Why You Were Taken (Janita T. Lawrence) читать бесплатно онлайн полную версию книги

TSOTSI ₂₃

Johannesburg, 2021

Seth is in a communal taxi heading towards his apartment. His fellow passengers give him a wide berth as he tries to stem the flow of blood from his forehead. He was lucky the driver let him on. A pearl-clutcher wearing thick glasses clicks her tongue at him and calls him a tsotsi under her breath. He bumps Alba.

SD> In some trouble here, position at F compromised.

LL>> What do u need?

SD> Security check & bugsweep ASAP at my place. I’ll remotely disable my BM-retina access.

LL>> Motioned, will contact u when it’s confirmed clean. You need a bodyguard?

SD> Ha. Since when does Alba hve budget 4 bodyguards?

LL>> Worried about u. It can b arranged.

SD> I’ll b fine.

LL>> Famous last words.

SD> Hopefully not LAST words.

LL>> ROFLZ! Danger suits you. Never knew u had/sense/humour.

SD> Funny. Also, I’ll need someone/labs, I’ll b bringing in samples.

LL>> Excellent. Will have someone here ASAP.

Seth’s head stops bleeding.

* * *

Kirsten’s head stops bleeding. She switches on the shower and doesn’t wait for the water to get warm before she blasts her face, neck and back, then quickly towels off, leaving a Pollock of red and pink behind (Blood Marble). She throws on some fresh clothes: black, and steps into her dark trainers. Grabs her bag but leaves her Tile behind. Just as she is out the door she remembers the envelope and goes to fetch it, stuffs it in her bag along with a clean plaster and the pocketknife. She doesn’t have time to think, she just moves.