So much for going quietly, Kees thinks.
Resolutions are all very well, but at some level the animal-self kicks in. We haven’t evolved, had our genes carried through unthinkable numbers of repetitions from the first single-cell organisms to the fully functioning modern humans we are today, just so that in the face of death we give up. That’s not how it works.
In Kees’ case, the desire to survive flares into life when the blade starts towards his abdomen. And he’s grateful for it sharpening his focus, making things slow down enough so he can react properly.
He ducks sideways, grabs Lumberjack’s arm with both hands, sticks his foot out, and then yanks Lumberjack across it. Lumberjack goes down hard – Kees can’t help but think of falling timber – and his grip loosens on the knife’s handle just enough for Kees to prise it free, grab it in his own hand, sweat making it slippery. He flips it over and slices the cable tie, catching his left wrist at the same time.
Van der Pol’s already moving forward, Kees knows he’s got a matter of seconds before impact. He stamps down on the back of Lumberjack’s neck and the man goes limp.
Van der Pol notices that it’s down to just him and Kees, the protection he’s always relied on suddenly unavailable. His eyes flick between Kees and the man lying on the ground.
For a moment, standing less then ten feet apart, Kees thinks Van der Pol might give in and run.
Van der Pol weighs up his options. Then a huge smile cracks open his face as he rushes towards Kees, bundling him backwards into the wire fence.
Which turns out to be electrified.
The shock pulsing through his body gives Kees extra impetus to fight back, like it’s the burst of energy his body needs. He leans back into the wire, using the next pulse of stinging electrical energy to explode forward, pushing Van der Pol off him and onto the ground.
Kees lands his full weight on him and hears the deep grunt of Van der Pol losing air. He flips him over, grabs a wrist, and shoves it right up between the man’s shoulder blades. For good measure he kneels in the small of his back.
Van der Pol tries to squirm. Kees takes a holistic approach, shoves the arm higher, puts even more weight on his knee. It seems to work. There’s less resistance now.
He leans forward until his mouth is right by Van der Pol’s ear.
‘Who were you talking to?’ he says. ‘Who did you give orders to kill?’