Project Huia Summary, page 201-225

Project Huia

Jim, Logan and Ana are driving in the institute car to go pick up a vehicle that can drive on railway tracks. The track evaluation van is very flash so it needs special people to operate it. Colin was their driver. They were going to the gorge to find Olivia wrapped up in an old raincoat. Logan thought he saw the Carson's truck in the carpark but he wanted to keep quiet so he didn't worry Jim. They had previously told the Carsons that they were looking for something historical in the gorge but the Carsons were still suspicious. On their way to tunnel one Jim saw where him and Mavis used to tie up the dinghy. Logan added that they must be getting close to the tunnel.

A few minutes later they were at the first tunnel. Jim pointed out where the jigger had been parked all those years ago. They kept driving through the two tunnels until they saw daylight out the other side. The driver applied the brakes, they came to a stop next to what looked like an old broken down shed. “Te Apiti station,” said Colin, “This is where you get off, we will be back to pick you up no later than 1:40.” Ana mentioned that they would be going into the tunnels. Colin agreed that he would wait at the station if they didn’t get back in time. They stood looking down the gravel path as the van moved away. Logan thought about going inside the station but a glance through a broken window put him off because it was a mess.

Jim said he felt scared about going into the tunnel because he has memories of being trapped in the tunnel by the freight train. They approached the first tunnel, but found nothing a part from some recesses just a few centimetres deep. They decided to turn around and go through again after they had worked out that this was the tunnel that the crash was in. They soon figured out that Olivia had to be in there. As they were searching the walls for a second time they could see the van coming. Logan was standing on the tracks and he didn’t move because he thought that the brakes on the van were strong enough to stop but one of the hoses failed and the van nearly ended up hitting Logan.

While Jim was giving a spiel on why the gorge is so jinxed Logan was studying a hole in the wall. He called Ana to inspect it as well. Ana laughed out loud, “Oh Logan you've found her!”

Discussion Question: Why would the Carsons be at the gorge, if that was their truck that Logan saw?