Limiting Liabilities: Book Two - The Martinique Files

by Colette Alaine

  Billy is already downstairs again. It is so easy for men. They do not have to deal with any of the girlie stuff. She does notice he has his own back pack and she tugs on the strings as she passes by.

  “Just in case we get stranded I brought a few things.” Billy is just being overly cautious now.

  “We’ll be just fine, Billy.” Despite their previous precarious situations, Ken obviously has no fears about this jaunt. “C’mon, here’s the car waiting for us.”

  Sure enough, the guide and Billy are in the front seat and Ken is with Tawny in the back seat of the range rover. The men talk incessantly about sports, cigars, wild animals and coffee. Even if Tawny has an opinion about any of these topics she is pretty much silenced by their constant chatter and complete indifference to her presence. So she resigns herself to listening to their steadily increasing tales of male bravado.

  At one point Ken glances her way and winks when the guide’s story gets way too big for reality. Rolling her eyes she smiles and then continues to look at the unending rows of crops as they fly through the countryside. It truly is a beautiful scene if you can ignore the poverty of the people walking the roadway.

  Shanties line the rougher side roads and the helplessness of the native Nigerians is evident. Little children barely wear any clothes and even from the car, appear listless. The guide never mentions their cause and Tawny assumes he is so accustomed to it he does not even notice it.

  “Pull over to the side here if you can,” Ken commands the guide and he does as he’s told. “Let’s get out here. This is one of the larger farms in the area, am I right?” He asks the guide to confirm.

  In halted English, the guide says, “yeah, man. Dis is a rich man who farms unless he has a big, big family. Den he may not be so rich. Still better dan the poor farmer with big family.”

  “I want you two to see how robust these crops are first hand. The country and in particular this area, has rich soil to grow almost everything they need to survive. What happens though is that so many families have to provide for themselves they don’t have much left over on the small farms. These larger farms feed the family and provide enough surplus for them to market the rest. That’s how they make their money,” Ken informs them of what they basically already know but neither Billy nor Tawny corrects him.

  “Dis farm has many people help wid de crops,” the guide says his piece as the four of them enter the rows of crops growing strong in front of them.

  “So this farmer owns a nice tract of land and can employ others to help him out,” Ken explains unnecessarily.

  “Not many people have jobs so if dey have a job dey are careful to keep it.” The guide touches on the topic of unemployment in the region and in the country itself. Unemployment is one of the biggest issues in Nigeria and that lack of productivity is one reason why the infant mortality rate is still high here and why they see so many Nigerians roaming around their shanties. There’s just so little work available.

  It is the reason there is so much talk on the internet about revolt. If the government would organize into smaller districts many of the people could be helped but it is a centralized system so the powerful do not see much of the daily lives of their people, which means the civilians must fend for themselves. Poverty is so ugly and it is especially sad here where the land is fertile for growing crops and the oil resources remain untapped in so many areas.

  Examining the fruit of the crops it is easy to see that this farm is well tended. Whoever owns it knows how to make a good living and employ others in the process. In the distance the small group can see workers busy at their jobs. They glance toward the strangers but never cease what they are doing.

  Keeping their distance the foreigners with their guide do not want to disrupt the work being done or call attention to themselves. After wandering a little further in the field Ken decides to return to the jeep.

  Walking between the rows of crops Tawny feels the richness of the black soil as her canvas shoes sink a bit with every step. The deep green of the crops and the blue sky provide a most scenic view as they make their way back to the car. The smell is so fresh as she trudges toward the road that she cannot help but breathe in deeply.

  Rolling along again on the bumpy side road, the small group stops a few more times to examine crops and the terrain as a whole. Billy is getting bored and Tawny has taken enough pictures to bore those at home but Ken is in his element. He is as happy as a pig in mud and not at all concerned about the time.

  As dusk begins to approach their drive yields less farms and more poverty-stricken villages. Rumbling a short distance further Ken spies a small home that appears to have had better days. It looks like at one time there was some money but it drained and now upkeep is impossible. The small crew hops out of the jeep once more and heads toward the home. Calling out to see if anyone is about, no one answers.

  Searching in the distance they spy several youngsters tending to a tattered field. It is not nearly as big as the smallest one they’ve seen so far but it looks as though it should be able to feed these workers. Ken starts at a fast pace hoping to get a glimpse of the crops and speak to the four workers, with one holding the hand of a toddler while she picks the crops with the other. The group had brief conversations with others in the past stops but now that it is getting darker, he is trying to get someone to spend more time talking about life and farming in Nigeria with him.

  The guide decides to stay back at the jeep. He is tired of this trip and he is not alone. Billy follows Ken at a distance and Tawny surveys the meager home housing at least these five in the field. Tawny can almost read Billy’s thoughts as they make another stop on another farm in rural Nigeria. Although apparently an environmental engineer’s dream it is becoming an environmental attorney’s nightmare.

  Ken greets the young man in charge and learns that he lost both his parents and is now in charge of the farm and his siblings. He continues to work as Ken speaks. Polite but annoyed at this intrusion so late in the day, he still has to make certain he brings in all the ripe foodstuffs he can before the neighbors steal it later in the night.

  It is a tattered field because it is too dark when the neighbors slip into the rows and rummage for anything that they can eat. They damaged the small farm his mother towed so lovingly. Now it is all they have to survive. They eat most of what they grow but try to save some to sell. Few people have money so they cannot sell much.

  They have no transportation to go to a bigger market even if they did have the available produce so they have to rely on trading food for other necessities. Their clothes are old and dirty. They have only the very basic supplies and water is not always clean enough for them to drink. They had a generator for electricity but it broke and they have no means to fix it.

  Ken’s concerned expression reveals his wrenched heart toward the young man’s plight. Billy makes it to Ken’s side and listens to his story. One of the little boys is so tired that Billy helps him finish his row. This child cannot be any older than seven. The other boy never stops encouraging him but the tiny fellow is beat.

  Billy’s help finishes the row in record time and he carries the heavy load back to the house for the boy. Tawny is half-way through the field and headed toward the end where the young woman is holding the toddler’s hand. Tawny decides she can help out this poor girl.

  She passes Ken on her way and he is walking slowly with the young man back toward the house. She imagines they will be here a while longer as Ken is so engrossed in his conversation and now that he finished his row, the young man is more eager to talk.

  Billy is back at the house and Ken is almost there with the oldest brother and his two younger brothers when Tawny is about one hundred feet away from the girl and her little sister. The faint sound of a car door catches her attention. An unusual rustling follows as Tawny draws closer. Out of instinct Tawny quickens her pace but she is too late.

  Two men snatch the young girl and the toddler in their arms without warning. The girl scr
eams and the baby cries at being so roughly handled. Tawny starts to run toward them.

  “Stop! Stop! Help!” Tawny finds her voice and first yells at the men and then cries out for aid. A third man greets her and she pushes him away.

  “Yous don’t wanna ve involved in dis,” he tells her.

  “What are you doing? You can’t just take these two. Who are you?” Tawny demands despite not knowing what is going on.

  “Ve’s here to sedle a score. You vest ve goin’ vack vere you came,” he responds gruffly.

  “Not until I know what’s going on here. She’s screaming. Tell that man to put her down.” Tawny tries to follow the two men carrying the two girls.

  “Stop now or you vill be in a vad place,” he warns her.

  “I am not going to sit back and watch you kidnap two innocent children. Now get outta my way.” She is trying to stay calm with him but the more he talks the further the others get away from her. Why aren’t Billy and Ken coming? Maybe they are and she just cannot see them or hear them.

  “Help! Help!” The young girl’s piercing cry stirs Tawny into action. Racing past the man trying to keep her at bay, he chases her to the car where the others are stuffing in the girls.

  “Dey have my sisters!” Suddenly the young man realizes what is happening.

  “Who?” Ken asks as Billy perks up.

  “I don’t know but dey grabbed dem. And maybe your girl too.” The young man doesn’t waste any more time but grabs his gun and starts to run. Billy and Ken follow in hot pursuit.

  Tawny reaches the car the same time the man pursuing her does. She struggles to reach the toddler but the men are fighting her. In the distance they hear the men screaming as they approach.

  “Take her too. Ve losing time!” the driver yelps and Tawny is pushed from the outside and grabbed from the inside into the car. The door is slammed and she untangles herself from the others.

  Billy and Ken witness the kidnapping as they run toward the car, realizing that Tawny is trapped with the group seizing the boy’s sisters. They scream for the guide to pick them up and he does.

  “Follow that car!” Billy shouts and the guide does his best but the other car is bigger and moves faster. He soon loses it.

  Billy and Ken are beside themselves with anger, frustration and fear. Returning the young man to his home to care for his two brothers, they sit at the small table and try to find out who took the three females.

  “Loko, think why they took the girls. We have to start somewhere. The authorities assure us they are searching everywhere.” Ken is desperate for any information. He cannot believe that Tawny has been kidnapped. This was not supposed to be a dangerous trip. In fact, it was not supposed to be very eventful at all; just a casual day of sightseeing.

  “My sister, Chinyere, is very beautiful and many men vant her but my broder, Nwankwo, he says dat he vill choose her husband for her and it not time yet. She may find a rich husband to help us find good work and a beder home,” Loko informs these strange men who he prays will help them.

  “Where is your brother?” Billy asks.

  “I don’t know.” Extreme fear is evident in Loko’s expression. It is clear he knows where his brother is but is afraid to tell them.

  “Can we contact him?” Billy frets as both of them have to rely on a seventeen year old boy who knows very little about life.

  “I have asked de neighbor to send word. I don’t know if he vill do it. He vants Chinyere very badly and now he vill not vant her,” Loko alludes to the harm he fears will happen to his sister. Ken watches as his words almost send Billy into a panic. He stands up from the small table and paces around the room. How did this happen? He cannot believe Tawny is in this situation. It is truly a nightmare.

  “Nothing’s happened to her yet and Tawny is a strong girl. Don’t give up hope, Loko,” Ken tries to comfort the boy as well as provide some hope for himself and Billy.

  “Chinyere is not strong. She is too pretty.” Loko is desperate.

  “You and your brothers are covered in grime. She will be too. Maybe they won’t see how pretty she is,” Ken searches for reasons the girls will be safe.

  “Your girl is very pretty too,” Loko reminds them and Billy shivers probably thinking about the way the guards at the lab ogled her.

  “We must find Nwankwo. He may be the link here. I can’t imagine five children being connected to anything so bad that would invite a kidnapping,” Ken continues to logically figure out this horror.

  “I have no money to pay for Chinyere. Dey von’t vant money. Dey vant her,” Loko moans.

  “Why take the little one then?” Billy wonders aloud. “Why not just leave her in the field, especially when they should realize Tawny is out there and will rescue her?” Billy analyzes.

  “I don’t know. Dey vill kill my little sister. I’m sure of it. Poor Chioma!” Loko cries. “I have failed! I have failed Mama and Papa. I do not know vhat to do.” Loko is fast becoming no help whatsoever.

  “Loko, you need to stay with your younger brothers and to ask as many people as possible to contact your older brother. We will work with the police to find them all. You must tell us if you hear anything. Any information at all is good for us to know. Will you keep us informed?” Ken realizes they need to leave to be of any assistance. Loko is much too young for this trepidation but he has to pull himself together to take care of the younger boys.

  “I vill tell de police 1verything dey ask,” Loko promises.

  “Okay, then we are leaving to return to the city. This is our telephone number if you can get to a phone. We will buy you a disposable one and bring it to you tomorrow so that you can call us. Please do not leave the area. If you find out something call the police or us and we will handle it. Take care of these little boys,” Ken instructs as a father would and Loko listens intently.

  “If you haven’t figured it out I’m an American and you’ve committed a crime. When we reach the city you are going to let me and these two girls out at a hotel or some place that is open and leave us be,” Tawny tries to be confident while terrified on the inside.

  Chioma huddles so close to Chinyere they look as though they are one person. Tawny rubs their shoulders and attempts to comfort them but they are both very scared. Chinyere cradles the little girl as tightly as she holds her back. Tawny tries to think fast but right now they are on a dark road and she cannot decide if it is worse to stay in the car with these men or to demand they let them out.

  Staying with them is the current choice in the hope that they will soon see some city lights. She asked their captors over and over where they are taking them but they refuse to provide an answer. The two young girls say nothing. They can only cry so Tawny has full charge of them as well as herself.

  “Since you won’t tell us where we’re going, will you tell me why you stole these girls from their home?” Tawny needs to get a grip on the situation.

  “Ve vill avenge de death of our pirate captain!” One of them finally shouts exhausted by Tawny’s constant questioning.

  “How in the world can you do that with two little girls?” Tawny is flabbergasted. What do these children have to do with pirates?

  “Nwankwo, he killed our captain and took over de ship. Now ve follow him and not our pirate captain.” The same man continues to speak.

  “Nwan who?”

  “Nwankwo,” Chinyere says softly.

  “Who is Nwankwo?” Tawny responds to the first clear thing the girl has said.

  “Our broder.”

  “Nwankwo is a pirate?” Tawny inquires further.

  “I don’t know. He does not live vith us.” Chinyere is clueless.

  “Yes, he is a pirate! He killed our captain.” Again, the man in the front seat tells them the details.

  “If he killed your captain, your captain must’ve not been a very good captain.” Tawny thinks this an innocent comment but the uproar from the three strong men proves otherwise.

  “He came from behind and slash
ed his troat! He is plotting to kill us too.”

  “What are you going to do with these young girls?” Tawny hates to ask the question but pirating is new to her and she is not sure of their intention.

  “As you Americans say: it’s your vorst nightmare.” The response is met with a deafening silence as Tawny understands the situation very clearly now.

  “And me, what are you going to do with me?” She finally braves the question.

  “We vill tell you soon.” The response is interesting. Either they do not know what they are going to do with her or they are still deciding since she was not part of the plan. There is silence once again in the car as each of them ponders what will happen next.

  “Vhy are you in Nigeria?” The man in the front seat, who is clearly the leader, asks.

  “I’m with my friends.”

  “It is a strange place to take a vacation, huh? De rural farms of Nigeria.” He is not buying her story but she has to think fast.

  “One is an attorney and one is an engineer. We were here on business and thought we’d see the countryside,” she finally answers.

  “And vhat about you? Are you de wife?”

  “No.” She cannot even manage to be the girlfriend. “I’m an attorney as well,” she admits, not certain if it is a good idea or not.

  “Attorneys in America, dey are very rich,” the man continues.

  “Not the ones that are my age. We have lots of college loans to pay back first. We don’t get rich until we’re much older. Nowadays, even that’s only a select few. Many attorneys have to struggle to make a living. There are too many of us.” She is concerned about the turn this conversation is taking.