Visions of Blue: Book I in the Visions Trilogy

by Inia Jardine

  ‘Time is running out Bella, please hurry. Do what you must to get them to talk.’

  I have to find out where they are keeping Jonah, I need to rescue him before anything worse happens to him. I try to track all of the V, L & F properties by means of the internet on my phone, and come up with seven different sites in an around Arumvale. I can only hope that they did not take Jonah out of the immediate area.

  I write them down in order of proximity to Xanadu to simplify my search. The ones which I suspect they might have Jonah at, I will do a reconnaissance on. I mark them with a cross. The ones I do not believe they will be able to keep Jonah at, I scratch through.

  1. Naledi (Violett & Nan’s old farm) * too close

  2. V&F Geological Services (riverside property)**

  3. Vatjer’s Private Farm, Leibenstein 's apartment building

  4. V, L & F Head Office, Arumvale

  5. Hangar 17 Arumvale Airfield**

  6. Forsten’s Private Residence

  7. V, L & F Transport (Light industrial Area Arumvale)**

  This process of elimination leaves me with 3 options. While I have to wait for Bella and hopefully some important information, I will start driving towards the airfield, my first choice. I have given Bella my gun, but have come into the house to get Jonah's 9mm Luger. I make sure that it is fully loaded, wrap his motorbike scarf around my face and run back out towards Howie's car.

  I must be a scary sight.

  Before I get to the car that idiotic Carl Tomlinson jumps out of the shrubs and laughs. 'How far will you get with four flat tires? Don't fuck with me Lilia. Now I have you where I want you.'

  Too late he realises that I am not myself. This evil twin of the previously peace loving Lilia knocks him over with the butt of the revolver. As he yells at me in surprise I see a flash of something metal in his hand.

  Just milliseconds after Carl lunges towards me with his knife someone kicks it out of his hand.

  ‘Oh Howie, I cannot be more pleased to see you! Sorry about your car!’

  ‘Bitch’ Carl groans, ‘I will get you, he has broken my hand because of you.’

  ‘Good. And lookie here, now you have a broken foot too' and I stomp on his foot with all my might. 'If you so much as make another move I will break your face.’

  ‘Aaaarrgghh, I have a message for you stupid c*nt. Take the fucking phone.’

  He gestures towards a mobile phone which fell out of his shirt pocket.

  I hold it to my ear and I hear a hoarse whisper. ‘Lilia my love, are you OK? What just happened? I love you.'

  ‘Jonah! Where are you! Jonah?’

  He groans in the background as I hear a thud and Vatjer’s hateful voice comes on the line. ‘He is not feeling well enough to talk any more, Mrs Hibbert. Lost his balance there for a while. Be sure to make your decision quickly.’ As he disconnects the call I hear a loud sound. I scream profanities in his ear but it’s too late, he is off the line.

  ‘Jonah is badly hurt Howie; he can’t even talk properly. I have to find him.’

  ‘What the hell is going on Lilia, let’s get rid of this dumb idiot and tell me about the situation immediately. Have you gone mad? Where is Jonah?'

  First things first, and with a ‘good night asshole’ I knock Carl unconscious with a sideways blow to his head with the gun.

  ‘I’m impressed. Where do I find Bella? She asked me to come and help her.'

  'She is in charge of the captives at the crater, will you please add this idiot to the happy group and help her keep them safe? Please Howie may I take your other transport, I have to find Jonah.’

  ‘Captives? Dare I ask...?’

  ‘At the crater, I have to go!'

  With a shake of his head Howie verbalizes my exact feelings. 'What a sick world this is. I agree that you have to find Jonah ASAP, but I am calling the police.'

  'That will be Jonah's death on you if you do Howie, please don't. I am going to try and find him.' My mobile phone chirps and I see that it is Bella.

  'I found out what they want, it is the mining rights to your land. There is apparently a wealth of some rare plutonium-like element in the meteor crater as well as around on your land.’

  'Thanks Bella, I knew that Professor doctor Perna was holding something back! He must be on their payroll too. Hold on, Howie is coming to you.'

  I realise that I am still holding on to the mobile phone Carl gave me like it is my link with Jonah. I check the call ID list but they were too clever for me. Private number.

  I dial reply and get an engaged signal.

  My mind keeps on repeating every word Jonah uttered. There was no time for him to give me a clue before the phone was grabbed away from him. I heard something loud in the background though and decide to make the airfield my first port of call.

  Whatever it is that they want, it is not worth Jonah’s life. When I find him we are leaving here, never to return. I hate this uncivilised place where people live like bandits. We are supposed to be in the centre of first world civilisation! It feels like we are back in the third world, the South Africa of savages. They can have this place now.

  While Howie binds Carl’s arms & legs together with cable ties he found in his car and starts to drag him to the crater I hurriedly jump on his bike. Luckily it is smaller than Jonah's Ducati and I can handle it.

  But wait, I need a bargaining chip. An item of clothing or handbag belonging to one of the women will do. I rush to the crater on the bike and grab the keys from Bella.

  As I reach the gate Marcia Vatjer storms towards me.

  ‘I demand that you release us now. This has gone on long enough. We are getting out whether you want us to or not. Come you ladies, we outnumber them. Let’s go. Get out of my way coon lover.’ She tries to push past me through the gate.

  ‘You may outnumber us but you forgot that your dumb fuck husband hurt Jonah and now you have really PISSED ME OFF!’ I bark at her as I point Jonah's Luger up into the air and pull the trigger. They all scream and take cover. Bella tries to restrain me but I have lost my cool. I grab Marcia’s arm, try to rip off her watch to show her husband proof of her being under my control, but she lashes out and slaps me hard in the face. She scrapes her salon manicured nails down my cheek as she pulls her hand away.

  I stand dumbfounded for a few seconds, feeling the sting and then the warm blood slowly drip out of the scratches.

  I calmly point the gun at her and say 'you really should not have done that you dimwit slutty fucktard' and squeeze the trigger.

  After the loud crack of the shot while the blood starts spurting from her hand it turns deathly quiet. I realise that all our target practice has given me the edge. I have cleanly shot off her thumb. Picking it up I think - hell, good shot. Just as I planned. Not exactly clean as there is blood everywhere, but the rest of the hand is still attached to that squealing bitch’s arm.

  I spin around pointing the bloody digit at random women. ‘I should make her eat this but I don't have the time. Now listen - Bella is in charge here, and she does not take shit from anyone, games are over. This is war, not a game. My husband's life is in mortal danger. You had better behave or your heads will be next.’

  They cower in fear as I stomp out, slam the gate shut and double lock it. I shove the bleeding thumb in my pocket and throw the gate keys to a frozen Bella. Then I jump on the bike and rush off like a Formula One driver, past Howie still dragging Carl behind him towards the crater. I take the road towards the airfield. It was an aeroplane that I heard over the phone. I am convinced.

  As I drive past V, L & F Head Office I stop close to the door, ring the entrance bell and push the still bleeding thumb previously belonging to Marcia Vatjer into the mail drop box. They will follow the blood trail and get this message.

  I dial reply on Carl’s mobile again and this time get Vatjer. ‘There is a present from your wife at your office asshole. Oh, and just to be sure, if I find you today I will kill you. Stay out of my way.’

  I hav
e to abandon Howie’s bike as they may know I have it and intercept me so I flag down and jump into a cab.

  ‘Take me to the airfield pronto please. Cargo area.’

  I heard an aeroplane engine in the background again while talking to Vatjer just now. Jonah must be in the V, L & F hangar.

  The cabby drops me off at the entrance to the cargo area of the airfield. I sneak around the hangars until I get number 17 in my line of sight. There is a single vehicle at the doors, Forsten or Leibenstein I presume as Vatjer must have gone to receive my little ‘gift’ at his office. I am glad that Carl has been eliminated because taking on three crooks single-handedly may be too much for me. Two I can deal with. I hope.

  As I peep into a grimy window I turn ice cold. Jonah is lying in a crumpled heap on the floor exactly like in the photo and he looks completely lifeless. Forsten is kneeling over him but there is no sign of Leibenstein.

  ‘Surprise, surprise, Forsten. You have company. Get away from Jonah NOW!' I have learnt a lot about myself lately and feel no mercy as I knock him senseless with a side swipe, not with my hand like a martial arts expert, but with the heavy Luger. He was bending over Jonah with a fire arm of his own. This went flying as he tumbled down.

  I reach over for it and hear Jonah hoarsely whisper ‘You came! What happened to you, why are you bleeding? Be careful Lilia, there are two more of them.’ He is crumpled up into such small bundle for a huge guy. Something looks very wrong. He must be tied up tightly.

  Before I can attend to Jonah though, I hear something behind me. I spin around just in time to see a guy pick up Forsten’s gun. I pull the trigger for the third time today and the gun flies out of his hand. Five rounds left.

  ‘Don’t fuck with me white boy,’ I proudly remember Jonah & Bella's term of endearment to a light skinned enemy. ‘I will shoot your arm off next, or maybe your face if I feel like it.'

  He actually tries to make a grab for the gun and I am forced to do what I threatened. I shoot him in the arm, but my aim is a little off and his shoulder suddenly hangs limp. He can still run though and heads for the door. Should have shot him in the leg. Damn.

  As he disappears out of the door I give my full attention to Jonah.

  ‘What have they done to you my poor baby?' I try to ascertain the extent of his injuries but I am overwhelmed by the anxiety attack which has been threatening to happen now for almost half an hour. I have no asthma inhaler with me this time and Jonah weakly points to Forsten.

  'He has a mobile phone Lilia, phone 999. We both need it...’ and with those words he passes out.

  'Don't worry about me Jonah, you just be okay you hear? Jonah!' I can barely breathe but I manage to get the information to the emergency operator and within seconds the airfield medics arrive at the hangar.

  I point to Jonah and they give the pool of blood one look, call for a Medevac helicopter and first untie him, then gently put him on a stretcher. The second paramedic quickly hands me a portable nebulizer and within a minute or two I am breathing fine.

  ‘What is his condition, is he going to be okay?’ I ask the paramedics but they just carry on with their ministrations to Jonah.

  Eventually the second one who attended to me answers. 'He is fighting for his life but we are doing all we can. He has lost a lot of blood and his leg is shattered. We have to get him to an Emergency Theatre soon or he will lose his leg. It is turning septic. He also has a bad head wound.’

  Not what I wanted to hear.

  ‘I’m fine for a transfusion, he is my husband and we share a compatible blood group. We had our blood groups tested a year ago when we got married.’

  ‘Good to know, you can come with us in the Medevac helicopter and we can start the transfusion immediately.'

  I hear the helicopter and rush outside to direct the Medevac people to Jonah. A police car arrives with blaring sirens but the officer stands back as the paramedics run towards the helicopter with a stretcher for Jonah.

  ‘I need to take your statement Mrs Hibbert. A shooting and attempted murder has been reported!’

  ‘Come to the hospital, I must go with Jonah, they are taking blood from me for a transfusion. Mac Forsten is in there with a bad headache, lock him up! And get Vatjer, he nearly killed Jonah! Don't know where Leibenstein is. Mrs Vatjer is at my home minus a finger, guess she needs help too.’ Those are my last words before the helicopter lifts off.

  15

  I need to tell Bella what is happening, I owe it to her, but I cannot phone before Jonah has been stabilised. I trust her to make the correct decisions so long. I suddenly realise that I have shot someone’s thumb off, shot someone in the shoulder and knocked someone senseless with the butt of a Luger. Oh yes, and I have done quite a few nasty things to Carl. I am in bad trouble here. But all is worth it if Jonah will just be well.

  Maybe I can plead self-defence or temporary insanity. I was insanely mad. And I defended Jonah. He is a part of me.

  As we land at the hospital they rush Jonah to theatre and me to the ward to donate more blood. I lie there while they ask me all these insane questions about payment and I just want to be with him.

  ‘Only two pints, that is all you are allowed to give. Just lie down for about ten minutes before you get up. Donating blood can make you quite dizzy. The nurses will clean up those ugly scratches on your face at the same time.’

  ‘I don't care, take it all if he needs it.’

  ‘We will take from the blood bank if we need more. But two might be enough. You can give more in a few hours.’

  ‘I will donate my kidney or lung or whatever he needs, just tell me. Just help him, I cannot live without him.’

  As soon as I am allowed to get up, I hurry to the phone to call Bella.

  ‘Lilia, I heard, the police just arrived here. They ordered me to unlock the gate and said that the situation was under control. I suspect that the Marcia thing might turn a bit bad for you though. She was ranting and raving like a lunatic about her thumb although I bandaged it and it stopped bleeding long ago. Worry about that later though, I know a good lawyer. How is Jonah?’

  ‘I don’t know Bella; he is still in theatre. He wasn’t looking good; he has been badly injured. Can you come? Just check on the cats at home, lock up and find out how Kiki is from the animal hospital first please?’

  After a six-hour operation the doctor comes out of the theatre. His gown is all blood spattered, I really hope that is not more of Jonah’s blood, but it must surely be.

  ‘Mrs Hibbert? Prof Hibbert has pulled through. Some bad news I’m afraid, we tried our best but couldn’t repair his leg completely. It is badly shattered and only a portion will most probably resume full function after intense physiotherapy. He is still in critical condition from the drastic blood loss and septicaemia that set in as the wound was left untreated, but we expect him to recover fully from it all in due course.

  He is strong and healthy, and with your blood transfusion we saved a lot of time. He is under excellent care here. The head wound was fortunately not deep enough to cause pressure to the brain and we just cleaned it and stitched it up. Same with the wound to his side. He just needs lots of fluids now, lots of rest and dare I say, lots of love and encouragement. Depression will surely set in once he learns of his condition. Good luck.’

  Just like that.

  It mostly flowed over my head and the only thing that stuck is that Jonah is going to be OK. The leg thing has not sunk in yet. But I don't love Jonah's leg, I love him.

  I run towards the phone to let Bella know. I hope she has been able to sort everything out with the police.

  She does not answer her mobile phone and I begin to worry about her. Soon after she walks in looking very perturbed, and I see why as the Detective Inspector and his partner follow close behind her.

  ‘Jonah is not out of the woods yet Detectives, do you think you can wait with your questions?’ I plead.

  ‘Unfortunately not Mrs Hibbert. We need to take your statement now, and that of Pr
of Hibbert as soon as he is able to. We will try to be quick if you are just as thorough as possible.’

  ‘Remember to tell them everything Lilia, from the time you bought the land, to Carl Tomlinson, to the theft at the crater and when Jonah got attacked in his office that time.’