The Ideas Pirates Read online

  Jason went white. He blustered. ‘You mean the flowers?’

  ‘Or the pop group? I’m not sure.’

  Just then the metallic voice of the speaker sounded.

  ‘Dr Chung. Is Dr Chung, a passenger to Sydney, in the airport please? Could he contact the information desk please?’’

  A small, neat man in a dark suit walked up to the counter. His dark hair glistened and his skin was very clear. His eyes sparkled.

  He was carrying a bulging ,black brief case made from soft leather.

  ‘I’m Doctor Chung.’

  ‘There’s a message for you sir. The orchid formula is ready. It will be sent to you in Sydney. Could you please ring this number before you leave.’

  Christopher watched the attendant pass Dr Chung a scribbled phone number and a thick envelope.

  ‘Thank you,’ said Dr Chung in a soft voice, accepting the envelope. He didn’t open it immediately. Did that mean it was secret or that he knew exactly what was inside already? What kind of orchid formula?

  Or was he getting mysteritus from Amy?

  Christopher stared through the floor length window at the baggage trolleys where a man with a clipboard was fussing. Christopher took a photo. The caterers’ van came away from the plane and the cleaners left too, carrying bags of rubbish.

  Christopher kept shooting. When he looked down, Amy’s bag had gone!

  ‘Hey...’ He turned. Jason was fiddling with the flap of Amy’s bag.

  ‘What are you doing with that?’

  ‘Sorry thought it was undone.’

  Christopher didn’t believe him.

  ‘Just looking to see if the catch was the same as mine,’ said Jason.

  That bit might have been true.

  ‘Say! ‘ Jason tugged Christopher and he nearly dropped the cam.

  ‘Why was your sister chasing that guy? Did he give her something earlier? When she was standing near the queue with her backpack?’

  ‘Why don’t you ask her?’ Christopher was getting suspicious. ‘She’s gone to the toilet but she’ll be back in a minute.’

  What if the e-disc was meant for him? Christopher wasn’t sure what to do. Amy had the parcel with her.

  Jason had obviously been checking the outside pockets on her bag thinking she’d put the e-disc in there. It was all very suspicious. Why had the man run away? If it was just an honest mistake, why hadn’t he spoken to them? How well did Jason know the man? Or was he just expecting someone to come to the airport. Was the parcel illegal? Or was it just a mix up? Was Jason an ideas pirate? If so, whose ideas was he pirating?

  Was Jason the one Gloria wanted them to watch? Or was he too obvious?

  Christopher ‘shot’ another catering truck through the floor-length glass window. Next the baggage train being driven to the aircraft with a sniffer dog and handler nearby. Then he shot Amy walking towards him, with Jason talking to someone in the background.

  As a final shot, he took one of the overhead Departure monitor. He wasn’t sure if the lighted places and times would turn out properly Some of these could go in his ‘airfield’ project for next term.

  ‘Jason wanted to know if anybody gave you anything, while you were waiting in the queue?’

  Amy glanced at her brother. She knew he was suspicious of something or someone- and Jason was right there!

  ‘Why? Have you lost something?’

  Jason shrugged. ‘Not exactly. Can’t lose something you didn’t have.’

  ‘What’s that mean?’ asked Amy.

  ‘No worries. You win some and you lose some.’ Jason walked towards the scanner, put his hand-luggage on the revolving belt below the PLACE BAGS ON BELT sign and went through the security doorway.

  It beeped! Jason was stopped. The security officer ‘wanded’ him down, checking for weapons.

  ‘Beep. Beep. beep.’

  The wand stopped near his pocket. Jason pulled out his bunch of keys.

  ‘Please leave your keys on the belt next time, sir..’ The security officer waved him through.

  Chapter 5

  Spider Person

  Amy watched passengers going through the scanner. She looked for the Slipper Orchid man. Security staff put bags on a special checker, then they whipped coloured tape around . There was a puff of something like dust.

  TV monitors were watched carefully. One screen was coloured. The other was black and white. It was like an Xray. You could see the shapes inside the bags.

  ‘Look!’ Christopher peered behind as Dr Chung’s bag went through. ‘It looks like the bone from a skeleton!’

  ‘The customs people didn’t pull him up so it must be okay.’

  But Christopher was still suspicious. He told her about the doctor’s ‘orchid’ message earlier. ‘That might have been a clue.’

  ‘To what?’ Amy was more interested in the next man in line.

  ‘Look. What d’you notice about him?’ she nudged her brother. Christopher stared .

  ‘Looks grubby. But he’s wearing Nike joggers which cost . They don’t fit with the flared trousers. Unusual black buckle on his belt. Looks like an insect-shape.’

  ‘His gold Rolex watch is expensive.’

  ‘Might be a fake. He needs a shave and a haircut. His sunglasses cover up his eyes. Remember what Gloria said. Look for something that doesn’t fit. He’s sweating.’

  ‘Singapore’s hot.’

  ‘Yes, but he’s only carrying one small bag and a video cassette. And his pants are very baggy.’

  ‘Baggy enough to cover up something strapped to his legs.’ suggested Amy.

  Edwina was strapped inside her backpack. She was a bear essential to travelling. She travelled everywhere with Amy, but hidden in a backpack not out in the open like the gnome. And Amy wasn’t a wildlife smuggler. Baggy Pants put a cassette case carefully on the moving scanner.

  ‘Okay to put this through?’

  ‘Yes sir. It won’t hurt your content.’ The neatly dressed staff were very polite.

  ‘You’re quite sure it won’t hurt what’s inside?’ The man looked worried.

  Amy turned sideways to read his name tag. It said SEBASTIAN someone and a lot of squiggles.

  ‘The cassette is very light, sir.’

  ‘A short movie,’ muttered the man.

  ‘What’s it about?’

  ‘Spiders,’ muttered the man.

  ‘Excuse me sir, what’s in your top pocket?’ The security guard put his hand on Sebastion’s shoulder.

  ‘Er ...’ Sebastian didn’t want to show him. His hand protected his pocket.

  ‘Nothing much.’

  ‘Could we see, please sir?’

  Slowly, Sebastion pulled something out of his pocket. A small, crushproof box.

  Quickly, the guard opened it.

  ‘Careful!’ said Sebastion. ‘Don’t hurt them!’

  ‘Them?’ The guard moved more cautiously. ‘What are they?’ He peered into the darkness of the box.

  ‘Spiders!’

  ‘In there?’ The guard dropped the box. Christopher dived and caught it, just before it reached the ground. He held it between his two hands, just as some black legs moved out of the box and onto his arm.

  ‘Yuk!’

  ‘Careful! I had five immature spiders in there. Don’t hurt them. I love spiders.’

  ‘Must be a spider-freak,’ muttered Amy. ‘What would you do with them when you got them home?’

  ‘That’s what I was going to ask,’ muttered the guard.’

  ‘I keep them in my linen cupboard. I just look at them.’

  ‘Well, not these ones sir. We’ll have to look after them for a while.’ Busily the guard put the spiders into a larger container. ‘I’ve had a hitch hiker before but not one like this!’

  ‘What do you m
ean, “hitchhiker”?’ As usual, Amy was curious.

  ‘Spiders get caught up on luggage and come for the ride. Usually they’re outside on the baggage. They might fly from country to country without anyone realising.’

  ‘Is that a problem?’

  ‘Spiders are difficult to test. They might be carrying disease .But giving them a blood test or any other kind of test to find out, is hard.’

  ‘You mean their legs are too thin?’ suggested Christopher.

  ‘Mmm. Okay ,that’s fine sir. Through you go.’

  Another officer watched the screen as the cassette-case passed through the scanner. Amy peered , but she couldn’t quite see. The doorway beeped as Sebastian went through, so security ‘wanded him down’ with the hair-dryer look-a-like. He emptied his pockets. Wallet, comb, ticket and keys.

  ‘Ping Ping Ping.’ The wand got excited near his belt.

  ‘It’s your belt buckle, sir.’

  The electronic reader reacted to the spider buckle. Sebastian undid it. The security officer looked closely at the spider shape.

  ‘That’s okay ,sir. It’s not live. You may go.’

  Sebastian looked very relieved. He collected his cassette-case and cradled it in his arms. Amy watched him. It was unusual for someone to be so careful with a cassette.

  Still talking, Winston hurried up with his attendant. Furtively he dropped something in the bin.

  Then he saw the airlines forbidden goods display in the glass case and stopped. ‘Cool! Ace spider!’

  ‘You just missed some of his little cousins,’ Christopher explained.

  Amy peered at the aerosol sprays, lighters and matches. Amongst the forbidden goods , the model of a spider with black hairy legs looked scary.

  ‘I’m going to shoot it,’ said Christopher.

  Winston misunderstood. ‘Don’t do that! Oh...’ Then he saw the camera.

  Amy hoped that photo wouldn’t turn out, but Christopher had read the instructions now, so she didn’t think much of her chances.

  ‘I’ve got a spider.’ Winston reached into his bum-bag and found his wallet.

  He pulled out a photo. ‘Look. This is Tammy.’

  It was one of those family photos. Mum,Dad, two kids and the family pet.

  Only the pet was a bit hard to see. Amy could see Winston’s hand stretched out to the camera. But she couldn’t see what was on it. She pushed back her glasses.

  ‘See. This is a close-up!’

  Winston flipped on to the next photo.

  ‘What sort is it?’

  ‘Tarantula.’

  ‘Yuk!’

  There on a giant hand was a giant spider. Luckily it was just a photo.

  ‘This is my pet Tammy on my hand!’

  ‘Tammy the tarantula? How do you know it’s a girl?’ Amy wasn’t keen on going that close. Winston shrugged.

  ‘How would you keep a tarantula quiet enough to smuggle on a plane ?’ asked Christopher.

  ‘Bang it on the head with a towel,’ suggested Amy. ‘Or use your foot, hard!’

  Then she looked more serious. ‘ Perhaps they spray them, or freeze them?’

  ‘I know about spiders.’ Motor- Mouth Winston couldn’t help telling her. ‘Cold blooded creatures slow down when they’re cool. Then they’ll stay in a crush- proof box. They don’t need much oxygen.’

  Then the twins realised why Sebastian had his spiders in a box. Amy was fascinated. ‘Would smugglers need to put the tarantula to sleep?’

  ‘Not really. Cold blooded creatures don’t need much oxygen. Sometimes collectors just wrap them in a box. The cooler it is, the less the spider moves.’

  ‘You know a lot about spiders.’ Christopher said admiringly. ‘Should have been here five minutes ago. They found some baby spiders in a box on the guy called Sebastian.’

  ‘That’s not fair! They wouldn’t let me bring MY pet on holiday.’

  The security man overheard Winston. He said. ‘ Lots of people keep pet spiders. Then they want to bring them on holiday and get upset when they can’t. We don’t understand enough yet about spiders’ diseases and how they spread. Even with designer pets!’

  On the other side of the scanner, Baggy Pants seemed to be listening as he collected his cassette and bag.

  ‘Like us and Tammy.’ said Winston crossly. ‘What about colour coordinated pets then? Are they banned too?’

  ‘Do some owners really like to have colour coordinated pets’

  Was Winston joking? Amy wasn’t sure. After all, she changed her clip-on glasses frames to match her T shirts. Now she was pink, while earlier she’d been rainbow.

  ‘Designer pets. That’s how some spiders are treated now in the States!’ Winston was getting wound up on a favourite subject: ANYTHING HE knew about!

  ‘Are you joking? Does that mean the owners design the pet?’ Christopher said thoughtfully.’ What about stripy spiders? Or red and white gnomes.’

  They all laughed but Amy squirmed. Which pet would design an owner with a matching Motor Mouth? A frog? Or a cocky?

  ‘Singapore’s hot. Maybe a spider would wake up and move around here? Even with the air conditioning.’

  Amy shuddered and then pretended she hadn’t as Christopher nudged her.

  ‘There’s the scanner guy.’

  Big Ben wore white loafers and those light pants you can wash overnight. As the big man picked up his bag, he dropped something. The film canister rolled under the seat. Christopher bent over and picked it up. He went to give it back to the man but, at that moment ,he elbowed past and Amy screamed.

  A real spider ran across the floor.

  ‘Ahhhhh.’ Then she was mad at herself for giving in to a fear girls were supposed to have. But she really didn’t like spiders!

  ‘Another hitchhiker,’ said the security man. ‘ Caught on someone’s bag.’

  He went to stamp on it, but Baggy Pants Sebastian turned, raced back through the scanner doorway and stopped him.

  ‘Spiders are beautiful creatures. Let it go!’ He tried to pick it up but the spider ran out of sight under the seats.

  Amy tried to link “spiders”with “beautiful” in her head but it didn’t quite work.

  ‘You must go back inside now sir,’ said the security officer. ‘You’ve been passed through security. You were in the sterile area. We’ll look after the spider. Quarantine will find it.’

  Baggy Pants Sebastian looked really upset. Amy knew how he felt. She wasn’t keen on a spider running around either.

  But the security scanner line had to keep moving. There were so many passengers.

  ‘Hurry up.’ Next came Big Ben .

  With a slight accent, he asked,’ Will my cassette be okay to go through the scanner? It won’t wipe the content will it? I’d like to show my family where we went.’

  ‘That’ll be fine sir. Was this your first visit to Singapore sir?’

  ‘Er. no.’

  The official looked closely at the passport. ‘You’ve been here several times sir. About three times a year over the past few years, on the way to Australia.’

  ‘Er yes. We’re a hobby group... a sort of club.’ Big Ben looked worried, as if he had said too much.

  ‘What type of club, sir?’ The Singapore security man sounded as though he was just being friendly.

  But his eyes watched the man closely.

  ‘Er ... a naturalists’ club.’

  ‘A nudist club sir?’

  Amy giggled. She knew what nudist meant. People who went swimming without any bathers.

  ‘No,’ said Big Ben quickly. ‘We’re lovers of nature...bird watchers.’

  ‘Is that why you had that map in the scanner-photocopier?’ asked Christopher.

  ‘Oh!’ The big man turned around and recognised Christopher. He looked annoyed and s
ounded upset. ‘Have you looked closely at our map?’

  ‘Er, yes,’ admitted Christopher. ‘So did my sister.’

  ‘I see. Well, so long as no-one else did.’ He strode through the security barrier.

  Winston had been listening. ‘What’s he on about?’

  ‘He might have thanked you.’ Amy was cross. ‘Do you remember all the places on it?’

  ‘I memorised where the crosses were.’ Christopher had a picture mind.

  Sometimes that was useful for an airport sleuth. But he’d also forgotten to return that film canister. He slipped it in his pocket with his spare roll. He’d return it later, during the flight. Going for a walk around the plane looking for Big Ben would be something to do to help fill in the time.

  Chapter 6

  Fake Fifis

  On the shiny floor, just ahead of Amy, was a passport. On the cover was Singapore in gold print. The pages fluttered open. Was it a joke? Had someone stuck it down, like a fake coin? No, it wasn’t April 1st. Amy bent down and picked it up. The passport wasn’t stuck, it was real.

  A passport was very, very important. How could anyone be so careless?

  Amy opened the cover. Inside was the photo of the owner. The face was familiar. Amy recognised her. On the next pages were the dates and place stamps of lots of countries. This passport owner had been in America, France and Australia in just one year. A frequent traveller! But where was she now?

  Amy looked up.

  Just ahead, Fifi was going into the LADIES again, this time near their Gateway 8 Lounge. Amy followed her. ‘Excuse me!’ From the back Fifi looked like a gently swaying number eight shape. Her arms were spread around bags, the gnome and a jacket.

  ‘You dropped your passport!’ called Amy handing it to her.

  ‘Oh, I’m carrying too many things. Thank you, darlingk.’ As Fifi stretched out her hand to take the passport, she dropped the gnome.

  Her bag was open, it slowly dropped and everything fell onto the floor.

  ‘Oh no!’ said Fifi. In the flurry, she dropped her passport again. The gnome fell too. Like the good netballer she was, Amy made a move and grabbed the gnome by the nose , but it slipped, fell, rolled and ...