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Emzyme:
kudos

Thanks man...

CHAPTER 15

I could not look at my parent's faces. I felt so ashamed and disappointed at myself. I knew I had let them down. I kept my face down and away from their faces until an instruction was given to take them out of the room. I then raised my head and saw their retreating figures.

As soon as they were out, my uncle pulled a chair and sat before me, "So, what do you think? Do we need to 'touch' them more for you to come clean?"

I was angry at his question and I knew that he meant what he was saying.

"You are been so wicked. Why did you have to do that to them? What did they do wrong? I was the one that should be dealt with not them"

"You have the prison waiting for you. That I can promise you. Better start talking"

I told him everything that I needed to tell him, especially about the 'club' and my plans with the private investigator to work in getting Princess back. He said nothing all through except to nod his head in between and bore me through with his eyes.

"I want you to deal with the guys at the 'club'", I said with deep dislike for them because they cheated me and took advantage of me.

"You think our job is to avenge for you? That is not our business. You will do that yourself. What concerns us is getting back Princess", he replied with coldness in his voice.

He got the private investigator's phone number from me and called. They spoke for some minutes. After which he signalled one of his men, who put the needle in again and I passed out.

The next time my eyes got opened, I was back in Portharcout at the same hotel where I was taken from. After a short briefing, he asked me to go back to be with the 'club' guys so as not to rouse any suspicion while the work on how to proceed from there.

I noticed that the receptionist I had met the previous day that led me to be caught was not there. I wondered why. Maybe, he was not on duty on the day of my return. Or better still, maybe he was not even a staff of the hotel. Which hotel would use her staff to get a criminal caught? That would be endangering the staff's life. What if the criminal was armed and was bent on not getting caught?

On the other hand, i thought that maybe he was paid to do what he did. But somehow, I kept thinking that I had seen his face somewhere. He looked somewhat familiar. But I couldn't place the face. I couldn't tell where I had seen or met him.

CHAPTER 14

Before I could turn my head side ways and them upward to glance the faces of the men that had pushed and pinned me down, I got enraptured in darkness.

Even though it was during the morning hours, around 10am or so, it was still dark as far as I could see. The material from which the hood was made was so thick and felt dense and wet as though it had been soaked in water previously. The thickness made it difficult for me to catch any ray of light. Light could not penetrate it and so I was lost in darkness. A darkness they had created for me.

All that is needed to kill a man is darkness. Put him there and let it swallow him up.

My mind was asking questions. Who are these guys? Are they working for the 'club'? If they work for the 'club', is this how they had planned to eliminate me? Will this be my end? What do they want from me, whosoever they are?

I needed to use my body now. My feet to kick, make some struggling and fighting movements. My hands too. My voice to speak and shout out for help. Raise an alarm. I was not going to go down this way.

As if my captors were reading my thoughts, they sent a message down into my system through a needle. As soon as the substance was injected into me, my muscles went down, my refexes slowed down and I passed out.

Even though I had passed out, my body had been knocked off, I could still feel a part of my mind working. Is it the subconscious me or what? With it, I could read to some extent, what was going on. Even though it was so slow. Because, whatever they had injected was also affecting my mind.

I noticed myself lifted and then after some movements, was laid down on a metallic surface and we began to move. I was been driven. The destination, I don't know.

After some time, we stopped and I was carried and made to sit on a seat with my feet chained and my hands too. Then, the needle went in again and I gasped and awakened. Slowly at first, and then fully finally.

I took note of my environment. It was somewhere I knew. Somewhere I had know all my life. This place meant almost everything to me. This was not where I wanted to be in. It was my family house. My parent's house, where they had raised us up. Where we- my siblings and I had grown up. I began to panic.

As I turned, I could see one of my uncles. He was my childhood hero at a point in my life when I had a dream of becoming a soldier. His face was set as though it was formed out of rocks. He was not smiling at all. I could see that he was bent on whatever he was determined to do.

He walked to face me and asked between his teeth, "where is Regina's daughter?"

I was scared. I was not scared because I was been interrogated by a military man. My uncle was a very 'militarized' man. He was even so, my Dad had told me, before joining the army. He had risen to the rank of a Major General before retiring.

Rather, I was scared that karma had come for me. What I had sown, I was now about to reap. Just as I betrayed my relative, one connected to me by blood without considering the plight she would find herself in, in the same way I am been held down to pay for my sins by my own relative- my uncle who had the power to have saved me. But now, he was not here to save me, he was here to put me down and destroy me if that was what would be needed to get the truth from me and get Princess back.

"I don't know", I replied fearfully.

I needed to master myself. I needed to hold my emotions in place and not fidget. My fear would sell me out and that was going to be bad. Even though, Regina had narrated everything to him and I knew I was responsible, I still needed to man up and stay cool and not break down. But what I had resolved to do never was done as soon as my parents were brought in.

I could not hold it back. My eyes began to pour our tears. I wailed and gnashed my teeth with so much anguish. Dad and Mum had been tortured(so, it seemed). They looked bloody. Blood stains. Open wounds. And I cried the more because, I was the reason behind this present suffering of theirs. They could not have been through this if not because of what I did.

It became clear to me that I was a terrible person. That whatever good conscience I felt I had was not anything close to good. But was pure evil in disguise. I had been causing the people related to me so much pain and griefs because of my greed and selfish decisions and choices.

And now, I knew I must rectify things- make corrections. Do my best to undo some of my mistakes. And I knew where to start from.

CowHard:
Sainigeri , Buaricopypaste, Alcmene, chommiblack, xaviercasmir, avatarmode sabbiboi , akpota, lovruemu

make una come take front seat

Invitation duly accepted sir

Richimills:
I have been an advent reader of your story. please continue.Mention me next

Thanks a lot Richimills..

CHAPTER 13

After the failed operations, I had stopped using my normal MTN line. I knew that Regina would be calling again and again. Not only that, the number would be given to the police to trace and locate me. So I stopped using it. I already had a lot to deal with. The guilt of what I did alone was so burdensome. The issue I was having- suspicion issue, with the 'club' was another. Having to keep my line open to get calls of all kinds relating to Princess's missing would make things worse. I needed to focus.

And so, I stayed for weeks without using it and getting any form of communication with my family members. I wanted to protect them. But I could not. I thought I was for a while until a message came to me.

Since the operations- my taking Princess away from her Mom, I had not visited the hotel where I had lodged them. I didn't want to be seen so soon. I knew the police would hang around for a while at the hotel, especially during the first few days after the incident. So, I stayed away. But then, the more I stayed away, the more I got increasingly curious to know what later happened.

What Regina did. Whether the police actually came. If my picture was hung at the hotel's reception. Whether the receptionist and other staff of the hotel were instructed by the police to call them as soon as they see me. Whether a reward was placed on my head for anyone who first alerted the police and therefore leading to me getting caught.

Two months later, I went to the hotel. I did some measure of disguising. For instance, I was more, if not always, given to dressing casually. Jeans. T-Shirts. Chinos. Blazers. But I dressed corporately in suit and tie.

On reaching there, I noticed that all my suspicions held no place. There was no tightened security. It was still as loose as it was the night I had taken Princess away. There was no picture of me hanging on the wall of the reception. If it was the former me, I would have felt bad. How could I have pulled such a stunt, such a crime and not get my picture hanging? Was it that it was not considered fit enough to be counted as crime? Was it that it lacked expertise or intelligence or what?

But the new me just didn't. I felt good that my picture wasn't displayed. I would not pride myself in such foolish publicity. I would not see such as a feat. I was interested in one thing- getting Princess back and anything that would not aid in that was considered a nuisance. Staying discreet was needed for me to get her back.

As I walked over to the receptionist's desk, he greeted me. I noticed he was not the receptionist I had met the last time. Then it was a lady. This one here was a young man who was rather too fit. He had some muscles and looked more like a gym instructor than a receptionist.

He flashed me a small smile, "Good morning sir", he greeted.

"Good morning too. How are you?"

"I'm alright. What can I do for you sir?"

I hesitated. I didn't prepare for this part. I didn't know I was going to approached the receptionist. I had just wanted to stay a little afar, maybe the bar, and just observe things. But my curiosity dragged me and kept dragging me.

And so I asked, "Is there any available room?"

"Sure sir. Do you have any in mind sir?"

"Is room 14 vacant?"

That was the room that I had lodged Regina and Princess in.

"Let me check"

He did for few seconds and replied, "it is available sir"

"Can I see it?"

"Of course sir"

He made a call that seemed like he needed another staff to cover for him for few minutes while he took me to see room 14. But I was wrong.

After the call, I followed him as he led the way. Nothing seemed out of place as far as I could tell and so I suspected nothing.

He inserted the key, turned it and pushed open the door and walked in, I followed him and immediately sensed some other persons inside the room and before I could turn, they pinned me down.

CHAPTER 12

After I was out of the police station, I got to know that there was a plan by the guys of the 'club' to be eliminate me. They said I had rebelled and had gone rogue. That I has broken their code of operations because of my personal affiliation with the 'package'.

Rogue? That was a big word for me. But I understood what they meant. They simply meant that I was now a loose end, a threat to their smooth operations and hidings because I got personal about the victim. Why would I not? Was she not my cousin's daughter? It was a blood relationship. Who would not have gotten personal?

I knew I was on the bad end because even though she was my relative, I had wanted to trade her 'for a while'. And that made them feel that I was not worth trusting. That if I could do such to a relative- one related to me by blood, that it would not cost me much to betray them since I was offended at them and had known much about them already and had no blood relationship with them.

The information I had about them was going to endanger me. It is often said that knowledge makes one free but this knowledge (of them) that I had would put me in danger.

After I knew about the plan to silently eliminate me, I thought of running away and taking off. It would be the natural safe thing to do. But I decided against that. If I ran away, they would know that I knew what they knew. They would know that I knew that they were after my life and that would not go down well.

Most notably, they would send their force violently after me. It would be a chase and I would not be able to stand them.

Moreover, they might even use their money and power to put the police after me. It would seem like I actually did it and was trying to take the chance of my release to escape from the arm of the law.

In addition, running away after learning their plans would make it almost impossible for me to know how to locate Princess. They were the ones that did the deal and as supposed, they would have all the needed information on her whereabouts. I needed to be close to the information source.

After considering these two, I decided to stay back. I would act as if I knew nothing about their plans. I would act ignorant. I knew that knowledge is a weapon but concealing what you know about the plans and strategies of your enemies is another weapon. Secrecy has power. And so, I stayed and acted like everyone. I would not want to be suspected, it would expose my plan and ruin everything.

I blended in and got to prove again my loyalty and like magic, I was accepted again even though I knew that it was not like it was at first. The trust we now had was a questionable one. I knew some were pretending to have fully accepted me just as I also was pretending.

I made sure that I watched my back carefully and I did a thorough search and finally got to meet with a private investigator, the new guy that was transferred to the police station where I was detained. I noticed that he felt there was something fishy about the case and how it was handled and so, I felt he was good for me to confide in. And I did. Even though, I has made lots of bad and selfish decisions, this one turned out to be a good one.

Thank you guys for your encouragements. I sincerely appreciate that.

Hello...I might have to stop writing and posting this story. I seem to have exhausted my personal encouragement to do that for many reasons. I have posted 11 chapters so far and I seem to post daily and do so with multiple chapters but I have not got up to 5 comments and the views are not even up to 270 at this point of writing.
I guess the story is not nice and interesting.. that could be why..so I guess I will just let it go..and stop writing and posting.
To all that have viewed and read and commented(thanks a lot)..so far..and liked and shared (I hail Oga Souloho..thanks man. you shared and liked)..thanks again..
If I find any better encouragement from peeps, I might proceed..if not...we gotta call it a day..guys..

CHAPTER 11

Few days after the operations, I got to know what really happened after I had left drinking. The news of what happened had sent me to the bottle. I was down. So down. And frustrated and my conscience would not let me be. I could not bear it.

Sometimes, I would lock myself up and drink to stupor. It was better since I would easily fall asleep in my house and not wander around the street and getting carried home.

Princess is yet to be recovered. That is what had been killing me. They couldn't recover her. It pained me. I could not forgive myself. I still haven't and I don't think I ever will.

The guys that I had paid to do the recovery were arrested. How they got to be arrested, I can't tell and I don't know. Who informed the police of our arrangements, I also can't tell. I don't know who.

The major issue was that the vehicle that transported the politician's wife took the normal agreed upon route while the one that transported Princess took another- a route I had no knowledge of. We never discussed on this. It was not talked about. The original plan was that both would be in the same vehicle and then conveyed along the agreed route.

The guys who were to do the recovery had waited and tailed the vehicle carefully and from a distance until they got to the place where they felt it was best to launch out. They didn't suspect anything. They didn't even ask themselves why the vehicle slowed down and allowed them to catch up with them.

When they finally did, it was only the madam and two of the 'club' guys that they saw in the vehicle, and these guys were armed and they subdued the guys I paid to rescue Princess. I didn't expect the 'club' guys to be in the vehicle with her. I didn't expect weapons.

The next thing was them finding themselves in a police station. It was a powerful hand that did that. They let the police men 'massage' them and they confessed that I was behind the operations. But the story that later came out was different.

It was not what I had thought. I never knew it would come to this point. I never envisaged it. The police said I was the one that sponsored the guys to kidnap the politician's wife. That it was a kidnap operation. Kidnap gone wrong.

This was how they left what was the real issue and made another. I knew this was a distraction. And I wrongly fell for it. I knew that the men of the 'club' were behind this. It was a setup. It was a betrayal. It was greed. They were willing to sell me out to look clean. They were willing to sell me out to have everything to themselves.

These are stinkingly rich men. Seven million naira was nothing major to them. Why they did this, I did not know. Their motive.

I tried to protest and tell the police what the real issue was. But they ignored me. They ignored my story. They laughed it off. They were paid to do that.

I had seen that they were out to destroy me- I mean the 'club', and I decided that I was not going to fall alone. I was not going to go down alone. I was no longer going to keep them secret and protect them. I was going to spill everything out. Say everything and leave none even the part I played. Saving Princess was a priority. My priority and I was willing to pay whatever it would cost to do that.

When they saw that a police officer that had a private investigation unit was picking interest in the case(he was newly transferred to the station), they took a turn. They threatened me. They told me to agree to the kidnapping operations and them let the case die. That they would make the case die, one of the men of the 'club' told me and that they would bail me out in as much as I keep shut on the case regarding the missing of Princess.

I did not agree at first. But I thought about it. I thought well and long and after a while, I decided to allow them bail me out. What use would I be in trying to get back Princess if I stay back under police custody? What use? How would I find her staying behind bars? So I opted for their offer.

Getting back Princess was a priority and I would sacrifice for it. Agreeing to a crime I did not commit was not a big deal in as much as it would let me out to look for Princess. It meant nothing to me. I needed to pay the price, whatever price to rectify my mistake. To undo my wrong.

And so, I was bailed and let out.

CHAPTER 10

As soon as I had left the hotel's premises, I noticed that Princess was sleepy.

In her sleepy state, she asked, "Where is mommy?"

"Mommy is not feeling fine and she needs to rest"

"Where are we going to uncle Linus?"

Another question? Oh God, I just needed her to be quiet now. If she keeps asking these questions, I would not find it easy going through with my plans. But somehow, I was OK that she was about to sleep. I had thought of drugging her to sleep like I had intended for her mom, but I decided against it. I couldn't pull through with that thought. It will kill my heart. I knew I was doing what was wrong. But there are certain extents that I could only go. And nothing beyond such points.

"Sleep Princess. We are going to see mommy's friend and buy medicine for mommy to take to get well"

I was expecting her to say "alright". Well, I didn't get that. She was snoring away already. That was good. I needed her to be quiet to do this work. And thankfully, I just got that now without having done anything against my conscience to make that happen.

As I walked, I felt strange. I felt that something bad was going to happen. I felt there was going to be a problem somewhere. I checked up the plans, they seemed perfect and intact. There seemed to be no loose end. And yet if any end needed to be checked, it would be the end regarding Princess's rescue.

And so, I picked up my phone and called. After the first ring, there was no answer. I called again. Same thing. I began to sweat. To get agitated somehow. I needed to calm down.

Few minutes, say three minutes, a call came in. It was the number I had called. I picked up immediately.

"Hello..I had been calling.."

"Sorry, I had an issue with my phone. The phone's screen was acting up. I could not pick the call by swiping the screen. But its alright now"

"Should I be worried about that?"

"Not at all boss man. We good"

I breathed deep, "You guys are ready right?"

"Sure"

"The package is with me. On my on way to deliver her. Be ready, I will notify you as soon as they begin to move"

"Alright boss"

I hung up and waved down a cab and told him where I was heading to and he drove off.

Few minutes, we got to the junction. I alighted and paid the cab man and walked towards the gate. I pressed the bell at the gate. The security man opened the little window like opening on the gate, and saw my face then he proceeded to let me in.

As I walked in, I could see the cars. There were about four cars. Two were jeeps- Mercedes Benz jeeps. A Toyota Camry and a Mercedes Benz 4matic.

I walked in with Princess, still sleeping. She is a heavy sleeper like her mom.

paqman:
Gat yah invitation keep it coming and what a nice story i must say

Thanks man...I appreciate

aries26:
Nice story.

Thank you

CHAPTER 9

As soon as the bar man knocked on the door, I called out, "who is that?". He answered, " its me. The bar man. You made an order"

I walked up to the door and opened it and collected the tray with the drinks and the glass cup. And dismissed him. There was no need for food. Meat too.

I was getting apprehensive. Somehow, I was hoping that Regina would not suspect anything or feel that something wrong was about to happen. I wanted to go undetected. She must not know my moves.

I opened up the Hollandia Yoghurt for her to pour it into the glass cup but she suddenly let out a sound. It was like she was feeling pain or something. It was a cry of pain.

"What is it? Are you alright?", I asked.

After few seconds, she responsed, "I just felt a sharp pain. It was just sudden. But I will be fine"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I will just lie down for a while"

"OK. Sorry. Maybe I should get you some medications"

"You don't need to. It will go"

I wanted to insist but decided against that. I felt it would put something across. Something to make her think that I had something up my sleeves. Something that would help serve as a pointer when the story of what happens unfolds. Soi let it go.

I opened Princess's own and gave her while carrying her on my lap and opened my canned Gulder too to drink. I finished up the first can and kept checking up on her in between.

I knew that she was in a weakened state and wanted to use it. I knew it was bad to rob someone that is in his or her weak state. I knew but it was like a chance. A good chance. It was not a considerate and human thing to do. But I had to. I had to rob this weak and almost sick woman of her daughter.

I told her that I needed to make some calls and would like to get airtime at the reception. I told her that I would like to go with Princess do that she could rest since she was not feeling fine. It was the right and common and sense thing to do. She agreed but told me, unlike her, for this is not the first time I had gone out with Princess, "please keep her safe and be back soon"

And when she that Princess was looking at her, she said, "sweetie, mommy is not feeling fine but she will be okay when you come back". The child nodded.

I left and kept walking and going till I discovered that I would not turn back. This was my chance to disappear with the baby for a while and I was taking it. I left the hotel. And was no more.

CHAPTER 8

I worked on my idea, thought further about it and fantacized about the seven million naira. I knew that all would not enter my hand. I was not the source of the deal. I did not bring it up. I did not source the 'client'- the madam in need of a girl child. It was just a sublet.

I felt that no matter what, at least fifty percent of the funds would get to me. I would be a millionaire in few days. I would pull out of this prison of poverty and lack. I would be able to afford what I need and provide for myself and family- my parents especially.

I slept off with these thoughts and had a dream. In that dream, I was standing at the top of a hill- a cliff. And I was with someone that I knew. I could not place the person's face nor the voice or even the name. But somewhere inside of me, I knew that I knew the person.

We were just talking. What we were talking about, I couldn't remember and then suddenly, he pushed me down the cliff and I feel with a shout and woke up. I felt the dream was just one of those good for nothing dreams that are designed to scare us. So, I dismissed it and went back to sleep. I remembered I had another dream but I could not remember it when I woke up.

I made sure my arrangements was tight and clean. I was to visit Regina and Princess later that evening. It was the night of the main event. The night to separate the daughter from her mother. I had a plan. Drug Regina and move Princess out with an excuse that her mommy is sleeping.

I also got the guys that were to rescue Princess ready. I had transferred a hundred thousand naira into their account as part payment to motivate them to work. The remaining one hundred thousand was to be paid as soon as they got Princess back safely.

I arrived at the hotel and spoke to one of the bar men. I had got a pack of Hollandia Yoghurt which I had discovered was Regina's favorite drink. Also one that she would not let her daughter Princess to take I would not want both mother and daughter to be drugged. My conscience with the little light it had in it would not. I did not want Princess to be under any such effect.

I had injected the drug through its cap delicately. And I got it delivered to the bar man. I had him mark that one out. I would not want him to mix it up with others. I would want him to come with them when I call for them.

As soon as I entered their room, Princess ran to me and hugged me. I kissed her forehead and carried her up. Her mom emerged. She was a beautiful woman but the blood relationship that we had, I thought, had become my only hindrance in allowing and developing any feelings for her.

"How are you Gina?", I asked

"I'm alright. How about you?"

"Good. Guess what?"

"What?"

"Just guess"

"You know I am not good in guessing"

"At least try"

"Okay. You met a girl"

"See you. Olodo"

She just laughed.

"Your boss told me you would be starting up work on Monday"

"What?" She exclaimed. She was so excited and she was high spirited.

I let her do her thing. She danced. After a while, she calmed down. "Thank you so much Linus. Thank you"

'You are welcome. We have to drink to this". I added

"Sure"

I pulled out my phone and called the bar man and he picked. I told him to come with Hollandia Yoghurt and my two cans of Gulder and a small pack of Caprison for Princess. In few minutes, he arrived and also came with a glass cup for Regina to use for her Yoghurt drink.

OlufemiWhit:
Got your invite sir......good start

Thanks man..

CHAPTER 7

The meeting went well and short. Yes, short. It was planned that way. It was lunch break. And lunch breaks are not usually long. Moreover, it was supposed to be short to give Regina the impression that her so called soon to be boss was really a busy woman.

After the meeting, Regina called me and gisted me everything. She was laughing. She was emotional. She was excited. She said she liked the woman. She said the woman liked her daughter, Princess. And told her that she would like to see her again. She told me that Princess felt strangely agitated around the woman which surprised her but that it was nothing. That it was typical especially when we meet new people.

After the call, I meet with the woman and did further planning. We talked. She said she had seen the child. That she liked her. That Princess was cute. That she was so eager to have her and take care of her. She got emotional and started crying. I tried to console her.

Afterwards, I asked her about the financial side of the deal. She said, she was supposed to make a seven million naira payment. I mentally let my mouth fall. I was shocked. I got so carried away. The greed in me rose like a storm and I forgot everything. I forgot that I was about to give out my relative to a stranger for money. I forgot for a moment that I was supposed to strengthen my other plan to get her back.

After we finished, she gave me ten thousand naira cash and transferred fifty thousand naira into my account on the spot and said that she would make the payment as soon as she is required to. We parted ways and left.

I visited Regina and Princess as usual around 7pm and stayed with them for close to an hour and had to leave. I offered one excuse. But what I had in mind was to make plans for getting Princess back. I needed to meet with some guys. Guys that would handle that side of the plan. Talk of the payment. Inform them of the possible route of transportation and all that.

I made some calls and later went to meet some guys. We decided on what needed to be done and talked of the payment. They just needed two hundred thousand naira. It was a soft deal. They needed not to worry about gun shots. The vehicle that would transport the woman and Princess would look so innocent without any suspicion.

After the meeting, I retired home to think properly on how to move out Princess without the Mom suspecting. I would not want her to suspect me in any way. And as I thought, an idea struck me. And I knew that was game.

olumose001:
Nice story

Thanks a lot

CHAPTER 6

I spoke with one of the guys behind the deal of what might be needed to have a clean deal- one without any suspicion. I told him of what I had in mind. The plans. The strategies. He agreed to provide all that was needed.

I got a meeting fixed between the woman in need of the child and my cousin. I never asked why she needed a child. I only heard that she was the wife of one of the chieftains in one of the political parties. And that she had no child. And could not conceive. And all the other blah blah blah.

We got her informed of our plans. The job strategy. She was going to act as the so called boss that would be recruiting Regina and all that. We got an I.D card designed for her and gave her the words to say and did all the other logistics.

The meeting was held at one of the popular eateries. That one too was intentional. An eatery is a neutral location. It is not the company's location. We didn't want to have an address for the company. We created a scene that looked like she just went for lunch break and in that period fixed a meeting with Regina.

This was strategic. It would look like a very rare polite act displayed towards Regina. That her soon to be boss, a wealthy looking woman with a very busy schedule, squeezed out time, sacrificed her lunch break that she would have used to eat and relax to meet with Regina.

I explained everything to Regina. She felt grateful and privileged for her so called soon to be boss's sacrifice and 'behaved herself', asking no unreasonable question or any to raise up dust. I also told her to come with her baby as it would help in making things straight. At least, her soon to be boss will know that she is a mother and has a young baby girl. That it might soften her heart to really employ her as she would not expect her to not take care of her baby. She agreed.

CHAPTER 5

I got some money after I had declared my intention to run the deal. I had to make proper preparations. I had to make wise one. Unsuspecting ones. Innocent looking ones.

I got Regina and her daughter lodged in a hotel and ensured they were alright. I told her that my place was not going to to conducive for them when she asked. I told her that I had my guys staying with me. And that it would not be alright to let her stay with us. That a hotel was going to be better.

She agreed. Maybe because she believed me. Maybe more because, she felt she was as getting first class treatment. Some 'I am important' feeling because of my treatment. She was used to an easy life. A life where she gets worshipped. So, the hotel idea went well with her.

I ensured I visited often in the evenings. I would come with bread, soft drinks, juice and some gifts for her and her baby. Suya and more.

With time, the little girl fell in love with me- uncle Linus. She began to anticipate my coming. It was easy. I was always buying her things, her favorite biscuits, toys. And other things. She grew fond of me. Gifts are magical. It was strategic. I needed to win her over. It would make it easy.

Her mom after a week or so began to get worried unlike her. She was so used to not asking questions as far as she was comfortable. She was used to eating and enjoying and doing nothing. She was used to a lazy life. She began to worry me. "Linus, how far with the job nau?

"It will soon be ready. I spoke with the boss and she told me to give her this week and she assured me of your employment "

"I thought the job was ready before you asked me to come"

"Ready? Job ready and waiting for someone? In this Nigeria? Ah! It never happens. But don't worry. This one is a sure one. The boss was even asking of meeting with you. I will call to fix a time for you both"

"Wow! That would be nice. Its alright. Thank you so much for all your help. I appreciate"

"Its nothing. We owe it to help each other", I replied.

CHAPTER 4

At the period in time, I was beginning to have some kind of people around me. I began hanging with them. It was as if some devil kept bringing such fellows my way.

They talked rich. Lived rich. Dressed rich. Lived in nice houses. Drove expensive and fancy cars. But they were not clean. They got money through unclean means. I knew. They told me but I still stayed. They were into various crimes. Kidnappings. Child trafficking. Sexual trafficking. Running brothels and drug centers.

I knew they were bad guys but I remained with them. I wanted what they had. I getter getter wanted the life they had. The houses. The ladies. The cars. The wears. The reps. The accolades they get in public events.

I told myself that I was going to be careful. I was going to be clean. And not get stained or defiled. But clean. I told myself that my evil company would not corrupt my morals. I told myself several things. At first, I didn't believe them but as time went I began to.

I needed these thoughts to stay through. But I was wrong. I knew I was but I refused to agree to that. I fought it till I laid it to rest.

As soon as Regina and his now two year old daughter came to Portharcourt, a deal came up. A dirty one. A deal that would initiate me into the 'club'. A test deal. Something to use to check if I had anything beyond just talks. To check if I had guts. Guts to take such risks.

Making money was risky, they would always say. If one is scared, he would remain poor. I had been poor for long. I wanted out. Out of poverty. In. Into wealth. A good life. A rich life. A millionaire's life. A multi millionaire.

A woman, a wealthy one wanted a girl child. I was informed of this deal. And it came in not few days before Regina came into town. And it was offered to me to pull it through. It was as if they knew what was going on. As if they knew about Regina and her baby.

I decided to go for it. But I had other plans. A different plan, a rescue plan. A plan that would make me gain doubly.

I would deliver the child, get paid and before then, hire and position some guys to waylay the vehicle transporting the 'buyer' and Regina's daughter and get the girl picked up and returned back. Then I would send them back- Regina and her child with some made up stories.

CHAPTER 3

Days turned to weeks and then few months. Three months. Then four months. Mr. Dan had called and tried all to get his wife and baby back home but failed.

Her parents would not let it. She talked them into believing her but her siblings knew better. They understood their in- law. They understood what had happened. They knew she was at fault. They knew the kind of man that he was and the kind of sister that they had.

She stayed at her parent's home, lazying around. Doing nothing. Staying at home. Watching movies. And 'slaying'.

But things soon changed faster and suddenly, far from what she had anticipated. Her parent's suddenly got tired of her and asked her to humble herself and plead with her husband since the man had stopped calling and asking about her.

It seemed as if he had forgotten that she existed. His persistent calls and pleas were feeding her ego. She rode on them and felt good not knowing that they would stop coming. And when they did, she began to complain to her parents of how heartless her husband was. And of how they gave her to such a hardened man to have her as his wife.

They got annoyed and gave her the bitter pill of truth and she felt so bad. They wanted her to go fix her marriage and focus on her home instead of abandoning her husband and home.

She would not take it. She felt bad and betrayed. She was stubborn. Begging was not her thing. Pleading wasn't. Apologizing wasn't. It never was and would no start to be. She thought of leaving her parent's home but not returning to her husband's house.

She decided to keep her plans to herself and then chose to call me. She said she needed a job. She didn't tell me all that had happened but I had got to know. She made up her story. She had told me what she wanted me to hear.

I felt it was an opportunity and I asked her to come down to Portharcout. There was a job, I had told her, a new company was recruiting. She obliged to come to Portharcourt.

CHAPTER 2

I am Linus Daki. I am here in this prison, sorrowing alone without any friend or relative visiting me because I hurt the people that really matter. And I did something that was so wrong.

I had developed a poor value system. I had misplaced my priorities. And I had made the major things the minor ones, and the minor ones the major ones.

I had placed my need for money above my need for humans. My value for the naira above human life. And I have acted on this misplaced value system and the arm of nemesis had caught up with me.

My cousin, Regina was one of those beautiful women with inadequate domestic training and skills. I would not really blame her. I would blame her parents- my uncle John; who was my father's immediate elder brother and his wife Joanna. It was their fault. They made Regina who she turned out to be.

Regina was the only daughter of the Johns. They had had six boys and was so longing for a girl child. After some years, after they had thought they would just have their last child and stop child bearing and enjoy the genders the Creator had given them, Regina was born. Celebrations filled the whole place. There was joy and much happiness.

As she grew, her siblings noticed the special treatment her parents were giving to her and it made them feel bad. She was not allowed to do anything at home. She was treated like a princess until she became a spoilt princess.

She could not cook, wash, clean or keep the home. Her brothers did all these and when they began to complain bitterly, a maid was hired to do the work.

After much selections and useless 'iyanga', she finally picked one man to marry and she made sure, she had her way. He was a handsome young man who was trying to stand properly on his feet, but it never mattered. They exploited him because of the love he had for her. They took advantage of him and made him pay so much to have her as his wife.

After their wedding, his attitude changed somehow as soon as he saw his wife for who she was. Stubborn. Hard. Over pampered. Greedy. Lazy. Untrained. Proud. Never apologizing for anything even if she was wrong. And always comparing him with other men.

He couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't put up with her attitudes after they had their first child- Princess. He got tired of always apologizing whenever they had issues. They had a fight and she angrily left her matrimonial home with their daughter when her husband had left for work. She just took few of her things and the baby and left.

CHAPTER 1

Call it the work of the devil. Or some demon. Or any evil being, maybe a messenger from hell. I might not argue with you. I have no strength left for that. Moreover, I have got no proper understanding of all that happened and how they did happen. The motive. The progressions of events that led me to where I found myself now and all of that.

It is one thing to be a part of an event and another to lack proper explanation about it. Who would have been the best person to explain an event if not one that was involved in it? I was not just involved, I was the main character at the center of it all. I was not a spectator, I was at the middle of it.

As I sat in the prison, at one corner, I began to weep again. I am a man for crying out loud. I had lived most of my life without tears. I grew up with the notion that men don't shed tears. It was my grandpa that put such notion into me. Even though I had spent most of my pre- teen and early teen years with him and grew fond of him, yet when he died, I did not shed any tears. Not a single drop of tear left my eyes. I was so terrified about his death, for I seemed to know him closely. I got scared of dying. Yet I was more scared of something else- of failing to heed to his words at his death. I was scared of crying when he died. That was what he taught me. I stuck to it when he was alive. I must still do while he is no more. My respect for him should not exist only in his presence, it must also in his absence, I had thought.

But here I am in this shit hole of a prison failing him again and again. And that hurted me more. But with the crime I had committed that had put me in here, I could not help but weep. It would not be human if I didn't cry. It would be evil- a deep one. And I would be so scared of myself.

My fears had increased. I no longer had one fear. As we grow into adults and begin to experience life, we also grow in fears. Our fears increase. I no longer have the fear of disappointing grandpa about shedding tears. I have now the fear of loosing my humanity. I feel something or someone strange has been influencing me and I feel I am so loosing myself. But my tears reminded me that I was still human. There was something human about me. I might have done a very vile thing but then I still have a conscience that can be touched. That can get watery. That can rain down my face as tears. Genuine tears.

And so I let the rain fall more. More tears. More. Let me feel my humanity again.

This work will come in short chapters but will be COMPLETED fast.

Let's move the invitation cards..

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SYNOPSIS

His quest for success and wealth got stained with an unhealthy method and means. Now he has hurt some human soul and traded a life, a little innocent life for money.

Would he ever be forgiven? Would he forgive himself? Would who he sold be found again?

Hello friends..I have here a short story. It is a fiction. The idea behind it might not be fictitious. Please read and enjoy..and comments if you see fit too

I will as usual hail some fellows here whose works have been really nice..

Larrysun,Shewrites,Fiyah,Oyinprince,Souloho90,Just2day,itsandi,Repogirl,Safarigirl,MissWrites....Centino

I just discovered some other amazing writers recently. You should check them out..Ishilove,Lilijoe..cowhard,..I am trying to remember names..the author of Jewel in the Ghetto..and some more...

You write beautifully well...

eitsei:
hmmm... hope it's not what I'm thinking

What could it be that you are thinking man?

CHAPTER 11

I was feeling so happy that as soon as I left the place of interview, which miraculously turned out to be my new place of work, I pulled out my phone and called my kid sister to tell her what had just happened. She was so happy that I knew the next thing that she would do. To shout the news around the house. I had to plead with her to be calm and quiet about it till I get to start working. I wanted the whole process to be complete to the point where I would start working. I was yet to know the pay, the job descriptions, the work schedules- especially close up time each day. But that was not all.

I was scared. Somehow scared. For someone who had laboured and struggled for years to secure a good job, even travelling some distances- some in other states, for interviews and also doing lots of reading and researching in preparations for interviews to just get a job on what seemed like a plater of gold. It was to say the least, mind blowing and kinda scary. Yes, scary.

Now don't get me wrong. I am not a pessimist. I have not 'really' been. I had to add that 'really' because with time, after lots of failed attempts in getting a job, many unfulfilled promises made to me in that regards and all the other related bad stuffs, I began to get pessimistic. It was natural. So natural in Naija. With the massive joblessness and umemployments and the wide spread hardness under this 'broom' government, getting pessimistic was an everything thing. In fact some are now jumping into lagoons as if the economy down there is better.

Handling failure is not easy. It always leaves us with scars. Makes us do some awkward things and feel some awkward feelings. Past failures and disappointments were mine. Fear of how to handle success if it comes was another. All these and more made me wonder at anything that comes that easy. And my people, this job came that easy. For crying out loud, what sort of interview was that? Hope this was not scam? I began to get apprehensive. I needed to relax. To talk to someone that I would feel happy with. Someone that I have a sweet feeling for. Evelyn came to my mind.

I scrolled through my phone a d dialed her number. She didn't pick. I dialed again. Same result. I hoped she would call back ASAP. I went into a restaurant and got my favorite soft drink(apart frpm malt drinks and juices)- Mirinda Pineapple flavour. The thing about this drink is that it seems to have a therapeutic effect on me. If I complain of headache and you are around me, don't panic. Don't start shouting, "somebody, helep meeeee". Don't. Just get me Mirinda Pineapple flavour and in few minutes, I would be so alright. If stomach issue, same thing. Whatever it is. Even when I feel 'malaria-ish', get Mirinda Pineapple flavour and I would be 'cured'.

I sat comfortably at one end of the restaurant to download my drink. A woman walked in. She was thickly dressed in this Christian mothers attire with a heavy weight (probably weighing several tons and kilograms) 'skontolo' on her head. Her high heels were just afflicting the floor with each step. Kors kors!, they spoke to the tiled floor. She paused for some time, surveyed the place and took steps towards me. I was hoping that she was not coming for me. Because I didn't know her from Adam and I was not in the mood to converse with any. I was not in the mood for any company. I just wanted to be with myself and my bottle of Mirinda and calm down. I wanted the anxiety off and out of my system.

She came and before me and after exchanging pleasantries, she began with, "my son, I need your help. I was just came into town to see my son- law buy his phone is not going through and my daughter's own too is not. And I have been calling and waiting since morning but nothing has happened. They have not even called.."

I cut her politely. "What do you want ma?"

"I want to go back where I came from. I am tired of this wicked and disrespectful treatment that I am getting from them. I want to go back. If they didn't want me, they would have said so from the start than to ask me to come and not make any attempt to get me to their place..."

"So, how do we do that. I mean your going back to where you came from?"

"I need money for that"

"OK. How much?"

"Seven thousand. I can manage seven thousand naira. Highest, I will fast through out the journey since that money will not be able to cover for both my transportation and feeding"

"So, how do intend to get the seven thousand?"

"From you na"

Wow! What was that? See this woman o. Na jazz she think say she get? Abi, na 419 she wan play me? I decided to hide my feeling, not letting it show on my face

"How?"

She got angry. I noticed her countenance change. She quickly let the angry look slide. Somehow, she still felt she could use her jazz again. I don't seem to get it. I have met her kind. They feel they must use a kind of authority in doing this thing to instill control over their victim and get them to do their bidding. Moreover, I am sure the babalawo that did the jazz must have told them that the jazz would only work if they act bold in speaking.

"I expect you to help me", she said with a little authority in her voice.

"Ma, I am respecting you and I still want to maintain that. I will give you a suggestion"

She looked interested. Maybe she was expecting to hear something that would help her. I guess so.

"Just leave now or I will raise my voice here and announce that you are a 419ner and a fraudster and the security over there will disgracefully drag you out", I said with coldness in my voice.

" What? What has gotten into you? You mean you would not do as I said?"

Oh boy, see me, see gobe o. This woman dey kolo o.

I stood up and acted as if I wanted to do what I said that I would do, she stood up fast, took her handbag with a big frown on her face and hurried to the door.