The Devil’s Kingdom

Chapter 61

The violence lasted only seconds, but within that short explosive burst of time, everything would change.

Bronski’s pistol shot was fired in haste and missed Tarik by a couple of inches. Tarik stood his ground and the small automatic weapon in his hands gave a ripsnort and stitched bullets across Bronski’s torso and into Svalgaard, who was trying to hide behind him even as they both fell to the ground.

Simultaneously, Tarik’s men opened fire on Shelton, Gasser, and Jungmayr, but not before Bronski’s men opened fire in return, taking down two of Tarik’s men. Caught in the crossfire and not knowing which way to shoot, Zandu’s cops started blasting in all directions as Tarik’s remaining men sliced into them with automatic fire.

Ben saw his chance and dived for Mateso, at the same instant that Jude lashed back with his heel and twisted out of Mateso’s grip to launch himself at Khosa’s man holding Rae. Mateso flailed his machete at Ben. Ben ducked the blow that would have sliced his head in half, moved back in while the blade was still scything away from him with its own momentum, trapped Mateso’s arm and broke it and then punched out Mateso’s throat before the guy could reach for his pistol with his other hand. Ben whipped the pistol from Mateso’s belt and shot Masango, who was about to shoot Jude. Jude had got the better of the man holding Rae. Jeff and Tuesday had launched into the fight, kicking and punching, Tuesday fighting one-handed with a fury that Ben had never seen in him before as they took down Khosa’s men.

Having edged his way towards the shadows at the back of the warehouse, Chief Zandu now made a break for it. One of Tarik’s men shot him in the back. Jude had knocked his opponent unconscious and was grabbing Rae, flinging her down and pinning her with his body as a shield the way he’d done on the Dakota. The children were howling and running for the door.

In the middle of the melee, Jean-Pierre Khosa had drawn his .44 Magnum from its holster, sighted Ben through the chaos and drew his aim. Their eyes locked. Khosa’s face was a twisted mask of pure hate. Ben raised his pistol two-handed and was about to fire when Sizwe body-slammed Khosa like a charging rhinoceros and smashed him to the concrete floor, roaring in demented fury and raining punches hard and fast into his face, throat, and chest. Khosa was a powerful man, but Sizwe’s raging onslaught was so overpowering that Khosa could do little to fight back.

A matter of moments. Then it was over, or almost. Ben’s ears were singing shrilly from the gunfire. Bodies lay strewn everywhere. Svalgaard, Bronski, and their entire crew were among the dead. So were Masango, the police chief, and all the cops, along with two of Tarik’s men. Only a pair of Khosa’s thugs were still alive, though badly injured and bleeding out.

Sizwe was still punching Khosa on the floor, out of control. Khosa’s face was covered in blood. He tried to reach up and sink his fingers into Sizwe’s eyeballs, but Sizwe knocked his arms aside and went on pummelling him. Something fell from Khosa’s jacket pocket. The diamond! Khosa saw it rolling away across the floor, and even as he was being beaten half to death he reached out a flailing arm to make a grab for it. His fist closed on empty air.

Sizwe’s arms were red to the elbow. He picked up Khosa’s fallen revolver and aimed it in Khosa’s bloody face. Thumbed back the hammer. Tears streamed down Sizwe’s cheeks. The gun began to shake in his hand, until it was wobbling so violently that he could no longer hold his aim.

‘I will kill you!’ Sizwe screamed.

But Sizwe couldn’t do it. Not like this. He threw the gun down, then lashed out one more time with his fist with a howl of agony, spraying blood over the floor. Khosa groaned.

Jude clambered shakily to his feet, clutching Rae’s hand. His temple was bleeding from the fight with her attacker. She was safe now, and he’d keep it that way.

Sizwe might not be able to do it, but Ben could. He picked up the fallen revolver and walked over to where Sizwe was kneeling astride Khosa on the floor. ‘Move aside, Sizwe.’

‘No,’ Jude said.

Ben ignored him and took aim at Khosa’s head. Khosa just stared up at him through the blood. Ben had no words to say. The heavy revolver was already cocked and all he had to do was pull the trigger. He lined the sights up on Khosa’s forehead.

‘No!’ Jude shouted. He rushed across and pushed the barrel of the gun away from Khosa’s head.

‘We don’t execute people. I’m not that person, and neither are you.’

‘But he is,’ Ben said, looking down at Khosa. ‘That’s why he needs to go.’

‘Blowing a man’s head off when he’s beaten isn’t justice. We’ve had this conversation before.’

‘And I listened to you, and let him go,’ Ben said. ‘Look what came of it.’

‘Shoot the bastard,’ Jeff said.

‘Right here,’ Tuesday added, jabbing a finger of his good hand at his own brow.

Jude flashed a resentful look at them, then looked back at Ben. ‘This is not what we do, Dad. You kill him now, like this, and I will think less of you. I will no longer respect you. I mean that.’

Ben looked at Jude. Then put the gun down and slid it away so that it was out of Khosa’s reach. He stepped back.

Jeff picked up the gun.

‘Jeff—’ Jude warned.

‘Keep your hair on,’ Jeff growled. ‘I won’t shoot him unless he tries anything. You lie there nice and still, General, if you know what’s good for you. And count your lucky stars that St Jude here’s looking out for your human rights.’

Khosa made a kind of gurgling sound and rolled his eyes.

‘What are we going to do with him?’ Rae said to Jude.

Jude shook his head. ‘I don’t know.’

Tarik Al Bu Said stepped over a dead cop and knelt down to pick the diamond off the floor. Only now was Ben able to take a good look at the Arab. The ferocious glint in his eyes was gone and he looked as tender as a deer as he gazed mournfully at his brother’s diamond.

‘I don’t understand,’ Ben says. ‘What happened here? You’re more than Hussein Al Bu Said’s brother. Who are you?’

Tarik turned his sad gaze on Ben and held it for a long moment. Then he stood and motioned towards the warehouse doorway.

‘Come. Let us speak outside.’