Ride on.

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I took the staircase to the first floor where the publisher and the ebullient Chief Executive had his expansive office. I.D Alfred was not just a publisher; he was a man of connections and great influence. He wined and dined with the mighty ones in the society, up to the President and Grand Commander of the armed forces.


I opened the anteroom of the Chief Executive office. The office was cold, courtesy of the split air-conditioner. The ever-busy secretary was at work. She smiled up at me.


'The chief has been expecting you.' Ms. Brume informed. Her eyes searched me. She adjusted her glasses as if to get a better view.

My smile was apologetic. 'Is he in the office now?'

She nodded and gestured towards the door to my office. 'Yes, he's expecting you.'


When I entered the office, I.D was on the phone. I curtsied. The man paused from listening on the phone and gestured that I should sit down. I nodded and sat comfortably. The office was colder than the anteroom. I would have preferred that it should not be that cold. I searched the office with my eyes. Many plaques and trophies were on display. NewsNet was certainly hot in getting laurels.

I.D finished the conversation and cut the line.

'Tony, how do you do?'

'I'm fine, sir.' I shook the hand that was extended to me.

'How's our news beat?'

I nodded. 'It's getting more intriguing and interesting every day, sir. The ruling party affirms that good governance is going on, but the leading opposition party says the reverse is the case. It's a season of politicking.'

I.D nodded too. He looked at me intently. 'Let me start by saying that I've looked into your profile keenly. You have been a good journalist with keen nose for news since you joined this organization. You have written many exposés. Your editing is thorough while your columns are incisive.'

I felt honored. 'Thank you, sir.'

'I'm impressed by your sterling performance. I have a deal for you, Tony.'

I sat upright. 'A deal?'

I.D breathed in deeply and smiled. 'Yes, a deal. It's a deal that will mutually benefit the two of us.'

I was curious. What kind of deal could that be? I braced myself.

'My good friend, the Minister of Public Communications wants a Special Assistant on mass and social media. I'm thinking of
recommending you for the job.'

I was very attentive. The import of what my boss said hit me and I broke into a smile. 'That's a good deal, sir. I'm grateful.'

I.D raised his right hand to stop me. 'That's not the deal. That's just the proposition.'

I stared at me as my mind raced in frenzy. Well, what was the deal?

I.D seemed to enjoy the keenness and anticipation I was displaying. He smiled again. 'This is the deal. Upon your acceptance of the proposition, you will agree to remit forty percent of your income to me. Forty percent of all your earnings from that office. You will also protect my interests, including my business. That is the deal.'

I appeared to think over it. I mused briefly over the keywords - remittance, forty percent, protect interests.

'Perhaps you want to think over it.' I.D opened a file on his table. 'I'll give you up till tomorrow afternoon. By Sunday noon, you must communicate your acceptance or rejection of the offer to me.'

I smiled warmly. 'There's nothing to think about, sir. I gladly accept the offer.'

I.D smiled knowingly. 'That's very smart of you.' He extended his hand for a handshake again. 'Congrats.'

'Thank you, sir.'

I.D nodded. 'You're welcome. There's one more thing. When will you be available for the swearing?'




Dangerous Love: https://okadabooks.com/book/about/dangerous-love/46639

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Zamar:
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Ride on.

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Ride on.

Ride on.

Ride on.

I.D smiled knowingly. 'That's very smart of you.' He extended his hand for a handshake again. 'Congrats.'

'Thank you, sir.'

I.D nodded. 'You're welcome. There's one more thing. When will you be available for the swearing?'

I was surprised things were moving so fast.

'You mean the oath of office? As soon as possible, sir. Anytime. If I get the letter of employment from the Minister today, I will be ready to travel to Abuja immediately.'

I.D broke into a laughter. After few seconds, he became serious and looked sternly at me. 'I'm not talking about oath of office. I'm talking of oath of allegiance to me.' He touched his chest earnestly.

I stared briefly and blinked rapidly. 'Well, I didn't ...'

I.D butted in. 'There must be personal oath of allegiance to me. It's a precondition to the deal,' he said.

'I understand, sir.' I nodded in agreement. If the man would need an oath before he could trust me, that should not be a problem or a barrier. Was it not about solemnly declaring that I would keep my own side of the bargain?

I smiled. 'That will not be a problem sir. I will be ready for the oath anytime.'

'That's another smart thinking from you.' I.D moved his head approvingly. 'You know my house, don't you?'

'Yes, I do.'

'Let's meet there tomorrow by ten p.m.'
My brows went up. 'You mean ten, in the morning, sir?'

The boss shook his head. 'No, I mean ten in the night.'

He stood up. I stood up too.

'You must not fail to be there at the appointed time.' For the third time that evening, I.D extended his hand for a handshake. 'Once again, congrats, Tony. See you tomorrow.'

I was all smiles. 'Thank you, sir. God bless you.'


I was in a very delighted mood. After leaving I. D’s office, I went to my office cubicle to get some papers. I whistled to myself. If what I had been told jelled, then I would soon be saying farewell to the office and the present job in Lagos, at least for now. The prospects of the new task ahead thrilled me.

Many of my colleagues in the mass media jostled to get a better or a political job. Although working for NewsNet was very rewarding, compared with the working conditions of other print media outfits, I would not mind moving up the ladder to a much higher level.

In our country, the competition was really stiff and better opportunities came sparingly. Now that I had the opportunity - a case which could be once in a life time - I would not allow the opportunity to slip by, even if I.D wanted me to swear before a shrine!

I decided I would not tell any colleague or associate yet about the new job that awaited me. I soon left my office. As I drove home, my mind refused to stop ruminating over my conversation with I.D .

The new job meant I would relocate from Lagos to the Nigeria's capital city, Abuja. While Abuja was the administrative capital, Lagos remained the commercial nerve center of the nation.

I stopped at the Lacosa stores to buy some drinks. I had not got the job yet, but I was already in the mood for celebrations. It was few minutes after eight when I got home.

Our three-bedroom apartment was one of the four flats in the one-storey building. My two children were watching movies on the television while my wife was in the kitchen.





Dangerous Love: https://okadabooks.com/book/about/dangerous-love/46639

Interesting update.

Waiting for more.

I stopped at the Lacosa stores to buy some drinks. I had not got the job yet, but I was already in the mood for celebrations. It was few minutes after eight when I got home. Our three-bedroom apartment was one of the four flats in the one-storey building. My two children were watching movies on the television while my wife was in the kitchen.

'Hello, children,' I greeted.

'Daddy, welcome,' they chorused. I patted them on the head, put the nylon containing what I just bought on the center table and went to the kitchen to meet my wife.

'Hi, darling.' I went over to her and gave her a peck.

She was pleasantly surprised to see me. 'You're early today.'

I smiled. 'Yes, it happens like that once in a while.' I sniffed the air. 'So, what're you cooking?'

'Our favorite.' By that, she meant fried rice, fried plantation and fried chicken. I had earlier taken rice but wouldn't mind taking it again.

I smiled easily. 'The aroma of this place is so tantalizing.' I stayed with her in the kitchen until she finished the cooking.

To Fransisca, my wife, I was a perfect husband any lady should pray for. She never had an inkling of any infidelity on my part and always saw me as a model husband.

It was when we were about to go to bed that I told her about the job offer I.D discussed with me. I told her I would accept the job and was only waiting for the message from the Minister.

However, I didn't mention the aspect of taking a personal oath of allegiance.

'That means there will be relocation to Abuja?' she asked.

'Definitely. Abuja is where all government ministries have their headquarters.'

Fransisca changed into a nightwear. 'So, what happens to us - the children and I?'

I had not thought about that. She worked in Lagos as a teacher in a highbrow secondary school. Would I have to move all my family members to Abuja? If I should do that, it would mean that she would lose the job and start job-hunting again. That would not be an easy thing to do as the economy had a bustling labor market.

I chuckled. 'I've not even thought of that at all.' I noticed that she did not really display enthusiasm about the new 'job'.

'Anyway, we'll see how things turn out to be.' I shrugged it off. I decided that whether my family would follow me or not, I would take the government 'job'.

The following morning which was a Sunday, I found my mind veering to the 'Abuja affair' even as I and members of my family prepared for church service. In the church, my mind was going off and on. I barely made much meaning from the preaching of the pastor.

When it was four o'clock, I told my wife I wanted to tidy up some work in the office.

'I might come back late. Don't you worry if I am late.'

Fransisca looked a bit anxiously. 'You're not starting the new work tomorrow, are you?'

I grinned. 'Of course, no. All the same, I really should start putting some things in order now. The new job may start sooner than I expect.'

I gave her a peck and left the house. I drove to the office and did some work until it was some minutes to nine when I left for I.D 's house.

I entered the man's luxurious sitting-room few minutes to ten. The house-maid asked me to wait for my host. Few minutes after, I.D Alfred came down to meet me.

'The honorable Special Assistant!' I.D teased as soon as he sighted me. He was full of smiles.

I found the statement funny. 'Good evening, sir.'

We shook hands.

'I can see you were punctual,' he said and nodded. 'That's good. I hope you'll continue to take every other thing with equal zeal.' He paused to regard me. 'Now, let's not waste time. Please, this way.'



Dangerous Love: https://okadabooks.com/book/about/dangerous-love/46639

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ThrillPlus:
Interesting update.

Thanks.

Ride on.

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We shook hands.

'I can see you were punctual,' he said and nodded. 'That's good. I hope you'll continue to take every other thing with equal zeal.'

He paused to regard me. 'Now, let's not waste time. Please, this way.'

I followed him upstairs. We went to the last room down the corridor. I.D brought out a key and gingerly opened the door. He stepped in and gestured that I should do the same. As soon as I entered the place, he bolted the door.

What I saw amazed me. The wall was painted red. Even the carpet on the floor was red. There were certain fetish objects hanging from the ceiling. There was something dreadful about the place.

It reminded me of some shrines in the homemade movies I had watched.

But this was certainly not a scene of a movie. It was s scene of stark reality. Involuntarily, I shuddered. The eerie atmosphere was unnerving.

So, the highly intelligent and intellectual man could engage in something like this; something so fetish and out of place!

'Here we are.' I.D smiled as he watched the surprise on my face. I only nodded dumbly.

I.D removed an idol from a corner of the room and placed it on a red stool. He held the right side of the idol and instructed me to hold the left side.

Then, the oath commenced. I vowed allegiance to my benefactor, in joy or in pain. I swore never to betray the man. I added that if I ever went against my words or engage in treachery, woe upon we should befall me. I shuddered as I repeated these hellish words.

The next morning, I was in the office to do some work. Though I had been assured that I would get the new job, I decided I would still diligently carry on with my present job. I went through news reports and did some editing.

Then, I updated the on-line version. By few minutes to ten, reporters and news correspondents were filing in the latest news stories. My cell telephone rang and I picked it almost immediately.

'Hello?'

'Hello.' It was a mature female voice. 'Is that Mr. Tony Ayoola?'

'Yes, please.'

'Please, hold on for your caller.'

There were seconds of pause. I wondered who the caller was.

'Hello?' The guttural voice was unmistakably a man's own. 'Is that Tony?'

'Yes, sir. Who am I speaking with, please?'

'I'm Chief John Kunkushi, the Honorable Minister of Public Communications of Federal Republic of Nigeria.'

Even across the line, I could perceive arrogance, conceit, and imperiousness in him. he must be one of those who behaved as if they were gods.

'Good morning, sir,' I greeted.

'Yeah. My good friend, your oga, must have told you about me, is that not so?'

'Yes, sir. He has, sir.'

'Very good. When are you starting the work?'

'As soon as you want me to, sir. I can start any time you want me to start.'

'Very good.' There was a long pause.

'You're to start tomorrow morning. By nine in the morning, be in my office here in Abuja.'

'Yes ... yes, sir.'

The Minister disconnected the line. I whistled to myself.

'Wow!' I stood up from my seat. Things were moving faster than I had envisaged. I would have to go to Mr. I.D 's office to intimate the boss of the latest development.

I picked up my phone and moved towards the glass door of the cubicle office. Before I got to it, Uche, the assistant editor who worked with me came inside.

Uche was all smiles. 'Congratulations, Tony.'

I was surprised.

'Yes, Mr. I.D called me to my office some minutes ago. He told me you'll soon be on your way to Abuja for a political appointment. You're to handover to me. Aren't you lucky?'



Dangerous Love: https://okadabooks.com/book/about/dangerous-love/46639