Pride of the Veld

groups. Occasionally researchers and other scientists get special permission to view the site privately. The area is particularly sensitive: it’s a breeding ground for dozens of birds currently classified as threatened or endangered, and two that are extinct outside this range.
    “He charges a great deal of money to the tour groups to help pay for security and conservation. Oupa would never allow any groups to come now. The birds are still nesting, and any disruption from outside can cause mated birds to abandon their nests and chicks. We’re here to keep an eye on things from a distance.”
    Andrea looked so devastated that Geo squeezed the man’s hand gently. After a sigh Andrea continued. “The men met me at the airfield. I’d been booked on a flight out of Rand, and by this time I was completely done in. I’d been traveling almost continuously for seventy-two hours. Seeing my name on that placard was a relief, I can tell you.
    “There were three of them altogether― all kitted out. They grabbed my bags and had me stowed in an old Range Rover before I could even say ‘thank you’; it was only later, thinking back, that I realized the truck was wrong. If the Christiansen Reserve had sent someone to get me, it would have looked… cleaner, a newer model with the Reserve logo on it or something. But I was exhausted. I fell asleep immediately and when I woke up we were already deep in the bushveld.”
    Andrea looked off into the distance, remembering. “It was rough going, no roads most of the way…” Danie snorted at the apparent understatement, but Andrea pushed on. “We set up camp that first night, and I was busy going over my notes and maps. They were a little vague about where the base camp would be. They kept telling me that it would depend on what we found there, which seemed to make some sense.
    “It’s so vast here― just occasional bluffs and thorn trees to break up the grasslands. I got some great shots, but I was anxious to get to the falls and start photographing the birds. I couldn’t believe my luck at the timing― we’re in the middle of nesting for some of the species…” Andrea trailed off and looked to Geo. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have done this unlicensed. You have to believe me. I don’t know why my agent would do this.”
    “Money,” Danie injected gruffly. “It’s always money with them .”
    “Who?” Geo had pulled out fresh gloves and a suture kit from the medical bag.
    “Everyone. Everyone but you, Geo.” Danie’s smile had turned warm and golden as he looked at Geo.
    Geo smiled and shook his head. “I like money.”
    “If you liked money, Geo, you’d agree to sell the Reserve to the hotel group like your uncles want.”
    “Oh, well I don’t love money. I just want to be close friends with benefits.” Danie rolled his eyes at him and turned back to distract Andrea from Geo’s preparations.
    “Tell me about the men, Andrea.”
    “Oh, the man who did all the talking was introduced as David Botha. He called the driver Junior. There was another man but he just stayed in the back with his rifle the whole time. Never said a word until yesterday… he, he scared the piss out of me. I heard Botha call him Karl…” He hissed as Geo dug into the torn flesh of his arm.
    “Mmm. Sorry,” Geo mumbled.
    “This Botha― describe him to me.” Danie used a finger to turn the Italian’s face away from Geo working on his arm.
    “He’s late-forties maybe, light-brown hair cut short. Blue eyes, scar on his cheek. Very tan. A little shorter than me, I think, but bulky― going soft around the middle. Broke a few fingers in his day, pinky and ring finger on his left hand are twisted, like they were crushed and not set properly… oh!” Andrea suddenly jerked up, causing Geo and Danie to both shove him back down, Danie keeping his left hand planted firmly in the middle of the man’s chest.
    “Shit, don’t fuckin’ move!” Geo cursed. “It’s bleeding again, dammit!”
    “Sorry, sorry…” Andrea panted, but his eyes were lit in excitement. “I don’t have to describe them to you, get my camera please.”
    One glance at the photograph of three men standing around a battered truck had Danie reaching for their satellite phone. Geo watched him check the phone’s charge before calling the compound.
    “Christiansen here!” his grandfather’s rich Afrikaner accent boomed out of the phone. Danie yanked it away from his ear, switching it to speaker