by Jan Burchett
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: A HEATED RACE
CHAPTER 2: THE WASP
CHAPTER 3: DESERTED
CHAPTER 4: THE DARK DESCENT
CHAPTER 5: JOSSY
CHAPTER 6: A WILD CHASE
CHAPTER 7: JUST DESERTS
CHAPTER 8: SANDSTORM
CHAPTER 9: DESERT DREAMS
CHAPTER 10: PREDATOR AND PREY
CHAPTER 11: A PURRFECT REUNION
Zoe turned her go-kart and accelerated down the brightly lit race track. “Woohoo!” she yelled, pulling farther away from Ben.
There was no way Ben could catch up to his twin sister now. There was one more lap to go. Zoe would win this race for sure.
Just then, someone flagged Zoe down. “The track must be closing early,” Zoe said to herself. She maneuvered off the raceway and braked hard. She came to a stop a few feet from the woman with the flag.
Zoe was just taking off her crash helmet when Ben came screeching to a halt right behind her. He watched as Zoe ran over to the woman, recognizing her immediately.
“Erika!” Zoe cried out in excitement. She looked around to make sure that no one else was within earshot. “Do we have a new mission? Is that why you’re here?”
“Yes,” said Erika. “I’m here to take you straight to your destination.”
Ben and Zoe were by far the youngest operatives in WILD, a top-secret rescue organization run by their uncle, Stephen Fisher. Erika Bohn was his second-in-command. Whenever WILD received news of an animal in danger, Erika showed up suddenly, wherever Ben and Zoe were. Before they knew it, they’d be heading out for another WILD rescue mission.
Erika grinned. “Sorry I interrupted your race,” she said.
“No problem, Erika,” Ben said, grinning widely. “We’ll just call this last race a draw.”
“No we won’t!” said Zoe. “I was in the lead the entire —”
Zoe was cut off by a revving go-kart engine. Before she could speak, Ben zoomed away to return his go-kart.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Boys,” she said.
* * *
A few moments later, they were all driving down the highway in Erika’s car toward a private airfield. Ben quickly sent a text message to their grandma, letting her know that they wouldn’t be home tonight.
Grandma took care of Ben and Zoe while their parents were working abroad as vets. She knew all about WILD, and was very proud of her brave grandchildren.
Zoe watched from the front seat as they passed the white, barren fields. Evergreen trees were lit briefly in the car’s headlights as they passed. “I wonder what kind of animal we’ll be helping this time,” she said.
“You know the drill,” said Erika. “In the glove compartment, you’ll find a clue from your uncle.”
Zoe reached into the compartment and pulled out a glass eyeball. Using a penlight she found inside, she inspected the eyeball. It had an orange and brown iris with a round, black pupil.
“It reflects the light,” she said, turning it in the beam. “So it’s probably a copy of a nocturnal animal’s eye.”
Ben reached over from the back. Zoe gave him the eye and the penlight. “And it’s big,” he said. “I bet it’s from a member of one of the wild cat species.”
“I agree,” said Zoe. “Let’s see what Uncle Stephen has to say.”
Ben gave her the eyeball. Zoe carefully placed it into a slot in the vehicle’s dashboard. Immediately, a small hologram of a man appeared in front of them. He wore a white lab coat and had a hat sitting on top of his messy hair.
“Greetings, my nephew and niece!” said Uncle Stephen. “Your destination for this mission is Africa.”
“It’s definitely not a tiger, then,” said Ben.
“Africa is a king-sized clue to the animal you’ll be rescuing,” Uncle Stephen’s hologram said. “Call me as soon as you’ve figured out the answer.”
The hologram disappeared.
“A king-sized clue,” repeated Zoe. “That has to mean —”
“The king of the beasts!” interrupted Ben. “Wow! We’re rescuing a lion. That’ll be exciting!” His eyes went wide. “And a little scary.”
“Your BUGs are under your seats,” Erika told them. “Go ahead and give your uncle a call with your answer.”
Ben and Zoe never went on a mission without their BUGs — the Brilliant Undercover Gizmos their uncle had invented. They looked like handheld video games, but had lots of wonderful applications, like satellite maps, communicators, and animal tracking devices. Zoe took her BUG, hit the call key for WILD HQ and turned on the speakerphone.
“Good evening, Ben and Zoe!” came their uncle’s voice. “Did you figure it out yet?”
“Yep,” said Zoe. “It’s a lion!”
“Well done,” said Uncle Stephen. “You’re headed to the Kalahari Desert in Namibia.”
“Awesome!” said Ben. “So what’s the mission this time, Uncle Stephen?”
“Here at HQ, we picked up a news report on a Namibian radio station,” Uncle Stephen said. “A lioness has been seen prowling around a local well for a few days. That well is the only source of clean water for the locals, and they won’t dare go near it because of the angry lioness.”
“Lionesses don’t usually live alone, do they?” asked Zoe.
“I don’t think this one is alone,” said Uncle Stephen. “There have been several reports of strange sounds coming up from the bottom of the well.”
“Did one of the lioness’s cubs fall down the well?” Ben asked.
“That’s the most likely explanation, yes,” said Uncle Stephen. “It’s probably calling out for its mother.”
Erika drove the car through an open gate toward a rough track. “That would also explain why the lioness won’t leave the area,” she added.
“Oh, that poor cub,” said Zoe.
“Don’t worry, sis,” Ben said. ”We’re going to rescue it!”
“And return it to its mother as soon as possible,” said Uncle Stephen.
Uncle Stephen’s voice grew serious. “Otherwise, the cub will soon starve to death,” he said. “We don’t know how long it’s been down the well, or if it’s injured. That’s why we’re flying you straight there.”
“We need to preserve as many Namibian lions as we can — especially the young ones,” Erika said. “Their numbers have been declining recently due to disease — and because of humans, unfortunately. People illegally hunt lions, and there have been several cases where lions were poisoned for being too close to farms.”
“You should land in Namibia in the morning — local time,” Uncle Stephen said. “Your equipment’s already been loaded onto the WILD Jet. There’ll be plenty of time on the journey for you to watch the desert training videos.”
“We learned about sandstorms in the climate chamber last time we were at WILD HQ,” Ben said, reminding their uncle.
“And that will come in very handy,” said Uncle Stephen. “But you also need to be able to survive ordinary desert conditions. The Kalahari is a dangerous place, so I’m glad you won’t be out there very long. Good luck. Over and out.”
Erika stopped the car next to a small plane idling on an airstrip. “You’ll be taking a vet’s kit with you in case the cub needs attention,” she said as they jumped out of the car. “And tranquilizer guns, of course.”
Ben nodded. “Good,” he said. “We don’t want the lioness eating us while we’re rescuing her cub!”
“How about ropes to climb down the well?” asked Zoe.
Erika nodded. “You know it,” she said. She swung open the doo
r of the plane so the twins could climb aboard. “Inside, there’s also lightweight clothing that reflects the sun to help keep you cool. It’s summer out there — and extremely hot.”
“What’s our new gadget, Erika?” asked Ben. “Uncle Stephen always comes up with something new and amazing for our missions.”
Erika strapped herself into her seat. “Your uncle’s really excited about this one,” she said, adjusting several knobs on the jet’s console. “But you can’t see it until we get to Namibia.”
“Then what are we waiting for?” said Zoe. “Let’s fly!”
“Wow!” Zoe said as she jumped down from the WILD Jet. She and Ben gazed all around them. Small bushes and plants pushed up through the red sandy soil of the Kalahari Desert. In the distance, smooth dunes rose up and down in hills and valleys. The morning sun was just peeping over the horizon. It cast long shadows over the entire desert.
Ben put on the goggles that he found in his backpack. The tinted lenses curved around his face for a perfect fit.
“These are pretty cool,” Ben said, striking a pose.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “Yeah, they’re cool all right,” she said. ”But you definitely aren’t!”
Erika chuckled as she climbed down from the cockpit. “They’re sun and sand goggles,” she said. “They’ll protect your eyes during sandstorms. Your uncle also gave them a zoom function, so you won’t need binoculars.” She pointed at the middle of the device. “There’s also a built-in light to help you see the cub in the well.”
“Wow,” Ben said. “Uncle Stephen’s really outdone himself this time.”
Erika smiled. “These aren’t your new gadgets,” she said. “You’ll see your new toy in a second. Anyway, how does the desert clothing fit?”
“Perfectly,” said Zoe. She did a little twirl in her lightweight shirt and pants. “And very comfortable.”
Ben groaned. “Nice moves, twinkle toes,” he said. Zoe stuck her tongue out at him.
“Can we see our new gadget now?” Ben asked.
“Yes,” said Erika. She walked to the rear of the plane. “I’d like to have landed closer to the well, but this is the nearest strip of land that’s clear of rocks. You have a few miles to travel, so you’ll be using a WASP.”
Ben and Zoe exchanged confused glances.
Erika smiled and pulled a lever. A hatch slowly opened. A ramp slid down until it was resting on the sand. Erika disappeared into the dark cargo hold for a moment.
When Erika appeared again, she was dragging something covered in a tarp down the ramp.
“This is the WASP,” said Erika. She pulled back the cover with a dramatic yank. “Also known as the Wind- and Solar-powered Pod.”
The twins gazed at the sleek, boat-shaped vehicle in front of them. It had a light frame with two seats, a small motor at the back, a gear-shifter, and a steering wheel.
“A dune buggy!” said Ben. “I’ve always wanted to try one of these.”
“This is no ordinary dune buggy,” said Erika. She reached into the frame of the vehicle and raised a telescopic mast. A shiny, silver sail extended from it. “This works the same way as a sail on a boat. The sail also acts as a solar panel. Even when it’s folded to the mast, it absorbs enough light to charge the engine’s battery. So even when there’s no wind, you won’t be stuck without power.”
“It’s awesome,” said Zoe.
Ben inspected the controls. “How fast does it go?” he asked. “After all, we might need to outrun a lion. They can sprint at speeds of 35 miles per hour over short distances, you know.”
Zoe rolled her eyes. Erika laughed. “Dr. Fisher told me to warn you to take it easy with them, Ben,” she said. “He designed the WASP to get you to your destination — not to race lionesses.”
Ben grinned. “I’m just glad it’s not another camel.” He grimaced, remembering a painful ride in Africa. “I should be able to stay on this thing.”
Erika loaded their backpacks onto the buggies. “I hope there’s lots of food in those,” said Ben.
“Do you ever stop thinking about food?” asked Zoe.
“There’s the usual rations,” Erika said. “There’s also a special powdered formula for the cub in case the mother isn’t able to feed him right away.”
“Did you know lions drink their mothers’ milk until they’re around six months old?” Ben said.
Zoe sighed. “Thank you, Mr. Know-it-all,” she said. “But they do start eating meat in addition to mother’s milk a while before that point.”
“You’ll just need to add water to the bottle for the cub’s milk,” said Erika. “There’s a water tank under the WASP’s frame. Remember to drink plenty yourselves. It’s very easy to get dehydrated out here.”
“I can’t wait to get going,” Ben said.
“Good!” said Erika. “I’m off to a wildlife park in Botswana now. There’s been an outbreak of blue tongue disease in the deer and antelope, and your uncle has developed a new, faster-acting vaccine. I’m delivering the first batch.”
“I’ve heard Mom and Dad talking about blue tongue disease,” said Zoe. “It can be fatal.”
Ben nodded. “And if the deer and the antelope die out, that means there will be less prey for predators like lions.”
“Speaking of predators, we can’t forget our scent dispersers,” said Zoe. She scrolled through her BUG menu and activated her disperser. “We don’t want any lions to think we’re meals-on-wheels.”
Ben chuckled. “Agreed,” he said.
Ben activated his scent disperser and jumped into the WASP’s driving seat. “Hop in, Zoe!” he called.
“Wait a sec,” said Zoe. “I was the champion go-kart driver. I should drive.”
Ben grinned. “If I remember correctly,” he said, “our last race ended in a tie!”
Zoe chuckled. “Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” she said.
“Make sure to keep your tranquilizer guns on you at all times,” said Erika, interrupting them.
Zoe nodded and climbed in next to her brother. “Don’t worry, we will,” she said.
Zoe called up the satellite map on her BUG. She pointed to distant sand dunes just beyond a clump of trees with gnarled trunks.
“It looks like we have to go east to get to the well,” Zoe said.
“Then we’ll need to use the engine,” said Ben. “There’s not much wind here.”
Zoe pulled down the sail, then Ben flicked a switch. The motor whirred gently to life.
“Bye, Erika!” said Zoe. “We’ll contact you the minute we get the cub back to its mother.” Zoe turned to her brother. “Take it slow and steady, Ben.”
Ben grinned. “I know what I’m doing,” he said.
As soon as Erika climbed into the plane, Ben slammed his foot into the accelerator. The WASP skidded across the bumpy earth, swerved from side to side, then stopped with a sudden jolt.
Ben looked at his sister’s shocked face and burst out laughing. “Just kidding,” he said with a grin. “You should see your face, though!”
Zoe playfully socked Ben in the arm. “Jerk,” she said.
Ben accelerated again, this time steering the vehicle slowly and expertly between the small boulders that littered the hard, red earth. Already the temperature was rising. Zoe and Ben pulled on their hats with flaps that covered their necks.
“Look!” Zoe said. “There’s something moving over there.”
Zoe set her glasses to full zoom.
“Hyenas,” Zoe said. “There’s no mistaking the way they hunch their backs. We should stay away from them.”
Ben nodded. He steered the WASP around a group of scraggly brown trees that were topped with small yellow leaves. “Check those out!” he said. “I read about them on the plane. They’re elephant’s trunk plants.”
Ben wove between low plants and sparse patch
es of grass.
“This is a very strange place,” said Zoe. “There’s more vegetation than I expected.”
The sun rose in the sky. A light breeze blew up. “Time to raise the sails!” said Ben.
“Don’t worry,” Zoe said. “The expert’s here to handle it.”
Ben gave her a mocking salute. “Aye, aye, Captain!” he said.
Ben brought the WASP to a stop and flicked a switch to turn off the engine. Zoe climbed into the driver’s seat and released the sail. It billowed out and caught the wind immediately. Soon the WASP was sailing from side to side across the sand.
“Awesome!” yelled Zoe. “It’s almost as fun as real sailing.”
“Better than real sailing!” Ben yelled back. He checked the map, holding tightly to his BUG as they jolted along. “We’re almost there. Just another mile or so.”
“There’s a hollow up ahead,” said Zoe, peering out over the shimmering landscape. “And I can hear goats.”
“We’d better check it out,” said Ben. “There could be people looking after their herds down there. If so, we’ll have to change our route so they don’t see us.”
“Agreed,” said Zoe. “Two children traveling on their own out here? They’d definitely try to stop us. They wouldn’t know we’re on a vital mission or that we have the skills to survive here.”
“And we couldn’t tell them,” said Ben. Zoe nodded.
Zoe let the sail flap loose as Ben braked. The buggy came to rest behind a clump of thorny bushes.
They climbed out and crept across the hot sand to where the land dipped away. Using the bushes and grass as cover, they were able to glance down at a herd of goats in the valley below. They were grazing while being watched over by two small figures.
“They’re just kids,” said Ben. “Let’s go talk to them.”
“Do you think we should?” Zoe asked. “After all, we don’t want to attract attention to ourselves.”
“Maybe they know something useful,” said Ben. “They probably know about the well we’re looking for. They might even be able to tell us if the lioness is still there.”
