Covert operations
They jump out of the car with all the gear that’s in the armored case Hlengiwe brought yesterday. They get into this room filled with computer monitors, guns and ammunition. There are about 4 people operating the computers and three people who look like security carrying heavy weapons.In a moment, in one of the monitors pops Hlengiwe, “Hey guys I hope your trip was good. I’m sorry if you are feeling jet-legged but we are low on time so we need to move now.?” Next to Hlengiwe on the big monitor is Nothemba, “happy hunting guys. We'll be on your ear all the way. Good luck.”
Qhawe is pleased to see his wife, even though he’s seeing her from the computer monitor and she’s miles away. They put on their vests, grab guns and communication devices. They decide not to wear military gear because this is a foreign country. Even though this mission is sanctioned by both countries it is not a military combat mission.
They head into the car; it is still the same people driving them. They drive about 30 minutes and then reach what looks like an abandoned building. Jackson looks at the IPad in his hand, “Yep, we are here sir,” he says as he gives the I-pad to Qhawe. Zinhle and Themba join in to look at the compound from the device. “I see heat signatures. It looks like there’s about 7-10 people there,” Themba says. They look at each other.
“Okay, let’s go guys. Remember don’t fire unless you have visual. Don’t shoot the package,” Qhawe says authoritatively. They get out of the car. Themba signals to Tim and Jackson to go around the other entrance, him, Qhawe and Zinhle take the other.
“Command centre,” whispers Zinhle, “we are going in. Be advised, there may be 7-10 people inside. Three of them may be the package,” she says. Roger that destiny, loud and clear You are clear to engage, command centre responds.
Zinhle signals that it’s a go. They climb the stairs and stop by the door they are raiding. Themba is taking point followed by Zinhle and Qhawe is covering their 6. On the other side Jackson and Tim are in position, waiting on orders to bridge. “Bravo, be ready to breach on 3,” Qhawe says, communicating with them. He signals to Themba and also whispering in the Mic, “3…2…1… bridge”
Themba kicks the door but Zinhle enters first and encounters a man across her with a machine gun. She shoots first as the man was aiming at her. Themba gets in and exchange fire with two men behind a counter, while Qhawe enters and notice that there’s a man attempting to make a call from behind the computers, he jumps at him and stops him from making a call he then knocks him out with a heavy object on the table. By that time Themba had won the fire fight.
On the other entrance Tim and Jackson had breached on 3 and exchanged fire with 4 men and came on top. They come over this side where Qhawe is. “No sign of the package sir,” Jackson says. Qhawe is disappointed at that because even where they are there’s no sign of the package.
“Look around and see what you can find," he commands. Everyone starts to look around to find clues while others are checking the computers and taking hard drives. “Command centre,” Qhawe says, “There’s no sign of the package. But we have one target to interrogate,” he says as he grabs the guy he knocked down. “Roger that Alpha, we read you” command centre responds. Qhawe ties the man into the chair and waits for him to wake up but is interrupted by Zinhle,
“Sir, is this familiar to you?” Zinhle asks as she gives a pink doll to Qhawe. He takes it and looks at it. His heart races as he realises that this is Naledi's favorite doll. He then races to the man in the chair, he punches him in the face so hard that the man regained consciousness but the others grab Qhawe and hold him back.
“No man, don’t do that,” Themba says as he restrains his friend but Qhawe is wrestling to be free. Finally, he calms down. The man is now awake. He is a very big size, clearly a former military. “Sir, don’t worry he will talk,” Tim says. Him and Jackson grab the man, “This is what we do sir,” Jackson says as they take the man to the other room. Zinhle and Themba start putting all the drives and other equipment they feel can help in this investigation while Qhawe is sitting down trying to pull himself together.
After 20 minutes, Tim and Jackson come back, “Sir I told you this is what we do,” Jackson says. “He gave us vital information that can help us. But sir we must move. This location has been compromised we don’t want to be here when local authorities or even more of these French mercenaries come.” Jackson says. Zinhle goes to the other room and put a bullet in the man's skull. They take all the bags full of Intel and load them in the car and drive back to the safe house.
When they arrive in the safe house, Hlengiwe is already on the big monitor with Nothemba, “Gentlemen, how did it go?” she asks. The team put down the bags and Qhawe gives one of the tech guys a hard drives, “Please see what you can find there,” and then he turns into the screen with Hlengiwe on, “Well, firstly you should be sleeping,” Hlengiwe smiles but she doesn’t answer. “Secondly clearly they were there but we arrived late. We found Naledi's doll and lots of hard drives that we took with us. They may give us an idea of where they are,” he says as he removes his vest.
Nothemba next to Hlengiwe in the monitor is just smiling, happy to see her husband safe.
“Ma'am, we found out from the man we interrogated that this French team was part of an international clean up task force,” says Tim. This puzzles Hlengiwe, “What the hell is that supposed to mean exactly? Cleaning up what? On who’s authority?” she asks with a raised voice. “We don’t know,” responds Jackson, “but few black ops agencies from different countries like Austria, Serbia, France, Italy, Nigeria and so on are part of that clean-up crew,” he continues.
This gets Hlengiwe's attention, “What the hell is going on here? The man who killed my son was Austrian intelligence and there is no way this is a coincident. And why would they target us and more importantly, how are they linked to Jack Locker?” she is frustrated.
“We will find out ma'am,” Tim responds. There’s silence for a while. "Quarter back, find me something from those drives. And get back to me as soon as possible,” Hlengiwe orders. Tech 1: “yes ma'am.” The screen goes blank.
From that time, they start digging from the hard drives to find digital prints that can give them a break through. It is exhausting work. It goes on for a few hours.
Themba comes over to the table where Qhawe is sitting, “How are you holding up buddy?” Themba asks, “don’t worry we will find them. If this indeed is Locker, he won’t kill them because he was just trying to draw us out. That alone buys us time,” he says as he gives Qhawe a back pat.
“You know, I’d gladly trade places with them bro,” Qhawe says as he sighs heavily. “Hey, hey, hey,” Themba says, “It won’t get to that okay?” they are disturbed by a shout. Tech two: “Sir, sir I think I’ve got something here.” He says as he puts something on the big monitor. “These are flight plans for South Africa for a private aircraft Hawk Eye Jet 3747H.,
“Son of the…” Qhawe says as he makes a call. “Hlengiwe, they may be on their way there aboard Hawk Eye Jet 3747H. Please check all private plane fields with low profile. Maybe just check the whole damn thing I don’t care…” after a moment he hangs up.
After about 35 minutes Hlengiwe pops up on the big monitor, “yes that aircraft will land at Hill's plane field, it’s a private land owned by one of Locker's business partners. It will land in 3 hours’ time. I suggest you follow him people. We don’t have a lot of time.”
This gets Qhawe's heart racing. They quickly pack up their bags and gear and load them in a car. Tim and Jackson are driving them to the airport. They get to the airport and load everything quick into the jet.
“Good luck sir,” Jackson says as he shakes Qhawe's hand. “Thank you,” Qhawe responds, “we will keep in touch, something tells me we are not done here in this part of the world,” he continues. Jackson nods. Qhawe shakes Tim's hand as well. They watch him aboard the jet. They are off back home.
In the jet there’s quietness, everyone is thinking about the eventful day they had. Zinhle didn’t think one day she'll be back in the spy mode with bullet flying all over the place. For Themba, it reminded him of their U.N. sins but the thought of working with his wife just felt so good to him. He must be thinking of Mr. and Mrs. Smith movie. As for Qhawe, nothing else matters more than finding his kids and Buhle.
Finally, they arrive home to a warm welcome. Hlengiwe and Nothemba woke up early because they knew Qhawe's flight will arrive in the morning. There’s hugs all around.
“I’m glad you are safe sweetheart,” Nothemba says as she hugs her husband. Hlengiwe hugs Zinhle and Themba, “Welcome back people, it’s good to see you,” she says to them. “Please get refreshed and rest a bit we will start working at noon when my people get here.” But Themba doesn’t like that idea, “Whoa, shouldn’t we be getting on it right away? Their Jet arrived many hours ago. How do we know what these lunatics plan to do with the kids?” he asks with a panicked voice.
But Hlengiwe decides to calm him down, “Relax Mr Cele. Locker won’t harm the kids or Buhle, the people he wanted are in this room. Besides, we can’t just go in there blind. We need to plan and strategies so that he doesn’t slip through our fingers again. Now go freshen up, eat something and rest a little,” she commands. At that, no one protests.
***
Later on in the day after they have rested, Qhawe, Themba and Zinhle join Hlengiwe and her associates with Nothemba in the study. They overslept. They really were tired but there was no harm in letting them rest a little because Hlengiwe needs them sharp.
“I said noon, lady and gentlemen but it’s okay I get it, you needed rest,” Hlengiwe says with a smile as the three sit down. “Well I have found out what this clean-up crew team is all about,” Hlengiwe continues, “After the U.N. initiated an investigation on the peace keeping mission, countries that are implicated in the report bended together to form a tasks force team that will do a clean-up in order to contain classified info from getting to the investigators. Well needless to say, they have succeeded in getting to some of the key witnesses “
“our tech guys tracked communications between the French hitmen you had pleasure of entertaining yesterday with the facilitator that put this team together. After more digging, cross referencing calls with addresses and payments found in the drive, it is safe to say that Jack Locker is the facilitator.”
This shocks everyone in the room. “wait, how is that possible because Locker is not a government official?” Themba asks curiously. “He was advisor to the previous administration. Well Mr. Cele, since this operation clean up was going to be covert, no official channels were used so it made it easy for Locker to talk his way through, ”Hlengiwe answers. There’s a little quietness in the room as everyone is trying to figure this out. They are trying to understand why.
“But why?” asks Zinhle, “What does Locker gain by all this because his name is not in the U.N. mission report, right?” she continues. Another pause happens.
“No Mrs. Cele, he doesn’t gain anything except that this clean-up will give him one thing that he wants more,” Hlengiwe says as she looks across the table. Qhawe and Themba look at each other and say it simultaneously “Revenge.” Hlengiwe pause and then says, “Yes this operation will give him revenge. It will give him you. Locker lost big when Hawk Eye was put under government surveillance. It deprived him of a huge resource. With Smith brothers under watch, he needed to come up with another plan so he took advantage of other countries’ desperate attempts to cover up the U.N. saga,” she says.
Now it’s beginning to be clear on everyone else what Hlengiwe is talking about but she continues, “They deliberately left foot prints in Canada apartment where Buhle and the kids stayed, knowing you will fly over there. They were baiting us.”
They all look at each other but Hlengiwe continues, “Well Locker was hoping that when you raided the compound, that’s where you’d die but it didn’t happen. He had plan B. He took Buhle and the kids with him because he knows you will stop at nothing to find them. So you see? We need to find a way of approaching this,” She concludes.
“Hlengiwe is right,” adds Nothemba. “we can’t go in blind, we need to be smart about it. Once we find the location we need to force him to play on our terms.” Qhawe smiles because Nothemba is no longer falling apart but brave enough to face the situation.
“Okay people let’s try and get the location where he’s taken them.” Qhawe says to the tech guys. They are also communicating with the Canada team that is doing analysis on all the drives picked up from the French safe house.
***
Meanwhile in a house on a field the size of a golf course, fortified by a forest of trees, Locker has Buhle and the kids. With him are his business associates, politicians and the Smith brothers. “Sir, I’m still saying this is a risk. If we are discovered here by Hlengiwe and her team, it doesn’t just compromise you and us but also our party. We would never regain confidence of the people in order to at least do better in the local government elections,” says one minister. He’s one of the ministers who resigned after they were linked with corruption and money laundering. But Locker is so hell bent on revenge he doesn’t care about what his associate is saying. He is staring through the window in quietness.
“Sir, the minister is right, this is putting all of us in danger,” Smith adds, “if they discover this place and find all these people here, what do you think they will do?” Smith is starting to raise his voice, “we don’t have the protection of the government anymore.” Smith concludes.
In all that, Locker is not saying a word but is just looking through the window like a man in deep thoughts. He comes back and sit down, taking a glass of whisky he says, “Look here John, you and your brother couldn’t deal with a very simple thing: Nkosi. A nobody managed to tear apart everything I’ve worked for and wrestled power away from us. Now don’t be giving me instructions about how to deal with him. You hear me?” Smith takes a second and then says, “Yes Sir.”
Locker then goes to the window again. It is as if he is waiting for someone to show up. Could it be that he has set a trap for Qhawe and his team? Locker has never lost a battle before, let alone to nobody. He is standing there wondering Where did it all go wrong? Is it time to cut ties with this band and form a new one with the current Government?
***
Meanwhile at the Nkosi mansion which is looking less and less like a home with each day, but a government building, is crawling with government agents. It seems Hlengiwe's loss of a son has injected her with sense of urgency. It’s either she is brave or she’s just being in denial of the truth in recent events.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” Qhawe says to Hlengiwe as he finds her sitting by the pool, alone. He comes and sits next to her. Hlengiwe looks at him. She has cup of coffee in her hand. “I’m okay, thank you,” she smiles at him. “You know, I know that you have cremated your boy but you have never had time to mourn for him and if you need time alone we can understand that. We can give you time, in the meantime continue with operations,” Qhawe says to her.
“Mr. Nkosi thank you for your concern but I can assure you, I am okay. When all of this is over I will mourn my son. We all grieve differently. Me, I won’t be able to mourn properly without closure and closure will be when I find my son's killers,” Hlengiwe says. This answer seems to be enough for Qhawe, who takes a pause and look at the skies above him. “What about you?” Hlengiwe asks Qhawe, “How are you holding up? I know about my son, but you, your kids are still out there. That must be hard for you?” she says.
Qhawe thinks for a second and says, “Well I'm holding on the hope that Locker is keeping them alive in order to get to us or at least using them as bait. “Their conversation is disturbed by Zinhle calling them in , “Guys , we have something you may want to see.”
They both hurry up inside the study. “Ma'am,” Hlengiwe's associate says, “We have traced one of Locker's business partners’ security team driving to this compound here,” he says as he points to the big monitor, “It looks like a building in a large field surrounded by trees and lake. It’s not a normal house and it has few cars outside. This could be a new meeting place for Locker and his crew.” He concludes. They are all watching attentively the live images from a drone hovering above this place. Since its at night, they are watching through night vision cameras.
“Okay people let’s work on the layout of the compound and its security system. We have to get in there. We can’t wait till the morning. We have to go in now.” Hlengiwe says with authority.
While the tech guys work on the technicalities of the compound, Qhawe, Zinhle and Themba and five of Hlengiwe's associates are gearing up. This time they are in dark clothes with full military special ops gear. Nothemba comes over to Qhawe and says, “Honey, I think I need to go with you on this one. We have enough tech guys here; I need to be in the field.”
This irks Qhawe, “Baby how many times must I say it? No, you are not going out there. This is not a game. I can’t be trying to save our kids while I’m busy worried about you okay?” He raises his voice, but Nothemba won’t take this lying down, “These are my children too okay? I can’t just sit here and do nothing,” she shouts.
“But you are doing something honey. You are being our eyes and ears in here and it's better...” Qhawe says but is interrupted by Hlengiwe, “gear up Mrs. Nkosi, you are going with the team.” she says as she walks away. This just caught Qhawe by surprise, he follows Hlengiwe.
“Are you out of your mind Hlengiwe? We talked about this, it’s not safe out there…” Hlengiwe decides to cut him off, “look we don’t have time for this alright. It’s not safe for anyone. She is in this situation now, deal with it. The fact that her kids might be there motivates her, just like it motivates you,” she says as she moves back to the study.
Everyone has now geared up including Nothemba. She looks like a different woman in a spy movie. She has gun training. Qhawe had encouraged her to revive training during the time he was in the military, but she had never thought that the training will ever be put to good use until now. More so when her kids’ lives are in danger.
“Mrs. Nkosi, you will quarterback in the van with three agents,” Hlengiwe orders, “and I want snipers in here and here,” she says as she points to the monitor, “Alpha will take the main gate, while bravo will take the back gate and the back door. Quarterback will advise on hostile movements using the drone over head,” she commands. This may not be the action Nothemba may have wanted but close enough. Besides, it is probably safer this way.
The team of twelve gets in two vans and off they leave Hlengiwe with still enough men surrounding the house inside and out. Her daughter Mbali is really not exposed to most of what is happening even though she notices that there are too many people here in the house lately.
Hlengiwe brought her nanny to help out since she’s always busy with these operations. She is hoping this will be the end of a very difficult period in her life. She is desperate to avenge her son's murder. She sits in the study waiting anxiously for the operation to begin. She thinks to herself this is it.
This is the day it all comes to an end for Locker, Smith and their crew
The team is in position in the compound. Everyone checks their weapons and ammunition getting ready for action.
“Quarterback, how are we looking from above? Over.” Qhawe says checking his mic. “Alpha team you are clear to proceed,” Nothemba says from the other van. “Roger that, Qhawe responds. When both teams jump out of the vans, Qhawe's team take position by the main gate and the second team take the back gate. They wait in anticipation. This is getting real. Who would have thought Themba and Qhawe will find themselves back in here again, involved in a firefight?
“Command, we are ready,” Qhawe says on the mic. “The lawns are clear Alpha, bravo.” Nothemba says from the van. Both teams move in and on a count of three they bridged from both ends. As soon as they bridge they encounter hostiles and fire fight ensues. One agent on Qhawe’s team get hit and Themba drags him to the side while the others are still engaged. The other team, bravo is also at it. The sounds of gun fire are loud, but fortunately this compound is secluded, there are no houses around here.
Eventually the gunfight cease and there is bodies all over the place. Qhawe looks around see if his family is here but there is no sign of them. He checks the other rooms and he doesn’t find them.
“Command, there is no sign of the package, I repeat, there’s no sign of the package, over” he says to the mic. The other team joins them. They all start to look around the rooms and collect clues. Qhawe breaks to one room which to his surprise was locked. So he is thinking this is it, they could be here. He breaks in but finds nothing except a computer that has surveillance cameras on it. While he is busy looking at the screen wondering who’s been watching, there’s a man with a knife behind him ready to stab. It could be the adrenalin that makes Qhawe to not pay attention to the man who’s about to take his life.
As the man approaches Qhawe to go for the kill, the gun shot sounds. As Qhawe turns he sees a man fall to the ground. To his surprise, Nothemba is standing there with a gun. She arrived, right in the nick of time.
“Baby, what are you doing here?” Qhawe asks as he rushes to hug his wife. “oh well, thought you needed some help and as it turns out you really did,” Nothemba responds sarcastically. They go and re-join the others who are still busy in the rubble of bodies and computers. Themba had already updated central command about what is happening and has called for the ambulance.
“Have you found anything yet?” Qhawe asks Themba. “nothing yet. We have sent all the data to central command for analysis and facial recognition,” Themba responds. “Good, because it doesn’t look like our package was ever here. If anything, we were baited, again,” he says in irritation. They continue to look around for more clues.
In a little while they take all their bags of evidence with them back to the house. They arrive in the house and go straight to the study where Hlengiwe is.
“How are you guys doing?” Hlengiwe asks the team but there's no response.
It seems everyone is a little tired. “Well, from our analysis it seems the hostiles you encountered is the clean-up crew, again. We found that these are Italian, Austrian, Serbian, French and African nationals with military history,” Hlengiwe concludes
“Yea it seems this was a trap from the beginning. They knew we’d be coming. The package was never there. The ambush was planned from the beginning,” Themba says. The room goes quite for a second.
“So Locker was hoping that we will fall in the crossfire.” Zinhle says. “Well it seems that was the plan Mrs. Cele,” Hlengiwe says. “Locker knows how desperate we are to find the kids so we'll ignore our instincts that tell us that this is trap,” she concludes.
They discuss the event for over an hour and then call it a night. Everyone is tired and exhausted but there will be no rest until Locker is dead.
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