PRIMAL Vengeance

Chapter 38



Kaljak Village, Abyei District



The battered blue van had cost them ten thousand US dollars. The price was almost the same as the brand new Hilux Mirza had bought in Juba. Mirza had found it on the outskirts of Khartoum and paid the inflated price to convince the driver to part with it on the spot. They had fueled it up from a hawker selling petrol by the bottle at the roadside and driven it south.

The Bunker's operations team had planned a route for them, avoiding all reported border checkpoints. Bishop had managed to re-establish comms using his iPRIMAL. The data link wasn't strong but it was enough for them to receive GPS waypoints.

After thirty-six hours of travel, they arrived back at the new SFF village, nearly four days since they had left for the mission to Khartoum.

"I can't feel my butt." Bishop climbed, stiff-legged, out of the van.

Mirza didn't look much better. He slowly pried himself from the driver's seat and immediately started stretching.

A group of SFF fighters watched them suspiciously from the shade of a huge boab tree. Bishop didn't recognize any of them, but he had a good idea where their weapons had come from. Sporting AKs with optical sights and PKMs that looked fresh out of the crate, it was obvious Mitch had been busy bringing in weapons for the new SFF recruits.

"Mirza! Aden!" Jonjo appeared from another hut and jogged towards the men. He grabbed Mirza in a bear hug and reached out for Bishop's hand, pumping it wildly. "I was starting to worry!"

"No need to worry. The mission went off without a hitch!" Mirza extracted himself from the youth's grasp.

Bishop gave Mirza a sideways glance. "Yeah, smooth as silk. We even traded in the Wildcat. How have things been here?"

The three men walked over to the shade of another tree and sat down on a pile of ammunition crates.

"Not well. Garang has been away, trying to bring men into the fight. Some have come." He gestured towards the newcomers under the boab. "But not many."

"And the Janjaweed?" asked Mirza.

"They keep coming. I have done ambushes while you were away but the more we hit the more there are. Without the other militias to help us we are only delaying our defeat. In a few days we will have to abandon this village and move south."

"Where is Garang now?" asked Bishop.

"Recruiting. Should be back tonight."

"And Jess?"

"She's with the wounded. We have taken losses." There was a moment of silence before Jonjo continued. "Enough about us, what happened in Khartoum?"

"Omar is dead," said Mirza, matter-of-fact.

Jonjo's eyes lit up in excitement. "How? I want to hear about it!"

As Mirza told the story, Bishop left them and walked over to the hut that served as the medical center. He nodded at the nurse who manned the desk in the waiting area. Without pausing, he continued to the next room, ducked through the plastic sheeting that kept out the dust from the operating table, and found Jess.

She was working on a soldier who had been shot through the upper arm. The man was heavily sedated and lying on a portable operating table. Bishop noted the bright lighting and other equipment that Mitch had provided. He grabbed a surgeon's plastic gown and put it on. Cleaning his hands from a pump pack of hand sanitizer, he donned gloves and a mask and walked over to the table.

The slug Jess had pulled from the man's arm hit the tray with a clunk as she looked up from the wound. Bishop noticed the heavy bags under her eyes.

"You're looking a little tired there, Doc."

"Aden, you're back." She flicked a stray hair out of her face with the back of her gloved hand.

Bishop gave her a broad smile. "Wild horses couldn't drag me away."

For a second the fatigue seemed to lift from her face, then she focused back on the bullet wound.

"Let me close up for you." Bishop moved around to her side.

"Would you? I'd love to sit down."

Bishop took the plastic tray with the needle and sutures from her hand and directed her to a chair in the corner of the clinic.

"Did things work out in Khartoum?" she asked. The doctor hadn't been privy to the details of the actual mission.

"Yeah, things worked out OK." Bishop started to close the wound, pressing the sides of the torn flesh together as he sewed. "How have things been here?"

"Plenty of wounded." Jess answered flatly.

"What about Garang?"

"What about Garang? I haven't seen him in two days. When I did see him he completely ignored me."

"I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind."

"Don't make excuses for him, Aden. He doesn't deserve them."

Bishop finished closing the wound and wiped it down. He dropped the sharps in a safety bin and stepped back from the table.

Jess got up from her chair to inspect the wound. "He's not going to be happy with that."

"What? Why?"

"Your stitches are too neat. The worse it looks, the more they like it. You know, boys and scars."

Bishop laughed and Jess called out for her nurse. She gave a set of instructions and removed her garb. Bishop followed her lead and they walked back into the waiting area.

"You know, without you most of these men would die," Bishop said.

"You mean without Mitch! That man's an angel. Everything I ask for he delivers."

"Without good people equipment is worthless."

"Tell that to Garang. All he cares about is being the big man. He—"

Jess's rant was interrupted by Jonjo bursting into the room.

"Garang called, he wants you and Mirza to come to Juba and meet with the other militias."

"Trying to rally more support to the SFF flag?" Bishop asked.

"Yes, he thinks that if you are there the others will join us."

Bishop nodded and turned to the doctor. "You need anything from Juba, Jess?"

"Actually I wouldn't mind checking in with the hospital. If I go with you I can also show you where the SFF safehouse is."

"Sounds good. We'll run it past Mirza."

They left the clinic and walked over to where the other PRIMAL operative was inspecting a new AK under the shade of the boab.

"Mirza, it's good to see you again," said Jess.

"And you," smiled the PRIMAL operative.

Bishop dropped onto the crate next to him. "What do you think Mirza? You up for a day trip to Juba?"

Mirza thought for a moment before replying. "I think you should go; any extra support could turn the battle. I should stay here and work with Jonjo and the others."

"That sounds like a plan. Jess and I will head to Juba. We'll take the Hilux. Jonjo, you and Mirza stay here and keep up operations against the Janjaweed. We'll only be gone two days. Hopefully we can get more tribes to join us. Any objections?"

There was silence from the group.

"Excellent. Jess, we'll roll in a few hours. I need to get a bit of shut-eye before I fall asleep on my feet."