102. New developments
Three Ranger cabs are hidden amongst the tree and shrubs. Suddenly, a soldier in camouflage attire steps out of the bushes and walks up to the open window of one of the cabs.
Joss looks into the soldier’s face. “What did you find, Rambo, you’ve been away rather long. Why haven’t you let us know by radio what is amiss?”
“It is my motto to be very vigilant, Joss, you know me well. I’ve much to tell you and why would I babble over the radio? There is always a minute chance that they might stumble across that frequency and discover us. Well, I am here with the information.”
Joss is impatient: “Okay … Okay … I’m sorry I’ve asked, spit it out! What is going on and why have your surveillance took two days?”
“I was extra careful and was rewarded for it yesterday.”
“Oh fuck, get to the point now!”
“Snipers on the lookout, this is an ambush, my mate.”
“What?”
“Yes, luckily I could carefully and unobtrusively hide on a strategic hillock from where I could spy on their snipers’ positions. We will have to attack in the middle of the night because there are two snipers on two different hillocks. It seems they want to pick up strangers approaching over a long distance and if you ask me, they will then prepare for an ambush.”
“Shit! I haven’t expected this. Once again a recce saves my stinking ass.”
“When dusk falls while the sun goes down I will have to overwhelm the snipers because I suppose they have night vision. The first one will be easier because his night vision will not be functioning well. I only hope they don’t have heat-sensitive vision because then I will have a problem with the second guy, but I will only know when I have overwhelmed the first guy. I am going to approach them from the most unexpected direction because with the reduced vision in the dark they will probably focus on the direction from where they expect an attack. I will call you from the hillock when I have ambushed the first guy and will lead you with his night vision over the radio up to that hillock. You must wait there until I’ve overpowered the second sniper and then I will lead you over the radio up to near the farmhouse where I will join you before we attack them.”
Joss nods. “Fucking good work, Rambo! Do you think it is Hunter’s snipers because he expects us? I don’t hope so.”
“Maybe the major is only especially careful, but we will know tonight what is the case.”
***
They are in a row, heads down on their knees in the kitchen. Threatening Joss stands in front of the barefooted soldiers in their shorts, some with bare torsos and some with t-shirts. Behind them, Rambo, Leo, and John are covering them with rifles.
Joss speaks in his hoarse voice: “Ladies, I’m not one who plays games. Work with me and there will be no reason for orientation but if you don’t, I will take you one by one for orientation. Look up to me!”
Defeated they look up to the giant who slowly looks each in his eyes trying to determine who is the softy. Eventually, his eyes rest on a feeble and pale young soldier.
A grin forms on his face while he looks this guy into the eyes. “I see a gay guy here amongst you. We haven’t even started and he wants to cry already. Get up! What is your name, baby?”
The troop stands up and mumbles with his head down: “Ross.”
Joss grabs him, tosses him around like a rag doll, and pushes him in front of him into the corridor to the first bedroom.
The soldiers hear mumbling and then a loud whack and become ice-cold when the young troop yells from pain. Then again there are mumbling and a hard bang again and the shout of pain. This continues.
Then suddenly the soldier cries: “Please, not this, please!”
Another loud whack and the young man yells his lungs out and cries unashamedly.
Eventually, it becomes too much for one of the soldiers in the kitchen: “What do you want to know? I will tell you. Just stop that monster with his torturing of Ross, please.”
Rambo speaks from behind them: “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
“No, please stop him first.”
Rambo shouts to Joss: “Joss, leave it. The gay’s pall wants to spill the beans. If he talks shit, you can go ahead and finish off.”
Joss’s hoarse voice comes from the bedroom: “Oh no, I’m just starting to enjoy myself. I hope he talks shit. Okay, I will wait a bit.”
Rambo puts the barrel of his gun against the snitch’s head for inspiration: “Talk rubbish and I shall put a bullet through your head!”
“We are protecting this place for Captain Dexter.”
Rambo is amazed: “Are you part of the team who were sent to Port Elizabeth to bring back the people to the army camp on the Eastwood Estate?”
“Yes ...”
“How did you discover this place?”
“We found a helicopter in a shed at the Eastern Province army camp and followed the road.”
“Where did you find a pilot?”
“Our pilot noticed the guy on the scrambler just in time to jump out. He survived the onslaught on the Puma.”
“Okay, go ahead ...”
“We flew over the road blockade and then over the neighboring farms and then we saw the two cabs and landed and investigated here. We found the tracks indicating that the owners of the cabs for one or other reason headed to the gorges and the captain decided to wait for their return and to ambush them when they return.”
“Where is the captain now?”
“A group arrived here with Major Hunter in charge. The major persuaded the captain to go with him into the gorges. They have a brilliant dog handler with big dogs and they convinced the captain that they would more easily find the children as their first priority. The captain agreed and left only our small group here to safeguard this place for when they return.”
“Where are the Casspir and the helicopter?”
“Their vehicles and the helicopter are hidden in a shed not far from here. You can find it there and know I am telling the truth.”
“Does Colonel Morrison know where our camp is?”
An uneasy silence follows before he answers: “I really don’t know.”
“Joss, you can go ahead. This little bird stopped tweeting.”
The soldier next to him answers quickly: “No, wait. He doesn’t know. I overheard the major and the captain and they know the whereabouts of your camp.”
“Wait a bit, Joss. Your gay has two boyfriends! The other one wants to sing now. What is the major and the colonel’s plan?”
“They want to take over your camp and force you to work with them so that they can plant a tracking device on the so-called Saviors to follow them to their base. Why don’t you work with Colonel Morrison? You can negotiate with him and he will pay you better.”
Rambo lifts his gun and stands back. “Joss, you can leave it now. What they’ve said makes sense. Looks as if the gays are telling the truth.”
Joss appears with the young soldier in front of him. He doesn’t look hurt and Joss takes him by the shoulder: “Show them …”
Joss hits with his fist on the table and the soldier cries out as if in pain.
Joss grins: “Do you see now, ladies. Work with us and you will be okay, give us shit and I’ll kill you. Tell me what you’ve found out, Rambo.”