Donker Web – Fanie Viljoen
School edition
Chapters 36 - 68
<h36>The secret (geheim) of the burnt (gebrande)
book</h36>
When I get out of the shower (stort) the next morning, I realize
(besef) that someone went through (gekrap) my things. I find my
passport (paspoort), bankcard and money still (nog) in my wallet
(beursie), but the burnt (gebrande) book is gone (weg).
It’s not under my clothes or under the bed. Suddenly Ayla appears
in the doorway, asking if I am looking (soek) for something. I lie
and say I am just cleaning up (skoonmaak) a bit.
Xander enters and Ayla asks if I did not perhaps lose (verloor) a
special book. I sigh and she throws it on the bed. I have been
caught out (uitgevang) yet again.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 1
,Xander asks why I didn’t tell them about it and I reply that I did not
think it was important (belangrik). He pages through the book and
stops at a diagram, saying he will bet (wed) his front teeth
(voortande) that it is the chemical (chemiese) structure (struktuur)
for Mandrax. I turn cold.
He continues by listing a bunch (klomp) of other chemicals, which
I have never heard of, and he exclaims that he also did not know
what it was until he researched (gaan soek) it; turns out, it is a list
(lys) of the deadliest (dodelikste) chemicals that exists (bestaan).
I wonder out loud who would use them and Xander glares (gluur)
at me when he tells me about Biopreparat, a Russian (Russiese)
agency (agentskap) that developed (ontwikkel) biological
(biologiese) weapons (wapens) back in the day (destyds). It was
known (bekend) as Project Coast, a part (deel) of South Africa’s
dark past (verlede). He goes on to shout at me about substances
(middels) such as Paraoxon (NB for later in the story) that were
made by scientists (wetenskaplikes) during Project Coast. If one
were to do a post mortem, they would attribute (toeskryf) the
person’s death to parathion, a common (algemene) poison (gif)
used in farming (landbou).
Then there is sodium azide which is used in the production
(vervaardiging) of explosives (plofstowwe) and in preservatives
(preserveermiddels). Symptoms appear (verskyn) within (binne) 8
minutes: you feel as though (asof) your lungs (longe) are
exploding (ontplof), you cannot breathe (asemhaal), your blood
pressure (bloeddruk) drops (val) and before you know it, you are
in a coma and dead within two hours. But yes, Xander ends his
rant, there is nothing important in the book.
Plank joins us. He just woke up (slaperig) and states that we are
making a noise (raas). I quickly tell him that Xander found the
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 2
,book. Plank’s eyes grow big (rek).
I ask Xander where the Mandrax fits in (pas in). He answers that it
was apparently (glo) the drug of choice in townships for the men
from Project Coast. They made ecstasy and variants (variante) of
methaqualone. The book probably (seker) belongs (behoort) to
someone who worked there.
Ayla asks where I found it and that I should stop lying (hou op met
leuens). I answer that someone couriered (gekoerier) it to me
while I was still in Stellenbosch, but I do not know who. I tell them
about the note that accompanied the book: Maybe (miskien) this
well help you find (op te spoor) the Baker.
I say that I think the book belonged (behoort) to the Baker and
that he was involved (betrokke) with Project Coast. Xander is
incredulous and shakes his head, saying now he knows he cannot
trust (vertrou) me.
<h37>Cease fire (skietstilstand)</h37>
We avoid (loop draaie/vermy) each other until Xander calls a
cease fire (halt) that afternoon, saying we have to work together
(saamwerk) or stop everything and continue (aangaan) with our
lives.
I tell myself to keep (hou) my eye on the try line (doellyn) and that
one tackle on the way there (soontoe) must not get me down, so I
apologize about withholding information regarding the book.
Xander ignores my hand when I want to shake his.
He just asks if there is anything else I am not telling him and I
shake (skud) my head. He says we must meet on the terrace
(terras) since things have changed and we have to adapt
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 3
, (planne aanpas).
Xander opens his notebook at the mind map (breinkaart) that
reads Previous (vorige) projects? and says that we now know
Project Nursery Rhyme was not the Baker’s first rodeo, which
means we can lure/bait (lokaas stel) him with something other
than a project involving a virus. I agree (stem saam), saying that it
should actually have nothing to do with a virus as it will make the
Baker less suspicious (agterdogtig). Plank agrees with me.
Xander then writes down the word poison (gif). I back-peddle,
saying you can find poison anywhere and Ayla reminds Xander
that the dark web’s markets (market) forbid (verbied) the sale
(verkoop) of certain (sekere) things and poison is one of them.
Xander smiles and says people might not advertise it on their
pages, but you can always ask for it in a DM.
Ayla takes (haal) a deep breathe (asem), asking if we know what
we are getting ourselves into, but Xander tries to reassure
(gerusstel) her, saying she should think of it as a game and to relax
(ontspan), because he knows what he is doing. Ayla asks what will
we do when someone comes knocking at the door in the middle
of the night, wanting to arrest (tronk te stop) us. It sounds as though
she is speaking from experience (ervaring), but Xander puts his
arm around (om) her shoulder and says that we will be careful
(versigtig). Ayla replies that Xander is doing better and that she
does not want to lose (verloor) him.
I can see something inside of Xander softens (word sag); he
whispers (fluister) something to Ayla and their fingers intertwine
(vleg inmekaar). Only when she is calmer, do we continue.
Ayla suggests ricin when I ask about a poison. She informs us that
it is made from the caster oil plant (kasterolieplant) and as little as
a few (paar) grains (korrels) can kill an adult (volwassene). If you
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 4
School edition
Chapters 36 - 68
<h36>The secret (geheim) of the burnt (gebrande)
book</h36>
When I get out of the shower (stort) the next morning, I realize
(besef) that someone went through (gekrap) my things. I find my
passport (paspoort), bankcard and money still (nog) in my wallet
(beursie), but the burnt (gebrande) book is gone (weg).
It’s not under my clothes or under the bed. Suddenly Ayla appears
in the doorway, asking if I am looking (soek) for something. I lie
and say I am just cleaning up (skoonmaak) a bit.
Xander enters and Ayla asks if I did not perhaps lose (verloor) a
special book. I sigh and she throws it on the bed. I have been
caught out (uitgevang) yet again.
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 1
,Xander asks why I didn’t tell them about it and I reply that I did not
think it was important (belangrik). He pages through the book and
stops at a diagram, saying he will bet (wed) his front teeth
(voortande) that it is the chemical (chemiese) structure (struktuur)
for Mandrax. I turn cold.
He continues by listing a bunch (klomp) of other chemicals, which
I have never heard of, and he exclaims that he also did not know
what it was until he researched (gaan soek) it; turns out, it is a list
(lys) of the deadliest (dodelikste) chemicals that exists (bestaan).
I wonder out loud who would use them and Xander glares (gluur)
at me when he tells me about Biopreparat, a Russian (Russiese)
agency (agentskap) that developed (ontwikkel) biological
(biologiese) weapons (wapens) back in the day (destyds). It was
known (bekend) as Project Coast, a part (deel) of South Africa’s
dark past (verlede). He goes on to shout at me about substances
(middels) such as Paraoxon (NB for later in the story) that were
made by scientists (wetenskaplikes) during Project Coast. If one
were to do a post mortem, they would attribute (toeskryf) the
person’s death to parathion, a common (algemene) poison (gif)
used in farming (landbou).
Then there is sodium azide which is used in the production
(vervaardiging) of explosives (plofstowwe) and in preservatives
(preserveermiddels). Symptoms appear (verskyn) within (binne) 8
minutes: you feel as though (asof) your lungs (longe) are
exploding (ontplof), you cannot breathe (asemhaal), your blood
pressure (bloeddruk) drops (val) and before you know it, you are
in a coma and dead within two hours. But yes, Xander ends his
rant, there is nothing important in the book.
Plank joins us. He just woke up (slaperig) and states that we are
making a noise (raas). I quickly tell him that Xander found the
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 2
,book. Plank’s eyes grow big (rek).
I ask Xander where the Mandrax fits in (pas in). He answers that it
was apparently (glo) the drug of choice in townships for the men
from Project Coast. They made ecstasy and variants (variante) of
methaqualone. The book probably (seker) belongs (behoort) to
someone who worked there.
Ayla asks where I found it and that I should stop lying (hou op met
leuens). I answer that someone couriered (gekoerier) it to me
while I was still in Stellenbosch, but I do not know who. I tell them
about the note that accompanied the book: Maybe (miskien) this
well help you find (op te spoor) the Baker.
I say that I think the book belonged (behoort) to the Baker and
that he was involved (betrokke) with Project Coast. Xander is
incredulous and shakes his head, saying now he knows he cannot
trust (vertrou) me.
<h37>Cease fire (skietstilstand)</h37>
We avoid (loop draaie/vermy) each other until Xander calls a
cease fire (halt) that afternoon, saying we have to work together
(saamwerk) or stop everything and continue (aangaan) with our
lives.
I tell myself to keep (hou) my eye on the try line (doellyn) and that
one tackle on the way there (soontoe) must not get me down, so I
apologize about withholding information regarding the book.
Xander ignores my hand when I want to shake his.
He just asks if there is anything else I am not telling him and I
shake (skud) my head. He says we must meet on the terrace
(terras) since things have changed and we have to adapt
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 3
, (planne aanpas).
Xander opens his notebook at the mind map (breinkaart) that
reads Previous (vorige) projects? and says that we now know
Project Nursery Rhyme was not the Baker’s first rodeo, which
means we can lure/bait (lokaas stel) him with something other
than a project involving a virus. I agree (stem saam), saying that it
should actually have nothing to do with a virus as it will make the
Baker less suspicious (agterdogtig). Plank agrees with me.
Xander then writes down the word poison (gif). I back-peddle,
saying you can find poison anywhere and Ayla reminds Xander
that the dark web’s markets (market) forbid (verbied) the sale
(verkoop) of certain (sekere) things and poison is one of them.
Xander smiles and says people might not advertise it on their
pages, but you can always ask for it in a DM.
Ayla takes (haal) a deep breathe (asem), asking if we know what
we are getting ourselves into, but Xander tries to reassure
(gerusstel) her, saying she should think of it as a game and to relax
(ontspan), because he knows what he is doing. Ayla asks what will
we do when someone comes knocking at the door in the middle
of the night, wanting to arrest (tronk te stop) us. It sounds as though
she is speaking from experience (ervaring), but Xander puts his
arm around (om) her shoulder and says that we will be careful
(versigtig). Ayla replies that Xander is doing better and that she
does not want to lose (verloor) him.
I can see something inside of Xander softens (word sag); he
whispers (fluister) something to Ayla and their fingers intertwine
(vleg inmekaar). Only when she is calmer, do we continue.
Ayla suggests ricin when I ask about a poison. She informs us that
it is made from the caster oil plant (kasterolieplant) and as little as
a few (paar) grains (korrels) can kill an adult (volwassene). If you
PROPERTY OF M SOUNES NO COPYING, SHARING OR DISTRIBUTION OF ANY KIND ALLOWED 4
