by A. Achaka
Again the silence creeps in again, now she wished she had not reacted to the earlier incident to allow us continue the conversation.
****
The other masked man came back, looking for his second after a while, he was really the angry type no patience, he might want to ask him what he stood there doing when he knew the fun was out there, his mind was still getting worst and could not hold it, he started calling out his name.
The forest would echo it back to him, then he came under a mango tree looking, he smile and recognise where he had shot the monkey, they would eat tonight after the whole operation, he was still salivating on it, when his eyes caught something near the bush, looking again it was a human and dressed in one of their clamour flag khaki, he rushed to it and there he stood speechless as he recognise the figure.
Quickly he stood at guard with his gun up front, he went further a little and back again he noticed his gun was taken, he tried his phone to inform the others but it seems to have network issues. He head back running to tell the others what the incident had been.
He was running with no control, as if he had mastered the forest but his mind was to bring the ugly massage to the others, then he tripped over the root of a cut down tree and fell, but he would not remain on the ground, he somersaulted and continue again. It seems the forest making way for his adventure, he found no other obstacle on the way till he could see the tent from a distance but couldn’t control himself any more.
Closer he thought he saw a shadow of somebody ahead in the trees, but still his feet weren’t given him the grip he needed, until he was stopped by a log of wood in his face which send him directly to the ground. His body ach with much pain, He didn’t see that coming, he was still struggling to get on his feet but was pressed down by a strong masculine figure. Not much of a struggle because he could not move an inch, until he was knocked out with a punch.
When he finally woke up, the environment was very strange to him, his eyes were blurry he couldn’t see clearly, he tried to move and discovered his hands and feet were restrained, he felt very akward and the place was air tight, making him sweat profusely. His mind kept on thinking at the possible event, that would leave him in such a position, He came to a conclusion on two things, either his team had double crossed him or something else. His mind went back to what happened at the operation ground, when their boss whispered to his second before he left the operation ground, he always hated the boss, his ways of operation was the old fashion way, while he on the other hand wanted pleasure during their business, but the boss wouldn’t allow that.
In the group they have their rules, due to the heavy complain some of them use to put up, on how the leader rule out, it was drawn that to succeed the leader you have to defeat him in a one one combat. Once you win, you can either succeed or leave, just what you want to do.
So a weeks before the operation, he had himself under go serious training mixed with diabolical means just to defeat the boss. But attempt to engage the leader in a combat follows the wind, his anger always arouse during operation or when settling for the treasure they have gotten, all he want was to provoke him and to settle it with a fight.
And now he has no idea what trap he was into, and finally his eyes came clear and what he saw send shivers into his veins,
“He is finally awake” someone mentioned
“Let him rest a little” the Lieutenant altered and was back to communicating with his men, who are still there in the forest.
The news of the massacre irritate the Lieutenant of the rescue team, but they really knew that such gang will be heavily armed not with small guns but automatic AK 47’s, so they trade softly.
The rescue team had gone in and had the place surrounded, waiting for the word to advance an attack on them. They were egar for the word to come while they watch them put the last man standing out of his miserable life as they call it. The word “Go” revieved the anger in them, they charge and rushed in but on their arrival they witnessed the strangest thing ever to happen, all the men vanished as they touched each other. The rescue team stood there in confusion as to what had just happened right before their eyes.
They place a dispatcher call to the Lieutenant, telling him of the strange incident that had happened. He was startled but quickly gave them the order to rush to their base camp inside the forest.
Few stayed behind to check on if they were survivers, or any one alive at the massacre. The blood spilled on the road had covered the entire area, and would amount to two fifty litters gallon.
The Lieutenant, was very furious but kept his tone at bay, either way its a win. If they get them all or have to get their location from the poor bastered they have caught.
“Bring him here, it’s time for some real talk” he spoke up. Two soldier drag him to his feet and kept him before the Lieutenant. He stared at him for a minute and then spoke up
“ you know life is not what it seem to be, sometimes I wished I were God to perform his duty for him, but sadly as they say, no one can be God so we are humans left with terrible mind to do as we bid” he got up and walk to the table set up with computer gadget, he stared at a stainless knife for a while then continued, “when I was young all I wanted to be was a doctor, so I can treat people but sadly again, I was never got admission to begin with but then the God I wish to be said to me ‘I have a bigger assignment for you’ and here I am today doing his assignment” then he turned with a certain irritation on his face to the man who was now in fright, as he saw the knife in his hand.
“Oh common this is the smallest, compare to the once you are using to behead innocent people, am I right or not” still staring at him, as if waiting for an answer, he starts to walk back to him, when a young cadet entered and saluted
“Yes, what can I do for you?” he barely saluted back
“They found them in the camp, but were waiting for orders sir”
“Tell them to get in there and rip them apart, but they should bring souvenir alive, you can go”
“Thank you sir” he saluted and left
“Now where were we, before the great massage came in, I wish I set up a wide screen Telly V here for you to watch the live action, ok I can remember now, I was about showing you my beautiful knife, did I mentioned it was poisoned, oh! yes it is, the venom of the most poisonous snake in the world, the first person it touched died instantly, paralyzed, I loved that part” he studied carefully at the man face, he was sweating profusely with his eye balls almost fallen out of the socket at the words he just heard, it seems his life flashed in front of him.
He tried to say prayer but he don’t know who to say the prayer to, his parent were very good Christians, he was the last among four boys and girls, he always felt his family were very weak for their Christian faith, they would apologise even if some stepped on their toes, but he would swing a hand before the person says sorry to him. His father would always caution him for his attitude but he wouldn’t listen.
Everything went sour, as he proceed to further his education, he got admission into a polytechnic to study crime management instead he adopted crime advancement into his life.
When he got to the school, he got his name on the first day on the list of the school fighting with securities, he went smoking at the school garden which had never happened before, it didn’t take long before cult group started making advance to him. Without hesitation he was on already he loves the idea of people been afraid of him, so to the point of threatening the lecturers to their face.
He got suspended in his second sementer 200 level and was placed under police custody for damaging school property. No one had ever seen a thing like that, the animal they call him but his parent gave him the name ‘Moses’. His cult members were fed up with his neuisance and almost got rid of him, but he escaped and ran.
Deep in his thought he had forgotten, where he was until a slap send him straight to the ground, that brought him back.
“where were you, when I was talking, do you think th
ere is room for thinking in this field, we aim and shot without thinking” the Lieutenent spoke up, with one hand the Lieutenant jacked him back to the seat. It was at thst moment he realised how huge the Lieutenent was.
“Where were you?” he was trying to speak but he could only murmur because there was a dog tape to his mouth. “oh yea you can’t talk, hmm, I wander why they wouldn’t let us deal with people like you by ourselves, well I know how to man over something like these, I will” he heard the noise outside the tent and he got up and went outside, he hadn’t know that time had gone this far, it’s now getting to evening, he saw the solider chanting over four people heavily wounded on the floor, as he press through them, they all calmed down and watched him
“Where are the rest?” he asked
“They disappeared sir” the soldier that lead the team into the bush spoke up
“How did that happened?”
“When we got there, it’s like their native doctor, was with them, he understand and call for them, that was when we rushed in and got these four before they could touch the circle sir”
“Its ok boys, we all know what to do, let them eat and merry for we have their map with us, lets pack up and leave, well done boys”
“Thank you sir” they shouted
With that they pack up their gadget and head back
CHAPTER SEVEN
When the boss passed the checking point with speed, he knew that back up will be on its way, so he diverted into another direction and drove as far as he could, the few check point they met on the way were convinced that she was his daughter because she agreed to it.
Knowing that her parent were dead because of uneasy way she felt, she danced a little and fainted, he had to park at the side of the road and poured some water on her head, before she got revived, she told him that she felt something left her body, which means her parent were dead, he was surprised as she had said it. She didn’t show any remorse to it, he started to wander if she was a normal kid, almost forgotten that he was like that when he was little may be that what got them along.
They drove in silence all focused to the front, when her phone started ringing he look at her with the side of his eyes, he knew that to get her to trust him he had to let her do what she wanted at that moment, he watched her raised the phone to look at the caller ID, in his heart he would not want her to pick it up, he grow a little restless on the driver’s seat still watching her.
She watched the call died down without picking, it came again and went out then she look at him for once
“Why didn’t you pick up” he asked mockingly
“Well I wouldn’t want us to get caught”
He smiled at her words and shakes his head, “how old did you say you were again?”
“I didn’t say but I am ten years old”
He couldn’t help but burst into laughter of relief, he tried to search if she was angry with him or not, but could not tell.
When the sun was passed over head, they had drive past many villages and town, she had no idea where they were going to but she seems to enjoy it, as they got to the next town she then spoke
“I am hungry”
“you are in my mind” he said smiling, he got a good spot and park and they went into a canteen, it was empty and local, with just about three tables and some plastic chairs to with it. They got in sat down, on one of the table, it was dressed on a patch sheet and table mat, in the middle was a toothpick tin and that of salt and peper.
Erica, in her life had never been to a place like this, she felt irritated at everything but the more she disgust it the more her stomach bit. Shortly a young lady came in, she must be probably in her twenties, wearing an old T shirt and trouser with an apron on it,
“Good afternoon” she greeted “what can I bring for you?”
“Good afternoon, what do you have?” the man asked
“We have fried rice, jellof rice, garri, pounded yam and beans” She said
“What soup?”
“Egusi, vegetable, draw and ewadu”
He turns to the Erica and asked “what will you want?”
“Fried rice”
“Pounded yam and egusi soup for me” he said
She turns and left.
He looked at the Erica who was still dismayed at the place “I know it’s not as you imagined, it’s to sustin us to the city, then we eat at a Mr. Biggs ok?”
He watched her face lightens up with the sound of that, she then kept her eyes on the 12 inch television place at the far end of the room, hardly noticeable but it was meant for the entertainment of the customers.
It wasn’t long the lady return with their order and set before them, “Do you want Fanta or water?” she asked
“Water please” the girls answered, he nodded his head to it and dive in, before he took his first swallow, he notice the girls palm clasp together in prayer, he felt a little embarrassed and had to wait for her to lift her head up, before he continued eating.
She was kind of a slow eater, but either way she couldn’t consume everything on the plate, the young girl came back and collect the money and they set out. He bought extra bottle of water and they continue on their way.
In the silence of the car, he tune in the stereo and a loud blast of music came on, it was a song by the famous Tuface Idebia titled ‘African Queen’, which every ten yes old know very much. Erica was no difference, she knows the song like the back of har hand and followed the lyrics as they continued. They almost got into the city, by then the evening was giving in to the dark.
“Where is Kaduna?” she mentioned as she saw a big sign board boldly written ‘WELCOME TO KADUNA’
“Its another state” He was hoping, he gave the right explaination to it, when she interrupted by calling out the name of the state and capitals “that’s right, you got it” she was excited about it.
The song soon gives way for a routine highlight news, and the first caption was about the ‘Massacre’ along the Jos-Abuja express way.
“it is a massacre that calimed the live of all the passengers and drivers, along the path.” The reporter mentioned. “It came to our noticed that, among the victims was the duputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Emmanuel Mbeya and his family.
The military personnel had been deployed to the scene, and were able to apprehend four of the unknown masked men. Musa chala has further comment”
Erica at the passanger’s seat, couldn’t control the tears from her eyes, but she was crying, He watched her closely and didn’t know what exactly to say, because he was suppose to be among the killers and here she is with him.
“I am sorry” he finally uttered.
He saw her clean the tears, as if waiting for the words of comfort from him. ‘What sort of a girl is this?’ he asked himself over and over again, she didn’t cry one bit, but shed tears and now she was shaking her head to the song that came from the stereo.
The man had never been afraid of anything, since he became a bad person but that very moment he felt shivers down his spine, he knew exactly what he was capable of at her age and Erica very much remind him of that, so he was scared, she might have an hidden agenda, Just like he always did. When the fright gave way he let out a silent laugh, ‘How funny, he was scared of a little girl.
Finally they got into the city, the lights in buildings and other head light gave the city a good view in the night, and the breeze was a hot one, that they had to wind up the windows and turn up the Ac. At last he spotted a Mr. Biggs restaurant along their part and he pull over into the parking spot in front of it, she turned to him and smile and they got down and walk into the restaurant.
The restuarant wasn’t crowded but there were people having romantic dinner or eating all alone, and a soft music was on the background. They got to the counter, and the attendant appeared in front of them
“Good evening, what can i get for you?” she asked,
“Mary right? Good evening” Her name was written on her shirt, she wasn�
��t tall but beautiful and neatly dressed “Do you have African dishes here?”
“Yes we do, right up the stairs” she kept her eyes at Erica.
“What do you want little madam” she gave him the eye and look back at the attendant.
“I want fried rice, chicken, plantain and cosslor” she turned to him, he was looking down at her too.
“You know what? i will have the same”
“Take away or you will eat her” Ask the attendant. She turns and look at him for a second and back to the lady “take away” he just stood there acting like a father, although that was what he had in his mind, he was very tired and needed to rest.
His mind could not settle in, he has alot going through his mind about the Erica, oh how he now feel for her and can’t help but wonder why is it that they were drawn together, she has the same gift as he when he was little or may be a little more than his. He was so engrose with that and he totally forgot that he was standing at the counter of a restaurant, and the bills needed to be paid.
“Sir, are you alright?” the attendant asked
“Oh, sorry how much is it?” he enquired
“Four thousand naira” The attendant mentioned, he reaches into his pocket and brought out stash of money and pay up and they left the building.
Once they were inside the car, she turn and caught him looking at her “Why were you staring like that?” she asked him. He was silent for a while and thought to himself, what will it profit him if he said the wrong thing
“I was jus thinking, you seems to say exactly what is in my mind, how do you do that?” Her face brightened up
“I don’t know, where are we going to now?” she asked
“Well, to look for a hotel to sleep” he make quick glance at her