Hello everyone.
Here is my book presently selling on Amazon.

Its a 26 Chapters novel and I just want to give you a tip of the iceberg.

If you love the story please show some love by buying either the eBook or the Paperback.
Check my Sig. for the link.

Enjoy.

Dedication


To the memory of those who contacted COVID-19 and died. May their souls rest in peace. To all that contacted it and were cured, congratulations. To us who by Divine Grace did not contact it, may we never come in contact with it. And to all the world inhabitants, may our world be cleansed and be healed totally of it. Amen!






















Introduction
Scores of kidnap cases are reported daily. It is so rampant that it has become worrisome to the entire populace and the government of his nation. Amidst the menace, is an outbreak of a deadly virus that plagues the entire world, which has forced many countries to go on a total lockdown. Thousands have died and thousands are sick and struggling to live. But, it is yet to be detected in his Country.

In the midst of it all, since the government of his country is not proactive enough to prevent her people from the danger looming by closing down its international airports on time, and declare a stay at home for all citizens, he continues his work as a Uber driver.

On a fateful day at work, he meets a beautiful Asian traveler, who is on a first time visit to his country. Her beauty is rare and her personality, captivating. She has class, she has money and she also possesses a factor of misfortune.

After their first meeting, destiny brings them in contact again. And that contact becomes the usher of his struggles and pain. The same that brought him love, joy and Comfort at the long run.
What then is that factor of misfortune?

Only a dig into his ordeal can reveal it.

1

“Hello! Roja,” his baritone sailed through to the other end as he held his phone close to his ear. He watched the captives in front of him keenly as he talked. They must be between the ages of seventeen and twenty. It was their second day in captivity and their ransom was yet to be paid.
“Yes boss, I’m here,” Roja replied and smoke escaped from his mouth and nostrils into the air. He wiggled his cigar twice and ashes fell to the ground.
“Has the flight arrived already?” Evans asked, cleared his throat and used his left hand to give a signal to the boys sitting on the floor before him, to start to eat.
“The plane will touch down in the next fifteen minutes boss,” Roja replied again. He had left the arrival hall to give his boys waiting in the car instructions. And besides, he needed a stick of cigar too. And he could only do that outside the airport hall. Smoking was prohibited within the interior part of the airport.

“Okay! who and who are working with you there?” Evans asked, expecting a pleasing reply from him.

“Luke-the-dude and Monster-J Sir,” Roja answered confidently, knowing Evans would love the combination of the two.

“Good! good!, that's really good. You know, I don’t want any excuse this time around, because this is an international job and our Client is expecting nothing short of success,” Evans said tilting the executive chair he sat on back-and-forth with his legs on the writing table.

“Yes boss, nothing but success,” Roja replied. He took a long drag of the smoke and polluted the air again with it. Then, he sharply looked on his watch, took another drag and dropped the stud on the ground and stepped on it . It was 8.26am. He listened to the instructions from Evans and at the same time he was conscious of time. Therefore, in between the conversation, he quickly cut in, “I’ve got to go boss, the plane will soon land,” he announced and walked away from Luke-the-dude and Monster-J towards the main entrance of the airport.

. . .
Evans blew the last puff of smoke after the telephone conversation, and emptied his tobacco pipe in the ashtray, and then, dropped the tobacco pipe on the table. Everyone was aware that he loved to smoke the pipe more than the cigar, and they never
touched his tobacco box. He could kill because of it. Roja, on the other hand, smoked only the cigar and would burn two packets or more every day. They were both chain smokers but Roja’s addiction was worst.

Picking up his pistol from the table, Evans looked at the boy in red T-shirt in the eye and threatened him again pointing his pistol at him.
“look here! If your father doesn’t come with the ransom by 12noon tomorrow, you are as good as dead!. If the stingy old bastard bleeps with me, I will kill you. So, I will give you the last chance to talk to him to comply by our rules. Okay?” He yelled, and the expression on his face was fierce and mean. The boy nodded his head and fear gripped his heart and then, he began to shed tears again.
He watched the boy sob, and he had not an iota of pity for him. It was not a new thing to see tears on the faces of his captives. He would not even look at them twice a times. Like he says, to make a fortune in the business, you would need to be unmerciful.
He bent his head for some seconds as if pondering. He looked up suddenly, and turned to look at the other boy. Dimming his eyes, and raising his hand up gradually, he pointed the pistol at him.
“You! Where did you say your father works?” He asked the rugged looking young man and spat on the floor. Particles of the tobacco had escaped into his mouth and that was his normal habit of getting rid of it.
“He is a civil servant and he doesn’t have money. In fact, we manage to eat everyday,” the rough looking boy said. He had shown no fear since they were kidnapped two days ago, and Evans hated such attitudes. He believed he must belong to a gang. Kids with such attitudes are those who live a gangster life. And since being in cults had become a thing of pride in the society, kids like him should not be trusted.
A mere look at him revealed he must be stubborn. Three scars decorated his face. One on his left cheek close to his left ear, another at the center of his forehead and a small one on his chin. His friend had finished eating but he was still chewing a piece of meat and was rounding up eating.
“You must be insane. Who asked you if your family eat or not? What concerns me with your family’s problem?” Evans yelled and his eyes turned wild all of a sudden.
“Look! You had better behaved well, and don’t you proof stubborn with me. Else, I will waste your life if you do” he said in anger. And he briskly stood up, walked up to him and gave him a heavy slap across the face. The slap landed on his cheek and it sounded like a pack of books falling from a high table. A sudden flash of stars showed in his eyes and he closed his eyes for some seconds. The piece of meat in his mouth had escaped out onto the floor and he behaved as if he felt no pain. Then, raising up his head, he looked at Evans fiercely like he would retaliate. And the truth is, if not for the weapon in the hand of his abductor, he would.
Only God knows where a descent young boy like the chief's son met this animal. Evans thought, as he took a few steps away from him.
“I will kill you if your friend's father does not agree to pay your ransom. Trust me. Idiot!” Evans swore between his clenched teeth and picked up the bunch of keys and mumbled in anger in his usual way.
He walked up to the door, and ushered them out of his office holding the pistol. Then, he walked them to the last room by the right. This was the room he used as a cell for the not too rich victims. It had nothing but a rug laid on the floor, a pile of novels and old magazines at the far right corner. Although, it had an air conditioner, a toilet and bathroom and a small square hole of about 2feet on the wall directly opposite the door, it remained the room with the least facilities within the building. The iron rods planted into the wall across the hole on the wall made it impossible for a hand to go through and the little ventilation it provided, made life unbearable for the captives held up in it, most especially, when there was a power failure.

He opened the door, and ordered them inside, the pistol now in his right hand.
The child of the oil and gas businessman laid on the floor sleeping. It was his second week in captivity, and his father had refused to cooperate with his abductors. He had disowned him before he was abducted and so, he was not bothered when the kidnappers called him for ransom.
Evans walked up to him and gave him a heavy kick on the tummy for sleeping. The boy woke up, and his stomach ached greatly. He opened his eyes and unexplainable anger ran through his vein. He stood up at once like a zombie and for the first time since his abduction, he wrestled with Evans. Evans felt insulted by his action. He could not stand seeing a captive rebel against him. Because of this, he push him away and hit him against the wall, and before the boy could gather strength to stand up, in anger, he pulled the trigger and shot him.
The bullet pierced into his skull and there was a splash of blood on the wall behind him. He crash landed on the floor, and was completely lifeless.
“No one bleeps with me!” Evans roared like a madman, and Tade and Abdul watched in utter shock.
What a cruel world! Abdul thought. Why should he kill him when he did no wrong? Simply because his family refused to pay him the ransom he asked for. What a life! He sighed, as he watched the lifeless body of the poor boy on the floor with pity. A certain amount of anger built up in him in no time, as he starred at the wall painted in crimson by the splash of the blood of the dead boy.
Like a robot, Evans shifted his gaze on the two young men sitting on the floor. He pointed the pistol at Abdul and gazed at him in anger.
“I have a feeling, you will end up like this. So, be careful. No one bleeps with me. You pull a stunt with me, you are dead” he threatened.
After then, he paced up and down, as if he was figuring out something. Then eventually, he got close to the dead body, bent down, and dragged it out of the room, murmuring and grumbling as he did it. Tade shivered as he withdrew his stretched legs out of the way for the dragged body. It all was disgusting to him for he could not stand seeing blood and he felt nauseated. To him, it was obvious now, that all the threats coming from him were not for fun. He meant every word of it. But Abdul on the other hand, only felt the urge to retaliate on behalf of the innocent boy. He only needed a gun and he would take his abductors up man to man. He agreed that, as it all was playing out, he could be pushed to be violent against their brutality one day.

Evans dragged the dead boy out to the corridor and pushed him to a corner beside the wall. Then, he locked the door to the cell of Abdul and Tade and walked off, looking mad.
Most times, he acted irrational and it was nothing new to all those who worked with him. Anger was one of his weaknesses and he did not know it.

After leaving the body on the corridor, waiting for Monster J. to come and dispose of it, for he was the one who did all the dirty jobs, he reached for a stick of cigarette and lighted it. He remembered that he needed to call the boys and get to know what was happening concerning the assignment in their hands. He reached for his cellphone and dialled a number.
“How far?” He asked holding the phone on his left ear, walking towards the room with the inscription, “VIP” on it’s door. This is where he kept his stupendously rich captives. Those ones that were capable of paying the ransom in hundreds of millions.
He always said, he believed in giving them the worth for their money. “It’s a fair deal,” he would joke.
The room was directly opposite the room he labeled “EXECUTIVE” which he used as an office and a bedroom. In his VIP cell, was virtually everything to make the captives comfortable, besides Phone, TV and Radio. Sometimes, it served as his relaxation room too, pending the time another VIP captive was caught.
He opened the door and stretched his right hand to the left side to put the air conditioning system on. Meanwhile, it took Roja a few seconds to respond to his question, because he was busy checking on the oncoming passengers, coming into the arrival hall.

“Roja! Are you there?” Evans asked when he did not hear anything from the other end.

“Yes boss, the plane had just landed and we are awaiting the passengers at the Arrival section,” Roja replied.

“Okay then, I am expecting you guys with the target soon. No mistake please!” Evans warned authoritatively and ended the conversation.
Satisfied with the news, he walked up to the bed side and dropped his phone on the stool on which there was a lamp. He stood by the bedside and listened. He could hear Bolt bark outside and he knew she was protesting because of hunger. He would have given her food if only the dog food was still remaining on the kitchen shelve. There would not be food for both man and animal until the boys returned from the operation, he concluded.
Picking up his phone, he searched for the radio app. And on locating it, he put it on and searched for a Station with a program that would sooth his mood. He could feel sleep troubling his eyes and would not mind to take a nap for some minutes. So, he crashed unto the bed like a log of wood and at that point in time, his mind went to the job at hand again. He was too sure that his boys would not fail him and so, he would go on and rest.
The three are a good combination any day for delicate jobs. The only time Roja failed to perform to expectation, was once when both Luke-the-dude and Monster-J went on another assignment. And since they were all working together this time around, he expected nothing but success.
He laid face up still holding the phone. His search had not been successful. Therefore, he moved from one channel to another until he got to the one where there was a discussion on the economic recession the nation was going through. He stared at the ceiling waiting to catch a nap and listened as one of the analysts blamed the government on the high rate of
unemployment among the youths.
The comment amused him, and he smiled. And in between his teeth, he mumbled, “If they can’t provide jobs for us, we will help them by doing so”. He soliloquized. And the little smile on his face metamorphosed into a sarcastic laughter.
He laughed so loud like an hyena, that anyone outside could have heard him. And of course, Bolt heard him, and replied him with a few barks where he prostrated under the mango tree.
After a little while, he fell asleep and the radio remained on.

. . .
Roja held the picture on his hand and looked at it closely. “Yes!” he exclaimed quietly when he realized it was the same lady that was walking up towards him, among the other passengers. It was easy for him to recognize her because she took her glasses and facemask off briefly to wipe her face with a handkerchief.
It actually took a bit longer than usual for the passengers to be through with the checks to the arrival hall, after disembarking from the aircraft. Because of the recent instruction by the government that all passengers arriving in the nation must be screened and tested for COVID 19 virus, it made the check-in of the arriving passengers cumbersome.
As the lady came closer, he picked his phone and called Luke-the-dude and Monster-J to inform them on the arrival of their target.

“Hello, our friend has arrived and on her way out. Get set to move,” He instructed.

“Okay boss,” Luke-the-dude said and pulled the back-rest of his seat up from the reclining position and Monster-J did the same. Now they were ready and at alert.

2

Welcome madam". He said, in his usual polite manner. One of the work ethics he learned over the years in the trade. Politeness is the first impression you've got to display to a potential client, to win their hearts, trust and love as a Uber Driver, so he had learnt.
"Good afternoon," the Asian lady replied as she walked closer to him. She had gone through the medical checkups and the screening mandated for everyone coming into the country because of the outbreak of COVID- 19 Disease otherwise known as Corona virus. Nigeria was yet to record any case of the virus ever since it broke out in China.
It was all over the news, how terribly devastating the virus had affected USA, Italy and China. Thousands of cases were also reported in Germany, the UK and some other European and Asian countries. Africa had recorded a few cases too, but it was not as alarming as the other continents of the world.
Nigerians had hoped, that the same way Ebola was quickly attacked and defeated, when it entered into their country, was the way their government would react to the pandemic virus. But they were utterly disappointed. Because the government had delayed
the close down of all international airports in the nation to prevent what occurred in other countries where the Virus had been ravaging.
She got close to him and he pushed his trolley forward. She was with two suitcases. One was big, and the other, a medium size. She wore a face mask and white cotton gloves and a pair of sunshades.
"Do you need a Taxi?" He asked while already collecting her luggages to put in the trolley he came with. He adjusted his face mask and adjusted the luggages too, to sit properly in the trolley.
"Yes, are you a taxi man?" she asked behind the mask trying to dip the sunshades into her hand bag.
"Yes I am, You are welcome to Nigeria," he replied. Then, he turned around and started to push the trolley towards the exit door. Trolley in front, and they both followed behind.
They walked towards the main hall’s exit. And like he used to do with his clients, he attempted to engage her in a small conversation to make her feel at home and also to get to know her.
"I am Timi,” he introduced himself.
“It’s a pleasure,” she replied and looked away.
A Nigerian woman with a beautiful traditional headwear walked past and she turned, stood and said, “wow! That is beautiful”. She stared at the woman who walked in haste for a while, and turned back again to continue walking.
Really, he had expected her to introduce herself but when she did not, he bothered not.
They were almost getting to the exit of the hall, and as she walked, she looked here and there, observing virtually everything that looked strange to her. And by her gestures, he guessed she must be a first time visitor. Everything should not be strange to her if she was not new in the country.
"It must be your first time in Nigeria ma’am,” Timi said as he gave her a glance.
"Yes, my first visit,” she replied. Still looking around.

Meanwhile, Roja walked at a distance behind them amidst a group of people who were also walking out of the main hall, and he reached for his cell phone in the front pocket of his jeans trouser.
“The target sighted and leaving out of the airport with a taxi man, but closely monitored,” he informed Evans and got a commendation from him. He had to make the call snappy so, he ended it, checked his watch and put the cell phone back in his pocket.

Timi and his client were already out of the airport hall and now approaching the car park. The weather was hot and sunny. And he felt uncomfortable.
He was just recovering from malaria-fever after shots of chloroquine injections from his doctor two days earlier and lingering in the sun could bring back the feverish feelings. Therefore, he wished they could double up their steps, so that he could escaped the hot weather. But for his client, he needed to restrain himself. It would be wrong to go ahead of her. For this,
he reluctantly walked at the same pace with her.
As he walked her to his cab, he decided to get another chloroquine shot after dropping her off at her destination. And since he could inject himself, he would need to do it. He had bought bottles of the injection and syringes as well. Nothing would debar him from his work and jeopardize his savings towards his traveling plan. He trained as a nurse and it was unemployment that pushed him to the cab business. His plan was to travel to the United States where he heard that his nursing education would be more useful.

His client dipped her hand in her handbag and seemed to be looking for something. Some meters away to the taxi, she brought out a phone, and scrolled up and down, and It was not long before he knew she was looking for an address. After a while, she turned and asked, "do you know where Palm groove hotel is?" And without thinking twice, Timi answered in the affirmative and said, "Yes. Is that your destination?" Twisting his neck to look at her.
"Yes. take me there!" she ordered and pulled the mask down from her nose to her chin. And like an obedient servant, "Yes ma’am,” he replied. Following the rules of the business like his instructor Mr. Jude had advised during the one week compulsory training, when he was just starting as a Uber driver.
“In this taxi job, one of the qualities that stands you out as a driver is humility. You must know, that every client is a boss. No matter the age, gender or social
status. So, be humble and polite, and taxi driving could turn into a gold mine for you someday,” Mr. Jude the instructor had said.

Roja kept his eyes on the Taxi man and his client. He got to the SUV he and his team brought to the airport, and Monster-J on seeing him, left the front seat for the back. Roja entered, and sat in the front seat Monster-J vacated, and pointed at the Uber Taxi some meters away.
“That’s the target, follow it when it moves,” he instructed Luke-the-dude who was behind the steering, while Monster-J watched from behind, in between the two front seats.
“MJ, where is your weapon?” Roja asked turning his head to look at Monster-J at the back seat.
“Here and ready boss,” he replied in his usual subtle manner.
Only those who worked with him were aware of his brutality. And that was why Evans nicknamed him “the Quiet Danger,” his gentleness could be easily mistaken to be niceness.

Palmgroove hotel was one of the best hotels in town and as a first time visitor, she must have been referred to the place by someone or by a website. She sat at the back seat of the cab and at every question he asked, all she had was a short straight to the point reply. And instantly, that gave her away to be either an introvert or someone who hates too much familiarity with a stranger. Because of this, his way of
getting along with such clients was to keep the conversation short and simple. Else, he might become a pain in their ass. While some passengers would be active during conversations until they reach their destinations, some would not talk unless you asked them questions. And once the questions are answered, they are back in the reserved mode. Different strokes for different folks.

From time to time, Roja glanced at Luke-the-dude who nodded his head to an imaginary music as he drove three vehicles away from their target. He chewed gum like he did often when driving.
It was weird that none of them adhered to the advice of the government that every resident of the country must use face masks as one of the measures to prevent contacting Corona virus. They must be among the multitude that believe COVID 19 is not a black man’s disease.
“We will strike when they take a turn off the express way into a street. I will tell you when we are striking,” Roja said and Luke-the-dude nodded to let him know he heard him, while Monster-J remained quiet at the back, having his head between the two front seats.

Timi maintained his speed of 50kilometres per hour, and he once in a while checked on his passenger through the rear mirror. She must be in her late twenties he guessed. And by her look undoubtedly, she must be from Asia. Her beauty was absolutely flawless. In fact, he could say she was the most
beautiful Asian woman he had ever met. Taller than the average Asian woman and with a skin that was capable of glowing in the darkest of nights.

He noticed that she had been busy with her phone ever since they left the airport, and the only times she looked up was twice when they were stopped by the traffic warden and the traffic lights at junctions.
“How long are you staying madam,” he broke the silence intentionally with the question.
"Three days I think,” she replied sounding unsure about how long she would be staying in the country. And knowing that there would be another long silence after her reply, he put on the radio and changed the channel, until he got one that was playing music and left it there.
“You are my African queen, girl of my dreams. You take me where I’ve never been. You make my heart Tingalingaling,” the music blasted from the stereo.
"Is that 2face?" her voice came from behind.
"Yes,” Timi replied in surprise and looked at her in the rear mirror. Their eyes met and she smiled softly.
"So, you listen to Nigerian music?” he asked after removing the face mask on his face.
"Yes! of course, 2face, Davido and Wizkid. They are my favorite Nigerian artists,” She replied in an ascent
that exposed her to be American. And the golden smile that adorned her face refused to fade away for some seconds.
As he looked at her bright beautiful angelic face in the mirror, he was tempted to give her a compliment. But, on a second thought, not wanting to sound flirty,
he never did.
"That's good to know madam,” he replied and allowed her to enjoy the music uninterruptedly.

They were 30minutes away from the hotel and they came to a halt when they ran into a traffic jam. It was not a new thing in Lagos. Of course, it is the most populous city in West Africa and virtually all races and tribes world over are represented there.
The sun was up and doing. Blazing like it did not care if anyone baked or fainted. Due to this, the weather was hot. So hot, that he wound up the window glasses and put on the air conditioner to cool the temperature for the comfort of his client.
He actually always left the windows opened when ever he carried a first time visitor, so that they could start their experience of the nation right from the moment they left the airport. But the weather was not friendly for such at all.
Hardly do people know that Cab driving has its own techniques and rules, he thought.
She sneezed and blew her nose and he checked on her through the mirror.
Holding a white handkerchief, she sneezed into it the second time.
"Pardon me,” she apologized politely. And he told her not to worry.

. . .
Luke-the-dude kept nodding and humming. His mouth too was busy chewing gum. Monster-J on the other hand was busy cleaning his AK47 with his handkerchief, while Roja kept on thinking on how to carry out the operation in an easy way.
“No mistake please!,” he remembered the words of Evans.
Evans could be very deadly like the Devil. He could be smiling with you now and the next minute, pull a gun to your head. He was such an unpredictable psycho and not worth daring. In his madness, he had killed guys who worked with him twice in his presence simply because they could not execute a job successfully as he had expected. But that notwithstanding, he could be as nice as an angel sometimes.
“Guys, get set!, we may not need to wait till they turn into a street anymore before striking,” he announced.
Obviously, he was becoming irritated and inpatient with the long trip that was seeming unending.
They were now approaching a roundabout, and looking from afar, it looked like there was a traffic jam ahead. Attacking at this kind of time could be relatively dangerous. He thought. So, he decided to wait till when the traffic becomes light to give the instruction.
“Boss! look at the back!” Luke-the-dude said after a look at the side mirror.
Roja and Monster-J at this instant, looked, and saw a lorry load of Soldiers, six vehicles away. The soldiers were making noise and singing.
“Soldiers! Oh! damn!. Where could they be going?. This job is getting too long to execute,” Monster-J said, and immediately lowered the gun in his hand, and put it back under the seat.
Luke-the-dude kept his eyes on the Military truck behind and he saw eight soldiers jump down each holding an AK47 rifle. They were jogging up towards them.
“The soldiers are coming forward,” he quickly alerted his colleagues. And on hearing this, Roja checked through the side mirror and saw that it was true. Therefore, he cautioned Monster-J about the weapon in his hand.
“MJ be careful the soldiers are coming,“ he warned.
“It’s kept already boss,” Monster-J replied. And Roja nodded in commendation as he reached for his cigarette box in the vehicle compartment. He removed a stick of cigar and put it in between his lips and lighted it. And to show his appreciation of the smoke in his lungs, he sighed gracefully.
Within minutes, the soldiers had jogged past them and were instructing and yelling at every driver for obstructing the free movement of other road users.

Timi watched the soldiers as they directed the vehicles to ease the traffic. And not long after they got
there, the road became free and there was normal free movement of vehicles again.
After about 5minutes of drive, Luke-the-dude and his colleagues were now close to the Taxi of Timi with two vehicles in between them. The Military truck too was now three vehicles away to their own vehicle.
“I hope these military boys won’t disturb our mission today,“ Roja said and blew the smoke into the air by turning and facing the window side to allowed the smoke go out of the car.
“I hope so too,” Luke-the-dude replied nodding to the spiritual beat he alone could hear in his head.
After almost 30minutes of driving after leaving the round about, they arrived at the junction that leads to the hotel. The taxi’s left pointer was on, pointing to the left. Luke-the-dude saw it, and alerted Roja who was busy checking a message on his phone.
“Ok guys get set. We are about to strike now,” Roja informed his boys again and MJ drew out the rifle from where it was kept once more, while Roja picked his pistol too.

Timi turned and droved into the street that leads to the hotel and Luke-the-dude turned and followed after him, increasing the speed of the car to catch up with the Taxi in front and overtake it. But Monster-J looked back and saw the military truck turn after them too.
“Hey! boss the military truck is right behind us again,” he announced.
“What the Bleep!” Roja cursed and smashed his hand on the dashboard. “MJ! return the weapon now!” he ordered. And Monster-J quickly put back the rifle where it was kept before.
“Are they after us?” Luke-the-dude asked almost panicking.
“It can’t be. Let’s keep watching,” Roja said confidently.
Timi got to the hotel, he drove towards the gate and pressed the horn. Luke-the-dude on the other hand, drove forward and kept going, having his eyes on the mirror. He slowed down and parked meters away, when he saw that the military truck had also stopped in front of the hotel too.
The gate man came forward to the cab and bent his head to look at their faces. And before he could utter a word, "She's lodging here," Timi announced to him.
"You are welcome, please use your face masks” the fat gate man said and gave him a plastic tally with No. 25 written boldly on it. That reminded him of his birthday and he smiled as he collected it. He was born on Christmas day and so, 25 had always been his lucky number.
“The day is going to be a lucky day” He mumbled.
Slowly, he drove in and packed at the entrance of the Reception. The military truck drove in after them too and ten soldiers got down with their bags and rifles.
One of them was supported by the side, by one of his colleagues and he limped as he walked. They had come to town for guerilla warfare training at the
headquarters and were lodging at the hotel for two days before they would return back to their various States.
After he had packed, he told his client to get down and on getting down too, he walked to the boot to fetch the luggages. And after he was done collecting the luggages, they both walked into the hotel reception. She walked in front, while he came behind with the traveling bags.
Seeing her walk before him, his mind took a trip back to the fashion shows he used to watch on the fashion television channel and there was no difference between her steps and the ones in those shows. She was cute and elegant and her curves are evidently magnificent. Her behind was perfectly round and firm, bouncing seductively as she walked.
At the thought of her tempting figure, he could imagined how lovely it would be to hold her in his arms and he could literarily hear his heart screaming to have her. But suddenly, he snapped himself out of the day dreaming and forced his eyes away from her curvy body. He doubled up his steps to walk by her side and cautioned himself not to go lusting after her.
He needed to control his emotions so, he warned himself.
They walked into the reception and were met with warm smiles from two beautiful ladies. And being always conscious of time, he dropped her luggages and told her he wanted to leave.
"Oh!” she exclaimed and blew her nose, sneezed, and reached for her purse.
"I am sorry to have delayed you, Mr. ..?" she said, making a gesture that suggested that he should fill in the gap and he replied, "Timi".
“Yeah!, Mr. Timi thanks for the trip,” she said, while she hurriedly put her hand in her purse and gave him $30.
"I am yet to change the currency, I hope you don't mind,” she pleaded.
"No! Not at all madam, and thanks for patronizing me," Timi replied. But on counting the notes, he notified her of the huge difference.
“Ma’am, this is double the amount of the fare,” he told her but she responded with a flip of the hand,
“It’s okay. You can keep it. It’s a tip,“ And instantly, she faced the hotel workers to know about their services. She felt so tired and could not wait to take her bath and rest.
. . .
Knowing so well that he had gotten double the amount he was supposed to be paid by the exchange rate, he was full of gratitude and smiles as he walked out of the hotel lobby whistling. But for the pretty lady's Sneezing, he felt for her. Nigerian atmospheric condition could be very dusty because of the bad roads. And foreigners could easily catch Catarrh through it. So, he pitied her for her running nose. She will get over it. He concluded and left.

Monster-J was instructed to go and survey the activities within the hotel compound. And he was so lucky the gate was left opened, while he stood and
reclined on an electric pole adjacent the hotel gate.
He was smoking a cigar and he pretended to be making a phone call. He had witnessed the military truck leave after some soldiers disembarked from it and walked into the hotel lobby. He had also seen the taxi driver leave without the lady she brought. But not long after Timi left, the hotel gate was closed by the gateman, and because of this, Monster-J walked back to his colleagues to inform them about all he noticed and they stayed in the car to change the strategy of getting the job done. If they should attempt to kidnap the lady within the premises of the hotel, the soldiers would repel them and it would be a bloody operation. So, in the mean time, they put heads together to come up with another strategy.

. . .
At the reception, after all the paper work was done, Jane was ushered up the stairs to her room by one of the ladies and the other lady attended to the soldiers.

3

Straight, Timi went back to the airport to pick a new client. The tensed traffic had eased off when he drove back and it was not long when he arrived at the taxi tarmac of the airport. He drove into the park and pulled over. He got down, locked his cab and walked into the airport to scramble for a client as usual. And luckily, within fifteen minutes, he came out with an American expatriate who had just arrived from the U.S. He seemed to be a resident coming back into the country, after a business trip or holiday. He said he lived on the Island and that was the place they were going. And like everyone on arrival, he had a mask over his face. After putting his small hand luggage into the boot, Timi sat behind the wheel to turn on the ignition.
As soon as his client sat down, he saw a card on the seat.
"Hi! Who owns this?" the white man said from behind. He held up a Credit Card and handed it over to him. And curiously, Timi looked at the name and on it was written, Jane Aimi Cho.
"Oh! Its for a passenger I drove to a hotel almost an hour ago," he said. Although he did not know her name, but he was familiar with such names. They belong to the Asian people. There after, he flung it on the dashboard and his hand went back to the car key
to start the vehicle again.
"Thanks," he said, as he started the cab engine and drove off.
As they continued on the journey through the light traffic, with his hands on the wheel, he thought of how worried the Asian lady must have been to have lost her credit card. More so, that she was not having his number. She must have been definitely disturbed because of it. And to that end, he made up his mind to return back to the hotel after dropping off his present client at the Island.
In no time, they got to the man's residence at Victoria Island area of Lagos. It was a nicely built bungalow. A boy of about 12 years ran out the moment he saw the cab enter the compound.
“Daddy, daddy!!“ he shouted happily. He joyously came close to the cab after Timi pulled up, and the man got down and walked hastily to him to give him a hug. He dipped his hand in his jacket pocket, brought out a small bottle and rubber a lotion on his hands before hugging the boy. When Timi saw him do it, he needed no one to tell him it was sanitizer he rubbed
on his hands. That has been the order of the day for every reasonable fellow ever since the pandemic started. He looked at the two and one could feel the bond between them. The man ran his hand on the boy's head and mumbled some words Timi could not hear into his ears, and at that, the boy shouted excitedly. He must have brought him a gift from his trip. Timi thought.
As this was going on, a tall beautiful woman came out from the house too, full of smiles. Happiness was written all over her face and her smiles could lighten up a dark room like a candle flame.
The man left the boy instantly and moved to her, giving her a long warm embrace. She was black and her ascent exposed her to be a Nigerian.
Having brought out the luggage already, Timi walked up with it to the foot of the stairs and put it down. Then, he went back to meet the man who was busy telling the half-caste boy something quietly again.
“Sir, I am ready to go,” he announced. And at once, the man straightened up and brought out some new 1,000 naira notes from the front pocket of his jeans trousers. He counted eight notes and handed it over to him. That was eight thousand naira instead of five he was entitled to. 3,000 naira extra is not something ordinary. And a beam of gratitude was revealed by a bright smile on his face, and gladly he said, “Thank you sir,” and the man smiled back with a “don’t mention,” kind of look. He promptly walked away with the woman and the kid, and a young man came out to pick
the luggage inside their home.
Happy for a day of tipping-galore, Timi entered his car whistling and dangling his head and drove off gladly. It is good to be born on a Christmas day, for it comes with a lot of blessings. He smiled, amusing himself.

. . .
“Hello boss, I will call you back,” Roja said once he saw the Uber taxi return to the hotel. He was on a call with Evans, briefing him on the reason why the job was yet to be executed.
“Is that not the same Uber taxi?” he asked Luke-the-dude and Monster-J who were listening to the report he was giving to Evans.
“Yes it is,” Monster-J answered.
“That Bob Marley's Sticker on the back windscreen reveals it to be,” he added with his usual cool tone.
“She probably sent the driver on an errand,” Luke-the-dude guessed.
“What ever it is, we might have to add the guy to the catch,” Roja said and glanced at the two guys’ faces as if he was trying to get their approval. But non of them uttered a word because he was their superior and his words are mostly final.
“MJ, go back to the watch post,” Roja ordered. And Monster J rose up and went back to the spot where he did the spying.

Timi drove into the hotel compound and the fat gateman quickly recognized him.
“Here to see our customer?” he asked and he gave him a “Yes” accompanied by a nod. And this time around, not giving him a tally number, he opened the gate and let him in.
He drove to the parking slot and pulled up.
Always conscious of time, he Stretched and picked the credit card from the dashboard and put it in his shirt pocket and then, without delay, he got down. As he
locked the car door, he checked his wrist watch and it was exactly 12:45pm. And like lightning, he dashed towards the reception. All because he wanted to do quick, so that he could be able to pick at least, two more clients before the end of the day.
On time, he was already at the reception. He met only one of the girls at the desk this time around, and without wasting of time, he asked to see the Asian woman and the receptionist put a call through to her room. He watched her as she talked, and after a few seconds, she handed the receiver over to him.
“She wants to talk to you,” she announced.
“Hello, Mr. Timi. I hope there is no problem?” Her angelic voice glided through the receiver and her question revealed nothing but that she was yet to know that her credit card was missing.
“You dropped your credit card in my cab. Are you Jane Aimi Cho?” he asked.
“Yes! Oh!, yes!“ she replied and he could feel surprise in her reaction.
“Please give the receiver back to the receptionist,“ she pleaded. And he, giving the phone receiver back to the lady, announced, ”She wants to talk to you”.
He took a look at the watch again and he felt uneasy. He hated working late into the night and that was why he worked with time all the time.
After a while of listening on phone, facing him and dropping the receiver the receptionist said, “Room 42. She said you should come up,” She pointed to the staircase and right away, he marched there to go upstairs. And being in a hurry, he almost fell from the
stairs. He had miscalculated his steps and stumbled. But all thanks to a timely reflex that save him from rolling down from the middle of the stairs to the base. He quickly grabbed the rail and moved on.
Finally, he got to the door with number 42, and with a tap on the door, the door opened gently and he walked in. Surprisingly, she was not in the room. She must have left the door unlocked because of me. He thought. He could hear her sneeze amidst the sound of splashes of water in the bathroom.
On hearing this, he moved the small luggage that was on the chair to the floor, and pushed it under the writing table, so that he could sit down and wait.
“Good afternoon Miss Cho,” he greeted her and sat down on the small cushion chair.
“Mr. Timi, I am so grateful,” she said from the bathroom.
“You are welcome madam,” he replied.
He looked at his watch and it was 1:00pm. He needed to make some quick bucks before the day ran out. So he was impatient.
“Should I drop the card on the stool and go?” he inquired. Although, he wanted to leave because of his business, he did not want to disturb her too. Since it was a single room, and she would need to dress up after leaving the bathroom. Dressing up in his presence would look awkward and embarrassing. And it was against his Christian faith.
“No! wait. I will soon be out,” she replied sneezing twice in-between the sentence.
With the reply, he realized he had no choice but to wait so, he accepted the fact that it might not be possible for him to go back to the airport again until the day after. After all, he had made more money through the tips and it would make up for not being able to work till his normal closing time of 5pm.
He sat comfortably on the cushion chair awaiting her to be through. As he waited, his eyes took a stroll around the entire room. And as his eyes surveyed about, he could conclude she must be a fashion freak by the reason of what he was seeing in the opened luggage. Beside the luggage, was a trinket box that was left opened and, in it were all sots of jewelries that looked exotic. While on the bedsheets, were cloths and under wears scattered here and there.
He could also see a fat envelope slightly opened, revealing new dollar notes. He heard her sneeze again and not long after then, she opened the bathroom door.
“Sorry, Mr. Timi for taking your time,” she said politely as she stepped out into the room.
She had only the towel rapped around her bosom.
“Not to worry,” he replied. His eyes almost popping out of their sockets in appreciation of her beauty. She was absolutely sexy. He thought.
As he watched her search through the luggage, he wondered where her kind used to be when the most beautiful girls were being chosen at both the national and the international beauty pageants. She could virtually win a beauty pageant effortlessly. He thought.
“Do you know I never knew I lost it? And I would have been utterly destabilized, if I had lost it completely,” she told him and sneezed again, reaching for her handkerchief to wipe her running nose.
“Is there any hospital nearby? I think I have cold,” she asked.
“Yes, there are hospitals around. I had actually wanted to suggest that to you earlier,” he replied.
“It’s the Nigerian atmosphere I think,” Timi said, still having his eyes on her glowing skin.
“Yeah!, I thought as much too. For it all started after we left the airport, and I wondered what the hell was causing it,” she said and reached for one pant and one bra among the pile of clothes on the bed. And immediately, she left for the bathroom again.
Timi looked at his watch again and it was 1:15pm. He, knowing that he would not be able to go back to the airport again for business, he completely relaxed on the cushion chair and fiddled with his android phone.
Some minutes after, Jane was back in the room with
only the pant and bra on, and Timi felt embarrassed.
He could not actually figure out why a total stranger he had just met less than an hour ago, could be so free in his presence to the extent of going half naked. Here she was, so tempting in every sense.
His mind raced in thought, imagining her completely naked, and he nearly lost his senses. She was a busty lady and almost half of her boobs were revealed through the cleavage and the lace bra. Fresh like ripe
mangoes, they were dangerously eye popping. And as she walked around, they jiggled to the rhythm of her steps and only the most holy hearts would not be enticed by them. He really felt it was wrong for him to remain there while she remained half naked. His born again beliefs were totally against it. So, he suggested, “Can I excuse you and wait down stairs at the reception while you dress up?” trying to be polite as he made a move to stand up.
“No! don’t trouble yourself, only if you feel uneasy,” she replied smiling. And being that he did not want to appear weak, he sat back and watched her dress up.
“what do you do madam,” he asked to kill the silence and keep his mind away from her sensual figure which was already arousing him.
“Call me Jane, please. I am a model,” she replied and having already put on her jeans trousers, she went in search of a top to match.
“Yeah! I knew it!” He soliloquized under the face mask, but she heard him.
“How do you mean?” She asked and sneezed wiping her nose with a handkerchief and walking toward the
table where her purse was, she picked it up, and came over to him stretching her hand to get the card from him.
“The card please!” She requested and he picked it from his shirt's front pocket and handed it over to her.
“You cat walk unconsciously,” he remarked and got a bright sexy smile from her.
“And you are a very beautiful woman, I must say too,” he quickly seized the opportunity to express his mind about her beauty. And like a rush of soothing breeze, he felt a wind of relief blow through his mind and he was pleased.
“Thanks, people…,” and there was a seizure of words until she sneezed.
“Sorry, people say so,” she said and sneezed again.
Next, she grabbed her hand bag and her room key and walked up to him, she turned her back to him.
“Please help me with the blouse button,” she pleaded. And gladly, he stood up to do it. Forthwith, he got closer to perform her request and in the act, he perceived her perfume, and agreed that nothing smelled more inviting.
The button done, and she signaled for them to go. She was having a black blouse on her blue jeans with a matching pink sneakers. She wore a mask too. And he could not think of the right words to describe her ravaging beauty.
“I came for some commercial video shoots for an international brand and we are starting tomorrow morning. But now that I feel strange and tired, how do I cope? Could it be jet lag or something?” she asked,
while they descended the stairs.
“Yeah! I think so and coupled with the change in weather too,” he replied.
Walking beside her, he could feel the pulling force of the cent of her perf. It absolutely matched her personality and he knew it must be expensive too.
At their last steps at the base of the stairs into the reception, they saw two soldiers standing by the reception table. One of them was the limping soldier.
Obviously, he looked sickly like he needed urgent medical help. He rested on the shoulder of the other soldier and was groaning.
“Please ladies, do you know any hospital around here?” the healthy looking soldier asked the receptionists as he tried to adjust the AK47 rifle at his other side.
“Yes there are two that are not far from here,” one of the ladies replied after pulling down her face mask.
“Pick a cab outside the hotel gate and ask to be taken to Merryland hospital,” the other receptionist added.
Jane overheard them as she and Timi walked by, and she quietly asked Timi if he could give them a lift to the hospital and he obliged.
“Your wish is my command madam,” he replied jokingly, and Jane gave him a frown and said, “Jane, please!“. She preferred to be called by her name.
“Oh!, I’m sorry. Yes, Jane,” he corrected himself and smiled. And returning his smile, she sneezed and walked away to the taxi.
After then, he walked back to the soldiers and informed them that they were going to the hospital too. He asked them if they would like to join them and they were happy to say yes.

Monster-J had been back adjacent the hotel gate and had waited for so long. He was reclining against the electric pole making a false call like he did earlier every time the gateman opened the gate. So, when Timi drove out of the hotel, he noticed that the occupants of the car were four and two were soldiers. The Japanese girl sat at the front, while the soldiers occupied the back seat.
Doing exactly what he was sent to the spot to do, he hurriedly left to inform his team about the new development. And off, they drove after Timi’s cab at a distance.

Roja's phone rang and he picked it. He held the phone with the left hand and a stick of cigar with the other hand. It was Evans.
“Boss, do you remember the soldiers I told you about?. Two of them left the hotel right now with the target in the same cab that brought her to the hotel. We don’t know where exactly they are heading to. But we are trailing them,” Roja said. And sounding calm, Evans replied with a tone of assurance that all was still in order.
“Don’t worry much. I just got an information that she will be around for the next three days from our partner in Japan,” Evans said.
“OK then, boss. I had wanted to ask if we should strike not minding the military boys,” Roja said as he smoked his cigar puffing and blowing the smoke intermittently.
“No! that would be a bloody operation and such is not needed in this situation. Just keep trailing them.
We will get our target at last. Talk to you later,” Evans concluded and ended the call. Then he reached for his pipe, filled it up and lighted it. Taking a drag of the smoke, he sighed. And the thought of quitting crime ran through his mind. He had decided to quit the next year and by then, he must have made enough money to venture into the oil and gas business. Crime doesn’t last for ever but legitimate businesses do. That was the quote that always reminded him of his mum.

When Timi drove out of the hotel, he thought about which hospital would be the best to take Jane to. And his mind opted for Saint, Luke’s Hospital. It was a private hospital. It belongs to the Catholic Mission, and their service was topnotch. He had taken some of his clients there before and the comments he heard from them were ever excellent. Therefore, he headed to Saint, Luke's hospital, while he played Davido's music all the way. The wounded soldier groaned all the way too, because he was in a very bad shape, and Jane also sneezed all the way for she could not control it, and she was beginning to feel a slight head pain.

Nice Story

Keep it up

WILLuKPquiet:
Nice Story

Keep it up

Thanks