56. Drama in paradise
The truck stops at the gate for inspection. Warders walk around with mirrors attached to long sticks and peep if they see anyone hiding under the truck. However, Joss en Leo pulled them up so far into the framework that the mirrors don’t detect anything suspicious. The truck pulls out of the jail and the three workers waiting outside jump on and they proceed to the residential areas to do their work.
It feels like an eternity that the Baxter brothers jerk and shake in the framework with the universal joint of the prop shaft turning dangerously near Leo’s head. Sometimes Leo’s boot slips out of its secure place and then he must quickly secure his foothold again and anchor his lower body to prevent him from slipping loose out of the framework when the truck runs over a pothole or bump. Eventually, the truck drives into the dumping area and the dust of the rough terrain nearly lets them choke. At least the end is near.
A double cab 4x4 has in the meantime turned in behind the truck and has followed it closely for some time until both vehicles stop at the elevated dropping point where all vehicles shove their garbage down with the help of the garbage workers.
Spyker, the driver of the 4x4, climbs out, walks to the back and opens the flap. He keeps the workers busy with bags of garbage that they must take off and throw downwards. In the meantime, Recce got out at the passenger side unseen into the narrow passage between the vehicles and is now tossing a bag underneath the truck.
Joss and Leo, in the meantime, have climbed out of the framework and got rid of their jail clothes. They are now lying upon it and put on plain clothes which they pull out of the bag. They then put the jail clothes in the bag. They crawl out and get into the back cabin of the 4x4 which Recce has opened for them. The 4x4 came in with two men but eventually leaves with four.
In the meantime, the cells in the jail have just been unlocked for breakfast and the wardens now discovered that the two Baxter brothers have vanished in thin air.
Recce turns back facing the two brothers. He gives them the fist. “I thought you would never again see the outside of jail, Joss. How long have you and Leo been inside?”
“We have been sitting for eight fucking years, Recce. Luckily for you outside and Devil Alex inside, or there would be no way we would have escaped in time.”
Joss looks at Leo. “Shit, the dust is everywhere, in my eyes, in my hair, my ears, my nose, my mouth. I am sure even my ass is full of dust, Leo.”
Leo rubs his eyes. “I was afraid I would fall on the prop shaft and kick the bucket today. Never again! That fucking bin! I was sure I would suffocate! Good thing you pulled me out. I heard the truck but couldn’t move. How the hell did you do it?”
Recce is splitting his sides. “Don’t you know your brother, Leo? This guy is a monster. He is Superman himself!”
Joss now has enough of small talk and wants to discuss the way forward. “What is going to happen on Friday and who gave you the intel?”
Spyker looks in his back mirror and answers: “It really is a fucking long story, Joss. Do you remember that Indian billionaire, Ahmed, who made Devil Alex stinking rich with his money laundering?”
“Yes, of course. What about this guy?”
“Recently he found out that an anti-terrorism squad is hot on his heels here in South Africa and then he asked for our help. We have deployed Paola, our best female agent. She is spying on that unit and up to now, she has supplied us with all the information. A fucking big surprise is awaiting you two.”
Joss frowns. “What surprise? What is going on? Why this sudden haste to get us out before Friday? Why this: now or never?”
Recce looks at them. “There is horrible shit but you won’t believe it. Paola is on the Eastwood Estate because everything is happening right there at this moment.”
Joss and Leo look dumbfounded at each other’s dusty faces and they ask together: “What? The Eastwood Estate?”
Spyker answers: “Fuck! There is so much to tell you. I don’t know where to start.”
~*~*~
The siren and loudspeakers erected on poles call all the members of the community to assemble in the huge circus tent. It was erected as a community hall. It has a small stage with a lectern and microphone with an amplifier and loudspeakers with ample seating available and even a stand at the back. This is the place where the whole community will gather in the future to address urgent matters. This is the first gathering and people are unsure about the reason for this. They all wonder what is going on.
They heard the helicopter moving about the whole evening and also the Casspirs full of soldiers moving in and out. Suddenly, on this Thursday morning, they were confronted by soldiers demanding their cell phones. It will in the near future be useless in any case. If someone, however, would try to hide a cell phone, the family would be punished severely.
Naturally, the people were highly agitated by this sudden, shocking treatment and demanded answers. They were then told to assemble in the hall when the announcement was made. Most of them now sit and wait for explanations while the colonel moves in behind the microphone. They are all wondering why the owners of the farm, together with Hunter and Jane, stand in a row on the stage with a soldier behind each of them as if they were guarded.
Eventually, the voice of the colonel can be heard over the loudspeakers: “Hello, people. Can everyone hear me clearly?”
A few people shout from the back that they can hear him and he nods and continues: “People, tomorrow evening those things that fell from the sky are going to emerge from the gutters and attack city and town dwellers and make them sick. Those people are going to change into ruthless, highly infectious monsters and those that evade them will live in anarchy and will most certainly become robbers and plunderers. So, very soon we will be surrounded and threatened by a world of absolute anarchy.
“People, it is my responsibility to safeguard this community, not only against the onslaught from outside but also from within the community itself. We simply cannot tolerate mutiny or conspiracies so that we can stand strong and ready against all onslaughts. This is why this community hall is so important when the whole community must address an important matter and in that case, we will assemble here and sort it out as we are doing now.
“You probably overheard all the commotion last night. We have scarcely gathered on the farm and haven’t settled yet and there was a conspiracy already. The mastermind behind it is Hunter, with his second in charge, Chloe, with the help of Jane, Ronnie, and Lyle, the culprits now standing in a row in front of you.”
“People, we cannot tolerate this! We can tolerate no conspiracies or mutiny; so, if anyone has something worrying him or her in the future, stop Captain Hannes Haasbroek and tell him about it. If it is important enough, we’ll assemble here and hold a meeting. Thus: don’t do anything behind my back!
“Now you will probably want to know what the culprits are guilty of. Your first gathering was held in a conference hall in PE where you were informed about the farm and that this would be the only safe place against the plague that is expected. The sad news is: those eight people who brought you to the farm, last night in secret went back to PE and these people in front of you helped them.”
Morrison stops talking and gives the news time to kick in while he savors the reaction of the people. The whispering at first soon becomes a buzz and then develops into disorderly noise as people frantically become worried about the reason for the mutiny and eventually a few people jump up highly distressed.