This won an overwrought reaction from Amanda, who was thinking: Kingdom Keepers.
“The animal keepers,” the woman clarified.
“Ohhh…”
“My husband is a consultant to Disney. They gave Preston and me a private tour, earlier. Really incredible, if you can arrange it.”
“It was awesome,” said Preston, his mood suddenly pleasant.
Boys!
“At the end of the tour, the tattoo was one of the keepsakes they gave him,” the mother explained.
“Backstage,” Amanda mumbled, her mind whirring as she calculated how to get herself a private tour. Jez had been back there in her dreams. She felt certain of it.
Then she reconsidered her situation: she had an Animal Kingdom Cast Member pass in her pocket.
What was to stop her from going back there?
44
INSIDE THE ANIMAL KINGDOM’S main entrance, in the large central courtyard where Park guests gathered, stood a talking recycling bin. A metal box standing about four feet high, it looked like a U.S. Postal Service box painted green. It was currently surrounded by several small boys and a pair of curious girls, amazed that when they asked it a question, the box could answer them.
Finn and Maybeck slowed and approached the recycling bin cautiously, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
“Find a newspaper,” Finn said to Maybeck.
“What?”
“Split up. We’ve got to find something recyclable. The trash cans make the most sense.”
“You want to Dumpster-dive the trash cans for something recyclable?”
“Exactly. A newspaper. Soda can. Plastic water bottle. Doesn’t matter. I need an excuse to open the flap and put my hand inside. I hadn’t figured on it being so popular.”
“FEEEEEED MEEEEEE,” the can was saying to the giggling children. “Do you recycle at home?”
The kids were getting a kick out of the talking can, their amused parents standing back and watching.
The boys split up, and shortly thereafter, Maybeck returned with an empty water bottle.
“Perfect,” Finn said, taking hold of the bottle.
Suddenly, the bin turned sharply toward Finn. The younger kids jumped back, followed by a volley of laughter.
“FEEEEEED MEEEEEE,” the can repeated, now aiming directly at Finn.
Finn had no doubt that Wayne had arranged this somehow.
“Eleven o’clock,” Maybeck whispered at Finn.
Finn carefully looked slightly to his left and identified a casually dressed man wearing sunglasses and a pair of headphones. He carried what looked like a radio in his hands, but Finn recognized it as the remote control device that was steering the box. This man was also listening and speaking through the moving box. His sunglasses prevented Finn from knowing where he was looking, but Finn believed the man was very much aware of the task at hand.
Finn hoisted the water bottle.
The box said, “Did you know that recycled water bottles are made into Park benches, picnic tables, and car parts?”
“I did not,” Finn answered.
“Are you going to feed me or not?” the box asked.
“Feed it!” one of the little kids said boldly.
“Do it!” chimed in another.
Finn knew how to play this. He approached the box warily, the water bottle extended as an offering. He reached into the bin. Then he lurched forward, as if the box were trying to swallow him. As the kids recoiled in a mixture of laughter and screams, Finn ran his hand along the roof of the box and bumped into something hard. He took hold of it and pulled. Some tape came loose, and he now had the remote in hand. He cupped it in his fist, drew his arm back out of the bin dramatically and gestured wildly, pocketing the device.
“Yum, yum!” said the recycle bin. “More! I want more!”
“I’m afraid that’s all,” said Finn, backing up and moving away. The bin spun toward the other children, drawing their attention and making it easier for Finn to slip away.
He glanced over at the man secretly controlling the bin and thought he saw a slight nod of acknowledgment.
His DS beeped and he checked the chat room.
angelface13: they’re almost through the moving ice.
Finn: we’re on our way. we did a little recycling.
45
HAVING HANDED OFF THE REMOTE control device Charlene, who stood watch outside the bat enclosure, Finn and Maybeck rode a Disney bus to the Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Charlene would, once again, use her stilts and camouflage to approach the backstage area behind the enclosure. This time, she would circle around, rather than enter the enclosure, avoiding the scrutiny of the Park visitors. Once she established herself atop the wall near the two cages and the ice truck, she would notify Finn on the DS.
The boys had to discover where the real Willa and Philby were being kept and be on hand to get them out of the hotel once they awakened. Charlene was to trigger the remote, canceling their DHI state.