Chapter 37 The Code and the Task Team
1581words
"Wait people; let's rather go to the dining room. There is a big, round table where we all can sit down and look at the code together."
Impatiently Kadin jumps up and follows Michael closely. Billy follows and they sit down on either side of Michael. Michael puts the page with the deciphered code on the table in front of him and immediately two heads bow over the page. Rene and Jack peep over their shoulders. At last, they are going to see what it's all about after all the drama they have encountered.
"So, the code is written in Afrikaans," Jack says.
Michael confirms. "Yes, the enemy wouldn't decipher the code by themselves if they found it, because they don't know Afrikaans. I think that's why the professor chose to write it in Afrikaans. Let me quickly translate it for you:
‘TWELVE FORTY PM. FOUR FEB BOEING
HERCULES L HUNDRED NINETY DEGREES
FROM RIGHT FROM NORTH 10 MILL
LONG HUNDRED HIGH LAND FIVE MIN
LATER WEAPON READY DEVIL
TAKES MY KNOWLEDGE THEN IRREVERSIBLE
COME SOON PINE TREES IN FRONT
SMALLHOLDING BIG HOUSE'"
After the translation, they frown at one another and then look at Michael to explain. Jack is the first.
"Do you know what this means, Michael?"
Michael smiles. "Oh yes, it is quite easy. That man who Billy saw being assaulted has one or other contact for who he wanted to leave the position where they are keeping him. But, they caught him out unluckily and Billy ran away with the code. His capturers want to force him to work with them to manufacture one or other deadly weapon that will render them unstoppable to do something. The same devil that he warns against on the first page of the booklet to not look into his eyes, is going in one way or the other to take his knowledge without him being able to stop it and he is desperate that his contact should come and save him from his captivity."
Kadin is impatient. "Yes, Michael, we know all that. But what is the meaning of the rest? How does he indicate his position to the contact in this code?"
Michael is baffled. "Oh, you already know this, but I don't understand how because you have just seen it for the first time."
Kadin looks at Jack who clandestinely shows her with a pull of his face: don't talk about the task team.
Kadin quickly rectifies her blunder. "I dealt your theory with them, Michael, you said last time something like this and this confirms your theory. But please explain how he gives his position through the code."
Michael still looks a little suspicious but for now, he leaves it. "I already worked it out with Google Maps."
They are all surprised and Kadin shouts excitedly: "What Michael! Do you know where the professor is kept? Show us!"
Michael is now very suspicious. "Professor? How do you know it is a professor?"
"Man, just leave it now, where is the place and how did you work it out?"
Naughtily Michael smiles: "No, first tell me what you all are hiding from me. You know much more than you pretend to know."
Embarrassed Kadin looks at Jack who shakes his head despondently. His daughter will have to learn to keep her beautiful mouth shut. Kadin sweet-talk her dad: "He is too clever, Dad, can I tell him the truth?"
Jack smiles, takes her behind her neck and kiss her on her forehead before he reprimands her with a soft look in his eyes.
"You will have to learn to control yourself, Kadin, you too easily let your emotions run away with you. From now on think twice before you speak, promise me."
Embarrassed Kadin smiles. "Okay, sorry Dad, but we can trust Michael and we need his brainpower. He is part of our team. You can see for yourself that he is too wily."
Jack nods. "Okay, but leave it to me. You are usually talking much too much. Michael, there is a team of experts on the occult that keeps the professor and his daughter in captivity and we are not supposed to tell anybody because it is their only trump that the occult is not aware that someone is on their tracks. This team is afraid if the occult finds out about them, it will make it more difficult to trace them and they are already very secretive. The professor hid the code in Sanskrit in Afrikaans just in case if they catch him out when he planted it for his contact in the hope to mislead them. That is the reason the professor dearly wanted to prevent the code from falling into their hands and that is why he desperately threw it away. And that is where Billy picked it up."
Michael's eyes widen suddenly: "Oh my!"
Jack frowns. "What now, Michael?"
"Then we've got a problem: there is something I must relate to you and it seems now more important than I have thought. The devil surprised me in the park and forced me to look into his eyes and forced me to not only show the deciphered code but even to translate it for him in English."
Appalled they look at one another and Kadin summarizes their fears. "This means they probably know the professor wanted to leave a message for someone and that people are on their tracks."
Jack gets his smartphone out and looks for Nico's number. "When was this, Michael?"
"Just yesterday afternoon. I couldn't believe how quickly it happened. I was the first one in the row handing out paper plates when I saw this funny bum with the extremely long hair down to his feet. When I handed over the plate he pulled me over the table and I looked into his eyes and it was so quickly done, I only disturbed the row for a short time before Vyasa woke me. The bum had vanished when I searched for him."
Nico answers: "Yes?"
"Nico, it is Jack. I have bad news that I must deal with you urgently. Where are you now?"
"On the other side of the road. We are watching you."
"What?"
"What are you doing there?"
"We are here with Michael and he has something very important that you must know of. I'm sorry, but because of his information, we had to tell him about you. Can you join us?"
"Yes, get the front door open in the meantime. I'm with you in a second."
Amazed Jack shakes his head. "Okay."
He looks at the rest who curiously watches him as he walks to the front door.
"Just a second. I am going to open the door for Nico. They were watching us all the time from across the road."
Rene smiles at Michael. "You are now going to meet Nico our contact with the task team that investigates the occult. The professor wanted to leave the code for him."
Michael's eyes widen, he grabs the sheet and hides it in his inner pocket.
Kadin frowns. "What are you doing, Michael?"
"Don't tell him I have still the code, please. Maybe he will have a problem with it."
Rene pacifies him. "Okay, Michael, I shall whisper in Jack's ear when they come in to hide your secret."
Kadin is very surprised when Billy opens his mouth for the first time. "Michael, you are so clever. Don't you know it by heart in any case?"
Michael smiles and winks at him. "Yes, but when I want to show it to you later on then I don't have to rewrite everything."
Kadin nods. "No definitely. You must show us how you worked out the position. Definitely!"
Michael smiles. "I knew you were too curious to leave this one."
Rene reminds Michael of something important. "Give me Vyasa's number in the meantime, Michael, so that I can put it on my phone."
Michael has just given the last number when Jack returns with Nico. Kadin greets him with a big smile.
"Hello, uncle Nico. Meet Michael. He has something very important to share with you."
Nico smiles heartily and when he comes near Billy he grabs his hand and takes it firmly in his. "How is your back now, my mate? I told the guys about you. They are tough guys but they were impressed with your selfless bravery and they said I must offer you a job."
Shyly Billy smiles. "Thank you, uncle Nico, my back is still sensitive but I am itching to get back onto the squash court."
Nico is surprised: "Oh, you play? We must one day take each other on when your back is okay."
Billy looks pleasantly surprised: "Do you play squash, Uncle? I'm not very good; I only have been playing for two years now."
Kadin doesn't agree: "He's lying, Uncle. My jaw dropped. He is as fast as a meerkat"
Nico laughs heartily. "You must keep on looking well after this girl, my mate. Promise me."
Billy smiles broadly: "Of course, Uncle, even if it takes the last air out of my lungs."
Nico holds his hand out to greet Michael. "Pleased to meet you, Michael. I understand you have something quite important to tell me."
