Chapter 11
"This is the last place…" Hardison told Eliot who nodded back to him in reply.
They had spent the last two hours flying over the Magaliesburg area investigating all the compounds around the area of Magaliesburg that had high security and where Nate and Sterling could possibly have been taken to after the confrontation with Derby. It was a long shot and both of them knew the possibility of it paying off was not great. Thus far they had covered a wide area and none of the places looked remotely like militarized zones, none of them had an excessive amount of people walking around with guns, and none so far looked like it was being used for anything but farming and the numerous holiday resorts. They had concentrated on the area within a couple of kilometres from where Nate and Sterling had last been seen on Derby's compound.
"I don't think they are still in this area…" Hardison said despondently.
"Nor do I but it is a place to start." Eliot replied, he could hear the despondence in Hardison's voice and knew the Hacker was frustrated and scared just like all of them, but more so because it was his job to track and trace and he was not able to do it.
"Parker, are you guys having any luck?"
"Nothing, the people here don't seem to want to help, or are afraid to help… I think it is a bit of both." Sophie answered for her as they approached their next stop. A large farm house about two farms distant from the compound Nate and Sterling had last been seen on.
"Just be careful." Eliot grunted. He had not liked the idea of Sophie and Parker going off on their own to the different properties trying to get information. He wanted to be there in case something went wrong, but he was the one that could pilot a chopper and Hardison was the one that could work his magic with the gadgets and that left the two women to do the other part.
"We will be." Sophie whispered as a large older man stepped out of the door to meet them.
"What can I do for you?" The man said looking both of them over at a glance.
"We are trying to find our friends." Sophie said holding up a picture of Nate and one of Sterling. "We were told they were in this area on a farm a few miles down the road from you."
The man took the photos and had a close look at them and then looked back up at the two women.
"Which farm?" He asked handing the photo's back to Sophie. Sophie noticed immediately a change in his demeanour, the friendliness in his voice had completely disappeared.
"The one where the trouble was a few days ago." Parker said pointing towards the direction of the compound Nate and Sterling had been on.
"Why were they there?" The man asked and Sophie could now tell he was getting uncomfortable, this man knew something and she meant for him to tell her what. Looking at him she decided the best action was to be direct.
"They are with Interpol, they were investigating what was going on there and now they are missing."
Sophie watched him very closely as she spoke and noticed when she mentioned they were with Interpol he relaxed slightly. She was not sure why, or what this man had to do with anything but he definitely knew something. Her heart was racing now as she watched him. Was Nate here with him, was he hiding out here and that was why the man was so tense and on edge when they mentioned that they were looking for the two men?
"Come in." The man said gruffly indicating for Sophie and Parker to follow him inside.
"Be careful Sophie…" Eliot's voice came through her earpiece. "We don't know this guy or what his connection is."
"I'm Sophie and this is Parker." Sophie introduced herself ignoring Eliot completely, this was the first lead they had and she was going to take it, maybe this was a bad guy, but she did not get that vibe from him.
"Billy…" The man said as he led them through to a large open room brightly lit and sparsely furnished. "I take it your friends were not there with an invitation?" He asked motioning them to take a seat.
"Please…what do you know?" Sophie asked now certain Billy was going to help them.
"Johnathan Derby is a bastard." Billy said succinctly. "I don't know what he was doing on that farm, he had a lot of guns and a lot of traffic. I alerted the authorities to the fact that I thought there was some kind of smuggling going on there, something not legal. Your two friends there came to see me about it. I told them what I thought and what I had seen when I was over there once to ask for assistance with a bush fire…I am part of the volunteer fire fighting unit here." Billy explained. "We have to do it ourselves or it just doesn't get done." Billy said wryly. "Nothing gets done out here or anywhere in this country anymore…, in the old days if there was a fire we got help, fire engines and manpower, now nobody gives a damn anymore, so what if our school burns down, or the farm next door… nothing works here and NOBODY works either…If you have money or belong to the right party, family or whatever…then you get service, otherwise…well you get jack shit…" Billy said in disgust.
"So they came to see you?" Sophie said trying to get the man back on point.
"Yes…"
"And…?" Parker egged him on.
"Well they told me they were from Interpol and wanted to hear what I had to say. I told them about the comings and goings as I knew it and they seemed very interested. I did tell them not to go there unless they had oodles of back up though. I take it they didn't?" Billy said raising his eyebrow. "Anyway I told them I could help them… I was in 32 Battalion back then and know how to handle myself in a fight. But they didn't come knocking."
"Yes well they are both stubborn…" Sophie started then caught herself before she cursed both Nate and Sterling for fools.
"Sorry can't help more…" Billy said he could see the desperation and angst in Sophie's eyes.
"We are trying to find out where he would have gone… I mean Derby after what went on."
"Hell I don't know anywhere… he did have a chopper and I heard the damn thing buzzing on that night. Probably flew off somewhere far from here, especially if he though Interpol was onto him."
"Yes…"
"Hey wait a minute…" Billy said staring at Sophie. "Don't know if this will do any good, but the day I was there, I overheard one of his guys complaining that he was being sent to oversee something in Hotazhel…"
"Where?"
"Hotazhel…" Billy said and smiled seeing the lack of understanding etched on their faces. "It's an old mission station that has been turned into a museum. There is also an old abandoned mine nearby, the town is called Hotazhel because that is exactly what it is most of the year. Maybe he went there, it is where I would go if I wanted to lay low for a while."
"Thank you… thank you so much Billy…"
"In a hurry hey…" Billy smiled as Sophie and Parker stood. "Well good luck to you both."
"Thanks again Billy, you were a big help."
"Only if you find them there…"
"Indeed." Sophie smiled shaking his hand.
"I hope you do, those two did us here a great service getting rid of that no good…"
Sophie nodded and turned to follow Parker who had already left the building and was headed to their car.
"Thanks again Billy." She said as she climbed into the car.
"Eliot…"
"On our way back now…"
"Hardison…"
"It will all be arranged by the time we are back."
"Good…at least now we have something to work with…" Sophie said.
"Just be there when we get there Nate…" Parker added as she sped down the dirt road back towards Johannesburg.
Well hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading.