“Use your feet, Alex!” He shouted with a strained voice.
Alex was numb with fear as she clung for dear life off the side of the building. She clutched onto the sleeves of Ezra’s jacket and fixed her eyes firmly on his. Another bullet narrowly missed her arm.
“Push Alex!” Ezra yelled.
Alex dug the front of her shoes into the wall and pushed hard while Ezra pulled her onto the flat roof next to him. Several more bullets hissed over their heads as the pair stumbled to their feet. Volkov’s men had gained on them and opened full fire from the library roof behind them. Still attempting to get up to run, Alex felt a stabbing pain in her knee that forced her flat on her face again. Adrenaline pushed through Ezra’s battle seasoned body when he leaned back for her. His hands seized her arm and he managed to pull her petite body into an upright position. Finally back on her feet, fighting the pain from her injured knee, Alex ran toward a nearby external ventilation shaft as fast as her legs could carry her. Engulfed by dread she felt the weight of the leather book lift away from the small of her back and drop onto the roof floor behind her.
A bullet narrowly missed her foot in the split second she paused. Ahead of her Ezra had safely reached an external ventilation shaft and ducked in behind it. Now sheltered by the metal walls of the vent Ezra fired off several shots at Volkov’s men; affording Alex a brief moment to go back for the book.
Chancing it, she reached back only to have to side-dodge a new bombardment of bullets. The quick reflex movement forced her body on its side, grazing her cheek across the coarse roofing. Vulnerable and exposed she instantly got back onto her feet and scooped the book up. Ezra fired off several more shots. Using every technique she had acquired during her recent military training, Alex tucked into a combat roll and safely took up cover next to Ezra. With the book firmly stuffed down the front of her shirt and snug behind her combat vest, Alex took a desperate deep breath while she looked for a way. She searched the fringes of the building as much as her obscured vision allowed while Ezra continued shooting at the men. They didn’t have much time before they’d be ambushed so escaping through the building was no longer a viable plan.
“Cover me!” She yelled as she bolted across to the other end of the roof and ducked behind an octagonal cupola. The tightness in her chest lifted when she spotted the fire escape down the side of the building.
“Ezra over here! I’ll cover you!”
He responded the moment Alex took over and started shooting at Volkov’s men awarding Ezra exactly enough time to run safely from his position to where she sat crouched behind the cupola. With their bodies just about fully shielded by the eight protruding corners of the dome-like roof structure, they were now at a safe angle and out of the opposing line of fire. Running the risk of being surprised by their attackers via the building’s roof exit, and with no time to waste, Alex pulled Ezra by the arm and yelled, “Let’s go!”
Already heading over the edge of the building and down the narrow steel ladder that sat mounted to the side of the building, Alex descended followed closely by Ezra.
When their feet safely touched down on the asphalt street at the bottom of the ladder, their fear slowly subsided in the knowledge that their car was parked just around the next corner and that they had managed to once again, escape Volkov.
Now, out of danger from the fierce onslaught of Volkov’s men and with their fleeing position still undetected, the pair bolted down the quiet street toward their car.
Chapter Fifteen
“That was touch and go Alex! Who the hell are these guys?” Ezra said as they got into their car and sped off aimlessly down the street away from the library.
“One seriously deranged man if you ask me. I have to find a way to make contact with ICCRU. We might not be this lucky next time. I have to let them know who this man really is. Just in case —“
Ezra’s eyes briefly left the road to look at Alex. “In case what? We die? That is not an option Alex. We’re going to complete this mission and you’re going to get on a plane back to the UK with that tooth in your hand. Agreed?”
Alex wiped a tear that threatened to run down her cheek. The liquid soothed her badly lacerated fingers. She had been in many dangerous situations since doing this job full time, but nothing quite as challenging as this one. And, as nice a partner as Ezra was, she missed Sam more than anything. If she died and never saw him again, it would be a torturous death. She swallowed hard, forcing the lump in her throat down. She couldn’t let that happen. She’d have to do whatever it took to get back to the only man she had ever loved.
“How do you do this, Ezra? Fighting in wars every day of your life not knowing if you’ll ever make it home? You have your entire life ahead of you. Why not choose to marry and have kids and take up a normal job?”
Ezra went quiet. His knuckles sat white around the steering wheel. With a voice drenched in sadness, he answered her.
“I was only four when I watched my mother get killed in front of my eyes. Shot dead. She didn’t die from a heart attack or cancer or a car accident, but because she was black. Because the white man behind us thought the color of his skin somehow qualified him to be superior to her. It was the day Nelson Mandela was freed and apartheid abolished. It was supposed to be a new beginning for our family and the entire country. Instead, it caused even more segregation. And here I am. Caught in the middle — neither black nor white. I see how the white people are brutally murdered and chased out of their companies and off their land, just like Van experienced. And equally so, I understand why the black people hold so much hatred and animosity toward the whites. So where do I fit in? Which side of this racial fence am I supposed to sit on? My father was white and my mother black and all their lives they were forced to live separately; separate churches, separate schools, separate restaurants. Heck even when they were married they couldn’t be seen together. Their entire marriage was a secret. I have just as much reason to be angry at the white man who murdered my mother as the black men who invaded Van’s house and took what wasn’t theirs. But two wrongs don’t make a right. So I fight back the only way I know how. I fight for what’s right — equality, respect, peace. I have no home. Just a conscience and a dream to see this country united. I want all blacks and whites to put the past behind them and move on. Forgive and start new. That’s why I do this.”
Alex sat in silence and found herself staring at Ezra. Though only in his early twenties, he was wise beyond his years. The day she saw him opposite her on the plane she knew that he was different, and what she saw today displayed every bit of the courage and wisdom she spotted in his eyes that day. Ezra’s courage gave her exactly what she needed to complete this mission — a cause worthy of fighting for.
“We need to stop this lunatic from getting his hands on that tooth,” Alex declared with newfound motivation.
Ezra pulled the car over on the side of the road. They were far enough outside the city but without knowing where they’d be heading to next, it seemed smarter to save their fuel.
“So the next part of the riddle from the art museum said something about a foot that will show us the route, right? What does the book say?” Ezra asked.
Alex recalled the second part to the riddle and said it out loud as she took the book out from underneath her shirt and flipped it open to where the bright red thread ran between the pages.
Between jackets and spines lie the hidden root that reveals to all the submerged foot.
“Seems there should be a map of some sorts showing the route then. We got the book part. We just have to figure out the hidden route that will reveal the submerged foot,” Ezra said again.
“Not exactly, it was spelled r-o-o-t and not r-o-u-t-e,“ Alex corrected him.
“We’re looking for the root of a plant then,” an excited Ezra guessed again feeling every bit the part of a relic hunter’s sidekick.
He leaned in to look at the open book on Alex’s lap who had gone very quiet all of a sudden.
“The pages are empty. There’s nothing there. The entire book is blank. I don’t understand,” Ezra exclaimed with irritation.
Alex skimmed over the open pages. “Well, one thing’s for sure. The professor certainly had enough foresight to make sure the tooth stayed protected. He made certain it wouldn’t be found that easily.”
“Now what? We’re in the middle of Johannesburg with no idea where to find a hidden root or whose foot is under water. It’s a wild goose chase!” Ezra vented to which Alex responded with a giggle.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned my friend, then it’s to never take anything at face value. There’s always a clue. You just need to know what to look for.”
“I see a book with blank pages. Not to mention we have a psychopath on our trail. I might have courage but chasing after rainbows is not quite my thing.”
Alex flipped the pages back and forth and then back to where the red satin thread marked the book. She lifted the book to her nose and smelled the pages.
“Mothballs right?” Ezra said with sarcasm.
“Nope. Lemons.”
“Lemons! Now there’s a new twist on the phrase ‘when life gives you lemons you make lemonade,’” Ezra mumbled with a pinched expression on his face.
“Our clever professor used one of the world’s oldest methods to conceal a clue. A method used by pirates and kings alike.”
“Ok you’ve lost me, Alex. I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Ezra said throwing his hands in the air.
Alex got out of the car and walked to a clearing in the brush behind the car.
“We need to make a fire,” she said hastily collecting some twigs and piling them on top of each other.
“You’re going to burn the book?”
“No silly, the professor wrote the clue in lemon juice. When you heat the pages up from underneath it creates a chemical reaction that reveals the clue. I only need a small flame.”
“Will a lighter do?” Ezra took a gold Zippo lighter from his pocket and flicked it open. “It’s my good luck charm. It was my dad’s.”
Alex grinned “Now isn’t that good luck indeed! That most certainly will do the trick.”
“So how do we do this?” Ezra asked; happy to have redeemed himself.
“Just move the flame underneath the page starting from the top down. Not too near the pages though. We don’t want to burn a hole in it. We need just enough heat to react with the lemon juice,” Alex directed.
Ezra did so with caution and much to his surprise, Alex’s theory proved accurate as he watched the outlines of a map magically reveal itself.
“Do you recognize this place?” Alex asked.
“I think it’s the — zoo? It’s a map of the zoo. Why would he send us to the zoo?” Ezra queried.
“There, it’s a picture of a gorilla in a cage with an X marking the spot. Perfect!” Alex yelled; her facing beaming as she got back into the car. “Let’s go!”
“Go where? The Zoo?”
“Yup, our professor hid the next clue in the primates’ enclosure. Oh that’s genius. Get it? Primates… evolution, he hid it with the gorillas. He definitely had a great sense of humor that’s certain.”
“You can’t be serious. When was the last time you saw a gorilla? Do you realize they can tear us apart? And who’s to say the zoo is still standing? We could be walking into a deathtrap with wild animals all over the place.”
“I once spent several days in the open Savannah and came face to face with lions on more than one occasion, Ezra. We’ll be fine. Promise.”
The Johannesburg zoo wasn’t far and as predicted by Ezra, they were greeted by a fierce eagle hovering thirty inches tall over a cape cobra. When Alex and Ezra came closer the bird fanned his wings in the air and let out a high-pitched whistling sound. Ezra held his arm out in front of Alex. “It’s an Eagle and that’s his prey. I’d steer clear if I were you.”
“Well, he’s blocking the entrance and we don’t have all day.”
Alex picked up a piece of a broken brick that lay behind her on the pavement and tossed it toward the snake. The snake struck at the brick affording the Eagle the perfect opportunity to seize the moment. He snapped his sharp beak around the snake’s neck and gripped the cobra with his sharp talons. Seconds later the powerful bird took flight to a nearby tree with his dinner in his mouth.
“Come,” Alex pushed through the revolving gate.
Barely inside the zoo a single gunshot hit the metal gate behind them and Alex and Ezra ducked sideways behind the ticket office to take cover. The unexpected strike left Alex cold; her heart racing as her fingers closed over her gun.
“Can’t be Volkov’s men,” Ezra whispered; equally shocked by the surprise attack. “There’s no way they followed us,” he continued.
Taking cover Alex slipped in through the ticket office’s door and rummaged through the desk drawers. Her fingers found a cracked compact mirror. Using it to get a better visual on the entrance gate she held it sideways through the small money slot. Ezra was right. It wasn’t Volkov. She crawled back to where Ezra sat in hiding behind the wall. Her movement sparked another attempt at killing her followed by loud jovial applause.
“It’s a gang; clearly out to play games and cause trouble.”
“How many?” Ezra questioned.
“Not sure, I only saw three. Their faces are covered with bandanas and they have revolvers. Looks like a bunch of kids.”
“Kids using us for target practice or a gang initiation,” Ezra commented. “The city is full of these gangs. They’re amateurs though. I say we shoot back to show them we’re armed. Hopefully it will scare them off enough to move on.”
Alex nodded in agreement and crawled back into the ticket booth. She pointed the barrel of her gun through the slot and fired two bullets at the youths’ toes.
“Idiots,” Ezra mumbled under his breath as he watched them run away.
“Right, now that’s out the way, where do you think the gorilla enclosure is?” Alex asked as she set off down the narrow path.
“Careful Alex, I’m pretty sure the eagle and its prey weren’t the only animals out of their cages.”
“With any luck the gorilla’s out of his enclosure too then we can slip in and out and move on.”
The map led them down a winding path which stopped in front of a twenty foot enclosure. Inside, a large male gorilla paced the fence while a female and her weak infant sat under a large tree. They were trapped inside and it was evident they hadn’t eaten for a while. The male made loud grunting noises. He was aggressive and not likely to allow anyone in at this stage.
“If we can distract them with food it might give us a chance to get inside.” Alex suggested.
“Are we sure the clue is here?”
Alex ignored Ezra’s dubious question and disappeared through a doorway behind the enclosure.
Minutes later she dragged a large container out the door and in front of the gorilla’s cage.
“Ever fed a gorilla?” Alex teased. “Today is your lucky day Ezra.”
Chapter Sixteen
Back at the farm
“Sir, we have company,” a soldier interrupted Commander Burger from where he was fiddling with the satellite equipment at the large dining table.
“How many? What are their positions?” He fired off two questions as he abruptly got up and cocked the gun in his hand.
“We’re not a hundred percent certain but it seems we’re outnumbered Sir. There are at least eight in the field behind the house and we spotted about ten more hostiles out front. They’re approaching fast.”
“Get the squad in position.” The commander walked over to where Sam sat playing a game of cards with Ethan and Roy in the sitting room.
“We have company guys. Arm up, we’re going to need all hands on deck if we’re going to survive this attack.”
Sam and the two reporters promptly did as ordered and followed the commander into the kitchen.
“Do you have any
more weapons in the house Van?”
Van, who was having a cup of coffee with Elaine at the kitchen table, startled at the commander’s sudden entrance and spilled his coffee across the tabletop.
“You bet. Follow me,” leading the commander down into the bunker.
“What’s going on dearies?” Elaine asked anxiously as they all gathered around the table.
“We have some untimely visitors. It’s perhaps best you and Thembi take shelter in the basement. You’d be safe there. Come, hurry!” Sam pulled Elaine up by her arm where she sat frozen at the table and nudged the two females toward the bunker.
“Where are Angus and Glen?” The commander asked upon his return plonking a large brown trunk on the kitchen table.
“I think they were playing a game of chess in the study. I’ll go get them,” Roy volunteered.
“Do we know how many there are?” Sam asked as he watched the commander unpack the arsenal from the trunk onto the table.
“We’re surrounded. My men reported at least twenty hostiles along the perimeter of the house. There’s no time to waste, they’re closing in fast.”
“What’s happening?” Angus and Glen barged through the kitchen door with Roy on their heels.
“Have any of you fired a gun before?” The commander questioned the group of men around the table; urgency lacing his voice.
“Licensed and trained,” Sam said first. Although I’m at a bit of a deficit with my broken wrist, but I’ll find a way around it.
“Can’t say I have,” Angus admitted sheepishly.
“Me neither,” Glen followed.
The Alpha Strain Page 10