********
Senator Bode Olori was enjoying one of his finest moments that night as the Presidential Economy Committee dinner progressed smoothly. He was enjoying every second and the attention from the two beautiful women on his table. One was his wife; a beautiful shy looking woman in her early thirties, dressed in a rich lace material with hundred thousands worth of gold necklace adoring her smooth neck and four gold rings on her immaculate polished fingers completed the show of gold. The other woman on his table was the wife of one of his colleagues, another senator who had traveled abroad on one of their various jamborees and had assigned his beautiful wife to represent him at the dinner in company of his colleague and his wife. She too was ‘dressed to kill’ in a rich expensive blue satin dress that sent many male heads swinging curiously at her with lustful eyes. The blue emerald sapphire necklace on her neck unleashed a pang of envy on the minds of some of the women around the hall, among them senator Bode’s wife. She was not comfortable with the attention her randy husband was showering on their guest and his eagerness to impress her with his various legislative jargon and fancy tales of his numerous trips abroad, this including his occasional ‘secret’ meetings with the President and Commander-in-Chief, in Aso Rock Villa.

“ We are in charge. This country is in our hands. We decide what goes on and who should have what in this country.” He was presently boasting proudly to his friend’s wife.

He sipped his expensive wine, smirk his thick lips and relaxed more comfortably on his seat, proud that most eyes were on their table. He secretly wished his wife was at home while he had all the time to catch his fun alone. He had this strong confidence that he has all it takes to seduce any woman he wanted. This beautiful woman in blue satin could be his latest conquest if he dials his card right. He thought silently. Nevertheless, he knew his suspicious wife was reading his entire move now, so he needed to be careful. He cautioned himself.
He suddenly wish that he could send his wife back home to stay with the kids while he try his luck on this lonely beautiful woman whose hubby he was sure was right now inside one of the expensive hotels in Washington, enjoying himself with his latest white girlfriends. He had been part of the conspiracy for long and knew the kind of assignments most of them go to do outside the country on taxpayer’s money. Please enjoy yourself friend, while I try my luck on your beautiful lonely wife. He concluded silently, his dizzy eyes roved around the blue necklace on her neck and her two firm seductive breasts. God, I love beautiful women like this. He visualized silently, and shook his thick fat neck happily to the beat of King Sunny Ade’s ‘Syncro System’.





*******
Victor still wearing his confident look led Etim and Mai-Coins into the capacity filled banquet hall. Mai-Coins had earlier drawn their driver aside and instructed him to keep an alert watch on Colour and Richmond. The chunky looking driver had nodded his head and silently covered both of them with his big frame. This he did without giving any hint to the other security agents around who had the impression they were all part of the dreaded EFCC operatives, including the white man whom they imagine might be an FBI agent or part of the Interpol. Back inside the lively banquet hall, the sweet lyrical voice of King Sunny Ade, seduced the guests happily away as they eat their sumptuous food, sipped their expensive drinks and chatted merrily among each other. Few security operatives in mufti mingled freely around, their alert eyes prudently scanned for any trouble.

Just then, Victor, flanked by detective Mai-Coins and Etim sauntered into the main hall and paused by a corner then quietly inspected the quests. The agreed plan was for Victor to scanned the guests and quietly identify the elusive Smoke by walking up to him and extend his hand for a handshake. “Just shake his hand and leave the rest to us.” Mai-Coins had lectured him on their way in. So, standing by the corner, they all watched with admiration as the guests dined cheerfully, making all the ubiquitous banters known among the rich and powerful people in the society. Victor stared quietly at the crowd with a hidden grin. He suddenly felt a sick revulsion and hatred at the guests, especially his rich country men and women among them. He was a youth from the impoverished Niger Delta region where poverty was almost extinguishing his people and here he was suddenly among the rich overfed crooks that over the decades have been responsible for their suffering. Here they were, some of the country’s corrupt politicians and government officials with their spoilt cronies lavishing their oil money on rich sumptuous foods, pricey drinks and some of the most beautiful women in the country. His mind swiftly traveled far to his village and he imagined his old parents at home probably back from their oil polluted farm, very tired and trying to arrange some cheap soup and garri for dinner.

He suddenly had the urge to walk up to some of the rich tables inside the banquet and turn them over; this including slapping some overfed checks and kick their overstuffed stomachs.

“ Show us Smoke” Mai-Coins suddenly whispered behind him.

But victor was still in his hateful reveries and did not hear him. The only thing on his mind at that moment was the wasteful spending of the country’s wealth that his eyes were witnessing inside the banquet hall. He hated the flamboyant politicians, the government officials, and their cronies the more. He hated their always unfulfilled promises and lies and the daily deceits they over the years been feeding to the public, especially his impoverished people. He wished he could detonate a bomb and send everyone around to hell, this excluding him. He reasoned. Then maybe his region, village and people will finally see development and enjoy their God’s given wealth. But Victor quest for money and the good things in life had actually been the reason why he had not joined any of the various militant groups in his region, preferring to join the fast, exciting world of fraudsters to help dupe some of the corrupt rich politicians in the country, government officials and their cronies, including their foreign collaborators who over the decades have continued to milk his people of their oil wealth and other natural resources. These entire scenarios raced through his mind as he stared thoughtfully at the various tables inside the filled hall.

“Hey! Victor, show us Smoke” Etim hissed out angrily across his ears.

Victor’s angry eyes suddenly picked out the flamboyant cap of senator Bode as he swings his thick neck to the melodious beat of King Sunny Ade. He studied him and his two beautiful women silently for some seconds, and then grinned up at the two EFCC operatives.

“I have sighted him; just give me few minutes to do the identification.” He announced happily to them, turned and sauntered casually towards one of the tables. He walked up confidently to Senator Bode’s table and planted his petite frame happily in front of him, and then smiled up at the two women whose pampered faces stared back blankly at him.

“ Good evening ladies” He greeted them with a slight bow then smiled up at the senator. “Evening Chief” He greeted with a wide smile and extended his hand in a handshake.

Senator Bode who was still shaking his head merrily to the beat and was just in the process of excusing the lady in blue for a dance, paused his thick neck and glared arrogantly with an astonished look at the strange young man in front of him, his eyes stared scornfully at his extended hand as if he had just been offered a dose of poison to kill himself.

“Yes, can I help you? He demanded arrogantly, instantly hating the young man for disrupting his plan.

But Victor retailed his smile and kept his cool, although he was almost tempted to smack his overfed cheeks. He noted how the senator had ignored his hand with contempt. All the same, he went ahead with his identification plan.

“ Good evening, Chief. I am a Flame; I am here with those two EFCC agents over there to see you.” He announced loudly with a grin.

The senator heard him clearly, so also the two women. They both suddenly sat up surprisingly on their seats; their pampered face followed the direction of Victor’s hand as he pointed towards detective Mai-Coins and Etim who at that moment make their way casually towards their table. Senator Bode stared confusingly at Victor, his women and then at the two detectives as they headed towards them. He felt a sudden hot perspiration across his neck. Victor, a smile on his face, slowly drifted towards two security personnel in uniform.

“ Hello, officers. Please be on the alert, the two guys over there are here to kidnap the senator and his wives. They are Niger Delta militants.”
He hurriedly informed them and darted away as Mai-Coins and Etim finally planted themselves in front of the senator.

The excitement of finally catching their most wanted criminal was just too much for them, they lousily closed their intelligence to all other things going on and prepared themselves for their biggest catch. So they did not noticed Victor as he quietly slipped away into the crowd and disappeared among some of the merry guests who were busy dancing happily on the dance floor. Meanwhile, Etim planted himself arrogantly in front of the senator, and ignored the two panicked looking women who both stared at him as if he was one of those monsters they see every day in one of those Nollywood movies.

“ Hello, Smoke – finally, welcome to our world.” Detective Mai-Coins at last addressed the surprised looking senator who suddenly pushed back his chair angrily just as two police orderly in uniform rushed towards them, their weapons drawn.

“What is going on here?” the tall one among them demanded, his gun covering Mai-Coins and Etim.

“Hey, relax, EFCC.” Etim hissed out, and flashed his ID.

“Gentlemen, I am an Honourable Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I know my fundamental rights. You don’t have a right to come here and intimidate me.” Senator Bode shouted, banged his hands angrily on the table, and knocked down some drinks in the process as many eyes suddenly stared confusingly at their table.

“You guys can’t just storm here, flashed your ID cards and embarrassed me. Who are you? And who sent you here?” The senator continued, his thick neck swung angrily left and right.

“Relax, Smoke and cut off the acting, we know who you are.” Detective Mai-Coins hissed out, and then turned to address the two policemen in uniform.

“ espirit de cop. I am ASP Mai-kudi from the EFCC.” He announced boldly, and flashed his ID.

“This is my colleague DSP Etim.’ He continued, and indicated a stoned faced Etim who glared at the senator and his two panicked women.

“This is our suspect, we are here to arrest him. “ He concluded, indicating the bewildered senator.

“ What, me, suspect. Arrest me, for what?” Senator Bode shouted angrily, making a loud scene that drew more attention to his table.

Suddenly the banquet hall became tensed as some of the rich guests suddenly became scared and the exit door suddenly turned rowdy as many of them excused themselves, and booted for the quickest way out with their overfed wives, mistresses, girlfriends, concubines and other hanger on. They all rushed out in panic from the hall. Gone were the styles, grace, and showoff of jewelries, affluence and pride. Most of them abandoned their companies with dreadfulness, rushed quickly to their cars and then ordered their drivers to quickly drive out of the environment. Colour, Mr. Richmond and the driver stared confusingly at the commotion, and then glanced surprisingly at each other, wondering what was going on.

” What the hell is going on?” the driver demanded from no one in particular and then stared suspiciously at Richmond and Colour.

“ Why don’t you go inside and find out? I am scared right now; just hope the building is not on fire or probably a bomb scare.” Colour complained.

“ Okay, wait, let me see, just wait here and watch the oyinbo, I will soon be back.” The panicked looking driver instructed and then darted into the hall.

Mr. Richmond stared confusingly at Colour as some of the panicked guests dashed out of the hall. “What is going on?” He asked and his eyes darted towards the elevators.

“ I don’t know.” Colour replied, his eyes also on the elevators. “If I were in your shoes right now, I will quickly find my way out.” He suggested, stared at the escape routes, grinned up at Mr. Richmond and then casually made his way into the commotion filled banquet hall.

END OF PART 1

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