The Chase

By John Mosdell

Jason and Jane are in Zimbabwe working for the V.S.O. organisation.
With a group of four others they visit a remote game reserve deep in the African bush. They are confronted by a gang of armed poachers who intend to steal their vehicle and the other members of the group are brutally murdered but Jason and Jane manage to escape by running for their lives.
They are chased on foot by two of the gang who are determined to eliminate them as witnesses. They race through the bush and desperately try to keep ahead of their hunters, knowing full well they will be slaughtered if caught. Jane is injured and unable to continue running so she and Jason are forced to resign themselves to their fate. They are temporarily reprieved when one of the pursuing gang is accidently killed but Jason is compelled to leave Jane behind and she remains hiding in the bush as he searches for help.
The storyline turns to Isaac, one of the killers chasing them, giving an account of events from his perspective as he relentlessly tracks Jason and Jane through the wilderness.
Jason is nearly caught again by Isaac but manages to escape as night falls.
He finally finds help and sets in motion a full-scale hunt for the gang, with the police and army combining in a search and rescue operation.
When Jason eludes him Isaac is forced to backtrack and he goes to search for Jane; eventually rejoining his comrades in the stolen vehicle as they try to reach safety by crossing the Zimbabwean border with their hoard of elephant tusks.
Jason leads the search party to find Jane. He also joins in the hunt for the gang and is subjected to a bizarre twist of fate as he tries to prevent Isaac from escaping justice.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Mosdell
• Release date: Dec 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781370809110

Book preview

The Chase

John Mosdell

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2016 John Mosdell

CHAPTER ONE

It was Saturday morning and the battered Landrover bumped its way along the narrow Zimbabwean track throwing up clouds of thick dust in its wake as it passed over the scorched earth. The occupants of the vehicle were heading deep into the African bush and the only means of access to their intended destination forced them to use a primitive trail hacked out of the wilderness a long time ago. Jason sat in the back of the open vehicle with his three companions, all young British students who had offered their help to Voluntary Services Overseas, a charitable organisation that fights poverty in struggling countries worldwide. He was nineteen years old, over six feet tall, blue-eyed and fair-haired with an athletic build and he was aware that this combination made him attractive to the opposite sex. Having finished his secondary education in England he had made the decision to take a year off before attending university. His father had been working for the British Foreign Office in Kenya in 1970 when he was born and he had been reared in East Africa for the first twelve years of his life as his father had moved from country to country, following a career path to enhance his position at the Foreign Office. Jason and his younger brother had moved with his parents each time, spending long periods not only in Kenya but also in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. It had been tiresome to keep changing schools as they entered each new country, losing old friends and being forced to make new ones on each occasion, but it had given him the opportunity to visit new places and see some of the magnificent scenery and landscapes the different regions had offered and he had revelled in the experience of accompanying his parents on the numerous safaris they had organised to see the East African wild game which, at that time, were abundant in game reserves. Although he had been quite young at the time, he appreciated he was very privileged to have been able to experience such pursuits and subsequently, as he matured, he felt the need to ‘give something back’ when the right time presented itself.

His family had finally returned to England in 1982 and Jason had been sent to a boarding school in Berkshire to complete his education. He had detested his first years there. The winters were so bitterly cold and the countryside unremarkable in comparison to the magnificent scenery that many parts of Africa had provided. When the summers did arrive they were short-lived and he had desperately missed the warmth of the African sunshine all year round. He had been forced to face a shocking change at his new English school. From having had almost complete freedom in the casual and relaxed atmosphere of his primary education in Africa he had been thrust into the strict and unyielding regime of a typical public school. The enforced discipline backed up by severe punishment for any misdeeds, coupled with the bullying and the curtailment of any true freedom, had been hard to bear but he had excelled in sporting activities and found consolation in the kudos that this had brought. Having survived the ordeal of the system he had been persuaded to believe his strength of character had benefited greatly from the experience. As he left school, he had jumped at the chance to work for the V.S.O who had a strong presence in Africa and he had opted to join their Zimbabwean project based near a township in the west of the country, in a remote part not a great distance from the Zambian border, where most of the local population were poverty stricken, education standards were meagre and their self- sufficiency almost non- existent.

His three fellow passengers, Mark, Alan and Jane, were from similar backgrounds, all pre-university students like himself, though this was their first trip to Africa. They were dressed in the customary shorts and t-shirts and very grateful for the cool breeze that the travelling vehicle provided, giving them some respite from the overbearing heat of the day. Jane was sitting opposite him in the rear of the Landrover, her head turned away from him as she studied the passing scenery. Jason smiled as he looked at her. She was so pretty, he mused. Her deep blue eyes, short blonde hair, slim build with all the bumps and curves in the right places matched her petite figure perfectly. She was planning to study at Leeds University after her year with V.S.O and he found himself feeling naturally protective towards her, not only because she seemed to be so vulnerable in this new environment but because this was her first time away from home and she had found some aspects of the primitive lifestyle in their base camp somewhat daunting. There were times when there was no hot water available, most of their meals comprised of a very basic staple diet, toilet facilities consisted of holes in the ground and snakes were abundant in the area. He had used his past experience in Africa trying to make things easier for her and she had been appreciative of his efforts. They had met nearly three months ago at the start of their project. They were the only two assigned to help educate thirty local African children whose ages varied between six and ten years. Mark and Alan and several other volunteers had been assigned to help the local farmers improve their living standards, giving self-sufficiency guidance to the adults so they could become more effective at growing their crops, thereby creating surplus food which they would then be able to sell in order to gain an income. Other V.S.O operatives were training youths to acquire various skills, mostly connected with farming, so that they could also become self-sufficient in the long term.

Some of the children delivered to him and Jane had received barely any education, as none had been provided by the state, whilst others had briefly attended missionary schools before moving out of the catchment area, forced on by poverty or the drought that had plagued the region. Jason constantly marvelled at how most of the children could speak reasonable English despite many of them never having been educated to do so. It had proved difficult at first to satisfy all the needs of the kids in only two classes as they’d had such a varied level of education but he and Jane had settled on a tiered format which encompassed all the basics of learning how to read and write and they had been delighted with some of the results. They had spent many hours together after lessons had ended, almost on a daily basis at the beginning, formulating their educational strategy for the coming weeks and Jason had found himself rapidly becoming smitten by her.

Over time their friendship had evolved into an emotional bonding but it was difficult to carry on with any kind of romantic relationship in their current circumstances as men and women were strictly segregated at the campsite, subsequently there were few occasions when they could slip away quietly together and be entirely alone. In recent, snatched moments of privacy he had tried to develop their relationship, kissing her passionately and embracing her. She had responded willingly but each time he had tried to caress her more intimately she had brushed his hands away protesting that this was neither the right time nor place for such actions. This of course had made him even more determined to find ‘the right time and place’ and his passion and desire for her grew immeasurably. Now as he gazed at her his eyes wandered over her figure taking in the flimsy top that did nothing to hide her ample breasts, then down to her white shorts that left most of her shapely legs exposed. He felt the sap rising within him and at that precise moment Jane turned around to face him, smiling as she met his gaze. Jason smiled back guiltily, shifting uneasily on his seat. If she had been able read his thoughts he reflected, or even suspected that he would have given anything to be able to ravish her then and there on the floor of the moving vehicle, regardless of their audience, she would have probably slapped his face very hard. She looked away again and he relaxed, forcing his mind back to reality.

The liaison officer of their group, a genial Zimbabwean named Gathaga, had arranged this little expedition as a treat on one of their few rest days from their project. He sat up front with the driver, Joshua, who was employed by the National Game Parks Department and he was taking them to a waterhole in a remote part of a game reserve a couple of hours drive from where they were stationed. Jason had taken an immediate liking to Gathaga. His English was excellent and he possessed impressive organizational skills. He had arranged a welcoming barbeque for his new volunteers when they had first arrived in Zimbabwe and they had all been introduced to his plump wife and five small children. Jason marvelled at how he was able to rear his large family on the pittance that his job paid him, but he was jovial and a capable administrator and good at putting everyone at ease.

Their vehicle bumped and jolted violently as Joshua suddenly steered away from the main track and took a narrower path that led them in to denser bushland. Jason guessed it was nearing the end of their journey and his excitement arose at the prospect of seeing wild game. This was not an ideal time to visit a game reserve as the land was parched and dry. It was the hottest time of the year and the current drought had lasted for over a year. Few animals had survived the lack of water in that area and those that had survived were very wary of humans. Still, their driver had said there might be a chance of spotting a few elephants or even a rhino near the waterhole, if the waterhole hadn’t dried up, and they had left the base camp after breakfast, timing their departure to reach their destination by mid-day. The plan was to have a lunch break; stretch their legs then conceal themselves at some vantage point where they could watch for animals that might come for a drink. Prior to their trip a game warden had explained to them that in the vast area of bushland that surrounded their camp, this waterhole was the only one left that could still produce a trickle of water from its underground source. In great detail he had described how, due to the drought, the water had receded quite dramatically from its normal level, exposing the tall reeds at the water’s edge. The pool was about the size of a tennis court and the water was clouded with mud. The area around the pool was populated with fever trees from which the nests of African weaver birds hung precariously. Thick black mud surrounded the pool, marked by the footprints of numerous animals that used it in the past as the only source of water for miles around. All other waterholes in the region had dried up long ago and the animals had to travel large distances in order to benefit from its life-giving fluid. He told them they were likely to see some game if they remained still and quiet and were patient. Jason glanced at his wristwatch. It was now 11-30 a.m. and as they rounded a bend in the track Joshua began to slow down until he finally halted, parking the Landrover under the shade of a large acacia tree nearby. In a hushed voice, he told his passengers to disembark quietly. He explained they were less than fifty metres from the waterhole and must approach it stealthily in order not to disturb any animals that might already be there. As they climbed down from the vehicle, Jason went to Gathaga and told him he needed to relieve himself. Urging the group to go ahead by saying he would catch up presently Jason then whispered surreptitiously into Jane’s ear. Don’t rush. Take your time. She saw the twinkle in his eyes and responded immediately by whispering to the others I’ll wait for Jason.

Gathaga nodded his agreement then he and Joshua began to lead Alan and Mark through the bush down towards the waterhole. Leaving Jane by the Landrover Jason walked to a clump of trees nearby to complete his intended task. A few minutes later, he strode back to Jane and took her in his arms. Taken by surprise she squealed at first then relaxed as he kissed her. Pulling her to the back of the vehicle so they couldn’t be seen by the others, he embraced her and she responded timidly. As they clung to each other tightly their bodies melded together and Jason felt the familiar rushing surge of desire for her. He slipped his hands under her top and fumbled for the clasp on her bra strap. She did not resist and the bra became loose. Jason moved his hands to her front and clasped her breasts, one in each hand, caressing them gently until he felt her nipples harden beneath his touch. She moaned softly and pressed herself against him, her eyes closed. He lifted up her top to expose her pear-shaped breasts, intent on sucking her nipples to give her more pleasure. As he lowered his head to her breast, she suddenly pulled away from him, hastily tugging down her shirt and stepping backwards.

Jason felt a rush of disappointment. What’s the matter? he asked.

Jane scowled at him. You can’t do that here! Not in the open like this.

Jason laughed. Nobody can see us. They’re all down by the waterhole.

Jane struggled to do up the strap of her bra. What if someone came back?

Nobody’s coming back. We’ve only just arrived said Jason, trying to hide his frustration. He had been warming to the idea of seducing her out here in the bush, taking advantage of the situation and the time they would have later as they waited for any game animals to arrive. He went to her again, trying to take her in his arms, but she eluded him. I’m not going to be caught here with my boobs hanging out. I’ll never hear the end of it if they see us! Jane squealed.

Jason was desperate to resume his seduction. I promise you there’s nobody around. We can go behind those trees over there if you like he said, indicating with his head.

No! said Jane, looking annoyed. They’re expecting us to join them right now. Reaching inside the rear of the Landrover she grabbed a water container and took a long, cool swig before offering the bottle to Jason. He took it reluctantly, realising his opportunity had vanished for the time being. Taking a drink from the bottle he dropped the container back in to the vehicle and poked his head around the side of the vehicle to glance in the direction of his friends who had by now almost reached the waterhole. She was right. They’d be expecting them and any further delay would only raise questions. He started on his way to join the others when something ahead caught his eye. It was a flash of sunlight, a bright glint of light reflected off something shiny, like a mirror or highly polished metal, and it was moving. Some instinct made him hesitate and he stopped in his tracks. The light flash had come from an area of thick bush twenty metres to the left of where his friends were standing by the waterhole. For a moment he thought another member of the party had detoured in order to relieve himself then he dismissed the idea because he could see all four of his companions. He started down the path again, intent on drawing their attention to what he had seen, but before he had moved a few more paces he saw two men emerge from the thick bush. They were Africans, bare footed, and dressed in tattered khaki shorts and dirty sleeveless shirts and both of them were carrying rifles. Jason stopped again, his instincts telling him something was very amiss. He knew enough about Africa and its historical conflicts to discern that local tribesmen were forbidden by law to carry guns and it was very unlikely that these scruffy men were game rangers or even soldiers as they were out of uniform. As if to answer his doubts a further two armed Africans suddenly appeared from the same cover and all four men began to walk menacingly towards his companions. At this point Jane came up behind Jason on the pathway and started to overtake him. Alarmed, Jason reached out and grabbed her arm before turning around and pulling her back gently to the rear of the Landrover.

Wriggling to free herself Jane said What are you up to now? We’ve got to go.

Jason silenced her by putting his finger to his lips, and then he pointed to the strangers approaching their companions at the waterhole. I don’t like the look of this. Something’s wrong he said. Jane studied the scene and was perplexed but she trusted Jason and they concealed themselves behind the vehicle so they could watch events without being seen. They heard one of the armed men call out to the group and Gathaga stepped forward to greet them. They saw the gang encircle their friends