Chapter 15

"So where do you want to go?" Johannes said as they drove out of the compound.

"Just keep going." Nate said pushing himself into a sitting position once they were out of sight of the compound.

"You know Derby is going to find you and kill you." Johannes told him. "I am going to enjoy that."

"Really…" Nate smirked.

"What makes you think you or your son will be around to enjoy it?" Sterling said sticking the barrel of his gun into the back of Johannes' head.

Silence fell in the vehicle as Sterling cocked the weapon.

"Wait…" Wicus said panic in his voice. "You said if we cooperated you would let us go."

"Sterling…" Nate said watching his friend closely. Something had changed in the man's demeanour and he could see blue murder in his eyes.

"Nate…"

"What are you doing?"

"I have a few questions I need answered and unless Johannes here gives me the answers I want I am going to kill him and his little boy here."

Nate stared at him not quite sure what was going on and why Sterling was acting in this way. The plan was simple. Get them out of the compound and to a town where they can call on reinforcements and find out what happened to Olivia.

"Now Johannes…" Sterling said tapping the man's head with the barrel of the gun. "Please be so kind as to inform us about this 'new shipment' your friend back there was talking about."

Johannes looked back at Sterling through the rear-view mirror and saw what Nate had seen. His blood ran cold and he squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles showed white from the pressure. His mind was working overtime, these people were going to kill him and his son. He had to find a way to get away from them. Looking back he could see the fear in his son's eyes, Nate was looking at Sterling with concern and Johannes made his decision.

Suddenly he slammed on his brakes throwing the steering wheel to his right causing the car to veer and skid severely and kick up a dust storm. Sterling was thrown forward jamming the gun deep into Johannes' neck and as he was thrown sideways into the door he squeezed the trigger which sent hot lead flying. Nate too was thrown forward and sideways along with Wicus, he felt his head hit the metal of the front headrest and then he was thrown back as blackness overwhelmed him and he passed out. Sterling saw Johannes slump forward after he had fired a shot and the car came to a screeching halt, he immediately swung around and levelled the gun at young Wicus who was trying to push Nate off of himself to get to Sterling.

"Just hold still there." Sterling said through gritted teeth.

Wicus froze looking from Sterling to his dad who was slumped over in the front seat of the car.

"You killed him." Wicus cried out clenching his fists in anger and frustration but knowing that any move he made could result in him ending up the same way as his dad.

Sterling did not answer the boy. He was trying to figure out what had just happened and cursing himself for a fool at the same time. He held the gun steady pointing it at Wicus and looked down at Nate. He could see a light trickle of blood on the man's forehead from the impact with the seat and he lay unmoving. Sterling looked up at the boy again.

"Get out of the car." He ordered.

"No… My father…"

"Get out of the car now or I'll put a bullet in you." Sterling said harshly.

This had now got way out of hand, he had not expected Johannes to do what he had done and now was stuck with an unconscious, possibly dead Nate and an unconscious, possibly dead Johannes and a very scared and angry young man. He still wanted information but realised that under the circumstances he was not going to get any, he was a fool to think what he did was going to end well anyway. His priority now was to get himself and Nate way and to a safe place where he could assess the situation again.

Wicus stared coldly at Sterling and then turned in his seat throwing Nate off of himself and climbed out of the car. Sterling climbed out the other side keeping the gun focused on Wicus. He moved to the front of the car and threw open the driver's side door.

"Get him out." He instructed the young man.

Wicus did not argue, he came around the car quickly and manoeuvred his father out of the car and onto the dusty road.

"Move…" Sterling said motioning to the boy to drag his father away from the car.

Once Wicus was far enough away he climbed into the front seat, started the engine and floored the gas pedal. He watched in the mirror as Johannes and his son disappeared in a cloud of dust. He had no idea where he was going but they had travelled a good few miles away from where they were being held and he was sure that Wicus would not be able to get anybody after them for a while at least, not with his father the way he was. He need to get somewhere where he could take stock of the situation and check Nate out.

"What the hell happened?" A pain filled and groggy voice broke into his thoughts.

"Nate… are you ok?"

"No I'm not." Nate said touching his head gingerly. He was in pain, he was tired and he was most of all pissed off at Sterling. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Sterling did not reply. He watched as Nate pushed himself into a seated position and wiped the trickle of blood from his forehead.

"Sterling?"

"I'm sorry. You heard that guy. A 'new shipment'." He said as if that was all the explanation Nate would need.

"Yes I heard him and what exactly did you think we could do about it, especially in the situation we find ourselves in?"

Sterling did not answer. He had no answer. He had acted without thinking and the result was that they now had no way of finding out what was happening with Derby and the 'new shipment'.

"Ok…you're right, I just…" Sterling could not find the words to describe how he was feeling.

"Ok…Ok…let's just concentrate on getting out of here. Stop the car will you."

Sterling did as he was bid and Nate climbed out and into the front seat.

"Right. Let's see where we are and what is around us." He said switching on the built in GPS in the car. After a few minutes Nate selected where he wanted to be and started the navigation.

"Where we going?"

"Kuruman. It's the closest town and has a hotel, we can get ourselves cleaned up and then take it from there."

"What about that lot?" Sterling asked.

"Well it is a fair walk back to the compound so we have a couple hours head start. I don't think they will think we will hang around, probably assume we will head off back to Johannesburg. It doesn't matter. We need supplies and we need to take care of ourselves and we need to make contact with Charles as soon as possible." Nate replied sitting back in the seat and closing his eyes. His head was spinning and he really needed a drink.

Thanks again for reading guys. Thanks for the reviews and I hope you keep enjoying.