Showdown
Just as he promised, Bhekani had slept over at the safe house after Phuthuma had begged her. He woke up early and took a shower as he prepares to go see Mthoko at his home and he feels that the journalist is safe in the hands of Siyanda's men. Phuthuma herself has never felt so safe with Mthoko's right-hand man himself being there just in another room to ensure she's secured. It explains why she overslept this morning since she's usually up at this time.As Bhekani is brushing his teeth in the other room, he hears a two gun shots coming from outside downstairs. He suddenly rushes out to the lounge to look through the window and doesn't see anything. He also doesn't see Siyanda's men outside the gate even though their car is still there. This doesn't look good, he thinks to himself as his heart begins to race. He then quickly rushes to Phuthuma's room but she's already up as she also heard the gunshot. "Bhekani, what was that?" she asks in panic as he puts her gown on. "Uhmm...I'm not sure just yet so why don't you stay here while I go check it out?" Bhekani says softly as he pushes Phuthuma inside the room and closes the door.
He quickly rushes to the lounge and pulls a gun from the bag that was in the sofa. He checks if it has any ammunition. Okay, that's good, he thinks to himself as he slowly moves towards the door. As he is about to open the kitchen door another gunshot sounds outside, only this time it's not really far. It sounds like it's just down the corridor.
"Oh my God Bhekani, what's going on?" Phuthuma whispers in fear as she comes out of her room charging towards Bhekani who quickly turns and whispers back, "I said stay in your room didn't I?" It doesn't look like Phuthuma is listening at all as she stands there in panic. She knows that this could be people coming for her and she was dreading this moment all along. "No Bhekani, I'm not going back to my room...I want to know what's going on out there okay?" she says as she raises her voice a little bit but Bhekani cuts in, "Look I'm here to protect you aren't I? Now go to your room and lock the door, okay?" he says as he drags the journalist by the hand to the bedroom.
As he turns around to go back to the kitchen, a loud bang sounds as the door opens wide. There is a sudden smoke coming through the door, suggesting that someone may have thrown in a smoke grenade. He quickly rushes to hide behind the sofa in the lounge as he anxiously waits to see who is coming through the door.
He has his finger on the trigger as he points the gun towards the door. His eyes are focused as he takes a deep breathe to calm his nerves. As soon the first person whose face is covered enters through the door Bhekani fires the shot that hits the head and the man goes down. That triggers a shootout as three more men whose faces are also covered enter and fire randomly across the lounge. Bhekani decides to wait for the men the cease fire and perhaps he may get a chance to fire back-which turns out to be a good call. As the three men reload their machine guns Bhekani stands up and fire at two men who both go down, but he has exposed his body too much as the remaining assailant shoots him in the stomach.
He goes down injured as he begins to bleed heavily. His mind is on Phuthuma as he looks towards her bedroom but he can't get up. The light is beginning to dim for him as he slowly closes his eyes while lying on own blood.
***
Later on in the evening, the injured and frail-looking Bhekani is at the Sibisi house with Mthoko and Siyanda at the study for debrief. After he was gunned by the men who attacked the safe house he passed out as a result of the loss of blood while Phuthuma was taken. Luckily for Bhekani, Mthoko has access to the CCTV live feed in the safe house which allowed him to act fast as he enlisted the help of his brother Siyanda to go find his right hand man who was lying in the pool of blood. Unfortunately, Phuthuma was already gone when they arrived but they still had to sanitize the scene before the police could arrive there.
"Hey man, how are you feeling?" Mthoko asks his trusted right-hand man who lies in the study couch rather uncomfortably. "We were fortunate to find you still alive and we were also fortunate that the police hadn't arrived when we got there" he says with a worried face as he looks at the frail Bhekani who seems to be trying to look strong.
"Uhmm...I will live boss..." Bhekani says with a struggling voice. "Uhmm...what about...uhmm...and Phuthuma? Is she...Uhmm..." he is struggling for words but Mthoko cuts in, "Yeah man, look...they took her" he says with a sad voice as he looks at his brother who seems to be lost for words himself. "Whoever crashed the safe house thought you were dead, otherwise they'd finished you off. They took Phuthuma and left" Mthoko says as he looks down. "Uhmm...I'm sorry boss, this is on me, alright?" Bhekani says as he tries to get up from the couch but Siyanda rushes to him and says, "Whoa, whoa, whoa...easy buddy."
He puts Bhekani back to the couch to lie down. "Look, man this man needs to go to the hospital, alright?" he says as he looks at Mthoko but Bhekani quickly interjects, "No, no, no...No hospitals please" he says with a low, begging voice to which Mthoko nods as he says, "Yeah man...he can't go to the hospital. We don't know what the police know by now so we can't take that chance"
At that, Siyanda throws his hands in the air though to say, Oh well...if you say so, as he goes back to sit down . "Look, for now Bhekani is stable okay? If things go bad we will call in a doctor...I know a few that we can use" Mthoko says as he looks at his worried-looking brother. "Alright man, I get you. I will have to go for more medical supply just incase okay?" Siyanda says as he pours whiskey in three glasses and then gives one two his brother and another to the pained Bhekani. They all take huge sips as though they are trying to calm their nerves.
"Look man, it's not your fault what happened to Phuthuma okay? I don't want you to start stressing about that okay? We will find a way of getting her back" Mthoko says as he comes to sit down next to Bhekani. "Okay now, tell us what happened at the safe house? Were you able to recognize any of the people who crashed in?" he asks with keen interest.
Bhekani takes a moment to think before saying, "Uhmm...everything happened so fast I didn't have a chance to notice much but four men entered the house" with a low and frail voice. "They had their faces covered so I didn't make out their faces but I managed to gun down three of them before that other f*cker shot me in the stomach" He begins to look upset as he tries to recall but Siyanda cuts in, "wait, you say you gunned down three of the four men? But there were no bodies when we got there mos? Blood all over the place yes but there were no other bodies except you lying on the floor" he says as he looks at his brother Mthoko who nods in agreement.
"Well, the forth guy might have taken the bodies with him to remove evidence. He could have had help" Bhekani says as he finishes off whatever was left in the glass. "Yeah you are right" a frustrated-looking Mthoko says as he stands up to go stand by the window to look outside. There's worry all over his face as he thinks for a moment.
"Bro, you know what this means, right?" Siyanda says as he goes to stand next to his brother. "Yeah man I know" Mthoko says as he massages the back of his neck. "For sure it is Zikode who took Phuthuma. It means he now knows I'm her source. My cover is blown man" He starts to panic as his heart races. "Look man, this can only mean my family isn't safe bro...My family is not..." he says with a shaking voice buy Siyanda cuts in, "Look man, nothing is going to happen to your family okay? I promise you. I will increase security in the house and no one will move without protection detail" he says as he taps his brother on the shoulder to assure him.
"Oh another thing man..." he continues, "Look I know what we agreed on okay? But you can no longer afford to keep this from your wife okay? She needs to know why the increased security and protection detail on her family's movements. If she's in the loop you will be able to focus fully on what is about to go down, okay?"
This makes Mthoko to think for a second as he comes back to sit down. "Yeah man, you are right" he says with a low voice as he finishes off his drink. "I just need a way of telling her, that's all" he says to which his brother nods in relief as he also comes back to sit down. "What about the other members of the association? How much do you think they know?" Bhekani asks as he tries to sit straight. This makes Mthoko to think for a moment as he pours himself another double. "Uhmm...I don't know really" he says as he takes a huge sigh. "I'm sure Zikode will tell them something but my immediate priority is t stop the arms sale. I will deal with the association afterwards" he says with a low voice.
"Yeah man, this is suddenly complicated bro" Siyanda says with a worried face. "Yeah I know..." Mthoko says as he takes a sip. "I'm pretty sure I'm the target now for Zikode and his friends because he probably knows by now that I know about his dealings with Faroukh. He will want to silence me before the other members learn the truth" as he goes to stand by the window one more time with a glass in his hand. "I doubt Morena, Mqeqeshi and Shoes know about Faroukh's dealings so he will turn them against me in order to protect himself" he says as he looks outside the window.
"And...have you briefed your people at SSA?" Siyanda asks as he looks at Bhekani who also awaits the response with keen interest. Mthoko thinks for a second before saying, "Uhmm...yeah I did. After we brought you back from the safe house" as he comes back to sit down next to his brother.
"They must be unimpressed with all this" Bhekani says as he looks embarrassed and feels guilty about all this. "Nah...don't worry about it okay?" Mthoko says with a smile as he tries to assure his friend. "The priority now is to try and stop the sale from happening and apprehending the dealer and the buyers. The rest we will deal with as it comes to us" This seems to out everyone at ease a little bit as they nod.
"So what's next? What's our next move?" Siyanda asks with keen interest. "Uhmm...well, we'll wait for Zikode's call" Mthoko says as he shrugs his shoulders. "I know that he will call and probably ask to meet. He will want me to know that she has Phuthuma and she will use her as bait to lure me out"
This seems to scare Siyanda a little bit as he looks at Bheki who tries to sit straight at hearing what Mthoko is saying. "Look man, I got to be there okay? You can't do this on your own" he says as he feels the pain of sitting straight. "Whoa, take it easy my friend okay?" Mthoko says with a smile. "Look you are in no condition to move around at the moment okay? Besides, let's first hear what Zikode has to say and then we will decide from then what our next move will be, okay?" he says to which Siyanda shrugs his shoulders knowing he can't change his big brother's mind.
"In the meantime I need you to recover here from this house okay?" Mthoko says as he looks at Bhekani. "Zikode's men think you are dead so I'd like to keep it that way" he says looking at Siyanda who nods in agreement. "But what about your wife? How will you explain why I'm injured?" Bhekani asks curiously with a low voice.
"Leave that to me okay? I will deal with my wife" Mthoko says, much to the silence in the room. "Alright look, let me arrange for more men to beef up the security in this house okay? I will talk to you later" Siyanda says as he stands up and hugs his brother. "Alright man, I appreciate it thank you" Mthoko says as they break the hug. Siyanda walks out the door leaving Mthoko and Bhekani to talk a little further on this.
***
Somewhere else, Captain Dube is at home and on the phone with Mthoko's handler Phakathi. He seems a little uneasy as he holds a glass of whiskey in his hand. That could be because he really doesn't know what he has gotten himself into with this whole Taxi killings saga.
Phakathi: "Your detective did great with the surveillance work...well done"
Dube: "Thank you sir..."
*A little silence*
Phakathi: "What's the matter captain Dube? It sounds like you have something to say"
*Another silence*
Dube: "Uhmm...It's just that sir...I still don't know what's going on and officer also want answers that I'm unable to provide, which creates a trust barrier"
Phakathi: "You are right captain...It's not fair to you or the detective to not know what is going on, so I will give you some information"
*Another silence*
Phakathi: "But I don't have to remind you that whatever we talk about doesn't reach the commissioner or is trusted employees, you hear me?"
Dube: "Yes sir"
Phakathi: "Alright...."
*Silence*
Phakathi: "Alright look...This is more than just about drugs or taxi turf wars okay? It's actually deeper. The commissioner is Fana Zikode's inside man within the police department and he helps him steer the investigations that link him to any criminal activities."
Dube: "Hmmm..."
Phakathi: "And Zikode, along with a few of his friends work for a man named Faroukh. They transport drugs for him to certain buyers. They are drug mules..."
Dube: "I think I quiet figured that part out..."
Phakathi: "What you don't know is that Faroukh is not just a drug dealer but he and the buyers are selling drugs in order to raise funds to buy arms from an unidentified high ranking government official"
Dube: "Oh Jesus...what? This is..."
Phakathi: "Yes it is...Faroukh is a facilitator for this arms deal that will happen in a couple of weeks time. His people have landed in the country a few days ago to buy arms and our intention is to stop the deal and apprehend the dealer and the buyer"
Dube: "Uhmm...If I may ask sir, where do you get this information from?"
Phakathi: "I will get to that but first, you must understand that this is classified information that I'm sharing with you okay?"
Dube: "yes sir..."
Phakathi: "We have a man inside the Taxi association...Mthokozisi Sibisi"
Dube: "Sir...?"
Phakathi: "He's been gathering intel for us for a little while"
Dube: "You mean that...So Mthokozisi is the one..."
Phakathi: "Look, now I need you to tell your people to get off his back so that he can be able to do do his job okay?"
Dube: "Uhmm...I will see what I can do"
*A little silence*
"Phakathi: "Look, why do you think you guys never found any drugs in any of the shooting crime scenes where the shootings happened? We had to ensure that the public doesn't know what really is going on."
Dube: "I'm so confused right now..."
Phakathi: "I'm saying to you that, we sanitized the scene so that the killings will look like just another taxi wars but the actual truth is that those taxi drivers who were killed were transporting drugs for Faroukh. The plan was to delay the arms deal as long as possible and the only way was to stop the sale of drugs"
Dube: "I think I get you now..."
Phakathi: "Good..."
*Silence*
Dube: "So, the journalist? Was she part of it? Is that the reason she kept reporting this as just another Taxi turf war?"
Phakathi: "No she wasn't part of it...she didn't know what was going on. We just used her to divert attention from what was really going on"
Dube: "I assume you have something to do with her disappearing..."
*Silence*
Phakathi: "Well, Zikode and his people were looking for her so we had to take her to a secure location. If they found her it would have compromised the operation."
*Another silence*
Phakathi: "But now, Zikode's people managed to locate her and they have kidnapped her"
Dube: "Sir...?"
Phakathi: "Speaking of which...there are police all over that safe house asking questions...I need you to sort that out. I don't want people jumping into conclusions."
Dube: "Yes sir..."
Phakathi: "I need you to help my people find that girl. She is not part of this and Zikode will use her to try and get to Sibisi. So I need you to give him all the help he needs okay? Discreetly, ofcourse"
Dube: "Yes sir"
Phakathi: "One more thing, make sure commissioner Naidoo doesn't make you okay? This is very critical...we are almost at the end of all this"
Dube: "Yes sir..."
*Call dropped*
***
The following Monday, Mxolisi is at the police station underground parking talking on the phone with Police Commissioner Naidoo. He looks a little uneasy as he keeps looking around to see if anyone is watching him.
Naidoo: "Zwane, what do you have for me?"
Mxolisi: "Uhmm...Nothing concrete at the moment sir. We seem to be hitting a snag everytime we think there's something to work with"
Naidoo: "That's not good enough detective...what were you guys busy doing there all this time?"
*Silence*
Mxolisi: "Sir...we thought we could get something from Mthokozisi Sibisi when we went to visit him, but there was nothing there"
*Another silence*
Naidoo: "You're wasting my time Zwane, alright? What about your partner? Has she said anything, about anything?"
Mxolisi: "No sir, not really. Detective Ximba is clean sir and I doubt there's something to get out of her"
Naidoo: "That's not your call, do you understand? Did I not say you must watch her closely, to see who she's talking to?"
Mxolisi: "Yes sir but please understand, it has been hard as it is to sneak out and do digging on my own because she's watching. I have to be really cautious"
*Another long pause*
Naidoo: "Alright fine...What about your Captain? Has he said anything? Have you noticed anything suspicious or unusual about him lately?"
*little silence*
Mxolisi: "No sir I haven't heard anything yet but..."
Naidoo: "But what?"
Mxolisi: "Capt. Dube has been a little evasive lately"
Naidoo: "What do you mean?"
Mxolisi: "I mean, he locks his office most of the time, whether he's in or out...which is something he never used to do. He doesn't take calls in front of the stuff anymore...he goes outside"
*Another silence*
Naidoo: "Hmm...That could be something right there. It means he could be agitated about something"
Mxolisi: "It could be..."
Naidoo: "Okay, this is what I want you to do, alright? I need you to go into his office and look around to if you can't find something"
Mxolisi: "Uhmm...Sir, you want me to break into captain Dube's office? I'm not sure if that's..."
Naidoo: "Hey, hey, hey...Zwane, focus please okay? This is serious business. You said you are up for this...now this is your chance. Dube could be working for the people who are behind the killings but we need concrete evidence, okay?"
*Small silence*
Mxolisi: "I hear you sir..."
Naidoo: "Good. Now, when you find something let me know"
*Call dropped*
Immediately Mxolisi looks agitated as he takes a moment to contemplate on the conversation he's just had with the commissioner. He can't believe he's asked him to break into the captain's office but when he remembers what this covert op can do for his career he is comforted.
As he turns around to leave the parking lot he almost falls to the ground when he realises that his partner Thoko is standing there looking at him. "Geez...you scared the sh*t out of me partner" he says with a nervous smile. "How long have you been standing there?" he asks curiously as he can’t read his partner's eyes. "Long enough..." Thoko says as she maintains a straight face not wanting to give anything away. "Who was on the phone?" she asks but this time her face changes to being a little serious and intimidating, which comes as a little of a surprise for Mxolisi who didn't expect it.
"What's wrong partner? Since when you wanna know my calls now, hahaha" he says with a nervous laugh but it doesn't look like it's moving Thoko who keeps her eyes on him as she expects an answer. Suddenly there's a feeling of tension building in this quiet parking lot as the partners look as though they are trying to read each other.
"Why do need to break into the captain's office?" Thoko asks curiously. "What? Are you eavesdropping now, partner? Huh?" asks the nervous-looking Mxolisi as he struggles to maintain a straight face. "No I'm not but I was coming down here to check on you but now I hear you talking about breaking into the captain's office...What's going on? Who were you talking to?" Thoko asks as she raises her voice a little bit which seems to freak her partner out a little as he looks around to see anyone is listening. "Lower your voice, will you?" He says in a whisper and panic.
"Hey are you going to tell me or should I go tell the captain what I heard?" Thoko says as she lowers her voice as well. "Mxolisi, what is going on here? I'm your partner okay? Are you really going to keep me in the dark" she says as she drags her partner to the side in between the parked cars.
"Look, I can't tell you but I promise it's not what you think, alright?" Mxolisi says with a low voice as he looks around the parking. "Alright then, you are leaving me with no other choice but to go to the captain with this" Thoko says as she turns around to leave but Mxolisi grabs her by the hand, "Wait, wait, wait...please" he says as he whispers. He pulls her back and closer to himself. "Look, it's not what you think okay?" he says as his face changes to look like panicking. "I'm deep undercover, trying to solve the mysterious killings happening lately." he says as he looks guilty for revealing this.
"Under whose orders are you doing this Mxolisi?" Thoko asks with a voice of worry and curiosity. This leads to a little pause as there seems to be doubt in Mxolisi's eyes before he says, "Uhmm...Look, I was asked by commissioner Naidoo. I report to him directly because he feels that there's a mole in the department"
This makes Thoko think for a second as what she feared come to pass-her partner was deceived. She is relieved at the same time that Mxolisi may not be directly involved with the drugs. Well, she can't be a hundred percent certain who to trust but her guts tell her that captain Dube is the good guy in all this. Suddenly she is in a state of panic as she looks around the panic to see if anyone is coming but there's none.
"Look, I need you to be straight with me Mxolisi...what exactly were your orders? What are you meant to do in this covert operation?" she asks curiously as she lowers her voice. "Uhmm...my orders are to find out who the mole is in the department" Mxolisi says with a nervous voice. "Also, to keep a close eye on everyone at the station" he says as he looks embarrassed just by saying that. "Oh come on Mxolisi you really think I could be a mole working for criminals?" Thoko says as she looks a little annoyed. "How long have you known me? You know very well that I have dedicated my life to this service okay?"
This makes Mxolisi think for a second before saying, "Look ofcourse I know you wouldn't be a mole okay? But the Commissioner did ask me to keep an eye on everyone, including you" as he shrugs his shoulders. "I mean, you may not be the mole but what about the rest of the guys and the captain?" he asks as he raises an eyebrow.
"Oh well, I can guarantee you partner that Captain Dube is not the mole okay?" Thoko says with a low voice as she looks at her partner in the eyes to try and read her reaction. "I'm sorry to break it to you but the Commissioner is the mole okay? He probably put you on this so that you spy on your colleagues. He wants to know who is onto him" she says as she shrugs her shoulders, which almost sends her partner tumbling on the floor. "What?” No ways...How can you even say something like that Thoko?" he asks wide-eyed.
He can tell that there's something his partner is not telling him, he probes "What's going on? How do you know all that Thoko? What makes you think the Commissioner is the mole?" he asks curiously as he looks at his partner in the eyes which leads to another uncomfortable moment of silence in the parking lot.
"Look, because I'm also under orders okay?" Thoko says as she takes a deep breathe to calm her nerves. "What are you talking about?" a confused Mxolisi asks curiously. "Under whose orders? Are you undercover as well?" as he looks completely lost about all this. "Yes, yes, yes...I'm under cover as well Mxolisi okay? Under captain Dube's orders" Thoko says as she looks to the ceiling as though she is finding some relief from this. But her partner is so shocked it seems like he's lost for words as he becomes wide-eyed once again.
"Oh my God Thoko...so is that why you are so sure Captain Dube isn't the mole?" he asks with a nervous voice. "Just because he put you under cover? What if he's the one who is throwing us off the trail? How can you be sure that you can trust him, huh? Really Thoko...How can you be sure he's not a mole?"
This seems to make Thoko think for a second as she looks around the parking. "Look...Because uhmm...I saw the commissioner with my own eyes during a stake out. He was meeting with that Taxi owner Fana Zikode at night" she says with a low voice as she hopes her partner will listen to her. She knows the risk of not being able to convince him because she is under strict orders to not talk to her partner about this operation. She would have risk everything if it doesn't turn out the way she was hoping. Part of her is relieved that she has spoken to her partner because she hates keeping things from him.
"But Thoko there's something you should know okay?" Mxolisi says as he tries to whisper. "Uhmm...Zikode is the mole in the association okay? He's been working with the police to try and find the suspect behind the killings okay. The Commissioner was probably meeting Zikode for debrief okay?"
This seems to annoy Thoko a little bit as she takes a deep breathe while looking up. "Okay Mxolisi look...I know you have your orders okay? But I really need you to listen to me very carefully" she says as her voice sounds anxious a little bit. "Your Commissioner? He is the mole in the department. He has been helping Zikode to kill any investigation that links him to any crime. And Zikode? He and a few of his taxi buddies are drug mules for a certain foreign drug dealer and the commissioner has been protecting them from any investigations" she says looking at her partner for a reaction.
Mxolisi almost falls to the ground at hearing this. "Oh come on Thoko, really?" he says as he seems to be scoffing at these allegations but Thoko quickly jumps in, "I'm telling you" she says as she raises her voice a little bit. "Zikode is a drug mule and is protected by the commissioner. That is why Captain Dube sent me undercover"
This seems to annoy Mxolisi a little bit as he says, "But why didn't you tell me about this huh? Such a partner you are Thoko. You have been going behind my back and I bet you thought I was also part of this huh? So you were asked to surveil me as well, right?" He really sounds upset over this as he looks away from his partner.
"What are you talking about Mxolisi? I just caught you planning to break into the Captain's office. You have been ordered to surveil me too" an annoyed Thoko says as she raises her voice a little bit which threatens to raise tensions once again. Mxolisi keeps quiet as he looks down, in an effort to de-escalate the situation a little bit. Thoko herself takes another deep breathe as she tries to calm herself down before things get out of hand. Afterall these two are understandably shocked by all they revealed to each other, albeit against their bosses' orders.
"Look, we both had our orders okay?" Thoko says with a calm voice this time. "We didn't bring this to ourselves and the last thing I wanted was to keep this from you, because I know you have always had my back. But please understand that I had my orders okay? The captain wasn't sure if you were part of this or you were lured in by the commissioner"
This seems to do the trick as Mxolisi also calms down before saying, "Look...I also didn't want to keep any of this from you okay?" with a half smile. "But just like you I was under strict orders to not mention any of this to anyone, especially you and the captain. And if you are right about any of this, I just want you to know that I am not part of it." he says as he looks at his partner in the eyes. "I just wanted to solve a crime and I would have done anything to ensure we get a breakthrough. Also, there was no sign that the Commissioner was ever lying to me so I had no reason to doubt him over this. I need you to believe me"
This makes Thoko to think for a moment before saying, "Ofcourse I believe you partner" with a smile of assurance. "I know you wouldn't do anything like that and I know that captain Dube also knows that you wouldn't go against everything you believe in. It's just the Commissioner's deceitful tricks, that's all"
This seems to come as a huge relief to Mxolisi as he takes a huge sigh leading to a moment of silence as they both think about this. "Uhmm...Now that you mention it, Commissioner Naidoo was the one who didn't want us to go interview Zikode that day we went to Sibisi's house" Mxolisi says as he looks up as though he is thinking.
"Uhmm...yeah probably to protect him from being found out" Thoko says as she looks annoyed. "Yeah and I fell for it" Mxolisi says with a disappointed voice but Thoko cuts in, "Nah partner, it's not your fault okay?" she says. "Come on let's go before we are spotted okay?" she says as they both quickly leave the parking lot to go enter the building.
***
Somewhere else things are just a little more tense as Zikode has Phuthuma in some dark room at a very spooky apartment building. Needless to say that Phuthuma is terrified over what she'd been dreading all along-being kidnapped by people she doesn't know, over something she's not even part of. Well, atleast she is not blind folded now as she can see who stands in front of her-Fana Zikode. What perhaps terrifies her the most is not knowing what this man intends to do with her even if he gets the answers he seeks.
"Alright miss Phuthuma Cele...let's get straight to it" Zikode says as she pulls a chair and sits in front of Phuthuma who is strapped into the chair with a dark tape in her mouth. "Before you even think about screaming your lungs out, no one will her out here. We are in the middle of nowhere so save yourself some trouble" he says as he removes the tape from Phuthuma's mouth.
Well, she seems to believe Zikode as she doesn't scream but looks at him with fury eyes. She can also notice that he is with two other men she can't recognize, so if she tries anything stupid they may end her life. "What do you want with me?" she asks with a trembling voice as tears start dropping from her face. "Well, Miss Cele...nothing anymore" Zikode says with a smirk on his face. "You see, I had long suspected that Mthokozisi Sibisi was your source for your crap news channel but didn't have much of a proof. But now, I have you...which confirms my long-standing suspicion" as he tries to read the journalist's eyes to see where she's at.
"I don't know what you are talking about..." Phuthuma says nervously as she looks down to avoid eye contact but that response is greeted with a hard smack across the face. "Don't take me for a fool Phuthuma, you hear me?" a furious Zikode says as he shouts which leads to Phuthuma crying helplessly.
"If Bhekani knew where you were then definitely Sibisi also knew. You get that?" Zikode says as he raises his voice once again. "By the way, Bhekani is dead and that's your fault...you and Sibisi" he says as he gets up and goes to lean by the wall. This statement makes Phuthuma feel sorrowful and guilty as she lets tears fall down her face. "You asked me what I wanted with you? Well, I want to know what Sibisi told you okay? Everything he told you" Zikode says as he comes back to sit down on his chair. His eyes are burning with rage as he looks at the journalist in the eyes.
"Please I have already told you, okay...I don't know what you are talking about" a terrified-looking Phuthuma says as she shakes her head in fear. That response is followed by another hard smack across the face from the impatient Zikode, "I said don't take me for a fool Phuthuma, alright" he shouts at her face.
"If you don't know what I'm talking about, what were you doing with Sibisi's right-hand man? Why were you at the safe house? Why did Sibisi hide you away from your family and friends, huh?" he asks as he fixes his eyes on the crying Phuthuma, who shakes her head as if she can't utter any words. "You see? So you will tell me what he told you or else you will get a bullet in that pretty face of yours. I'm not playing with you" Zikode says as he pulls a gun from his back, which terrifies Phuthuma to the bone as she begins to sob, "please, please, please...Please don't do this okay? I beg you"
Zikode takes a look at his gun before pointing at the terrified Phuthuma who closes her teary eyes waiting for her fate to be sealed. But that intense moment is interrupted as a phone rings from Zikode's pocket. He takes a look at it and pauses for a second to think. He then indicates to his men with his head that they should get out.
"If you will excuse me Miss Cele...I have some business to take care of, don't go anywhere" he says with a smirk on his face which brings much-needed relief on Phuthuma's face as she looks to the ceiling as she breathes a sigh. She watches as Zikode and his men leave the room and lock the door behind them.
Please log in to submit a comment.