by Eu Aristos
∞∞∞
"We'll leave this evening for the house." Kunle said to Nk
"It’s Ok... I’ll prepare Frankie"
"Do you still have your gun?" Kunle asked
"Yes. I do. Make sure it’s loaded in case." Nk affirmed "Last I checked the car wasn't there. So we'll use the taxi to avoid them the more. Let them keep thinking that with the car here, we are still inside."
"OK. That's a good suggestion." Kunle said as he looked out the window.
At 8:04pm they changed into new cloths and went down as soon as the taxi driver called. They went downstairs and it turned out to be a female driver. Kunle thought of backing out but Nk nudged him on.
"Let's go." Kunle told the driver. As soon as they were outside the hotel area Kunle kept looking until they noticed a car behind. Kunle gently brought out his gun and held it close to his laps. The driver, out of fear stopped the car and said she wasn't going anymore. It was the middle of nowhere as the road was a lonely newly constructed bypass.
"I don't want anything to do with this. Is it money you want? Take it." She said while handing them her whole money. "Is it the car? Just take it. Let me go with my life..." She pleaded.
"Sit down... Don't go. We aren't bad people.” Kunle assured her. “Forget the gun, just drive... OK?" Kunle said looking back. The driver was still scared as he tried to move again. But it was too late... The other car covered up fast.
Gunshots filled everywhere; they were not there for fun. They were assassins. With the speed of light Kunle and Nk were on the floor. Kunle releasing... The two assassins releasing...The driver was already on the run…Nk releasing...Frankie was inside the car...They tried to cover him at the same time telling him to stay down. One of the assassins was gunned down by Kunle and the other moved away fast. They got back to the car delight that the won the battle for the day, but Frankie...Young Frankie was hit.
∞∞∞
"We needed them alive! Why did you place a hit on them?" Bosse asked Bawa.
"Do not raise your voice at me you coward!" Bawa cautioned him. Bosse was silent. He paced up and down the room upset. "Sit down." Bawa ordered him as he sat upright. The entire room was tensed and they both knew the temerity of any wrong words. Adorned with gold plated decorations, the room was a depiction of affluence. "Sit down" Bawa said gently again. "You were wasting time. We had to fast track the process because we have a deadline to meet." Bawa explained
"Now we've lost both them and the documents." Bosse complained.
"Nope, we've not lost them." Bawa said with head tilted sideways and waving his index finger.
Bosse sat looking at him awkwardly.
"Information reaching me says they are at the hospital now. It seems the little boy was hit." Bawa said casually.
Bosse's face tightened in disgust.
“So, send your men to that hospital. Get them to collect the documents and come out. Take no chances. Kick every stone on the way.”
Silent but angrily, Bosse stood up and left. As soon as he shut the door behind him, Bawa made a call. "Watch that man Bosse closely. Makes sure he doesn't misbehave." He dropped the call and smiled to himself.
∞∞∞
"Hello dear... I'm in front of your house." Vicky said to Harry on the phone.
"What? How come..?" Harry asked.
"Aren't you in? The lights are out and I'm wondering whether you are sleeping."
"Come to the door. I'll open up." Harry said.
His apartment was a multiple floor terrace duplex all looking alike. Often, she stood in front of the wrong doors waiting for him to open. So today, she figured she should just wait in her car and make the call. It wasn't long before the light of his own apartment came up and he opened the door. She walked as fast as she could to avoid wasting his time. They hugged as soon as she was close to him.
"Hey baby what's wrong? You seem so cold today." Vicky said.
"It’s nothing just tired." He lied. He looked to the left, avoiding her eyes. But that only confirmed to her that he was lying. He moved out of the way for her to get in. Looked left and right as if surveying the environment and closed the door.
"I have something I'd like to share with you. It’s a secret that I and Nelson have kept to us for very long." Harry said as Vicky sat down. The look on her face showed she was now very attentive. "I figured that since we are going into another phase in our relationship, it would be right to come clean about ourselves." He added whilst sitting and rubbing his two hands together. Vicky was silent. She expected the worse but couldn't stop herself from palpitating. She just looked down and listened.
"So back in school…"
"Vuum vumm." Her phone vibrated, she opened the screen to see a message from NK.
"We are at the hospital. Frankie has been shot."
"What?!" She Vicky shouted with her hands covering her mouth.
"What is it?"
"Frankie has been shot." She said with a panicky voice.
"Who's Frankie? Harry sounded lost.
"Please...I need to get to the hospital. You will tell me what you want to say later. It’s not going to be too late will it?" She was already standing and heading to the door.
"I am coming with you." Harry said
"Is that necessary?" Vicky stopped and asked.
"I'm not letting you out alone to the hospital this night." Harry said stubbornly.
"Ah...” She smiled. “I don't know where this version of care came from but I love it."
In seconds they were off from the house. It was a 30 minutes drive to the hospital. And Harry figured he could talk to her in the car. But she was distracted all the while by her attempt to reach Nk on her cell phone.
∞∞∞
"Sir we didn't see her in the shop. It seems she closed earlier than usual."
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Nelson punched on his desk.
"She wasn't at home either and the boys who went to Harry's house claim it was deserted."
"So where can they be?!" He was furious.
"I think we will find her if we can find him” the voice said on phone. “So please call him and ask him where he is." The voice demanded.
"No no no... He'll suspect that there's something up! I don't want to see what hit him! I want him to weep and yet come back to me for succor!" Nelson said with his folded his fist as he spoke.
"OK sir." The voice said.
"But I'll still try to call him and try to get him to give up his location." He dropped the call and relaxed on his office seat, rubbing his face with his hands as he breathed out heavily. If he can't have her then, she'll not have anyone. He opened his phone and opened the video from his CCTV camera. He did a good job at doctoring the part where he was violent to NK. It was obvious that Harry won't send the video. It was time to call up some favors. She has to go down and beg. He imagined. He dialed a number.
"Hello Detective... I'd like to see you." Nelson said.
"Ok, my office tomorrow."
∞∞∞
"Who are those for the young Frankie?" The doctor asked.
"We are…" Nk and Kunle stood up and walked to the doctor.
"Please come to my office…" The doctor said while leading the way.
They were behind closed doors when Detective Kola passed to Mama's room. Hearing that they were around and what happened, he knocked and walked into the office.
"Hello Detective."
"Hello doc. Ms Nk and Mr. Kunle.” He bowed to them. “What is it I heard? What happened?”
“The little child is going to dead if we don't find the right donor.” The doctor continued to speak.
"Donors for what..?" Kola asked.
"Kidney... The bullet pulled through one kidney to another. We need a donor fast, preferably from any of the parents or a close relative." Nk wept as she held Kunle’s hands.
"Isn't there any database for possible donors?" Asked Kunle
"No. There isn't. That's the country we find ourselves." The doctor responded.
On hearing that, Kunle waved his head in disappointment.
"How did this happen?" Kola looked from Nk to Kunle questioningly. The doctor excused himself.
"They wanted to kill us."
"What is it they want?"
"These documents…" Nk handed him the blood stained A4 paper sheets. Kola scanned through them quietly.
"Why do they want this land?"
"It's rich in foreign minerals." Kunle stood up saying. "A proof of that can be seen in the 4th page of the documents"
"Who do you think is doing this? The same person you mentioned?" Kola asked him.
"I think so." Kunle shrugged.
"Wait? You know who is doing this?" Nk asked.
"We have to be sure. Don't go sharing such info to the press." Kola warned.
Vicky and Harry were in the hospital soon enough to see Nk and Kunle come out of the doctor's office.
"Hey baby."
Vicky hugged Nk passionately while Harry gave Kunle a handshake.
"So sorry…” Vicky said looking pensive. She stepped backwards and looked at her friend. “You look like hell. What have you been into Nk?" She looked from Nk to Kunle and their silence made her suspect that the situation was worse than she thought. At 9pm, it was past patient visiting time...so she couldn't see Frankie. She took Nk to one side for them to talk.
"What's up babes?"
"Some people want us dead because they want some documents to the land belonging to Mama and Kunle. It’s so bad we had to hide ourselves for a while and while we tried to change location during the course of the night, they came after us."
"That's why your contact has been unavailable?"
"Yeaa…" Nk said regrettably.
Vicky stood akimbo for a while staring at her friend. "I don't understand. How and why did you get entangled with and in all this?"
"My dear, I don't know. I just can't explain."
"Hey. Mama wants to see us" Kunle interrupted.
"OK. Can she come with us?" Nk asked concerning Vicky.
"Why not..? Provided she isn't against us…" Kunle joked.
NK smiled. They all walked down the hall, with a turn to the left and then back right they went into the room to see mama.
"Mama this is my friend Vicky" Mama and Vicky were still, looking at each other in total surprise after Nk introduced them. "What's it?? You know her?" Nk asked.
"It was you…" Mama looked from Vicky to Nk. Vicky was shocked. The men were confused. Silence filled the room. That was the case until Harry's phone rang. Harry excused himself.
∞∞∞
Chapter 17
Kunle was sitting with his two hands on his head. For him, the turn of events that night was totally unimaginable. Nk held her chest and sat down on the last available seat. She sobbed.
∞∞∞
"Hello Harry..." Nelson said
"Hello Nelson."
"Hey man warm up. We aren't enemies here."
"Uhm, Harry hummed. That's so hard to believe now." Harry gnashed his teeth.
"Hahahahahaha... I know man. I'm so so sorry."
"What's your problem man? What do you want this time?" Harry asked facing the wall with his hand and head on it. "I told you to just give me some time I'll do what you want. Just swear that you'll let us be after that."
"Haaaa... I'm not one to break his words. I give it to you." Nelson lied. "But hey that's not what I want to talk about now." H continued.
"OK? Where are you now? I need us to talk face to face. "
"I'm somewhere now. Need to get something done with now."
"Is Vicky with you?" (Nelson knew he just fucked up)
"Sorry?"
"No don't worry... Scrap that. Don't worry." Nel tried to lie.
"What do you want with Vicky? Harry barked but Nelson was silent. "Hey! Talk to me! What do you want?! Do you want to use my own tactics against me?" The phone’s beep was the response Harry got. Nelson dropped the call.
“Shit!” Harry cursed as he knew there was trouble. He punched wall in anger to the dismay of a passerby. He left the place and rushed inside.
∞∞∞
"Wait..... You are the woman who offered to help me take care of my son after I had given birth and didn't know how to go about it?" Nk asked in tears. Mama nodded.
"I didn't mean for us to meet this way again. But you see... Life happens. I didn't do it out of bad will. I needed a child to help my lonely life and I was glad when my connection told me of a young girl who was looking for someone to take up her son. I didn't see you.... She only brought the child to me after I paid her the agreed amount.” Mama spoke gently amidst her cough and pain. Tears dropped from their eyes.
"Frankie is your son...Nk." Vicky said crying.
"Yes. He is... Mama reaffirmed. Your friend Vicky, I remember was our only connection to you. She wanted the best for you. So she had to convince you." Mama wiped her eyes.
"Does Kunle know about this too?" She asked turning to Kunle who was obviously lost.
"No... No... I told him I found the baby abandoned and that I would want to keep the baby. He insisted I should take the baby to the police but... I convinced him after all." Mama defended.
Kunle was sitting with his two hands on his head. For him, the turn of events that night was totally unimaginable. Nk held her heart and sat down on the last available seat. She sobbed.
"Vicky we have to go now!" Harry badged in saying.
"Why?" Vicky looked confused.
"I will explain in the car! Just let's go."
"Tell me what's happening! We have some issues to settle here and I can't just leave Nk."
"If you don't leave Nk now, you may never see her again. We'll have to protect them as best we could by staying away from them; at least for now." He sounded pleadingly.
"He turned to NK. Keep away from Nelson. He wants you down." He pulled Vicky to leave.
"Wait. What do you mean? Why..?!" Nk quarried.
"You pulled a gun at him at his house, that’s why. He wants a piece of your meat now!" Harry pointed his index finger at Nk and Kunle.
"Hey man take it easy, he was abusive and wanted to rape her! We acted in self defense." Kunle came to her defense.
"Well that's not what the video says!" Harry said while throwing his phone towards Kunle. Nk quickly sprang up at watch the video too.
"Shit! That bastard..!" NK exclaimed in rage.
"All of you should shut up now!" Mama demanded. They obeyed and were all silent. The sounds of their breath were loud as they stared at each other. Not know what mama had in mind to say. They all respected themselves.
"You all will not achieve anything by over talking. Frankie... Needs a donation! My Frankie,” She turned to Nk. “Your Frankie... Our Frankie needs a donation. That should be the priority now!" She was teary. She sobbed a bit. Kunle went to her, sat on her bed and held her to his chest. "If anything should happen to Frankie... To any of you, I'll not be able to survive it..." She continued.
"...Ah mama don't say that na. We will all be fine..." Kunle tried to speak.
"Don't interrupt me Kunle! No one feels absolutely responsible for all this than I do. She breathed heavily... If I did not make by bad decisions in the past, we all will not be here now..."
"...and if you didn't, I and Frankie wouldn't have had a mother like you." Kunle concluded with a hug.
Looking up to everyone. "We have to find a donor." Kunle said. "I'll run the test first thing tomorrow to see if I am compatible…"
"I too..." Nk added. Drawing all attention to herself. When she noticed they were all looking at her. "He's my son!" She shrugged.
"Me too" added Vicky.
"We will kukuma just do the test Na." Harry said mockingly.
They were all silent.
"Vicky... We have to go. Please.." Pleaded Harry after he came to his senses.
"Why is it so urgent that we go..?" Vicky queried.
"...Nelson wants you dead! It’s part of our tactics back then
in school when we used to do bad thing! Go after the weakness of your enemy!
"Wait... But why..?" Vicky was yet to understand how a person she ate and drank with would suddenly want her dead.
"Cause he wants to get to me." Harry sounded seriously. They all stared at him unbelievably. "He wants me to take that video to the authorities and stand in as a witness. But I knew that will pitch me against you so I declined." He said to Vicky.
"So, his intention is to pull Nk down and get me arrested for assault and illegal possession of firearms..?"
"Yes! Exactly…" Harry locked his lips together. They all waved their head in disbelief.
"To what end??? Why is he doing so? " Kunle asked.
"Because he is just like his father Pastor Bawa..!" Mama who had been silent all along spoke up. They all turned to her. "His father is an egoistic deranged ignorant man who thinks money and power will always get him whatever he wants. So when it doesn't, he destroys instead..." Mama stared at them one by one.
In his mind, Harry saw exactly the face of nelson in the words of mama. She got him just right.
"And Pastor Bawa is still behind all this we are going through…" Kunle said angrily.
"I think he has a helper too..." Mama brought to their notice.
"From who..?"
"From my ex husband Bosse" mama dropped what sounded like a bombshell to Kunle.
"Bosse?! Thought he was dead? Kunle sat down pondering... Oh oh oh... It was Bosse who kidnapped me." Kunle said inspiringly.
"Yes. I think so." Mama affirmed. They were all silent when the nurse-in-charge of mama walked in.
"It’s late now. We have to let the patient rest." The nurse said demandingly. They all looked at each other.
"Mama we'll be back to see you tomorrow..." Kunle said.
Mama smiled.
"Do you think you'll be ready to leave this place anytime soon? Nk asked.
"I think you all have to let her regain her energy for now." The Doc contributed.