Chapter 31: Chapter 31

As I sit among the crowd beside the underboss, I see the consigliere climb up to the stage holding a mic in his hands.

“It's a great honor to have you all here today." He smiles as he says to the microphone. He is wearing a white suit and the shirt underneath is not buttoned to the top. It seems he has gotten a new hair cut and I hate to say it but it looks good on him.

“We have prepared the best of the best for you and you will not regret it." He says with a smile and I can't help but scoff. They have prepared the best of the best girls to be used as slaves and other mean things. It's just so unfair.

Just then when I turn around, my eyes meet the man the underboss showed me in the phone. He is walking in escorted by some guards and is heading to the front row. I breathe out and stand up to my feet before I start walking towards him with all the courage l can muster. And just when I get to where he is, I pretend to miss my step and I stumbled on my feet almost falling in front of him but then I feel two huge hands grab me. I look up and see that he's looking down at me with a smile on his face. Wheew, I would have lost a teeth or more if he hadn't caught me in time.

I quickly move away from him and stand properly.

“Are you okay, angel?” He asks leaning close to me. The fact that this old man is flirting with me just makes me want to...

“I asked if you're okay beauty?" He asks again intruding my thoughts and I quickly nod.

"I'm fine." I pretend to rush off to pass him as if l have an important place I'm going to. I walk into a small room where there's no one and I take a seat on the chair opposite the mirror before I heave a sigh. Looking around, it looks like a reception room or is it not?

As I am about going out of the room, a familiar figure walks in smiling at me. Recognizing the face, a smile crawl to my face and I walk close to him.

“Hey, Mike! Long time no see!"

He smiles as he nods at me, “I didn't know the person I'm asked to get is even you. I'm really surprised. How are you?”

I nod, “I'm fine."

He smiles, “You're looking really beautiful. It's a good thing you're out of here."

“Thank you. Who did you say asked you to get me?"

“The underboss. I will be the one to lead you up to the stage for...uh... for the bidding."

My smile suddenly disappears as soon as I heard that and I lower my head. “Oh."

He sighs and lifts my chin with his second finger. “Everything will be fine Kemi. I'm sure you wouldn't be auctioned off.”

I sigh and shrug my shoulders,"Yeah. It's hard to believe because l never know what they're planning. I'm just... I'm just very scared."'

He pats my shoulders, “It's fine." He sighs before he adds on. “The auctioning has started and you're number 10, so very soon, it will get to your turn."

My hands starts to tremble nervously. “What...uh...What do I have to do on the stage?”

“Well,you can walk around, dance around the pole..."

My eyes widen,"Wait...Dance around the pole?"

He nods, “Yes, but you don't have to if you don't want to. It's just that you can't just stand there, you will have to do something."

“But..." I couldn't say what I wanted before he cuts me off by placing his hands on my shoulders.

He reaches for a remote control on the table and puts on the TV which I'm only noticing for the first time. The auctioning displays on the screen showing the stage and how girls are being escorted there. There is a girl currently escorted to the stage and she is wearing almost nothing but a transparent mini skirt and bra. The man standing next to her is holding a mic and he starts talking. I guess he's the auctioneer.

“Michelle..."The guy points at the girl. “Number 3, hot and sexy and the best slut to serve you well. She can do anything.Price at 200 000 naira." She smiles as she finishes. I can't believe the are about to auction a human being as if she is a commodity. Music starts playing in the background and the girl lowers her body to the ground before she starts twisting her waist. There are visible whipped marks and scars over her body. She must have gone through a lot. Tears cloud my eyes as I see her dancing moving her hands over body in front of so much people.

"Is...Is that what I will be doing?” I ask in disbelief as I stare at the screen.

Mike sighs, "It depends on you but remember, if you don't get high bidding, your master will punish you and you might end up being sold out for a cheap amount to a more dangerous person."

I try to convince myself that I'll not be sold out and that I'm only luring someone for the underboss but a part of me is still scared of what might happen. I cannot trust the words for that man. What if he auctions me off?

“Relax Kemi, no one will hurt you."

I nod my head as I continue to watch the TV. I see few people raising up bidding cards and the last price stops at 500,000. The lady who brought her in takes the girl away and the man stands up to follow them.

I look away from the TV as I couldn't watch it anymore. After a while, Mike taps my shoulder. “It's your turn, Kemi.”

My body shakes in fear as I stand up.

"Don't be scared Kemi, just do you."

“Do me? This..." I wave my hands around the room. “-Isn't me."

He nods, "Of course." And then he starts leading me out of the room. I follow beside him as he walks me through the backstage to the stage. My legs tremble as I stand on the stage looking at all the unfamiliar faces. Oh God, this is too much. I look downwards as Mike starts to speak.

“Kemi..." He points at me. “Number 10, 3 million."

My eyes widen when I hear Mike say the price, he smiles and walk pass me leaving me alone on the stage. Everyone stares at me with no one raising up their cards, it's as if they're waiting for me to perform. My eyes meet the underboss' who stares right back at me blankly. I look away and my eyes meet the consigliere's whose own expresses... confusion? Why is he staring at me like he has no idea why I'm here?

I stand there like a statue without moving as my body trembles. Right now, I just wish the ground can open and swallow me already. If I run away from the stage, l'll definitely have my head for it and only God knows what they'll do to my family. If I remain standing like a statue without dancing like the other girls did, the underboss will not hesitate to sell me off still or probably blow off my head with his gun. And then if I try to dance like the other girls, I will end up embarrassing myself and fail. So then,what would I do now?

I look around the crowd and my eyes stops at ones that belongs to the man I need to lure for the underboss, Alhaji Bawa. He is staring at me and I stare right back at him. I actually feel stupid and like a total idiot right now but then, I see someone whispering something in his ear and l catch a smile appearing on his face before he raises up his bidding card.

“5 million." He says loudly and everyone starts mumbling among themselves, probably wondering why he would bid such an amount for someone who is only standing like a statue. A guy who is standing a little far from me says into the mic.

"5 million! Going once... Going twice..." And just before he says anything else, another man raises up his bidding card before saying loudly.

“7 million!"

I blink wondering what these men are doing. Are they seriously bidding so much all of a sudden because that man, Alhaji Bawa started it?

“Going once...Going..."

Another man raises up his bidding card.

“10 million!"

“Going once...Going twice...Going..."

And then, Alhaji Bawa raises up his bidding card. “20 million!"

Oh God. These people have no shame to be bidding for a human being as if I'm a commodity. I feel like dying God.

“20 million...Going once...”

And just before he could finish, someone climbs up the stage an whispers something in the auctioneer's ear before walking away.The auctioneer looks at me for a moment before bringing the mic back to his mouth.

“Uh...There has been a mistake somewhere. She's uh not to be auctioned. She's already someone's else property."

I turn to the guy blinking hard trying to process what he said. What is going on? What exactly are these people doing? Which person's property? I'm no one's property.

Mike walks up to the stage to meet me. "Let's go Kemi."

I nod and starts walking away with him. As my eyes travel to the crowd, I see confusion and anger in the eyes of the Alhaji Bawa. It seems as if he is about to explode from anger.

Mike leads me over to a rooms and shuts the door behind him. I sit on the bed wrapping my hands across my chest asl lower my head with tears streaming down my cheeks.

Mike moves closer and squirts before me taking my hands in his own.

"You weren't auctioned, so why are you crying?”

I couldn't speak as I continue to cry with my body shaking as well.

“Relax, the underboss stopped the auction because he has already taken you in. There's nothing Alhaji Bawa can do about it.”

I sniffle before raising my head slowly. "I have become nothing but a pawn...I...I know I signed up for this but..."

Mike smiles and place his hands on my shoulder. “-You had no choice Kemi." He sighs before continuing. “Remember when I told you my parents were killed?”

I blink my eyes and nod.

He smiles, "Actually, my family were traitors and the boss of this mafia ordered for us to be punished.And when I say punishment, mafia punishments are usually very painful and one could end up pleading for death..."

I see his eyes getting clouded with tears as he talks. I do remember when he had told me he was brought here at the age of 15 and had to watch his parents get killed in front of him. He didn't really tell me much details last time.

"-Kemi,are you listening?"

I jolt back at the sound of his voice.

“Yes Yes, I do remember." I nod quickly.

“-So well, my family betrayed the boss and the penalty was grave. They didn't plead for their lives but they pleaded for l and my sister's. The boss is not a merciful person so..." He breathe out trying to stop the tears in his eyes from flowing before he continues. "-So he ordered for us to be punished but then, someone came and gave them an offer..." He pauses as if hesitating.

I look at him and could see how pained he is. “An offer?” I asked him.

He nods, “Yes. He said...He said that he would make our pain.My parents readily agreed knowing very well what he meant by taking their pain away but they kept pleading with him to spare my life andmy sister's....”And then he couldn't hold it in any longer. The tears come running down his cheeks and I reach for his face to wipe his face with my thumb.

He smiles,"-Well he...he did take their pain away.He spared my life and I have to work for the family as a way to paying for my life. And my sister, he...he sold her off." He lowers his head as he finishes.

“This person, he killed your parents as a way of taking their pain, isn't it?”

He sighs,“Yes."

“Don't you hate him?”

He smiles and shakes his head, “Hate him? Either ways, my parents could have died and even both I and my sister but...He spared both I and my sister, so l don't hate him. I'm actually indebted to him."

"This person, who is he?"

Mike looks at me as if uncertain if he should tell me or not but then he stands up to his feet pulling me up as well.

“Mr Alexander Lawal, the underboss."

I stare at him as he says that. I am not shocked. It's something he can do anyway, that's the same thing he said to that man before he shot him dead that day. I don't know how he calls that taking one's pain. Who taught him that?

"So Kemi, everything would be fine. I have been here for some many years and...and I know small details about the underboss and one of those details is that, he would never go back on his word.”

I pursed my lips and sigh. I have no idea who to believe. “Your sister that was sold off, have you seen her since then?”

He lowers his head,“No.”

"So how would you call that helping?” Like how on earth would he call it helping when he hasn't seen his sister eve since? How would he know of she's fine?

He smiles, “I haven't seen her but I know she's fine. You won't understand Kemi. Just trust me when I say you're not going to be auctioned since you're with the underboss.”

“And if I'm with the consigliere?"

Mike smiles, “I have nothing to say about that."'

I sigh before you nodding.

"Come on, let's go outside."

Just as we are about leaving the room, a figure opens the door and walks in. My eyes widen as I see it is the consigliere who is standing close to the door staring at me with his hands in his pockets. Mike bows before him.

“Leave us alone Mike.” He says to Mike in a commanding tone.

Mike nods and exit the room leaving both of us alone in the room. I look away from him wondering why he's here.Does he want to give me a new mission or what?

He walk towards me, “Um...Are you okay?” He asks in a low voice. I raise up my head to look at him taken by surprise. He is asking me if I'm okay? Does he have a bipolar disease or what? Why is he suddenly acting like a gentleman?

I didn't say anything but only nod.

"I...I really have no idea. I didn't... Didn't know he was going to bring you.." He sighs and I didn't say anything but stare at his conflicted expression. He looks really confused and sorry but why? “-You know, I uh...I never know what's going through his mind.”

I still didn't say anything and looks away from him.

I hear him sigh and mutters something I couldn't grab.

“Why...Why are you here?” I manage to ask him still looking down.

“Well uh...I thought I was just uh... I was just passing by."

I nod my head.

“I guess you were scared."

I raise my head to look at him. He is staring back at me intently and I quickly look away swallowing hard. “Why would I be scared? It's not like that wasn't your intention also." I know I'm going to regret saying that but right now, I don't even care. These brothers just keep playing me like a tennis ball. If he wants to hit me, he can just carry on with it.

"I just said I have no idea he's going to do this Kemi."

I shrug my shoulders looking at him in the eyes. “Why are you suddenly trying to play the nice guy? I'm here to pay for my father's debt..." Tears start whelming up in my eyes despite my ability to prevent it.“-And that's exactly what I'm doing, isn't it? You wanted a spy, so you sent me to him and I'm trying to do the job well for you. So why are you suddenly asking if I'm fine? Are you concerned?”

He stares at me without saying anything. I expect him to start yelling at me or probably hit me any moment from now. “Yes." I hear him say instead and I look at him in surprise and confusion.

“Why? It dosen't make any sense."

"Heh... I know right." He sighs running his hand over his hair.

"If you have no assignment or should I say a mission for me, please go."

He reaches for my hand but I flinch, pulling my hand away as I move backwards scared that he might try to grab my waist this time.

He stares at my movement but didn't move any further towards me but then he scoffs and shakes his head.

“You don't actually think you can run away if I really want to touch you, right?"

I look away holding my hands together.

"I won't touch you, so relax.” He says in a calmer voice. Someone tell me where the man who nearly strangled me to death is or is he prepping me for another?

“You are no different from your brother so stop acting like a saint." I blurt out. The change in his expression makes me immediately regrets saying it. He starts moving close to me with anger in his eyes and I quickly start moving backwards until my back is against the wall. He stands close to me trapping me between his hands.

"I am not like my f**king brother, okay? So don't you f** king say that again, you hear me?" He yells at me and my body trembles in fear. I shut my eyes tightly before I hear him heave a sigh and then he moves away from me. He stands close to the door with a serious expression and his hands in his pocket.

“Don't forget to get the original document on time...my dear spy." After saying that with the coldness tone, he walks out of the room and tears roll down my cheek. I abruptly wipe my tears away trying to pull myself together. Why on earth am I crying? It's not like l was expecting anything different in the first place, still...

“Kemi?” A voice startles me and I turn to the door and see Robert standing close to it.

"Let's go."

I quickly wipe my tears and walk over to him. He holds my wrist stopping me as he takes a proper look at my face. “Why are you crying?"

I shake my head, “It's nothing, I'm fine."

“You don't look fine Kemi.”

“I said I'm fine.” I snaped at him before I could stop myself. "I'm... I'm sorry."

He sighs and nod, "It's alright, I won't ask again." He smiles lightly at me before leading me out of the room.

Xoxo