Guilty Eye

Chapter 4

Yes,I ran - leaving a woman to defend herself against God knows how many attackers. With machine guns.

Very unmanly of me,you might say.

But what could I have done? Stay with her and give her moral support?

Since I was unarmed and shaken,I did the sensible thing. I ran.

Southwards and upwards through the thickly forested mountains on the northern brow of the city of Mutare,I went.Even when sounds of gunfire reached me,I did not stop. I just breathed I silent prayer for Inspector Tsono and kept running.

After thirty minutes or so,I stopped to listen.Fighting to calm my ragged breathing, I could not hear any signs of pursuit.

By now I had just cleared the flat summit of Christmas Pass Mountain and before me lay a spectacular view of Mutare.Situated between mountain ranges,the city stretches from the east to the west.On the east are the homes of the who's who of the city:spacious mansions surrounded by high brick walls topped with razorwire.
A little west from these surbubs lies the business district which consists mainly of double story buildings standing cheek by jowl with a few taller structures. The far west of the city is the ghetto:smaller houses with smaller yards--the residents of which makes up over sixty percent of Mutare's population.

As I stood there, my eyes barely registering the view before me,I wondered about my family, about the brave injured cop who urged me to run.

Did she make it? If so can she fulfill her promise to protect my family? AND who the hell are these people?

Well, I was not going to find answers on the mountain, so I  trudged down towards the city.

        *         *         *
"Are you alright?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Ummm,because when we parted you'd been shot and the shooters were coming after you?"

A chuckle could be heard over the phone. "I'm good. What about you?"

"Where is my family?"

"Your wife and your kids are at your father-in-law's house. They're safe."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Have you found out who's responsible for all of this?"

Slight hesitation, "Well..."

"What?"

"I'm not in charge anymore, Mr Saka..."

"What!Why?"

"Well,the intelligence bureau has taken over."

I felt the wind go out of me.The Police Intelligence Bureau(PIB) is one of the most feared organizations in the country.

"...involves a high ranking foreign national, so it falls in their jurisdiction," she was saying.

"So...so what does that mean for me?What do I do?"

"Stay safe, I will come and take you to PIB's offices.Where are you now.?"

"Crow Motel,in Fern Valley."

"Ok,stay there,don't get out of your room.I'll be there in the evening."

She hung up.

I had called her from my room,using the front desk clerk's cellphone. I had left him a big tip when I booked in.