Protectors of the Innocent - Chapter 10 (Part 2)

"I need a suitable vehicle and more fire power." Kevin nodded in understanding. The game was on. They drove off in different directions.

Matt stormed into his apartment and threw open the doors of his closet. He ruffled through the suits and finally picked a black Armani suit which one of his previous girlfriends insisted he buy. The smooth material irritated him, but now it would serve his purpose perfectly. Ten minutes later he slammed the door of his apartment behind him and caught himself before he could run his hand through the heavily jelled, oily hair. How on earth did teenagers stand the muck on their heads?

A black Mercedes with tinted windows waited at the curve. The driver, dressed impeccably in a black tuxedo jumped out to open the door and Matt didn't even try to hide the grin spreading over his face. Kevin looked as sleek as Matt felt. Matt shifted the padding around his waist to accommodate the pistol and knife jammed into its folds and with a nod in Kevin's direction he climbed into the back..

"You sure look the part. Anything I should be worried about?"

"Fuck you, Pommie. You'll make a terrible chauffeur, not knowing when to shut your trap."

Matt peered out the blackened windows and watched the last buildings of town give way to open fields. "Have you arranged backup?"

Kevin met his eyes in the rear view mirror. "Yes, the Task Force unit of the SAPS will assist if required. Don't know if we can trust them so I gave them a ten minute window. By then we should know how it is going down."

Kevin slowed the car down. They needed to be as close to on time as they could be without being late. Buyers and sellers didn't like to be exposed unnecessary. The abandoned mill loomed ahead with less than five minutes to spare. Kevin parked the car in line with the white limousine stationed next to the side of the building. Exactly on the arranged time, the front door of the limousine swung open and the Chinaman alighted. His eyes darted all over the place and a muscle twitched at the corner of his mouth. Matt's heart hammered in his chest. If this didn't work...

Halfway to their car, the Chinaman came to an abrupt halt and signaled to Kevin. Kevin slowly climbed out of the car and walked towards the Chinaman. They exchanged a few words and both returned to their vehicles. Kevin knocked on Matt's window.

"The Boss is here, but they want to see the money first."

Matt rolled the window down and handed Kevin the briefcase. He loathed to risk the money, but just thinking about June and where she might be, released his hold on the handle. He held his breath as the door of the limousine opened and the Chinaman exited with a rope in his hand. The small frame of a girl struggled out the door and Matt swallowed the anger boiling inside. Even from this distance the girls eyes were wide with shock and fear. She dragged her feet as the Chinaman pulled her towards Kevin. The exchange took place and Kevin hurried to the car. Matt pulled the squirming girl inside while Kevin called the backup team.

"Hit the limo with all you have. Make sure to hit it hard." Kevin shouted over the phone.

The black van of the backup team blocked the exit as the limousine turned to leave. The side door of the van slid open and rapid automatic fire followed. It simply pinged off the limousine.

"It's armor plated. Do you have grenades?" Kevin shouted again.

The Chinaman fired at the van from the passenger side window as the driver attempted to keep the back windows out of the line of fire. An explosion rocked the limousine and lifted it off the ground. Flames erupted from the engine and the limousine came to a screeching halt.

Matt approached the limo crouching down low, weaving to and fro while smoke filled the interior of the limousine. People coughed and the back door opened. Matt ran closer to the limo. He wanted that son of bitch alive. A shoulder shoved him to the side as automatic fire erupted from the limo. Kevin crumpled to the ground, clutching his right arm tight against his chest. He switched the firearm to his left hand. The limo driver dropped to the ground and a small hole blossomed in his forehead.

A man ran from the backdoor of the limo. Matt fired and the man stumbled. A cry of pain sliced through the air. Matt reached him in record time, grabbed his arms and tucked it behind his back. Matt spun the man around and stared into the cold black eyes of Aziz.

So this was what pure evil looked like, Matt thought. A chill ran down his spine. The man oozed malice by the bucket-load.

Halfway back to the burning limo, members from the Special Forces dragged Aziz from Matt's grip. Kevin lay in the same position where he went down and Matt bent over him. Blood stained his shirt and his face was expressionless.
"Where's the bloody medic?" Matt shouted.

"I'm coming." Matt lifted his head at the reply and his eyes fixed on a running figure further down the road. He suppressed a smile. At least the Chinaman had managed to stay alive.

Quiet returned to the scene with only the soft sobbing from the backseat of the Mercedes audible. Matt peeked his head around the door. The girl bundled herself up in the corner and her brown eyes followed his movements. Matt slid onto the seat beside her and folded his hands in his lap.

"What is your name?" He whispered.

The big brown eyes stared up at him, rivulets of tears still wet on her cheeks. Fear contorted her face and shivers raked her body.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I'm here to help you. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She nodded. Matt ran his hand over his oil stained hair and the child cringed further into the corner. Man. Now he scared her even more.

"What is your name, honey?" he tried again.

"Bongi" she whispered.

"That's a beautiful name. Where do you live, Bongi?"

"In Thokoza." She kept her eyes fixed on his hands. Anger fought for recognition, but Matt suppressed the urge to beat something - or someone to pulp. Time for that later. This girl needed reassurance and to get trauma assistance.

"Do you know the address?"

She shook her head.

"What is your mother's name?"

"Busiwe." The small voice had lost some of its fear.

"Are you in school Bongi?"

She nodded.

"Do you know the name of the school?"

"Tokhoza Primary School."

"What is the name of your teacher?"

"Mrs. Nxumalo." Bongi appeared to realize that Matt meant her no harm. Her small body relaxed against the door.

"OK Bongi. A very nice lady is going to take you to the school to find your parents. But first they are going to take you to the hospital to see if you are hurt. Is that all right with you?"

Her eyes grew large again, but she nodded. The social worker approached and Matt alighted from the vehicle. He relayed what he learned from the child to her and watched as she took Bongi by the hand and disappeared inside her white, government marked car.

Leaning against the body of the Mercedes, Matt lit a cigarette. Aziz was handcuffed to the rail inside the van of the Task Force and a constant stream of profanities boiled from him. With his leg bandaged, he hung uncomfortably on to the rail.

Matt flicked the cigarette away and strode towards the van. His eyes locked with those of Aziz. Damn, he still couldn't believe that this small unassuming man had been the mastermind behind so many children's deaths.

One of the Task Force members stepped in front of Matt just before he reached the van. Matt glanced down at the hand on his chest and back at the other man. The man removed his hand, but stood his ground.

"Sir, you cannot speak to the witness now."

"That man is no witness. He is part of an international child prostitution ring that kidnapped a magistrate. I need to speak to him. Now."

"Sorry, Sir. I can't allow that. My orders are to bring this man to the nearest Magistrate's office for a confession. No one is allowed to speak to him now."

"Who gave the order for the confession?"

"The man asked to speak to a Magistrate to make a confession. The arrangements were made to take him to the Children's Court to make the confession in front of one of the Magistrates there."

"Why there?"

"We thought that it would be prudent to have a Magistrate with knowledge of such matters hear the confession."

Matt nodded. In a way it made sense, although he would have liked to keep Aziz far away from anything to do with children. Hell, it probably made perfect sense to have him confess to one of the Commissioners of Child Care, but it still didn't curb the frustration toiling inside him. He needed to find June...before it was too late.

He nodded at the policeman and hurried to the Mercedes. The only way to ensure he found June in time is to make sure Aziz got a speedy trail. Once in jail, Matt would have free rein to interrogate the bastard.

The attendant at June's office regarded the black Mercedes with suspicion until he ducked his head and met Matt's determined stare. He hurried to the boom, lifted it and waved Matt through. Matt parked the vehicle and hurried up the stairs. Simon had better be in today. And he had better be willing to see him.

Simon's secretary sat at her desk as usual with her ear attached to the phone. She ignored his gestures to notify Simon that he wanted to see him. Matt strode past her desk and headed towards Simon's office.

"You can't just burst in there. He's busy on a call."

"I don't care. Interrupt the call. This is urgent."

"No. I can't do that." She planted herself firmly in front of Matt.

"Alice, if you don't announce me I am just going to go in. You can do the explaining later."

"All right. But I did warn you." She headed to the desk and pressed the button on the intercom. Simon's brusque voice assaulted her over the small speaker. Upon hearing who his visitor was, he instructed Alice to let Matt in.

Simon straightened from behind his desk, walked around and perched on the edge of the table. Matt stopped just inside the door and regarded the thin man for a moment. Why the hell did he feel like ripping the well-dressed man's head off every time he saw him? Matt suppressed the urge. He needed Simon's help.

"What do you want now? Did you really manage to screw up a simple bust?"

Matt shoved his hands into his pockets. They itched to strangle the arrogant man in front of him. Stay calm, he admonished himself. Time to deal with this man later.

"We arrested the suspected leader of the Network and now we need a Magistrate to facilitate a confession. Can you help, or should I arrange for someone else?"

Simon stared at Matt in silence. He straightened from the desk, walked around and picked up the telephone. After a short conversation a Magistrate was arranged to hear the confession and the trail was set for later in the afternoon.

"I trust the arrangements meet your approval?"

Matt ignored the sarcasm dripping from Simon's voice. "It will do. Thanks."

Matt hurried out the door without greeting. The less he had to do with this pompous prick the better. How on earth did this excuse for a human manage to land himself such a prime job?

Matt shook his head as he headed towards the car. He needed to get to the prison to make arrangements for Aziz's arrival. Time was running out. The longer he took to locate June the slimmer the chances were to find her alive.