Ivan’s hardened visage was beginning to crack. ‘What are you?’
‘No, Ivan, the question is who am I?’ Kyle tossed the weapon in the air and it never came down. ‘I am the son of the man that James Nivok tried to frame for the murder of David Nivok. You do remember that little incident, don’t you, Ivan?’
‘What have you done to them?’ Ivan tried to divert the subject.
‘You ought to be worrying about what I intend to do with you,’ Kyle said, and when Kyle pointed his finger towards a rock, Ivan found himself seated there, unable to move.
‘What are you going to do?’ Ivan struggled to keep his cool, but his fear of the unknown was making him angry.
‘First, let’s deal with your friends.’ Kyle looked at Ivan’s three accomplices, who seemed like ex-military types. He clicked his fingers to wake them up. ‘What are you guys? Excommandos?’
‘Yeah,’ they all replied.
‘Well, I’ve got a new mission for you.’ Kyle pondered what it should be. ‘You’re on a quest to find …’ He raised a finger when he thought of something remote, yet beneficial. ‘ … the last Tasmanian Tiger.’
‘Yes,’ the men agreed.
‘And as the only thing you’ll ever be shooting with again is a camera, you’d better gear up on your way south,’ Kyle advised.
‘South?’ queried one of the men.
‘Well, you’re not going to find a Tasmanian Tiger in Queensland, are you? So take the car, Ivan won’t be needing it, and get on the case immediately.’ When the three men promptly complied with his orders, Kyle shrugged. ‘Hell, you guys need to chill out a bit. Why don’t you do a spot of fishing while you’re there?’
The last of the men gave Kyle a thumbs-up as he climbed into the car with his buddies, who were very enthusiastic about their new orders.
‘Is it hypnosis?’ Ivan tried to fathom what was taking place. He breathed deeply and couldn’t smell any gas, so he didn’t suspect he’d been drugged.
‘You’re not drugged,’ Kyle guessed what he was thinking, ‘but it is hypnotic suggestion of sorts. It’s just a trait I picked up from my mother’s side of the family.’
‘The old, black witch,’ Ivan gasped, and he cast his mind back twenty years.
James Nivok had been of the mind to evict her from the land, but after one meeting with the witch, James had abandoned the idea and settled for putting fences around the waterhole.
‘So you’ve met my great-grandmother.’ Kyle nodded, figuring James had tried to bully her from her home at some stage. ‘She gave you a good spooking, did she?’ Kyle was delighted to make Ivan jump; Arika must have really freaked him out.
‘What do you want, Burke?’ Ivan hardened his voice.
‘I wish,’ Kyle paused for emphasis and continued in a taunting fashion, ‘that by your heart you will die, if you should ever tell a … fib.’ He smiled warmly.
‘So?’ Ivan scoffed.
‘So …’ Kyle turned on his heel to pace as he questioned the witness. ‘Did, or did you not, plant the bomb in David Nivok’s car that resulted in the death of both David and his wife?’
Ivan said nothing.
Answer the question. Kyle silently urged the subject to conform to his will.
‘No,’ Ivan spat out when compelled, then began to feel a pain in his chest.
‘You’re hoping to die, Ivan.’ Kyle winced at his wrong choice. ‘Just tell the truth and all will be well for you.’
Ivan’s face had gone bright red. ‘Yes,’ he squeezed out. The relief was instant and he began to breathe normally. ‘You son of a bitch,’ he snarled, ‘take this curse off of me.’
‘And it was James Nivok who hired you to plant the bomb in his brother’s car, wasn’t it?’
Ivan started going red again.
Kimba always woke early. It was a habit she’d formed when studying for her degree which she’d never managed to shake. Not that it bothered her greatly. She loved to take in the sunrise. It was the most comfortable part of the day, temperature-wise.
Opening the back door to let in the warm rays of the morning sun, she was greeted by the magpie’s song, which dominated the sounds of all the other creatures in the vicinity. Sighting Kyle seated in the middle of a dirt patch in the unfenced wasteland that was her backyard, Kimba refrained from closing the back door, unsure if she wanted to be in or out.
She had been avoiding spending time alone with her cousin. She still had issues with him that she hadn’t wanted to confront. But now did seem the perfect opportunity to prove to herself and her ancestors that Kyle had her full support.
She walked down the back stairs and across the yard to take a seat alongside Kyle. ‘Our hero,’ she announced, in praise of his capture of Nivok’s thug the day before. ‘Tim told us the news last night when we got back from Felix’s place. How did you do it?’
‘I used Kyron’s glamour.’ Kyle’s eyes remained fixed on the horizon. The landscape was barren except for a few old gums scattered here and there. ‘I know you don’t believe that I see —’
‘Yes, I do,’ Kimba cut in and Kyle turned to look at her, surprised. ‘Look, this is hard for me, as I’m a bit of a hard-nosed bitch, as you know —’
‘Nah,’ Kyle jeered. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’
‘But,’ she spoke over him, determined to get this apology over with. ‘The truth is, I was —’
‘Jealous and resentful,’ Kyle finished for her.
Her insult melted quickly into shame. ‘That obvious, huh?’
‘I’d be sore as hell if I were in your shoes,’ Kyle proffered in support.
‘You would?’ Kimba frowned. She hadn’t expected this response.
‘Yes.’ Kyle stood up, energised by the topic. ‘And don’t think I haven’t wondered why you weren’t chosen instead of me. Our whole plan was your invention … I’ve done nothing to deserve divine favour.’
‘Whoa.’ Kimba rose to stand beside him, scarcely believing her ears. ‘Don’t tell me wonder boy is doubting himself?’ Kyle was always so cocky and confident, it scared Kimba to see him in this light.
‘That’s just an act,’ Kyle appealed. ‘You don’t know what it’s like in here.’ He pointed to his own body.
That’s when Kimba noticed: ‘Kyle, you’re shaking.’
‘No shit.’ His voice was now trembling in time with his body. ‘I feel like I’ve been plugged into some giant cosmic energy grid. I was doing okay until after my run-in with Ivan last night. Since then I’ve felt like I’m on overload.’
‘You probably are on a kind of spiritual overload.’ Kimba took hold of his shoulders, but Kyle couldn’t calm down.
‘I used to only see otherworldly creatures, but now I’m having visions, world visions, and most of them aren’t very pretty. I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do with all this information, Kimba … I thought I could cope with this superhero business, but I’m beginning to think not.’
Kimba realised her folly; psychic talent had its downside too. She was now secretly relieved that she was not standing in Kyle’s shoes. ‘You think I could have coped with such circumstances better?’ She shook her head in the negative. ‘I was an idiot to undermine your confidence, when you’re our ace in the hole. Believe me, everyone who has undergone a rite such as you did can expect to experience large shifts in their energy field and moments of revelation. But it will pass.’
Kyle calmed a little, wanting to believe her.
‘You have been plugged into a giant energy grid, and downloaded a whole heap of information that you’re still struggling to process. You probably didn’t have the chance to really absorb the information until last night … did you sleep at all?’
Kyle shook his head.
‘When is the last time you ate?’
‘Lunchtime yesterday,’ Kyle answered.
‘Well, no wonder you’re feeling weak.’ She put emphasis on this as being a major cause of his self-doubt, although she could not imagine the inner shake-up he was experiencing. �
��I’m betting bacon and eggs will have you feeling your old cocky self in no time.’
‘Perhaps you’re right.’ Kyle sounded hopeful, willing to give her the benefit of the doubt as he accompanied her towards the house.
‘I know I’m right,’ Kimba assured him. ‘If the Great Spirit, Matong Bargi and all the males of our people say you’re up to the task, then it’s the gospel truth that you are.’
‘Do you really believe that?’ Kyle didn’t know any of them as well as Kimba did.
‘I’ll stake my ancestral lands on it.’ This was, in reality, exactly what she was doing.
Kyle didn’t know if that made him feel better or worse. ‘Then I’d best get my shit together, huh?’
Kimba smiled and gave a confirming nod. ‘I’ll cook and you can tell me more about Kyron’s glamour,’ Kimba offered. ‘That sounds like a talent we might be able to put to good use.’
Kyle liked her reasoning. ‘And have already.’
In the office of Hackerman & Partners, the law firm for all Nivok’s private and business affairs, James Nivok was discussing what would happen in the event of his niece never being found when his niece walked through the door, accompanied by a young, smartly dressed Aboriginal woman. This was most unexpected and most inconvenient for James.
‘Zoe, sweetheart. Where have you been?’ He approached to embrace her, but his niece sidestepped him. ‘I’ve got half the country out looking for you. We thought you’d been kidnapped.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, uncle,’ she scoffed. ‘I told you I was going up north to view the land you wish to purchase. So you’d best have one of your henchmen call the police and explain the misunderstanding.’
James was not happy, but he glanced aside to his private secretary and gave the nod. ‘You haven’t seen Ivan in the course of your travels?’
‘Why would I have seen him? He’s your bodyguard.’
‘Because, as with most of the police department, I sent him looking for you,’ James informed her, most put out.
Sent him to kill me, you mean. Zoe presumed Ivan was meant to ensure that she never showed to collect her inheritance, and then her murder could have been blamed on Kyle and Matt. It was very hard not to become irate and start yelling accusations, but today was not the day of reckoning, just the prelude. ‘I understand a few of Ivan’s friends are on holiday in Tassie at present … perhaps he went with them?’ She smiled smugly, pleased to put her uncle off balance. He obviously didn’t know what to make of her banter. ‘This is Kimba Nura-Jirrand. She’ll be representing my legal interests from now on.’
‘That’s a huge responsibility to hand over to someone with so few years experience,’ protested the leader of the four solicitors in attendance, attempting to make his objection sound like concern for Zoe.
‘I know perfectly well what I’m doing,’ Zoe advised all those seated across the conference table from her, but when Zoe saw her uncle’s condescending grin, it made her angry. ‘Is something funny, Uncle James?’
‘No, no … the name just sparked a memory of that cartoon you used to watch, you know … Kimba, the white lion.’
Kimba took a deep breath, having copped this joke all her life. ‘In the language of my people Kimba means bushfire,’ she stated in a cool, ominous fashion. ‘Nura-Jirrand means you fear.’
‘I was never much inclined towards the great outdoors myself,’ commented James snidely, confident that Zoe would still be selling her stock and assets and had only brought in this legal adviser in the hope of sweetening the deal.
‘Can we please get on with this?’ Zoe requested. ‘I have other meetings to attend today.’ She could almost hear the word meetings ringing in her uncle’s brain as one of the team of solicitors pulled out a mound of paperwork.
When all the documents relating to her inheritance had been signed and taken care of, the solicitor moved on to a new pile of papers. ‘These are the documents pertaining to the purchase of your company stock and the piece of land in northern Queensland.’
‘I’ll take the offer on the land deal to look over.’ Kimba slid it into her briefcase.
‘I was under the impression we were going to settle all this today.’ James was a little put out by the proposed delay.
‘I will not be selling my controlling interest in Nivok Industries at this stage,’ Zoe advised him calmly, much to his team’s shock and horror. ‘I will have my lawyer look over your offer for the land in Queensland, but I tell you now that I am considering other offers.’
‘Other offers!’ James stood up, enraged. ‘You can’t consider other offers, darling heart, because the courts gave me first option on buying that land twenty years ago.’
Zoe just looked at him blankly and rose, not prepared to argue the issue. ‘If you have a problem with my decision you’ll have to discuss it with my lawyer.’
Kimba placed her business card on the table and stood to accompany her client out of the room.
‘We’ll see what the courts have to say about your decision.’ James had friends in high places in the legal system and he figured he would have that piece of land one way or another.
‘If you feel the need to take me to court,’ Zoe tried to sound as if the threat was neither here nor there to her, ‘then so be it.’ As she approached the conference room door, it swung open and in walked Ivan. A momentary look of shock crossed his face as he confronted Zoe. ‘There you are, Ivan,’ she commented on her way past him. ‘I do believe my uncle is looking for you.’
‘And I’ve been looking for you,’ Ivan replied, astonished.
‘Mission successful then,’ she concluded. ‘Bye.’ Zoe waved.
Kimba paused at the doorway and put down her briefcase to clasp both hands to her stomach. ‘An ungune,’ she said to all present, throwing her arms wide. Retrieving her bag she followed her client from the room.
Shortly after Zoe received her summons to court, she released a press statement that was similar to the script of their documentary.
She outlined the ancient history of the land dispute and her reasons for wanting to sell the land back to the Turrammelin people: that the mountain remain as a monument to those who had died there. She advised that the Indigenous Land Fund was currently reviewing the case and were hoping to make an offer on the land within days. The Cultural Heritage Projects Department of the National Trust had also expressed interest in the initial proposal to have Turrammelin mountain, and the forest home of the Matong Bargi Arika, declared as significant sites. Whatever profit was made on the sale of the mountain, Zoe announced, would go into the Mount Turrammelin Trust for its preservation.
Zoe also mentioned that she aspired to steer Nivok Industries into a cleaner, safer tomorrow by focusing the company’s portfolio on renewable resources and conservation. She suggested that anyone interested in seeing this major corporation move in an environmentally-conscious direction should ring Nivok Industries and voice their support for doing something positive for the nation’s natural heritage.
The press statement concluded with the information that the documentary ‘The Dark History of Mount Turrammelin’ would screen on national television the following evening. Having been cleared of kidnapping charges, Matt and his story had been embraced by his new employers.
The documentary did not contain any references to the death of David Nivok, nor any references to James or Nivok Industries, only telling the story of the Matong Bargi and Zoe’s grandfather’s dying wish. It also showed the footage of the earthlights that Matt had taken at the mountain, and suggested this kind of phenomenon might have been the reason why the people of Turrammelin mountain considered the place sacred. They decided it was best not to mention the yowie, outside of the creature’s direct involvement in Arika’s story, or the bunyip, as they didn’t wish to attract hunters to the area or create a tourist destination. All they needed was to stir up a bit of media interest and public support as they knew that was what governing bodies responded to best.
CHAPTER TW
ELVE
HUNTERS
‘Where the hell did she dig up all this ancient history?’ James Nivok sat before his wall of TV screens, watching the plea for public sympathy unfold; his niece had truly astounded him with her tactics.
Ivan shrugged and took a guess. ‘The old black witch?’
Nivok’s stare quickly diverted to his bodyguard. ‘Surely she’s dead by now … didn’t you check?’
‘I’m not going back there,’ Ivan retorted. James was surely joking? ‘Have you forgotten what happened last time? You need a priest, not a hitman, for that little chore.’
Obviously James did remember, because he shuddered and looked back at his screens.
There was a knock at the door and Nivok’s head of staff entered. ‘Mr Nivok, incoming calls are blocking the phone lines. I’m going to have to bring in more staff.’
James was furious. ‘Take the phones off the hook, and send your people home!’ The woman quickly departed to comply with his wish.
‘You know that’s just going to give the impression that the public outcry was such as to jam the phone lines all night,’ Ivan pointed out. ‘The press will have a field day.’
‘Not if you’d done your bloody job,’ James roared as he rose from his chair to get a drink. ‘This is a fucking nightmare!’ He stormed to the bar, and having his back to his bodyguard he failed to see the smug grin that had formed on Ivan’s lips.
Zoe’s apartment was a hive of activity, this being where the members of the Mount Turrammelin Project were basing themselves during their short stint in Sydney.
Matt had just arrived with the take-away food he’d picked up on his way back from work. ‘They’re not sending me to cover the court case, of course,’ he announced, trying not to sound disappointed. ‘They have to send a more experienced cameraman to cover such a big story.’
‘Do they?’ Zoe scoffed. ‘Well, I won’t give an interview unless you are accompanying me,’ she announced to brighten his mood. ‘And, for you, it’ll be an exclusive.’
Book of Dreams Page 22