Shaka took a seat at the end of his friend’s bed, his weight almost causing the bed to collapse as it creaked loudly under the strain.
“So how is Nandi now? And why has Wamba been moved inside?”
Shaka smiled once more.
“That’s the good news, Mike. He’s doing much better and he has put on a considerable amount of weight, he’s not back to his old self yet but coming along nicely. And he loves his new diet they tell me. Nandi has a few bites and scratches but nothing too serious, although a part of her right ear is… well no longer there. William has cleaned her wounds and given her some antibiotics as well as some more traditional medicine.”
“And Nandi being with him?”
Now Shaka’s smile split his face ear to ear and his bright white teeth beamed out at Night like a Great White about to take lunch.
“They seem to have hit it off, apparently Nandi won’t leave his side. They had to separate them from Gwala and Dingiswayo as Dingi wasn’t too pleased about another Alpha being on the farm. And we both know what Wamba thinks about other dogs, period.”
“The exception being gorgeous young female Boerboels of course.”
Now Night was determined to get out of bed, suddenly feeling much better about things. He swung his legs off of the cot and on to the floor and got to his feet. Other than the pain and sensitivity in his jaw and the stinging on his shoulders from Dingi’s claws he felt fine. He suffered more serious injuries from a dozen scraps while on duty. He found a full length mirror and examined the scars on his shoulders, which had evidently been cleaned and sterilised. He was also pleased to see that his body was in better shape than he had ever seen it, those gym sessions and runs on the beach with Kalahari had helped sculpt and tone his already powerful frame. He also noticed, for the first time in many years that he could clearly make out his six pack.
“By the way, my brother, how long was I out for?”
“About an hour, I guess.”
“An hour? Shit, I must be getting old.”
Truth be told the fact that he was out for as long as that scared Night. He made a mental note to go for a full health check up on a rotation week.
“Should we go see Wamba?”
“Should we ever!” said Shaka who got to his feet in a flash and threw Night’s shirt to him. It had been neatly folded and placed at his feet.
“Stop showing off and put this on!”
Chapter Thirteen
Night was led by his friend through a corridor past a number of rooms and eventually through a large kitchen and to a side pantry. Both men stood rooted to the spot and looked benevolently at the scene playing before them.
The slightly wounded Nandi was lying on a comfortable mat that was set next to another mat. And the huge frame of Wamba, still slimmer than usual, but no longer sporting a full set of protruding ribs, stood over her, with his back towards the watching men, enthusiastically yet carefully licking her wounded ear. The bandage that had been placed over it was soaked with saliva. The two men looked at each other and smiled. Since they had rescued Wamba from a fighting pit in Alexandra township, both men had never once witnessed Wamba be anything other than openly hostile to every other canine that Wamba had come across, dog and bitch alike.
The men looked back at their boy as they heard the sound of the incessant licking stop. Wamba’s ears pinned back behind his head and as he turned he let out the beginning of a low growl.
The growl didn’t properly form before Wamba realised who he was about to snarl at and in one fluid motion the powerful Boerboel turned his gargantuan body and jogged over to Night. Wamba got slowly onto his hind legs and placed his great big bear paws on Night’s chest and began licking his father on the face. Night let himself sink to the floor and crossed his legs and pulled the big beast across his lap and took his huge head in his arms and kissed the top of his immense cranium. For the first time in a long time Night felt truly happy and he had to use all of his self control to stop himself from crying with joy.
Shaka walked past the pair and gave Wamba a strong couple of pats on the back before making his way to Nandi and sitting gently against the wall while placing her head on his lap. Nandi looked up at him sweetly before closing her eyes while enjoying the attention. Shaka began to sing to her in Zulu.
An hour later and Shaka had drifted of to sleep with Nandi’s head still on his lap. He snored loudly. Night had inspected every part of Wamba’s body and was still at a loss for words for how well he had recovered. Another couple of kilograms or so and Wamba would be back to his full, healthy, weight.
Night’s contemplation was brought to a halt by the sound of a small voice standing behind him, Night refocused his thoughts and heard a young boy talking to him.
“Hello, Captain.”
Night turned to see the little figure of Shongi standing there in a soccer outfit, boots and all. His little shorts were stained with mud and grass.
“Hello, young man!”
Shongi moved to face Night and took a seat and crossed his legs.
“I’m very sorry about what Dingi did, Captain” the boy said while staring down at the tiled floor of the pantry.
Night noticed dried tears around the young man’s eyes.
“You have nothing to be sorry about, Shongi. It was not your fault.”
The young boy just shrugged his shoulders. There was a long pause before he spoke again.
“My father wants to put him to sleep.”
“When are they meeting to discuss what to do with him?”
“Now, Captain. I wanted to listen in and speak for him but my father sent me away. I had just got home from playing a soccer match when my mother told me what happened, I ran straight in to try save him but my father ordered me out.”
“Where are they meeting?”
Shongi stood, Night had obviously played right into the boy’s plans.
“Come, Captain. I’ll take you to them” said Shongi while extending a small arm.
Night carefully got to his feet, meticulous not to wake Wamba and took the child’s hand as Shongi led him to the council meeting. Night knew that he would have to be very diplomatic in what he said and did next, but his mind was made up - Dingiswayo didn’t deserve to die, after all the dog’s whole world had been turned upside down with the arrival of Wamba on his patch.
Night knocked on the large door and after a short wait it was opened. A young, powerfully built man stood in the door frame, almost completely taking up the space. He eyed Night suspiciously before looking down at Shongi still holding his hand.
“Shongi, get away from here before your father knows you’re defying his orders.”
Shongi didn’t need to be told twice and let go of Night’s hand and turned to run off but not before turning one more time to look directly up into Captain Night’s eyes.
“Please save him, Captain. It’s up to you.”
Night turned his attention back to the man standing before him.
The man stared at him suspiciously.
“Wait here, umlungu. I will let the council know that you are waiting.”
Before Night could say anything the door was closed.
Ten minutes later and Night was about to knock on the door once more when the sound of a man jogging down the corridor caught his attention. He turned to see Shaka coming towards him.
“Mike, what do you think you are doing?”
“I’m going to have a say in this, Zulu. The dog attacked me after all.”
“Michael, please, you don’t understand how these things work.”
“What things?”
“Zulu tradition, Mike. Say the wrong thing in there and I’ll be having to save you!”
Just then the door opened again and the young man appeared and called for Night to enter.
“Hurry, umlungu. They’re waiting for you.”
Night entered followed closely by Shaka. The young warrior tried to block Daniel from entering. It was a mistake. The giant simply put one
of his hands around the back of the man’s neck and pulled him through the door frame before closing and locking it after him. Night was relieved to hear and see that many of the council members sitting around a large wooden table laughed at the action.
“These young lions thinking they’re too big for their boots!” said Shaka with a large smile before slightly bowing before his elders. Shaka then elbowed Night softly in the stomach to do the same. Night bowed, ever so lightly and the majority of the elders responded with warm smiles and raised hands in acknowledgement.
The chief, sitting at the far side of the table to where Night now stood, spoke, his voice powerful and full of authority without being threating or bullish.
“Captain Night. What brings you to our table?”
“I would like to implore you to not…”
The chief raised his hand to stop Night mid-sentence and Night was disappointed to see Shaka shaking his head next to him.
“It is not customary for anyone to beg anyone for anything in our culture, Captain. It is weak and totally unnecessary. In fact it is, in our collective opinion, a great show of feebleness.”
The men around the table all nodded their heads in agreement and to Night’s dismay so did Daniel.
“Are you weak, Captain?”
“No… I am only…”
Once again the chief cut him off.
“Then say what you want to say and leave us.”
Shaka looked at Night with a meaningful force with which Night had never seen or experienced from him before and realised at once what his friend was silently saying.
Night let the commissioned officer and policeman in him, the warrior, come to the fore. If it’s strength they wanted…
When in Rome.
“Elders, Dingiswayo did nothing but protect his homestead today. I was unaccompanied and foolish to walk around your property without somebody the dogs know and trust by my side. If any blame is to be assigned it belongs to Daniel Shaka for letting me wander off on my own. But then I am a man and I do not require another man to look after me. Dingiswayo attacked me and I defended myself long enough for someone whom Dingiswayo obeys to call him off and let him know that I am no threat to the family or the farm’s animals. In fact nothing of any real note has taken place today. It would, in all honesty, be a much more worrying meeting you are now having if Dingiswayo, king of the dogs that protect you and your valuable livestock on the homestead, simply let me walk about completely unchallenged.”
Night was pleased to see nods of agreement amongst the men. Only William and the chief showed no emotion and did not move.
“Furthermore…”
Now William got to his feet and pointed at Night.
“Enough, Captain, you have had your say...”
To his own surprise Night took one step forward and spoke over William. Something he would never usually have done to his hosts.
“No, I have not, I am not finished. I would also remind you that there may also be a more personal agenda at play here. The last time Dingiswayo saw me another dog appeared on this farm. His farm. A sick and injured dog, but a normally powerful dog also appeared here that same day. I’m sure Dingiswayo had no problem in associating us together. He saw me and perhaps he saw the reason his land had been trespassed by another powerful male. To finish my point I will say this. Do not kill the dog. Let him live and continue to protect your family and livestock. Or if you do unjustly decide to end Dingiswayo’s life know that it is by no means done on my account, your guest. If you kill him then you do so out of your own fear.”
Without another word Night turned on his heal, walked to the door, opened it and left. Shaka hot on his heels.
As they walked down the corridor Night looked at his friend.
“How did I do, do you still think they will put him down?”
Shaka’s laughed boomed down the hallway.
“After you just suggested that they were now scared of him? Not a chance.”
Shaka put a carefully placed hand on Night’s shoulder as they walked.
“Well done, my brother. You just saved Dingiswayos life and I think you’re finally starting to understand my culture. Now, question is… what will you do next time you see Dingiswayo?”
Night stared straight ahead as he thought about his friend’s question and he realised that for the first time in his life he was actually terrified of coming face to face with a dog.
Chapter Fourteen
Kensington, Johannesburg.
The drive back to Joburg from Ermelo had been quick, they had made the journey in just under an hour and forty five minutes. Night delivered his friend to Norwood barracks and had wasted no time in changing into something more comfortable before heading off to his fiancée’s parents’ home in Kensington.
Once again Night was disappointed to find that Lisa was not there and still at work at radio control. Lisa’s father was polite in welcoming Night into his home as he usually was but Night did notice that the man didn’t stick around for long before letting Night know that he and his wife were leaving to watch a movie at the Eastgate Shopping Centre nearby. On the request of Lisa’s mother who now looked much better but still very nervous, Night stood watch for the couple as they pulled out of their driveway and began their journey to the cinema.
Night felt very alone in the property and started to seriously wonder why he was even there. His own single man’s quarters at Norwood barracks was Spartan and small but perfect for his needs while alone. Kalahari had been given temporary quarters while he was seconded to the station so Night’s flat currently sat empty.
Before drifting off to sleep Night promised himself that he would visit Lisa at Radio Control the following evening or set it up so that he was back in time to give her a lift to work, instead of her father. He had to talk to her and finally set things straight. He also wanted to let Lisa know about his windfall and that buying a property for them was now a real possibility. Although settling down and getting a home was something Night was circumspect about in the currently very unsettled political climate of South Africa, not to mention the crime epidemic it currently faced, he had made up his mind while lying with Wamba on the farm as he had to provide Wamba with a decent sized property to live in and then he considered Nandi, would she be joining them as well? If it would make Lisa happy and secure their future, then he would happily take the property plunge. As Night contemplated this happy thought he drifted off to sleep.
Night looked to his left out of the police vehicle’s window and enjoyed the sight of the green grass, colourful trees and people happily going about their business. He was on duty protecting the citizens of Johannesburg and he felt at peace. He looked straight ahead and was surprised to see a lone, dark and heavy rain cloud not too distant. The sound of blades cutting through the air caused him to lean forward and look up through the vehicle’s windshield and he saw a helicopter, special forces soldiers hanging out of it on each side. He then turned to ask Shaka what the hell it was doing there and the air caught in his lungs as he noticed that it was in fact Lisa driving. A dog barked from behind him and he swung round to see Wamba sitting there next to Nandi. Nandi’s mouth was moving as if saying something but produced no sound. A bolt of lightning hit the road before them and he swivelled in his chair just in time to see a man standing at his window with an AK47 assault rifle pointed at him. Suddenly a gun was in his hand and he pointed it at the man and fired, once then twice. But instead of going down the man simply laughed at Night. He threw away his sidearm and it was instantly replaced by a shotgun and he unloaded it into the man. Lisa started crying and repeatedly shouted at Night asking him why he was a killer, why did he kill her father. A sound of an explosion caught Night’s attention and he looked ahead to see that the helicopter had crashed into the road before them. Lisa slammed on the brakes just as the two soldiers emerged from the flames and raised their weapons and fired a single round each at Night and Lisa. The bullets were stopped by the armoured glass of the wind
shield directly in front of their faces. Night started to scream in terror as Lisa turned towards him, Michael, Michael…
“Michael, Mike!”
Night jolted awake and sat up in their bed, his body naked and now drenched in sweat, his heart racing. He looked into the concerned and loving eyes of Lisa as she began to pat him down with a slightly wet towel, instantly cooling his body --a towel she kept at hand in the bedroom for the very reason she was now using it. She then leaned forward and handed him a glass of water which he quickly drained and then sat the glass next to him on a side table.
“Mikey, are you okay?”
“Ja, Lis, I’m fine. Just a dream.”
“Another shooting dream?”
Lisa was well aware of the type of nightmares her lover had on occasion.
“Of sorts.”
“Were you able to shoot?”
“Ja, I shot all right.”
“Good.”
“Not that the rounds seemed to be working all that well.”
“Oh..”
Lisa was also well versed in the all too common ‘policeman’s dream’ as Night called it.
“What time is it?”
“Just after six, I’ve just got in. Shoow it was a hectic shift hey, Mike. Nine shootings just on my channel..”
“Nine!? Shit, that’s bad, even for a Joburg channel.”
“It’s getting worse, Mikey, it’s like a war zone out there. Some of the channels in the South were even busier.”
Night kissed his fiancée gently on the head and got to his feet.
“I’m just going to the bathroom.”
As Night reached the door he turned to see that Lisa had climbed into bed still fully clothed.
“I know you’re exhausted but please don’t go to sleep yet, Lis. We need to talk.”
Night In London (Night Series Book 2) Page 17
