by Emma Easter
They continue to drive on, and though he was sandwiched between two of the men, he looked out the window. They were now driving on a long dirt road with no one anywhere around; no cars or houses. They continued to drive and then, from a distance, he saw a small plane waiting on a narrow strip.
Curiously, he focused on the plane, wondering what was going on. Who was on that plane? Was it the plane he would be deported on? Why a private plane? They stopped a few feet away from the plane, and the men got out. They ordered him out of the car.
He got out, and two of the men came and stood beside him. One of them pointed at the plane. “Move,” he ordered. Jude sighed and walked toward the plane.
And then his eyes widened in shock as Felix descended down the stairs. Felix reached him, and Jude shook his head. “You! You sent these men to kidnap me, Felix. Why?”
Felix glared at him. “Someone is waiting to speak with you on the plane, Jude.”
“Who?” Jude stared at the guy he had thought was his friend.
“You’ll see,” Felix answered, and nodded at the men. They took hold of Jude’s arms and pulled him toward the plane. He glowered at them and then at Felix. “I can walk by myself,” he said.
Felix nodded at the men again, and they let him go of him.
Jude huffed and walked toward the plane and climbed up the steps, his heart knocking. Felix followed behind. He entered the plane and saw a woman standing in the middle of the aisle, her back to him. But he immediately recognized her. Keziah!
She turned and looked at him. “Jude, you’re here,” she said. She walked up to him with her arms open wide as though this was simply a cordial visit between friends rather than a staged kidnap. He stood rigidly as she hugged him. When she pulled back, he narrowed his eyes and said, “What is all this about? Why was I brought here by force?”
Felix patted his shoulder, and Keziah said, “We're sorry we had to send those guys.” She pointed at the two men who had brought him here. “We knew if we did not bring you here by force, you would never agree to come willingly. Plus, we needed to show you just how serious our proposition was.”
“So you had me kidnapped… on my wedding day,” he snapped. “Listen, I don’t know what all this is about, but I need to get back. I am getting married to the woman I love today, and nothing in this world or out of it will stop me from doing so.”
Keziah frowned, and Felix took hold of his hands. “What we have to discuss with you, Jude, is way more important than this marriage of yours. We brought you here because we’ve been recruiting several of our countrymen who are scattered in different parts of this world. Not all, but the educated ones who clearly have leadership qualities. People who have what it takes to help us win the war for our beloved country and be part of the leadership that will take Bakali to great heights in the future.”
Jude stared at him in confusion. “What on earth are you talking about, Felix?”
“Our party, Jude. The opposition. We belong to an organization within our party comprised of patriots like me and Keziah. People who want to wrest power from the present government and restore our country’s glory. We brought you here to help us fight our cause.”
“What cause?” Jude asked in annoyance, staring at Felix and then at Keziah.
Felix sighed, a look of exasperation on his face. “Have you not been listening to everything I just said? We are part of an organization that fights the leadership of our great country. We want to remove the corruption and evil that has been taking place in our country and put in their place men who want better for her. People like you, Jude. We need you back there now to help us.”
Jude stared at them, wondering if they were both out of their minds. “Whatever you are up to, I want no part of it.”
Keziah said, “We will get married, Jude, and together we will do great things for our country.”
Jude blinked. “Are you both mad? So, you’re part of the people who brought war to our country. All the killing and madness that has been going on there is because people like you want to take control of the country. It’s all about power, isn’t it?”
Keziah shook her head slowly. “It’s not just about power, Jude. We want to sanitize the country, and if there is a little bloodshed in order to do that, then so be it.”
“Can you hear yourself?” Jude stared at Keziah. He could not imagine that he’d loved this woman who could speak so callously about power and bloodshed. He laughed harshly. “A little bloodshed. Is that what you call the full-blown war going on in Bakali? You call all the violence and killings ‘a little bloodshed?’”
Felix shrugged, while Keziah stared at him as though he were a recalcitrant child.
Jude shook his head slowly. “This is all madness. I have no interest in whatever organization you both belong to or in helping out your mad cause in any way. In fact, I am completely against it. The war in our country is because people are fighting for power and, the innocent suffer because of that. I cannot have any part in it. Your men will take me back to where they found me so I can go to my wedding.”
Keziah took Jude’s hands and said, “Forget about that woman you are about to marry. We have known each other since we were teenagers. We will get married as soon as we get to Bakali, and then…”
“Stop it!” Jude snatched his hands from hers. “Never! I don’t love you anymore, Keziah. I love Sofia. And after all you’ve both told me, I want absolutely nothing to do with either of you.” He started to walk out of the plane, but the two armed men came and blocked his path. He tried to force his way past them, but they grabbed him and pushed him back.
“Let me go!”
“Jude.” Keziah placed her hand on his arm. “Think about this. Why would you stay in a country that is not your own instead of coming to be part of the leadership of your home?”
“I have no interest in leading anything,” Jude told her angrily. “All I want is to marry the love of my life. Now, please let me go.”
“We cannot do that,” Felix said.
Jude struggled to get out of the plane, but the men in black suits held him back again. “Please, let me go,” he said desperately. He turned to Keziah. “You told me you were sorry for breaking our engagement that day I visited you. So you know how it feels. I cannot do that to Sofia. If you ever loved me, please let me go.”
She sighed, looking weary. She looked at Felix. “He’s not going to cooperate until we show him the video.”
Jude frowned. “What video?”
Felix looked at Keziah and then at Jude. He shook his head and said, “We hoped you would not have to see this, at least not now. But we have no choice.” He nodded at one of the men in suits. “Bring the laptop.”
The man went to the back of the plane and appeared a second later with a laptop. Felix turned it on and the screen came to life. His fingers moved quickly on the keyboard, and then he said to Jude, “Look at this.
Jude stared at the screen. A man sat on a chair, tied up. He groaned in pain and there were bruises all over his body. Another man dressed in black stood beside him, a gun pointed at him. Jude blinked as he moved closer to the laptop, his eyes fixed on the man in the chair. And then his mouth dropped open and he gagged in horror.
“My father!” He looked up at Felix and Keziah in revulsion. “Why are you showing me this? Why do you want to show me how he died?”
Felix shook his head. “No, Jude. He’s not dead, but he will be soon, unless you agree to come with us and do as we say.”
“What kind of sick joke is this?” Jude asked.
Keziah looked at him. “It is not a joke
Jude felt like someone had punched him hard. “Why would you lie just to get me to do what you want me to? You know my father is dead.”
Keziah pointed at the video. “Look at this, Jude. What date and time is this?”
Jude squinted as he read the date and time on the screen. It said July eighth, six fourteen p.m.
Keziah showed him her watch. “You know what tod
ay’s date is, don’t you? And this is the time. It matches exactly.”
His heart pounded, and he stepped back in fear. “No! It cannot be! You did something to this. I don’t believe it.”
“It’s true,” Felix said.
“No, it is not.” Jude shook his head.
“It is,” Felix insisted. “But even if it wasn’t, are you going to trade your father’s life and take that risk?”
Jude screamed. “You are both liars!”
Felix shrugged and said, “Fine, you can choose not to believe and go back to your Sofia. We will let you. But what if this is true and your father’s life is in danger? Will you let him die or will you come and fight with us? Your father’s life is on the line.”
“Why would you do this to me, Felix? And you, Keziah. Why was I told he was dead when he wasn’t?” Jude felt like someone had snatched his heart out of his chest. “He has been your prisoner all this while?”
“Not exactly our prisoner… but the party’s. When we decided we could use his imprisonment as a bargaining chip, he was given to us.”
Jude felt sick. How was it possible that he had once been close to people capable of such cruelty? And how could his father be alive all this time and he had no idea? He didn’t want to look at the video again, but he did. Still, he refused to believe his father was alive. It was too hard to stomach. His father could not have been alive all these years when he thought he was dead. Was he being tortured all this while? It could not be true, and yet the video was right here, and the time on the screen was exactly the same time as now. Maybe it was doctored, but what if it wasn’t?
“Why would you hold him prisoner for so long?”
“Your father betrayed our country and was working with the leadership,” Felix said. “He’s only alive because you are my friend, Jude.”
Jude glowered at him. “I am not your friend! I could never be your friend after all this!”
Felix shrugged. “Fine. Are you going to help us or not?”
Jude groaned as he thought about Sofia. He said, “But I cannot help you in any way. I am not a politician or a fighter.”
“You are all that and more, and you don’t even know it,” Keziah said. “I’ve known you for a long time, Jude. You are one of the people we need for the future of our country.”
Jude said angrily, “And is this how you go about intimidating people to join your cause? Kidnapping and killing and ruining people’s lives?”
“We do what we must,” Felix said. “Make your decision, Jude. Your father’s life is on the line. That Sofia woman will be fine if you don’t marry her, but your father on the other hand...”
Jude shut out Felix’s words. No, Sofia would not be fine. She had tried to kill herself twice because she broke up with her ex. She might try again, and this time she might succeed.
He looked at the video again and nearly threw up. If his father was truly still alive… tears formed in his eyes. It meant someone was holding a gun to his father’s head right now and only he had the power to free his dad.
He groaned. When he prayed for God to deliver him on their way here, this was not what he’d had in mind. This was much more dangerous and confusing than he’d ever thought it would be. He had thought his own life was in danger, but this was even worse.
God, help me.
“Jude, you have just fifteen minutes to make a decision,” Felix said. “We have to leave this country right now. Are you going to save your father’s life, or should I give the order to end it?”
Jude groaned. He could call their bluff, and maybe, just maybe, they were lying about his father. But if it was true and he had the power to save his dad, his father’s blood would be on his hands if he didn’t.
But what if Sofia harms herself?
“Twelve minutes, Jude,” Felix said. “You have twelve minutes to make your decision.”
Chapter 23
Sofia paced the hallway of the courthouse, her heart drumming with worry. Around her were happy brides-to-be holding hands with their future grooms, waiting to be married, but her own groom was nowhere to be found. She turned to Lily, who paced the hallway with her and asked, “Where is he, Lily? Where is my Jude?”
Lily took hold of her hand and squeezed it encouragingly. “I’m sure he’ll be here any minute. Stop worrying so much.”
Sofia sighed and placed her hand on her forehead. “Everyone is supposed to be here way before five o’clock, Lily. It’s not like him to be this late. The doors will be shut soon. And once they are, we will not be able to get married today. He has to be here.” She looked at Edith, who was sitting on a chair in the corner of the hallway and asked, “Has he called you?”
“No,” Edith answered.
Sofia tried Jude’s number once more, but his phone was still off. She raked her fingers through her hair, wanting to yank it all out from its roots in frustration. She shook her head and turned to Lily again. “What has happened to him, Lily?” She bit her lip. “Where on Earth is he?” She felt like breaking down and sobbing, but that would definitely not help.
“You are going to wear yourself out with worrying. It’s not five o’clock yet, Sofia,” Lily said, wrapping her arm around Sofia’s waist. “Please calm down. I am sure nothing has happened. He will be here any moment now.”
Sofia looked at her, annoyed. “How do you know that? And it is nearly five o’clock.” She threw her hands up, emotionally weary. Even though she had only known him for a short time, this was not like Jude. If for some reason he was held up, he would have at least tried to contact her to let her know.
“Maybe he changed his mind and decided to go back to his ex,” she said, fear gripping her at the thought that he might be with his ex-fiancée now. Another more fearful thought replaced that: Or maybe he is lying dead somewhere. She couldn’t hold back her emotions or the fear that ran through her. Tears filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks. Lily and Edith thought she was overreacting, but she could feel it. Something was wrong.
Lily held her close and tried to comfort her. “Stop crying, Sofia.” She wiped her tears away. “You will ruin your makeup.” Lily smiled teasingly, clearly trying to ease her fears and sadness.
Sofia looked at Edith once more. “Please try his number again.”
Edith stood up and went to her. “I just tried to call him. His phone is still not ringing.” She put her hand on Sofia’s shoulder. “I don’t know why he isn’t here or where he is, but I know that Jude loves you. He would never stand you up or jilt you.”
Sofia’s heart ached as though someone was squeezing it tightly. Edith’s words were not helping much. “Then that means something bad has definitely happened to him,” she said. “Edith, what could have happened to Jude? He would be here if…”
“Stop it!” Edith cut in. “Stop saying all these things. Nothing bad has happened to him. There has to be an explanation for his lateness. He will be here.”
“When?” Sofia lamented. “When will he be here?” She walked toward the entrance of the courthouse. “I have to go and talk to his friend, Samuel. I can’t just stay here doing nothing. Maybe Samuel knows where he is.”
Edith shook her head. “No, Sofia. Don’t go. It’s your day. You shouldn’t be running around the city. Besides, you might get locked out if you go. Let me go and talk to Samuel. I have his address.”
Sofia pressed her lips together tightly and then sighed. “Fine. Go quickly, Edith. Hopefully, Samuel will be at his apartment.”
Edith left, and Sofia sighed again. She resumed pacing the hallway.
Lily followed and rubbed her back soothingly. “Sofia, Edith has gone to find him. I’m sure she’ll have more information for us when she gets back. Why don’t you sit down over there and tell me about Jude? It might put your mind at ease and help you forget he isn’t here yet.”
“How is talking about him going to help me forget?” Sofia asked. But she said, “I love him with all my heart, and he loves me, too. He had an opportunity to go back to
his ex just days after we started dating, but he came back to me because he’s that kind of guy. He honors his commitments.” She bit her lips, worry flooding her again. “That is why it is really strange that he is not here.”
She paused for a short moment and then went on. “He said that, above all else, he came back to me because he had begun to fall in love with me and knew he wanted to marry me. When I was with George, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. I knew by letting him go, I had made the worst mistake of my life.” She began to cry again. “He’s my everything, Lily. What will I do if I lose him?”
Lily rubbed her back. “He’s not your everything, Sofia. You have the Lord now.” Lily looked up with a thoughtful expression on her face. “I’m sure there’s an explanation for all this.”
Sofia’s heart began to pound even faster as a security officer starting shutting the doors of the courthouse. Sofia pleaded with him to leave the doors open for just a few minutes more, but he refused.
“We have to leave the courthouse now,” Lily said.
Sofia sighed sadly and walked out the doors with Lily. She winced as they shut firmly behind her. There was no way she and Jude were getting married today. She followed Lily to the car Lily had rented specifically for the wedding. They both stood, leaning their backs against the car doors, and Sofia looked up as a feeling of helplessness settled over her. She covered her face with her hands and said, “It’s all ruined, Lily. I’m not getting married to Jude today. Maybe I’ll never get to marry him.”
“Stop saying that! You will get married to him, Sofia. Everything will turn out alright in the end. You’ll see.”