So this is the first part of a new story I've started working on. If you like guns and intrigue, I suggest reading it. There's gonna be a lot of action and gun fights and car chases and single malt scotch, It's a little change of pace then my usual stories. And I hope you enjoy it. Lemme know if you want to hear more of this story.

Saharan Nights

The quickly melting ice cubes made a slight clinking noise as they were dropped into a small rocks glass. They cracked and clinked more, as they were followed by four fingers of a luke warm single malt scotch. The glass was then hoisted into the air lazily and to the short muzzle of a smiling Cheetah. The glass of scotch didn't stand a chance, and was sucked down in it's entirety in a matter of seconds, ice cubes and all. The Cheetah smiled and refilled the glass with more ice cubes and scotch. He turned and looked around his hotel room through a pair of large mirrored aviator sunglasses. The hotel room was of a medium size, and decorated modestly with an assortment of cheap imitation African art and overall, had a very touristy kind of African theme to it. The Cheetah, standing at about 5'11" , fit into the theme quite well. Dressed in a pair of khaki shorts and a simple black and tan button Hawaiian style shirt with palm tree motifs on it. The shirt was unbuttoned down the front exposing his thin but athletic frame. His outfit completed by a pair of blue flip-flops. And with all of these combined, he looked like quite the tourist. His gaze wandered to a large brown suitcase on the single bed in the room and then over to a set of double doors that lead out to his balcony. Sipping on his drink, he wandered over to the two doors and swung them both open and stepped out onto the balcony. A hot breeze brushed through his short brown hair as he stepped out into sweltering heat and looked up at the blistering noonday sun, hovering in the a totally cloudless, aqua sky. He again sipped at his drink and then smiled, looking out over the sprawl that was Strummsberg, South Africa. He looked over the balcony from the 14th floor of the Zaonoa Hotel at the crowded and busy streets far below.
"It's good to be home."
He said to himself, taking another sip from his drink. His ears twitched and he turned around as he heard the door to his room open. Sauntering back into his room, he spoke around an ice cube he had plucked from his drink and popped into his mouth.
"Excellent, I need more towels brought up and I'll need another bottle of Scotc-"
He stopped mid sentence and spit the ice cube out onto the floor. He raised an eyebrow at a black rhino, easily a foot and a half taller than him, and dressed in a dark blue Strummsberg Police Officers uniform, walking towards him through the open door.
"Can I help you wi- GAAAHH!"
His sentence was cut off as the rhino, without warning, lifted one of his massive arms and clamped a huge vise-like hand around the Cheetah's throat. He was practically lifted up off the ground and slammed into the wall a few feet behind him, hard enough to knock the wind out of him, his sunglasses and drink clattered across the floor. In the blink of an eye, the rhino had produced and large, and wicked looking horn handled knife and held the blade up against the underside of his chin. The rhino gritted his teeth and stared into his eyes with a seething hatred. The Cheetah smiled and was able to choke out some words as he struggled to breathe.
"You spilled my drink."
"Danial... Danial.. Sargent Danial!! Let him go!!" Said a familiar voice from the doorway.
The rhino, sneered and let go of the Cheetah, who fell to the floor gasping for air. The Cheetah panted and motioned at his sunglasses, which were on the floor a few feet away, next to the rhino.
"Hey, could you hand me my glasses, Officer?"
The rhino lifted a large boot and stomped on the pair of sunglasses hard enough to make the floor shake slightly and then kicked the smashed glasses at him. The Cheetah sighed unhappily.
"Aww.. Man, why'd you do that? Those were expensive."
The rhino said nothing and turned and tore open the suitcase lying on the bed and starting searching through it not too gently, throwing the Cheetahs things all about.
"Oh come on. Do you really have to do that?" The Cheetah lamented.
"I'd quit your talking if I were you. Sargent Danial came here with the intention of ending your miserable life."
The Cheetah slowly stood up and brushed some dirt from his shirt and smiled, looking up, his gaze fell upon a frowning lion. The lion's sandy brown mane was corded into thick, tight dreadlocks. He stood roughly about the same height as the Cheetah but with a much more solid and muscular build. He wore the same blue Strummsberg Police officers uniform as the Rhino, with the exception of a few extra badges and medals and a silver epilet on one shoulder. On his head, he wore the bright red Beret of a Strummsberg Police Commissioner.
"Namadasi, it's good to see you too." The Cheetah said insincerely.
The lion narrowed his eyes at the Cheetah and crossed his arms.
"That's COMMISSIONER Namadasi to you." The lion snarled.
The Cheetah took and expression of mock surprise and held his hands up.
"Oh! My mistake. COMMISSIONER Namadasi, That's quite a step up from your former position as a hired thug for Nabari. The new Mayor must really like you. But if you'll excuse me, I need to get settled in, as I just got home and would really like to relax."
Namadasi smiled slightly and then took a fast step forward and with lightening speed, hammered his right fist into the Cheetah's stomach who instantly collapsed, gasping for air. Namadasi yelled down at him, and proceeded to kick him a few times to emphasize each sentence he yelled.
"This is NOT your home Kyle Weisel!!! You may have been born here but your family was from Denmark!! This is NOT your country!!!! And we don't want you here, war dog!!! Your kind only brings death and misery everywhere you go!!!"
Namadasi stopped as the Rhino held up a stack of about 8 passports he had found in Kyle's luggage.
"Look what we have here, Commissioner Namadasi." Sneered the rhino.
Namadasi looked at the Passports and then down at Kyle.
"Still up to the same old shit Kyle, I could throw you in a the darkest hole in Strummsberg Prison and make sure that it is YEARS before you even go to trial for those Passports. But, I'm not like you, no, I am not scum like you. I actually have a conscience, so I'll make you a deal. I'll give you 12 hours to get your filthy hide out of Strummsberg. And it'd be wise for you to leave South Africa all together. And so help me God, if you ever come back here, war dog... Sargent Danial would like nothing more than to tie your sorry ass to a Fire Ant hill and watch you die. And I think I would let him have his wish."
Namadasi reached down and hefted Kyle to his feet. And shoved him roughly into a wicker chair in the corner of the room. Kyle swayed in the chair slightly and reached and touched his busted lip that was now dripping blood down his chin. He smiled wryly.
"So Commissioner, before you go, I'm just curious. How'd you even know I was in the country?"
"You have 12 hours Kyle. And I am dead serious. Do not test me." Namadasi said as he turned and walked towards the door. The Rhino glared hatefully at Kyle and exited the room. Namadasi stood in the doorway and looked back at Kyle.
"Not that it matters, but I knew you were in the country after my security personnel at the Airport informed me that your friend, Offer Yischak, had passed through customs. He would have no reason to come to South Africa if you weren't here. I suggest you tell him that he should leave as well, I hate him ALMOST as much as I hate you."
Kyle nodded and chuckled. "Well, you have yourself a fine afternoon, I hope that your new position as a Johnny Law helps you clear your conscience of those rebels you tortured and murdered when you were one of Nabari's Secret Police."
Namadasi spun quickly.
"You just don't know when to shut up, do you?" Namadasi growled as he quickly closed the distance between them.
Kyle knew what was coming, and smiled.
"Love you."
He managed say, a split second before Namadasi's iron-like fist connected with the side of his face. There was a flash and then everything went black.

"Kyle? Kyle? You alright?"
A voice slowly drifted in through the blackness. Far off but starting to get louder.
"Kyle? Earth to Kyle? Wake up!"
Kyle slowly opened his eyes. He began to realize that he was lying on the floor as the darkness started to lift and he was able to see. Standing over him was a tall Spotted Hyena in a brown button up short sleeve shirt and a pair of blue jeans. The Hyena nudged Kyle in the head with one his large hiking boots.
"Lemme guess, Namadasi beat you up? Huh?" Asked the Hyena.
Kyle smiled up at the Hyena.
"Hey Offer. Nah, I got hit by a car."
The Hyena cocked an eye brow.
"Got hit my a car in your hotel room, eh? Damn, he must've hit you in the head pretty hard. You haven't called me by my real name since Cambodia."
Kyle started to get up.
"Sorry Crab, It won't happen again."
He grinned and then winced in pain as he got to his feet.
The Hyena sighed.
"Yeah, I should've known that wouldn't last long."
Kyle laughed and walked over towards the bathroom.
"So Crab, what brings you to South Africa? I thought you were busy in Syria working for the IDF?"
Crab laughed.
"That was six months ago. I've been on vacation since then. And then I hear that your spotty ass is getting back in the game and was doing some work in your home country no less. I couldn't have you going and having fun without me. Besides, I could always use the money."
Kyle entered the bathroom and proceeded to take the lid off the tank on the back of the toilet and reach his hand into the water. Hey yelled back to Crab as he fished around in the toilet tank.
"Oh?? So now you think you're working with me again? AND getting a cut???? That's pretty ballsy, Crab."
Crab was in the process of pouring himself a scotch from the bottle on the dresser.
"Oh come on Kyle, don't do me like that, man. You know you need me around to watch your ass."
Kyle came out the bath room carrying a wet black plastic bag He was in the process of tearing open.
"Crab, Catch!"
Kyle tore the bag open, producing two handguns from the bag, a Glock 19 and a nickel plated Beretta 92. He then threw the Glock 19 to Crab.
Crab grabbed it out of the air with and examined it, laughing.
"Haha, how'd you know I was coming, you son of a bitch?"
Kyle smiled and loaded a fresh mag into his nickel-finished Beretta 92, and racked the slide, loading a round into the chamber and tuck it in a small concealed waistband holster in the back of his shorts and pulled his shirt down over it.
Crab shook his head and smiled.
"Damn, you're still carrying that piece of shit nickel Beretta. I don't know why you've held onto that thing all these years. That damn thing almost got you killed last time."
Kyle smiled sheepishly.
"It's got sentimental value, and that time was just a fluke, a one in a million."
Crab gave him a confused look.
"Sentimental value? You stole it from a police officer in Egypt. And that wasn't just a fluke, the damn thing almost got you killed that time in Cambodia, too!"
Kyle rubbed his temples.
"Okay, so two times, no big deal."
Crab smirked and stuck his pistol in the back waistband of his jeans.
"The third time's a charm, man. You should get something more reliable. I don't want a have to bury you anytime soon."
Kyle laughed.
"Ninety-Nine lives man, I am invincible."
"It's nine lives, dipshit. And I guarantee you've already used all of them up in the 10 years I've known you."
Kyle went over and started digging through his ransacked luggage until he found what he was looking for, a large pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses identical to the ones that the Rhino had smashed. He put them on and looked down at his watch. He smiled at Crab and started walking towards the door of his room.
"Time to go, We got a meeting to get to."
Crab pointed at Kyle's feet.
"You're wearing flip-flops, man. Aren't you gonna put on some real shoes?"
Kyle looked down at his flip-flops, wiggled his toes, and then looked back at Crab and shrugged.
"Nope, Let's go."
Crab sighed and followed Kyle out the door into the hallway.