Star of Africa

Chapter 40

It was what Ben had been afraid Khosa was going to say. Why else hadn’t he ordered them to be killed after he’d got the diamond, or left them to die of thirst on their raft, or let his men shoot them to pieces after what Hercules had just done to one of their comrades?

Ben took a deep breath. So now his suspicions were confirmed. He had to tell himself it wasn’t the end of the world. There were worse things than this, torture and execution being two of them. But there weren’t many.

Gerber was the only one of the seven who spoke in the stunned silence. ‘You gotta be kidding.’

Khosa turned to look at him. His smile had gone. He didn’t look at all as if he was kidding, and he didn’t look like someone used to being challenged or questioned, either. His men flashed glances at one another. A couple of them repressed grins. They knew their commander’s ways. They were looking forward to what would happen next.

Ben was thinking the same thing they were. Keep your mouth shut, you bloody fool.

Khosa walked slowly over to Gerber, stepping close until their faces were just inches apart. Except Khosa was a good four inches taller, so he was looking down and Gerber was looking up. Khosa’s eyes seemed to bore deep into him. Gerber swallowed. He couldn’t maintain the eye contact. He looked down at his feet and cleared his throat nervously.

‘This one is very old,’ Khosa pronounced after a long silence. ‘His legs are bandy, his belly is round and his beard is white. I have no use for a weak old man.’ He turned to his men. ‘And he looks like a goat. Do you not think he looks like a goat?’

The men nodded and murmured their concurrence with the General’s wise opinion that the old man did indeed look just like a goat. Khosa seemed pleased. He gave a low chuckle. ‘Goats are for eating,’ he declared loudly. ‘They are animals to be slaughtered. For what do I need a goat man in my army?’

Gerber kept looking down at his feet. He was gulping and sweating profusely.

Ben had to speak out. ‘He’s a veteran of the American armed forces. A former non-commissioned officer of the United States Marine Corps. Marines don’t get weaker with age. They get tougher. He’s a more worthy warrior than half your men put together, General. Do yourself a favour.’

Gerber looked at Ben in horror. Ben raised an eyebrow back at him. I just saved your life, old fellow.

Khosa pursed his lips thoughtfully. ‘That is interesting. United States Marines. Interesting.’ He considered Gerber a few moments more, then nodded. ‘We will see about you, Goat Man. Yes, we will see.’

Khosa moved up the line, hands still clasped behind his back. The senior officer inspecting his troops. Next he stopped at Hercules. Now it was Khosa who had to look up. Hercules was shaking, but not for the same reason as Gerber. He looked ready to tear Khosa’s head off.

‘This one is very dangerous,’ Khosa said. ‘Perhaps we should not take a chance with him. Or perhaps he may still be of use to us. I have not decided.’

The guards thought this was funny, but nobody laughed too loudly.

Khosa moved along the line. Now he reached Jude, and smiled down at him with a look that could have been mistaken for benevolence if everyone in the room hadn’t known better. ‘He is a fine boy,’ Khosa said. He grinned at the soldiers. ‘Do you not agree he is a fine boy?’

The soldiers all readily agreed that he was.

‘Yes, yes,’ Khosa chuckled. ‘Did I not tell you we would meet again soon, White Meat?’

‘Go to hell,’ Jude said, staring Khosa straight back in the eye. ‘I’m not a boy. And I’m not anybody’s meat.’

Khosa boomed with laughter. ‘I like you, White Meat. You have changarawe. In my country, this means “guts”. I need men with guts.’

Khosa moved on. He stopped at Tuesday, scrutinised him long and hard and then passed on without comment.

Next Jeff. Jeff stared back at him with calm fury in his eyes. ‘This one is interesting too,’ Khosa said. ‘Look how he defies me. Many men would be very frightened of such a man. What is your name?’ he asked Jeff.

‘Dekker,’ Jeff said. ‘Remember it.’

Khosa narrowed his eyes and the terrible scars on his face crinkled like rubber. ‘Do you think I am frightened of you, Dekker?’

Jeff said nothing.

‘Are you frightened of me, Dekker?’

Jeff said nothing.

‘You will be,’ Khosa said. ‘Soon, you will be.’

Condor had been standing unaided too long. His knees gave way under him and he collapsed to the earth floor. He gave a heave and then lay still, his arms folded under him and one leg splayed outward.

‘What is the matter with this one?’ Khosa demanded, pointing down at the unconscious man.

Ben spoke out again. ‘He has a severe concussion. He was injured when our ship went down. He needs a doctor, and rest. He’ll be fine in a few days. He’s a good man.’

‘He does not look fine to me,’ Khosa said, peering down. ‘Concussion. I know all about this. He does not need a doctor. I will test him myself.’

What happened next was a surreal parody of a medical examination. Khosa crouched down next to Condor, leaned close to his ear and asked, ‘What is your name?’

Condor made no reply. Not a sound. His eyes were closed and he barely even appeared to be breathing.

Khosa looked up. ‘He does not know his name,’ he said with a look of consternation that Ben couldn’t tell was real or put on. ‘Who is the president of your country?’ Khosa asked Condor.

No response.

Khosa looked up. ‘He does not know who the president is?’

‘He’s unconscious,’ Ben said. ‘Give the man a chance.’

Khosa grunted. Then asked Condor, ‘Now tell me. Look at me. Who am I?’

Once more, Condor gave no response. His eyelids opened a glimmer, then closed again.

‘How can he not know who I am?’ Khosa said, straightening up and shaking his head with what Ben now believed was genuine incredulity. ‘It is very serious. The man has brain damage. You do not need to be a doctor to know this.’

‘With respect, General,’ Ben said, choosing his words cautiously. ‘It’s just a grade three concussion.’

Khosa shook his head once more, gravely. ‘He is a cripple. No. How do you say? He is a vegetable. I have no use for a vegetable in my army. This,’ he declared, pointing down at Condor, ‘is not acceptable.’

Then Khosa signalled to his men. ‘Kill him.’

‘You can’t do that,’ Ben said. He took one step towards Khosa and half a dozen Kalashnikov rifles instantly snapped in his direction, and he froze before he could take a second step.

‘Are you telling me what I can and cannot do, soldier?’ Khosa asked in a voice silk-lined with menace.

‘Please,’ Gerber said. ‘You want to kill someone, then kill me. I’m old. Just like you said. I’m no use to anyone.’

Khosa laughed. ‘Maybe you are right, Goat Man. Perhaps afterwards we kill you too. What do you think?’

And then they dragged Condor into the middle of the floor and got started on him.

Ben had seen plenty of men meet a bad end before now. He’d witnessed ugly, brutal death up close and personal, more times than he cared to remember. But he’d never seen anything like this. And he never wanted to see anything like it again.