Dawn of the Epoch

Chapter LIII - The Reunion

“Lock and load Hongo. Let’s do this.” Hunter said.

Hunter seemed to be in high spirits. He thrived on adventure.

“Alright. I’m making the call.” Hongo said.

Tiyana was able to get a helicopter. A local banker owned one that he rarely used. He was more than happy to let the hanger authority rent it out for a few hours for the right price. It was not in great condition, but Tiyana thought the important parts looked reliable. She waited for her phone to go off with her fingers on the throttle.

Hunter waited at the front door of a warehouse. Virgil waited on the roof of an adjacent building. He watched and waited. Hongo stood with Hunter. He made the call.

“Yes. Please tell Mister Chivambo that Doctor Sudbø is running late today. He would like to meet you by the warehouses at the docks. He understood that he was going to inspect cargo today. He will be there soon.”

The secretary asked him to wait. He said, “Okay.”

“That will not work for Mister Chivambo,” the secretary said. “He will wait for the doctor. Tell him that he can go ahead and arrive late.”

“Okay. Will do.” Hongo hung up the phone.

After a few minutes, Hongo called back.

“I cannot reach him.” Hongo said. “His phone must be either turned off or out of service or he does not have it on him. If Chivambo can meet today, it seems that he must go to the docks. Doctor Sudbø believed that he would inspect contaminated fruit in containers there today. Actually, he was very excited about it. I am sure that if Chivambo could find the time to drop by that the good doctor would show gratitude. Please tell Chivambo that.”

The secretary let out an audible sigh of exasperation.

“Please stay by your phone.” She said as she hung up.

A few minutes later, Hongo got the call. Chivambo was coming.

“Alright, so we’re in business?” Hunter said with his excitement bubbling visibly beneath the surface.

“It seems so.” Hongo replied.

“Hongo, I don’t know if I have ever told you this. I probably should have. You are a good friend. I honestly do not know what we would have done without you. I just want you to know that, whatever happens, I appreciate everything that have done and are doing for us. I know Tiyana feels the same way.” Hunter’s adrenaline pumped through his veins, his inhibitions relaxed, and he opened up with his emotions.

Hongo, for once, laughed. “I know. What would you do without me?”

As Chivambo’s truck approached, Hunter and Hongo heard Virgil’s voice over the earpieces that they wore.

“I see two vehicles. Both look full. Wait. Ok, I see another truck. It is coming from the other side. It is parking behind the warehouse. They may come in the back entrance. They do not want you to know about the third vehicle. I cannot make out the faces yet. I will tell you if I see Ghaelvord or Malacoda. If all that they sent are soldiers, then you can handle them. If I see Dahjaat, we will pull the plug.”

“Agreed.” Hunter said over the microphone.

“I should get into position now.” Said Hongo.

Hongo ran toward a large crane. He climbed up it and hid behind a beam. He carried an AWC G2 bullpup sniper rifle. As usual, finding a black market arms dealer had not been difficult. Hongo’s position was about halfway between the warehouse door and the edge of the port. Over the edge of the port, a one thousand horsepower pickle-fork speedboat was moored.