Stolen Life

Prologue

Linda was about to leave on her Friday night play date

she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. It was just

a smile not a happy smile but still a smile. She had a

secret life but one most young people lived. In the clubs

on Friday and in church on Sunday, who would know?

Linda locked the door as she walked to her car. Her high

heels were the only sound on her way to her car.

In the club she joined her friends and they had a few drinks and talked about the

boys in their class. Nothing out of the ordinary it was a night just like any Friday

night, but her life was about to change.

Linda made her way to the bathroom on her way she saw some scary men

accompanied by one of the security gauds making their way to the ladies. Linda

walked into the bathroom and here she was confronted with a scene she was ill

prepared for. This would change her life and she had no idea of the consequences.

Linda saw a young girl crying her one eye was swollen and the mascara was running

down her face ‘Please help me they are looking for me.’

Linda knew that the men she saw were on their way to the bathroom, all she had to

do was to get this girl to the apartment and wait for Andre and Hannes to return later

tonight they would know what to do and how to deal with these guys. ‘Quick come

with me.’

Linda helped the girl into the same stall and closed the door ‘You stand on the toilet

and be quite.’

No sooner were they inside when the door opened. The first guy went to work to

ensure that there was nobody in the bathroom while the security guard stopped

anybody from entering the bathroom. At the closed door the second guy stopped as

the person inside the stall urinated he could only see two feet. The third guy knocked

on the door ‘Are you okay?’

‘What the hell this is the ladies you pervert.’ Linda yelled

‘We know we are security and we are looking for a thief.’ The guy lied.

‘Fine but you need to announce your presents I will be telling your boss, now leave.’

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Stolen Life

The two walked from the bathroom ‘You wait here and follow her to her table, then

you call me.’ He told the security guard.

Linda waited for the guys to leave before she looked at the girl ‘Listen to me we need

to leave I have friends that will help you?

‘These men will be waiting for us.’

‘What did you do?’

‘I am their property and must make them money by sleeping with men.’

‘You are the lucky one you will be saved I will see to that. Now we need you to get

out of here.’

‘I can climb out of the window and then down the drain pipe.’

‘Good you do that and when you get out you run to the street I will be waiting in my

car it is a red Toyota. Do you understand me?’

‘Thank you so much but be careful they will be watching.’

‘You just run like hell once you are outside, do you understand me?’

The girl smiled and made her way to the first stall and opened the window and

climbed out, Linda closed the window washed her hands and walked out of the

ladies just to be confronted by the security guard. ‘I was doing my job.’

‘Bullshit you were perving on me.’

‘You should leave before I throw you out you little slut.’

Linda walked to her friends and pointed to the security guard and then collected her

belongings and stormed out of the club.

All well when you are a trained person for if she was Linda would have seen the two

guys watching her. One guy positioned himself at the door and the other one at the

bar, now they were stalking her and she was unaware of their prying eyes.

Linda ran to her car with the two men walking calmly to the door and into the night

and waived their ride over. Once in the car they waited for Linda.

Linda stared the car and raced to the side street and opened her passenger door,

soon she saw the young girl that was running to her and jumped into the car.

They drove off ‘See I told you we will be fine.’ Linda laughed

Unaware of their shadow she drove home once inside she made sure the gate

closed behind her as she drove to the garage from there they ran to the elevator and

then to the apartment. Once inside Linda locked the door. ‘We will be safe here they

can’t get in and my friends will be here soon.

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From the shadows the three men watched the girls as they entered the building and

as soon Linda unlocked the door they knew where to go. They dropped one at the

gate and he concealed himself waiting for one of the residents to return or leave the

complex. They were not disappointed as a car stopped at the gate and the man

punched the code to gain entry to the complex. The man that lay in wait ran to the

gate and made his way inside. It is amazing how once inside you can allow the

whole world into the complex by hitting the exit button on the inside.

Once inside the parked the car and walked up the stairs to the apartment. Most

doors in a secure complex like this have standard locks on the outside door and for a

real criminal the door offered little resistance as he picked the lock.

Inside they could hear the girls talk they were in the bedroom to the left. The three

men walked inside and produced their weapons. The taller man had a taser the

stock man had a Berretta 9mm pistol while the leader took his Covert combat knife

from his pocket and motioned the men forward.

They entered the room and walked to the bathroom here he spoke ‘So you thought

you can run from me?’

The two girls froze as he walked forward he spoke again ‘You should not have

helped her now you are involved with all of this.’

‘You should leave my roommates will be here shortly and they will bust your nose.’

‘Maybe we will wait for them. You come here.’ He pointed to the scared girl ‘Why

would you run away?’

‘I am sorry but that last man was hitting me.’

‘That is fine he paid for you. Then he can do what he wants you know this.’

‘You have to leave now.’ Linda tried

‘We will all leave now. You wanted to safe her well that is fine now you will replace

her.’ Vladimir nodded to the boys and they guided the girls to the door.

At the door Vladimir stopped and looked at Linda ‘You will remember this for your

whole life.’

He pushed the girl against the wall and stabbed her in the throat severing her vocal

cords then as she looked at him he stabbed her first in her left lung and then in the

right and pushed her to the floor.

‘We will wait for a few minutes as she drowns in her blood.’

That was all Linda would see the guy to her right tasered her and then they

administered some drugs to immobilize her.

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Stolen Life

They waited for a few minutes to ensure that they would be undetected when they

left and walked to the car with Linda draped over a shoulder.

Vladimir looked at Demetri ‘You should be careful with the girls we were lucky

tonight.’

‘What will we do with this girl?’

‘We need money so she has to work but not at the clubs.’

With that the men left and the young girl that Linda saved died in the apartment, little

did anybody know that this would lead to.

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Stolen Life

1

Present day

It was the last day of this adventure Andre Cloete and his

high school friend Hannes Jordaan was still tracking the

cheetah mother with two cubs, they knew that she would

hunt, the family didn’t eat yesterday.

Andre wanted to photograph a cheetah on a kill; they

were in the Nxai Pan National Park.

This park lies just north of the Maun Nata main road and adjoins the Makgadikgadi

Pans National Park on its northern border. The pan itself is just another fossil

lakebed about 40 square km in size. The landscape is dotted with clusters of

umbrella acacia trees and Mopani woodland in the north. During the rains from

November to April, the pans become covered in grass, a landscape typical of the

Kalahari. This was the perfect habitat for the fastest land animal and as very few

people visited this remote area this suited Andre and Hannes, they decided to travel

after they ended their services in the South African Defense Force. This was when

the special force was disbanded. They decided to join Executive Outcomes where

they initially trained and later fought on behalf of the Angolan government against

UNITA after UNITA refused to accept the election results. The funny thing about this

situation was that they originally fought alongside UNITA, but diamonds and money

has this affect on people.

The cheetah mother had stashed her cubs in a bush and set off on her hunt her

chosen prey was a springbok. As soon as she walked away from the cubs they

would lie down and conceal themselves, the last time she left them the cubs made a

beeline for the safety of the vehicle and waited under the Jeep until the mother had

eaten her fill. However this time Andre was ready and had moved away forcing the

cubs to hide in the bushes as they followed the mother on her hunt. Soon the

cheetah was closing the distance between her and the springbok and then she

accelerated she has the ability to accelerate from 0 to over 100km/h in three

seconds. The cheetah has by far the fastest land speed of any living animal reaching

speeds of 120 km/h in short bursts covering distances up to 500m after that the

cheetah could sustain brain damage due to overheating.

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Stolen Life

The cheetah’s paws have semi-retractable claws offering extra grip in its high-speed

pursuits. The cheetah’s chest is deep and its waist is narrow. The coarse, short fur of

the cheetah is tan with round black spots affording it some camouflage while hunting.

The tail usually ends in a bushy white tuft. The cheetah has a small head with high-

set eyes. Black tear marks runs from the corner of its eyes down the sides of the

nose to its mouth keep sunlight out of its eyes and aid in hunting and seeing long

distances. However the springbok is a formidable opponent but on this day the

cheetah mother was in top form and soon had the springbok pinned on the ground

and was suffocating the springbok. Next she called the cubs with her high pitched

chirp, sounding more like a bird; the cheetah is the only big cat that is unable to roar.

‘Well Andre we have done it.’

‘Let’s hope so Hannes last time she was chased off the kill, but let me tell you this

time I will help her defend her kill to get the photos.’

‘Let’s hope that isn’t necessary the last time we got more than what we bargained

for, remember.’

‘Yes I do, still it was fun and we did get some good photos.’

Once the cubs were on the kill the family feasted on the springbok and the boys

were in their elements taking a copious amount of photos. Then they returned to

their camp and prepared for the long journey home, this would be a whole day and

they decided to leave at sunrise. Andre and Hannes had a penthouse in Pretoria;

they bought the luxurious apartment with the money they made while working for

Executive Outcomes. The three bedroom apartment had one housemate Lindi Greef

a young student. Andre and Hannes had to promise her mother that she would have

her own bedroom but they explained that they needed a house sitter that could stay

for free as she would have the apartment for herself for most of the year. Early the

next morning they set off heading home.

Lindi Goosen and Melinda Pienaar arrived at the crime scene; it was one that was

familiar. Lindi spoke first. ‘This is the third girl you know we have a problem.’

‘Yes I do and we have no leads, who is the home owner?’

‘Two young men Andre Cloete and Hannes Jordaan and yes they are not here and

just talking to the neighbors it would seem our friends are never here, so we should

place them on our list.’

‘Do we know what they do for a living?’

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Stolen Life

‘No but according to the complex manager they paid cash for this apartment.’

‘That will elevate them to the top of my list see if we can locate them.’

Lindi and Melinda were part of the task force investigating the increase in human

trafficking. But they were more than two detectives; they were friends from the

academy and had worked as partners ever since. They were also the reason this

taskforce were formed they convinced the commissioner that this was a hideous

crime and she agreed, and now they were that taskforce. ‘Do we know anything

about our two guys?’

‘Not really but I believe we will find something if we dig, so I say we work the crime

scene and then send the body to the morgue. We could work our way through the

apartment without the prying eyes.’

‘I agree.’ Lindi barked some orders ‘We need the body taken to the ME and order a

rape kit detective Pienaar and myself will do the rest of the crime scene, come boys

it is getting late.’ They waited until the body was out of the apartment then they

started to gather the evidence, placing them in evidence bags, the last time they

allowed the evidence to be taken to the lab some were lost. They decided that they

would do this one by the book and keep a close eye on all the forensic evidence. It

was late afternoon when Lindi called Melinda ‘We have a winner, I have located a

safe in the walk in closet.’

Melinda walked into the bedroom and looked at the safe ‘Hang on I believe that safe

is part of the walk in closet in the adjacent bedroom, come look.’

As they walked to the next bedroom they missed the Jeep pulling into the garage.

‘This is a massive safe and it is well concealed, they have something to hide.’

‘Lindi the manager also told me that they had two garages and there is no key or

clicker for the second garage, these two is high on my list of suspects.’

Andre and Hannes parked the Jeep in the garage and made their way to the

apartment with all the cameras and valuable items. They stopped at the door marked

with a yellow crime scene tape, Andre walked in ‘Linda are you home?’

Lindi had her Glock 18 in her hand and she looked at Melinda who was now armed

as well. They looked at the door and then they moved towards the voice.

Andre had seen the blood and had placed the camera cases on the floor and pointed

to the blood on floor with his eyes and then to the room. Hannes did the same and

walked towards the room ‘Linda are you okay?’ Andre covered the distance in two

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Stolen Life

steps and waited for anybody to enter the living area. He did have to wait long Lindi

was the first to appear ‘Put your hands up or I will shoot.’

‘Hey who are you, I live here.’

‘Where is your friend?’

‘In the garage who the hell are you?’

‘I am detective Goosen and this is my partner detective Pienaar, keep your hands

up.’

Lindi never saw Andre he grabbed the Glock from her hand and twisted her hand

behind her back and then pointed her gun at Melinda ‘You show me a badge and tell

me what the hell happened here or we will have a problem.’

Melinda had no shot as Andre disappeared behind the wall ‘Fine I will show you my

badge and maybe you can tell me what happened here.’

Melinda showed her badge to Hannes who still had his hands in the air ‘They are

cops Andre’

‘What happened here?’

‘We would like to ask you that you prick.’ Lindi was a feisty detective she could stand

her ground and she was as tough as nails.

Andre pushed her towards Melinda ‘I will hand her gun back when you holster yours.’

Melinda looked at Lindi and she nodded, Melinda holstered the Glock they were in

tight situations before and they have survived gun battles but this was different if this

guy wanted to he could have shot Melinda using Lindi as a shield and killed Lindi but

he released her and his friend still had his hands in the air. ‘Okay I have done that

now you hand her gun back and answer some questions.’

Hannes walked to the coach and sat down ‘Please tell me that was not Linda

detective Pienaar.’

‘We don’t know mister?’

‘Hannes Jordaan and my friend is Andre Cloete, how can we help.’

Lindi was far less forgiving her blue eyes showed that ‘I should arrest you for

assaulting a police officer.’

Hannes kept talking ‘We didn’t know detective Goosen but seriously how can we

help.’

Lindi and Melinda walked into the living area as Andre sat down on the chair looking

at the two girls.

‘You can start by telling me where you have been and what you do for a living.’

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Stolen Life

Hannes continued ‘We have been in Botswana in the Nxai Pan National Park for the

last six weeks and before that we were in Etosha for six weeks. We are two amateur

photographers why?’

‘How do you fund your trips?’

‘When we need to we work for a private military company (PMC) and provide

specialized expertise or services of a military nature. Nothing illegal about that and

we don’t have any enemies that would do this. Now you can tell me about this case

and what happened here.’

Lindi looked at Andre and Hannes she would not have picked them as Private

Security Contractors. That would explain why they could buy this apartment cash

and spend their time in the game reserves in Africa. After all the PMC industry is now

worth over $100 billion a year and that is how Andre took her weapon with such ease

while Hannes distracted her. The hiring of professional soldiers is a common practice

throughout history. Though these soldiers were once known as mercenaries, now

companies prefer to be known as private military contractors. The services and

expertise cover those typically found in governmental military or police forces, but

most often on a smaller scale. While PMCs often provide services to train or

supplement official armed forces in service of governments, they are also employed

by private firms. However, contractors who use offensive force in a war zone could

be considered unlawful combatants. ‘We know this girl was working in the sex

industry and that your friend is missing, we were hoping you could tell us what the

connection was between them. And what is in that safe in the walk in wardrobes.’

Andre spoke for the first time ‘Linda was a good kid and would never work in that

industry.’

‘How do you know that?’

‘She lived for free, we always stocked the apartment before we left and we left her

some money. We picked her after we met her mother and she told me that Linda

was a good kid. Look I know that she had a good hart and maybe she was helping

this girl but work in that industry, never. Tell me what the deceased name is?’

‘That is classified you know this is an ongoing investigation, now about that safe.’

Andre stood up ‘Come I will open the safe for you.’

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Stolen Life

Lindi followed while Melinda kept an eye on Hannes ‘We can go as well.’ With that

they both followed. Andre entered the combination and opened the safe ‘We keep

our equipment in the safe. We are not the bad guys, believe me.’

‘I don’t know you Andre so how would I know that.’

‘I never got your name.’ Andre looked at her ‘Lindi Goosen.’

‘Well Lindi I would like to help you find Linda and not do that behind your back so

can we work together?’

‘This is a police matter Andre and besides we need to rule you out as a person of

interest.’

‘What do you need, you ask me now and I will provide you with everything, I will

even give you DNA you just ask. I promised this girl’s mother that we would look

after her and I intend to keep that promise.’

‘Look I will keep you informed that is the best I can do.’

‘Do you know the identity of the deceased girl?’

‘We believe she is from the Eastern Europe, Russian maybe we don’t know.’

‘Do you have a photo of her?’

‘Yes but it is an open investigation.’

‘Lindi leave me your details and a photo, I will not do anything silly and if I find any

information I will contact you. You have my word plus I can work a part of our world

that will never talk to you and I have promised her mother that she would be fine and

you know the clock is ticking.’

‘I don’t know you Andre you might be some hit man or something.’

‘I only work for them when it suits me and when my budget is running low and I

choose my assignments believe Lindi. Look I will order some food shit you have to

eat sometime and you ask me anything but I will be looking for Linda so let’s pool our

recourses.’

Lindi smiled ‘You are going to look for her no matter what I say.’

‘Yes and I will find her believe me so shall we grab a bite to eat my treat?’

Lindi laughed as she walked into the living area ‘Are you hungry Melinda?’ Hannes

looked at Andre he had seen that look before. ‘What will it be just say the word and I

will have the dinner delivered from a fine restaurant and they will be quick I promise.’

Melinda looked at Lindi ‘Are you serious?’

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Stolen Life

‘We could use some help, hell Melinda Ali is waiting for us to slip up and we are only

two people we haven’t had a good meal in weeks or any help since we started this

investigation.’

Andre looked at Melinda. ‘We will be careful and I promised Lindi that I will share

every piece of information I get and I will get information believe me.’

‘You are a mercenary not a cop Andre and we could lose our jobs.’

Hannes intervened ‘I have to disagree I know you are smart but just listen to me

there is a blur between a mercenary and a foreign volunteer. For instance, the

French Foreign Legion and now private military companies they are sometimes

grouped into the general category of defense contractors. However, most defense

contractors supply specialized hardware and perhaps also personnel to support and

service that hardware, whereas PMCs supply personnel with specialized operational

and tactical skills, which often include combat experience. We have done the whole

nine yards and I won’t lie the money is good and yes I like my lifestyle and that is

why we do it.’

‘But that doesn’t make us bad people hell if you just give us a chance you will realize

that Melinda but I can assure you of one thing I will be in this game, you choose how

I play.’

‘Look we can debate this over dinner so ladies what will it be seafood or meat?’

Lindi smiled again ‘I was thinking a burger but what the hell I will have a nice medium

rare stake with baked potatoes.’

Hannes looked at Melinda ‘I will have the same.’ Hannes grabbed his mobile and

called the restaurant ‘We will have our dinner in 30 min, so what do you want to

know?’

Melinda laughed ‘Wow you two are something; firstly Andre assaulted Lindi and put

a gun to her head now we are having dinner.’

‘Tell me Andre do you have weapons?’

‘Yes and have licenses as well.’

‘Maybe they were after the guns?’

‘No not even Linda knew about them, besides they are no kept here.’

Lindi smiled ‘You are so full of shit and here I thought we were going to be honest.’

‘Will you confiscate the ones that are unregistered?’

‘No Andre I will let it slide but you will have to trust me just like I have to trust you.’

Andre got up ‘Come on then I will show you if you want to see them.’

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Lindi looked at Melinda and Hannes ‘You wanted to see I know exactly what is in his

safe.’

‘So you have your own gun safe?’

‘Yes I do Melinda but you know this.’

Andre walked to his room and moved the bed and then the carpet and that revealed

the gun safe. Lindi smiled she would never have found this gun safe. Andre looked

at her ‘You have to promised me that we are on the same side and that you will

forget about this safe, for if we need any protection and no links to us we will find it in

this safe and if I screw you well this is where you will find the evidence.’

‘Andre you have to promise me that we will stay in touch and that you will not shoot

every person you find, I am a cop and I have taken an oath, you do understand

that?’ Andre smiled as he opened the safe inside was an arsenal of weapons. Lindi

knew then that Andre was well trained and that he would get answers. Lindi was

tired and frustrated with Ali he was more of a hindrance than a helping hand and he

was her supervisor, hell he was pissed most of the times and he had no intention of

solving this case, she had to worry about his intentions. The last time they spoke he

made it quite clear that he was about to pull the plug on this operation.

‘You make sure that nothing leads back to me.’

‘You have my word now give me all the information I need and your theory on what

happened here.’

‘You know this is absurd we have just met and here we are making plans to share

information. Plus you had a gun to my head not that long ago and now you are

asking me to trust you don’t you think we are moving a bit fast?’

‘We are having dinner Lindi so maybe we should wait until after dinner and then we

can compare notes.’

Lindi smiled at Andre ‘You are very confident Andre.’

‘If you refer to girls then the answer is no, but if you refer to this case and Linda well

then the answer is yes and I have told you, I will be looking into this but you can help

by giving me a head start.’

‘Okay we have a quite dinner and we will share the information with the two of you

and then we decide how we all proceed, deal?’

‘You had me at the dinner bit.’ Andre looked at Lindi her blue eyes were like magnets

but she had a secret and behind that she had a deep secret or was that pain.

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‘Let’s go to the dining room the other two might just get the wrong idea.’

‘Who is the one now Lindi? When this is all done we should have dinner and talk,

hell we could even go on a safari.’

‘We will see about that Andre but first we have to get through this.’

‘Deal and just for the record you are single? I would not like to step on anybody’s

toes.’

‘Yes I am single but like I said we will have to wait until this is resolved and then we

could look at that coffee.’

‘Is that a yes or just a maybe?’

‘It is a wait and see game Andre. Well maybe a bit more however we have to see, ag

make that a yes.’ Lindi was flustered by this invitation, this guy caught her off guard

and that made her fall over her words. Lindi got up and walked to the door, at the

door she stopped and looked at Andre, she smiled and walked down the hallway,

leaving Andre alone in the room to close the safe. Andre watched Lindi leave the

room and smiled, she was a beautiful woman. Soon he joined the rest of the group in

the living room he had a sheet in his hands and covered the blood stain ‘The delivery

boy might bolt with our food.’

Hannes got some plates and Melinda helped him set the table ‘This is really odd.’

‘Why we all have to eat and we might as well have a quick dinner, share some

information and get to work.’

‘So you intend to get working after dinner?’ Melinda was stunned by the comment.

‘Yes Melinda, just like you and don’t look so shocked. We will be working tonight, so

we need to know what you have uncovered so far.’

‘Before we do that we need to set some ground rules Hannes that was the deal,

firstly no dead bodies.’

‘Is that negotiable?’

‘No Andre, remember we are cops and this case has us pitted against our

commanding officer as it is.’

‘Okay I propose the following; you tell us about this commanding officer.’

‘Why he is a fat, lazy pig that enjoys his rum and coke and he hates us.’

‘What we need is some back ground information on him, like his movements and so

on. Next we need a photo of the dead girl and all the information you have on her

and lastly your take on this operation and your suspects.’

‘So you want all our files, now that is typical.’

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‘Look Melinda we need to find Linda so we need that information, we will provide you

with all our findings and you get to make the arrest, but we are behind the eight ball

and we need to play catch-up so what say you?’

Before Melinda could answer Andre lifted his finger and that was followed by a knock

on the door. Hannes moved to the door and helped Andre with the food delivery. He

took some cash from his back pocket ‘Here that will cover the bill and we will return

the stuff in the morning, our compliments to the chef.’ With that he moved the

delivery boy on his way. Andre helped Hannes serve the food ‘You will have to

inform Linda’s mother or do you want me to do that?’

‘No I will call her from the station that way we have that on record.’

‘Tell me about your commanding officer.’

‘Not much to tell Captain Ali Naido spends most afternoons in the local pub, he is

lazy and he has a real hard-on for this case, I get the feeling he will pull this case in a

heartbeat.’

Andre and Hannes were making notes as Lindi and Melinda shared information and

soon they had a picture.

They enjoyed the meal and after the meal Hannes downloaded the photos from the

crime scene then it was time for the new friends to leave. Hannes and Andre walked

the two detectives to their car he handed Lindi a phone ‘It is clean and I suggest we

use this phone to communicate, I have saved my number on the phone as Melinda

that way we should be save. Well detectives thank you for everything we will talk in

the morning.’

Lindi smiled at Andre ‘Thanks for dinner and remember keep me informed.’

‘We will just like I promised you, if I may make a suggestion, when you tell Linda’s

mother you assure her that we will do everything in our power to get Linda back.’

‘We will be gentle I promise you Andre.’

Hannes opened the door for Melinda ‘You have to trust us.’

‘That is the worrying thing Hannes I do and I have just met you.’

As Lindi and Melinda drove away Andre looked at Hannes ‘Let’s get to work.’

‘How will we precede Andre?’

‘We will not take any prisoners and the people responsible for this will pay with their

blood.’

‘I thought you would say that.’

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‘This is wrong and you know that.’

‘And two wrongs will make a right?’

‘No but I will feel better.’

The two men walked to the apartment this was going to get ugly but that was just the

nature of the beast.

Time we go to work.

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2

Two years earlier

Andre was sitting in his tent working on his report he and

Hannes were almost done with this assignment and then

they would be heading home. They had bought a three

bedroom penthouse apartment from the drawing board

just before they left on this assignment, by now it would

be finished, however they needed to apply the finishing

touches, two gun saves build into the floor.

Andre was daydreaming that was all he had for now, he hated this assignment but

the money was good and he enjoyed the lifestyle. Hell two years ago he was fighting

the communist invades here in Angola helping UNITA and he was paid peanuts, now

he was training government soldiers to fight against UNTA and he was paid a

shitload of money. Angola has the potential to be a wealthy developed African nation

since it possesses large petroleum and diamond reserves, but due to nearly 4

decades of war, remains to be seriously underdeveloped but the mining companies

that had the diamond rights paid really well. History is chock-a-block with examples

just like this to counter UNITA’s previous monopoly on Angola’s diamond industry,

the Angolan Government established a partnership with a powerful South African

diamond corporation, and once they moved in, their mining personnel and

equipment, needed protection for its operations and protection comes in the form of

hired security specialists, in other words mercenaries.

Andre remembered the five pillar mission statement he used to navigate and keep

his sanity. Provide a highly professional and confidential military advisory service to

legitimate governments but with the quality of the recruits that was difficult, they had

little or no discipline. The second pillar was to provide sound military and strategic

advice in this case he could say and write anything in his report to the Government

and they would believe it, his employer was a different kettle of fish. Next he was to

provide the most professional military training packages currently available to armed

forces, covering aspects related to sea, air, and land warfare, this is where the metal

meets the meat and with the right amount of training and motivation you could plan

the operations and help them to defeat the enemy. This was essential to his

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employer for that equated to defeating UNITA and to mine the diamonds more

profitable Angola’s diamonds are considered to be among the best in the world and

the highest quality in Africa. Now that is a motivator in itself, so Andre and Hannes

ensured that the armed forces successes by selecting the missions, nothing breads

confidence like success; soon the trainees were holding their own. The next pillar

was to provide advice to armed forces on weapon and weapon platform selection

and with money they had and the amount of hardware that was easy and as they

were planning the missions, hell it was like taking candy from a kid and they made

sure that they had at least a sample of the latest weapon, that was haw they

acquired their personal arsenal. Lastly they provided a total apolitical service based

on confidentiality, professionalism, and dedication this was absolute bullshit they did

this for money.

While Andre did his field report he heard a shot and then chaos erupted, he ran to

the next tent and here he was confronted by a scene he had seen before, a dead

soldier, not killed by the enemy.

From the scene Andre determined that the bullet struck the soldier in the hart and he

died before he hit the ground. The blood pool that formed around the body and the

splatter told the story.

Andre learned that the two soldiers were playing with their pistols. It was a bit more

than playing they were betting on who was the fastest gun in the unit the problem

with this game was that one soldier forgot to take the clip from the 9mm and he was

the obvious winner, after all he was the only man standing. This was happening on a

regular basis, soldiers playing silly but deadly games. Andre decided that it was time

for the group to do an area sweep to seek and destroy enemy forces, he knew that

this would be frowned upon but so be it.

They were trained combat soldiers not security guards and that was the problem

they were board shitless. So it was time to send them on a mission, these missions

were focused on the local area. Andre smiled it didn’t matter what side you were on

in war. They were all the same. He knew that the troops would move through the

local area and if they located any evidence or if the people were from a different tribe

they were going to die. That was just how justice in Africa was passed no quarter

asked and none given; they would kill everything in sight. This practice was not new

to Andre he had seen it all before. He remembered how sick he felt the first time he

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witnessed this practice, back then he was in the South African Defense Force. The

unit responsible for these actions was a unit called Koevoet.

This unit was a police counter insurgency unit in South-West Africa (now Namibia)

during the bush war their mission of prying insurgents from the local population.

Koevoet was the most effective paramilitary unit deployed against SWAPO fighters

during the bush war. They were particularly known for their indiscriminate brutality

and use of torture during that conflict. Here he was doing the exact same thing, the

only difference was he was now on the other side and he was getting paid more,

other than that nothing had change, hell he was using the same training regime. The

paramilitary unit Koevoet was founded by a veteran of the Rhodesian Special Air

Service and an avid scholar of counter-insurgency combat. He seemed to have been

especially inspired by the Selous Scouts.

Andre trained his new platoons using the same techniques and now they were

operating just like Koevoet skilled trackers drawn from the local population were also

hired to hunt down fugitives sought by the police. Clashes between SWAPO and

Koevoet became increasingly costly and fierce; in 1989 official estimates suggested

that over three thousand guerilla fighters were being killed or captured each year by

the one unit alone. Their use of torture and assassination, however, proved to be

their undoing and these units were heading the same way, but they were keeping all

the mining personnel safe.

Before the new deal were made most of Angola’s diamonds have been illegally

produced and smuggled to Zaire and Antwerp. The Antwerp diamond market

handles 80% of the world’s rough, and 50% of cut diamonds each year. It was no

secret that UNITA was responsible for the majority of this activity UNITA’s profits

from its diamond mining totaled about $430 now that was flowing into the pockets of

the big mining company.

Andre remembered how he left one of the villages and as they left he looked at the

people he left behind and he knew then that he would have to seek forgiveness for

what was about to unfold and he was right, they left nothing alive they killed

everything even the animals and here he was doing it again. He was employed by a

PMC so now he was known as a security contractor but he was still doing the same

job, although this term usually refers to individuals employed or contracted by PMCs.

Services are mainly rendered for other business corporations, international and non-

governmental organizations, and state forces. He and Hannes did a field visit after

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he had send the troops on a mission, they had received intel that one of the villages

were helping UNITA, on arrival he was shocked at the carnage he encountered, but

he had seen it all before and just like Koevoet they killed everything even the

chickens and dogs the woman and children was send packing this would serve as an

example to all villages that if you help the enemy you would suffer and pay dearly.

So in the end it was no different. Different uniform same job, Hannes joined him in

the tent. ‘What the hell happened here?

‘You know, troops playing with guns.’

‘So John Wayne here shot him.’

‘Yes obviously nobody told him the rules, so he had a loaded gun.’

‘Or that guy was sleeping with his girlfriend; you know that is a possibility.’

‘Yes I do but we are at the end of this gig so I say we send them on a mission and

we pack-up and go home.’

‘I can live with that, you do a report and we close this case before they get back.’

‘I will brief the officer in charge and he can decide what should happen.’

‘Yep I can live with that as well, bush justice.’ That was last time they spoke about

the incident and with the final report lodged they headed back home, they never

knew the outcome of the mission or the gunman.

Andre and Hannes arrived back at their apartment and soon they had their chosen

safes and they were build in no questions asked, next they made sure they had the

state of the art security system installed. They made sure that they concealed the

two gun saves, they followed the policy of what the eyes didn’t see would never hurt

the soul. No expenses were spared as they furnished the apartment and then they

add their own toys, they had collected an array of weapons and most of them came

with all the accessories.

Next they went looking for a housemate or more precisely a house sitter, someone

that would not have house parties and abuse their generosities and they found the

perfect person her name was Linda Greef and the best part was her mother she

decided that she would ensure her daughter’s safety by living with her for the first

month of her university studies. Anne Greef was a typical over protective mother she

had devoted her whole live to Linda. When they first met Anne was not happy with

two older men and her daughter sharing an apartment but when Andre explained

that they would be on the road for most of the time and that Linda could stay for free

on the proviso that there was no wild parties and if she had a sleepover they would

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not use their bedrooms she was sold on the idea. Anne made the boys promise her

that Linda would be safe and that they would lookout for her wellbeing.

Andre and Hannes had just returned from their first safari when Linda asked them to

escort her to the beer garden at the university, it seemed like a good idea at the time

and they were having fun, enjoining a few beers and dancing with Linda but it was

too good to be true and just before they left for home they were confronted by six

students who started mouthing off about the war and their involvement, Andre and

Hannes tried to avoid any confrontation with the philosophy off the best way to avoid

a fight is one of not being there but this was not going to happen, little did these poor

bastards know what was about to happen.

In Africa you gain respect in a number of ways, but mostly by showing no mercy and

violence. Andre and Hannes were mercenary’s, they were professional soldiers hired

by a foreign army, as opposed to a soldier enlisted in the armed forces of the

sovereign state of which he is a citizen. Still they showed the soldiers through their

example that they had what it would take to get the job done, they were always the

first on the ground and the last to leave the battlefield and with their skill set the

soldiers soon followed without questioning them.

They were also skilled in the art of close combat in particular the art of Muay Thai the

word muay means to bind together. Muay Thai is referred to as the Art of Eight

Limbs because it makes use of punches, kicks, elbows and knee strikes, thus using

eight points of contact, as opposed to two points (fists) in boxing and four points

(hands and feet) used in other more regulated combat sports, such as martial arts.

To keep the soldiers in shape and their minds fighting fit they would organise fights

and they would participate in the fights, picking the soldiers that opposed them or

who disrespected them. Andre and Hannes never lost a fight and with their training

and will to survive normally punched their opponent into submission, it has to be said

that their fighting technique were foreign but extremely effective, they would vary

their strategy from running knee kicks to striking elbows or back fists to round house

kicks and they made sure they drew blood, showing the soldiers that they were not

only there for the money, but that they could and would kill if ever it came to that.

So when Andre and Hannes were cornered by the six students they reverted back to

what they know best, turn defense into attack and make them pay dearly, so much

so that they lose their willingness to continue the fight. As a tactic they didn’t use

body punching for two reasons firstly to avoid exposing their own head to counter

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strikes from knees or elbows and secondly to inflict as much pain in the first assault

as possible.

Andre grabbed the closest guy by the head in a clinch and vigorously swung his

knee upwards into the face of the first student with enough force to break his nose

and more importantly knock him clean out. Hannes moved at the same time he

focused on the guy to his left his first strike was with his elbow and from the side he

used it to cut the second guy’s eyebrow and with the blood streaming down his face

his vision was blocked and he had lost all intentions to fight.

The elbow can be used in several ways as a striking weapon: horizontal, diagonal-

upwards, diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, backward-spinning and flying

and given that it is one of the hardest bones in the body it will inflict pain. His second

move was a jumping straight punch into the face of the original aggressor a real

smartass, he was out cold before his head hit the ground. Andre followed his knee

strike with a kick to the torso of the biggest guy that made him stagger backwards

and that provided Hannes and Andre to turn the rest of the fight into a close quarter

brawl. This is one of the added advantages with Muay Thai you can still punish your

adversary there is also a distinct difference between a single elbow and a follow-up

elbow that was exactly what Andre did. The single elbow is an elbow move

independent from any other move, whereas a follow-up elbow is the second strike

from the same arm, being a hook or straight punch first with an elbow follow-up.

Such elbows, and most other elbow strikes, are used when the distance between

fighters becomes too small and there is too little space to throw a hook at the

opponent's head but they are still telling if placed accurately. Elbows can also be

utilized to great effect as blocks or defenses against, for example, spring knees, side

body knees, body kicks or punches. Hannes meanwhile blocked the swinging punch

thrown by the bigger guy as he rushed back into the fight again using his elbow next

he clinched his head and with some well placed knee kicks to his ribcage eliminated

him.

Then it was time to leave before more people joined the fight, Andre grabbed Linda

by the hand ‘Time to leave.’

Linda moved with Andre to the door and once outside he looked at her and smiled

‘Now that was fun.’

‘Are you serious Andre?’

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‘No but no use to cry over spilled milk my dear, we did nothing wrong and we didn’t

start anything but yes we will fish it, after all they were the assholes.’

Linda just smiled she knew that these guy would protect her no matter what.

By now Hannes had joined them ‘What a bunch of dickheads hell we ensured their

safety and then they pick a fight. Linda I am sorry you had to see that but right is

right and I will not be spoken to like that.’

‘Hannes I feel it is my fault I dragged you guys here.’

‘Rubbish my dear they started it and got what they deserved a good shellacking.’

‘Hey you two let’s drive down town and grab a late night snack.’ Andre wanted the

night to end on a positive note. Soon the three were making their way down town for

some pancakes.

Linda never told her mother about that night and they never spoke about it again but

back at the university Linda had more friends as a result of that. Her friends wanted

to know who her friends were and if she was dating one of them all the normal girly

stuff. Linda also realized that her new friends had a deep and dark secret still that

didn’t scare her at all. When they were back from their trips they escorted her to all

the dances, they went to the movies and just had a good time. But they would

always leave on some adventure. Linda remembered how she begged them to take

her along to the Kruger Park a place she and her mother visited while her dad was

still alive. That was a trip she would always remember it was so special.

Lindi Goosen and Melinda Pienaar were on their first case as detectives that made

the grade earlier as expected however they were both intelligent and diligent. This

would turn into an ongoing case and one that would change their lives. They were

called to a domestic or so they thought, when they arrived at the scene they were

informed by two young guys that they had saved a young girl that was running down

the street she had claimed that she was running away from some men that her

chained in a house and was abusing her sexually. Next the two young men had to

flee for their lives with the girl from four angry men armed with clubs. Lindi soon

realised that she had stumbled on a trafficking ring. These guys were chasing after

the girl for a number of reasons, one she was a meal ticket, two she was an

investment, three she was a capital expense and lastly she could bring the heat

down on their operation and furthermore they had to teach her a lesson and make an

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example of her so the other girls would never think of leaving, that is how they keep

them in line.

Lindi started with the boys ‘Can you describe any of these men?’

A pimpled face youngster spoke first ‘Not really but she was running for her life.’

‘Did she say anything?’

‘Yes she jelled for help and once she was in the car she begged us to drive away

she said they would kill all of us.’

‘You did the right thing and we will protect you, did you see anything?’

The nerdy looking friend spoke next ‘The one closes to the car had a tattoo on his

forearm.’

‘Can you describe that?’

‘It was a snake wrapped around a skeleton with red eyes.’

While Lindi was talking to the boys Melinda stood at the back of the car, she noticed

a black BMW approaching slowly with four occupants inside. Melinda drew her side

arm, and called to Lindi ‘We may have company.’

Lindi responded immediately and pushed the two boys down, looking at the girl she

said ‘You will be save I promise you.’ With that she drew he Glock 18 and as the

BMW increased his speed they could see the barrel of shotgun but before occupants

of the car could fire Lindi and Melina each fired two shots, striking the black car as

they changed direction and sped away without returning fire.

Lindi jumped to her feet ‘You two get back in your car and we will escort you home.’

Next she took she young girls hand ‘You will be saver with us and I will find you a

safe place to stay and those men will never find you or hurt you again.’

The young girl moved to the police car and jumped into the back seat. Melinda

looked at the two boys. ‘You drive to your house we will follow, move.’ With that the

group left, they got the two young boys home safely and took the young girl to a safe

house they had raided two weeks ago. Here they debriefed the young girl; Lindi

started ‘Hi my name is detective Lindi Goosen and this is my partner detective

Melinda Pienaar, what is your name?’

‘My name is Ivanna.’

‘Ivanna tell me about those men, who were they?’

‘If I tell you will you send me back home?’

‘Do you want to go back home?’

‘No because they will find me and kill me.’

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‘Fine by me, then we will find you some new papers and you can stay, but then you

tell me about those men.’

Melinda looked at her partner and couldn’t believe her ears what was Lindi thinking

they could both land in warm water.

‘Hey Lindi we need to talk.’

‘No Melinda we will be helping Ivanna and I want those bastards. They were coming

back to shoot her and those young boys, so no we do it. Ivanna you play ball and we

will help do you understand me?’

‘I will tell you everything, they are animals and they have six more girls just like me,

they bought us and now they say they own us, we are like animal to them.’

‘Bullshit, you are a person and we will find them and they will pay.’

‘You have to be careful they do drugs and I know they have dogs, we were put in

cages just like the dogs.’

‘That is so wrong, look I have a heap of questions where did they buy you?’

‘At some fancy house in a rich suburb, I don’t know the area and they took all our

documents and our clothes.’

‘Okay, look we will get you some clothes and some food, for now we will hide you

somewhere safe, but you have to stay inside our room or house.’

‘I will not stay alone I am afraid.’

‘Ivanna you listen to me, for now you will stay with a friend while I work, after work I

will collect you and we will get you new documents and help you to escape these

people. You will have a new life I promise you.’

‘You must not tell other police I think they have police friends.’

Melinda and Lindi knew then that this case would define their careers and their lives

but that was the reason they became policewomen. ‘Okay you tell me about these

men and from what country did they get you.’

‘I am from Russia and also those men they come from Russia. They collect us from

the secretary school and we think we have work. They then sell us here to these

men and they started to hit us and rape us. They tell us that we will work as whores

to make them money because they have to pay for our school fees back in Russia.

Then we pay for the plane tickets and all our food and places we stay. We will also

pay them for what they paid for us. We will always work for them.’

‘Those bastards they are scum and I will kill them if I get an opportunity, now Ivanna

tell me about the policeman.’

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‘I don’t know him but I did here them talk about some money and that he will look at

some clubs that they look after.’

‘We will be careful I promise you. Look we did enough for tonight and you must be

exhausted and hungry, but one last question.’

‘You can ask me everything.’

‘How the hell did you get away from these men?’

‘Back home I learned how to pick locks so I waited to get a hairpin and then I picked

my lock.’

‘Was that the cage you were locked in?’

‘Yes me and another girl were in one cage, then I picked the lock from one of the

dog cages he was very mean but I placed my meat on top of his cage then I opened

another cage and that dog run for the meat then they fight and he got out of his cage

and they started to fight. These men they come in to stop the dogs and I run outside

and jump the fence and run away, but I did remember to take some clothes but they

are too big for me.’

‘I can see that sweetie, look let’s go to a different place we need to hide you for now.’

‘Listen Lindi I will drop you two at a motel and get some clothes while I finish the shift

and paper work.’

‘Good idea, then we can hide you until we get you your new papers and we tell the

office that you slipped away.’

That was the start of the investigation that would ultimately define their lives and

careers. Lindi and Melinda took the case to the commissioner and a taskforce was

form but with little information and no enthusiasm Lindi and Melinda soon became

the taskforce. They did secure new identification papers and relocated Ivanna under

a new name. Lindi and Melinda did keep in touch as much as they could but it was a

long and slow progress.

They did discover a few dead girls and they soon learned that this was the way this

group worked they will make an example of any girl that opposed them or that dared

to try and leave. They were ruthless but nobody would reveal their names people

were scared shitless, Lindi did learn that girls were not the only dead people, the

same fate were reserved for any manager that had girls from their stable that didn’t

play ball but that was seen as turf war by Captain Ali Naido.

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Lindi and Melinda never spoke about Ivanna they knew that she would be helpful in

the future and that future just arrived.

Lindi and Melinda had to talk to her and get more information on this group of

criminals. This was not going to be easy Ivanna was scared and she had every right

to be but they needed names and places. Hell they needed something, anything at

this stage.

Lindi called Ivanna to get some information especially on the man with the tattoo this

was the first solid lead and they needed to find these guys.

Ivanna remembered the man he was the one that told everybody what to do her was

the scary man but he was not the boss he was the man that enforced the law. He

was also the man that enjoyed the dog fighting and he organised that. He was also

the only man that would get free sex from the girls. So he was one of the kingpins.

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3

Andre and Hannes decided to go through the list of all the

friends and classmates of Linda. They might just point the

two in the right direction so they headed off to the

university. Hannes called one of her friends to the front

door and asked her about last night. He explained that

Linda was out and that they were worried after all they

were her big brother.

She told him that they went to a club in the city and that Linda had a problem with

one of the security guards. She told him that the guy walked into the ladies room and

that Linda left the club.

‘That is interesting do you think you would be able to point him out?’

The girl agreed and Hannes led her to the car and she took them to the club. Andre

walked in first and sat at the bar, he blended right in. Hannes walked the girl into the

bar and she had no problem to point the security guard to Hannes. Once he saw the

guy they walked to the door but he stopped next to Andre ‘He is the guy with the

blond hair next to the bar at the far end. See you soon.’

Hannes walked the girl back to the car and drove her back to the dorm and thanked

her before he returned.

Andre sat at the bar and observed the security guard he was not only the key but he

was also the local dealer. He made sure that he was just a guy that sat at the bar but

with his trained eye he missed nothing.

Hannes retuned and joined him at the bar ‘What is the news on our local scumbag?’

‘He is the local dope dealer and pimp and that is our way in.’

‘How do we take him?’

‘Time to clear the bathroom we can have a chat in there.’

‘Why don’t we wait and then we follow him home?’

‘We don’t know who is at his house Hannes. No we take him down here.’

‘You do realize that if we let him walk he will talk.’

‘What do you propose?’

‘I say we take him and after we have the information we call our new friends and

they could pick him up that way we have some time.’

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‘That is why I like you but we need him soon the clock is ticking.’

‘Okay let’s get him outside but how?’

‘He might now be working alone he might have a lookout here in this place, shit

Andre we are flying blind.’

‘This is what we do I will check the bathroom if Linda took that girl from the club her

friends had no idea.’

‘That is right and that means she got out through the bathroom. Because that guy

walked into the ladies looking for the girl and found Linda.’

‘Bingo. We get him in the bathroom let me go and check the bathroom and see if that

is an option.’

Andre walked into the bathroom and checked the windows and once he had opened

the window he looked down. It was on the first floor that meant that they would have

to go down one at a time or the better way was to get Hannes outside and pass him

a gun that way he could control the situation inside the club if needs be. Hannes

could also have the car close by for them to leave.

Andre returned to the bar ‘This is the plan you move the car to the ally and I will meet

you at the toilet window.’

‘Why?’

‘That way you can pass me my gun. And this is the way we will be leaving with our

new friend.’

‘Well then I will see you in ten.’

Hannes and Andre set their watches and Hannes was on his way. Andre waited five

minutes then he walked to the bathroom and locked the door as he opened the

window and Hannes almost handed him his 9mm Glock 17 ‘That was good timing .’

‘How will you get him out the window?’

‘We will cross that bridge when we get there.’

Andre jumped down opened the door and walked back to the load music and the

unexpected security guard. He positioned himself behind the guy and then he simply

walked to him and pushed the gun in his ribs ‘You make one sound and I will blow

your guts all over the person next to you. Walk to the bathroom and please try

something.’

The guy could feel the barrel of the pistol in his ribs ‘You will not get away with this.’

‘But you will never know because you will be dead now walk.’ Andre shoved the

pistol a bit harder.

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The security guard walked to the bathroom he was about to make a move with his

hand when Andre spoke ‘You know I have seen all the moves and if you want to die

well that is fine by me. My lift is waiting and I will be out of this dump in two minutes

and you will be dead. Please I want to kill you be stupid.’

They walked into the bathroom and Andre kicked him in the back sending him head

first into the door. The door flew open and before he could move Andre kicked his

knee in then he aimed for his groin that will keep their hands where you can see

them. Andre locked the door and then he pulled the microphone from his ear and

disconnected it from the receiver. Next he shoved the Glock in his mouth ‘Time to

get on your feet or I will hurt you.’

The guy could see the 9mm and that this bloke was well trained and he was all

business still he tried ‘You walk away now and I will let this slide.’

‘I like your bravery but no. You will decide whether you live or die. You will get on the

toilet and climb through the window or I will execute you.’ Andre took his silencer

from his pocket and attached it to the barrel of his Glock. Get up and move now.’

A silencer, this is a device either attached to or part of the barrel of a firearm to

reduce the amount of noise and flash generated by firing the weapon. Although

suppressors are popularly known as silencers, no suppressor completely eliminates

the noise of discharging a firearm. It generally takes the form of a cylindrically

shaped metal tube with various internal mechanisms to reduce the sound of firing by

slowing the escaping propellant gas and sometimes by reducing the velocity of the

bullet.

The two loudest sounds in a gunshot are typically the muzzle blast and the sonic

signature. The suppressor itself is capable of addressing muzzle blast and the sonic

signature making it really effective in a club that plays loud music.

The security guard moved to the cubical he looked at the door.

‘If you touch the door you will die and you know all I want is some information and

then you can be on your way so stop your shit and get down the pipe.’

The guy decided that he would play along for now so he climbed through the

window. Maybe he could make a run for it but that dream was short lived as he

jumped down from the ledge he was met by a right boot from Hannes.

Hannes waited for the dipshit to get to the ledge then he moved. This guy was of the

opinion that this was his moment to get away from Andre he never saw Hannes.

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He jumped and that was when he met Hannes’s boot his side kick to head made

contact with the jaw and it was lights out for the security guard.

Andre made his way down the pipe and helped Hannes secure the dipshit by tying

his hands and feet with cable ties. What a wonderful invention they are cheap and

every hardware store carry them and they keep people nice and secure the last

piece Andre added to the dipshit was a piece of tape over the mouth.

They shoved him in the boot and then they drove off and nobody saw them leave it

was time to start the search for Linda.

Lindi and Melinda made their way to the house of Anne Greef Lindi spoke first ‘This

is the part of my job I hate.’

‘I know what you mean how many times have we informed good people that we were

unable to safe their child.’

‘Kids don’t realize what they do to parents and my mother always told me that I don’t

have the right to die before her and now I understand that statement.’

‘I always liked your mother she was so cool and wise.’

‘Yes she had her moments but I guess they all do.’

The two continued talking until they were close to the house of Anne Greef and then

the mood changed. ‘We need to assure her that we are confident that we will find her

Melinda this will be her only piece of hope.’

‘I will let you tell her that Lindi I am not that confident, but I believe we will get to the

root of this problem and we will have more dead bodies.’

‘What is that suppose to mean?’

‘Our new friends wanted us out of town Lindi they are out there working the streets

and I believe that we will get a call a lot sooner than we expect.’

‘You know Melinda I am at a point where I don’t care about more bodies we have

busted our asses and these guys are always one step ahead of us.’

‘Lindi these guys will not be subtle they are mercenaries not red cross workers we

have to be careful. This is not the only girl out there we have to look at the bigger

picture that is our duty.’

‘Yet here we are at a house admittedly the first house but none the less a house and

we are about to tell a mother her daughter was abducted. You know I don’t care if

they stir the hornet’s nest we need to get ahead of these bastards. They are now

taking girls from apartments Melinda.’

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‘Lindi I am with you believe me all I am saying is that I am worried about our new

friends that is all.’

‘Well at least they are cute.’

‘You are full of it but yes.’

‘I like them and once this is over I will have that coffee with Andre.’

‘Let’s talk about that on our way back now we have to focus.’

Lindi and Melinda made their way to the front door. Melinda knocked on the door and

waited for Anne to answer. The door open and a well dressed lady looked at her

‘Hello my dear I don’t need anything I have two of what you are selling.’

‘Miss Greef I am detective Pienaar and this detective Goosen may we come inside.’

The old woman turned and walked away ‘Whatever you say don’t tell me something

happened to Linda.’

Melinda and Lindi followed her to the kitchen here Melinda took the kettle and filled it

with water ‘I will make us a cup of coffee while we talk.’

Lindi started she knew Melinda would never tell this old lady what happened ‘Miss

Greef we don’t know, Linda was abducted at her apartment.’

Anne looked at her ‘Are you sure detective Goosen?’

‘Please call me Lindi miss Greef. Yes we were called the apartment and we have a

number of leads. I want to ask you about her house mates.’

‘Andre and Hannes yes they are interesting. They were so good to us and they

always made sure Linda had food and a place to stay. They are good guys and they

will never hurt her or anybody for that matter. Why?’

‘I have to follow all the leads we have. Do you know what they do for a living Miss

Greef?

‘Call me Anne my dear. They work for mining companies and in their spare time they

take wildlife photos. Why are you asking Lindi?’

‘I was just verifying their story Anne that is all. Do you have a list of friends we can

call to see if we can track her last movements Anne?’

‘How do you have your coffee Anne?’

‘White and two sugars thank you.’

Anne provided Lindi the list of friends ‘You have to promise me that you will find my

baby Lindi she is all I have.’

‘We will do our best and yes Anne I give you my word that I will do whatever it takes

and I will keep in touch.’

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Stolen Life

Melinda handed Anne some tissues to dry the tears and console her with a hug ‘I

give my word Anne we will find her. Can we call someone to stay with you?’

‘Call the pastor I will need his guides.

Melinda and Lindi waited for the pastor and his wife to arrive before they walked to

the door with Anne still crying.

Melinda stopped at the door of the car ‘This is a balls-up Lindi.’

‘I know Melinda we should never have made that promise because we both know we

may never find her.’

‘Let’s go and ask the friends what they were doing.’

The two detectives drove back to Pretoria in silence.

Vladimir walked into the foyer of the luxurious villa situated on a small holding

outside the city he could hear one of the lions roar and he knew where to find Sergei.

He made his way to the patio to find Sergei and Captain Ali Naido seated at a table

feeding one of the male lions. Sergei had him on a lead. He was always showing

people that he had no fear of wild animals or people for that matter. He was always

handling one of the big cats to proof this point. His collection consisted of two tigers,

two male lions and three leopards. The leopards were the watch dogs at night.

Sergei would take the cats one by one and inflict some pain and then release them

to circle the house in an enclosure that surrounded the house. He normally lifted the

tail and with his cigar burn their genitals. This enraged the animals and if you were

ever caught in that enclosure they would kill you they hated people. Sergei also used

them to inflict pain on a person that stole from him by forcing the hand in the cage

and allow the leopard to vent his anger on that person. The girls that worked the

upper market was shown this treatment and warned that if they ever ran or talked

that would be their hand.

Tanya his girlfriend was into snakes. The more dangerous the better and she had

them all. Vladimir once witnessed Tanya convince Sergei that a pimp was skimming

and abusing the girls and that this would have the police on their doorstep so Sergei

called a meeting. At the meeting he had Vladimir pin the guy down and then Tanya

took her Gaboon adder from his container.

The Gaboon viper is a venomous viper species found in the rainforests and

savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. This is not only the largest member of this specie

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Stolen Life

but also the world's heaviest viper, and it has the longest fangs up to 2 inches, and

the highest venom yield of any venomous snake.

The head is large and triangular, while the neck is greatly narrowed almost one-third

the width of the head. A pair of horns is present between the raised nostrils. Gaboon

vipers have a reputation for being slow-moving and placid. They usually hunt by

ambush, often spending long periods motionless, waiting for suitable prey to wonder

by. They are usually very tolerant snakes, even when handled, and rarely bite or

hiss, unlike most vipers. However, bites by bad-tempered individuals do occur. If

threatened, they may hiss loudly as a warning, doing so in a deep and steady

rhythm, slightly flattening the head at the expiration of each breath. Despite this, they

are unlikely to strike unless severely provoked. So Tanya would pat the snake on the

head to the point that the snake could no longer hold its anger back and delivered a

deadly bite to the hand of the pimp while the rest looked on in horror. Sergei looked

at the group ‘That is the punishment for anybody who screws with my business. You

take from me I will take your life.’

Bites are relatively rare, due to their docile nature and because their range is mainly

limited to rainforest areas. Due to their sluggishness and unwillingness to move even

when approached, people are often bitten after they accidentally step on them, but

even then in some cases they may not bite. However, when a bite does occur, it

should always be considered a serious medical emergency. Even an average bite

from an average-sized specimen is potentially fatal. A bite causes rapid and

conspicuous swelling, intense pain, severe shock and local blistering. Other

symptoms may include uncoordinated movements, defecation, urination, swelling of

the tongue and eyelids, convulsions and unconsciousness. Blistering, bruising and

necrosis may be extensive. There may be sudden hypotension, heart damage and

the blood may become less coagulate with internal bleeding that will lead to death.

Local tissue damage may require surgical excision and possibly amputation. Healing

is slow and fatalities during the recovery period are not uncommon.

This poor bastard died in the living room pinned down and in excruciating pain and

that was the lesson to all.

Vladimir walked to the patio and greeted Sergei ‘We have caught the runaway and

she is dead but we have a replacement.’

Ali spoke first ‘What were you thinking you should have killed her to.’

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Stolen Life

‘Why she helped the runaway and she is truly beautiful and we can use her in the

high end market.’

‘I now have two detectives asking questions and they are getting closer to us.’

‘You should do your work and control them Ali.’ Sergei spoke

‘Still Sergei we agreed that we were doing this low key.’

‘Yes Ali but the girls need to know who is boss and what will happen if the runaway.’

‘How did this happen Vladimir?’

‘The client got ruff and smacked her he is known to hit the girls they are petrified of

this guy but he pays well.’

Sergei stood up and walked to the big male lion and with some commands made him

lie down ‘Even the king of beast piss himself when I speak you should bring that man

here if he damages the merchandise I will make him pay is the understood.’

Vladimir nodded his head in an understanding manner.

Tanya joined the conversation ‘She is beautiful and we can get a good return from

her we may even sell her.’

Sergei smiled ‘That is why I love you always thinking about the business. So that

settles the matter Tanya will show her the ropes and then we will decide what we do

with her.’

That was the meeting Linda’s fate was sealed.

Melinda and Lindi arrived at the girl’s dorm back in Pretoria and called the girls that

were on the list to the front office and here they learned that Andre and Hannes was

on the move when one of the girls told them that two guys were at the dorm earlier

that night.

They told Melinda and Lindi about the security guard that walked into the ladies room

and that she took Linda’s housemates to the club. Linda had told the girls about a

brawl and that these guys smashed six guys in a pub so she thought that they

wanted to see the security guard and maybe beat him up. After all he deserved that

for walking into the ladies room.

Melinda and Lindi made their way to the club ‘Okay Melinda I know they sent us out

of town to get ahead start.’

‘Lindi I have a bad feeling about all of this like I told you these guys will not be subtle

they will beat the information from this guy.’

‘Well we soon know we have a description let’s see if he is here.’

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Stolen Life

‘Who Lindi the security guard or Andre or both?’

‘Ag Melinda leave it now.’ Lindi knew Melinda was right but she enjoyed the

company and Andre was different. It was more than two years since she dated

someone and yes that was a fiasco and she was horrified when she learned that she

was seeing a married man.

They walked into the club and asked about the incident the previous night and to talk

to the security guard but soon the leaned that they were not welcome and that the

guy in question left the premises and that nobody had seen him.

‘Melinda don’t say a word.’

Lindi they played us they wanted us out of town. Anne has no idea that they make

their money at the mines as hired guns. They know her well and yes we decided to

visit her and inform her but they wanted this.’

‘I will call them let’s see what we can find here.’

Melinda notice the black BMW as it sped away from the club they had seen that car

before so they were getting close ‘Did you see the BMW we are close Lindi this club

is a place of interest.’

‘Yes and Andre and Hannes has the only living witness.’

‘Call them and we see what they have to say’

Lindi called the number but no answer.

Andre and Hannes drove to an abandoned warehouse the company owned and

used from time to time. Now would be one of those times it provided you the

opportunity to have long and meaning full conversations with no interruptions.

Andre parked the car inside the building and Hannes closed the garage doors and

turned the lights on.

Andre pulled the guard from the boot ‘Well it is time to have a chat. Sit still and I will

take the tape from your mouth.’ He pulled the tape from the guard’s mouth with some

force and he knew that would sting.

Hannes joined the two ‘You will do well to talk and tell us everything before we start.

You know time is running out and we need to find our friend, the young lady from the

club.’

He smiled at the two guys ‘You have no idea who you are playing with do you?’

Hannes smiled ‘No but you are about to tell us how good is that.’

‘Not in a million year.’

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Stolen Life

‘Well it is going to be the hard way shall we start?’

Andre and Hannes dragged the guard to a table that was equipped to restrain a

person. They have used this place many times before and they knew that this guy

would talk and looking at him that would take that long.

Dating back to the Spanish Inquisition, the suffocation of bound prisoners with water

has been favored because, unlike most other torture techniques, it leaves no marks

on the body.

Hannes and Andre tied the guy down and filled a few containers with water and

placed a cloth next to his face.

Water boarding is a form of torture in which water is poured over the face of an

immobilized captive, thus causing the individual to experience the sensation of

drowning. Water boarding can cause extreme pain, dry drowning, damage to lungs,

brain damage from oxygen deprivation, other physical injuries including broken

bones due to struggling against restraints, lasting psychological damage and death

Adverse physical consequences can manifest themselves months after the event,

while psychological effects can last for years.

Although a variety of specific techniques are used in water boarding, the captive's

face is usually covered with cloth or some thin material, and the subject is

immobilized on his back. Water is then poured onto the face over the breathing

passages, causing an almost immediate gag reflex and creating the sensation that

you are drowning.

Andre looked at the guard and smiled ‘You will talk but we will give you a taste of the

treatment and then we will see it you have a change of mind.

The procedure is simple the individual is bound securely to an inclined bench. The

individual's feet are generally elevated. A cloth is placed over the forehead and eyes.

Water is then applied to the cloth in a controlled manner. As this is done, the cloth is

lowered until it covers both the nose and mouth. Once the cloth is saturated and

completely covers the mouth and nose, air flow is slightly restricted for 20 to 40

seconds due to the presence of the cloth. During those 20 to 40 seconds, water is

continuously applied. After this period, the cloth is lifted, and the individual is allowed

to breathe unimpeded for three or four full breaths. The procedure is then repeated.

The water is usually applied from a canteen cup or small watering can with a spout.

Andre and Hannes started the process and after the first container the guard

struggled and his eyes was that big you could focus them just like a camera lens.

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Stolen Life

Hannes smiled ‘Now you have the opportunity to talk or we can give you some more

water you look really thirsty.’

‘Please no more what do you want to know?’

‘Firstly who was with you?’

‘Vladimir and Demetri and a guy I have never seen before. They were looking for a

girl that ran away.’

Hannes pulled a photo from his pocket ‘Did she look like this? Well she was alive

when you were chasing her.’

‘Look all I know is that she was with a guy and he must have slapped her around.

The next thing I know is she bolts into the club and three Russians is looking for her

that is all I know.’

Andre lifted the next water container ‘No that is a lie.’

‘Hang on she was with a guy in the club?’

‘No there are some bedrooms in the back Demetri brings the girls there for the

clients.’

‘Let me understand this he brings the girls there or do you escort the clients through

to these rooms and think carefully.’

Before he could answer Andre pulled the towel over his face and started the process

all over he wanted the truth.’

When he stops he look at the guy ‘I will not stop again I promise you.’

‘Okay I take them to the rooms through the back door to the next building to the girls

but they are going to kill me man.’

‘Don’t worry old chap we will have the cops collect you on a drug charge. You will be

safe.’

‘Bullshit the cops provide protection.’

‘Do you know their names?’

‘No I am not allowed in the building but I know they have protection that is why I can

deal in the club.’

‘See that was not that difficult. Hannes smiled.

The pre paid mobile rang and Andre showed Hannes the number ‘I have a plan you

talk to our friend and I will handle this. We need the codes to get into the building

and we need that tonight.’

‘He will tell me everything belief me and then some.

‘You have to help me man.’

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Stolen Life

‘No we will help you but we don’t have to, so you tell me everything about the

building and what you know then we will help you.’

Andre walked outside and answered the phone ‘How are the two lovely detectives?’

‘Andre you have a person of interest where are you?’

‘I will tell you where you can find his shortly and this is what I want you to do.’

‘Andre we need him alive.’

‘You have a leak inside the building and we need to know who.’

‘Are you sure and on what charges do we book this guy?’

‘You book him for dealing drugs and assisting in kidnapping and see who claims him

but you keep him in the station and in the interrogation room for twelve hours then

you can cut him loose. But you keep an eye on him. I will call you with the next

location before you release him.’

‘I don’t like the idea Andre’

‘This is the plan you will not get any information from him but you work him all night

and for the most of tomorrow.’

‘So is he okay Andre?’

‘For now yes but he doesn’t know too much I will call you in an hour or so to tell you

where you can find him.’

‘Talk soon Andre.’

Andre walked back to Hannes and their new friend ‘Do we have all the information

we need?’

‘Indeed we have everything.’

Andre looked at the young guy he disliked him for what he was doing to young girls

and young people in general. ‘If you want to live I suggest you listen really good for I

will only say this ones.’

‘Hey man I told you everything you owe me.’

‘Listen and listen good I am not your friend and I don’t owe you anything but I will tell

you what to do. We will call the cops and tell them where they can find you. They will

take you to the cells now if I was you I will not ask for a lawyer you know they will kill

you but if you stay there long enough well then you should be fine.’

‘Yes we will see about that.’

‘We will because I am about to tell you the time. When they collect you and when

they do you ask them how late it is.’

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Stolen Life

‘Why?’

‘When you hear the time you decide but then you talk in circles and soon they will cut

you lose and then you run like hell.’

‘You said you would help me you bastard.’

‘And I am you will be fine because they will be busy but when they done they will

come looking for you. So when you get the opportunity you should run like hell.’

Andre and Hannes blindfolded the guy covered his mouth with tape and tied his

hands and legs with cable ties and placed him back in the trunk and to drop him at

the location they decided they would leave him for the girls to collect.

39