BAMAKO by Aribert Raphael (smart books to read txt) 📖

and for a moment raised his head to the sky. He silently asked Allah for strength. He didn’t want to succumb to the evil desires that filled his being. He wanted to have Allah’s help not to raise the knife to Savoi. All at once, as if given an order from above, Samir went and cut the ropes tied around Savoi’s wrists. He replaced the knife in the sheath under his pant leg and attended to the man on the ground quickly. His face was patchy with crusted wounds, his lips had been cut and one eyelid was puffy and darkened. His clothes were soiled with large stains of perspiration and dirt. His shirt, opened to the waist, revealed Savoi’s fat, bruised and scraped belly. His trousers had holes at the knees and were frayed to the ankles as if the man had been dragged a long way on his stomach. Samir covered it, buttoning his shirt, and with his handkerchief, he wiped the saliva from the side of his mouth. He then squatted beside Rheza, his head between his knees and waited. He was spent.
85
Since he had found Talya comfortably ensconced at the Meridien, Sir Gillian decided to call James again.
“Hello?”
“Is that James Flaubert’s residence?”
“No. I am Louis Daniel. Who am I speaking to?”
“Oh, I was looking for Mr. Flaubert. I am Sir Gillian Faulkner.”
“Sir Gillian. I am James’s partner. I am sorry, but James’s business lines have been forwarded to my home.”
“I see. In that case could you tell me when he will be available?”
“I am afraid not. He has left a couple of hours ago. He is heading your way, I believe.”
“You mean he is coming down to Dakar?”
“Yes. He caught a flight to Seattle and should be arriving in Dakar tomorrow night your time, I suspect. Do you have any news?”
“As a matter of fact, I do. We found Ms Kartz—she is safe.”
“That’s very good news. I am very pleased to hear it. But, tell me, what happened?”
“Oh, that’s a long story, and I won’t bore you with the details. Let’s just say that she accepted an invitation from Mr. Hjamal, and made her way to Dakar on Saturday, aboard his personal aircraft.”
“I see.” Louis didn’t want to make any comments. Once again, Talya had taken the reins of the situation, and put herself in danger. She is incorrigible.
“I suppose James is going to contact me as soon as he arrives. Or do you know his arrival time?”
“Yes, he’s bound to contact you upon landing. I think he said he would take an Air Afrique flight from New York.”
“Oh that’s good—there’s only one flight out of New York on Mondays. I’ll be at the airport.”
“Thank you, Sir ... for everything.”
“Not at all, Mr. Daniel, not at all.”
86
Johan, who had attracted much attention with his drunken behaviour, ran along the hillside until he and his two followers were far enough from the container. He then came to an abrupt halt, turned and pointed the gun in the direction of his pursuers. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the gun barrel.
“Ha-ha, I’ve got you, haven’t I?—you miserable sons of a bitch. Let me see now—Malick and Saliou isn’t it?”
The two big men were stunned and stood frozen on the spot. There wasn’t much light for Johan to see their faces clearly but he noticed immediately that Saliou carried some sort of baton, or heavy stick in one hand, and Malick had a machete in his. Johan knew he had to be extremely careful. Malick looked like he was ready for action. That machete could be swung at Johan’s head before he had time to pull the trigger.
Malick said, “Monsieur Johan, what you’re doing? We thought you’re drunk and we came to get you back to camp.” Saliou nodded.
“Well, gentlemen, as you can see, I’m not drunk…,” he guffawed. “Far from it in fact. Mind you I’d much prefer to be drunk right now.”
“But we’re on our rounds, we did nothing wrong…,” Saliou began.
“Since when are you people going ‘on rounds’?” Johan snapped. “Don’t start with me and your stories … I’ve heard enough…”
“But, Monsieur Johan, we’re only workers … you don’t have to point a gun…”
“If you think I’m in a mood to listen to you bastards, you’ve got another thing coming,” Johan said, all the while still pointing the gun from one to the other.
“We go back to camp—” Malick took a step back. Johan advanced a step.
“Oh no you don’t—neither of you. You’re going with me to the nitro-cache—”
“No, Monsieur Johan, we don’t want to go there,” Saliou pleaded.
“Oh yes you are, and Malick, just throw the machete away ... now!” Johan ordered. Malick hesitated. Johan came closer and repeated, “Throw the machete away, Malick, or I’ll fire.”
Saliou shook his head but threw his stick in the nearby bush. Malick still didn’t move. Johan came even closer. He could see the man’s eyes now. “Malick, don’t make me pull the trigger and bring shame to your family.” He waited.
Slowly, Malick hung his head and let the machete fall to the ground.
Johan shoved it in the underbrush, still keeping his gun at the men’s heads. “Okay now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s go up to the container and see what we’re going to find there….”
“But, why can’t we go back to camp?” Saliou insisted.
“Just because your job’s not done for the night, boys. Let’s go.”
The two captives turned and started walking toward the lane-way. Johan knew if either or both of them would get the idea to start running, he wouldn’t be able to catch either, or fire his gun without alerting the camp—or worse blow the whole darn mine site to the moon. Nonetheless, he kept an eye on their feet—that’s where he would shoot first if he saw their steps change pace. The three men marched in silence toward the container.


87
The noises from below grew nearer. Johan’s voice was no longer the one of a drunkard but one of a ‘master’. He was ordering the two captives up the hill, gun in hand aimed at their backs. Soon they came into view.
“Yo-ho, Samir, look who I found chasing me?” Johan called out as he approached Samir’s location. “Malick and Saliou. Oh yes, my friend, the very same two guards who were supposed to watch over Monsieur Rasheed. What d’you think of that, eh?”
“I see,” Samir said simply. “The only thing they deserve is the same treatment as what they inflicted on our friends here,” pointing to Savoi and Rheza lying on the ground beside the open container.
Johan looked down at them, still keeping an eye on his prisoners, and groaned. He was angry. “We’ve got to get this two to the camp as soon as possible. They need care.”
“But how do you propose to do that?”
“Simple, my friend, watch…”
Samir watched.
With much arms waving and gesticulating but very few words, The Dutchman directed Malick and Saliou to take Savoi and Rheza and carefully carry them down the lane-way and up to the camp.
Samir followed them, lost in thought.
How was this going to end? He thought of Talya. Silently tears rolled down his cheeks, he was overwhelmed with emotions. Quickly he wiped his face with his shirtsleeve. He wanted no one to notice his private turmoil.
Back in their hut, Samir washed the dirt and dried blood from Rheza’s face. He was appalled by the wounds inflicted onto this woman. The outrage he felt was very real. He wanted to go and kill the two men who had maltreated her.
Johan, for his part, was attending to Savoi. The latter was in a sad shape. Johan felt resentment and rage toward many people, but none so bitter than what he felt toward the man lying on the floor beside his bed now. If it hadn’t been for this idiot, none of this would’ve happened. He turned to Samir. “We’ve got two prisoners tied up outside”—his voice was breaking up— “two very sick people to care for and a village full of people we can no longer trust. What do you suggest we do now?”
“We go and see the Elder in the morning and tell him what’s happened. I still believe he doesn’t know the extent of the treachery that occurred in his village. I want to believe that he’ll help us.” Samir tried to sound as re-assuring as he could.
“That’s just it. You want to believe. But how can we trust him? Tell me that? If this situation threatens his well being or his honour (and I’d say that it does) we could be joining those two”—Johan pointed to Savoi and Rheza lying on the floor—“and be blown up by morning.” He was getting edgier by the minute.
“Don’t underestimate the old man’s faith in Allah, Johan. He couldn’t live safely and remain Chief of this village if he committed murder. If I’m right, and Ashan is the faithful one and a disciple of Allah’s law, we’ve got nothing to fear from him. On the contrary, we’re safer in his trust than alone and against him.”
Johan relented. “Okay then. I’m willing to try; I’ll try anything at this point.”
“Inshallah. I know Allah is with us, Johan, and he’ll watch over us. You’ll see.” Samir breathed a sigh of relief. “We should sleep for a couple of hours then at sunrise, we go directly to the old man. When we tell him we’ve discovered two of his men with intent of murder in their hearts, I’m sure he’ll react appropriately.”
“Appropriately! Samir, I don’t know why you haven’t entered the political life yet. You’ve got a knack for saying everything and nothing with one single word: ‘appropriately’—for whom?”
“There you go again. I’m not happy with your flippancy.”
“Hold on a minute, I’m not sure you understand me. I’m very serious, and I value your comments—I’m not sneering. If I offended you, I’m sorry.”
“I guess this night’s been too long for us and we’re very edgy. We should sleep.”
Without another word, Samir went to wash his face, knelt on his mat and prayed. Johan watched him and lay on his bed only to fall immediately asleep.

At sunrise, Samir was standing beside Johan’s bed, staring down at this friend. Strange circumstances had made the friendship happen. Samir knew that from now on the two of them would be ‘brothers’—he would hope anyway. He had washed when everyone was still asleep and put on his uniform once again.
As if Samir had willed him to wake, Johan opened his eyes and looked at the man standing over him. He didn’t readily recall where he was or what day it was. He got up with a jolt, shoved Samir aside, and muttering some unintelligible greeting went to the bathroom corner to freshen up and change his clothes. Savoi and Rheza, who lay on mats in the middle of the room, had moved in the night, probably regaining consciousness slowly, they were asleep now. Samir, who had watched them for sometime, knew that they would wake soon.
Rheza stirred. She opened her