Explorer Academy THE TIGER’S NEST TRUDI TRUEIT under the Stars National Geographic
ONLY IF WE UNDERSTAND WILL WE CARE ONLY IF WE CARE WILL WE HELP ONLY IF WE HELP SHALL ALL BE SAVED Dr Jane Goodall primatologist and conservationist 27 4920 N 89 3634 E
1 SOMALIA KENYA TANZANIA Secychelles COMOROS INDIAN OCEAN MOZAMBIQUE MADAGASCAR ALDABRA ATOLL SEYCHELLES WHERE WAS ORION Seated beside Captain Roxas in the helicopter Cruz scanned the blue swells below for a crest of white Two days ago Explorer Academy’s flagship had sailed from Kenya Without him First a snowstorm had delayed Cruz’s flight from New York then mechanical problems with the plane had kept him grounded in Istanbul Finally he’d made it to Mombasa where Orion’s helicopter pilot was waiting to fly him out to the ship in the western Indian Ocean Cruz had enjoyed semester break with his dad in Kauai They’d worked at the Goofy Foot surf shop ate their fill of pepperoni and sausage sausage pizza with extra cheese and surfed whenever they’d had a spare minute It was like old times Still Cruz couldn’t stop thinking about his mother’s cell regeneration formula Four months ago Cruz wasn’t sure he’d be able to find even a single piece of the cipher and now he was halfway to his goal Only four pieces to go He was anxious to rejoin his friends and open the holo journal for the fifth clue An angular silhouette appeared on the horizon Cruz squinted against the glare of the noon sun off the ocean his heart thumping so loudly he was sure Captain Roxas could hear it above the engine Was that It was They’d found Orion The ship however wasn’t in motion It had stopped a few miles west of an island 5
