The Ideas Pirates. Hazel Edwards

      

      The Ideas Pirates

      A Frequent Flyer Twins mystery

      Written by Hazel Edwards.

      Illustrated and designed by Jane Connory.

      ‘Slipper orchid’ was the clue. But is it a flower, a pirated cassette or a group of smugglers?

      Pirated cassettes, tiger bones for traditional Chinese medicine, and the T-shirted gnome interest the sleuths Amy and Christopher as they leave Singapore’s Changi Airport.

      Along the way, they discover some idea pirates and solve a mystery.

      Airport security changes fast. If our Frequent Flyers travelled tomorrow, there would be new regulations and electronic devices.

      Some of their past mysteries were solved without the technology we have now.

      Also in the Frequent Flyers Series, by Hazel Edwards.

      Copyright © Hazel Edwards and Jane Connory, 2011.

      Written By Hazel Edwards.

      www.hazeledwards.com

      Illustration and design by Jane Connory.

      www.ineedalogo.com.au

      ISBN 978-0-9871078-2-4

      All electronic rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisher and author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting from the use of the information contained herein.

      Teacher resources and activities available -

      http://www.hazeledwards.com/shop/item/the-ideas-pirates-frequent-flyer-twins-series-e-book

      

      Contents

      Chapter 1 Slipper Orchids:

      Chapter 2 The Queue:

      Chapter 3 Idea Pirates

      Chapter 4 Mystery Man

      Chapter 5 Spider Person

      Chapter 6 Fake Fifis

      Chapter 7 Bones Scam

      Chapter 8 Cassette Piracy

      Chapter 9 Armpit Smugglers and Designer Pirates

      Chapter 10 Are Gnomes Just Hand Luggage?

      Chapter 1

      Slipper Orchid

      ‘Slipper Orchid,’ muttered a man behind Amy. He pushed a slim, square package into her hand.

      He kept walking.

      ‘Hey ...’ Amy turned. ‘Who are you?

      But the man had vanished. Opening the package, she looked at the disc. ‘What’s this for?’

      ‘He’s gone.’ Christopher peered into the crowd filling the Singapore Changi airport.

      The man had melted into the quickly moving passengers. Families waited for relatives to come or go. Business people exchanged cards. Some used their laptops or mobiles. Music boomed from electronic gift shops.

      But the man had vanished.

      ‘Why did he say that?’ Amy looked at the blank cover. ‘Why did he give this to me?’

      ‘He said “awkward” didn’t he? You ARE awkward sometimes,’ said Christopher in that way brothers talk.

      ‘But I’m sure he said “orchid”, not “awkward”! And he said “slipper” too!’

      ‘Are you sure? Lots of background noise here. What’s on the e-disc?’

      Excitedly Christopher looked at the cover. No labels. ‘We’ll have to find a player. Did you pack yours?’

      He went on fast -forward when he got excited.

      Amy pretended to be cool. ‘It’s in with my baggage. But I’ve got my I- audio with me.’

      ‘There must be a player around here somewhere.’

      The AIRPORT ELECTRONIC man wasn’t keen on them looking at his display . And he didn’t want them to play their own disk

      ‘Don’t touch that. It’s my demo equipment.’

      Christopher tried again. ‘Can’t you demo this e-disc to us?’

      ‘If it’s yours, you know what’s on it. You don’t need me to play it for you.’

      Salespeople often thought children were users not buyers. This time, he was right. Christopher pushed back his glasses. He needed time to think. He felt in his bum bag. Grandma’s ‘lucky’ money was in there. Next term’s school project was on ‘Flying” and he needed more photos.

      ‘Can I re-charge my cam?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Okay. We’ll shop somewhere else.’ Christopher re-zipped the bum-bag. Meanwhile Amy wondered if that man had mistaken her for someone else? Had the e-disc been stolen? Maybe there was a secret message on it? They needed to play it!

      Changi Airport was very big and shiny like an outer-space port. Boxed purple-pink Singapore orchids filled the flower shops. And decorated the passageways. Long walkways stretched between numbered gates leading to the planes. Passengers hurried. Security was tight.

      ‘So much security today!’ noticed Amy. What were the uniformed officials looking for? Was someone planning a protest? Was an important person travelling through? Had there been a tip-off ?

      Some Indian passengers wore turbans. Passengers pulled baggage on wheels. Travellers busy going somewhere that was important to them, wanted others to know that . So they talked loudly.

      Why had the mystery man left this e-disc with her? Where did he want it taken? Did he say ‘ awkward ... slip you ... or orchid slippers? And what did it mean?’ Amy shifted her purple and aqua backpack to a more comfortable spot.

      ‘Perhaps it meant shoes like the ones Mum bought in Little India . Or orchid shaped slippers?’

      ‘You don’t wear flowers on your feet!’ said Christopher.

      ‘Did he mean the flowers or something else? Was it a clue?’

      It was a mystery, luckily. And the twins preferred to spend their airport time solving unusual problems.

      ‘Sorry Madame. Do you have two tickets?’ The booking clerk looked embarrassed.

      At the front of the queue was a very big lady, carrying a red and white plaster gnome wearing a T-shirt.

      The garden gnome had a big painted smile and VERY white teeth. Printed on its T-shirt was GNOME MESSAGES.

      The twins were at the back of the queue, but they could hear everything.

      ‘Why do I need two tickets?’

      ‘For