PRIMAL Vengeance

Chapter 15



PETROCON Refinery, Kordofan District, Sudan



Yang's guards had cleared the burnt wreckage of the tanker from the refinery gates by the time the Janjaweed warriors had returned from their pillaging. The shot-up sandbags had been replaced and workers were busy mounting heavy machine guns in the corner guard towers. A pair of bulldozers pushed back the bushes in front of the fence, adding another thirty meters to the clearing around the perimeter. The creek line that Garang's men had used to infiltrate into their firing positions had been leveled.

Sagrib inspected the three bodies that Yang's guards had laid out in the vehicle park. "They are Dinka," he confirmed, inspecting the talismans that hung from a dead man's chest. "How many were there?"

"At least thirty." Yang was standing a few feet away, hands folded across his chest.

"And you killed how many?" Sagrib asked.

"Thirteen, possibly more. A number of bodies are still out there."

Sagrib turned to the Chinese operative with a confused look on his face. "You chased them?"

"We turned the battle with superior firepower. My helicopter arrived the day before the attack."

A sickly grin spread across the Arab murderer's face. "Show me the helicopter."

Yang led Sagrib through the refinery equipment to where the gunship was based. High banks of earth surrounded the aircraft, protecting it from attack. Bunkers dug into the dry sand had been reinforced with sandbags to hold the helicopter's rockets and ammunition.

Sagrib kept grinning like a child as he ran his hands over the rocket pods attached to the sleek machine. The H425 was a Chinese-built helicopter designed for executive transport. This particular model had been heavily modified by PETROCON, a brace of 12.7mm fixed machine guns and four rocket pods were slung beneath the stubby wings that protruded from its sides.

"If I call will you bring this to the fight?" Sagrib asked.

"Yes. When we have found the men responsible for the attack I will help you destroy them."

Yang's pocket buzzed twice as a message reached his phone. He moved away to check the device, leaving Sagrib with the helicopter. The message contained a number of photos. He selected one that showed a man's face and took it to Sagrib.

"Do you know this man?" he asked.

The Janjaweed commander studied the photo. "Yes, his name is Garang. He is an American, born of a bastard Dinka who ran from his duties like a scared dog."

"How do you know him?"

"He came to Khartoum with the Dinka chief. I wanted to kill him as well, but Omar would not allow it. He said he is not the same as the others. He is American so he is greedy."

"Greed can be a powerful motivator. How many men do you think he has?"

"Don't know: twenty, maybe thirty. Not as many thanks to the helicopter." He laughed displaying his toothless gums.

"Was he the one who warned the villagers in Kaljak and killed one of your men?"

"Could be. One of the infidel dogs said an American Dinka did it."

"He is certainly audacious, I will give him that. It takes determination to strike deep into enemy territory."

"I do it every day," spat the Janjaweed commander. "Do you really think he did this?" Sagrib pointed towards the burnt out front gate.

"I think we both know the answer to that."

"From your spies, yes?"

Yang nodded.

Sagrib smashed his fist into his palm. "I should have killed the American when I had a chance. I will find him, his men, their families, and I will kill them all."

"If you get word of his camp pass it to me immediately," said Yang as the pair walked back to the waiting Janjaweed.

"Yes, yes. And I have more men coming. Will you have more vehicles?"

"Five more fast attack vehicles are arriving tomorrow with another shipment of heavy weapons and ammunition. My men will fit the machine guns to your trucks."

Sagrib nodded. "When we find their camp you will bring the helicopter, yes?"

"Of course. You find them and we will destroy them together."