Father Confessor - For the Motherland

Chapter 11

Moyo took the driver's seat, Nariti rode shotgun and Tsholo took the backseat. The truck with Gadzanani in it was behind them and then a third police truck escorted the other two vehicles. The tension in the car throbbed like a day old amputation after the pain medication had been stopped. Moyo keep throwing a nervous look in Nariti's direction which stopped when Nariti snapped at her.

"What is it, Moyo?"

Tsholo quickly felt her ire rising again at the churlish tone in the DCI's voice. Taking a deep breath she pressed her lips together and said nothing. She looked out her window and bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from saying anything she might regret.

"DCI, I believe the man Gadzanani was talking about is Anthony Chavapi. What I don't understand is why he would kill his family. They had nothing to do with what happened."

After a short pause, Nariti said, "Some people are just sadistic and kill for the love of it. If it had not been them, it would have been somebody else." Nariti turned deliberately and faced Tsholo who was still looking out the window in the back of the car. "Don't you agree, detective? For some people, killing innocents is a sin that grows and festers in their blood like a raving virus that needs to be fed. Some justify it by saying it was necessitated by the job when everyone knows that it could have been prevented."

Again, Tsholo felt like Nariti was challenging something within her. She just could not figure out what it was. So instead of replying she said, "If Chavapi knew who to go after, he is quite connected. Even if we find him he is unlikely to tell us who the person behind the kidnapping is. Either because he has been threatened not to, or just because he would love to defeat us, not give in, and lord it over us. To be honest I think the latter would be more likely."

There was silence in the vehicle for a moment. Moyo kept her eyes on the road and by turning her head, Tsholo could see the two vehicles behind her. It had not been a good few days and she was more tired than she would have wanted. It wasn't even a physical fatigue, not completely. It was more a weariness in her spirit that was slowly consuming her. She was worried about the children and their families. She was also worried about Garikai. She didn't know why the kidnapper only wanted to talk to him and this disquieted her.

Nariti was also rubbing her last nerve. She was trying to deal with it and not let it compromise her focus on the case, however, her snide comments and derisive attitude rubbed hard on her and she wanted to lash back. She was a professional though and she would try and manage the situation. She would be the bigger person. For now.

She was so lost in her thoughts that when Moyo yelled "Watch out!" and swerved the car, she was momentarily confused. The vehicle went off the road into a small maize filled and bumped over the hardened plough mounds for a few meters before Moyo screeched it to a halt. Just as it stopped a loud explosion sounded and Tsholo felt the whole car vibrate as all three of them unbuckled their seat belts and pulled their weapons from their holsters.

She took a quick survey of their surroundings and conceded that the attackers had chosen a perfect spot for an ambush. The Ford had come to a stop in a recently harvested field, just before a small stream flowing into Mutare river a few miles to the south of their position. Just across the bridge they intended to cross was the Yeovil Cemetery, and the setting could not be more fitting.

She looked behind her in time to watch the truck with Gadzanani and four of the cops in it get blown up. From the way it flew into the air and the blast that accompanied it, Tsholo suspected it was an RPG. She had first hand experience with it and knew what it could do. The truck hung suspended in midair for a couple of seconds before it began its descent. It landed hard on its side and the doors at the back buckled under the stress.

She quickly looked around and saw a black SUV parked about fifty meters away, just before the bridge. There was a man with a grenade launcher that he was reloading, with other commando gear clad and masked gunmen jumping out of the vehicle.

"Get out the car," she yelled at the other two women. They didn't argue and all three of them hightailed it out of the parked truck. They rushed to the blown-up truck to try and assist their comrades. When they got there they met with the team who had been in the third vehicle and they all worked to assist the cops in the vehicle, racing against the inevitable explosion as the smell of leaking gasoline permeated the downed truck. A barrage of shots rang out as the gunmen opened fire on them.

"Dammit! Are those MK 48 Machine Guns?" Moyo asked with incredulity.

"How the hell did mercs get hold of US Special Operations Command weapons?" Tsholo asked, just as amazed.

"We'll figure that out later," Nariti said, "For now, keep them back and keep Gadzanani and the team safe."

As she rolled off rapid fire from her gun, Tsholo and Moyo did the same. Three of the team members were working to get the truck open and release Gadzanani and their teammates while the others opened fire on the attackers. Tsholo couldn't make out how many there were but they were packing some serious heat. As the bullets pinged against the truck they were hiding behind, she tried to figure out how she could help alleviate the situation sooner rather than later. She watched as a bullet knocked down one of the cops and she stood up and fired at the shooters. She grinned in satisfaction as one of the men fell. She saw that two were still standing.

At this point, the cops had managed to open the back of the truck and were now helping Gadzanani out of it, quickly pulling him behind the fallen vehicle. Shots continued to sound around them and bullets whirred all over like hailstones in a storm. Tsholo saw one of the gunment aim at a one of the officers helping Gadzanani. She opened fire on him at the same time Nariti did and she saw him go down. The third man went down too, shot by one of the cops. The two women shared a quick look of satisfaction that was unmarred by any animosity. Just as quickly, however, a closed look came onto Nariti's face

When there was not further sound from the three fallen gunmen, everyone carefully got out from behind their vehicle shields. A couple of the cops walked carefully over to where the shooters were lying still, their weapons still in their hands. Tsholo followed slowly behind them. She turned to look to where Gadzanani was sitting and as she did so, one of the gunmen raised his weapon and aimed right at Tsholo. Nariti, who had been keeping a cautious eye on them, saw what was about to happen. The two approaching cops saw it two but it was too late. The gunman on the ground fired a shot straight to Tsholo's head. Tsholo turned in time to see Nariti jump on her and tackle her to the ground. As she wondered what the hell was happening she felt the heat from a bullet graze her left cheek. The two cops opened fired and two guns went off simultaneously.

Tsholo looked up at Nariti, who was now half laying across her. Both women got quickly to their feet and stared at each other. Just as Tsholo was about to speak they all heard the hissing sound of approaching rocket propelled grenades and looked up in time to witness them hit two of the three vehicles.

I hate RPGs was Tsholo's thought a second before the grenades blew up and the blast they caused made everyone in the area fly up into the air.

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