Page 16 of Warlord’s Empire

Out the windows she could see a small airfield with a dirt runway and thick bushes on either side. There were no buildings except for a small shack with a windsock on it.

“We are in the Congo-Kinshasa.” He watched her carefully and she knew he was waiting to see if she’d done her homework.

As a graduation gift, he’d given her a book titled Welcome to the Congo. She’d read it cover-to-cover multiple times and then did her own research, learning everything she could about the area. She’d suspected he’d wanted her to, was trying to tell her something by sending the book. Turns out, she was right.

She was currently in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, referred to as Congo-Kinshasa by locals to differentiate the country from Congo-Brazzaville or Republic of the Congo, a neighboring country.

“Also known as the RDC or République Démocratique du Congo,” she told him, though of course he would already know that, but now he knew she knew her shit. “How far from Kinshasa are we?” Kinshasa was the capital city for the RDC.

“About 1000 kilometers northeast.”

They were still in the rainforest, so they hadn’t gone as far as the Ubangi-Uele plateaus, but they probably weren’t far from the Central African Republic border. “Are we near any kind of civilization?” she asked him.

“There are a few villages in the vicinity, but not the type of civilization you are likely referring to. I’ve stayed alive by keeping myself and my people off the radar.”

Once the engines were shut off, Radik unbuckled her seatbelt and took her hand, helping her stand. People were unbuckling and standing all around them, making the space feel claustrophobic.

Radik said something to Shola in Afrikaans, the words rapid. Something about securing the area.

“Are we in danger here?” Saskia asked as he led her off the plane and onto the dirt runway. Warm, humid air smacked her in the face, a light misting rain giving the lush forest around them a fuzzy look. It smelled wonderful, floral and fresh.

“You’re safe within my territory,” he promised, tightening his hand on hers. “I’m a cautious man when it comes to security. My vigilance has kept me and mine safe over the years. I will not compromise on security.”

Her heart sank. It sounded like he was taking her to what could become her prison. She doubted she could make it to any of the villages he’d mentioned on her own and she had no way to reach the outside world without a phone. Oh wait, her phone!

“Where’s my phone?”

“It’s safe,” Radik said.

“I want it back.”

“Not yet.”

A frustrated growl bubbled up her throat. “I’m not a child, Radik.”

A beat-up truck that looked like it should’ve been retired decades ago pulled up beside them and a man jumped out, tossing the keys at Radik who grabbed them. “I prefer if you call me Muhammed.”

“Fine. I want my phone, Muhammed.”

He led her around to the passenger side of the truck and opened the door for her. “Your phone can be traced and I would imagine that is exactly what your cousin is attempting to do.” He slammed the door shut, closing her in the dusty cab.

“Oh.” She hadn’t thought of that, but she did need to call her cousin. As Radik was climbing in the other side, she asked, “Can I borrow your phone? And do you happen to know Jozef’s number? I should probably tell him I’m safe.”

Radik laughed, the booming sound filling the vehicle with merriment and her with unexpected tingles. “You are of the generation that don’t memorize phone numbers.”

“Gen Z? Yes, I am. And the phenomenon is called information overload. We’re expected to cram a lot into our heads. Memorizing a bunch of pointless numbers is a step too far.” Was he criticizing her generation or admiring it? She wanted to make a Boomer joke but did a quick calculation. Nope, he was Gen X. “You’re aging yourself by mocking younger generations.”

He reached for her hand lifting it to his mouth and pressing a kiss to her fingertips before placing it on the seat between them, his hand still wrapped around hers. “I’m not bashing you, though it would be better if you did memorize the most important numbers in your life in case you find yourself in an emergency and separated from your phone.”

“Like now?” she asked sarcastically.

He chuckled, turning the key in the ignition. “You’re as safe as you can possibly be.” Vehicles moved all around them, surrounding their truck. One at a time, each vehicle was swallowed up by thick vegetation as they led the procession. She and Radik stayed in the middle of the pack as they drove into the rainforest.

“Yet you chose to send Ayaan away, citing that it was too dangerous for her to stay.” She stared at him, wondering if she shouldn’t have said anything. She knew he was touchy when it came to his sister, but he had a soft spot for Saskia making her think she could maybe push his buttons more than others could.

He seemed thoughtful for a moment before saying, “The situation was more nuanced than that. My sister was being pursued by one of my rivals, Chinaka. A vicious, conceited man. I feared for her life.”

Saskia conjured up an image of Ayaan on the Koba estate combat range and shook her head. “Ayaan is a formidable combat fighter. I think you underestimate what she’s capable of.” She gripped the dashboard as their vehicle swayed on the uneven dirt road, tree branches scraping against the roof and sides.