Heart of the Hunter

?Is it raining there??

?Not yet, but we can see it coming.?

?Fuck,? said Tiger Mazibuko.

?You can say that again,? mumbled the pilot in the Oryx.

* * *

The consignment of Cape newspapers landed in a pile on the desk of the news editor of the SABC?s morning television program in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, yesterday?s Argus and this morning?s Burger and Cape Times.

It was one of his moments of truth every morning: how well the news team in the south had fared against the competition, but also a window to another strange world, ships sinking in storms, Muslim extremists, gangs in the Cape Flats, the ongoing political circus.

MORE NNP LEADERS CROSS OVER read the Burger?s headline in Afrikaans. No surprises there. Nor in the rugby analysis: SKIN-STAD: WE HAVE NO EXCUSE

.

He overlooked the usual manipulative Christmas Fund article and skipped to the last front-page story of a thirteen-year-old cricket protege. Mmmm. Country story, from Barrydale. He circled it with a thick red marker for follow-up.

Pulled the Times from the stack. NEW ALLIANCE FOR PROVINCE? the headline cried. And THERE GOES THE RAND AGAIN. Then his eye fell on the third front-page story. SPOOKS SEEK BIG, BAD BMW BIKER by Allison Healy He read it.

?Molly,? he called, but there was no response.

?Molly!?

A face appeared at the door.

?Get that asshole in the Cape on the line. Right now.?

* * *

?Rooivalk One, this is Ops Control, come in, over.? There was urgency in Quinn?s voice. He waited a moment, got no reaction He made sure the frequency on the digital panel was correct, called again. ?Rooivalk One, this is Ops Control, come in, over.?

?This is Rooivalk One, Ops Control. What have you got for us? Over.? The voice was a little sleepy.

?We have contact, Rooivalk One. Repeat, we have contact. Subject is four minutes out of Beaufort West on the Ni on the way to Three Sisters. We want you in the air. Do you read me? Over.?

?We read you, Ops Control, we read you. Rooivalk One and Two operational. Over.?

?What is your expected time of interception, Rooivalk One? Over.?

?Expected time of contact, ten minutes, Ops Control, repeat, ten minutes. Over.?

Quinn clearly heard the big engines being started up in the background. He spoke louder automatically. ?We just want to chase him on to Three Sisters, Rooivalk One. We want presence, but no contact. Do you understand? Over.?

?No contact, Rooivalk One confirming, no contact.?

The pitch of the engines hit high. ?Are you aware of the weather status, Ops Control? Over.?

?We know it?s raining at Three Sisters, Rooivalk One. What is your situation? Over.?

?The rain is threatening, Ops Control. There?s a helluva system up north. Over.?

?Rooivalk One on the way, Ops Control. Over.?

?Rooivalk Two ditto, over.?

?We will keep contact, Rooivalk One, the channels stay open. Report when you intercept. Ops Control over and out.?

?Roger, Ops Control. Rooivalk One over and out.?

Quinn leaned back and looked around. Janina Mentz was busy on the cell phone with Tiger Mazibuko. The few people who had rested since four A.M. were back at their posts. There was a tingling in the air. The Ops Room was awake.

* * *

Allison Healy was dreaming of her mother when the phone rang. The dream was an argument, a never ending, disconnected fight over nothing, and she was relieved by the sound. In her dream she lifted the instrument to answer, but it continued ringing.

She made a noise, a groan of reluctance to rise out of the deep sleep, sitting half upright in bed, the sheet falling away to bare her rounded nakedness to the room.

?Hullo.?

?Allison?? It was the voice of a colleague, she couldn'?t place which one.

?What??

?Are you awake??

?Sort of.?

?You had better come down here.?

?What?s going on??

?There?s a shoeshine man downstairs. He wants to talk to you.?

?A shoeshine man?? She wondered if she was awake. ?He?s a friend of your big, bad Xhosa biker.? ?Oh shit,? she