THE GENTLE RACKETEER: A Novella

by Kingsley Aguchibe

  “I know. Maybe you should have some rest.”

  “I think I’ve rested enough. You sounded like you need rest yourself. I hope I’m not stopping you from having it?”

  “Oh, no you not. What I want to tell you is that, since you’ve decided not to take revenge on your brother, it’s a very good choice. I suggest that you go someplace, a place where your brother won’t see you, until a few days to the day either you or he would take the contentious position. If your brother sees you alive again, he might really make sure you dead. But if you sure up a few days before the marked time, your chances of getting killed are slime.”

  “Well, that’s a very brilliant idea. But I don’t have no place to go.”

  “How about you stay here? But you’ll promise that anytime you show up to your father’s place, and they ask you where you’ve been, you’d never mention my name. Promise?”

  “I promise,” Danny said and smiled. The fact that Sam asked him to make a promise like a five-year-old girl, kind of make Danny like him.

  “That’s good before your dad sends over his boy to come and send me to the other side,” Sam said and smiled, as he sipped the last drop of the beverage.

  At Master Scott’s base, nobody noticed that Danny wasn’t around, except CJ and Teezee. Teezee quietly kept looking around, to see if Danny was hiding somewhere, having some alone time. Danny was used to keeping some distance. And that made Teezee’s search for him lack some momentum.

  It was around 11 pm that Teezee started suspecting that something fishy might have happened to Danny. He went and reported to Master Scott.

  “What do you mean you haven’t seen him since afternoon? Can you at least try to be clear?” Master Scott asked with a tone of authority.

  “I’m saying that Danny is not in his room. And I’ve looked around for him, he was nowhere to be found.”

  That news stung Scott like an angry wasp. He stood motionless for a while. “Have you asked CJ?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “And everybody else?”

  “I haven’t asked anybody, except CJ.”

  “Well, go ask’em!”

  And that was how it went from “go ask’em”, to “take your men and go look around the neighborhood”. It was only CJ that knew what happened to Danny. He was kind of happy that no one found out his deadly act, and at the same time, sad that he took the life of his brother, not by accident, but with his bare hands.

  The search for Danny continued from days to weeks, to even months.

  At the same point, Danny hid end enjoyed his life with the wise fishermen, Sam. Sam knew very well how to live a happy life. He and Danny occasionally went for fishing. And each time they were together, Danny always paid attention to what the wise man had to teach him about life. Sometimes Sam told Danny interesting stories, stories with important moral truths.

  And that was how Danny spent about three months away from home, while Teezee and his men have decided to give up the search. The only implication was that, either Teezee remained as the second in command or Scott decided to give CJ what he always wanted since he turned 17. Master Scott hasn’t made up his mind. His delay in making a decision was as painful as a paper cut to CJ.

  CHAPTER 9

  New Commander

  “Oh my Goodness, Danny! Where have you been?” Master Scott asked and stood up to go closer to Danny. “Wow! After the entire search…”

  “Dad, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I’m home now. Danny said, forgetting the fact that his dad had no idea that CJ tried to kill him. Danny responded with the feeling that he’d decided to let everything go.

  “Don’t be foolish, Danny! You can’t just show up from nowhere after we’ve spent more than two months searching for you, and tell me that it doesn’t matter. Of course, it does. In three days' time, you gonna be in charge of this,” Master Scott spread out his hands, “this whole thing. All that I’ve worked hard for, are gonna be placed under your care. That means you’re gonna take responsibility for them. Now, tell me, Danny, ‘it doesn’t matter’, does it sound like a responsible answer to you, for someone that hasn’t been around for that long? Huh? Does it? Answer me!” Master Scott yelled when he discovered that Danny just bent his head to the ground. He was thinking up what to answer, but when Scott yelled, he got back out from his mind.

  “No, sir. I just went out, on my own. To experience the world before I commit full time to manage what you’ll soon place into my hands. It’s not a little responsibility. And I don’t think I can handle it.”

  Danny didn’t really want to take up that much responsibility. He wasn’t seeking power. But his dad didn’t care much. All he cared for was to get a capable hand, someone he could trust, possibly someone he’d call his own, that could handle ‘all that he’d worked hard to acquire’. And Danny was the valid option. With the notion of ‘like father, like son’, he believed that Danny could be tamed to as expected, considering the fact that Danny’s real father was a scammer.

  “No son, you can handle it. I’m here for you. Remember? It’s not your responsibility. It’s our responsibility. Now go have some rest. Your brother will be thrilled to see you again.”

  “Where’s he now?”

  “He went with Teezee and the others to acquire a potential package.”

  When Master Scott said ‘acquire a potential package’, he was talking about stealing. Most of the packages they deliver, as an exchange for money, were stolen. And that’s the nature of the business.

  “Oh. Alright then. Can’t wait for him to come back.” Danny said and left his father.

  He went into his room and locked himself up. With the joy that his dad didn’t care to ask about the particular place he went to have some alone time, he lay on his bed. Within minutes, he slept off.

  “Who’s that?” Danny woke up with a start when he heard a knock on his door.

  “It’s me, Teezee,” Teezee said and turned the doorknob once more.

  “Man…” Danny got up and unlocked the door.

  “Where have you been, man? We’ve been searching for you.”

  “Let’s just forget the whole thing. Alright? Let’s just forget it.”

  “You can’t just expect me to forget, man. Give me something.”

  “I’ve got nothing to give you. Nevertheless, I appreciate the effort you put into looking for me. Now I’m found, or let’s just say, I found myself. The search is over now. The lost boy is finally found. And there’s no need talking about it.” Danny was even surprised that he talked that much. He lacked logic and didn’t want to tell the truth. That was why he said some harsh stuff to Teezee. Teezee just stood still and looked. “Look, I’m sorry man. There’re some things that you can’t just explain, you know. I just wish to be left alone.” Danny apologized and lay back on his bed.

  “If you say so. I just wanna make sure you okay.

  “Ah, I’m cool man. Thanks for the lookout.” Danny said and got up to lock the door as Teezee stepped out and shut it.

  Two days passed and Danny and CJ didn’t say a single word to each other. Anytime they met at a very close range, they’d say something like ‘What’s good bro?’ of which the other person would respond, ‘Everything’s fine.’ They knew everything wasn’t fine. But they’d rather put fake faces on, and keep the pretense rolling.

  On Danny’s 17th birthday, on the morning of that very day, CJ approached Danny. “Look, man, I know that I’m not the best brother you could get. I know I did something you’d never expected from me. And because of that, we can’t keep pretending forever. I’m admitting that what I did was wrong. Okay? I wouldn’t ask you to forgive me. Because I wouldn’t if I were you. My point is, let’s loosen up a bit. It’s your day today, remember? Happy birthday, man.”

  Danny stayed mute for a while. He didn’t know what to say. “Thanks,” he said, after a long pause.

  And that was how the two brothers became friends again. Or maybe they pretended to be. And so within a few min
utes after the two reconciled, CJ was busy observing a new gun with his friend. When he noticed Danny passing by, he called him; “Danny. Look, it’s amazing. Isn’t it?” He raised the gun to show Danny.

  “Yeah, it is,” Danny said when he came close enough to observe the gun.

  “It’s your birthday gift,” CJ said and took the gun from his friend. He pointed the gun to Danny.

  “Woh! Man! What are you doing? Are you out of your mind? Point that away from me! C’mon man!” Danny was saying as he kept drawing back slowly from CJ.

  “It’s your birthday gift. And it would be super cool to first use it on you.” CJ said with utmost seriousness.

  Danny noticed the seriousness in CJ’s voice. He turned to run away. But he heard the sound of a gun. The next thing he noticed was himself, lying on the floor, on his stomach. He’d been shot. He looked at his leg and saw blood dripping away. The bullet hit him at the point between the calf and the ankle.

  CJ and his friend rushed to him. “I’m so sorry Danny. It was a mistake.”CJ said as he tried to get Danny up.

  “Let me alone!” Danny yelled, trying to push CJ away.

  Everyone else in the house that morning heard the sound of the gun. They rushed out to find what happened. When Teezee saw Danny lying helplessly on the floor, he sent one of his men to go and call Master Scott.

  “And what does this supposed to mean?” Master Scott asked CJ as he approached the scene.

  “It’s a mistake. The gun is new, and I haven’t learned how it works. It was just a mistake.”

  “Just a mistake? Don’t worry. We’d talk about this later. Teezee, call Lina. Tell her to come as quickly as possible. Remind her also to come with her working whatever. She’s going to dress Danny’s wound and perform her rituals at the same time.”

  “Alright sir,” Teezee said as he moved away from the scene. He went a short distance away and started making a call.

  Mrs. Lina didn’t take much time to show up. She performed her healing rituals on Danny. After the charms, the energy works and rituals, Danny was wearing only boxers, with very big clothe tied around his head. He had an oily, smelly ointment rubbed all over his body.

  When he got up from a mattress, of which he’d been ordered to lay back for a while, he limped toward his father. His father sat by him to watch over him. Danny managed to limp to him. He felt hopeless and the pain on his bullet wound made him hate himself.

  The pain he felt was unbearable to him. He was trying his best to hold back from crying out his feelings. His father had taught him how to repress emotions. And Sam, the happy fisherman, had taught Danny to always express his feelings. Danny was totally confused. Finally, he burst out crying.

  “Dad! What’s the point of all of these? What does all this really mean? My mates use their birthday as an opportunity to celebrate. Instead, I’ve got a giant cloth tied to my head, a shitty oil all over my body, and a bullet wound from my own brother.” Danny cried to his father.

  Master Scott would take crying as a weakness, but at that very time, he felt for Danny. He tried to console him. “C’mon Danny. The pain you feel won’t stay with you forever. Everything will soon be alright. Soon, you gonna have to be in charge of every other thing. I mean, don’t you look forward to that?”

  “I don’t know. I just want the pain to go away. I want to be n…” Danny wanted to say that he wanted to be natural. Something Sam had taught him, that it’s better to be natural than trying to fit in, to be normal.

  “Don’t worry Dan. You’re already the second in command.” Scott said to his grieving son.

  “Can I take these off now?” Danny asked his dad, pointing at the giant clothe on his head.

  “Yes. You can now.” Scott assured him.

  That word, ‘second in command’, even made Danny loathe the whole environment and everybody in it. He limped away from his father, after taking his time to clear the tears on his face. He went inside the house to take care of himself. After taking a shower, he went inside his room and locked himself up, again.

  After all, he was then the second in command. Nobody would dare to wake him up anyhow.

  CHAPTER 10

  Love in Chaos

  Since the day Danny became the second commander, CJ was filled with bitterness. He barely associated with anybody else except his few close friends. Even Danny didn’t have anything to do with him.

  The responsibility Danny thought was lying in wait for him before he took up the position, wasn’t as much as he thought. All he had to do, anytime there was an opportunity to go retrieve or deliver a package, was to oversee the whole operation. By overseeing, he had to make plans, plans of the operation from the beginning to the end.

  The plan he came up with, on his first operation was to use a sniper. The sniper would first off, survey the transaction environment. Then, he’d take up the position with the highest vantage point. His only mission would be to shoot whoever carried the case containing a package or money. His shot should strictly go to the leg of his target. When the target dropped off what he was carrying, the rest of Danny’s team would drop teargas. That would give them the opportunity to make away with both the money and the package.

  Danny’s plan was brilliant. Scott liked the idea. And so, he gave Danny a go-ahead order. Danny’s first operation was very successful. It was the second operation that was met with some situations.

  There was a little slip in Danny’s plan. CJ’s anger pushed him to even become a rat. He informed the other party of Danny’s plan of ambush. The other party, who was meant to deliver a piece of an old sculpture, came to the transaction spot, very well prepared for anything.

  And so Danny’s plan resulted in a terrible shootout. Some of his men were killed. He too, took a bullet, on his shoulder. He ran for his life, into a nearby store. Inside the store, a young salesgirl hid underneath a counter.

  When Danny bashed into the shop, the girl shouted out loud. Danny shushed her and assured her that they were safe. Danny’s blood was dripping all over the floor.

  The girl tried to call the police but Danny stopped her. He begged her to hide him inside the store so the police wouldn’t notice him.

  “What’s your name?” Danny asked as he lay on the floor, so tired.

  “Wendy,” she said with nervousness.

  “Wendy. I need your favor. I need you to hide me inside. Trust me. If you wouldn’t want the police to arrest you, do exactly as I say. Hide me, and clean up my blood. And you gonna have to remove this bullet from me.”

  Wendy was panicking. He didn’t know what to do. She felt like running out of the store.

  “You have to act quickly. Unless you want me to die inside your store.”

  “It’s not my store. I’m just a salesgirl.”

  “Whatever. Please. You have to help me. Please. I’m dying here.”

  Wendy, after thinking things over for a while, opened the door of the inners store and asked Danny to go in. She cleaned up Danny’s blood on the floor.

  She took some stuff, including water, scissors and a piece of cloth. She went inside the room where Danny entered and shut the door.

  It didn’t take so long before Danny emerged from the room, with Wendy. They were both chatting, so friendly. Danny had a piece of clothing tied around his shoulder. Underneath his suit, bloodstains could be seen on his white shirt.

  “Wendy. You know you saved my life today. I owe you one. Can I get your number or something? I’d really love to meet you next time.”

  Wendy reluctantly gave her number to Danny. He thanked her and went away.

  Back at home, Danny was somewhat happy to found that his men, the ones that got away from the shootout managed to make away with the money and the piece of sculpture. It was a huge success. And Danny’s bullet wound even added to his success. Scott was thrilled, the feat of his son, taking a bullet for the sake of the business. That gave him a sense of fulfillment. And so, he threw a mini party for Danny’s bravery.

  That
party, that whole celebration of Danny, was so stinging to CJ. All his ploys, all his calculated moves, Danny always jumped over and even kept growing bigger. That pained him a lot. To avoid lashing out on someone, he quietly went away, far away from that toxic environment.

  After the party, of which Danny didn’t even enjoy, because of his unhealed wound, Danny went into his room. It was around 8 pm, and he decided to ring Wendy. The call lasted for a very long time.

  Through the call, Danny discovered that Wendy was a schoolgirl that took up the salesgirl job only after school. Danny liked her, even for the fact that she was strong enough to remove a bullet wound from a stranger, and still had the guts to be honest about her life, with a total stranger.