"Asset has been acquired, Sir" she repeated again, waiting for a command.
Chantel's face appeared with all her relevant details.
"Good," Steenkamp said.
The sound signal was slightly delayed, yet they could still follow the conversation as she walked about, talking to her friends. The ops room went silent as they all listened.
"Send her the following message," he said as he began to dictate to the operator who began typing.......
We are monitoring your activities.
Stop!
Find Nathan and ask him the following questions.
Stop!
Stand as close to him as possible, we are listening.
Stop!
Does he know the location of the main Kibbutz?
Stop!
When will you be relocating there?
Stop!
The operator typed each message into her consul and sent it to Chantel, who looked down at her watch as it vibrated. There was a two second delay. Chantel fiddled with her watch again.
"All messages delivered, Sir," the operator confirmed again.
Chantel closed her watch cover and made her way past the campfire to where Nadine and Zane were sitting.
"Have you seen Nathan?" she asked Nadine, who nodded and pointed to the ridge where a man stood. She could make out his silhouette and stance. It was Nathan, alright.
It took her almost five minutes to reach the lookout where Nathan was sitting. Chantel called out to him when he was within ear-shot.
"Nathan, here you are! What you're doing?" she asked.
"Just watching, that's all, and thinking."
"Oh, thinking about what?"
The conversation was crystal clear and being recorded as usual.
"Just stuff, miles and miles of space here, just to think."
Chantel was not the only one who contemplated what he had just said.
"Well, I was also thinking. When are we going to contact Mt. Carmen to let them know where we are and that we're ok?" Chantel asked as she also looked out over the vast plain in the distance. "Beautiful, hey?"
Nathan looked out in the direction of Mt. Carmen.
"We're not going to contact them; it's too dangerous," he said.
"What you mean?"
"You know exactly what I mean Chantel; we cannot take any chances anymore."
"But Nathan, we have to; it's the right thing to do, who knows, maybe we'll need them in the future."
"No, Chantel, we'll never go back there again, that chapter of our life is over."
Those in the operation room were listening. This live soap opera was better than any of the reality TV shows that so plagued the television stations. Just then Steenkamp's personal steward arrived with his fresh black coffee.
"Sir, that's a 9mm in his jacket." The operator noticed the distinctive outline when she switched to infra-red.
"Enhance," Steenkamp ordered.
A magnified image of Nathan appeared and it was perfectly clear, he was armed.
"So, you're telling me this is your plan?" Chantel asked. "We're just going to stay here?" she asked again.
"No, not at all, we're not staying long, that will be foolish," he replied.
"So, I take it we'll be heading off to Kibbutz Ark then?"
"Chantel, where did you get that stupid idea? Anyway, even if I knew where it was, which I don't, I would never go there, it's too dangerous. Honestly, I'm still making plans, that's why I'm here, to think and hopefully God will show me the way."
It seemed that Nathan had no real plans; that perhaps the group was leaderless after all.
"Well Nathan, we cannot stay here, on this fucking koppie, without a plan. I've started menstruating and I want a bath. Some real food would also be nice, thanks. Anyway, this is all bullshit, your paranoia is driving me crazy," she said, and then stormed off but stopped within a few paces.
"If you must know, Nathan, I have been there before so I know exactly how to get there!"
Lt. Commander Modisa, who listened to Chantel's outburst, just shook his head.
"She's good Commander, very good."
Steenkamp was taken by surprise as he felt he had just been played by Chantel, he knew she sent him that message on purpose.
"Yes, I know. I picked her myself and I will use her for other missions if she doesn't fuck up."
The sound clip went silent, but the image of Nathan sitting on the rock was still crystal clear.
She will pay for this, he thought to himself.
Yet, he began to admire her; she was no fool and she knew how to play the game.
Nathan finally stood up and stretched.
"He is bigger than I thought," Modisa said. "I thought Jews where usually short."
The word 'Jew' still had a bitter taste in the mouths of many who sat in the ops-room.
Germans would never be forgiven for the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime that plagued the civilized world. Much like the legacy of the Apartheid regime that had left generations of white South Africans branded as racists. How children will always pay for the sins of their fathers.
Steenkamp turned to speak to the operator. He was tired of playing silly little games; it was now time for action.
"Tell her to destroy that ISIS communicator that Nathan uses within 48 hours and also that I am very pleased with her performance so far. That's all!" he commanded.
Lukas Modisa realized that Steenkamp wanted to isolate Nathan and his group on the koppie for a quick arrest, as they were now trapped. Personally, he would have preferred a different approach.
"I take it we're moving in on the Jew then?" Modisa said, jumping to his own conclusions.
Steenkamp turned to him slowly.
"Lieutenant, you have much to learn my boy," Steenkamp said, almost smirking in his expression.
"No, we move on Mt. Carmen within 48 hours, so prepare your new troops."
Lukas Modisa felt like an idiot, but he would never make that mistake again. Steenkamp was an arrogant brute, but as a tactician he was brilliant. Nathan and the group seemed clueless at this point and by all accounts they were going nowhere.
"Do you play chess?" Steenkamp asked, putting his hand on Modisa's shoulder.
"Not very well, Sir," he replied.
"Well, you better learn fast, my boy, because life's a chess game and that little girl will become a master player someday."
Chapter 18
"History has shown there are no invincible armies.”
Joseph Stalin
"Get yourself together, Kate! We're leaving now!" Warren shouted as he dashed downstairs towards the garage. Kate heard the motorbike start as she grabbed her jacket and hugged Tigger goodbye.
Adrenalin pumping through her veins, it was something in his voice that frightened her.
She heard him talk to someone earlier on, and from the tone of his voice he sounded very anxious.
Within minutes they were on their way racing down the narrow streets of Tamboerskloof heading towards the Cape Town International Convention Center and past the Waterfront on the N2 North.
Kate had never really taken any notice of the scanners that hung above the road, carefully logging all movement in and out of the city, but now she did. For the first time she felt naked and exposed without her iBand she so took for granted. It was a strange feeling being without the device, especially in the city zone; totally disconnected from the system and reality.
In the distance the clouds rolled over the mountain as the next cold front approached.
Kate had repaired her torn denims as best she could, but the freezing cold made its way through the stitches. She could not help thinking about her entire wardrobe of designer clothes and trendy labels, just waiting for her return, but God alone knows when that will be.
Warren heard from his friend on the phone that his name had now come up in the investigation to track Kate down. She had given his name as a reference once, and the investigators were simply followin
g all the leads. If they found her at his house then he would be in serious trouble. His friend had warned him of the consequences of harboring a criminal, even though she was innocent. It was his duty to turn her over, but that was never going to happen. His only option was to relocate her immediately and without hesitation.
They drove within the regulations, not wanting to draw any unnecessary attention as they passed a stationery Police vehicle that had pulled another motorist over. Kate turned to watch the motorist being questioned as they drove past.
It felt good to have someone like Warren on her side, someone who really cared for her. Even though they were not together again, the love was still there. For once she admitted to herself she longed for a man in her life again. The feeling of hope engulfed her as they drove further and further away from the city, past Tableview and on towards Melkbosstrand.
Each vehicle carried an identification tag that was registered at different locations around the city. It was an essential part of traffic control; however, Warren had disabled his tracker, which was highly illegal. He was essentially driving without a number plate.
If the police pulled him over then he would be fined, but it would pale in comparison to what they would do with Kate, who was now completely powerless. This little information he decided not to share with her, as she had far too much on her plate to deal with.
The big security checkpoints were on the N1, N2 and N3 highways leading out of Cape Town, and it was there where all vehicles and citizens were verified before leaving Zone 1. However, if you drove an off-road bike, and you knew the back roads and pathways, you could slip by, totally undetected.
A few kilometers pass Melkbosstrand and the Koeberg Nuclear PowerStation, Kate felt the bike slow down as Warren looked ahead for the pathway. When he saw it she understood what his plan was, as the bike veered off the road suddenly and followed the gravel track that led away from the road into the deep bush. Her heart started to beat a little faster now as they made their way towards the white dunes and the cover of fynbos.
Atlantis was a non-white, working class factory town that had been marginalized by the old Apartheid Government. The once prominent industrial area had been taken over by unemployed outcasts and gangsters.
It was also known that many of them loved motorbikes and cars; a haven for petrol heads. With their helmets on and skin covered, Warren and Kate could pass for any color under the sun. South Africa was still a racial stew that would boil over from time to time, but today they fitted right in.
The route they planned before they left Cape Town was put to memory, however, from Atlantis onwards, past Darling, they would have to wing it all along the R307 and hope for the best. Warren pulled over next to a fallen tree stump and got off. He desperately needed to pee. Kate watched him until he returned.
"Okay, your turn," he said with a smile.
"No, I'm okay," she said, "let's get going, it'll be dark soon."
They had taken a little longer than first expected. The sandy pathways were confusing which hampered their progress, but at least they were still useable.
Kate began to think more and more about the fond memories regarding their relationship. When they were still going out, Warren had brought her to the white dunes of Atlantis for a picnic once and to do some sand-boarding.
Was I different back then? Perhaps he was too, she thought.
Yet, with all the upgrades in the City Bowl, the rural areas were left the same. Some had, unfortunately, degenerated into squalor and ruin. Ahead was a world away from all civilization, less than sixty kilometers out of Cape Town. The Atlantis dunes were peaceful; a wilderness area made up of pure white sand. Kate did not like the fact that it had spread so much and finally the fynbos had lost the battle as the sand advanced. It seemed global warming had begun after all.
The dunes had slowly, but with a steadfast pace, spread further than she remembered. It was still beautiful to behold. Heading across the dunes would be risky, but they had to do it. They waited on the fringe with the bike idling.
Warren took his helmet off and reached for the water bottle.
"Here, drink, you must be thirsty."
While she drank she could see that Warren was also exhausted. It was about a five kilometer stretch across the white sands towards the freedom they both knew waited on the other side.
Kate saw it first; a black and white Zone Patrol helicopter, they patrolled the outer sections. Warren quickly switched off the bike and pushed it further into the bush and took cover.
The helicopter circled high in the sky, scanning the bush with its high-tech sensors. Warren swallowed hard. If they focused their scanners towards them then they would pick up the heat signature of the bike; it would glow like a Christmas tree. Seconds felt like minutes, and minutes felt like hours.
The helicopter flew low over them and came to a hover over a spot five hundred meters to the west. They held each other’s hands while their eyes focused on the aerial investigation. Within no time a ground unit would be sent to the exact spot. GPS coordinates would see to that.
Kate and Warren were motionless; they waited almost an hour before they heard the sound of a ground patrol vehicle. The all-terrain armored car came smashing through the fynbos and over the dunes towards the cluster of bushes the helicopter had marked out. When it stopped the hatch of the patrol vehicle opened, and an officer stuck his head out to look around. Then the side door opened and two officers got out, inspecting the scene.
From their vantage point Kate and Warren could see very little, but they could still make out what was going on. However, once the initial inspection was over, the officers hung around, smoking and fooling around. They were only three hundred meters away, far too close for comfort.
The Zone Squads who patrolled the outer areas were notorious for their brutal tactics and infamous acts, no girl wanted to be caught by the likes of those only a few meters away. Kate knew her chances of rape were high if they found them.
"What are they doing?" Kate asked.
"Your guess is as good as mine, but I think they're probably killing time until they knock off."
Warren also knew the risks and consequences of them being caught; something he would not allow.
So they huddled together behind some bushes in silence, listening to the voices in the distance. Then the sound they dreaded, the patrol vehicle, started up again. Slowly Kate raised herself up to have a better look.
"They're going," she said to Warren.
But just to make sure, they remained motionless till they couldn’t hear the vehicle anymore. With less than an hour of daylight remaining, the road would be very risky. The curfew was still in place and all civilian transport was banned after seven that evening.
Warren stood and looked around; with no sign of movement he felt more confident they were alone.
"Well, this is as good as any other spot, so we better prepare ourselves."
Kate knew what that meant and she didn’t like it one bit.
"That's just great," Kate said with a strong sense of sarcasm. "It's not that far, I'm sure we can make it."
"Yes, we could, if that patrol didn’t come along, but it's too late now and far too risky."
Luckily Warren had grabbed a packet of dried fruit and a bottle of mineral water before they left. He gave it to her but she declined.
"I will take first watch then we rotate every hour, ok?" he said.
"No ways, you're kidding, right?"
He took his pistol out of the motorbike's side pocket and checked to see that it was loaded and ready.
With the winter setting in, most people avoided being outdoors at night, except those less fortunate and more desperate. Kate was fast realizing that the line between the 'have's and the ‘have not's' is very thin indeed. Her precious world had turned upside down faster than she could ever imagine. Just a few stupid choices and it crumbled like a pack of cards into a big pile of horseshit. No doubt she was now on the run, her thoughts eventually had
to accept the reality. A shiver went down her spine, not from cold, but fear.
She had just closed her eyes when Warren woke her up, it was already dark and the stars were shining bright. Only seventy kilometers out of the city and the stars were more visible.
"Katy, sweetheart, it's your chance now; I just want to close my eyes for a few minutes."
With that he sunk against the dune and closed his eyes as Kate got up and stretched while she looked around.
"Beautiful night," she said but he was out in seconds and did not respond.
One thing about Warren, he fell asleep really quickly. Kate knew that from experience. She stared at him for a while. How peaceful he looked, and how handsome! A shudder went through her heart as she realized what she was doing.
No, I cannot go down that road again.
Kate was wide awake now and knew that she wouldn’t sleep again that night. If she could repay Warren for all he had done, she would let him sleep for as long as possible.
Thoughts kept her awake and angry; revenge on Kazak for all he had done drove her to imagine diabolical things. However, she knew he was far too well protected for any notion of vengeance. The only means of revenge was to remain alive and free, that would drive him crazy. What concerned Kate the most was her desire to escape, the excitement of it was overwhelming. Her soul had longed to escape for a long time now and in a strange kind of way she was more highlighted than any rush AKA could provide. It was definitely the adrenaline and perhaps her cravings that turned into a deep seeded notion of revenge against Kazak.
But she was just a girl; there was nothing she could ever do to Kazak that would hurt him. With thoughts racing though her mind it was not long before she heard Warren move.
"You let me sleep all night; I told you to wake me up," he said.
"Well, good morning, Grumpy," she smiled back at him.
Within no time they were back on the bike and headed in the right direction. They drove slowly across the dunes, being careful not to be spotted, trying to avoid the crests if at all possible. Once they had disappeared into the bush and found the gravel road, Kate began to relax as Warren opened the bike up a bit to get some distance between themselves and Cape Town.
Dawn of Defiance Page 16
