Neliswe was becoming anxious, this was highly illegal and they were many miles away from their permitted shooting location. Yet she could not resist, even if it meant her career was over - professional suicide, no doubt. There was only one man stupid enough to take this assignment on, or perhaps he was like her, bored with the same old mundane assignments. His name was Martin and he was her new boyfriend, and he was white.
She had used him before on a few shoots and in no time he became her preferred cameraman.
Kate, an old associate, had passed on a mind blowing story to her; many other far more talented journalists would have killed for this lead. But as Martin also pointed out, many more would have turned it down as it was suicidal; a complete end to her career, not to mention a lengthy prison sentence.
Cellular signals were useless out here in the middle of nowhere; however, the ISIS system functioned flawlessly. A far more superior network encased the entire planet with superior technology, thanks to the Google Corporation, which had already expanded into space; launching their own communication satellites that were to become the backbone of the ISIS network. As with all corporations, be it corporate or governmental, they always protect their own agendas.
A red flag went up for Neliswe, this entire area was restricted and blacked out when she tried to do research via Google Earth. Microsoft had once set the standard for most personal computing but Google had taken it to a new level by incorporating their software with ISIS technology. They now controlled the backbone and the information super-highway itself.
But this was Africa, and Neliswe had no love for the European and American super-giants that manipulated third world countries for resources. If she could stick it to them, and get away with it, she would.
Finally Martin slowed down as he approached the auxiliary road that led off towards a ridge of mountains less than ten kilometers ahead. They drove much slower now and as quietly as possible, they felt a natural sense that they were trespassing. This was forbidden country…… well, part of it anyway.
Neliswe knew they had already ventured into the blackout zone; whatever was so sensitive would also be sensitive to those who wished to hide it, definitely a story in the making.
After driving for half an hour the road began to come to an end and they pulled off as far as they could before switching the motor off. Ahead lay a ridge almost a hundred meters high. Both of them got out, but Martin climbed up onto the roof of the vehicle to get a better look. A Martian landscape; void of any trees….. just dust, shrubs and rocks, the mountains were breathtaking though.
He took out his binoculars and scanned the area and the road back to see if they were followed. They estimated it would take them at least an hour to hike to the ridge, where they would then be able to see what was on the other side of the mountain and in the valley below. From the research she conducted before they left, she knew that a railway line also cut through here somewhere and if they found it then they would have their bearings.
Taking a light backpack with just the minimum food and drink, they left to cover the area as quickly as possible. It was imperative they gather as much info as they could then high-tail it out of there before sunset.
Police always pulled travelers off at night to check for permits and to confirm their security status. With the new security measure now in place, it was virtually impossible to dodge the system anymore. For every stop and search they did, an automatic security and credit verification was done. Any infringements meant immediate arrest.
As a result the crime rate dropped forcing criminals to migrate to different forms of revenue, which generally meant drugs, prostitution and illegal weapons.
Yet, Neliswe and Martin were both upstanding, law abiding citizens; they just believed in truth and exposing it to the masses. Even though ETVN was owned by a multi-national company, they released their own stories through underground social network sites that had become the beacon of free journalism.
This story would make them mavericks of the free media; however, they would never publish it under their own names at the risk of being imprisoned. For starters, they were just investigating a lead; confirming the story was something completely different.
Within forty five minutes they had covered the rocky terrain, often climbing over bushes and boulders as they began to ascend the hill. Even though the heat was nearing 41 degrees, they persisted. Something drew them forward, perhaps the thought of a major discovery.
Both of them could feel it in the air, and yet said nothing. Perhaps they were just frightened and anxious.
For a mountain it wasn’t high, less than a hundred meters to the summit, but to climb it you had to persevere up a steep slope with loose stones that made you lose your footing. By the time they finally reached the top they were both covered in dust and exhausted.
For a Black girl, Neliswe had lost all her African roots many years ago. She could not even relate to the locals or speak an African language anymore. For all accounts she was as European in culture as any other person with a white skin.
Throughout her life she had traveled extensively, had a French boyfriend for a few years, and when she moved back to South Africa, she found it difficult to date men her own color, especially if they had no form of higher education.
Her political outlook was far different from that of her parents, who had both benefited from the ANC after they swept to power. She grew up in a very privileged world of private schools and preferential treatment. In her university days it was still the whites who had to pay full fees for everything, while the black students got most of the bursaries.
Her days in the student council came to an end when she sided against a policy that benefited blacks over whites. After all, discrimination is discrimination if it's based on the color of your skin.
She was disgusted when she realized that many of her parent's friends were part of the Black Elite who rewarded themselves with extreme wealth taken from the State. They rode the ANC gravy-train; milking every cent they could through manipulation of the system; always putting themselves above the poor they so swore to uplift.
Nelson Mandela was a true leader, yet the ANC within no time had lost his vision and had embarked on a corrupt system of governing. Selling a liberation movement at election time was one thing; delivering on good governance was something else. Yet, within a few years of ANC rule corrupt politicians had already raked themselves billions from the tax payer’s coffers.
When she thought about it, the same thing was happening now.
Technology was a wonderful gift, but just as her grandparents had to walk around with a special permit called a 'Pass', she too, like everyone else in the system, was regulated; their movements carefully scrutinized.
A new liberation movement was already in its early days of development as many people she spoke to were dissatisfied with the UWN system and how their liberties had been taken away by the very politicians they had elected.
Neliswe wanted to be part of that change; for this was not a fight against color or religion, it was truly a fight for freedom and truth. Only those who are oppressed fight for their freedom, and she felt oppressed for the first time in her life.
"Wait here," Martin said. "I just want to see something."
He looked at his iBand and then looked back at her.
"Do you know how fucking stupid we are?" he said.
Neliswe shook her head.
"No, what do you mean?"
"If they pull up our records they'll see exactly where we've been."
With that he deactivated his iBand. Neliswe also did the same.
"Well, it's too late now….. Let’s get on with it."
They crept forward to the last ridge of rocks where they could see over into the valley below. If something was down there they would surely be able to spot it. After all, Kate said the complex was massive.
Martin looked through his binoculars while Neliswe scanned through the high powered telescopic lens on her Canon Z8000. The
valley basin stretched out for about fifteen kilometers with a few buildings visible here and there.
By far the largest structure was easily visible to the naked eye. It was at the far end next to a massive mine dump with its mine shaft the focal point. They both studied it and spoke to each other as they scanned the scene below.
"See those rows of buildings to the right?" Neliswe asked Martin, who confirmed. "I wonder what that is."
She was recording everything on her camera in real time. Later she would study the individual frames but for now they had to move fast as anyone could be watching.
Martin spotted the train track that snaked off into the distance; winding through the valley below it did however run straight into the massive warehouse buildings. His could not zoom in enough but Neliswe had an enhanced digital zoom on her camera. What she saw was riveting.
Clustered together were holding pens on either side of the railway track, it looked like a cattle trading post but there were no cattle anywhere.
"Look to the right. Can you see it? I think that's a runway," Martin said as he pointed with his finger.
Neliswe captured everything she could; filming buildings, holding pens, warehouses, car parks, then focusing all the remaining footage on the massive mine complex and its shaft. They heard the aircraft as it took off, a twin prop that climbed rapidly and turned west and disappeared over the mountain range in the distance.
"I think we have enough footage so far. I don't see anything out of the ordinary," Martin said as he continued to scan.
"Well, I get a funny feeling about this place. I mean it's in the middle of nowhere, its restricted air space, and something does not seem right as I don't see any mining taking place," Neliswe said.
"There must be old records of this mine somewhere, we’d better research this place carefully before we assume anything," he said.
They moved along the ridge to another vantage point where they could view the rest of the complex. It was then that they spotted four stationery trains parked in the waiting area. They had at least twenty double-decker box cars behind each one, with troops positioned all around.
"Bingo," Neliswe said.
They focused on the troops patrolling the complex. They all wore the distinctive blue UWN uniforms and were heavily armed.
"What the fuck?" Martin said as he focused on the troop movement.
Neliswe zoomed in as much as she could and began recording. She could see more detail than he could.
Rows of prisoners were being ushered towards the main complex, away from the trains that had just unloaded them.
"There must be thousands of people down there," he said.
"Yes, I see" Neliswe answered while recording, trying to keep the camera as steady as possible, now that the digital zoom was turned up to max.
"Call it whatever you want but I am telling you one thing, this is no mine, it’s an Auschwitz all over again."
They continued filming, gathering as much detail as they could.
"Okay, Neli, let's get the hell out of here," Martin said as he packed his binoculars away.
They had what they came for. Now they had to high-tail it back to the Land Rover and then hopefully back to their permit location without being caught. Neliswe followed Martin and tried to keep up with his pace, but took a tumble once. She recovered and joined Martin who had turned around to help her. Reaching the Land Rover within twenty minutes they drove away slowly and as quietly as possible, trying not to kick up a dust cloud. Luckily they had approached from the most remote direction to avoid detection; the main entrance to the complex was on the other side of the valley.
After about twenty minutes along the small gravel road Martin started to accelerate. It was only another five miles before they reached the tarred road. He floored the accelerator, hoping that they had not been spotted.
Now they had to make a beeline almost two hundred kilometers to Copperton where they said they were doing a story on the indigenous people of the area. It was for a documentary that showcased the cultural diversity of the local people who all spoke an ancient version of Old Dutch. They had become the most marginalized group in South Africa. But honestly, all Neliswe and Martin could think about was what they had just seen.
"You better put your iBand on," Neliswe said.
Martin struggled until she leaned over and helped him. They had both seen far too much to ever be the same again. The silence was deafening as both of them processed the images in their minds and tried to make sense of it.
"Fuck Copperton! Let's get back to Cape Town and blow this wide open," Neliswe said.
It's time to ignite another revolution.
Chapter 31
"Democratically elected rulers do so out of deceit and manipulation, for at all costs they win
the vote then place themselves in a position of power and certainly a position of privilege."
Nathan Cohen - Yeshua Tribe
Nathan was on edge and Kate sensed it. They had spent most of the evening together alone in her tent. The others wondered if a new relationship was beginning as they had become virtually inseparable over the last week, often going on long walks together. Riaan, who had taken a liking to Kate, felt rejected and had naturally begun to distance himself from her. Yet Nathan was as unsettled as Kate. Something had happened between them; they had bonded on a level above passion, but on principle.
The images from Staaldraad had been dissected and discussed in detail. Neliswe had shed some insight on Chantel's story and the revelation of Operation Clean Sweep. They contemplated many aspects as to the decisions they should make - carrying the burden by themselves, sparing the others from the truth.
Nathan had his own theories, which only added to Kate's already traumatized state of anxiety. Chantel had spared them the same fate, but what was the point if they did nothing about it?
However, Nathan was on edge concerning another matter altogether; Nicole was coming to stay for the next few days. She had accepted Kate's invitation to camp, but in reality they needed supplies and to speak to her about their decisions.
It was mid-Sunday morning and everyone was active. Zane and Taryn had volunteered to do another patrol, but everyone knew they also had a thing for each other - it seemed love was in the air. Nathan, however, had not slept much during the night; the images Neliswe sent through burdened his soul.
Staaldraad was no figment of a seventeen year olds imagination, and at its helm was a man Chantel feared more than any other. But Nathan had met them before, men who had venom that flowed through their veins, he knew their type. Kate had discussed her ideas about a media campaign and how to implement a network of underground activists who would spearhead the movement, especially with Neliswe now fully on board and committed. If her claims were true, then this would be the point of no return.
As Nathan was the one in charge no one really questioned his authority at all, but that would change when Nicole arrived later that day. Kate had arranged to meet Nicole at the railway bridge and then drive together to where the stolen Police vehicle was hidden; deep within the bush under a mound of fynbos. Hannes, Riaan, Taryn and Emma would meet them there, and together they would hide Nicole's pickup in the same manner. Then all six of them would carry the supplies back to camp on foot.
It was already half past ten in the morning and they had much ground to cover.
"If you're ready, we can get going," Hannes said, looking at Kate.
She would never have guessed a month ago that she would’ve been there, stuck with a bunch of Christian radicals. But now she understood why.
"Ok, let's get going boys, cannot keep her Royal Highness waiting now, can we," she said in her best British accent. Her humor was a little off beat, but Nathan and the others soon got used to it. Especially Riaan, who still tried to gain her favor.
"Just be careful guys, and try not to be spotted. We are trespassing, you know," Nathan commented as they set off.
"Yes sir," Kate replied, saluting as they
strolled off.
This was not a game, she kept on reminding herself. The Intel from Chantel had proven to be very disturbing. Perhaps that’s why she joked so much; a relief from the terrifying truth. Even Neliswe was shocked into silence, almost too afraid at first to send the images to her.
However, they had worked together before and had a way of getting around the filter systems put in place by the mainstream UWN ISP watch-dogs. The underground social network sites became a super-highway to move information all across the globe. Far too difficult to track, not to mention Kate still had access to the Nexus Satellite system via Nathan's hacked ISIS iPad, now set up permanently in her tent. Nathan was brilliant at survival and military stuff, but Kate was a master at integrated computer technologies.
"Hey, wait up!" she shouted and went running after the group who were eager to get moving.
Her hair hung loosely across her shoulders, but she wore the same clothes as she had yesterday, and the day before. That was in itself becoming an issue, and needed to be addressed soon. Kate still thought of her things, her designer clothes and shoes, her jewelry and perfumes all gone. It drove her crazy. If only Warren had rescued some of them, especially her boots.
Kate loved shoes; she had a whole closet full. Now she only had two pairs.
However he did promise to look after Tigger, and Nicole had confirmed that he had brought the cat to the farm. What an adventure her boy was going to have. Yet she still missed him and how they used to cuddle on the couch and watch movies together.
Nicole also mentioned that her father spoke to both of them seriously about taking over the farm, and surprising enough, Warren had given it some thought.
I wonder how that's going to work out for him, she thought. He was always such a city boy.
Covering four kilometers in an hour and a half was much easier than she thought; perhaps she was getting into shape again. Kate however had to branch off to make her way to the meeting point, with Zane as her escort. He had the 9mm and knew how to use it. She always felt safer with him around, and he was intelligent, more so than the others. Except Nathan, who was far more knowledgeable than most people she had ever met. Without admitting it, she was becoming very fond of him.
Dawn of Defiance Page 25
