Kensy paid for her soft serve cone, which had already begun to melt before she’d taken the first lick. Max sensibly ordered his lemon gelato in a cup with a spoon, though he’d probably be able to drink it in a few minutes.

  ‘Kensy,’ the boy called from where he was standing near one of the tables, away from the rest of the group.

  She spun around and walked over to him. Autumn was busy talking to Yasmina and Inez about a new idea they’d had for building a bridge in case that happened to be one of the challenges tomorrow. To be sure that no one else heard their call, the twins wandered into the adjacent ginger garden. Mrs Vanden Boom had given everyone ten minutes to get ice-creams and go to the toilet.

  Max dialled their father.

  ‘Hello, Max,’ Ed said. There was a lightness in his voice that the children hadn’t heard for days.

  ‘Kensy’s with me too, Dad,’ the boy said.

  ‘Well, that’s great. I was just going to give you both a call,’ the man replied. ‘I have some good news.’

  ‘Is Granny awake?’ Kensy asked, then furiously gobbled at her ice-cream, which was now dribbling down her hand. She could feel her eyes prickling with tears.

  ‘She sure is, kiddo,’ Ed said. ‘Your mother just called from the clinic. Granny woke up about an hour ago. So far all her vital signs are looking good and it would seem that she’s going to make a full recovery. She still can’t speak and that may be the case for some time yet.’

  ‘Oh, Dad, that’s amazing!’ Max said, and began to cry. The boy had been on tenterhooks for days and the news opened the floodgates that he’d been doing so well to hold back up to now.

  ‘I know, it’s wonderful,’ their father said. He sounded teary too. ‘She’s a tough old bird.’

  There was a rustling of branches then someone said, ‘Oh, boo hoo, the little boy is crying. What a sooky pants. He probably misses his mama.’

  ‘Hang on a second, Dad,’ Kensy said, then marched towards the source of the sound. Max quickly wiped his eyes and took off after her, putting the phone on mute.

  Kensy pulled the foliage apart and came face to face with none other than the tall boy who had told everyone loudly at the Gardens by the Bay that his team was going to win. Behind him were several other children.

  ‘What are you doing, spying on us?’ Kensy asked.

  ‘We are not spying. I just heard the little boy crying and I was worried,’ he said.

  ‘That’s a lie and we both know it. And if you don’t want a punch in the nose then I suggest you head straight back to your group right now,’ Kensy threatened, clenching her fist and raising it up beside her. But the boy didn’t seem to care.

  ‘You? Punch me in the nose? I’d like to see that,’ he said, then laughed.

  ‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Kensy said. ‘I can assure you.’ But the boy didn’t react, simply gathering his posse around him before disappearing, leaving Kensy and Max alone again.

  ‘Sorry, Dad. Kensy just had to deal with some kid who was eavesdropping. He’s lucky he doesn’t have a black eye. Does Mr MacGregor know about Granny?’ Max asked.

  ‘Not yet, but I was going to send him a message. I’m sure that he’ll be relieved,’ Ed said.

  ‘We can tell him when we see him,’ Max said. His father agreed.

  ‘What about Sidney?’ Kensy asked. ‘Have you found him?’

  There was a pause. ‘No, but Song and Fitz are on it. You don’t need to worry. Rupert’s joined the hunt and Song has a good lead.’

  Max spotted Curtis walking to the toilets. The boy looked over and gave them a wave. They had to go soon.

  ‘So, do you know who tried to kill Granny?’ Max asked.

  ‘We think so,’ Ed said. ‘Sidney was taken by a woman who goes by the name of Cameron Lu. She works for Honesto Huang.’

  ‘Huang?’ Kensy was surprised. ‘Isn’t he the guy that shot at us from the Thames in that speedboat? You never said his first name was Honesto – that’s a joke, right?’

  ‘I can only agree Huang’s name is more than a touch ironic,’ Ed said. ‘He was born and raised in the Philippines but his father was Taiwanese, and, yes, he’s the guy from the river.’

  ‘Who’s Cameron Lu?’ Max asked.

  ‘I’m afraid she’s one of the most dangerous people on the planet – she’ll square up to anyone,’ Ed said.

  ‘Do you know where they are now?’ Max asked. ‘I thought Huang fled to America. If he’s back in England, that’s a huge concern.’ The idea that Huang and his cronies were moving around the world, plotting attacks against their family, was deeply troubling.

  ‘Not exactly. But you’re not to worry about any of that,’ the man said. ‘Singapore is the last place on earth Huang would go – their security systems mean he couldn’t get into the country if he tried, and it’s far too rigid for him to do any business there.’

  ‘But you think he’s in Asia somewhere?’ Kensy said.

  ‘Most likely, but it’s a very large continent, darling. Intelligence suggests he’s probably gone to ground in the Philippines. He still has plenty of connections there,’ Ed said. ‘He won’t be heading to Taiwan – that’s where he most recently escaped from prison – and he’s wanted in a number of other countries too.’

  ‘You’re sure that we shouldn’t worry? You do remember that another one of their cronies attacked us too?’ Kensy said.

  ‘Well, that’s the thing. We’re not sure that the person who attacked you has any link to Lu and Huang. Song has been over our house with the new DNA scanner and there’s nothing to point to them. There was something odd, which we’re still having analysed, but we’ll talk about it when you get home. Trust me, you’re as safe as houses there in Singapore. And you’ve got Magoo and Tippie and all of the other staff looking after you. Just enjoy the trip, and have fun at your competition. Song will find Sidney. They’re twins – they have a sixth sense, like you two,’ the man said.

  ‘We have to go, Dad,’ Max said. He could see the group gathered in the distance and Mrs Vanden Boom counting heads. They didn’t want to upset her.

  ‘Love you both, and I’ll tell Granny how pleased you are to have her back,’ the man said, and with that he clicked off the line.

  ‘I can’t believe it,’ Kensy said, a wave of relief engulfing her body.

  ‘I knew she’d pull through,’ Max said with a firm nod.

  ‘No, you didn’t. You were just as worried as I was,’ Kensy said.

  ‘True.’ Max grinned at his sister.

  ‘Kensington? Maxim?’ they heard Mrs Vanden Boom calling.

  The children rushed from the garden and around the back of the kiosk.

  ‘Sorry – just had to wash our hands,’ Kensy lied.

  ‘Come along then, everyone,’ Romilly said. ‘I think you’ll like this exhibit – there’s a mist house inside, as well as some of the most beautiful flowers you’re ever likely to see.’

  The idea that there might be some relief from the heat perked everyone up.

  ‘You look happier,’ Autumn remarked to Kensy, who slipped in beside her friend, a huge grin on her face.

  ‘Oh, I am,’ Kensy said. ‘I wish I could say the same about you.’

  She’d noticed Autumn looking at her phone on the bus ride to the gardens and frowning a lot.

  ‘I told you, I’m fine.’ Autumn squeezed her friend’s hand then dropped it immediately. ‘Ew, yuck! Clearly you weren’t washing your hands.’ The girl pulled a wet wipe from her backpack and passed it to her friend.

  ‘No, we were talking to Dad,’ Kensy replied. ‘And I promise I’ll tell you everything as soon as I can. Under one condition though – you have to tell me what’s up with you too.’

  The minibus pulled up outside the zoo entrance. During the forty-minute journey from their hotel, Mr Reffell had given the children a potted history of the park, which was apparently huge. It comprised of the Singapore Zoo, the Night Safari and the River Safari. The latter was where they were headed. The three attractions, along with the Jurong Bird Park, were managed by Wildlife Reserves Singapore. Their tour of the River Safari was to be followed by a barbecue dinner and an opportunity for the competitors to meet each other before the World STEM Championships started tomorrow.

  ‘I think I’ve got anxiety,’ Alfie said as he stepped down onto the kerb.

  Carlos was right behind him. ‘Anxiety – is that what you call it now?’ the boy gasped, then fanned his hand in front of his face. ‘I don’t think that chilli crab you had at lunch has done you any favours.’

  ‘I guess you could say it’s nerve gas,’ Alfie said, then started to chuckle.

  ‘It’s gross, that’s what it is,’ Max replied, scrunching up his nose. It was fortunate that the three of them had been last off the bus, although Max felt sorry for the poor driver.

  Mrs Vanden Boom gathered the children together outside the zoo’s entrance. The promenade was busy and the taxi rank almost full. There looked to be just as many people leaving as there were arriving, which made sense as the main zoo was closing soon and the River Safari was closing early to the general public so that the contestants and their supervisors could have the run of the place.

  Kensy was watching a young woman manoeuvring a double pram along the concourse towards the car park. Perhaps she had twins. She was even more glamorous than Tippie MacGregor, and that was saying something.

  As the woman passed by, Kensy could see that the children in the pram were completely obscured by a cloth covering. Unless there was air-conditioning inside the buggy, she thought it would have been incredibly uncomfortable.

  Kensy gave the woman a smile, but she was on the phone and seemed to be on the lookout for something or someone. Probably a taxi – it was a very popular and inexpensive mode of transport here as cars cost a fortune.

  There was something about the woman that Kensy found intriguing. Maybe it was the fact that she was so well dressed, without a bead of perspiration and in towering heels. Perhaps it was only the tourists that got around looking like they’d just run a marathon. The locals were obviously more used to the heat.

  Mrs Vanden Boom had just returned from the ticket booth with their guide for the tour. She introduced Nicole, who explained what they’d be doing, but Kensy was still watching the woman with the pram. She bumped down from the kerb onto the roadway and Kensy noticed a toy fall from the buggy. The girl ran to pick it up without hesitation.

  ‘Excuse me!’ Kensy called out, but the woman didn’t stop. She was hurrying across the street towards a black van parked in the taxi rank.

  ‘Excuse me!’ Kensy called again. ‘You dropped this.’ The girl waved the toy in the air.

  This time she got the woman’s attention.

  Kensy held out the plush orangutan.

  The woman looked at her. ‘Where did you get that?’ she snapped.

  ‘It fell out of your pram. I’m a twin too. Once, my brother Max threw my favourite teddy, Fink, out of our buggy while Dad was taking us for a walk. I was asleep, but my mum says when I woke up and realised he was gone I cried for two days until someone returned him. I wouldn’t want your little one to be upset,’ Kensy prattled.

  ‘Yes, of course. Thank you,’ the woman said, snatching the toy.

  ‘Can I take a peek?’ the girl asked.

  ‘No!’ the woman barked, then softened. ‘No, the babies are sleeping. It has taken hours of walking to send them off.’

  Kensy nodded. ‘I understand.’ She giggled when she saw another flash of orange poking out from the covers, but it quickly disappeared again. One of the children must have stirred then clutched their toy tighter. They probably had the same things. She and Max had had the same toys sometimes too.

  Kensy heard Autumn calling her and turned to see that her group was heading inside. ‘I’d better go,’ she said, spinning back around. But surprisingly the woman, the pram and the van were gone.

  ‘That must have been a world record,’ Kensy muttered to herself, wondering how the woman had got the children into the van and the pram folded in such quick time. It didn’t even seem possible.

  Kensy shrugged and ran back to join the others.

  Autumn grinned. ‘Was she grateful?’

  Kensy frowned. ‘Oh, the toy. Not especially, but I did the right thing.’

  The students from Central London Free walked through the gates.

  There were signs welcoming everyone – not only to the zoo but to Singapore – for the World STEM Championships. There were forty groups from countries around the world attending, totalling just over six hundred students and staff. The whole thing was being sponsored by a reclusive billionaire who had made his money in technology. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for the students and their teachers.

  ‘This way,’ Nicole said, leading the Central London Free School group to the Mississippi River exhibit, with its alligator snapping turtle, and past the Congo, where an African dwarf crocodile was lying lazily on a semi-submerged tree trunk. The park was themed according to some of the world’s biggest and most diverse river systems, so there were a lot of amphibians. There was much excitement when the students passed by the Yangtze River area and Yasmina spotted a Chinese giant salamander. Nicole quickly reported the sighting on her two-way radio, as there had been some concern that the creature was missing. Apparently, he was just really good at hiding – unlike the other animals that had been reported in the newspaper.

  ‘There’s pandas!’ Amelie Jagger shouted, then blushed a deep shade of red, realising that everyone nearby was looking at her.

  ‘Wow! Pandas,’ Sachin said, deadpan.

  ‘Put a sock in it, Sachin,’ Misha said, defending her friend.

  ‘What’s the big deal about pandas?’ the boy said. ‘Don’t they just lie around and eat bamboo all day?’

  But when the group turned the corner to the viewing platform there were two giant pandas rolling on the grass having a tousle.

  ‘Oh my gosh, they’re so cute!’ Sachin gushed. This time he turned bright red.

  ‘I told you!’ Amelie said.

  ‘Okay, okay, point taken.’ The boy grinned as he snapped a selfie with the animals in the background.

  The tour continued across a bridge into an area called Wild Amazonia, where they boarded a small boat and floated past howler monkeys, a giant anteater, tapirs, capybaras and the most gorgeous flock of Caribbean flamingos.

  Then the party returned to the entrance plaza. Barbecues sizzled under the fairy lights that twinkled in the trees and on the buildings. Nicole took the students and staff from Central London Free School to their designated area, where buffet tables groaned under the weight of roasted meats, salads, bread rolls and a delicious selection of desserts.

  Many of the other groups were starting to arrive back too.

  Dante looked around. ‘Why did we have to wear our uniforms? I don’t see any of the other kids dressed like Nerdy Nigels.’ At least they hadn’t been made to wear their blazers.

  ‘You look very smart,’ Mr MacGregor said. ‘We all do. And I hope you remembered to bring some of your pins and school badges to swap. I see some of the other children have already started collecting them.’ There was a group of students with little flag lapel pins decorating their shirts.

  As more groups arrived back from their tours, Dante realised he was wrong about them being the only team in uniform.

  ‘I’m starving,’ Max said, eyeing the food.

  ‘It’s good to see you back to your normal self,’ Curtis said with a grin.

  Max had almost told the other boy about his grandmother when they were at the hotel getting changed but he’d bitten his tongue. Sometimes being a trainee agent was like having a great weight on your shoulders and even when it seemed lifted, it could still be there – just in another way. Keeping secrets from your friends was definitely one of the hardest parts of the job – and one he liked the least. Thank goodness he could talk to Kensy.

  While the children loaded their plates and milled about eating, a man stepped up to a small podium to officially welcome them to Singapore. Beside him was a beautiful grey parrot on an ornate stand, tethered by a long red lead on her leg.

  ‘Good evening to you all. My name is Sedgewick Koh and I am the chairman of the ArtScience Museum of Singapore and I also sit on the board of Wildlife Reserves Singapore. I would like to introduce my friend, Miss Polly.’ He nodded at the bird who danced up and down.

  ‘Good evening, everyone,’ the bird shouted. ‘I am very pleased to meet you.’

  There was a titter of laughter from the guests, who were impressed by the creature’s skills.

  ‘Thank you, Miss Polly.’ Sedgewick nodded at her again.

  ‘No, Mr Koh, it is I who should thank you for bringing me to this beautiful soiree,’ Miss Polly said, then wiggled her bottom.

  There was another volley of laughter.

  ‘Please excuse Miss Polly. She doesn’t get out much and is a little overwhelmed.’

  ‘But,’ Miss Polly said, and Sedgewick raised his hand.

  ‘I,’ Miss Polly tried again, and the man repeated the action, giving her a sneaky side eye.

  ‘Love you, Mr Koh.’ Miss Polly finished her sentence and had everyone howling with laughter. ‘Even if you are a loser at the blackjack tables and you have no money.’

  ‘I love you too, Miss Polly, and that will be all from you,’ the man said, laughing – though his ears had turned pink and he was obviously embarrassed – and motioned for the bird to be taken away.

  ‘I think she might be in trouble for that comment,’ Kensy said, looking at her brother with a grimace.

  Max grinned and gave a nod.

  ‘If you have had the opportunity to tour the city at all,’ Sedgewick said, ‘you may have seen the beautiful lotus-shaped building near the Marina Bay Sands. That is the ArtScience Museum, where we will gather for the Championships’ official presentation on Wednesday evening. Together with the board of Science Centre Singapore, with whom we are jointly hosting the World STEM Championships, and the management of Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, where the competition will take place, we would like to welcome you all and wish you the very best of luck.’