The Disappeared (45 page)

‘Hey guys,
keep it down,’ Joshua said. ‘Jansen’s checking us out.’ Duggan turned around
but Joshua stopped him. ‘Don’t look. He’ll just get more suspicious.’ For a few
moments the three of them tried – unsuccessfully – to act nonchalant. ‘Okay, he’s
leaving.’ Joshua stared after the policeman. ‘Crazy loon.’

Duggan nodded.
‘Yeah.’ He turned to Thabo. ‘Look here, you don’t have to go. In fact, you
know, with Joyce and all, maybe it’s better you stay. But you
can
help
us.’

‘Yeah, we’re
gonna need it, dude.’

Thabo thought
about it for a while. ‘Okay. I’ll do whatever you want me to.’

‘Excellent.’
Joshua held out his fist. Thabo knocked it with his own. Joyce Mohapi who had
been talking with Lindiwe returned to the table. Joshua leaned forward. ‘Are
you going to tell her?’

‘Of course,
she’s my wife.’

‘Cool. No
problem.’ Joshua looked around. ‘Just remember we can’t let this get out. You
heard Inspector Coetzee. He’s gonna lock us up with that Visser dude.’

Thabo winked
at Joshua. ‘Don’t worry. It’s all good in the hood.’

‘Excellent
dude,’ Joshua said. ‘
Muchos Gracias
.’ Thabo Mohapi leaned over towards
Joyce as she sat down. They began quietly talking.

Duggan looked
around the restaurant. ‘Okay, so what now?’

‘Now ...’
Joshua pondered his options. ‘Now, you gotta give me everything you have on
that place, right? Maps, photos, you know, everything you got.’

Duggan nodded.
‘Okay. I don’t have a lot. But I’ve got a few things.’

Joshua
continued looking at Duggan expectantly. ‘Yes?’

‘Oh, well ...
erm, lemme see ...’ Duggan searched his mind. ‘I’ve got a satellite photo. It’s
about ten years old. I’ve also got an enlargement from Google Earth. That’s
from 2005. Then ...’

‘Yes?’

‘Oh yes!’
Duggan snapped his fingers. ‘I’ve also got a blueprint of the building.’

‘What! You’re kidding
me. A blueprint?’

‘Yeah, fully.
But I mean, it’s old dude. Like pre-Obsidian days. From the mid nineties, you
make out?’

‘Okay. Is that
bad?’

‘No, not
necessarily. Look, they’ve obviously made some changes since Meyer took over. I
mean ... they must have! They converted the place from a low-level
pharmaceutical to a chemical weapons production plant. Okay? But I mean, you
know, office space is still office space ... parking garage is still parking
garage, you know what I’m saying.’

‘Okay, yeah, I
see what you mean.’ Joshua looked over his shoulder. ‘Cool, so get it then.
Lindiwe mentioned a box or something. I’ll wait here.’ When Duggan didn’t
respond, he looked back. ‘What?’ Duggan looked at him like a little boy who has
wet his pants. ‘What’s up, dude?’

Duggan was
staring down at the table head in his hands. ‘It’s not here. I just remembered.’
He looked up at Joshua. ‘It’s not amongst all the other stuff. It’s still in my
room.’

Joshua leaned
forward. ‘Shit. Are you serious?’ Duggan nodded. Joshua made a fist and bit
into his index finger thinking. ‘Okay ...’ He stared into space. ‘Do we really
need it?’

‘Well, dude,
without it, you’re gonna be stumbling around in the dark.’ Duggan pointed to
the street outside where the sunlight was beginning to fade. ‘Literally.’ He
looked at Joshua. ‘It’s you choice, ultimately. But the blueprint’s gonna be
one helluva benefit.’

Joshua nodded.
‘Yeah, you’re right.’ He looked at Duggan with determination. ‘Well, we’re just
gonna have to go get it.’

‘Dude, didn’t
you hear? It’s in my room. How you gonna get it?’

‘We’ll get
permission.’

‘What? What’re
you gonna tell Coetzee?’

‘We’ll tell
him the truth.’

Duggan’s mouth
hung open. ‘That’s it. You’re insane. Officially.’

Joshua put his
finger to his lips. ‘Listen. We’ll just tell him you’ve got some extra stuff at
your place. We tell him, it’s a blueprint of Obsidian. Didn’t he say himself if
no-one rescues us, we’re gonna head that way.’

‘Something
like that.’

‘So, he
must
see that a blueprint will help us if we need to go up there. Right?’

‘I guess.’

‘I mean, if he
wants to, he can send Jansen or Collie with us. To guard us, whatever.’

Duggan looked
over Joshua’s shoulder. ‘Preferably Collie.’

‘Well, that’s his
decision.’ There was silence as the two stared at the table the floor the
ceiling lost in thought.

‘Okay, so you
gonna ask him?’

‘Not me, dude.’
Joshua looked over at Lindiwe. ‘I know someone who can do a much better job.’
Lindiwe saw them both looking and waved coyly.

‘Good luck,
dude,’ Duggan said.

‘Sweet,’
Joshua said getting up. He walked over to where Lindiwe was sitting. He sat
down suddenly breathless at her beauty. He looked at her pointedly.

Lindiwe
feigned concern. ‘You’ve got that stalker look about you. Should I be flattered
... or concerned?’

Joshua
chuckled. ‘I’ve got the hottest date in town. I don’t know, you tell me.’

‘Hmmm ... my
date’s not too bad himself.’

Joshua leaned
forward stroking her cheek. ‘I’ve got a plan. And I need your help.’

‘Joshua?’ This
time Lindiwe spoke with real concern.

Josh smiled at
her in his most disarming manner. ‘Don’t worry, baby. I wanna get us out of
this place. All of us. The sooner the better.’ Quickly in as few words as possible
he told her his plan.

‘I don’t know,
Josh. I really don’t. What if it’s dangerous. What if you ...’

‘I don’t think
it is.’ He voice was barely above a whisper. ‘Look, we made it this far. And we’re
still alive, right?’ He held her face in his hands. ‘We gotta try. I wanna get
away here, I wanna get to know you, and I wanna build a new life ... for us.’

‘You’re
manipulating me.’

‘No .. no no
no.’ He looked at her with a burning intensity in his eyes. ‘For the first time
in all my life ... for the first time ... I have ...’ He looked away almost
embarrassed at the intensity of his feelings.’

‘What? Tell
me.’

He looked at
her cradling her chin in his hand. ‘For the first time I have found something
... someone worth living for. It’s the truth. I would never manipulate you.’

‘I’m going
with you.’ Lindiwe blurted out the words.

Joshua was
taken aback. ‘I don’t know. What if it’s ... what if –’

‘If you expect
me to trust you, then I expect you to trust me.’ Lindiwe placed a hand over his.
‘I don’t want to be without you. Ever.’

Joshua nodded.
‘Okay.’ He smiled at her uncertainly. ‘Okay.’

There was a
moment of silence. ‘What do you need me to do?’ Lindiwe asked. Joshua told her.
She nodded considering her options. ‘Consider it done, baby.’ She leaned over
and kissed him softly on his lips. Then rose and walked over to where Coetzee
was sitting. She bent down and began talking to him. His back was to Joshua and
he could only see Lindiwe’s face. He studied her features earnestly. She spoke.
From where he sat her beautiful lips moved silently. She smiled. And frowned.
And spoke some more. Then frowned. And nodded. It wasn’t looking good. Dammit.
It wasn’t a big thing they were asking. So what’s the problem? What if he
suspected something? Lindiwe looked over at him. And rose. She looked
disappointed. Dammit. She walked over to him. Joshua’s spirits sank. It was
going to make it a whole lot more difficult. But if he had to do it without the
damn blueprint well then –

‘And? What did
he say?’

Lindiwe stood
before Joshua. ‘Why don’t you ask him yourself.’

‘Huh?’ Joshua
looked over at Coetzee. He hadn’t budged at all. What the –

Then Coetzee
turned and called over to someone. Collie marched over. Joshua looked over at
Lindiwe. She was smiling. He jumped up. ‘You’re a frikkin genius.’ He embraced
her. Then immediately let go. It wouldn’t be good to appear too excited. He
slyly turned to Duggan and gave him a thumbs up. Duggan smiled nodding. He
turned to Lindiwe. ‘You’re amazing, baby. You are, damn, you are.’

Lindiwe beamed
under his praise. ‘Collie is going with you, you and Duggan.’

Joshua stroked
her head. ‘Thank you. You’re the most amazing woman I have ever met.’

‘Please
promise me you won’t be long. Hurry back. Please.’ Lindiwe trailed a finger
across his lips. ‘I’m going to be so stressed while you’re gone.’

‘Don’t worry.
I will never leave you ... ever. Remember? I told you that already.’ Lindiwe
nodded. Joshua turned to Duggan and motioned for him to come. Duggan appeared
next to him. He looked at their embrace awkward at their intensity. ‘Wait for
me. Watch for me by moonlight,’ Joshua said quoting a line from a
long-forgotten poem. He turned to Duggan who was trying to appear as nonchalant
as possible. ‘Let’s go.’ They headed to where Collie was standing. He was
waiting for them.

‘So, what’s
this about, hey?’ He asked.

‘You’ll see,’
Joshua said. They filed past Jansen who had taken Collie’s place by the door.
He looked at them with burning resentment reserving his most corrosive stare
for Joshua. And then they were outside. In the dull slanting rays of a dying
sun. Duggan trotted ahead. ‘Quick,’ he said. ‘Let’s get moving.’

‘What’s the
hurry, bro?’ Collie asked.

‘Uh ... he
just wants to get back before it’s dark,’ Joshua said quickly. Collie frowned
but nonetheless hurried his pace.

Soon they were
outside Duggan’s house. They entered through the front door. ‘It’s upstairs,’
Duggan said hurrying up the stairwell. Joshua and Collie followed on his heels.
Upstairs in his room they found Duggan with his head inside the closet throwing
out notepads, books, pieces of paper, junk.

Collie looked
around at the monitors, the three networked computers, and the various hi-tech
gaming peripherals. ‘
Schweet
, quite a set-up you’ve got here, bro’

‘Yeah,’ Duggan
said from within the closet, ‘I just recently upgraded.’

Joshua ducked
a notebook that flew past his head. He looked over at Duggan. ‘You need help
there?’

‘Nope. Almost
got it.’

‘Okay.’ Joshua
sat down on the unmade bed. His weight dislodged a half-eaten muffin that came
rolling out from under the dishevelled sheet. It bounced onto the floor and
rolled under the desk. Amused Joshua looked up to see if Collie had noticed the
itinerant food item. He was surprised to see Collie frowning. Looking into
distant space. Collie staggered backwards.

‘Hey man, you
alright?’

‘I’m fine,
dude,’ Duggan shouted from within the closet. ‘Just struggling to find those
flippin’
blueprints.’

Collie’s face
had instantly became pale and ashen. His lower lip quivered as he staggered
drunkenly on his feet. He clenched and unclenched both fists. A low moan
escaped his throat.

Joshua looked
with mounting concern at the diminutive man. ‘Listen dude, I think you should
sit down.’

‘I told you I’m
fine. Lemme just – ‘ Duggan began impatiently.

‘Duggan!’

Joshua’s sharp
tone arrested Duggan’s attention. And made him bump his head against the top
shelf as he stood up suddenly. ‘Shit,’ Duggan said in pain as he extracted
himself from the closet’s jumbled mess of boxes and coat hangers hung with untidy
clothing. ‘What’s your frikkin’ –’ He stopped mid-sentence as he saw Collie
fall back against the wall. ‘Holy shit, dude. What’s wrong?’ He took a step
towards Collie, giving Joshua a puzzled look. ‘You look like death.’

Joshua got up
from the bed and grabbed Collie’s arm. ‘Honestly, man, I think you should sit
down. You don’t look too good.’ Joshua reached for a swivel chair parked by
Duggan’s desk. ‘Here, have a seat.’ Collie mumbled something unintelligible. ‘I
can’t hear what you’re saying, man.’ Joshua looked at Duggan shrugging. ‘You
want a glass of water?’ Collie shook his head mumbling. ‘Dude, honestly, I can’t
hear a word you’re saying.’ Joshua placed his ear close to Collie’s mouth.

‘Bath ...
bathroom. I wanna ... bathroom.’

‘Okay. You
wanna go to the bathroom? Okay, I think that’s a good idea.’ Joshua looked at
Duggan. ‘Dude, help me here. Let’s take him to the shitter. I think he wants to
throw up.’

Duggan looked
with alarm at Collie. He scanned the littered floor of his bedroom. ‘Shit yeah.
Quickly man. Before he hurls.’ Joshua took Collie’s left arm while Duggan
grabbed his right. They stumbled through the door and down the hallway towards
the toilet. Duggan managed to open the door while hanging onto Collie. With
great difficulty the two men were able to squeeze through the doorway that
suddenly felt impossibly narrow. They jostled and bumped and staggered until
they managed to deposit a jabbering Collie onto the toilet. Duggan placed a
waste bin in front of him. ‘Listen, Eugene, if you wanna hurl, do it in here,
okay? Or ... obviously in the toilet, you know, if you can.’ Collie gave no
indication that he had heard. ‘Not on the floor, dude, please.’ Duggan and
Joshua stepped away from Collie to observe him. He swayed drunkenly from side
to side.

‘Listen, er
... Eugene,’ Joshua said, ‘are you gonna be alright?’ Collie didn’t answer. He
swayed from side to side, eyes fixed on some distant point.

‘I think we
should leave him alone for a while,’ Duggan said uncertainly. ‘You know, give
him some privacy or something.’

‘Yeah, maybe
you’re right.’ Joshua took a step towards Collie. And placed a hand on his
shoulder. Collie recoiled violently. Joshua took a step backwards. ‘Shit,
sorry, man.’ He looked in shock at Duggan. ‘Look here, dude, we’re gonna give
you some time ... to be alone.’ Joshua pointed at the door. ‘We’re gonna be
just outside, in the room, okay? So, if you need something ... or um, whatever,
just give a shout, okay?’ Duggan and Joshua slowly backed away. ‘We’re gonna
close the door, so you can ... erm, do whatever you need to do. Just shout if
you need help. You got that, man?’ Collie mumbled something.