Страница 76 из 170
"No," he said instead. "I'll never sign that thing. You'll have to kill me first."
"I give you one last chance to change your mind." "No. Never! Peter Fungabera swivelled in his chair towards the tall sergeant.
"I give you the woman," he said. "You first and then your men, one at a time until they have all had their turn. Here, in this room, on this table." Christ, you aren't human," Craig blurted, and tried to hold Sally-A
The other twisted Sally-A
The sergeant was expressionless, neither leering nor making any obscene gesture. He took the front of Sally A
"I have one hundred and fifty men," Peter Fungabera remarked. "It will be some time before they have all finished." The sergeant hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her shorts and yanked, them down. He let them fall in a tangle around her ankles. Craig strained forward, but the point of the bayonet pierced the skin at his throat. A few drops of blood dribbled down his shirtfront. Sally-A
"I know how fiercely even a so-called white liberal like you resents the thought of black flesh penetrating his worn an." Peter Fungabera's tone was almost conversational.
"It will be interesting to see just how many times you will allow it to hap pi The sergeant and the trooper lifted Sally-A
Expertly they pulled her knees up against her chest and then forced them down, tucking them under her armpits.
They must have done this often before. She was helpless, doubled over, wide op and completely defenceless. Every man in the room.wls staring into her body's secret depths.
The sergeant began to unbuckle his webbing belt with his free hand.
"Craig!" Sally-A
"I'll sign it," he whispered. "Just let her go, and I'll sign it." Peter Fungabera gave an order in Shana, and immediately they released Sally-A
Then she rushed to Craig and threw both her arms about him. She could not speak but she choked and gulped down her tears. Her body shook wildly and Craig held her close and made incoherent soothing noises to her.
"The sooner you sign, the sooner you can go." Craig went to the table, still holding Sally-A
Captain Nbebi handed him a pen and he initialled the two top sheets of the confession, and signed the last one in full. Both Captain Nbebi and Peter Fungabera witnessed his signature, and then Peter said, "One last formality. I want both you and Miss Jay to be examined by the regimental doctor for any signs of ill-treatment or undue coercion."
"God damn you, hasn't she had enough?"
"Humour me, please, my dear fellow." The doctor must have been waiting in one of the trucks outside. He was a small dapper Shana and his ma
"You may examine the woman in the bedroom, Doctor.
In particular, please satisfy yourself that she has not been forcibly penetrated," Peter Fungabera instructed him, and then as they left the dining-room, he turned to Craig. "In the meantime, you may open the safe in your office and take out your passport and whatever other documents you need for the journey." may Two troopers escorted Craig to his office at the far end of the veranda, and waited while he struck the combination of the safe. He took out his passport, the wallet containing his credit cards and World Bank badge, three folders of American Express travellers" cheques, and the bundle of manuscript for the new novel. He stuffed them into a British Airways flight bag and went back to the dining-room.
Sally-A
"Your turn," Peter Fungabera invited Craig to follow the doctor, and when he returned Sally-A
Peter Fungabera was waiting on the veranda. "Goodbye, Craig," he said, and Craig stared at him, trying to project the full venom he felt for him.
"You didn't really believe that I would allow you to rebuild your family's empire, did you?" Peter asked without rancour. "We fought too hard to destroy that world." As the Land-Rover drove down the hills in the night, Craig turned and looked back. Peter Fungabera still stood on the lighted veranda, and somehow his tall figure was transformed. He looked as though he belonged there, likea conqueror who has taken possession, like the patron of the grand estate. Craigtwatched him until the trees hid him, and only then 4id the leaven of his true hatred begin to rise within him Al he headlights of the Land-Rover swung across the signboard: King's Ly