The Big 5

22

Johnny pulled his phone out and called Ludo “ hey babe. How are you doing. That’s good to hear. I’m doing good regarding the situation back here. Yeah I’m at the hospital right now. I couldn’t see him because I had to be with Prince earlier. Yeah he’s not handling all of this well. Hey I’ll talk you later okay, love you” and he hung up. He took the lift and made his way to the ward his father was located. He walks to the room and notices there’s no one at the reception or in the ward for that matter. As he approaches the door to his father’s room he notices that there’s no one. He checks if his father is okay and the machines show that Mr Molefe is still alive. He pulls out his phone “ yo Sean, there was no one at dad’s door. Now that I think of it I didn’t see any of our people at the hospital. A bomb scare at the office, nah look Sean get people here as soon as possible something doesn’t feel right. Okay I’ll take care of him” he hung up and ran out to check if the hospital was clear. The way the floor was so clear Johnny could sense that something was going to happen. He then saw a nurse and grabbed her by the arm and said “ I need your help”and she followed him back to his father’s bedside. Once they were there he said to her “ I think there are people coming to hurt my father,could you help me move him somewhere safe” the nurse looked scared and hesitant. “ look help me I will return the favor, surely you know who this is and what he can do.imagine what he can do for you if he finds out you saved his life”. They then moved Mr Molefe from the high care unit to one of the medical wards. Johnny then locked his father inside one of the rooms and went to the reception to look the doors to the medical ward. He then saw Daine Mendosa,Ray Haines,Obakeng Khatombela and Gerry Khosa walk in and walk past heading for the high care unit. He then rushed to his father’s side and unlocked the door and locked it again. He grabbed his father by the hand and said “ look Papa there’s people here to kill you but I won’t let them. I’m here to protect you, I should have not spent my energy being mad at you. I’ll take care of you” as he kissed him on the forehead. Then he felt his father gently squeeze his hand, then he looked up and saw tears streaming down his father’s cheeks. Johnny then pulls his phone and makes another phone call “ uncle T I need backup as soon as possible, I saw Obakeng and that police chief with two other guys. They were heading for the high care unit. Yes I moved him. I need back up” he then hung up. He sat by his fathers side waiting for backup. Johnnys phone rang 10 minutes later “ yes uncle T.okay I’ll go let him in.” He hung up and went to the door. He shook the man’s hand “ my name is Jacob Nketsi, Themba sent me. He also told me I should tell you that his people and Brutuses people had to go the offices, apparently there was a bomb threat.” Then Johnny’s phone rang again “ yes uncle T. I’m with him right now” then he hung hung up.“ he says the guys are a few minutes out. Did you lock the door” “yeah I did, hey do you mind if I see your father” Johnny shook his head and took him to his father’s bedside. Johnny sat on a chair and began to close his eyes. Jacob knelt and closed his eyes and kissed Mr Molefe’s hand and said “ hello ‘rrarona’ I don’t know if you remember me, but I am Jacob Nketsi. You managed to get the charges of manslaughter against me dropped. You saved my life” he then began to cry. Johnny sat up from the chair and asked if Jacob was alright.  Jacob wiped his tears and said “ your father is a good man, when the justice system failed me he protected me, when my own mother failed me he protected me. See I once had a family like you unil my mom divorced my dad and kept him from seeing us. Shortly after that she remarried again. I was 13 at the time. My stepfather for at least year he was good to me until on Sunday he invited me into garage” he started to cry and Johnny just looked at him cry. Jacob composed himself and continued “ he brought me into his garage and he r***d me, he continued to do so for 4 years until I decided to tell my mother. Do you know what my mother did, she took his side. Then she watched him beat me to a pulp. I woke up in hospital the next day. I have scar from the beatings on my back. Then when I turned 18 I decided I had had enough. Just like usual he called me to the garage and I obliged, but this time when he took my pants off I hit him with a spanner right in between his eyes, I then ran into the kitchen and before I knew it I had stabbed him. The police arreseted me and I was tried as an adult, they completely disregarded my pain, the abuse I had suffered at the hands of that man. Then one day in prison I was visited by your father and Tom who I assume is your brother. Within a week I was free and they even got me a job as a security guard at one of the shopping complexes. Then I asked your dad why did he help me what was the catch, and he said he will come to me for help one day and I should remember all he has done for me. I figured this was the time to come help him in his time of need”. Johnny looked at Jacob and they shook hands “ just like the nurse who helped me move him, I will not forget you sir” said an emotional Johnny.

“ hey Gerry tell me you guys finished the job” asked Derrick. “ theres a been a bit of a problem, it looks like he was moved” said Gerry “ what get out of there before anyone sees you guys” said a worried Mr Dambe. Derrick cut the call. “ I think it’s time you guys head back to Joburg, we cannot afford to be seen together” said Mr Dambe. “ agreed” said Robert. “ will you organize us safe passage back to south Africa” asked Patrick. “ yeah just get going” said Mr Dambe.

Johhny and Jacob left the medical ward and they went downstairs to the vending machines. They are then spotted by Daine,Ray,Gerry and Obakeng. “ s**t guys you guys can’t pass through here” said Daine. They all retreated back behind the corner, with Daine looking through at them around the corner. He pulled out his walkie talkie to make it look like he was giving instructions “ you guys leave behind using the emergency exit, I will try to distract Johnny and find out where his father is located”he said. “ okay we will do that, keep us updated” said Gerry. Johnny then notices Daine coming towards them “ you go back to my dad and lock the door, call Themba when you get there I’ll handle this guy” said Johnny. Jacob then left going up a flight of stairs. “ hi you must be Johnny do you mind pointing me to where your father is” asked Daine as he approached Johnny “ no f**k you!” replied Johnny who then hit Daine with a stiff right hand that sent the police chief to the seat of his pants. He then mounted him and hit a few more times before other officers in the hospital pulled Johhny of their boss, as they pulled him away he mangaged to break away from their grip and he hit the office on his left with his elbow before he hit the on his right with a left hook, Johnny then felt pain on his left knee, it was Daine who kicked him, he fell down to his knees before he was hit on the back of his head with something metallic. This knocked him out cold. “ get him out of here. I’ll deal with him later” said Daine who was huffing and puffing. He then touched his nose before he shouted “ f**k! This brat may have broke my nose”. The officers carried the out cold Johhny out of the hospital.