When Sophie turned eight, she moved from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to America to live with her father after her parents’ divorce. Each summer, Sophie returns to Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, to visit her mother, who works at a bonobo sanctuary. When the story begins, Sophie, now 14, is in a car headed to the sanctuary. The heavy traffic moves slowly, and as the vehicle passes a police barricade, Sophie sees an animal trafficker with a baby bonobo approaching each car, hoping to make a sale. Sophie orders Clément, the driver, to stop, but he refuses and locks the car doors. Sophie jumps out of the car and returns to the trader. She picks up the bonobo, who clings to her and cries quietly. The man begs Sophie to buy the bonobo as Clément walks up and demands that Sophie leave immediately. Sophie gives the man a wad of cash, unable to part with the trembling ape. Sophie, Clément, and the bonobo return to the car and continue their journey to the sanctuary.