Making Waves (8 page)

EJ climbed out on top through the escape hatch and stood on top of the A-Sub, looking up at the sky and breathing in the fresh air. The underwater world was amazing but it was nice to be back in more familiar territory. She smiled as she looked out and saw a large boat, with the two
SHINE
mobiles being towed behind, coming towards her. A1, C2C and F15H were standing on its deck. A1 beamed at EJ as the boat drew in alongside the A-Sub.

‘Well done, EJ12,' A1 cried. ‘Your best mission yet, I think. Not only have you stopped the coral harvest, you rescued C2C, captured the A-Sub and, last but certainly not least, you have captured Adriana.'

‘Thank you, A1,' said EJ, blushing. ‘Adriana is in the mini-sub. I don't think she will be very pleased to see you.'

‘Neither do I,' said A1. ‘Agent F15H will make sure Adriana is taken away. We will put her to work, under guard, in the
SHINE
laboratories. She can develop some ways to fix the reef she has destroyed. C2C will take care of the A-Sub and EJ, we need to get you back home. You must be tired.'

EJ groaned. Sometimes A1 was just a little bit too much like her mum.

‘Jump aboard, EJ. It's time to go home. Mission accomplished.'

They slowly navigated the boat over the reef but, as they hit open seas, the captain opened up the engine and the boat almost flew across the water. It was fantastic but EJ kept looking out hopefully across the sea.

‘Looking for something, EJ12?' A1 asked.

‘I was just hoping to say good-bye to Squirt,' said EJ a little sadly, still looking out to sea. Things had gotten so busy that she hadn't noticed the dolphin swimming off.

‘Well, I think you could probably use your charm one more time,' said A1. ‘After all, technically, you are still on a mission.'

EJ jumped up and almost hugged A1 before stopping, thinking that wasn't particularly secret agent-like. Instead, she took out her dolphin charm, twisted it and pressed the Return button.

‘Maybe you would like to wait in the water for her,' called the captain. ‘We can pull you along on the side with a rope—dolphins love swimming behind boats and you can swim together.'

The boat slowed down and EJ jumped in and grabbed hold of the rope. As the boat sped up again, she felt the rush as she was swept along through the waves. It was exhilarating.

‘Look behind you,' shouted A1.

EJ turned her head. At first she could only see the foam from the boat but then she glimpsed a fin. She shrieked with excitement as Squirt rose
out of the water and then dived down right next to her. As EJ was pulled through the water, Squirt swam alongside her, diving in and out of the wake. When EJ put her head under the water, she could hear the dolphin's clicks and whistles. There was no buzzing now that all was well. After what seemed only minutes but what A1 assured her was much, much longer, EJ reluctantly climbed back into the boat. She looked out to sea as Squirt did one final leap into the air before swimming away. EJ could have sworn the dolphin was looking right at her, almost smiling.

Maybe she was.

Back at home, it was the day of the swimming carnival. It was about twenty seconds before the start of the girls' under-twelve freestyle relay race.

The carnival official was starting the race. ‘On your marks. Get set. Go!'

Nema was the first swimmer. She sprang off the blocks at the other end of the pool and powered down the lane towards where Emma and Hannah were waiting for their turns to swim. Nema was easily coming first in her leg. The moment she touched the edge of the pool, Hannah dived in. She set off strongly but was slowly being overtaken by a girl in lane four.

‘Come on, Han,' yelled Emma, who was now on the block Hannah had just dived off. She would be the last swimmer.

Nema climbed out of the pool beside her. As soon as Nema had her breath back, she shouted, ‘Go Hannah! You can do it!'

Emma looked at Nema, surprised.
That was nice of her,
she thought. Then they both yelled at the same time, ‘Go Hannah!'

Up at the other end of the pool, Isi for once wasn't yelling and jumping up and down. She was leaning forward, ready to dive in.

Hannah slapped the end of the pool, finishing second in her leg but only just. Isi dived off the blocks for the third leg.

Emma stopped shouting and prepared herself for her swim. She shook her legs and looked down
into deep water, smiling. The only thing she was worried about now was not being able to swim fast enough.

Isi raced up the length of the pool and stretched to touch the end in second place. Emma dived in.

‘Go Em, go Em, go Em!' chanted all three girls who had run down to the finishing end to wait for her. Each time Emma came up for air she could hear them screaming her name.

She kept kicking as hard as she could; she knew she could catch the girl just in front. As she turned to breathe with only five metres to go, Emma took her final breath of the race. She put her head down and willed her arms to go faster, stronger.

Emma and the girl in lane four were neck and neck. At two metres, Emma took one final stroke and propelled herself to the edge. She touched. Just in front.

The girls had won the relay! The crowd cheered loudly. It had been the closest race of the carnival. Emma climbed out of the pool and was immediately mobbed by the other girls. Isi squeezed her so hard, she could hardly breathe.

A beaming Ms Tenga came up and congratulated the girls. She turned to Emma. ‘Congratulations, Emma,' she whispered. ‘On both victories.'

Emma grinned.

It was the end of the carnival. All the girls were proudly wearing their blue ribbons and Isi and Hannah had gone to ask Ms Tenga if they were allowed in the dive pool leaving Emma and Nema alone together. Nema looked a bit uncomfortable, and then turned slightly towards Emma.

‘I'm sorry I told everyone your secret,' whispered Nema.

Emma did a double take. ‘Pardon?' she said.

‘I'm sorry I made fun of you. I shouldn't have done that,' Nema said.

Emma was surprised but grateful. ‘Thanks,' she said. ‘Anyway, I'm not afraid of deep water any more, you know.'

‘I didn't think so,' said Nema. ‘You're not scared of
anything
are you, Emma?'

Emma did another double take.
Is that what Nema thinks?

Isi bounded up to them.

‘We can! We can! Ms Tenga said we can do the bombs! Come on!' she cried as Hannah came up behind her. ‘But let's do a
team
bomb into the diving pool!'

The four girls stood on the edge of the pool.

‘Let's hold hands and all jump together,' yelled Isi, grabbing Hannah's hand.

Hannah grabbed Emma's hand and Emma looked at Nema. Then Emma put her hand out and smiled. Nema smiled back and took Emma's hand and, together, the whole team jumped out and up in the air over the deep end.

Emma was in over her head—and loving it!

With,
she thought to herself,
only a little help from EJ12!