Chapter 2: 91. The Discovery
Major Hunter and his three troops yesterday evening reconnoitered amongst the bushes next to the wire fence until they found a very inconspicuous position where they could hide and watch the activities inside and make sense of it. There are three watchtowers with a fence that enclose the camp in a triangle. The farmhouse and structures that look like wooden barracks are situated in the middle of the yard.
There also is a barn and a high water tank fairly near the one corner of the triangle under the watchtower. That is a weak point in their security Hunter immediately realized. The fence could be cut there cautiously for entrance from the barn’s backside. Someone just has to watch the sentry when he goes around looking out from the other side of the tower and warns the cutter when he moves back. Luckily the fence is not electrified and they can gradually and unobtrusively cut an opening and slip in to under the water tank out of sight of the sentries. From there, they can infiltrate the camp.
With sunrise this morning they saw a beautiful, young, blonde woman accompanied by two soldiers with trays, probably breakfast, walking to the wooden quarters opposite the house and came back later. During the rest of the day, the quarter’s door stood open with only a single soldier on sentry sitting on a stool next to the door. Hunter watches the entrance intently. He wishes whoever is inside would come out. It is now nearly time for lunch and if they don’t come out soon for a little sunlight, the woman and the soldiers will probably arrive with their lunch.
Hunter sees movement at the door and put his binoculars in front of his eyes. An old man together with a young girl comes out and he wonders who it might be. They are complete strangers to him. Then someone else comes out. He is pleasantly surprised when he recognizes Rene and then Emilie who follows her. He wonders where Jack and the two youngsters are.
They walk around and study their vicinity while the soldier is watching them. Hunter waits, but no one else emerges. Hunter now realizes that the old man must be the professor and the young girl his granddaughter. He is the key to the occult’s plans. He doesn’t know where the rest are but he supposes the group of mercenaries is in the service of the occult and established this camp on purpose near the Eastwood Estate. From here, they can spy on Morrison and at the same time, they can guard the professor and his people when they do their work for the occult.
He wonders whether only the four of them have returned. Could the rest be inside? He hopes it is not just them. For a while he focuses on the people and reads their body language, their facial expressions, and their interactions with one another. Something is very wrong! Worry engulfs him! What happened in that shelter? He prays that nothing has happened to the rest of the group.
It would be wise to get enforcement from the Eastwood Estate. These young guys Morrison gave him as sentries don’t look tough enough. They seem like inexperienced rookies and to try and save those people with their help is going to be a major gamble. To make it more difficult, the quarters are in the middle of the yard and by night it is brightly lit and under the eyes of the sentries on all three watchtowers. Hunter, however, is not inclined to wait too long because suddenly many questions must be answered and those people probably have all the answers.
His mind is working overtime while he analyses the situation from different viewpoints. He starts to get a few alternative plans in a row. Each plan seems to have its advantages and disadvantages. Suddenly he hit on an excellent out of the box thinking plan; the right and best plan. He smiles and looks at the three young troopers next to him. One of them sees his funny smile and looks at him with questions in his eyes. Hunter nods complacently. This is a daring plan but it is the best plan that will put him in the best position should it comes off. This is now a Poker game and he is the poor guy at the table. The stinking rich Morrison and that fearless hunk, the leader of the mercenaries, join him at the table. If he can bring his plan to fruition, he will by far be able to play the best hand in this Poker game. He only will have to play it well and carefully with a real Poker face.
And talking of that ogre! He comes out of the farmhouse together with a long, slim, sturdy man and they approach the four people. This is the first time that Hunter sees this fearsome leader without his battling kit in a T-shirt and shorts that fit tightly around his muscular body. Hunter focuses and is amazed. He can’t believe his eyes. It is as if someone pulls away heavy curtains in front of the window of a dark room and suddenly he sees many things in clear daylight. He now understands why this giant seemed so familiar to him earlier. He now focuses on the other guy and he recognizes him as well. That is why they knew exactly where to hide on the Eastwood Estate when the plague struck.
The fucking Baxter brothers that he himself put behind bars! The two brothers who poisoned Clea and Tony Eastwood. Joss who murdered Zoey’s husband and pushed her and Lyle over the edge of a cliff in the mountain pass. Who drugged Chloe and Isaac and bound them to chairs. Leo, who deceived Chloe by proposing to her and manipulated her psychologically, whilst he and his brother secretly threatened the whole family! Leo was the foreman on the Eastwood Estate and he knows the place like the palm of his hand.
Now everything makes sense to Hunter. Joss previously was in charge of contractors who were hired to sort out issues in the underworld. Naturally, those contacts paved the way for a contract with the occult. They were warned to escape from jail before the outbreak of the plague to do the dirty work of the occult here in South Africa.
Amazed Hunter shakes his head and wonders how Chloe, Zoey, Lyle, and Ronnie are going to react to this. Would it be wise to enlighten them that these two pigs that they loathe and hate so much are on the neighboring farm in service of the occult that brought the curse of the plague over the world? No, rather not. It wouldn’t be wise. It will kindle irreversible flames under their asses and he doubts whether he would be able to restrain them. Chloe’s soul, especially, won’t rest before she has avenged her.
And another thing he must take into account is that the Baxter brothers are familiar with the smallholding where he, Kennedy, and Robert dwell, and that has become a crucial part of his plan. He will now have to be extremely careful for different reasons.
It means treading lightly and playing his cards exquisitely.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone