Kelly glanced at the leaflet, then saw something that made her take notice. She read it out: ‘ “Stop secret US experiments” — what’s all this about?’ She scan-read the rest of the text and made a contemptuous noise. ‘Typical environmental scaremongering. They always make Americans out to be the bad guys.’ She handed the leaflet to Ben. ‘Your mom might know who these retards are.’
Ben read the leaflet. The contents were actually quite weird.
Not far from Adelaide, in the Great Victoria Desert near Coober Pedy, the American military built a listening station a couple of years ago. Ever since then, the people of Coober Pedy have been stricken by a number of strange sicknesses. Depression, skin diseases, strange allergies and migraines have all doubled in the Coober Pedy population. Not only that, but farm animals have been becoming ill, for reasons that vets are unable to explain. We want to know what goes on there. Are they polluting the water? The atmosphere? Are they releasing radiation or biological particles? This American-built listening station is counted as US soil. They do not have to stick to our laws — the laws that protect the environment and the people who live and work there. They do not have to declare what goes on there. Worse, if these sicknesses travel, could Adelaide—
The rest was charred and unreadable. But after reading it, the sound of the police officer’s radio crackling away in the background seemed quite eerie.
‘Son, why might your mother know about this leaflet?’
‘She’s an environmental scientist,’ Ben said. ‘Her name’s Dr Bel Kelland and she’s speaking at the conference centre today.’
The officer passed Ben his notebook and pen. ‘Can you give me her contact details?’
Ben wrote down his mum’s mobile number and passed the pad back. ‘I doubt she’d know these people. She deals with more serious stuff: tsunamis and things. Governments come to her for advice. She doesn’t hang around with fringe groups and nutters.’
Kelly leaned back in her chair, her arms folded. ‘Officer, do you really think the fire was started deliberately?’
‘Miss, we get one or two deliberate fires in Adelaide every month. There’s a small proportion of the population who like to see things burn.’ The officer put his pen and notepad away.
‘Why would environmental protestors start a fire?’ asked Ben. ‘That’s not very green, is it?’
The police officer put his hat back on. ‘I admit it seems strange.’
The radio on his shoulder crackled and this time it was louder. ‘Fire on Veale Gardens. Engines have been dispatched. Fire investigation officers, stand by.’
He sighed. ‘That’s another fire. Thanks for your time. If either of you folks remember anything later on, give the station a call. Keep that leaflet, and if you see your mum before I do, would you show it to her?’
Ben nodded.
As soon as the officer had gone, Kelly looked at her watch. ‘You’re probably hungry. We should go to the cafeteria.’
Ben didn’t feel remotely interested in food. ‘I only got about two minutes’ flying,’ he protested. ‘I thought I was going to get a proper lesson.’
‘It’s quite strenuous,’ said Kelly. ‘Two minutes is a lot of time to concentrate if you’re only thirteen.’ She started to walk towards the cafeteria.
Ben fumed. He wasn’t going to let her brush him off like that. He caught up with her and spoke in a low voice. ‘If you take me up again and give me a proper lesson I’ll go and amuse myself this afternoon so you can chat up George on reception.’
Kelly stopped in her tracks. She looked at him, astonished. Her voice came out as an incredulous whisper. ‘How do you know he’s called George?’
‘His records were on the desk in the manager’s office. I know other things about him too, which I might tell you later.’ Ben put on a pleasant smile and indicated the direction of the front door. ‘Shall we go for a spin?’
Chapter Six
Wanasri was having a busy day. Engine 33 had been called to a two-storey warehouse on the edge of town. Two teams were already there, playing hoses over the flames, but the fire was licking through the walls and the floors. A giant plume of black smoke hung in the air, blotting out the sun. Nearby, in the drive of the warehouse next door, a group of twenty or more people had gathered, watching the fire with expressions of dismay. A few of them were probably bystanders, but the rest were employees evacuated from the building.
As Wanasri jumped down from the truck, she saw three firefighters in breathing masks coming out of the building. Their turnout gear was glistening wet and they were moving slowly, as though their clothes were very heavy. She had seen that distinctive walk before; it meant the heat was taking its toll. Inside the ware-house must be very hot — much hotter than the fire they had just been to.
Petra gave Wanasri and the others a pep talk as they pulled on their gear. ‘The other crews have cleared the ground floor. You’ve got to check the top floor. The guys think the manager is up there as he’s the only one unaccounted for. The fire’s been knocked back to the ground floor, so you’ll have to be quick. Take breathing gear.’ She opened a hatch at the side of the red truck. Backpacks and masks were hanging there ready on pegs.
Wanasri picked up a breathing pack and shrugged it over her bony shoulders onto her back.
Andy was watching her as she did up the fastening. ‘Is this your first time inside?’
Wanasri guessed Andy was wondering if she would freeze again. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I’ll be OK.’ She took down a mask, wiped the visor clean and pulled it over her head. It smelled of rubber and smoke. She took a few moments to acclimatize. She hated wearing the mask. You couldn’t see very well through the goggles and it stopped you hearing anything but your own breathing. And it was always unsettling to put one on and breathe the smell of the previous fire. It always made Wanasri wonder, How had that one turned out?
Darren clapped her on the back. ‘Come on, let’s go!’
Wanasri pulled her helmet on, grabbed a small extinguisher and ran with them up the metal fire escape on the outside of the building. Darren jemmied open the fire door with a crowbar and they were in.
The interior of the building was black with smoke. The heat was like opening an oven door.
Although the Engine 33 crew carried small extinguishers, it wasn’t their job now to put out flames. Wanasri, Petra, Darren and Andy would have to rely on the firefighters outside to do that.
Petra switched on her torch and touched Darren on the shoulder. That was the signal to pair off. They started to walk carefully into the darkened warehouse. The smoke swallowed them up. They became invisible, except for flashes of torchlight glancing on glowing yellow bands.
Wanasri and Andy set off towards the right-hand side of the building. They stayed close together, walking slowly. Wanasri’s amplified breathing sucked and rasped in her ears. Her torch turned the smoke into glowing fog. They had to move by feel, which made the search process agonizingly slow. That was why they needed four people to search one floor in a warehouse.
Along the middle of the room, a series of metal shelves was stacked with surfboards. The paint was peeling in the heat. Wanasri noted that and was glad of her mask. She was a surfer herself and knew the materials in the boards could combust and give off poisonous fumes.
She noticed that the fire was licking along the skirting boards. Were her eyes getting used to the gloom, or was the fire on the floor below burning harder? At this rate, it wouldn’t be long before the walls up here caught as well.
Wanasri took another step and felt something give under her feet. Too late, she registered what was happening. The floorboards had given way, and she was crashing through! Beyond her feet was a hungry mass of flames.