tables. “Look at all that food!” he said. “I’m ready for my lunch.”
“You’ll have to wait until after the speeches,” whispered Zoe. “The opening ceremony is about to begin.”
Ben and Zoe were standing with Mat, Yasmin, and Biza at the front of a large crowd of people. A reporter was already taking photos of the new buildings.
Everyone was waiting for Peter Ostriander to arrive. One of the workers was putting coolers filled with drinks on the table. He saw Ben staring at the food and smiled. The worker handed him a hunk of bread.
Ben tore into it. “Thanks!” he said, his mouth full. “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“I’m Daud,” said the young man. He pointed to anther man with gray hair. “And that is Talib. We both work for Mat.”
Ben and Zoe started to introduce themselves when the roar of an engine cut them off. A sleek, sporty jeep drove through the gates. Something large was in the back, wrapped in brown paper. The jeep came to a stop. A tall, tanned man in expensive clothes stepped out. He smiled widely at everyone and waved.
Mat waved at Mr. Ostriander. “Come and meet our competition winners, Peter,” he said as Peter approached. “This is Ben and Zoe, Mr. Ostriander.”
“I’ve heard all about you,” Peter said. “Well done! So what do you think made your entry the best one?”
Zoe saw Ben’s eyes glance at her. They both realized they didn’t have a cover story.
Zoe hesitated. “We, um, wrote an essay on …” she began.
“The problems facing the giant panda in the wild,” Ben said, finishing Zoe’s sentence.
That was smart, thought Zoe. They both knew a lot about pandas, since they’d saved one themselves not too long ago.
“Fascinating,” said Mr. Ostriander. “It’s good to see young people like you taking such an interest in endangered species.”
“Mat has told us all about you, too, Mr. Ostriander,” said Ben. “He explained how much your company has helped him with the reservation.”
“Just doing my small part to help a greater cause,” Mr. Ostriander said. “We both want the same thing — to protect our natural resources.”
“I think we’re ready now, Peter,” said Mat. He nodded at Mr. Ostriander, then they both turned to face the crowd.
Mat began to speak in Malay. Luckily, Ben and Zoe’s earpieces were translating every word. “Thank you for coming here today for the Grand Opening Ceremony of the Adilah Reservation!” he said loudly. “Mr. Ostriander will now say a few words.”
Mr. Ostriander smiled at the assembled crowd. “We are here today to open this wonderful place,” he said. “I would like to say a few words to honor the man who made it all possible — Mat Ginting.”
Mat bent his head and blushed as Mr. Ostriander spoke favorably about him, thanking Mat for all the hard work he had done. He complimented the staff, then thanked everyone for coming.
“In conclusion,” Mr. Ostriander said, ending his speech, “I declare the Adilah Reservation open for business.” He walked over to his jeep. “Now if your men could give me a hand, I have a present for the reservation.”
Mat spoke over his shoulder in Malay. Talib and Daud walked over to the jeep. They helped Mr. Ostriander lift out the large, bulky package and set it on the ground. It looked like it was very heavy.
Mr. Ostriander cut the string and pulled away the paper. Everyone gasped as the wooden statue of an orangutan was revealed. The reporter stepped forward and took pictures.
“It’s amazing!” Mat said, admiring the hand carved wood. “It will look wonderful next to the main gate.”
Yasmin pointed at the tables. “Now dig in, everyone!” she cried.
Ben didn’t wait to be asked twice. As Ben and Zoe piled their plates with food, Mat came over. “When the event is over, I’ll give you a tour of the reservation,” he said.
“Awesome!” Ben said. Zoe shot him a knowing glance. Each of the twins knew what the other was thinking — they would both ask Mat to take them to Kawan’s old territory to look for clues.
The ceremony and meal were over at last, and Ben and Zoe sat in the shade of the reservation courtyard. Ben fidgeted impatiently.
“Sit still!” Zoe poked her brother in the ribs. “Mat said he’d be here right after he said goodbye to all his guests.”
“I know, but I’m too excited,” Ben said. He stood and glanced at the map displayed on the wall behind them. “A guided tour on walkways right up in the trees. So cool!”
“Don’t forget, we’re here for Kawan,” Zoe reminded him. “We have to find out all we can about his disappearance.”
Ben scowled at his sister. “I haven’t forgotten,” he said. “I’ve got the recording of Mat’s voice ready to play as soon as we’re alone.”
“Ready?” interrupted an eager voice.
Mat was back. He handed them each a pair of binoculars and a paper bag. “There are rusks for the orangutans in here,” he said. “They love them.”
He led them along a narrow pathway through the trees. Harsh warning cries rang out in response to the sound of their footsteps.
“Proboscis monkeys,” said Mat. “Very nervous animals.”
Mat stopped at a huge climbing frame of reddish wood. A ladder led up to a high platform that stretched from tree to tree.
Ben grabbed the rungs of the ladder, preparing to climb. “I can’t wait!” he said.
“Great to see you’re so eager, Ben,” said Mat. “I suppose this is the first time you’ll come face to face with real wild animals, yes?”
Ben and Zoe smiled.
“If any animal comes close, just stay calm,” Mat said. “We’re sure to come across some orangutans. They’re peaceful animals — and very curious. They’ll probably come to inspect you. The walkways are safe and every platform has an escape ladder. But enough safety talk. Let’s climb!”
Soon, they reached the top of the ladder and stepped onto the platform. A walkway made of wood was connected to long ropes. It stretched far into the distance.
Zoe decided it was a good time to start gathering information. “I wish we could see … what was the name of the young orangutan that’s missing?” she asked innocently.
“Kawan,” said Mat. “We’ll go to the area that used to be his territory. I keep hoping he’ll show up there.”
Mat stepped onto the walkway, grasping the handrails. It swayed gently under his weight. The children followed him eagerly along the path from tree to tree.
Frogs croaked, macaques screeched as they swung from tree to tree, and parrots cawed from nearby branches.
At each platform, there were informational posters about the creatures to watch for. Ben studied each one.
“What are those?” asked Zoe, pointing at some odd-looking birds perched above their heads. “It looks they have horns on their beaks.”
“Didn’t you read the sign?”
Ben said, teasing Zoe. “They’re called rhinoceros birds.”
There was a loud rustling of leaves and suddenly two orangutans burst into view, swinging after each other across the interwoven branches.
“That’s Lola and Kiki,” Mat told them. “They’re mother and daughter. They’ll probably come say hello in a minute or two.”
The two apes suddenly stopped playing when they spotted the humans. With a terrified shriek, they turned and disappeared among the dense trees.
Zoe looked disappointed. “Did we scare them away?” she asked.
“I don’t think so,” Mat said, frowning. “But I’m surprised they left so quickly. They’re usually very friendly.”
Mat stopped and looked around. “Come to think of it,” he said, “it’s been quieter than usual today. We’ve been through several territories and we’ve only seen Lola and Kiki.”
Mat shrugged. He led them around a platform, down a ladder, and onto a lower walkway. “We’re just coming into Kawan’s old patch now,” he said.
Ben gave Zoe a thumbs up. Maybe they’d learn something useful here.
The walkway took them alongside a wide, muddy river. “This is the Munia River,” Mat told them.
Zoe recognized some straight rows of low-growing trees. They looked very different from the natural tangle of the high rainforest. “Those are oil palms growing on the other side, aren’t they?” she asked.
“That’s Mr. Ostriander’s land,” Mat said. “We’re in the southeastern corner of the reservation now.”
Mat led them onto a wide platform that hung from a tree with a thick trunk. A metal sign that read “PLATFORM 22” hung above a map of the walkways.
The river wound its way into the distance, separating the palm trees from a wide piece of flat land. Small plants in metal drums were growing at regular intervals.
“New oil palms,” Mat said, pointing at the metal drums. “That’s where Daud spotted Kawan. I’ve tried calling him from here, but I don’t think the sound travels that far.”
“I hope he comes back soon,” said Zoe.
“I’d love you to meet Kawan,” said Mat. “He’s such a character, and a great imitator. He used to fill up pans with rice and beans and stir them with a spoon, just like Yasmin does when she cooks.” Mat looked over the edge of the walkway. “It might not work, but I’ll try calling him again.”
Mat pursed his lips together and made the call Zoe and Ben had heard earlier in the video.
Ben and Zoe walked around to the opposite side of the platform. They could see an area filled with tree stumps. It looked like an ugly wound in the middle of the dense rainforest.
Zoe looked at the devastation. “Those evil loggers,” she said. “I’m glad they were chased off before they did more damage. Poor Kawan must have been so frightened by them.”
“I wish I could play my recording,” Ben whispered to Zoe. “At full volume, Kawan would be sure to hear it if he’s anywhere nearby.”
Mat stopped calling for Kawan and came to join them.
“No luck, I’m afraid,” Mat said. He pointed to the damaged area. “Kawan always nested near there.”
“Nested?” Zoe asked. “Like bird nests?”
Mat grinned. He pointed up at the treeline. “Orangutans make themselves a different bed every night up in the tree canopy,” he said. “They even use big leaves as blankets.”
Zoe nodded. “Oh, yeah,” she said. “I think I’ve read about that.”
“Sometimes they use them as umbrellas or sunshades,” Mat went on. He was about to say more when a shrill beeping from his shirt pocket distracted him. “Sorry about this,” he said, pulling out a walkie-talkie. “It must be Yasmin back at the center.”
He turned away and spoke rapidly in Malay.
Ben and Zoe heard Yasmin’s voice translated through their earpieces. “Something’s wrong,” her voice said. “We have another cancellation. This time it’s the Coopers.”
“They were coming next week, weren’t they?” asked Mat.
His walkie-talkie buzzed and Yasmin spoke again. “They thought they were still coming this week, despite the closing,” she said. “Good thing they emailed to ask about it. How could this happen?”
“I’m not sure,” Mat said into the walkie-talkie. “But I’ll come back right now. We’ll phone everyone and reinstate their bookings. Then we’ll look into it. It probably has something to do with our old fossil of a computer.”
He turned to Ben and Zoe.
“Sorry,” Mat said. “We have to return now, but I promise we’ll come again tomorrow morning.” He turned and headed along the walkway back toward the reservation.
Ben stopped Zoe from following after him. “We haven’t had a chance to play the recording yet,” Ben whispered.
“Then we come back tonight,” said Zoe. “By ourselves.”
Zoe crept across the bare wooden floor of their bedroom and nudged Ben through his mosquito net. “Wake up,” she whispered. “We’ve got two hours until sunrise.”
Ben opened his eyes and sat up in the dark. “Let’s go,” he said.
They dressed quickly and put on their backpacks. They’d filled them the night before with water, a first aid kit, and their BUGs.
Then they put on their EEL belts and boots, and snatched up their night goggles.
Zoe slowly opened the door. “Shh!” Ben whispered as the hinges squeaked.
They stepped outside into the silent, shadowy compound. As soon as they put on their goggles, the scene was bathed in green light. They could even see water dripping from the trees into puddles below.
“Looks like we just missed a shower,” Ben whispered.
Zoe nodded. She turned a dial on goggles’ nosepiece to adjust the focus. “We’ll follow the satellite map on the BUGs,” she said.
They crept toward the cover of the trees. “The black zigzag lines are the walkways,” Zoe said as she studied the map on her BUG screen.
“They lead to Kawan’s territory where the walkways meet the river,” Ben said.
“Is there a more direct path?” asked Zoe.
Ben pressed a button on his BUG and a different map appeared.
This map showed a narrow trail that led right to the southeast edge of the reservation. “This will get us there faster,” Ben said.
“Tuck your pants into your boots,” Zoe said. “There will be snakes.”
“And other creepy-crawlies,” Ben said.
“Scent dispersers on, too,” Zoe said. “That will help keep us safe from predators.”
The rough path led deep into the darkness of the rainforest. The children moved along as quietly as they could, listening carefully to the sounds around them.
Suddenly there was a loud animal call. A long, skinny shape swung down in front of them. It peered at them from under a pair of thick eyebrows. The children stopped dead, hearts beating fast. Then the creature let out a cry and hurried back up into the trees.
Zoe checked her BUG’s analysis of the creature. “It was a gibbon!” she whispered. “Wonder what it thought of our goggled faces!”
“Look at that!” Ben said, pointing into the darkness. “Around that tree trunk. It looks like a huge snake!”
“You spaz,” Zoe said, laughing. “It’s just a root that’s twisted around the tree.”
Ben let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, shut up,” he said. “I just don’t like snakes.”
They pushed their way through a bank of thick fern leaves that hung across the path.
“I can hear the river,” Ben said. “We must be in Kawan’s territory now. The walkways should be right above us.”
“There’s a sign on that trunk,” said Zoe, pointing. “Platform 22 — that’s where we were earlier. We’re here.”
Something moved along the ground ahead of them.
Through their goggles, Ben and Zoe caught a glimpse of cold reptilian eyes and a scaly snout. “Crocodile!” Ben said, pulling Zoe back. “We have to get off the ground — now!”
“But how?” Zoe said. She looked around in a panic.
“There’s a ladder up to the platform,” Ben said. He stumbled through the ferns to reach the numbered trunk. Zoe followed.
Behind Zoe, the ferns swayed and flattened as the crocodile gave chase.
Ben leaped up the first rungs of the wooden ladder. He reached down and grabbed Zoe’s hand, hauling her up to safety just as the crocodile launched itself at the base of the tree and snapped its jaws at the empty air beneath her feet.
“That was close!” Zoe said, scrambling up as high as she could. “I thought we were safe with our scent dispersers on.”
“Crocodiles have great hearing,” Ben said. He looked down at the enormous scaly creature beneath them. “We weren’t exactly silent back there, either.”
Ben could tell Zoe was a little spooked. “Did you know,” he said as they climbed toward the platform, “that crocodiles can grow up to twenty-two feet long?”
“Yikes,” said Zoe. “Then there’s plenty of room inside their stomachs for a couple of kids like us!” Ben laughed.
Soon, they arrived on the platform. Down below, they could see the shape of their attacker sliding back toward the dark sweep of the river just beyond the trees.
“This is a good place to try the call,” Ben said. He pulled out his BUG and pressed a few buttons. A loud chirping noise filled the air. It echoed far into the trees.
“It would have been better to do this in the day,” said Zoe. “Then Kawan would be awake.”
“We have no choice,” Ben said, smiling. “Besides, I’m sure he’ll forgive us for waking him up.”
They sat as still as they could, carefully scanning the area through their goggles. “Fruit bats, several otters, and two monkeys,” reported Zoe. “But no orangutans.”
Ben played the call again and again. “Looks like Kawan’s not here,” he said at last. “Maybe we should be heading back —”
Ben stopped. There was a rustling in the branches above their heads, followed by a loud chomping sound. Zoe quickly held out her BUG towards it to analyze the sound. “It’s an orangutan!” she whispered.
