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The journey to Kaduna was all what Colour and Ken Solomon discussed as they drove towards the Usman Dam, an isolated hilly area with a large water barrier situated along Dutse/Bwari road, a short gateway to Kaduna. However, they were not heading to Kaduna now; their immediate destination was towards the isolated mass of water and hilly view of the Usman Dam.
The old beetle made a cracking noise as they climbed the last hill towards the main gate of the fenced and guarded resort. KS who all along had been observing the topography smiled at Colour and threw out his cigarette as they near the gate. A thin looking old man emerged from the guard room, peered suspiciously at their car and then at their smiling faces.
‘
’ Barka Baba, yaya aiki?’’ Colour greeted him respectfully in Hausa.

‘’ Yawa, barka ku da zuwa, yaya hanya?’’ The old man responded with a smile and lifted the painted iron barrier by the gate.

‘’ Hanya lafiya, baba, innna fatan ka na lafiya.’’ He said as he drove slowly into the gate.

‘’ Za mu shiga, mu fito yan zu in Allah ya yarda.’’ He continued through the window.

‘’ To, da kyau, Allah ya sa, adawo lafiya.’’ The guard replied and waved him through.


‘’ What did you tell him so good?’’ KS asked impressed with the language and on how Colour had handled the situation easily at the gate.

‘’ Just one of the simplest things in life…I gave him his respect and he gave me mine.’’ Colour replied with a grin.

‘’ Yeah, that was good. Wish I could hear what you guys were saying in that language.’’
KS said his eyes half-glancing at the long winding road that leads towards the isolated dam. He noted a small community made up of modern houses and other blocks of various structures that housed the famous dam.

‘’ Maybe you should marry a girl from Hausa land, then she teach you.’’ Colour told him with a smile.

‘’ Yeah, I will think about your proposition when we get to Kaduna. You told me the state is the administrative capital of the north.’’

‘’ Absolutely, and the state of the Mafia,’’ Colour laughed as he said this, at the same time he made a sharp bend and free the car to descend slowly towards an untied road that led them towards the water. Here they got out with KS eyes staring admiringly at the expanse of water with a lone canoe boy paddling with expertise abandonment from a distance. Apart from the boy and the canoe the place look serene at that hour.

‘’ An inspiring scenario’’ KS said as he lit a cigarette and wandered off to take some snapshots of the topography with his Nokia phone.

Colour smiled proudly, selected a spot at the bank of the river, dropped the shopping bag in his hands and went into the process of organizing some weed for them with a Rizla. KS joined him some few minutes later with his jeans now rolled up above his knee. He showed Colour some of the images he had just captured and then smiled broadly at him.

‘’ Beautiful shots, take, enjoy this…’’ Colour with his eyes on the phone screen passed him a rolled weed.

‘’ Thanks bro, you have made my day.’’ KS lit the smoke happily with the half-finished cigarette, and dragged hard. ‘’ Sweet- grass,’’ He commended and stared up at the evening sky.

The two friends sat silently for some minutes and smoke their weed, each of them carried away by his thoughts and imaginations as the evening sun made a shiny orange glow from the sky.

‘’ So, what are you doing about this cash issue and your stay at the Mercury Hotel? This adventure I told you is going to be expensive’’ Colour suddenly said breaking the silence and jotted a thoughtful engrossed Ken Solomon from his reverie.

‘’ Yeah, my cash issue. Honestly, I don’t know. I am still thinking. Maybe this will give me some idea.’’ KS answered jokingly indicating the weed in-between his fingers.

‘’ Yes, talking about idea, you mean you don’t have somebody you can call and talk to? What about that woman you told me about, your Personal Assistant and close ally, Ms Pamela?’’ Colour asked with a grin, and fetched out two bottles of plastic Coca-cola from the shopping bag. He handed the Coke to KS and kept the Sprite to himself.

‘’ Yeah, you have a good idea there. Jesus! I have almost forgotten her. Yes, I have got a solution here.’’ With this, he took a long sip at his drink, and pushed his frame up and then made an international call to Ms. Pamela Evans in America. ‘’ You will excuse me with the lies. I have explained everything to you.’’ He said and winked at Colour as the sleepy voice of Pamela sounded in his ears.

‘’ Yes, who is this? He heard her sleepy voice demanded angrily from the other end.

‘’ Hello, my dearest Dimples’’ He announced cheerfully with a broad smile on his face.

‘’ Jesus! KS! Is that you?’’ He heard the catch of her breath as she screamed excitedly into the phone.

‘’ Who else will have the courage to wake you up from your sweet cherished sleep by this hour Ms. Dimples?’’

‘’ God- it’s you- KS where are you? What is happening to you? KS can you hear me? ‘’

He listened to her torrent of questions as they rushed into his ears and he visualized her frenzied posture at that moment.

‘’ I am fine, Pam. Sorry to have woke you up, just needed to talk to you.’’

Okay, where are you? ‘’ She finally asked in a more relaxed voice.

‘’ I am still in Nigeria, what has been happening since I left?’’ KS asked as he dragged his weed and blow smoke across his face.

‘’ Plenty. Two strange men that I guessed works for the Feds have been lottery around the office since three days ago. They earlier came in and arrogantly asked about you. I told them they should piss off and demanded why they wanted to see you. I equally told them I am in charge and if there is anything they want they should tell me. They threatened to come back and if they cannot find you by the end of next week, they will declare you wanted.’’ She reeled out and then shouted angrily ‘’ God damn it KS! What the hell is going on?’’

‘’ Calm down your nerves Dimples. Remember you are one of the boldest women I have ever come across and I still believe deep inside me that you can always handle things perfectly, no matter the storm…So I want you to calm down and listen to me.’’

KS said calmly into the phone as Colour still seated in his position with his legs stretched and the front buttons of his short sleeve silk shirt now unbuttoned, stared thoughtfully at some group of swan birds making their return home and the fading sun in the sky.

‘’ So what did they tell you? KS continued on the phone.

‘’ Nothing, they only said they wanted some information from you and that you are not in Nigeria as you claimed. I refused to tell them that we spoke on phone few days back’’

‘’ They must be crazy. Believe me I am right here in Nigeria, just as I mentioned the other day. Now listen Pam, let me give you a little details of what’s been going on with me here. First, I want you to know I am in Nigeria as I told you, but I came in on a different name and identity. I cannot explain that to you at the moment. Secondly, I lost one of my luggage at the airport with some vital documents, credit cards and my laptop containing some contacts right over here. So the few days I have spent so far have been filled with some bitter and sweet experiences. ’’ KS poured out with a tired voice on the phone as he dragged his weed and winked at Colour who heard his lies.

‘’ Jesus! KS, are you okay? Then come back home immediately? Get in touch with the America embassy, for God sake!’’ He heard her directed with alarm.

‘’Nothing to worry about, I am handling things squarely. I am almost at the end of the tunnel, so no turning back now. All I need is few more days and some cash’’

‘’ Cash, talking about cash, its important you know that some of our investors, especially old Mrs. Wynnewood and Mr. Brainchild have threatened to go to the press if they don’t see you by next week.’’ Pamela Evans told him.

However, KS in his relaxed posture just smiled, dragged his weed and then continued calmly on the phone. ‘’ Really, all right, just stall them before the end of next week; I promise I will not let you down. You know I have always kept to my words, Dimples.’’

Pamela Evans now fully awake in her tasteful flat in New York strolled into the Kitchen with the phone still held on her ears as they spoke and made herself some coffee. She deliberated on her boss for some time and his past records of always taking care of every situation flooded through her mind. She knew she could always rely on him; just the way he had always relied on her in many situations since their first meeting.

‘’ So how much cash do you want? She finally asked as she sauntered back into her bedroom.

‘’ Some hundred thousand dollars should set me rolling. Yes, a hundred thousand will do. I will payback every dime. I promise.’’ KS told her cheerfully.

‘’ Okay, I will make all the necessary arrangement to transfer some cash into your bank account immediately.’’ She assured him.

‘’ Thank you Dimples, I know I can always rest my worries on your tender shoulders. I will make it up to you when I come back. I promise. I have a new account with one of the banks here. I will send you the account number for the transfer. You are a sweet woman Pam’

‘’ Ok. Just finish this mysterious business and get your ass back home safely.’’ She reprimanded him.

‘’ I will, Dimples and I will explain everything to you from the beginning.’’ KS replied cheerfully and lit a cigarette.

‘’ Yes, you own me some explanation…I have an instinct there is something you are hiding from me.’’ She told him in her straight face character.

‘’ And your instincts I know have never let you down…’’ He responded with a loud chuckle and ended the call with pronounced cheerfulness in his blue eyes.

He sauntered back to Colour with a broad smile and picked up his drink.

‘’ Let’s get ready to go track this Smoke and his gang, I am back in cash for this adventure.’’ He announced cheerfully and sipped his drink.

Colour stared admiringly at him, pushed himself up from his position and shook his hand.

‘’Thinking deep always brings a solution to a problem, or what do you think?’’ He asked with a broad smile.

‘’ Yes, good grass, good thinking, I agree with you.’’ KS replied and they both made their way back to where they left their car as the sign of darkness enveloped the sky and the lone canoe boy peddled away and then disappeared from their sights.

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