Nicole felt like screaming out in anger. But instead she composed herself.
It was silent, except for the gentle sound of the wind.
Emptiness does have a sound, she thought.
Then, gazing at a bush, she spotted it; a girls hand bag. It swung and swayed in the wind. It looked totally out of place as if was tied to the branch to be discovered on purpose.
Thinking it strange Nicole got up and walked over to have a closer look. She undid the knot and opened the hand bag only to find it empty, except for a small pink book, a girl's diary.
Opening it quickly she soon recognized the name written on the inside sleeve. Chantel Van Tonder, 2028!
Looking around, hoping to see her, Nicole realized that it had been left there on purpose for her to find. Paging quickly through the book, the last entry was addressed to Nathan personally. With her heart racing, she read the contents as quickly as possible:
Dear Nathan and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ 4 Life.
Firstly, I am sorry for leaving you as I did, but I had to do it as I was a danger to everyone. What you do not know is that I have been an informer for the Police ever since the raid on Kibbutz Ararat. They took all of us to a prison complex, a place called Staaldraad. They chose me, as my uncle was the leader, and they promised me that if I did not cooperate then everyone would be tortured.
They forced me to watch my cousin being gang-raped. I had to agree to help them. I am so sorry.
I feel that I have been a curse and that I am living a lie, I cannot go on anymore. Just know that I love every one of you, and that you must be strong and never give in to them.
Nathan, by the way, they think you are some terrorist, even when I told them you are not.
Just so that you know, I have decided to put as much distance between myself and you as they implanted a tracking device in my wrist which will release a poison if I disobey them. The watch that my mother gave me was fake; they issued me with a look-alike iBand device so I could report our activities to them.
When the Police arrived I thought it was over for us, and I felt terrible, like the worst kind of traitor. It was after that, that I decided to run away.
I will lead them on a wild chase and then smash the iBand against a rock. I just hope by then you are all safe and far away from the farm. I will let them think we are all on the move to another farm. Then I will try to remove the chip from my wrist.
Anyway, I am going to the Ark Kibbutz as I still remember how to get there. I have written down as much as I know in this book.
Please survive, and pray for me.
Yours in mercy
Chantel Van Tonder
The Yeshua Tribe (That is the name I've given us)
4th April 2028
Nicole sat down on a rock and suppressed a tear. For the first time she understood why Chantel did what she did. How could they use a seventeen year old girl to do such a terrible thing?
Browsing through the other entries Nicole realized just how valuable this book would be to Nathan, she had to get it to him urgently if they were to survive. Snapping it closed she put it back in the bag and dashed over to the horse and mounted up again. She vowed to herself there and then that she would do whatever it takes to help Nathan and the others.
Poor old Kate; she was now right in the middle of something far worse than she could imagine.
Realizing the magnitude of the situation, Nicole decided to meet up with Nathan, as Lamberts Bay was less than an hour away. As the horse descended along the tricky pathway she activated her iBand again and contacted him.
It took a while before he answered.
"Hi babe, you ok?" she asked.
The reception was crystal and it sounded as if he was right beside her.
"Yes, all is ok; we have some issues but we will sort it all out. Anyway, how is your father?"
"He's doing much better; still a little sore but I think it's mostly his pride. Warren is also here, which is a big relief. That's why I am calling. Listen babe, I have to meet you urgently today, there is something I must give you."
Nathan was puzzled as to what it could be.
"Ok, yes absolutely, what time?" he asked.
"I will let you know when I'm close. Is there anything you need urgently?"
Nathan thought about it for a while.
"I will send you a text if anything comes to mind."
The ride down on horseback was difficult and slow, but they soon made up lost time when they reached the gravel road and Nicole edged the horse into a canter. She was eager to see Nathan and to give him the diary.
Poor Kate had received all the blame for the home invasion and Warren was devastated to hear they had taken her into custody. Her drug addiction added weight to the story and her deportation back to England was still uncertain.
Little did they know just how events truly unfolded, and Nicole wanted to keep it that way for now. She had asked Nathan more than once about the Policeman but he remained silent; his answer was always the same.
’It's best you don't know.’
But they had achieved the impossible; getting everything cleaned up and ready to move out, cramming into the Police van, all eight of them, and racing off before sunrise. Nathan even had time to bury the dogs.
He’s going to put his life on the line for them, she thought.
Nicole knew what she had to do and it had to be done today, as the net was closing in.
Warren was sitting with his father at the kitchen table again when Nicole returned from the stables. She had no time to freshen up and grabbed a quick coffee before heading off.
"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" she replied, leaning forward to kiss her father.
Warren was in a mood, she could see it in his face.
"Daddy, I am going to get you something from Dr. Schlechter, ok? A little tonic to boost your immune system."
They still had no clue as to what had really happened, and she was going to keep it that way. All she could remember was how Nathan saved her from the Russian, Dmitri. She could still hear his neck snap. The Russian's face was still clearly imprinted in her mind, and she felt sure it would remain so for a long time. Regardless of her belief, she was glad Nathan killed him.
From that moment on they would be forever bound together.
However Kate was in way over her head, and she had no idea who she had now sided with. By joining Nathan her fate would be the same as his, and he was now wanted by the Government.
Within the hour Nicole was already on her way, first stopping off at the doctor, whom she knew since childhood, and then to the family store to check up on the staff.
She could not wait to give Nathan the diary. It was the information on page five that would blow his mind.
Chapter 26
"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."
J.F. Kennedy
Nicole once again had spun him around with her brief visit. Even if he tried to deny it, he was falling for her and she knew it. In his heart he knew she felt the same, yet they were both powerless to do anything about it. She would never leave her security and her family to be with him; why would she? He had nothing to offer her, and he, in the same way, could not abandon those he had sworn to protect. Yet, it was the look in her eyes that told him a different story; that perhaps she wanted him to ask her anyway.
Nathan stood by the side of the road staring at the last glimpses of Nicole’s 4x4 as it disappeared over the horizon. Kate had given them space to say good bye. However romance a side; it was still a five kilometers hike back to the camp site. The two of them had to stand together if they were to survive with the rest of the group.
As they began to walk, Nathan began to browse through Chantel's diary again. He still could not believe it: a traitor never the less.
"Shall we?" Kate said to Nathan, prompting him to stop reading.
He was silent while he walked, still taking it all in.
What a shocker, he
thought. She should have told him.
They met Nicole earlier at a picnic spot five kilometers from the campsite. Holidaymakers no longer stopped there as it was too dangerous; far too many hijackings and robberies these days.
After descending into a gully that ran along the roadside they followed a rocky pathway that led all the way to the sand dunes and the ridge below. The name, Red Dune Reserve, made no sense at all; it should have been called White Dune Sea. However, at sunset, an orchestra of red shades reflected across the dunes, giving it a warm glow; almost fitting to its Afrikaans name, Rooiduinepunt.
For a change Kate walked in front. She wore rolled-up denim shorts and a khaki T-shirt, hiking boots and a baseball cap. A water bottle was swung over her shoulders and she had sunglasses on under her cap. Her long dark hair was tied up into the cap.
Nicole had commented on how good Kate looked in her clothes; fortunately they were the same size, but Kate desperately needed a tan. Many had commented on the fact that she was the same color as the sand.
"Are you coming?" Kate asked Nathan, who had since stopped walking and had begun reading more intently.
He did not answer, still far too engrossed in the diary and its revelations. Suddenly he looked up at Kate.
"Chantel had a chip inserted into her wrist that was constantly being tracked. She also had sedatives to knock us out. Can you believe that?" Nathan said as Kate came closer to have a look.
"The little fucking bitch," Kate replied.
"She was tortured for two days before she broke; sleep deprivation, shock treatment and dogs." Nathan looked up from the diary at Kate.
She now felt a little sorry for saying that.
"What dogs? Where did you see that?" Kate asked as she scanned the page.
Nathan showed her and they read the entire section together before they started walking again, both in absolute silence. For once they began to understand why she was always on edge.
It was not long before they reached the sea of white sand and the long walk ascending and descending the dunes began. The glare from the sun was intense; even with sunglasses on, their eyes had to squint.
"We need to tell someone about this," Kate said. "This should never have happened; it's like we're at war."
It was a few seconds before he answered.
"War, what do you, of all people know about war?" he asked in reply.
Nathan was right; Kate had lived in a sheltered, First World country. They never had any threats in good old England, as it was still the cornerstone of civilization. Great Britain would recover from the nuclear attack just like America, who had already begun the massive cleaning up project in Manhattan.
Kate stopped and turned around to look at Nathan.
"You know something, not everyone was a soldier, but like you the British have seen our fair share of war through the ages."
She turned and began walking again, leaving him to read the diary. Sometimes he really irritated her.
Nathan began to follow again but he took his time, taking everything in. It was peaceful in the dunes, quiet and holy in a strange kind of way. Nature at its simplest is the most beautiful. The two days since their escape from the Kruger's farm had been difficult. A new environment, different surroundings, and a much stricter system now enforced by Nathan. Everyone took turns keeping watch; it was divided into four hour shifts each. The two access points were constantly under guard.
Weapons were issued carefully, as Chantel had already stolen one from the dead Russian. Riaan had a 9mm on him permanently and so did Nathan. The other weapons were only issued to those who went on patrol. It was not an arsenal by any stretch of the imagination.
They also had two pump action shot-guns and a Taser, all courtesy of the South African Police Service. The compound bows were the only weapons allowed to be taken during their expulsion from the Kibbutz, but they were more suited to sporting at best, yet still highly effective in the right hands.
Nathan had stopped reading so Kate asked for the diary. He reluctantly gave it to her.
"Keep this to yourself; I don't want them all stressed out."
"Yes, I know Nathan, I'm not stupid!" she said.
It was still another two kilometers before they reached camp. Kate was a fast reader; her talent was scanning the highlights and remembering the pattern.
A fresh sea breeze was blowing across the dunes and in the distance clouds were lining the horizon. They began to pick up their pace. Nathan was wearing his combat pants, hiking boots and a T-shirt; his 9mm tucked safely into his belt.
"Hey, stop," he said to Kate.
They both looked out across the dune desert, with a few tufts of grass and trees scattered here and there, in clusters. It was magnificent; it was something to take in.
"I hope we will have this peace again," he said.
They just looked out, scanning the horizon and the wonder of it all. The ocean was less than a kilometer away and they could hear the waves break along the shore.
"I do not believe that," Kate replied. "I hope you’re right, I really do, because if what she says in this book is true, then we're on the cusp of a massive genocide that no one is prepared for."
"What do you mean? Where does it say that?"
Nathan came over and took the book from her and paged to the spot.
"Here, read this, where she describes the rows and rows of holding pens where they keep all the prisoners waiting to be processed. I tell you, this is not a prison but a concentration camp. They're exterminating people, I just know it!"
Kate put her hand on his shoulder as they read the page together, often pausing to re-read the section to make sure.
"No way…….." Kate replied. "The world would never allow this to happen, Nathan. There must be some mistake; come on, really, perhaps she imagined it."
Winter was just around the corner; they could feel it suddenly in the air from a cold breeze.
"I wonder if anyone else knows of this?" she asked.
Nathan knew that to operate a camp of that size, hundreds of people would be involved.
That secret could only be kept if they were foreigners. Locals always presented a problem, but outside contractors earned a fortune and they would protect their interests.
"We have to find out, Nathan, if it's true. This is really important to the world."
They walked less than a hundred meters before they came to the camp. All was just as they left it, except Zane had fallen asleep and Emma was reading.
"Where's everyone?" Nathan asked.
"Oh, they went to the beach for a swim," she told them.
"In this weather?" Kate asked.
"Yes, they say the water is warm," Emma replied.
That was exactly what Kate wanted to do, so she dived into her tent to get a towel.
Nathan thought about it for a while and declined Kate's offer to join her. He was too engulfed in the diary and its contents. Still much reading had to be done before sunset.
"Tell them to hurry back, we need to start making supper!" he shouted to her.
Nathan went to his tent and lay down on his sleeping bag. Now he could finish the diary without being disturbed. It soon became obvious that he needed more Intel, this information was too valuable to ignore. No one disturbed him, and Emma in a way, stood guard, instinctively knowing he needed some quiet time alone. She sensed it.
Nathan was tired, exhausted from the events over the last few days. All he wanted to do was to forget about the world and fall into Nicole's arms and sleep.
Turning to the back of the book he found a rough sketch of the camp; it was called Staaldraad. He wondered what that meant. Chantel drew a layout plan in pencil: it had a railway track and a landing strip. A mountain range encircled the entire complex.
Turning the diary sideways, written on the edge, was the name, Brandvlei R27
If this was a UWN prison facility then it was happening across the globe in other countries. The fact that a massive clampdown was underway could o
nly mean one thing: Agenda 21 has been implemented and the next stage is population control. He knew that population control always meant a drastic reduction in numbers; a culling process.
Nathan stood up and left the tent. He began to pace. The gravity of the situation had changed; it was no longer just the survival of the tribe but the very fact that people were being exterminated on a large scale within South Africa and probably worldwide. There was no greater power than the UWN, thanks to Russia who joined with their massive new army and that ever-present nuclear deterrent. The USA, who once upon a time could have done something about it, was bankrupt and now run like a massive corporation.
Israel was also entrapped in an alliance that crippled her military might. Even if they were allowed to keep their nuclear missiles, it was still no match against the UWN with its vast stockpile of ICBM's. No nation could stand against them, not even the Chinese.
With so much more to think about Nathan decided to take a walk to the beach. If the world was about to go to shit, he may as well enjoy the last of the good days. When he finally reached the beach, the sound of screams and laughter greeted him. Even though there was a chill in the air, warmth was often found beneath the waves. Seeing Kate sitting alone on the beach he went to join her.
"You will not believe what I have found out?" he said as he looked down at her Billabong towel.
It reminded him of a surfing trip he once did in California. He wished he could rewind time, going back at least twenty years, to an era before all the terrorism and the UWN.
"What tell me?" she asked.
"All I can say, is we need to do something."
They sat together, both with heavy thoughts, as they looked out at the playfulness of the group. They tried to block it out of their minds as best they could.
To see true freedom at play was priceless.
"According to Chantel's entry, it would be another few days before the search for us would intensify. And now, with the Kruger’s partially out of harm's way, we need to get to the bottom of this and confirm if there is any truth in Chantel's diary at all," he said.
Dawn of Defiance Page 22