Chapter 58 Limbo?
1510words
Paola heard him entering and she comes to him with bare feet and clad with only a longish t-shirt into the sitting room part of their mobile unit. He thanks his stars that he ran into her; his own breathtaking, living piece of Portugal. He smiles as his eyes wander over her exquisite beauty. He was looking forward the whole day to be with his beautiful Paola and when she speaks in Portuguese it sounds like manna from heaven.
She extends her arms and tries to pull him out of his decline on the coach: "Come and have a shower with me and then we wash away all the day's nonsense and forget about everything, my darling."
He shakes his head. "Not so quick. First, come here." He plucks her lightly forward and giggling she lands sitting on his lap and he embraces her lovingly and she gives him a little kiss.
She makes me lightheaded, he thinks. "I have been missing you the whole day, what have you done with your time?"
"I was a bit worried about you, darling. The colonel surely looked extremely agitated after that meeting in the tent this morning. No one could have guessed that Hunter's proposal would win by five to three. What happened afterward? Did he scold you because one of you surely must have voted against him? I am reasonably sure it wasn't you, you are much too foxy to make such a mistake."
"It was Hannes Haasbroek. I told you before he is too soft-hearted for the world of espionage. The colonel kicked him off the jury and replaced him with Captain Dexter. Luckily, for him, he is too valuable for the colonel but he will from now on have to tread lightly. The colonel won't trust him in the future. He shouted at us that he won't tolerate sedition in the future and we had to ensure him that in the future we should vote for his decision, period! We simply had to promise him or else he will kick those who don't pledge their loyalty to him off the jury and replace them."
Paola's eyes widen. "Thus, it was the last democratic decision?"
Marco nods. "It seems so, yes. Except when the community can force him to change the procedure around equal votes."
"What are his ideas regarding the people who try to get to the hide-out in PE? Their mission seems to be beneficial for all of us?"
Marco shakes his head. "Enough of silly questions. Let's hit the shower."
~*~*~
Hunter has already said goodbye to all of his new and old friends standing in a row next to his 4x4 with Batista and Buddy at the back. Chloe has already said farewell to her two dogs by hugging them and now she hugs Hunter tightly. She looks up into his eyes with tears in hers. "Lyle and I have already decided we, and everyone who wants to come along, will visit you with plenty of supplies in a month's time. I only hope you will survive the attacking spiders. Do you still have enough cash to fill up that bakkie to get as many supplies as possible before tomorrow evening? And remember: fill up as many drums with fuel as possible. It will be valuable in the future."
Lovingly Hunter kisses her on her forehead. "Don't worry, my dear. I have got your two lionesses to look after us and I am going to make them just as affectionate for us as for you. Come, leave me now. It is time to get going, for now. The sun soon is going to set and I want to catch the shops open on my way to the smallholding."
Chloe let go of him and reluctantly stands back and he turns to his new friends standing together. He wants to get something off his chest before he departs. "Once again, thank you, Nonkosi, for supporting Isaac so excellently or else we would have lost these dogs just because that Morrison guy wants to enforce his will."
Nonkosi, standing between her husband and Doctor Khaya and his wife, smiles friendly: "It was the right thing to do, Major, not only for you but for all of us as well."
Hunter nods. "Before I go, I must warn you. You will have to find a way to alter that voting procedure because I am convinced Morrison will ensure that his people won't leave him in the lurch next time."
Anton concurs: "You are so right, Hunter, our group here must quickly make a plan and speedily call a meeting to make a move before something happens again. I propose we call a meeting for tomorrow morning and surprise him by pretending the meeting is about another matter."
Zoey agrees: "Yes, let's go now and sit around our big dining room table. I utterly dislike the suspended sentences hanging over the heads of Lyle and Ronnie. The pest never gave a date on which the sentences would be lifted. We must discuss this if we are going to have a meeting tomorrow morning."
~*~*~
Nico is standing in front of Captain Van Vuuren who waited for him on the marble veranda. Nico approached him clad only in a t-shirt and with bare feet. He was encircled by soldiers and handcuffed and lead to the captain. They could see that he had no weapon or explosive device on him which secured his safety up to now, they, however, made double sure by handcuffing his hands behind his back.
Captain Van Vuuren frowns with a clear question mark on his face. "I recognize your face. It is on one of the ID photos that were sent to us. You were indicated as a terrorist cell and now you come here and hand yourself over? What is going on, sir? We were ordered to take you into custody and let Colonel Morrison of the international anti-terrorism unit know immediately for further instructions. Where are the rest of the group?"
"I am here to negotiate with Colonel Morrison, Captain. I come in peace and am in possession of very crucial information that I must convey to him immediately. I'm part of his unit and had to go underground to gather the information for him, so I am asking you friendly. Can we contact him immediately, please? It is a matter of life and death."
Van Vuuren eyeballs Nico intensely: "What is your name?"
"Nico."
Satisfied the captain nods and looks at his soldiers who brought Nico to him. "Wait here for further orders, guys."
He turns around and walks into the house past the heavy 666 door. "Follow me, Nico, thus far you have not lied. Your name was attached to your photo. Who are the people with you? Are they dangerous terrorists with a hidden nuclear weapon that endangers the whole of Port Elizabeth?"
Nico explains while they are walking to a steel table erected against the 666 wall. Signalers are sitting ready at their radios. "Captain, Francois is my colleague and is also part of our unit. The rest is innocent people who were manipulated into a difficult position by terrorists. They are truly innocent and the colonel will understand what is going on when I enlighten him."
Nico's eye catches a beautiful lieutenant who rises when she sees them coming. Van Vuuren talks to her: "Lieutenant Jansen, dial Colonel Morrison immediately on the direct line."
Jansen's interested eyes wander up and down over Nico while she finds the number and dials. She then hands the smartphone over to the captain. Nico waits anxiously.
Eventually, the captain speaks: "Colonel Morrison, here is a man in front of me who identified himself as Nico and the ID photo you sent confirms it. He requested that we contact you immediately. He claims he is part of your unit and has a matter of life and death to discuss with you."
The captain is silent for a few moments while he listens before he answers: "In order, Colonel, please wait a second."
He yells past Nico in the direction of the soldiers waiting in front of the door: "Come and take off the handcuffs and be quick."
The sergeant who had handcuffed him comes running in and quickly removes the cuffs and then quick march to the entrance.
Van Vuuren waits patiently until the handcuffs are removed. Then he hands the smartphone to Nico. "Just move away a bit, Nico. The colonel wants to speak to you in private. When you end the conversation, hand the phone over to me. He told me he will then decide and give orders on what to do with you. For your sake, I hope he is satisfied with your story. He sounds furious."
