Confrontation part 1
"So, no news from the station yet?" Zikode says as he takes a sip of his double whiskey, sitting opposite Police Commissioner Naidoo in their usual meeting coffee shop. As always it's in the after hours when there isn't much movement around. It's a day after Zikode had had an unpleasant conversation with journalist Phuthuma. Until today he hasn't managed to extract any information out of her as yet. Phuthuma herself knows that the moment she gives Zikode what he needs it will be the death of her. She is holding out in the hope that some Mthoko will move heaven and earth to find her.
"No, nothing...It's been so hard to get any solid lead on anything. It's like...someone is sitting on the lid" Naidoo says as he takes a huge sigh of disappointment. "Well, you will be happy to know that I stepped in and did the job for you. Mthokozisi Sibisi is the guy we've been looking for" Zikode says as he looks around the room.
"How do you know that?" a shocked Naidoo asks as he tries to talk soft. "Well, I found the journalist" Zikode answers quickly as he leans forward so to avoid drawing attention. "Oh, really? I mean...how? Where's she now?" a lost for words-Naidoo whispers as he also leans forward. Zikode leans back and takes another sip before saying, "Well, it's not important where she is but she was in one of Sibisi's safe houses. So he is the mole we have been looking for and it makes me mad to think that people didn't want to believe me when I told them" as he suddenly looks a little irritated.
"Oh man, this is crazy" Naidoo says as he also leans back. "So...what does he know? I mean, Sibisi..." he asks nervously as anxiety sets in. "Well, I don't know really hey. It's hard to tell at this point because this journalist won't tell me anything" a visibly irritated Zikode says as he finishes off whatever was left on his glass.
"So what are you going to do?" Naidoo asks curiously as he takes a sip of his drink. This makes Zikode thinks for a second as he signals to the guy at the mini buy to bring him another drink. He looks around the room as he waits for the drink to arrive, which it does. He nods in gratitude at the waiter he leaves them. "Uhmm...I need you to arrest Sibisi..." he says as he speaks softly, much to Naidoo's shock as he almost falls off the chair. "What? Are you hearing yourself right now?" he says as he leans forward. "That's not a good idea man" as he looks around the room. "Why the hell not?" Zikode asks as he also leans forward.
"Because we don't know what Sibisi knows okay?" Naidoo says in panic. "He could be on to me as well, so arresting him may just confirm what he already suspects. We don't know who he works for, right? So, let's first found out what he knows and who he is working for or how many people know what he knows" he says as he leans back once more.
This brings another uncomfortable silence in the table as Zikode thinks for a second. "How do you think we are going to do that, huh?" he asks as he seems irritated all over again. "Well, can't you squeeze that journalist a little tighter to see if she can't give you anything?" Naidoo asks curiously as he looks around the room. Zikode leans back and thinks for a second. "Nah man...she doesn't know anything that one" he says as he takes a sigh. "I doubt I will get anything from her but...I could use her as bait" he says as he leans forward again. "What do you mean?" Naidoo asks curiously as he also leans forward.
"Well, since you can't bring Sibisi in, I will have to..." Zikode says as he takes a huge sip before continuing, "I will tell him I have his girl, he must come fetch her. Then we will settle this like men" he says as he looks a little troubled and upset which makes Naidoo also a little uncomfortable about all this.
"Well, I can't dispute this even though it's a dangerous game" he says as he finishes off whatever was left on his glass. "So what do you plan to do with both of them?" he asks out of curiosity which makes Zikode thinks for a second before saying, "Well, that will depend on them, isn't it?" as he finishes his glass as well. "Look I've got to run okay? I will keep in touch" he says as he stands up and walks out the door, followed by his two men who were sitting in a far corner table behind him.
***
Somewhere else, captain Dube had decided to brief detectives Mxolisi and Thoko about the case, only this time it's not at the police station. They are meeting somewhere in a rather very dodgy location by the river in the middle of nowhere, much to the detectives' curiosity and discomfort. Dube can't take chances with meeting in a public area, incase anyone may spot them and inform the commissioner. This area has no houses or establishments around so there's no way people will be passing by their cars parked next to each other. Mxolisi and Thoko are sitting at the back of the captain's car which is parked in between their cars.
"Uhmm...cap, why are we meeting in this rather suspicious place? I mean I love rivers but not at night?" Mxolisi says as she looks at his partner who doesn't seem impressed with what he says. It's hard to tell if it was meant to be a light joke or what. Dube himself doesn't laugh or smile at it as he keeps his eyes forward towards the dark river.
"Uhmm...detective Zwane, detective Ximba has informed me that she's already briefed you about the situation. Against my better judgement, she seems to trust you...so that it why I have allowed you to be part of this meeting. I hope I don't regret this" Dube says as he continues to look forward. Mxolisi doesn't know what to say to this as he looks at his partner who shrugs her shoulders as though to say, Hey, it is what it is. This leads to a small silence as Dube pulls a file from the side of the door and takes a look at it. He reads the first page and then gives the file to his detectives, to which Mxolisi takes.
"Uhmm...cap, why are we here?" Thoko asks curiously as she looks at her partner who hasn't opened the file just yet. Dube takes a moment to think before saying, "Look, I decided to fully brief you on the situation as things will now move quickly from now on" as he looks at his detectives from the front mirror.
"What situation?" Mxolisi asks as he jumps in. Another moment passes as Dube seems to be thinking about something. "Zwane, I'm sure your partner here informed you that the commissioner is a mole for the Taxi association and he reports to Fana Zikode so..." he says but Mxolisi quickly jumps in, "But said is there any proof of that? I mean I asked Thoko the same thing and..." he says but an irritated captain Dube jumps back in, "Detective Zwane, please don't interrupt me again, okay?" he says as he turns to look at Mxolisi who looks away and says, "Yes sir" as he shrugs his shoulders.
"As I was saying..." Dube continues, "Commissioner Naidoo is a mole for Zikode who works for a group of foreign nationals. These people are dealing with drugs here in South Africa and are up to something very nasty" he says as looks forward once again much to Mxolisi's shock as he looks at Thoko who shrugs her shoulders.
"As your partner has told you, Zikode and a few of his friends in the industry have been working with Faroukh as drug mulls, transporting drugs to specific buyers around South Coast." Dube says with a low voice. "But perhaps what I didn't tell detective Ximba is that, a Pakistani national named Faroukh that Zikode is working for is selling drugs in order to raise funds that will enable him and his people to buy arms from an unidentified dealer here in South Africa. They will use these arms for acts of terrorism in the Southern regions, perhaps even here in South Africa"
This information sends chills down Mxolisi's spine as he looks at his partner who is just as shocked at this. This is not something they thought they'd ever find themselves involved with but it's a little too late to back oit right now. "I'm sorry sir but where do you get all this information from?" Mxolisi asks curiously as he opens the file that's been on his hand all this time.
"Well Mr Zwane, there's a man inside the association that's been working with authorities to uncover all of this" Dube says as he continues to look forward. "Who might that be, if I may ask Sir?" Thoko asks as she jumps in, which leads to a little pause before Dube says, "Mthokozisi Sibisi is the guy" much to the detectives' shock. "Sibisi? No ways!" a wide-eyed Mxolisi says as he looks at a rather confused Thoko. "Yes way..." Dube says as he interjects. "And I need you to lay off him okay? He can't do his job properly when you keep going to his house asking questions" as he looks at the detectives from the front mirror.
"Uhmm...Sir...So, Sibisi is involved in the killings of all those people?" Mxolisi asks curiously as he looks as though he's trying to piece all of this together. When his question is met with dead silence from the captain he decides to not pursue the matter any further as he continues to look into the file.
"And what's this file for, sir?" Thoko asks as she takes it from her partner to look what's inside. "That's just profile on Faroukh; Zikode and his friends; and some people Faroukh has been selling drugs to. Most of them are dead now." Dube says with a low voice as he turns and takes the file away from Thoko. "Oh another thing..." he continues, "a journalist is entangled in all this mess..." he says with a worried voice. "Oh you mean Phuthuma Cele? She was reporting these killings as just another taxi turf wars, so does that mean she working with Sibisi on this?" Thoko asks curiously.
"No she wasn't" Dube interjects. "She was juts a pawn in all this okay? But now Zikode and his people have taken her because they are hoping she will give them information. But the girl doesn't know much. Sibisi was her source and she was just doing her job. I need you guys help where you can to find her okay? If Sibisi needs help or info, lend a hand...you hear me?" he says as his voice gets firm.
"Sir...?" Mxolisi interjects as he looks a little confused. "What, detective Zwane? Did I stutter?" Dube says as he turns to look at Mxolisi who keeps quiet as he looks away. "I need you to find that girl before something bad happens to her. Her family, friends and colleagues are worried sick about her. She was just an asset not involved in anything." Dube says with a worried voice. "Yes sir, we'll do our best..." Thoko says with a low voice as she looks at her partner who is just as troubled about all this.
"Alright, now take this. This is how you will contact me okay? Only one number is programmed in there" Dube says as he gives the detectives each a phone. "Don't call me with your regular phones unless it's something about a normal office day that's not connected to this case okay? We don't know who might be listening."
The two detectives take the phones and look at each other in confusion. "Alright then you are dismissed. I will be in touch for any updates on anything okay?" Dube says as he looks forward. "Yes sir..." the detectives say simultaneously as they get out of the car each to their own. They wait for the captain to drive off before they also go in separate directions.
***
The following day Mthoko sits in front of his laptop in the study of his home when the call he's been waiting for comes through- It's Zikode calling. It's all been leading up to this as Mthoko takes a minute to think. It's been about 5 days now since Zikode took Phuthuma from the safe house, and Mthoko can only hope that the journalist is still alive. Part of him regrets having involved her in all this but then he shrugs that off as he reminds himself that it's part of the job. His heart slowly becomes heavy as he presses the answer button.
Mthoko: "Zikode..."
Zikode: "Sibisi..."
Mthoko: "What can I do for you?"
Zikode: "Oh come on Sibisi, you know why I'm calling you, don't you?"
*Little silence*
Mthoko: "I can only assume Zikode...I can only assume"
Zikode: "Well, let's cut to the chase then, shall we? I have your girl Sibisi"
Mthoko: "I don't know what you are talking about..."
Zikode: "Oh yes you do...That panic in your voice is not for nothing but I will spell it out for you. I have your little journalist girlfriend okay? She has told me everything..."
*small pause*
Mthoko: "Zikode, did you hurt her?"
Zikode: "Is that love I hear from your voice from your voice Sibisi?"
Mthoko: "I said, did you hurt her?"
Zikode: "If you want to see her you better come and get her, okay?"
Mthoko: "Yes, that's a very good idea okay? Name the time and place Zikode. Let's go"
*Another pause*
Zikode: "Hahaha...take it easy man. No rush...But I want you to answer me on this, why man?"
Mthoko: "Why what?"
Zikode: "Don't test me Sibisi...you know what I'm talking about alright? Why did you lie about the the killings and called them taxi turf wars?"
Mthoko: "Oh but you know why"
Zikode: "No damnit, I don't know okay?"
Mthoko: "But you do Zikode, or else you wouldn't be asking me this would you?"
*pause*
Mthoko: "Let me put it in another way. If it was not taxi turf wars what was it about Zikode? Huh? What do you know?"
Zikode: Why are you asking me? Didn't you kill those people?"
Mthoko: "Why would I? I had no business with them. I had no relationship with any Pakistani national, do you?"
*silence*
Zikode: "Stop playing games with me Sibisi"
Mthoko: "But I'm not...If you want to have more on this conversation give me back the girl and we will settle this like real men okay?"
*Long pause*
Zikode: "Okay, tomorrow 09h:00 sharp. You come alone. I will text you the address okay?"
Mthoko: "Sounds good to me..."
*Call dropped*
***
Later on in the evening at the Sibisi house Mthoko looks like a man with a very heavy heart as he sits on the couch after dinner. His mind has been far away ever since that call he had Zikode early in the morning. Between that time and now he's been busy working on the plan of rescuing Phuthuma from Zikode. He knows this won't be easy as Zikode himself has men who are capable and the last thing he wants is turning this into a spectacle.
He also knows this could be the last time he sits with his family in this table as he looks at his wife and kids. Even if he wanted to explain things to Lindiwe, how will he explain the Phuthuma situation? His wife will see right through him. The thought of knowing how this could kill his wife if she could get a sense that he's had an affair with a journalist that now puts his life at risk, makes things a little harder for the Taxi Boss.
"Sweetheart can you please go tidy up in the kitchen for me..." Lindiwe says to her youngest daughter Mbali who looks at her and says, "Well, how can I say no after you bought me the iPhone" as she collects the plates from the table and takes them to the kitchen. Lindiwe says nothing to that but just smiles before turning to her oldest daughter, "Baby, where's your brother?" she asks as she looks upstairs.
"Arg, I don't know where that one is mom. Probably to his girlfriend" Londiwe says as she looks at her phone. "Thula has a girl?" a rather shocked Lindiwe says as she looks at the uninterested Mthoko. "Yes mom, your son has a girlfriend. What? You thought you two are the only ones who are in love?" Londiwe says as she shrugs her shoulders with her eyes glued on the phone. "Oh you also have a boyfriend?" Lindiwe asks as she quickly interjects. "Uhmm...No i didn't say that" Londiwe who is caught off-guard says as she looks away with a naughty smile on her face. Clearly her mother is interested to knowing more as she her jaws drop.
But that light moment is interrupted by a more serious looking Mthoko who says, "Hey sweetheart...can you give me and your mom a moment to talk?" Well, this does suddenly kill the mood as a rather tense moment passes by. Londiwe shrugs her shoulders as she stands up and walks upstairs to her room.
This makes Lindiwe a little curious as she can tell that something isn't okay with her husband. "Babe, is everything alright?" she asks softly as she looks into his eyes. The little silence that follows and the look into Mthoko's eyes makes her even more curious as to what is going on. "Love, what is it?" she probes a little further. Mthoko thinks for a second as he looks towards the kitchen before saying, "Uhmm...can we please go to the balcony?" which tells Lindiwe that this is really serious as she nods with a worry in her face.
They both go to the balcony which has chairs and a table. It's a warm evening with clear skies so they can talk here as long as they want. Clearly Mthoko doesn't want his kids to hear this, or maybe he is just not sure how this conversation will go so the balcony makes a lot of sense for him.
After closing the glass sliding though behind them, they both sit down. Lindiwe pulls her chair close to Mthoko's so that he doesn't have to speak loudly. "Baby you are scaring me, what is it?" she asks softly as she looks at her husband in the eyes. Mthoko is struggling to look into his wife's eyes but he has to try and force it. "Uhmm...baby, there's something I need to tell you okay?" he says softly with a trembling voice. "You may not like it but I really need you to listen carefully so that you will understand, please" he says as he takes his wife's hands but she pulls away in panic. "What is it?" she asks with a worried face.
"Firstly I need you to understand that everything I do, I do to protect you okay?" Mthoko says much to his wife's irritation as she raises her voice a little, "Oh come on...please just say it" she says as now her eyes are suddenly becoming teary. Even if he wanted to change his mind on, it's a little too late now for Mthoko.
"Okay uhmm...the late night nights and disappearance from home for hours on end...Baby I'm working on something but it's almost over now" he says with a low voice as he looks at his wife. "Something? Like what? New business?" Lindiwe probes with curiosity. This leads to a little pause before Mthoko reluctantly says, "Uhmm...I've been investigating criminal activity within the association" much to his wife's confusion. She really has no idea what her husband is talking about. "Investigating corru...wait baby, what are you talking about?" she asks as she tries to make sense of this.
"Uhmm...yes baby. I have been investigating criminal activities within the association" Mthoko says as he shrugs his shoulders, which seems to annoy his wife a little bit as she says, "But love, you are not the police. Why are you investigating the association? You are a Taxi boss. Did something happen? Why didn't you report it to the police?"
This makes Mthoko to think for a second as he looks through the sliding door to see if anyone is listening but the coast is clear. "Uhmm...the thing is...Uhmm...I'm actually working for the State Security baby" he says with an embarrassed face as he looks at his wife to see the reaction. But Lindiwe looks confused more than she is shocked. She just feels that her husband is not making any sense at all. "You are working for who? State Sec...love, what are you talking about?" she asks softly as she also looks through the door. "Please explain to me cause I'm really confused"
Well, it's not like Mthoko didn't expect this to happen...it's a lot to take in. "Love I'm saying I work for the Intelligence" he says as he takes his wife's hands but again she pulls away as now it starts to sink in. "You what? You work for...I mean, so you are...you are a spy?" she asks as her heart starts to race a little bit and the anxiety setting in. Of all the things she'd have thought this isn't one of them.
"Now love I need you to calm down please and allow me to explain okay?" Mthoko says with a begging voice but Lindiwe stands up with hands on her head. She can't believe what she's just heard from the man she's been married to for the past 15 years. Mthoko decides to give her a minute to calm herself before continuing. He understands that he can't rush her into any of this.
Lindiwe comes back to sit down but still with disbelief in her face. "Baby look, I'm sorry that..." Mthoko says but he is cut off sharply by his upset wife, "Whoa...ah, ah, ah. You don't get to call me 'baby' okay?" she says as she raises her voice a little bit. "And you don't get to just apologies when I don't even know what he hell you are talking about okay? How long have you been a...have you been working for them?" she asks as she looks at her husband in the eyes. She is now getting upset as all of this is starting to dawn on her. She wipes her eyes before on of her kids walk through that door and sees her.
"Uhmm...It's been a while baby from the days when we went to the taxi business" Mthoko says with a low voice as she looks down in embarrassment. This response almost sends his wife off to the ground with shock. "So Sibisi you have been lying to me for so many years? Huh? But you said you loved me and you said you'd never lie to me" she says with a trembling voice as tears start to fall all over again.
"Ofcourse baby, you know I love you okay?" Mthoko says as he tries to take his wife's hands again but once again she pulls away and says, "Don't you dare touch me okay?" to which Mthoko quickly moves away as he tries to avoid escalating this tense situation even further. "But why did you do this to me Sibisi, huh? What did I do to deserve that?" Lindiwe asks as she lets tears fall. "Have I not been loyal to you all these years? Have I not stood by your side all these years? What did I do that made you think you couldn't trust me? Huh? What did I do, Sibisi? I want to know..."
Suddenly Mthoko is consumed by guilt as he doesn't know how to respond to this. He looks into his wife's eyes and sees that they are filled with hurt, anger, rage and perhaps more importantly, disappointment-at him. "Look baby, I couldn't tell you okay? I was not allowed to...I'm still not allowed to" he says softly which seems to calm his wife a little bit.
"But why did they recruit you? Why did you agree?" Lindiwe asks as she wipes her tears. She looks a little numb at this point. She feels nothing worse than this that her husband can say. "Uhmm...I can't get into that right now baby but there's something urgent I need you to know first okay?" Mthoko says, to which his wife looks at him with eyes of panic as she asks herself, geez what could be worse than this?
"Uhmm...as I was saying to you that I've been investigating the association and I have found something" Mthoko says, to which his wife leans forward with interest to hear what it is. "What did you find out?" Lindiwe asks curiously. "Uhmm...some members of the association have been working for a certain Pakistani national, transporting drugs for him" Mthoko says softly as he looks through the door. "What? Who are those?" a shocked Lindiwe asks as she struggles to keep her voice down. "Uhmm...some of them you know" Mthoko says as he is a little relieved that atleast his wife is now having a conversation with him.
"Fana Zikode and Mavusana are some of the owners that are part of this syndicate. The taxi drivers who were shot and killed were working for these taxi owners transporting this Pakistani's drugs to certain locations" Mthoko says as he also tries to whisper but Lindiwe cuts in, "But why? Why use the industry? That doesn't sound like how drug dealers work" she says as she tries to make sense of this shocking revelation. "Yes love I know. Look I don't have time to get deep into everything but drug sale was to raise funds in order to buy arms for a terrorist group. That is why I was put there to uncover the arms dealers" Mthoko says, much to his wife's understandable shock.
This information sinks her the chair as it's unbelievable. "Terrorist? Did we just jump from taxi owners to drug mules, into terrorist?" she asks with a trembling voice as she panics. "Yes love, unfortunately that's what we did" Mthoko says as he looks down. He hates having to involve his family in all this.
"My job is to stop this whole operation and I'm almost close baby" he says as he takes his wife's hands again but this time she doesn't pull away as panics sets in. She realises how dangerous this might be for her husband. "But how are you going to do that babe, huh? Do you realize how dangerous this is?" she asks as her eyes are once again filled with tears. "Yes I know baby" Mthoko says with a half nervous smile. "Look, Zikode has discovered me and has asked me to meet him tomorrow" he says, almost sending his wife tumbling on the floor with shock. She can't believe her husband has just said that.
"What? No baby you can't...okay?" she says with a begging voice as she squeezes her husband's hands a little tighter. "But I have to baby, it's the only way" Mthoko says with a low voice. "It's the only way I can ensure he doesn't alert the people he works for because that will blow my cover and jeopardies this whole case"
Lindiwe stands up and looks to the dark skies as though she's seeking for an intervention. Her heart is filled with fear of what might happen tomorrow but Mthoko stands up and stands next to her. "Don't worry baby, I won't go alone okay? I have help" he says as he puts his hand around his wife. She does doesn't mind as she leans on his shoulder. "Does your brother know about this?" she asks curiously as she continues to lean her head on Mthoko's shoulder who thinks for a second before saying, "Yeah but only for a few weeks. I needed him protect this family so I couldn't keep him in the dark"
At hearing this the visibly worried Lindiwe goes back to sit down, to which Mthoko follows. They both take a moment to think as this has been too much, no doubt for Lindiwe who has been suspicious of her husband's behavior but this wasn't what she expected. She still has so many questions but she's just not sure if she's ready to hear the answers.
"Uhmm...so who is selling these Pakistanis arms?" she asks curiously as she avoid eye contact. "Uhmm...we don't know just yet but we suspect it's someone high up in government. It could be someone very influential, maybe even within the Presidency" Mthoko says as he sighs deeply. "Gosh babe, do you realize how dangerous this is? It means if you are discovered this will put all of our lives in danger baby. These are dangerous people" Lindiwe says as panic sets in all over again. She looks through the sliding door but not because someone is coming through but because she realises that her kids in there could be in danger as a result of all this.
"That's why I have to meet with Zikode tomorrow baby. I need to stop him before he blows my cover" Mthoko says as he grabs his wife’s hands as though he is begging. "I have to stop the sale of these arms to these terrorist and stop whoever is behind it. If we let these people succeed we will hear of a terrorist incident in the near future"
At hearing those words Lindiwe keeps quiet and thinks for a second. It doesn't look like she has anything to counter all that. She looks into her husband's eyes to try and read if she can pick up something. "So, the taxi drivers and those people who have been killed recently...that was you?" she asks with a terrified look on her face. This question catches Mthoko off-guard as he struggles to keep a straight face. "Uhmm...look baby there's a lot that I still have to fill you in on but right now it's just not the time to..." he says but doesn't finish as Lindiwe suddenly stands up, opening the sliding door and walks through inside the house. She leaves Mthoko sitting there by himself.
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