Cooper bounded back down the hillside without the weight of Zola. With the rain having subsided, the velvet night turned warm and clear, giving him a good view of the tiny village.
He slowed down by the track. Moved cautiously. Gun drawn. Looking. Listening. Stopped at every noise.
The quickest way back to the village was to hike along the road and although exposed, he didn’t fancy his chances in the undergrowth with its hidden crevices and ditches and banks and the highly venomous black mamba snakes which hid and moved with swift deadly speed.
Pausing for a moment, he checked for lights. Not wanting to bring his presence to the attention of anyone, especially whoever it was driving the Commer truck. As certain as he could be that the coast was clear, he started to head as quickly as vigilance would allow. Back towards the village.
After ten minutes of watching his footing, avoiding the dips and hollows and holes and pits which would twist an ankle in a brutal second, Cooper saw headlights beginning to appear over the horizon. Lighting up the sky like an arc anti-aircraft searchlight.
He crouched down, noticing the headlights were lower and narrower than the Commer’s. A blend of relief and exhaustion hit him as he realized they were the lights of the Toyota. He waved. Slowly at first then more frantically. Looked like the car wasn’t going to slow down.
Hell, there was no way he was going to risk them not seeing him. The satellite phone he had was unreliable at the best of times, on top of which the battery for some reason was unable to keep its charge and was dangerously flat. Close to dying.
Deciding there was only one thing for it, Cooper leapt into the path of the oncoming car. An abrupt screech and squeal of the tires screamed out as the brakes locked and the car crunched into a stop.
He felt the heat from the Toyota’s hood only inches away. And it was only when he opened his eyes did he notice he’d actually had them squeezed shut.
‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
Rosedale stretched out of the drivers’ side window. His face as furious as it was shocked.
‘I could’ve killed you… And whilst that would be no bad thing, perhaps now isn’t the time. Anyway where’ve you been?’
Cooper glanced round, uneasy at us being in the middle of the road and knowing anything Rosedale had to say could wait.
Running round to the passenger side, Cooper jumped in. ‘Come on, let’s find somewhere to park the car, there was a clearing further up. I’ll explain to you both on the way.’