“What’s the status, Private?” The commander’s deep voice came from behind.
“One comrade and a civilian killed in action, Sir!”
“Who?” The commander responded in a dejected tone.
“One of the relief men, and Murray, Sir.”
He grunted between tight lips. “How many hostiles?”
“Not sure, Sir. I spotted three behind the barn and gunfire from inside the house. We got the civilians out of the line of fire but the female is still unaccounted for Sir.”
“Negative. I got her taking cover under her chute over there. She’s fine,” Alex interjected.
“Ma’am, we need to get you and Dr. Quinn to safety.“
“And what about Elaine? We can’t just leave her there on her own. I’m pretty sure the adrenaline from her jump has worn off by now. She’s in no condition to be left alone. Who knows what she might do?”
“Ma’am, you and Dr. Quinn are our primaries. We got strict orders. We’ll come back for her. Now stay down and move as quick as you can.”
“I think my arm is broken Commander. I’m going to need some help low crawling across this field.”
“We’re going to have to make a run for it then. Alex, cover us.”
Alex had no time to argue. The commander and his valiant soldier flanked Sam’s sides and started running toward the others. The crackling sound of bullets pierced the late afternoon air as soon as they moved through the tall grass. Alex fired her gun at the enemy affording enough time for them to get to safety. The trio ran towards the hay bales, dragging Sam across the field. Elaine let out a high-pitched scream of panic from where she was still lying underneath her cloth canopy. Without a second thought, Alex crawled through the grass to Elaine.
“Let’s go!” Alex directed the paranoid woman when the gunfire ceased.
“I’m not moving! I’m staying right here.”
“How long, Elaine? Huh? You can’t stay here. They know you’re hiding under the chute. We need to get to safety. Now, let’s go!”
“They killed him,” Elaine broke down into sobs. “They killed Geoffrey.”
It dawned on Alex that Elaine was referring to the humanitarian who had fallen to his death.
“I’m sorry, Elaine. I’m truly sorry, but I don’t think Geoffrey would have wanted you to die along with him. I’m sure he would much rather have you fight back and get home alive. What about your kids and your family back home?” Alex had no way of knowing if she had kids or not, but the clock was ticking and they had to get out of there.
Her wild guess paid off and Elaine wiped her face with the back of her shirt. “You’re right, dearie. I signed up for this relief mission and Elaine McDonald always finishes what she starts. What do I do?”
Amused at Elaine’s inner resolve, Alex squeezed her hand. “We’re going to crawl on our elbows to the bales over there. Whatever you do, do NOT stand up, ok? Stay down and use your knees and feet to push you forward as fast as you can. Ready?”
“Ready,” Elaine whispered as she took in a deep breath and crawled alongside Alex to where the rest of the survivors lay behind a large hay silage.
Narrowly escaping the crossfire between their attackers and the defending troops, they managed to safely join their party.
“There’s my girl,” Sam said with pride as Alex ducked in behind the makeshift barrier taking cover.
Alex smiled with relief to see Sam sitting against the hay. “How are you holding up?”
“I’ll live. My wrist is broken though.”
But hidden behind their eyes Alex and Sam were fully aware of the repercussions of his injury. With his shooting hand’s wrist broken the risk for him to continue with the mission was too great.
“No time for chit-chat kids. Listen up,” the commander’s voice cut in. “Stay put. I repeat, Miss Hunt. STAY PUT. Out here there’s no place for heroics. Clear?”
Alex wasn’t sure she liked the commander’s sarcasm, but knew she was no longer in charge of this mission and she had no choice but to comply. “Clear Commander.”
“Soldiers,” he continued. “We counted three behind the barn and unconfirmed hostiles inside the house. Take your mark and infiltrate with caution. Adjust as directed. Miss Hunt, cover us. The rest of you, stay down. Soldiers, on my mark!”
The commander paused to make eye contact with each of his men; communicating a silent language of camaraderie between them as they prepared to attack.
“Advance!” he ordered followed by the soldiers taking up their positions in a synchronized onslaught on their enemy.
Using the hay as a barrier, Alex opened fire at the opposition while the commander and his troops moved in on the farm house. In a frenzied shootout the small army of servicemen skillfully attacked the opposition and in less than fifteen minutes had forced seven hostiles out of hiding and gunned them down.
“Clear!” the first soldier shouted out after which six more soldiers reported the rivals were obliterated and the coast was clear.
Proceeding with caution, Alex kept her finger on the trigger and her gun in position in front of her chest as she slowly stepped out from behind the hay. Satisfied they were out of danger she turned back.
“You can come out now. We’re safe.”
“Sir! We have a friendly!” One of the soldiers shouted to the commander as the small group of survivors stepped onto the farm house’s porch.
They watched as the commander rushed to where his men had uncovered a small bunker under the kitchen floor and the partially bald head of a man in his late sixties appeared from underneath the floorboards. Clearly shaken by the events the man climbed up the ladder and raised his hands over his head.
“It’s ok, sir. We’re SADF. Are you the owner of this house?”
Relieved at the introduction of the South African Defense Force the man nodded.
“Are you alone?”
“In the house yes, but my workers live down by the river behind the house.”
The commander signaled to four of his men to investigate before continuing his probing.
“What’s your name?” The commander proceeded.
“Van, short for Van der Merwe.”
Alex pulled out a chair at the modest kitchen table and encouraged Van to sit down.
“Are you hurt anywhere?” she asked.
Van shook his head and gulped down the glass of water the reporter placed in front of him.
“What happened here? Who were these guys?” the reporter cut in.
Van rubbed his forehead and the back of his neck before replying. “This, my friend, is the new South Africa. The free-for-all people taking over this country.”
“What did they want?” Sam asked as he shuffled into a chair at the table.
“My farm, what else? It’s sanctioned now for anyone to lay claim on any piece of land they so want and who better to steal it from than us farmers. It doesn’t matter if my father and his father before him built all this with their own hands. They can waltz in and claim it just because they believe it once might have belonged to their ancestors.”
“You mean they buy it off you.” The reporter commented for clarification.
Van sat back in his chair and let out a sarcastic laugh. “No friend, you’re not listening. They can TAKE it without any compensation, explanation or paper evidence and they can move in with all their wives and all their children and do with it as they please.”
“And if you refuse?” Sam asked.
Van repeated his question. “Refuse? There’s no such thing as refusing them. They simply kill you and anything that moves and seize your property.”
“So you didn’t fight back?” Alex asked in surprise.
“Ma’am, even if I fought back and killed them, the government is on their side. I’d be thrown in jail faster than I can get my hat. There are no laws protecting the whites anymore. The government already passed law on land grabbing. Apparently it’s their way of punishing us for ‘Africa’s original sin’ as they call it. It’s no longer the whites against the blacks in this country. It’s the blacks against the whites. You might have won the battle today, but there will be more coming for this piece of land. It’s the only one they haven’t seized in the area.”
The atmosphere in the kitchen lay thick with horror in the wake of Van’s declaration.
“Awaiting your orders Sir,” one of the onlooking soldiers prompted.
“You’re right, Private. Let’s secure the perimeter and seal off the entrances.”
“Sir, our comms took a bullet. It’s out.” Another soldier reported as he propped the satellite communications bag on the table in front of them.
“What do you mean out?”
“The Sat phone took a bullet, Sir. I might be able to get a morse code distress out but I’m not sure yet. It will take some time.”
Annoyed by the news the commander inspected the bag. “Van, where’s the phone?” Turning his attention to the farmer as his eyes searched the room.
“Ha! Phone? You’re in the middle of nowhere, my friend. There’s no phone lines or internet out here. I suggest you take your vehicle to the nearest town about thirty miles from here — that’s if the town is still standing.”
Ignoring his sarcasm, the commander summoned his men and went about securing the doors and windows before setting off after the rest of his platoon.
“We parachuted!” Elaine yelled out with a tinge of boasting in her voice.
“Parachuted? You jumped from a plane. Where are you lot from?”
“I’m Elaine, this is Glen and that’s Angus. Our friend, Geoffrey didn’t make it,” briefly pausing before continuing. “We’re from Scotland; part of a United Nations relief mission.”
“I’m Ethan Reid; WBS News and this is my cameraman Roy. We’re with the UN report team.”
“And this is Dr. Sam Quinn and I’m Alex Hunt. We’re — on the team as well.” Alex said with caution as she reminded herself of their mission being classified. “Do you have any medical supplies? Sam’s got a broken wrist we need to tend to.” Alex continued.
“Down in the bunker,” Van got up and proceeded to descend into the bunker. Alex followed.
“What is this place?” She asked as Van switched on his flashlight.
“This is what’s kept me safe the last three days. My hide-out.”
“Three days! You mean to say they’ve held you hostage here for three days? What would you have done if we hadn’t accidentally come to your rescue?”
“Wait it out, I guess. There’s enough here to last me a year.”
Alex shone her torchlight across the small underground room’s walls. Shelving lined the four walls from top to bottom; stocked with canned food, water and all the essentials a person required to survive. In the one corner was a toilet lid nailed to a rectangular chest; next to it, a small washbowl, soap and some towels.
“It’s a compost toilet” Van volunteered as he noticed Alex staring at the contraption with curiosity. “There’s a hole in the ground underneath. It’s how we did it in the old days. Here, this should do the trick with your friend’s wrist until we can get him to a hospital.” Van produced a splint and some medical supplies.
“Have you been living here on your own? I mean, where’s your wife and kids?” Alex asked with sympathy in her voice.
“My kids managed to find great jobs overseas years ago. My daughter got married and now lives in Germany and the other one is in Canada.” Van went quiet and walked towards the ladder.
“And your wife?” Alex pushed causing Van to stop at the foot of the ladder before he turned and replied with a voice filled with heartache. “She died ten years ago — breast cancer.”
Instantly Alex regretted her prying. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”
“No need to apologize, Miss. I think the good Lord knew to spare her all of this. She wouldn’t have been able to live apart from her girls, much less live in fear of being murdered.”
“Why didn’t you leave with your daughters?”
Van, who until now still had one foot on the ladder, turned and faced Alex. “And leave my farm that has been in our family for three generations? Never! I watched my grandfather plough these fields with nothing but an ox and his bare hands and my father after him. We have put centuries of blood, sweat and tears into this farm; worked from sunrise to sunset every day of every year — through wind, rain and thunderstorms. Every crop that has ever come from this land was nurtured and grown by us and our workers who lived and worked alongside us from the very first day my grandfather bought this piece of land. I will die before I ever give up this farm to this nation who now claim they deserve it more than me.”
Van’s eyes were drenched in an equal blend of sadness and anger; his voice bitter and filled with pride. And without saying another word, he ascended and made his way back into the kitchen.