Carnivore Valley

Bad pasts

Arno leaned in "Saying you're from koevoet makes me realise that, it's super sketchy boet" Arno said knowing the Koevoet back in the day are responsible for a series of war crimes.

Greyling grunted "That's what I said"

"So even those in management?"

"Nah..." Greyling touched his chin looking up "Not all of them, I know for sure that eye candy Blake was a bit of a criminal"

Arno nearly spat his drink out "Blake!?"

"Yeah! Can you believe it!? Sexy ain't she!? She was a cyber terrorist of sorts, but I can't really call her a terrorist, she basically hacked into bank accounts and stole money for people, never for herself, then those who got the money only gave her a cut cash, that's how she stayed off radar"

Arno sat back "Noo shiiit? Just like that? What if she steals the money and they don't pay her?"

"She'd plant a virus into the bank accounts she forwarded the money to, then those who don't pay up lose everything, even gets them into the minuses by millions, sinking them so far into dept there's no way even the stolen money could save them"

"Fucksakes! This worries me! I gave her my bank account number man!" Arno said but Greyling laughed waving his hand.

"Relax, she's making more money here than she did before, I'm telling you, this place has some interesting secrets boet, I love sniffing around if I get the chance"

Arno nodded his head "I think I might enjoy it here"

"So, what are you here for? Or let's say, what bad thing do you have that made you qualify?" Greyling asked chuckling.

Arno smiled "Nothing really, apparently it was because I shot 47 men and got shot 11 times"

Greyling spat his brandy out making Arno laugh.

"You? You're that bullet magnet Brits sent!?"

Arno frowned "You know Brits?"

"He's my brother" Greyling said laughing.

"Holy s**t! Small world isn't it?" Arno said.

"No boet, trust me, if you don't have internal ties to this island you'll never get a job here, I'm the one who asked Brits if he has some interesting candidates for this rescue mission, and he sent you"

"s**t, so you can't even apply for a job here?"

"No, I know there's this African American chick that works here named Tanya who got her brother Bison in, and then..." He leaned forward "Helga, she's Rebecca's sister"

"The French foreign legion chick!?" Arno asked surprised.

"Yep! And from what I hear, Helga didn't want to come here, so Rebecca bought her from the legion"

"How much do you pay for a legionnaire these days?" Arno asked chuckling nervously.

"Enough to buy a Boeing seven four seven is what I heard"

This time Arno sprayed his drink out "You fokkin serious!?"

"Yeah, Helga had no choice, the legion told her to treat it as a mission"

Arno rubbed his chin "Wow man, that's some interesting s**t"

"Indeed, I hear Jade had her sister captured by the South African task force?" Greyling asked making Arno laugh.

"Yes! She's here..." There was a noise and Arno looked back, Genevieve came storming into the room and sat down.

"Whisky, on the rocks"

"Coming up" Greyling said and poured her a glass.

Arno gestured to Greyling with his head, then Greyling frowned at Genevieve "Holy s**t you're Jade's sister!?"

Genevieve threw her middle finger up "Say anything more and I'll shove this glass of ice so far up your ass you'll get f*****g brain freeze!"

Arno and Greyling burst out with laughter "Calm down sussa, I wasn't going to..." Greyling leaned on his elbows smiling at her.

"What?" She asked after downing her glass.

"I gave a contact I had in the South African task force's number to Jade, sorry sus, it was initially my fault you got busted"

Arno burst out with laughter again but Genevieve only threw herself another glass "Why does your accent sound as annoying as this mall cop?" She asked instead.

"Were both from South Africa"

She looked at Arno, then closed her eyes drinking away.

"So Greyling, tell me what the hell is out there in that jungle?" Arno asked throwing his thumb over his shoulder at the green scenery outside the window.

"You know, I never really cared about that in the past, not even now, heck it's a jungle, maybe Jaguars, Panthers, Tapirs? What else do you find in a jungle?"

"Gorillas" Genevieve said "Apes, maybe I must call animal control and tell them two escaped"

Greyling frowned "Escaped!?"

"I think she was talking about us boet" Arno chuckled looking at her, she produced a smile.

"So? Is your sister still alive?" Arno asked her.

"Why wouldn't she be?" Greyling asked surprised.

"Earlier she basically walked over me to get to Jade's office, I didn't even see if she took a gun with"

"She's alive... For now, the f*****g skank" Genevieve said making the men laugh.

"How much money did you make in Angola anyway?" Arno asked.

"Enough to happily retire early, but that's all down the drain now I guess"

"A shortcut to success is always a bumpy path" Arno said.

"Oh f**k me! Who the hell taught you that bullshit!? Your dad!?" She yelled at him.

"No, I made that up actually" Arno said making Greyling laugh.

"You have anything to eat here Greyling?" Arno asked.

"Yeah, but I have to prepare it first"

"Russian and chips?"

"Coming up" He said leaving to the back.

Genevieve frowned "Russian and chips?"

Arno tried to remember the other names for them "Uh, I think its called franks and French fries"

She took a sip "Why call it Russians?"

"I don't know! That's what they're called in SA"

"You two seem to get along at last" Blake said coming in with her laptop under her arm.

"No not really" Genevieve said before Arno could answer.

"Oh well, you're supposed to be a team now, remember that" She said sitting down on a separate table from them and opening her computer.

Greyling came out of the kitchen and gave a pause in his stride when he saw Blake "Hey! Want something to drink?"

"Glass of wine would be divine right now" Blake answered.

"Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot?"

"Merlot" Blake said making Greyling quickly scan the bottles and take it to her with a glass.

"Enjoy" He said after pouring it for her.

"Thanks"

Greyling batted his eyes at Arno as he walked back, Arno couldn't help give Blake one last glance before he turned forward again, but in his turning motion caught Genevieve staring at him.

"What?"

"You two like to gawk don't you?"

"Do not!" The both said but heard Blake laugh behind them.

"Why do you find it funny!?" Genevieve asked her.

"Oh, it's all fun and games, I saw Arno take a good look at you as well when you where asleep on the plane"

"What!?"

"Oh fok!" Arno jumped from his seat and made some space from her.

Genevieve held a fist to him "I hope you had a good look you bastard because if I catch you looking again I'll shove your head up your ass!"

"Yes mam! I heard you loud and clear!"

Genevieve turned forward and took a sip of her whiskey, Arno glanced at Blake who sat with her hand on her mouth, he could see she was giggling but kept it quiet, he gave her a wink.

"Unless maybe you want me to look?" Arno said but Genevieve turned and threw him with her half full glass of whiskey, he managed to catch it but the ice and liquid still hit his face.

"Ow! Fok man!"

"Listen to me you swine! Lay off! Or the next projectile will be made of lead! Not glass!"

Arno swallowed.

Genevieve slammed the bar with her fist "Barman give me another glass with ice!"

Greyling quickly obeyed her order and she took the glass and bottle of whiskey then left the room.

"f**k sakes!" Greyling said.

"Yea man, fokkin scary" Arno said still watching the door where Genevieve left.

"I don't know, you two would make a cute couple actually" Blake said.

"No fokkin way! I'd never date a chick like that! Ever!" Arno said taking a seat at the bar again.

"You sure boet? Did you see how red she blushed just now?"

"Was that before or after she tried to kill me with a half full glass of whiskey?"

"Before"

"That's the whiskey's fault then boet"

"She had a glass and a half Arno, it couldn't have been the whiskey"

"Stop trying Greyling, I'm not interested in a gun ho woman like that! Fok I won't even be able to sleep at night whilst dating her! Fok can you imagine!? If I screw up or make her angry!? She'll shove a rifle up my ass and blow my guts out my mouth!"

Both Blake and Greyling laughed "I must admit I'll agree with Greyling, I don't think that gun ho Genevieve ever had men look at her at all" Blake said.

Arno looked at her "No? I'm sure there was but she's just to stubborn to see it"

Blake sat back with her wine glass "Jade told me how Genevieve was a fitness freak, and men don't really like it when women out perform them" She shrugged "She never dated anyone when she was younger"

"She told me she screwed a US Marine once?"

"They were both drunk, it was a quick fling"

Arno turned forward "Well, I don't see any problems in having a woman out perform me? I mean, back in South Africa you always worry if your girlfriend is safe? Will she get robbed? Abducted and r***d? To tell you the truth a girl like Genevieve might even put my heart at ease, knowing she can handle herself"

Greyling looked at Blake who smiled before she drank her wine "He's talking sense you know..." Greyling said "My wife was killed in a robbery"

"And my parents as well" Arno said.

The two men lifted their glasses and gave it a clink, then drank to the memories of their family.