Sorry, for the long delay... Would update this very soon.

It was a long drive back to the hotel, and as I drove slowly, all I could think of was how I shot and killed Robert. Each time the thought popped in my head, I smiled to myself – making up different scenarios that I could have employed in killing him, but in all, he was dead.

I arrived at the hotel very fatigued, that as soon as I made way into my room, I jumped into the bed and slept off like a baby – still fully clothed.

I woke up hours later, still tired, but this time I could tell it was hunger related, so I got up and phoned the hotels kitchen to order for food before stripping to the last piece of clothing I had on and went to take a shower.

I was still getting dressed when I heard a knock on the door. It’s my food – I thought to myself – so I hurriedly wore my sweat pant and t-shirt and went on to open the door.

“It’s called a mobile phone because it’s supposed to be carried around. Where is your phone?” Chairman yelled out as he walked into the room – without Lateef this time but with his bodyguards.

“It’s over there” – I stuttered, pointing to the phone on the bed. “I put it on the silent profile because I didn’t want to be disturbed while I slept” – I continued, while locking the door.

“Because you didn’t want to be disturbed?” He exclaimed, nodding his head in disbelief. Well I won’t blame you. No! I won’t blame you. He negated.

I walked to the edge of the bed where he was seated and stood in front of him with my hands behind me – as a sign of respect knowing fully well that he was angry.

There was a long pause in the room, before chairman finally broke the silence -

“I’m impressed with how far you have come, especially with the way you carried out your assignment last night. Because you claimed it was your first time, I had one of my undercover persons in the police force at the crime scene when the body of the deceased was being moved to the mortuary and my excitement knew no bounds when I was told no evidence was recovered.” He enthused.

I felt the tension in the room ease off a bit, so I relaxed my nerves and got into my comfort zone while still listening to what he was saying.

“Not only am I impressed with you, the Chairman himself, the Oga patapata, the man funding the whole operation has been wowed by your performance and has requested to see you, but not after you make another drop”.

“There is another chairman? So what are you?” I asked looking a tad confused.

“Laughing out loud – yes there is. Everything here is done in a hierarchical order, and at every stage, we have someone we report to just like how you, Lateef and the other boys report to me, I also have someone I report to who might also be accountable to someone. They call me Chairman because it’s me they see as the overall boss but I call him chairman because I know what he is capable of. I’ve met him just twice as he chooses to remain on the background and all our dealings have been done via phone, so for him to want to see you, consider yourself a lucky boy”.

“Everything is happening too fast and right now it’s getting me confused. I haven’t lived a normal life in the last one month and it’s starting to bother me. I need to take a break from this and just do what normal people do”.

“Hmm you would do that son, but right now it’s not about what you want. If you want to be wealthy, you have to do whatever you are being asked to do. Once you are in, you are in there are no days off except maybe you want to face the wrath of the Chairman and believe me when I say you don’t want to”.

Sigh. I have now become slave to a man and his cohorts in the name of making money.

“What about the balance I’m supposed to collect?”

“Oh that, here you go – handing out a brown envelope he took out of his pocket with a bunch of keys to me – that’s $5000. The extra $3500 on it is your part payment for your trip to London in two weeks.”

“London?” A curious I questioned.

“Yes London. The keys are for your new fully furnished apartment in Ogudu. Chairman doesn’t want you living in a hotel and most definitely doesn’t want you back in Ketu”

“Wow”

“Well that’s what you get for being diligent and obedient. There’s still more from where that came from, don’t mess it up. And yes, the car is yours too and the address to the house is inscribed at the back of the envelope. Get your passport across to me so I’d get your visa processed. I guess I should take my leave now, have a good day”.

I locked the door behind him as he left with his guards and for the next twenty to thirty minutes I stood still, speechless. It was another knock on the door that jolted me back to reality. My food had finally arrived but the urge to eat had disappeared, again!

I packed my stuff, concealed the gun in a piece of cloth and hid it in the bottom corner of my suitcase as I headed out of the hotel en route to Ogudu. It was a two bedroom bungalow that was en suite with up to date household amenities.

My life had changed for good – at least so I thought.

The following day I went to a bureau-de-change and converted $2000 into Naira while the other $3000 I opted to deposit at the bank. Was checking out shirts in a store at the palms shopping mall that day when I met the lady who would later be my wife.

The minute I saw her walk into the store, I knew she was the one. Decked up in a blue blouse, black jeggins and black pumps, the aura around her screamed hot and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one checking her out, but I couldn’t bring myself to talk to her. She walked around the store for a while and when I noticed her staring at one of the bags they displayed looking a bit distressed, I figured that was my cue to talk to her.

So I manned up, went up to her and started a conversation. She wanted to buy a Louis Vuitton bag but was short a staggering N120,000. I was N300,000 rich and wasn’t going to spare any expense because to me it was love at first sight but she was insistent on me not doing so claiming she had it covered. We went on and on about it for about forty-five minutes before she finally bulged, after her ATM card still didn’t work, but only on the condition that she would pay me back during the week. I agreed even though I knew I wasn’t going to collect the money back and we exchanged numbers as we left the store. That marked the beginning of another phase in my life.

Two weeks had passed and Tomi and I were waxing strong with each passing day but it was time to make the big trip to London. I had heard a lot about the British Immigration, Metropolitan police and Scotland Yard’s crackdown on drug traffickers. They weren’t good tales but once again I was assured by chairman and lateef that my safety and security was guaranteed. To Tomi I was going on a business trip but to me it was a life changing one that could make or mar me.

Nigerian Immigration has to by far be the worst of the lot, N5000 tip usually gets me treated like a king and my Luggage most times never gets checked. The plane took off at exactly 11:25pm local time and we didn’t arrive at Heathrow airport till 6:30am London time, due to air turbulence. There was no hitch clearing myself with the British Immigration as the drug was properly concealed in baby diapers, and in no time I was being chauffeured to the Best Western Swiss Cottage Hotel where I had earlier made a reservation. It was a forty minute drive from the airport to the hotel and I slept all through the day since I was expected to make the delivery at night.

Around midnight, I got dressed up, put the drugs in a messenger bag and headed to the D Den Legacy club that was just five minutes by feet away from the hotel where I was supposed to meet the client. I had just cut into an alley as directed by the hotel guard when I was jumped by three white boys. One dragged the bag from me, the other gagged me by the throat while the third kicked me to the ground.

It seemed like the beginning of the end.