CHAPTER 1
Portharcourt, Nigeria

"Do you know who i am", she asked, staring straight in my face. I shook my head slowly. "I am truly sorry ma'am i happen to be really bad with faces", I replied honestly.

She smiled kindly as though she totally understood. "My name is Mrs Adora, actually i would have been marveled if you did recoqnize me... Austin".

I couldn't hide the shock that ran through me, Austin was my birth name, it belonged to my enstranged father. He had called me Austin jr, but i had dropped the name many years back when i was about registering for my first school examination, although my mother had protested passionately, i was too angry and spiteful to listen to her.

My father had left home hurriedly a few days to my 10th birthday, for an emergency work convention in Lagos or so he said, but neither my mother nor I had seen him since then.

At first we thought something bad had happened to him, so we went ahead and contacted all the security agencies we knew of, family and friends were thrown into a frenzy, everyone went into a frantic search for him.

After two years of fruitless searching and police investigations my mother came into the sitting room one fine day with a letter in an envelope that she had gotten from our neighbor who had been at home when a stranger delivered the it to our house. It was a my father's hand writing, it was a message from my him, he had moved to Greenland, he was never coming back and he was sorry for everything. My mother broke down for months, worst of all she was blamed by all my father's relatives who kept insisting that her bad attitude had made my father forsake us and them, it was a truly painful period for me seeing her cry herself to sleep on most nights, but i was young and helpless and it filled me with rage and bitterness. It took us a couple of years before we could finally adapt to the fact that he was in the farthest ends of the world, had probably started a new family with a strange woman, and that he was never coming back. So i had cut ties with his family and changed my given name from Austin to Benjamin, after my role model Ben Carson. Every one knew me as Ben, those who knew the name Austin were very close family members back home.

"How did you get to know that name, nobody knows that name, at least not in this environment". She smiled broadly again, I could detect a few wrinkles at the side of her eyes as she smiled, she was probably my mum's age, i couldn't tell for sure. She had heavy makeup on, and a well built body stature like those you find on movie stars and models. "Can i sit", she asked still with that kind smile on her face.

I would be concerned about my safety around her save for her calm demeanour and the smile on her face, moreover it was a public restaurant, a lot of people sat in different tables having thier lunch so i was perfectly at ease, what could a woman do to me after all, i thought pretending to be manly. "Yes...sure", I replied gesturing to an empty chair opposite mine by the table, she sat calmly and gave me an intense look and i had to look away, i wasn't very comfortable staring people in the eyes. "You have grown up to look just like him", she commented after a few seconds. "like who", i asked, "your father of course, and you obviously took his reserved personality as well". "Wait, you know my father", i inquired in utter disbelieve. "Yes, and i know your mother as well, how has Sandra been" asked the woman, calling my mother by her first name, she obviously knew her well, or she had done a bit more than google searching for our family online. "I was present at your naming ceremony, and also your first and second birthday celebrations". "Really", i asked with wide eyes. She nodded vigorously, "I know what you been through Austin, your father never ran away as you all were made to believe", she said, slowly, knowing the weight of her utterance. "He was forced to leave for your safety, you and your mother's". "What do you mean by forced to, who forced him, we got the letter, he is in Greenland". "No he is not", Adora countered calmly, "that letter was a diversion Austin, to stop you all from searching for him any further".

"As a matter of fact your father is in Zambia, he had to flee there", said Adora, clearing her throat. "Your father was head of a team of geneticists contracted for a top secret scientific research by a very powerful foreign company".

I listened intently, unsure whether to believe in the words of this strange woman. I knew my father was a celebrated biologist, but he never mentioned any of that to anyone, but that is the whole point of the research being top secret.

"After they got the results your father figured out that the sponsors of the company lied about the purpose of their research, they claimed it was meant for easier treatment of ailments and quicker delivery of vaccines, but rather they wanted to use their findings to selectively exterminate 70％of the african population".

At this point it started sounding more like a plot of a hollywood movie.

"To ensure they never accomplish their plan he took the research results and escaped, but the company was not going to let the fruit of hundreds of millions in dollars to be lost that easily, so they started taking out all the team members who couldn't provide the whereabouts of the test results, they and their families.

Your father had to escape out of the country, he couldn't go to the government, they were working closely with the company although ignorantly. And the letter, i delivered that letter to your mother, the nigerian secret service had intercepted that letter, which was what i had wanted".

I remained expressionless, unsure of what to say.

"The diversion worked quite well and your father has been save in Zambia developing his research in total anonimity" she continued, "and he couldn't contact you earlier as the interpol were still on his tail. but now he needs your help", she concluded.

I still remained speechless for what seemed like ages, Mrs Adora just sat calmly across from me, this time her eyes weren't directed at mine. Her news totally caught me unawares, it was a lot to take in and she understood that i needed a little time to process all she had just told me.

"Why should i help him, and why didn't he take us with him", i managed to say, "does he know what kind of trauma we had to live in, my mother has not completely recovered from that incident even up till this very moment, she kept blaming herself, thinking it was what she did, but alas it wasn't even her fault, how am i going to ever let that out of my mind madam".

I didnt know what i was feeling, was i angry, dissapointed or finally at ease knowing that he hadn't abandoned us all through that time after all, or was i feeling all those emotions at once.

"It wasn't that, he had barely 4hrs window to clear out the data before the hitmen sent after him arrived in his lab. he had reached out to me a few days before and told me he felt he was not safe, and also of his plans to escape. he could not tell your mother, she would not understand, she would have insisted they go to the police, and even if you'd have agreed to leave with him, it was impossible to get travel documents for all of you in that short interval. I had contacts working with the nigerian immigration then, so i hurriedly made a lot of calls for the necessary arrangements and paperwork he would require to leave west africa totally with a forged identity", She replied in a frank tone, adjusting the sleeves of her black suit.

"You and your mother had been under surveliance by the NSS for years", she continued, any attempt towards contacting you by him would have risked everything, your life and that of your mother inclusive, the people we are talking about here are very very powerful and will stop at nothing to find him".

"My mother has to know about this", I said, managing to find my calm. "Of course she will, but not today, we don't have the time, your father's life is in danger again, somehow they have managed to track him down, he is currently in a secret hideout, we are leaving for Zambia in two hours from now. Its not just about you or your parents, this is about the safety of over a billion innocent lives".

hearing her request I was even more surprised, was she insane or something, she expected me to just abandon all i had going on in Portharcout to follow her to God knows where, who the hell did she think she was.

But amidst the rising anger i managed to remain silent. On second thought, maybe she was telling the truth, maybe my father really needed my help, i wouldn't possibilly live with myself if it turned out that i could have saved him but refused to, after all, if the man we were talking about was anything like the man i rememberred, then he probably missed us just as much as we missed him.

"Here", Adora said, handing me a small mobile phone, "dial the number in it and the person on the other end will direct you on how and where to meet me", she paused briefly as though trying to make emphasies, "don't use your personal phone to call the number, if you don't intend to dump it in a gutter", she adviced.

"How do i trust you, how do i know you aren't one of the bad guys, and_and do you expect me to leave all i am doing here to follow you to Zimbabwe..." "Zambia", she corrected calmly. "Whatever, they are all the same to me", i exclaimed in disbelieve, just loud enough to draw the attention of the customers in the nearest tables who gave us strange looks and immediately returned to their meals after they figured nothing serious was going on, i was simply conflicted and unable to think straight.

I took the phone from her hand, she smiled again, this time touching my hand placed on the empty table.

"Trust me Austin, if you do not find a way to work with me then you will never see your father again. Go home and pack a few things, dial the number in an hour time and we will randevous at a designated location in two hours", she concluded rising from the chair. "And finally Austin, don't worry about your job, we have already called your boss and he has granted you two months leave with full pay, not as if you will need the money anyway", Adora smiled again and strode out of the restaurant, leaving me behind, overwhelmed and uncertain.

The hunger pangs i had felt earlier were no more, at that moment i could only think about just one thing, my father and the whole drama that was unfolding.

I will be posting updates every three days, thanks for reading.

your feedback will be appreciated as i intend to make a novel out of this.

see you on wednesday... peace!

Nice one keep it coming

It have been long since I last read this genre of work. Nice one

I am totally hooked

Hey guys its the second chapter here.
i am sorry i haven't had time to post as promised but i will try my best, its all buhari's fault...lol

CHAPTER TWO

After about 10 minutes of sitting indecisively in the restaurant i made up my mind to go home. I sent a text to Donald that i won't be returning to the office.

Donald was my supervisor in the factory where i worked as a mech engineer, he was a good guy, a couple of years older,and way more experienced in the job but nonetheless jovial and very understanding.

Donald texted back almost immediately.

Apparently a certain mysterious big shot had called the manager and made him approve my leave which of course i did not apply for and even more shocking, i wasn't due for any leave until the end of Semptember.

This got everyone talking back there and donald was more than curious to find out what was going on. "you don't wanna know Don", i whispered to myself after reading his text, quickly sliding the android phone into my jean pocket.

It didn't take long for me to get a cab back to the estate where i stayed in Ph city. cabs were pretty numerous in Portharcourt, especially at that time of the day.

The driver of the taxi i boarded was overtly chatty as you would expect a portharcout driver to be, once in while he would loudly blurt out curses to other road users who in his opinion were reckless with thier driving, but that was portharcout, everybody is a reckless driver, you had to be if you planned on getting to wherever you were headed.

I didn't pay any mind to him, neither was i able to make sense of anything he said to me. Eventually he desisted from trying to make a conversation with me after he realized that i was a brick wall, he put on the radio instead and started arguing with whatever the presenters said, that one was a real drama king, but i was glad he'd let me be.

Traffic wasn't that bad during the midday in Portharcout city, but it was a totally different story during the evenings after most of the city dwellers closed from work, although Ph traffic wasn't as bad as that in Lagos, it was all the same menacing.

It usually took about 45 minutes ride from my apartment to the factory where i worked located around Elelewon in a free flowing traffic, but the cab guy arrived about 10minutes earlier, never underestimate the magic that silence and concentration were capable of doing. I paid him his due after dropping outside my gate and quickly went inside, i didn't have any time to waste, he nodded a mouthed a greeting but i was already gone.

Our gate was usually open during the day, it was a fairly safe estate but we still had a gateman, slash security, slash cleaner, slash errand boy, who we the tenants paid monthly.
He was sitting outside his post tinkering with a small radio when i enterred, a middle aged northerner named Audu but we all called him aboki.

"Welcome oga" he greeted gaily with that thick fulani accent of his. Audu called all the tenants 'oga', even though he was way older than most of us, probably because we were the ones paying him. "ah"!, he exclaimed, "kai walahi you come back early today fa", he commented, i waved at him lazily and walked past, usually i would exchange some light pleasantries but that wasn't a usual day at all, and i hoped he understood.

The compound i lived was a 3 storey building and my apartment was on the second floor. All the apartments had tenants inside but i did not even know most of them, not like i needed to or anything.
As i climbed up the staircase my mind went back to Donald's text and his unusual curiosity concerning who i had gotten to call our boss, the factory manager who was a loud Yoruba man that wasn't a very amiable person normally, it always beat my imagination why all bosses are mostly downright annoying. I then thought about mrs Adora, her deliberate manners, confident and sophisticated, she was a real life example of what those CIA agents in hollywood movies usually looked like. She undoubtedly was a very powerful and well connected woman i thought, or at least she would know a lot of powerful people, whatever the case may be i figured she wasn't someone i should be timid around.

Inside my apartment, i mindlessly threw my small briefcase on the couch and made my way to the kitchen to get a cup of water from the fridge, my kitchen was a real mess, dirty dishes and takeaway packs crowded the whole place. I hardly cooked, not because i did not know how to, I was actually forced to learn how to during the periods my mum fell into deppression because of her husband, and it saved me from quite a lot of stress while in the university, there was this neighbour of mine who had developed a huge crush on me because of my cooking, you don't want to know the rest of the story.

Talking about mum, i figured that i had to call her. Mrs adora claimed she was present during my naming ceremony and my first few birthdays, mum would know her then if only she had spoken the truth. After gulping two glasses of chilled water i tightly closed the kitchen door to ensure the stench didn't cross over to my small sitting room, ironically i had a thing against offensive odour. My apartment was a moderate one bedroom construct, very suitable for a young bachelor who didn't habor any intentions to settle down anytime soon, or ever, as a matter of fact. Watching what love and heartbreak did to my mother, i wasn't sure if I was willing to give anyone such powers to hurt me like that. Moreover, i never had time to build aby meaningful relationships. I worked from monday to saturday, 8 to 6pm on weekdays, 9 to 4 on weekends, I slept home throughout sundays and resumed the same routine on monday. It was a car assembling factory and the pay was quite good, jobs were hard to come by in the country especially jobs that lucrative.

Having a girl over once in a while wasn't a big problem, there were more than enough call girls online in those dating Apps who would come over for a 'hookup' as they called it at the right amount. So that was how i had lived my life, quite uneventful and meaningless but i wasn't complaining, I was able to take good care of my mother and that was all that mattered to me.

Mum's phone rang the first few times without an answer it was until the fourth try that she picked up, "hello my daddy", she called, that was the pet name she gave me ever since i was little, given that i was my father's namesake, "mum, goodafternoon", i greeted. "You never call by this time, aren't you at work?", she had noticed. My mother was big on noticing any slight change in my routines, moods or manners. Growing up it was really difficult to lie to or deceive her even slightly, she would always noticed a disparity somewhere so i eventually gave up trying, apparently lying wasn't my strongest tool and since then i could tell her most things comfortably, i was her only child after all. "yes mum, i had to close early today, wasn't feeling too good in the office", i said, technically speaking honestly, i was feeling disturbed, that's not a good feeling. "You work too much, and you don't eat good home cooked meals, all those things you buy from restaurants are unhealthy for your health and you know it, that's why i keep insisting that you find a serious girl who will take care of you, do you want to die before your mother", she querried, taking the whole not-feeling-good thing way too seriously than i hoped, i would have chosen another excuse. Yep, my mother was very dramatic as well, you'd expect that from any african mother. "come on mum, give me a break please, you know that currently i don't have time for such things", i replied defiantly, "you always say you don't have time... you don't have time, you better make time young man because i can't wait to carry my grand children, don't you want to expand our family", "mum", i groaned, but she didn't seem to mind, "see your agemate Michael Effiong Joan Effiong's son, you guys finished secondary school together, he just christened his third child last weekend, his mother was just all over the place, what are you doing, and you are doing better than him for crying out loud", "mum you know i hate it when you compare me with others", "i am not comparing you o, God knows, i am just making an observation, after all i have a right to be worried, i am 63 years now and you are almost 34, still without a serious relationship", "mum, when i find the right girl you will be the first to know trust me", "when will that be?", questioned my mother, "when i am too old and tired to play with my grand kids", she replied not waiting for me to answer, "mum!" i exclaimed feeling really frustrated, she didn't know it wasn't the best time for that talk. "less i forget", continued mum, "my friend Cynthia, her daughter just returned from Cyprus where she was schooling, can you believe she is now a medical Doctor, and she is so well mannered, such a beautiful girl, you both will make a wonderful pair, a doctor and an engineer, how nice, i have asked your aunty cici to pick beautiful wedding uniforms for the family members when next she goes to onitsha, the wedding will be the talk of the whole calabar", she said excitedly, "there is no time to waste before someone else takes her", "mum, you are already making wedding arrangements when i haven't even seen the girl", i asked feeling the more perplexed, "what if i don't like her", "no you will like her daddy, i am your mother, i know what you like, and she will give birth to beautiful children, smart and intelligent kids, do you know that she graduated with honors in her medical college...", how was i to know that, "mum we will talk about this later", i quickly cut in, "that is what you will always say, later everytime, see Benjamin i have made up my mind, you will marry Ruth, she comes from a good family, her mother and i have been friends since childhood", "mum later please", i begged, finding the whole conversation just too ridiculous. my mother will always pressurize me to begin settling down, african mothers and grandchildren, how do i tell her that her failed marraige with my father had created a phobia in my heart against love. "Mum i want to ask you something", i said with an air of seriouness, she instantly sensed my tone and also dropped her nagging, "about what daddy", she replied, putting on the motherly concerned tone i know too well, "do you remember a certain mrs Adora", i asked, hoping she would say that she did, "Adora... Adora", i could hear my mother mouthing, thinking out loud, "do you mean Adora Okeke, your dad's schoolmate?", she asked, she must be the one i figured, "how did you get to know her, you were quite young when she visited us last", mum added. "Adora was quite close to our family until she was transferred to abuja by the civil service many years back sadly i haven't heard from her ever since your father left". At the mention of my father i could sense a flicker of sadness in her hitherto cheerful voice. My mum was really used to my dad the event had torn her apart and we tried to not talk about him at all, i was tempted to tell her that i had been told the whereabouts of her husband and that he had invited me over to meet him in Zambi, but i immediately thought different, what if the whole affair was a big sham, i was just going to raise her hopes just to dash them down again. moreover, mum was a very dramatic person, i couldn't tell how she would take the news and who she would tell it to, and as far as i understood Mrs Adora's story, we needed as much secrecy as possible, so i had to belly the whole truth until i was certain of what was really going on. "I stumbled on her today in a restaurant", i replied, "she recoqnized you!", mum asked sounding surprised, "yes, matter of fact she actually walked up to my table and she was quite nice too", i added, "unbelievable", mum exclaimed mildly, "well, adora has always been a nice person. she was your father's only friend that i knew about, from the university, i was totally against their friendship until i realised she was a... How do you guys call it, a lesbian", mum explained, that sure surprised me but it wasn't as if it was any problem, the world had evolved, everyone had their right to choose their own sexuality, it wasn't a big deal anymore, but i was still surprised, i am an african after all.

"So how is she", inquired mum, "she is fine mum", i replied, "she also asked of you and also sent greetings, i think i will see her again sometime this week, we had exchanged contacts and she also said that she'd be in portharcout for a few more days", i lied. "oh that is wonderful, when next you see her be sure to let me speak with her, its been a really long while", said my mother.

"Did she ask about him", mum asked, "about who", i questioned a bit confused. "your father of course", replied mum, "no mum we didn't have that much time to talk, maybe she will when we see again", thanks to radio communication i could easily lie to my mother, i bet she'd figure i was lying if we were speaking in realtime. "ok dear", mum replied, "you know she probably will be in touch with him, their closeness always got me jealous", i heard mum sigh, "don't worry mum i will let you speak to her when next we meet", i replied, "did she tell you when you are meeting", "no but she assured me that she will give me a call", i replied. "its fine darling, mum answered, "well i need to get back to the kitchen i am making porridge plantain", she added, "my fellowship women will be here in an hour time", "ok mum", i replied. "now go get some rest and try to use this evening to cook some small real food and eat, i wish i could send you this porridge plantain, you would love it, i am using bushmeat", she added teasingly, "ah mummy mummy" i cheered, "don't worry mum i will fix something up", i added, "ok son be good ok, love you" she said, "love you too mum", i replied, "and your aunt Cici says hi, she is currently helping in the kitchen", mum informed, "say hello to her for me too", i replied, "ok i will darling bye bye...", and she hung up. there was another reason why i was thankful i had not given mum the news, aunt cici was around, she sure would have overheard that particular conversation, or still mum would have told her about it, it is a women thing.

Aunty cici was the family news-carrier, every family has one. jerome, one of my younger nephews had nicknamed her CNN secretly of course you won't dare call aunt cici that.

she was just incapable of keeping any secrets. if she mistakenly heard something as juicy as that then you would be sure that the whole of calabar would be informed in no time. I sighed thankfully, shook my head and headed to the bedroom, i still had over 40mins to get ready following Adora's instruction, also i hated arriving late for anything.

Mum having confirmed the identity of Mrs Adora i had no doubts again, i would have to travel with her to zambia. i was still bothered though, i had no idea what i was walking into, was it going to be like those hollywood movies involving guns and fighting and bloodshed, neither of which i was good at, and that scared me. but that did not stop me from being excited, i was going to see my father after so many years.

This is getting interesting please @op don't let this go dead o biko

Hello guys. Chaper 3 is ready.
enjoy!

chaper 3


I called the number saved in the small phone i was given. A female voice answered and i was directed to be in the university town of Choba, and wait inside a restaurant called Sammies located there in the junction, "it won't be difficult to find", said the voice at the other end, "nonetheless, call me incase of any difficulties", the voice assured before i hung up. I had never been to those parts so i simply ordered an uber. And 40minutes later there i was inside sammies, waiting for my father's friend adora and her crew, whoever they were.
I sat in a vacant sit by the transparent glass walls, unable to concentrate, a jumble of thoughts crept into and out of my mind non-stop so to pass the time i decided to check my whatsapp texts. It had been a while i opened the app and since i had no friends to chat with, safe for some family members and old university buddies i seldom touched the app.
Mum had sent a couple messages, i tapped her image and they were mostly her entreating me to find a girl, as usual, a lot of daily bible devotionals, and most recently pictures of her supposed doctor daughter inlaw. The said girl was a pretty girl for sure, but i simply wasn't into her, her smile for instance was too weird, i honestly couldn't tell why exactly, but i wasn't into her, i was pretty sure mum would differ, so instead of replying mum i don't like this girl, i simply sent an emoji.
It hadn't been 30mins since i enterred the very crowded restaurant filled with students of the university of portharcout when i felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, i turned immediately and there was a young lady behind me, she had a stern look on her face and eyes that seemed to pierce into my soul. another distinctive feature about her was her left eyebrow piercing, it looked a little overkill but also quite attractive.
"Austin", she called looking straight in my eye, "yes", i replied nodding as well, i would have asked how she recoqnized me but then i rememberred that i was in a real life movie. it was considered dumb to ask dumb questions about apparentt things that required mere initiative, and not to sound boastful, i wasn't dumb.
"My name is kimberly", she said, extending her hand, i stood up briskly and took the outstrecthed hand, she had very firm grip, impressive, i thought. "Our ride is waiting", she said, "we really have a long journey ahead, are you ready to move", she inquired, in a very straightforward way. She was much more younger than mrs adora, she even looked my age, but i knew looks were deceptive.
we left the restaurant into the busy choba junction where i felt the suns intensity that afternoon, the airconditioning inside the restaurant made it impossible to feel the heat outside, i hoped the vehicle would have an AC.
She walked briskly in front of me, she was in a tight blue jeans and a black sneaker with a black tshirt that had a small picture of two fingers pointed in the peace sign infront of it. I followed quietly behind her with the small shuttle bag that contained a few things i felt i was going to make use of.
We walked a fairly short distance and there was a black gleaming toyota camry parked just outside a moderate sized supermarket conveniently called Supermarket, printed in bold colorful letters outside the building.
I enterred the back sit and kimberly took the front sit, there was another person waiting in the car he was our driver, kimberly simply introduced him as jay and he nodded curtly in reply.
when the engine came to life and we pulled into the east west road, i asked kimberly where we were headed, lagos, she said with finality, "what... did you just say lagos", "yes lagos", she replied again, calmly, and i was astonished, "if we are indeed going to lagos why didn't we use a plane or something, are we going to ride for over 10hours when we could fly there in a few minutes", "i am air sick", kimberly replied again, still not betraying any emotions, i couldn't believe my ears, "do you have a problem with a little road trip", she asked looking back at me, "no i do not but i would have appreciated if i was told this earlier", "sorry about that austin", said kimberly, sounding a bit empathatic, "you know the circumstances of our journey, for all we know you are an object of special attention by the government, and other very powerful people, our airlines are strictly controlled by the government, we do not need anyone noticing a pattern in your movement and then tracking us", she said. I didn't believe her but i pretended to, it wasn't manly to go on whining around a female, my mum would always say it is a bad habit, but i was slightly annoyed nonetheless.
Jay the driver didn't utter one word since we embarked on the so called road trip. He was just fixed on the road with a passive look on his face, it was obvious he was contracted for the journey and not a part of their team or whatever adora had going on.
"where is adora", i asked, about an hour into the journey, kimberly who was fixated on her iphone all the while looked back slightly, "she will join us in lagos tomorrow in the airport", kimberly answered abruptly. "Where is she now", i inquired. "kaduna... i think, she had a few things to do for her employers, she would be here in person if not for that engagement", kimberly concluded. "so you are babysitting me in her place", i said trying to sound funny. "pretty much so", kimberly replied, and went back to her phone without a hint of any facial expression, i sighed and checked my wristwatch, 3:20pm, it was going to be a long ride and we had barely made it out of rivers state borders.
Due to lack of anything else to do, or anyone to converse with i decided to take a nap, i needed it.

It was already dusk when i awoke. i was dosed off for four hours or thereabout. kimberly was awake, peering calmly at the grey shadows of the highways. nice of you to join us she said, oh thank you so much i replied rather light heartedly, i thought i noticed a smile across kimberly's face, it disappeared as soon as it came, kimberly had these calm grim and pensive look on her face, it suited her facial structure anyway.
There was something familiar about her eyes though, i couldn't tell what, but it was there, everytime i looked at her i could see she looked like someone i knew of, but i couldn't remember who.

"So what do you do", kimberly asked, "i am an engineer", i replied. "really, what kind of engineer are you" she asked, still looking out the window, "i am a mechanical engineer, i work for an Indian shipping company in portharcourt, how about you", i inquired, "what do you do". Well that's cool, mechanical engineer, you must be very brainy then", she said again, i saw another smile flash through her lips, but it also disappeared the very moment it was there. She refused to tell me what she did and i noticed it so i ignored the question altogether. "How long have you known Mrs Adora", i inquired, the silence was becoming too awkward, "pretty much all my life", she said, staring dead ahead as the headlights of our camry broke through the stiff shadows cast by trees and bushes by the highway. "That makes two of us", i replied still in deep thought. "she is my mother", kimberly announced, turning backwards to face me. "she raised me alone, saw me through one of the best institutes in the world and now she has gainfully employed me". She added, with a hint of sarcasm, although her face still maintained the same expressionlessness.

I was shocked to learn that kimberly was adora's daughter, how does a woman like Adora give birth to a person like kimberly. Adora was humane, with a genuine smile that sent warmth throughout your body. Kimberly was like ice, cold and just totally unresponsive. "That is so cool, i would never have guessed that", i said excitedly.
"She is a friend of my family", i informed kimberly, "i know", she responded, "i know lots about you, and even somethings you yourself do not know about you". What do you mean, i inquired, raising my eyebrow, "don't worry ben", kimberly said, when we get to zambia your questions will be answered.

She had stylized my name, although her demenour still remained brazen i could sense she was a bit more at ease talking to me. "So if you know so much as you say, why not tell me a little, give some sort of soft landing, or is the fate of the world hanging on these answers", i joked, she still didn't smile, "yes" she exclaimed quietly, "as a matter of fact the fate of the world is on the line", kimberly announced. "welcome to warri, jay the driver announced, cutting me off from asking another question.

It was almost 8pm when we enterred the city of warri, "i am starving", kimberly said, "jay lets find a close restaurant, there should be one around the next junction".
It didn't take too long for us to find one and we each got our choice of food and snacks that should last until lagos. "You seem to be very conversant with this road", i remarked after we had resumed the journey, "you think", kimberly replied, stuffing her mouth with a handful of fries, after taking a few moments to chew her food she turned to me and said, "i have pretty much used this east west road atleast twice since the last two years". "twice a month", i repeated awkwardly, i was surprised, she obviously could fly if she chose to, flight tickets weren't that expensive for people who could afford it, and i knew she could afford it. "so why don't you fly instead", i inquired, curious to find out. "it takes the fun away from traveling, and its too risky", "what do you mean risky", i said, "the odds of having a car crash is way higher compared to that of having a plane crash, i am sure you know that". Kimberly rolled her eyes, "ever been in a car crash", she asked, "nope" i replied. "ever been in a plane crash", she inquired again, "nope", i replied, "fortunately, but i have seen pictures", i said. "well i have been in both a plane crash and a car crash, and now its better i stay grounded", she concluded with a wink, i smiled at her, she looked kind of cute in the dim lit car, and i could see the familiar look in her eyes again as she sipped her coffee. "You look like someone i know", i confessed, "i am sure of it, but i do not know who", "really", she said, and for the first time in the entire journey so far she smiled, and widely too. "who could that be, she asked", still with the smile, it looked really good on her and i only wondered why she didn't smile often. "That's the problem, i can't remember who, but its there in your eyes", she smiled again and went back to her fries.

I wasn't hungry so i just sipped the cocacola and saved my meals for later. Jay as usual just focussed on the road, he didn't eat his meals either.

We drove in silence for about an hour except for the soft jazz tunes playing from the stereo until i broke the silence. "jay, where are we now", i inquired. "we are in Edo state", jay replied, "close to Ore". "so we are close to lagos", i asked patiently. "for sure", he replied, "much more closer than we had been earlier today", jay added. "so how many states do we have to drive through before Lagos now". "three, two, one maybe, i don't know, but we will get there before 1 am". I looked at my wristwatch and it was almost 10pm. Jay wasn't kidding though, he was steadily going on a speed limit of 85km/hr, never below. it was an open express, slowing down only for police checkpoints and speed bumps, so i didn't argue when he said we'd be in lagos in three hours.
while i spoke with jay, kimberly was on the phone, "we are taking off from lagos by 3am and you will get briefed all the way through the flight, i suggest you take a short rest", she said softly after getting off the phone. "briefing, what for, i was told i am meeting my dad in zimbabwe...", "zambia", kimberly corrected, i nodded, "zambia, so what's the briefing for", i asked uneasily. "i did tell you that the fate of the world is at stake, you thought i was joking right", kimberly asked, eyeing me unbelievably. "yes i thought you were joking, why wasn't i supposed to think that", she sighed and shook her head, "you have no idea do you", "about what", i asked, leaning forward. "sadly its not in my power to tell you anything ben, i am just an escort and a body gaurd of some sorts, but what i can tell you for sure is that your life will not remain the same the moment you board that plane", Kimberly concluded, turning to look forward.

Her last words kept resounding in my head, what did she mean, had i made the wrong move by going on the trip, i thought, will i ever make it back to my mum, i wondered. well, i made up my mind, i will ensure i get full detail of whatever was going on aside from what adora had told me in the restaurant, if i wasn't cool with it then i would return to portharcourt.

Dad had left us a couple years back,and it was hell, i couldn't leave my mum as well, not for anyone.

I decided to take kimberly's advice and nap a little before we arrived in lagos, i closed my eyes and immediately i dreamt about a huge wave raging towards the shores, i just stood there in the cold water watching as it came along, it came closer and closer and just when it was about to crash on me i awoke. "there you are", kimberly said, "welcome to lagos", i nodded as i looked around, it was very early morning, the roads were virtually empty but you could still the lights.

Lagos, something nostalgic always hit me whenever i enterred that city and there at that moment i could feel it, greatness awaited, i was sure of it.