Ninja Meerkats (#8) Outback Attack - Softcover

CHAPTER ONE
BELLA WILLOWHAMMER
 

Bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun, the world-famous Sydney Opera House looked like it was made out of segments of a gigantic orange. Hidden between two of those segments were four ninja meerkats.
Donnie Dragonjab put away the grappling hook they had used to climb up there. “I wonder why your sister chose this as a meeting point, Bruce,” he said.
“Search me,” said Bruce. “But she definitely said in her e-mail to meet on the roof of the Opera House.”
“I expect Bella chose it because it is discreet and yet easy to find for first-time visitors to Sydney,” said Chuck.
“Who’s this Sydney you keep talking about?” asked Bruce.
“Sydney is the name of the city, Bruce,” said Jet.
“Oh yeah,” replied Bruce, scratching his head.
“I’m amazed a sister of yours even knows how to send an e-mail,” said Donnie. “The last time you tried to use the computer, you smashed it to pieces.”
“You were the one who told me to boot it,” protested Bruce.
“I said reboot it,” replied Donnie.
“Yeah, well, Bella was always the smart Willowhammer,” admitted Bruce.
“What does she do here in Australia?” asked Chuck.
“I don’t know.”
“I hope it’s something exciting,” said Jet. “Life’s been so boring since we defeated our enemy, the Ringmaster.”
“As followers of the Way of the Scorpion, we should not seek excitement and adventure,” said Chuck.
“Yeah, but since he’s gone, the closest we’ve had to some action was when Bruce thought that someone had stolen his packet of pickled newts’ knees.”
“It didn’t take long to solve that one, did it, Bruce?” said Donnie pointedly.
“I told you, I forgot I ate them,” said Bruce.
“The point is that since Chuck pushed the Ringmaster into the volcano on Dragon Island, everything has been as dull as dishwater,” complained Jet.
“Now Jet, you know perfectly well I did not push the Ringmaster into that volcano,” said Chuck. “I tried to stop him, but he had already become hopelessly confused by inhaling the red fumes of the Herbiscus Confusus.”
“All I know is that this mission had better involve some real fighting,” said Jet. “I’m itching to practice my new Australian-style moves. Who wants to see my Counter-clockwise Clonk or my Upside-down Punch?”
“I do like a meerkat who knows his moves,” said a female voice.
The Clan of the Scorpion spun around, but they were unable to see where the voice had come from, until a meerkat appeared, apparently out of thin air. Bella Willowhammer landed in front of them and smiled. She wore a brimmed hat, an overcoat, and a satchel over her shoulder.
“Sissy!” exclaimed Bruce, grabbing hold of her and giving her a big hug.
“Hello, Bruce,” said Bella, gasping for breath.
“Miss Willowhammer, I am pleased to meet you. I’m Chuck Cobracrusher,” said Chuck, solemnly bowing.
“The name’s Jet Flashfeet,” said Jet, shaking her paw.
“How did you jump out of thin air like that?” demanded Donnie.
“And you must be Donnie Dragonjab,” said Bella. “In answer to your question, my sudden appearance is down to this little beauty.” She pressed a button on her coat collar, and a strange flying object came down from above and landed next to her. It had a circular base with a long pole in the center and propellers on top.
“Cool flying machine!” said Jet.
“Nice design,” said Donnie. “But how was it invisible?”
“It wasn’t,” replied Bella. “The base is painted the same color as the sky. This makes it impossible to see from below, which means that it’s a perfect vehicle for getting around the city unnoticed. I call it the Bella-copter.”
“Bella, we are all intrigued as to why you have summoned us,” said Chuck.
“I work as a private detective here in Sydney,” she replied, “and I need your help. Recently I was hired by a scientist called Professor Bill Abong. He’s an expert in rare plants. He sounded all jittery on the phone. He kept saying he thought he was being followed. I told him to call the police, but he’d already tried them. They laughed him out of the station.”
“Why?” asked Bruce.
“He believed he was being followed by koalas.”
“Koalas? You mean those cute cuddly teddy-bear things?” said Bruce.
“That cuddly stuff is just a front,” said Bella. “The League of Extreme Koalas have a claw in every crime in the city.”
“And were they following this scientist?” asked Chuck.
“Yes. They were watching him and I was watching them. But they must have spotted me, because while I was keeping an eye on the professor’s house late at night, they attacked me and knocked me out. When I came round, the professor had been kidnapped. So, you see, I need your help to rescue him. These koalas can be pretty rough, and I need some real fighters on my side.”
“Then the Clan of the Scorpion is at your disposal,” said Chuck.
“Now this sounds like a real adventure,” added Jet.

 
Text copyright © 2013 by Gareth P. Jones
Illustrations copyright © 2013 by Artful Doodlers
Cover illustration copyright © 2013 by Vince Verma