Chapter 10: Chapter 10

It was a moonlight night, and it was at its best because it made the security lights at the Excalibur Restaurant and Night Club unnecessary. Colleen was enjoying the view of the lagoon from the balcony where she sat to the extent, she was held spellbound. The waiter had to tap her on the shoulder to draw her attention when he brought her drink. She couldn’t help marvelling as the waves gently washed over the rocks and uniquely returned to the sea. “Hello, do you mind if I join you?” A middle-aged man broke into her thought. She observed him closely before responding. He was smiling at her, showing a cut set of dimples and crinkles at the corners of his eyes. His tall frame filled out the ash-coloured suit he wore to perfection, it was as if he was aware of the effect, he normally has on people especially the opposite sex because he carried his height proudly and with distinction. “No, I don’t mind,” she replied as she approved of him. She was also stunning in a red party gown with white pearls shimmering around her neck. She had let her hair grow into a mantle of thick, long tresses and it cascaded to her shoulders. “I’m seeing you for the first time.” The man said as he settled on the chair facing her. “I frequent this joint and I’m very popular around here.”

“Is that so? This is not my first time,”

“I’m Prince Timmy, the Managing Director of Timmex Holdings Limited Mpoto.” He introduced himself. “I’m currently a Special Adviser to the State Governor on Chieftaincy Affairs.” He added arrogantly.

“It sounds like you are doing very well.” She observed.

“You can say that again,” He intoned as he signalled to the waiter, “You are very beautiful…” he commended, “May I know your name?”

“Are you here to woo a girl or to relax?”

“Well, it depends on the way you look at it, because to me, getting to know each other more is part of relaxation.” He explained. “You are here alone to relax. Aren’t you?”

The waiter arrived and he ordered goat pepper soup and a bottle of star beer while Colleen also said she wouldn’t mind the pepper soup but doesn’t want any more drink as she was yet to finish the one with her, the waiter hastened to obey.

“Okay, I agree with you that I’m here to relax but not to get hooked by a playboy.”

“I beg your pardon, I am not a playboy,” He guessed the lady was teasing him, “I only believe in the saying that all works, and no play make one dull.”

The waiter returned with their order and serves them. “So will you please tell me your name?”

“Babina,” she lied.

“Babina, that is a nice name,” he said as he attacked the goat pepper soup, his face doddering as he chewed.

“What does your organization do?” Colleen asked guessing that nothing would please him more than an opportunity to flaunt his ego and mostly to divert his attention from probing her. His face lit up in an expansive smile as he took a gulp of his drink followed by a noisy belch after which he heaves a sigh. “We are chartered accountants, apart from that, we are also into importation of computers and other electronics and their distribution.”

“You must be making it?”

“You can say that again; we have branches in the United Kingdom, and China.” He explained.

After eating, he looked at her with a level of seriousness and asked her, “I will like us to spend some time together, Babina, I promise to pay you very well, just name your price.”

“Excuse me, do I look like a whore to you?” She feigned annoyance.

“No, not at all, I don’t regard you as one, I just found you irresistible.” He took a sanitary tissue from his pocket and patted his brow. She suddenly relaxed and smiled at him.

“Okay, Timmy, but it is going to be basically on my terms.”

“Spill it out, my angel,”

“I don’t live in this town; I’m here only for a business.”

“Yes, I said it!” He exclaimed, “I said you are new here.”

“I’m lodged into a room at the hotel beside us here,”

“You mean the Lagoon Resort?”

“Yes,” She nodded with a smile,

He got on his feet, “What are we waiting for? Come on let’s go,”

As they went, they passed Nabeel and Conan at another table who pretended not to notice them at all. The next day, a special courier delivery arrived at Prince Timmy’s office to deliver a copy of the video recording and photographs of his sexual escapades with Colleen to him. He coughed out fifty thousand dollars through a special arrangement to the blackmailers. In no time, Nabeel relocated his family to another part of the city, he bought a duplex and changed his siblings’ schools; they started living comfortably.

ΩΩ

One evening, they were all in the office, doing a general clean-up of all their materials. Nabeel was going through the collection of photographs both those that have paid off and those they have not contacted, “Why can’t we contact these?” Nabeel asked.

“Some of them are suicide missions if we should venture into them.” Collins answered, “We took the pictures for the fun of it because you never can say, opportunities might present themselves in future.”

“Who snapped these pictures?” He asked casually.

“Our agents on the field,” Conan answered after taking a glance at one of the pictures. He gasped when he sighted the picture of Lt. Gen Nasir and Aliena in a warm embrace. “What is it?” Colleen asked, she was filled with dust from the cleaning and clearing of worn-out books, files, and folders. She came over to his side.

“That was General Nasir and his girlfriend at a village cultural day two years ago.” Conan explained, “One of our agents captured it for us.”

“Did you try to get across to him?” Nabeel inquired still fixing his attention on the picture. “If he couldn’t pay, I’m sure the lady should be able to pay, or you don’t know who the lady is?”

“That picture could be interpreted in so many ways. It could be interpreted as a casual embrace. To me, it is not convincing and above all, we are not into this venture to die, Nabeel, as I told you earlier, attempting to blackmail a military officer is a suicide attempt,” Conan said, “As for the lady, I never thought about that, she could be all these University ladies who run after sugar daddies.” Conan explained.

“Can I have the picture?” Nabeel requested, praying quietly Conan shouldn’t reject his request. “Why do you want the picture? You want to go and strike a deal with him?” Collins asked.

“You can have it, Nabeel, but if you can squeeze something out of him, get us our share, okay?”

“Sure, Conan, thank you for your consideration.” He said with a glee in his eyes. “There is a suggestion that I have,”

“What is it about?” Conan asked.

“I think we need to be trained on self-defence and how to handle arms,”

“Nabeel is right; it has crossed my mind to raise the suggestion. We face some dangerous elements sometimes,” Collen said she has finished cleaning the shelves, so she came to sit down on the sofa, exhausted and worn out.

“Not sometimes but all the time,” Collins added.

“Many of these elements would love to have their pound of flesh back; it is a necessity.”

“It is okay, I will arrange for that.” He turned to Colleen, “Go and get us refreshment, I believe we are all hungry now.”

ΩΩ

Agent Marni had never been this scared all her life, as she packed her essential belongings hurriedly; she strongly felt something was wrong somewhere. Her intuition was always right. This had saved her life many times in the line of duty as a security agent. It was because of her zeal and bravery that she was brought to the Presidency and attached specifically to guard the president’s daughter. After the President’s daughter died, she was queried and placed on suspension. She would have been arrested and detained for interrogation, but a powerful force was foot-dragging the investigation. Her partner: Agent Donna who was interrogated was brutally murdered in cold blood. She wept when she heard about Aliena’s death. She couldn’t remember when she ever wept like that, not even when her mother was brutally murdered by a kingpin, she was trailing some years back with Agent Braxton. Aliena was like a sister to her. Her excesses notwithstanding, she remembered a discussion she had with Aliena sometimes back when they were returning from a visit to Lt. Gen Nasir. Aliena had ordered the car to stop and asked the chauffeur to excuse them, “I want to discuss something that is bothering my mind with you, Marni,”

“I’m all ears, Miss Aliena,” Agent Marni who was sitting in front answered, turning back to face Aliena.

“I’m somehow confused as I am right now,” Aliena said huskily, “Can I confide in you?” “Yes, you can…” Agent Marni replied, wondering what could be bothering the wealthy lady.

“I’m pregnant.” She announced tenderly,

Agent Marni unconsciously let her mouth opened in utter amazement. “I don’t need the baby now because I just pledged to my father to be of good behaviour; I promise him to go back and complete my degree course,” The tears she had forsworn stung the back of her eyes as she spoke tenderly.

“Miss Aliena, the pregnancy shouldn’t deter you from fulfilling your promises.” Agent Marni said.

“You don’t understand, Marni,”

“May I ask who is responsible for the pregnancy?”

“No! Marni, don’t go there! I can’t tell you that,” Aliena said bracing up. “Call the chauffeur and let’s get going,”

Agent Marni sensed there and then that trouble was brewing, for all she knew, Aliena had no boyfriend. The only person she used to visit frequently apart from Sherry was Lt. Gen. Nasir and most times she preferred to go alone. Twice or thrice Agent Marni had to trail her just to be sure she was in safe hands. Few days after that discussion she decided to bug Aliena’s cell phone. She just wanted to save her head in case of any eventuality. She knew the repercussion of eavesdropping on the President’s daughter, but experience had taught her to always follow her hunch and not morality. She was eventually proven right with the subsequent communication Aliena had with Lt. Gen Nasir which went to prove to her that her suspicion was right; the Lt. Gen was the one responsible for the pregnancy. The death of Agent Donna was a pointer that someone was desperate to cover up something. She also suspected her Assistant Director because he was a distant relation of Lt. Gen Nasir. She stumbled upon the report that Agent Donna wrote before her brutal murder. The Agent kept a copy for her; it was a report of what she suspected led to the President’s daughter’s death. If the agency was to work by it, Lt. Gen Nasir was supposed to be behind bars by now, but the report never reached the Director’s table, instead, Agent Donna was murdered in cold blood. Her mouth twisted with pains and her body quivered with suppressed emotions. The sudden twinkling of the clock announcing two o’clock brought her back to reality. She hastily finished her packing in two medium-sized traveling bags. She looked at the room for the last time, so much to pack but so little time. She knew they will soon attempt to take her life. She and Donna used to run shifts to guard the President’s daughter; Donna had been taken down so remaining only her. She wouldn’t wait for that to happen. She regretted that she had given in so much but gained so little because, at thirty-two years, she couldn’t boast of anything except a fat bank account, no family to call her own because of this so-called job. She braced up and concentrated on dragging the bag. Her apartment was on the second floor, as she opened her door to the staircase, she saw a thick-set man in dark eyeglasses tiptoeing towards her door. He was wearing black jeans, an oxblood polo neck sweatshirt, and a coat. His face tightened when he saw Marni and his right hand slid inside his coat, but Marni’s reflexes were always on alert as she hastily let go of her luggage and took in a flying tackle. Her right leg slammed against his chest, and they went down together in a heap on the red carpet. The guy managed to get his pistol out but because of the closed range, he couldn’t fire, instead, he took a sideswipe with the barrel at Marni’s face, but she saw it coming and got her shoulder up in time to take a numbing blow on the fleshy part of her bicep that made her wince. She came at him with a swift razor-slash karate job at the wrist that sent the pistol flying off in a dangerous curve. She followed swiftly with a monkey blow at the ribs. The guy whose attention was on the pistol grunted and made for the pistol crawling on all fours; Agent Marni quickly picked one of her heavy travelling bags and threw it on the guy’s head, followed by two heavy kicks in the stomach. The guy went numb. She dived for the pistol, got it before him, and pointed the gun at him. “Now, you will talk to me,” She snarled, breathing faster and her countenance ferocious.

“You bastard! You can’t escape this!!” The guy said, spitting out blood from his mouth. The gun had a silencer attached to it, as she shot him in the thigh, he cried out bitterly. “Are you ready to talk now or you want me to finish this?” As he did not attempt to cooperate; she hit him on the head with the butt of the pistol and he fainted instantly. She hastily searched him and discovered his cell phone, a lighter, Mpoto Army Identification Card bearing the name of Corporal Delius, and his wallet. She packed everything and carried her bag to the door. She was sweating profusely after it all. “Whew!” That was a narrow escape!” she pondered tiredly. As she reached the exit door, her reflexes came to her rescue again. “What if they are more than one of them?” she paused, dropped the luggage, and drew out her pistol. She crouched soundlessly towards the exit door. She took a deep breath and opened the door, poised ready with the silenced pistol, she was right, a guy stood beside a black Peugeot car just a few yards away from the gate. He was getting impatience from the way he kept looking towards the building. She opened the door and stood before him; her pistol pointed to his chest. He froze in surprise; he did not expect her to be alive. “If you make any false move, I will blast out your heart.” She threatened and moved towards him. She searched him, removed his pistol, identity card, and wallet. “Now go and carry the two pieces of luggage at the door; we are going for a holiday,” She ordered, “Don’t worry about your colleague; I have taken care of him.”

The guy didn’t hesitate, he carried the luggage, dropped them into the booth and they drove out of the quiet compound and joined the mainstream of traffic for the city. “Where are we going?” The guy whose name she deduced from his identification card as Corporal Eduardus asked. He was behind the steering wheel.

“Go straight and turn right at the Tee-junction,” She ordered. He obeyed and stopped the vehicles under a big tree. “You are going to be plain with me, Corporate Eduardus; if you do, I will let you go but if you try to be smart, I will show you I’m smarter.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Information, who send you and why?”

“Major Garteh sent us to eliminate you, to be frank with you, I don’t know why.”

She pondered over the information briefly, “Major Garteh works for Lt. Gen Nasir. Isn’t it?”

“Yes, he does, but to be honest with you, we don’t know anything about their plans; ours is just to carry out orders.”

“Strange but I believe you, Corporal,” she said, smiling. “You will drive out of the city,” she ordered. As he kicked the ignition to life, one of the cell phones with her began to ring. It has Corporal Eduardus’s own. “That should be Major Garteh,” Corporal Eduardus suggested.

As Marni made to retrieve the phone from her bag, she let down her guard and Corporal Eduardus used the opportunity to make for the pistol. A struggle ensues between the two of them, in the process, Marni pulled the trigger which caught Eduardus in the stomach. “A... a... re...revolution is…is.is looming,” Corporal Eduardus spluttered before giving up the ghost.

“What revolution?” Agent Marni asked frantically. The cell phone was still ringing as Agent Marni deposed the body in the nearby bush and drove the vehicle out of the city.