Chapter Twenty two

The moat of simmering liquid looks to have been expanded; the doctors probably didn’t want to take any more chances. Shango sat waiting in the middle of the cage, an arm round a raised knee; his burning wings the only thing moving as they fanned lazily at his back.

“You children must really love punishment to be back here so soon or Mugabe must be losing his touch.’’

"No time for banter old man, we need to get you free or we’re done for, believe me, you were the last plan on the list.’’ Omotola said as she hurried round his circular confinement checking out the cell.

Shango's laughter was full and gay.

Amaka, Babybaby's handler stared up at him, both awed and petrified.

He chuckled again, watching the sentinel's struggle with Orchid and co. "Your siblings are not doing too well am afraid, you are running out of time."

Shettima winced at the sound of a sentinel slam dunk unto Obiora, he instead hurried towards the control box to see if he can figure out the numerous dials and buttons.

"There seems to be little technology involved, it’s only a steel cage and a pool of smelly water, you look strong enough to rip this cage apart." Omotola queried.

"You're right, I think the monitor and dials are just to control the flow of liquid and his vitals." Shettima concurred.

"smart you are boy, the strange bell shaped box controls the 'Ewọ̀ Orisha' flowing down the cage bar.’’ Shango answered his bright eyes focused on the ongoing conflict.

"So that is what the strange water’s called."

“Guys we're being destroyed over here, hurry up with the jail break will ya,’’ Obiora yelled from the doorway.

“Omi Ewọ̀; the perilous sap, an hateful taboo substance the deities reacts strongly to, at excruciating pain. Crossing it in my weakened state will shred my essence from my body, banishing me from this plane of existence it would take many years to reform, weaker than I once was.
Tampering with the machine will drench me in the sap, so if you cannot figure out a way to stop the water children, then I am of no use to you.’’

"Not if you help us first," Shettima face squeezed in deep thoughts. "If we bring the sentinels close to you will you be able to abracadabra them away?"

Shango grimaced down at him. "I may have lost my magic boy but I still have my strength, perhaps if you can bring the iron vermin within my touch, I shall wrest their strength against mine."

"Okay new plan, lure the guardians over here." Shettima yelled towards Orchid.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Orchid panted behind an ice wall barely keeping it up as a robot smashed it down.

With a cry she coated the chamber floor in ice, her assailant waved it's arms to balance on the slippery floor, it would have been funny had the situation not been serious, Obiora leapt and gave it a resounding round kick, sending it skiding all the way towards shango's cage into his waiting hand.

The robot struggled to tear free but if was as if it was being held by an immovable band of metal fibre, shango's arm muscles flexed as he clenched, the sentinel's shoulder where he was being held began to smoke as the metal melted like putty. The robot's visor light dimmed as the missiles chasing a tired Binta coughed and dropped and exploded. One down, one to go.

The sentinels must have been made of some rare metal because Obiora's fists barely made a dent on their armoured torso. With a curse he leapt back to evade a backhanded slap from his assailant, he hung in the air, his wings flapping rythmnically content in waiting out of harm's way as he harassed the robots with series of fireball.

The sentinel's visor gleamed red and sent a laser beam his way, the light caught him unawares, hitting him in the chest and sent him spiralling out of the air onto the second sentinel's waiting arms who in turn slammed him against the chamber floor with a bone wreaking sound.

Obiora was stunned yet he strained to get out from the robot's ironclasp grip as it introduce his face repeatedly to the floor but he barely bulged, that was when he realised that he was in trouble. These aren't just ordinary hunks of metals, they were the advanced A.I driven combat bots Shetimma warned them about, in his short existence, he had yet to meet something as strong as he was and now he was been held like an arant chicken.

Binta was the first to spot his dilemma, with a cry she let loose an explosion of electrode that blasted both Obiora and the sentinel separate ways.

That brought her attention to the second robot who sent a laser beam her way, away she raced faster than the robot can track, it paused at this as if confused on why she was still unscratched, it then open a compartment on it's forearm and let lose dozens of tracker rockets.

The rocket lock targeted on Binta following her around the chamber as if she was a magnet, panicky she weaved and blitz away but the rockets dogged her wherever she goes.

"Orchid help," she keened.

"Don't stop running," Orchid warned. "They're all locked on your heat signature they will explode the moment you stop, Obiora get a grip we need you to destroy that robot's control panel before the rockets run Binta down."

Obiora shook the stars from his eyes as he picked himself up, with a roar he charged at the nearest sentinel.

Meanwhile, Shettima had led the others successfully to shango's cage without catching the guardian robot's attention.

Chapter Twenty one

Obiora charged his crimson wings flaming, one of the sentinel thumped forward to meet him, their clash sent shockwaves throughout the length of the chamber.
The robot sentinel recovered first and sent Obiora flying with an uppercut then moved towards his sprawled figure mechanically without giving him a chance to recover.

Orchid dived to cover her twin, sending icy shards across the floor to slow it down while they all pulled back towards the chamber doors.

"Ouch, I think a tooth is loosed," Obiora groaned as the robot marched back to join it's partner.

"Serves you right for jumping straight in without a plan," Shettima chided. "Good thing they're not programmed to leave the chamber but we don't have time to spare either."

"So what do we do?"

"Obiora, Binta and Orchid will distract them while I cloak the rest of us invisible, we'll then try sneak past, just try to buy us enough time to get Shango out."

"Why do I always get the hardest part." Obiora faked a protest."

"Cos you've got the hardest coconut head, come on let's go." Orchid teased as she lead her team back into the chamber."

Shettima waited a bit before signalling the others to stay close, spreading his misty wings as he willed himself invisible, they sneaked around the fighting towards the centre of the chamber.

Clint02 Khriztarl kkay03 decoderdgenius

Sorry guys it's been a busy couple of days...dropping a lengthy update tomorrow evening, next time I'll be informing you'all about the next updates so you can know when to expect it..make una no vex for me abeg.

"Identify this!!"

Obiora growled as he reared back a massive fist to punch the steel door, the pitched sound of harassed steel rang through the corridor as chutes above the door vomited automatic guns that opened fire immediately. the children leapt back to the corridor to find cover while he shrugged off the rapid fire of the security laser guns as if it was nothing as he tore through the door like cardboard paper. He then stirred up a ball of fire in each hand, hurled each at the guns, putting them out of commission.

“What? He shrugged, unconcerned at the others appalled look, "I was dating a hot super model actress, don’t blame me for letting out some steam.’’

“You should have known it was too good to be true brother dear,’’ Orchid smirked, "and who would want to date your ugly ass anyway."

“Look who’s talking o!’’ Obiora snapped, “Hoping to win miss world with those feathers sticking out of your legs.’’

They hurried past the twins as they bickered back and forth picking their way gingerly around the rubble as they filed in through the wreaked door into the strange room once again but the room security wasn't done by a mile.

"Warning! Intruders detected.... scanning identity.... identification failed.... proceed to incapacitate!!

"Oh crap." Binta exclaimed as two stationary giant robot sentinels booted up, their visors gleamed red.

"These weren't here the last time," Shetimma announced as the robots and children stood sizing one another.

"Is incapacitate a bad thing?" Babybaby chirped in.

"One way to find out," Binta shrugged as she took a step forward, the sentinels reacted so fast, blasting the spot where she stood she was barely able to speed out of harm's way back into Orchid's arms. "Well there's our answer," she shivered.

"Okay tincans," Obiora cracked his neck and knuckles as the rest of the children drew up behind him in formation. "I'm hoping you both cost a few pennies cos am about to introduce you to my two fists."

Chapter Twenty

‘’I am going to kill Mugabe,’’ Orchid growled as she struggled to clamber out, Obiora moved forward to assist his twin, lifting her bodily from the pod.

“Get in line,’’ they all answered her in unison.

“Sorry to interrupt the reunion guys but we have the whole Askari guards approaching on our floor.’’ Binta cried, her eyes colour back to their normal hue.

"Then we have to get out of here fast, Omotola said urgently "Amaka, time to redeem yourself, lead us out of the institute, you know what will happen to us, and Babybaby if we’re taken again.

“That could have been possible before the alarm systems went off,’’ Amaka replied wringing her hands in fright; “the whole building automatically shuts down on itself, no one goes up or down.’’

“What do you mean up, we want to go out, not up,’’ Omotola snapped,

“You don’t understand’’ she cried; the institute is miles under the earth surface.’’

They all gaped at her, stunned.

“Wonderful; well we’re toast, only thing left is some ketchup and we’re ready for eating.’’ Obiora muttered.

“There is another way’’ Logan said, ‘’you will have to free this deity Amaka told me about.’’

“Shango; he’ll rip this place apart’’ Amaka gasped.

“That’s the idea’’ he grimaced. “Go now, I’ll hold this part of the institute to buy you guys enough time."

“What about you, you can’t take on them all by yourself,’’ Shettima protested.

“You seem to have forgotten who you’re talking to kid bro; it’s the Askaris you should be worried for cos healing is not the only trick up my sleeve," Logan smirked but his face was stern as he continued. “I will not see another of my siblings killed to quench Doctor Mugabe’s insatiable thirst, now get the hell out of here before I kick the feathers out of your wings."

Babybaby ran forward, hugging him tearfully, they all followed suit with Obiora brought up the rear, comically lifting them all from the floor.

“Don't worry about me," he smiled, his almond eyes glistering with unshed tears, "I will meet you guys up top now go free our old man and rock this place thunder style, now go, live, be free."

Logan had always been the soothing calm to his siblings restlessness, always with a smile on his face, they’d rarely seen him use his other deadly power.

Turning back to as they raced out of the lab, Omotola saw him wielding it with deadly efficiency as he vaporized Askaris and combat drones.

They met little opposition as they sprint through the institute corridors; frightened staff, workers and doctors fled from their path as Obiora rammed impressions of himself through locked doors, pounding holes in the institute floor, all the while with Amaka tucked snuggly under his arm as she couldn't match their speed.

He soon led them to the chamber.

A new massive door replaced the old one. The doctors must have been seriously peeved by how Shettima had gained access so easily because they heard an automated female voice asking them to present themselves for identification.

“You will have to get in line,’’ Obiora chuckled joylessly. “my own pod had me thinking I was a superstar footballer playing for Orlando pirates football club in South Africa, and dating a gorgeous movie star.’’

“At least you and Binta were easy to convince,’’ Logan grimace painfully, i had to fight off knights before i could pull Babybaby out of her father’s castle in Disneyland.’’

“How do they come by this? Omotola bobbed her head towards the hideous machine.

“Dammy; Logan said.

“Sorry who?”

“Her name was Dammy, she was a powerful telepath, her power dwarfed both Orchid’s suggestion ability and Shettima’s mind reading, she was able to manifest alternative realities at will. Before she overloaded, her powers must have been replicated into these.’’

They watched him in silence as he stared painfully at the device, remembering the children he grew up with, the first set of 5th generation children.

As soon as Omotola was strong enough to waddle, he led them down the lengthy lab towards Orchids pod. Shettima’s eyes were closed as he held unto Orchid’s head.

“What is taking you so long Shettima, we don’t have much time.’’

“She doesn’t want to let go,’’ Babybaby replied instead as she hugged Omotola.

“Reminding me of somebody,’’ Binta scoffed, and then yelped as Babybaby kicked her.

Just then the alarms shrilled as the facility warning systems came back on, Binta must have been giving them operational difficulties until she was cut off, distracted by Babybaby’s kick. Cursing, Logan hurried over to join Shettima.

“I have to assist him, the longer she lingers in that reality the more her real memory fades, she must be in a beauty pageant for miss world or something.’’

“Spoilt brat!” Binta hissed at Babybaby, rubbing her hurting shin as her grey pupils turned silver, trying to get back control of the security system, the air ionized around her, “too late; they're already on to us but I can get them off this place for a while.’’

“This is the first place they would look; Obiora cuts in, “after all we are responsible for 80% alarm system situations in this institute.’’

Just then, Orchid sprang forward, raging as she ripped off the conical shaped cerebral cap from her head, the many probes sticking out of her and then pulled out the catheter from her throat.

’’How long?’’ She sputtered coughing.

“Two weeks,’’ Logan answered.

Chapter Nineteen

She woke up before the rest of her senses, for a moment she panicked as she tried to take control of her petrified body.

“She’s coming around’’ she heard Logan said.

"Omotola can you hear me?" she heard Binta cried, “Follow my voice, don’t let go.’’

“Will you keep quiet,’’ Logan’s voice snapped, “don’t distract her, she needs time to take back control of her body.’’

Following Logan’s advice, she willed her body back into motion and was rewarded as she felt her legs began to twitch; soon she was able to pull herself up.

“You’re doing good Omo,’’ another voice she couldn’t identify said soothingly, “pull out the catheter carefully guys, she’s already choking.’’

Omotola coughed as she willed her eyes open.

She was waist deep in a pod filled with some sticky fluid, the fluid were all over her body, gulping precious oxygen, she sobbed in relieve as she felt her wings stir behind her, the feathers sticky with goo, her bleary vision focused on a relieved but tired looking Logan, Binta, and Obiora.

“I’m naked,’’ she said. They all chuckled.

“Here get down, let’s get you covered,’’ Amaka held a lab coat towards her.

“Where’s Babybaby?" she asked with a hoarsed voice.

“With Shettima, getting Orchid from her pod,’’ Obiora said glaring at Amaka. She doesn’t want to be near this gossipmonger.’’

“You sold us out,’’ Omotola hissed, batting away Amaka’s hand as she offered her a towel.

“She did what she thought was best,’’ Logan said, “now that she has realised her error, finding out where you were all incarcerated and aiding me in rescuing you was all her doing.’’

“We wouldn’t be here in the first place if it wasn't because of her,’’ Binta grumbled as she helped Omotola into her cloths.

“I’m going to kill Doctor Mugabe’’ Omotola croaked, shivering as pins and needles invaded her long unused muscles.

decoderdgenius:
Nice concept Bro. I'm loving this heavily. Carry go baba... nothing do you

thanks bruh,..update continues tomorrow.

Kkay03:
Im not understanding again oh.......what did dr mugabe do to the 5th generation

...I do hope the latest update has cleared all the misunderstanding

Khriztarl:
speechless

Bobosneh:
now I know why I love mr sheikshegetto

lol..thanks bruh,...that meant a lot

Chapter Eighteen

After the movie, they strolled noisily to the fast food café as they argued over the movie causing quite a stir.

“So” Ayuba drawled, drawing her attention, “Am I forgiven?’’

“Err, depends on what you did,’’ Omotola replied smiling.

He was about to reply when she suddenly heard someone yelled her name with so much force, startling and cutting everybody mid sentences.

The shoppers stopped to stare with their mouths wide open. A familiar looking youth strolled towards them, his tall frame and gold curls appeared out of place, they moved from his path as he made a beeline for the teenagers.

Somewhere at the back of her mind faintly recognise him, also noticing he had no wing at his back, “was he supposed to have wings? Who does?” his shrunken face was far from healthy but his eyes burned with so much intensity as he called her name again.

“Omotola snap out of this, all this isn’t real,’’ his sharp voice cuts a blinding pain through her head, forcing her to bend over in agony.

holding her head in her hands, the pain leaving behind a bit of memory as she remembered him then, her brother Logan. Ayuba, face anxious with concern holding unto her and was the only reason she hasn’t fallen down flat on her face.

“Guy, what the hell are you doing to her.’’

Logan ignored him as he moved closer, Ayuba stood in front of her protectively as Valerie and Bisola moved to either side of her, face mixed with concern and defiance.

“Don’t get lost in this Omotola, all this is a sham, your body, your real body is at the institute. Remember the fight; remember your brothers and sisters, Binta, Babybaby, Orchid. Your family."

“My family is here,’’ she protested rather weakly as she struggled to make sense of her conflicted memories.

“They are just figments taken from your consciousness, imaginings morphed into a reality that puts you in comatose state to which you're already in danger of losing yourself in." he cuts in with a wave of his hand; you once had two plastic dolls named Valerie and Bisola.’’

“An Aladdin doll i renamed Ayuba,’’ she retched, her memories scrabbles on as the splitting headache intensifies.

“Everything will be alright sis,’’ Logan said, “don’t let the institutes virtual memory take over your real one, all this; he voice soothing as he waved his hand again, “all this may be the very life you dream of and wanted but you need to come back to us, don’t let Mugabe win.’’

“She’s not going with you’’ Ayuba growled, his face feral, “she belongs here, with me.’’

Logan ignored him, his gaze unwavering as he continued as if he wasn’t there.

“This is your sub consciousness Omotola. And only you can free yourself, I cannot pull you out by force, just don’t forget who you are.’’

Ayuba turned and held her, eyes wide in panic.

“Babe, “whatever this dude’s been telling you are all nonsense remember when we first met, regional school quiz competition, our first kiss, your mum had always hated my ass, remember when she sent your dog after me, surely you cannot forget your best friends since primary school, this guy’s talking crazy, you don’t have any brothers and sisters, you’re an only child for goodness sake.’’

For a moment, they all stared at her; genuine bewilderment on their faces, Valerie was on the verge of tears, her friends, her mother, this was what she'd always wanted all she had always dreamt about but she knew it was all lies, Omotola’s heart was torn as she made her decision.

“Sorry guys, all this seems to be too good to be true, I’m not a normal girl of fifteen goofing around and playing truants, I am a 5th generation prototype.’’ Logan smiled sadly; the pride on his face, enough to erase the remaining doubt on her mind.

“Get us out of here little sister.’’

“Can you please explain the joke so I can at least laugh at my own expense?’’ she said the edge beginning to show on her voice.

Valerie paused long enough to wipe an imaginary tear from her heavily mascaraed eye.

“you know it’s been days since you last saw him, hopefully you let go of his sumptuous lips soon so we can go to this cool place he promised to take us with his cute friends.’’

“Wait what!! I have a boyfriend?’’ Omotola exclaimed, they all squealed with laughter.

“Look babe, you’ve always found a new way to get ahead of yourself but today girlfriend, you’ve taken it to a whole new level, Ayuba seem to think that's adorable.”

She winked and guffawed so hard Omotola felt like slapping the thick makeup off her face but she pursed her lips instead and ignored their shrill laughter the rest of the way.

The government college building was much larger and unruly than the girl’s college they had slipped from, the premises was noisy and chaotic as college boys rushed from classrooms and scattered like ants, some made for the football fields, some to the mess hall, a small group of seniors broke away and headed for the school gates towards the girls, laughing out loud and pushing themselves.

They grinned and exchange jokes as soon as they saw them and appears to be poking fun at the boy in the middle, he simply smiled as his eyes held Omotola’s own, her heart raced. The boy was cute and looked uncomfortably like Shettima, now who in the heavens was Shettima; she pray she wouldn't need to see a doctor as soon as possible. What he did next was unexpected as he drew her into an embrace and a kiss that had her toes curling up in her sandals; he held the kiss for what seems like years till the playful whoop from his friend had her open the eyes that she never realize was closed, blushing quite furiously.

“Sup treasure’’ he whispered as he held her, she regrettably pushed away from him murmuring inaudible words in reply, being the center of attention was so uncomfortable she tried her best to ignore the girls as their giggle intensifies.

“So Ayuba bobo, where are we going this time around,’’ one of the girls teased.

“To the city mall,’’ he answered taking his attention off Omotola for a moment so she could finally breathe again.

She stole a glance at him as he exchanged jokes with the others, he was the shortest of the boys but his posture was so confident there was no doubt about who the top dog was amidst them. Lean and dark skinned, with a mop of curly dark hair that glistened in the sun. After much grunts and curses as they all stuffed themselves like sardines into one of the boy’s jalopy ride, they headed out towards the city’s capital.

Losing herself in the moment as they explored the whole length and breadth of the mall building; they had to drag off Valerie from the boutiques windows as they then moved off to the cinemas in time to watch a movie, Ayuba all the while held her hand and made small talks, with her trying to keep up and look less like an interloper.

She laughed at his jokes and was lost in his eyes, a gnawing headache made her winced as strange memories weakly tried to invade in to her head, pushing it away she resolved in telling her mother as soon as she gets home later that day. he asked her if she was alright, she smiled to calm his worry and sat back to enjoy being a normal teen with a loving parent and friends and doing all the silly things girls her age does.

Chapter Seventeen

The weekend flew by like a shooting star, so busy that they'd both woken up late on monday morning, her mother had taken her out on a spending spree the day before, from the hair dressers, the spa, to the shopping mall and then to the movies, ending the day by returning her seized cell phone back to her.

They'd both yelled simultaneously from their rooms as they checked the clocks by their bed side, and rushed to dress up, in spite of everything, her mother still managed to make a sandwich for the two of them as she impatiently ushered her into the car, dropped her just in time at her school, and wheeled off without a backward glance.

Her friends were already there to escort her in as they laughed and shared weekend stories, shrieking with glee at the return of her confiscated phone, but instead of leading her through the school gate straight to classes like they did in first day, they led her instead through the school’s main corridor to the old admin block where a group of girls stood waiting, with a sign from a tall girl called Florence, she led them, about six girls down to the buildings lowest floor, into a room dusty with disuse where they all changed into mufti outfits they must have kept hidden the week before, giddy with nervous excitement, Omotola followed the others through a hole in the wall they had kept hidden with a trophy cabinet from the school authorities into the street outside.

“Where are we going? She asked as they moved away from the school, the other girls laughed at this, they seem to find everything quite funny.

“Really Omotola, like seriously?’’ Florence looked backed at her, “to the boys government college of course, you planned this trip last week.’’ Looking like a total idiot, Omotola kept her mouth shut as they continued their trek.

“What if we got caught’’ she whispered to Bisola as she walked faster in order to catch up with her.

“No we wouldn’t’’ she stared at Omotola with a concerned look on her face, “the change of clothes will see to that, the uniforms might attract attention, “are you okay Omo? You don’t sound like you today.’’

“I’m fine, just having quite a day is all,” she replied truthfully.

Bisola shrugged, offered her a pack of gum and turned to chat with another girl, not wanting to bring unwanted attention to her person; Omotola turned her attention instead to enjoying the city sights. she had heard some girl earlier called the city Lagos; Eko in Yoruba; is the most populous city in Nigeria, the second fastest growing city in Africa and the seventh most populous in the world according to Wikipedia, she chanted without thinking, the professors at the institute had been really thorough with their studies, she frowned; where did the memory of professors and institute come from, she then stiffened as she saw Valerie noticed her muttering to herself.

“Hey guys’’, she yelled, Omotola couldn’t wait to be in her boo’s arms she’s busy reciting the love poems she composed.’’

They all bent over with laughter, Omotola stared baffled at them, and getting laughed at without getting the joke was beginning to bore her.

Omotola rolled her eyes as she searched the kitchen cabinet for a spare apron, “you should watch a video mom, less chance of disaster than with a cookbook, better still you should have simply bought the flat bread instead of going through all the trouble of making one.

“Now where’s your sense of adventure sweetness, whereas where's the fun in buying a ready made bread when you can make one yourself, and for your saucy tongue young lady, you will be taking over from me while I prepare the chicken strips and mixture for the grill.”

Omotola groaned and took over the flour rolling. They then spent the better part of the morning cooking and creating quite a stir, they bickered more over the egg mixture and her suggestion and then decided to try both, one with eggs and one without, Omotola skipped around the kitchen with a little dance of victory as her own experiment came out of the oven looking a lot closer to a bread than her mother’s, while the latter shrieked in mock outrage and chased Omotola round the kitchen with a rolling pin, as they laughed and caused quite a ruckus.

After breakfast, they spent the rest of the morning watching TV and cuddling on the sofa; Omotola had never felt so protected in her life, wishing the moment to last forever.

“I hope so too sweetness.” Her mother murmured into her hair, she must have said it loud enough for her to hear to reply so.

Omotola dutifully found the car window interesting, she was uncomfortable with the maternal affection, and she had a fainting feeling she was not supposed to be in the car with her mother but somewhere else instead, even thinking of it gave a her a throbbing headache, she was forgetting something and she was scared because she had no idea what or why, she felt that was supposed to be angry with someone, maybe the someone was her mother for confiscating her phone, she had never owned a phone does she? She sighed; thinking about it was just wearying.

As soon as they got home she automatic made for her room with that sense of familiarity like she could find her room blind folded, she fell sprawling on the bed, at the back of her mind she thought the bed used to be smaller.

Dinner was uneventful and she managed to survive the casual conversation without hitch as she wolfed down her plate of jollof rice and fled for the solace of her room. After brushing for the night she stared long at the mirror looking at her reflection, a mild confusion on her face, a longing ache stirred at her shoulder blades, she thought she used to have wings on her back, brown plumages if she could recollect, no not brown that color was for another, she chuckled to herself, she really must slow it on the sci-fi addiction she muttered as another mild headache invaded her thoughts, on saying this she jumped on the lush bed and was soon asleep.

The next day, she woke up without opening her eyes, the bright daylight forcing its way in through her eyelids told her the sun was already high in the sky, since when did her cubicle became this bright, she yawned and curled under her warm blanket enjoying the moment of bliss, better here than drills she yawned again.

“DRILLS!" she leapt a foot from the bed as if a bucket of cold water was poured on her. She stared at her room and began to laugh, the silly dream again, training drills, supernatural powers, a science facility. “Gosh! Omotola get a hold of yourself before they admit you into ARO mental home,” she chided herself as she navigated her way sleepily to the bathroom.

“Are you up yet love? She heard her mother yell from downstairs as she made war with her rebellious shaggy hair, her ally the comb was losing.

“Be down in a bit” she yelled back.

After calling a truce with her hair, she headed down to the kitchen and found her mother elbow deep in a bowl of flour; she wasn’t winning the fight either, Omotola smiled as she mumbled her greeting. Her mother smiled back, her green eyes sparkled with excitement despite her losing battle with the hardened flour.

“I’m trying to make us a breakfast of shawarma but the flour doesn’t seem to be in the mood to change to the paste it was supposed to like in the cookbook.”

“Have you tried breaking in a raw egg or two? Mixture might help the butter hold in the paste,” Omotola suggested.

“hmmn, how about add a spoonful of engine oil while we’re at it, miss genius, this is cookery not a lab test experiment she cheekily grinned, now get yourself an apron and help me here, the cookbook says nothing about adding eggs, I’m a law abiding citizen, always go by the book.

Chapter Sixteen

Omotola didn’t want school to be over as the day flew by fast. The unfamiliar feeling of being with kids her own age felt so good she began to enjoy herself even with uneasy feeling that she wasn't meant to be there and felt like an interloper, she loved her siblings but they were the only kids in the institute and she’d known them all her life, being with Valerie and Bisola although they were too carefree and naïve for her likening brought out another side of her she never knew existed.

The Omotola she'd seem to have replaced was quite popular with the other students but not with most of the teachers and looked to be the ringleader of a gang of refractory girls with the same talents for trouble making.

As the school bell shrilled to end classes’ activities for the day, she was herded out of the school between her new friends the same way she was herded in in the morning, Valerie reminded her to bring an extra pair of scarf for Monday sneak out.

“Monday sneak out; is that an extra school activity? Omotola asked and instantly regretted it as they shrilled with laughter.

“Of course not silly, you had me for a minute there cos I almost thought you was being serious o, well if you had forgotten let me remind you, we’re sneaking out of the school on Monday miss ring leader, and oh your mom’s here, she’d better not see us for now, I’m scared of that woman, have a nice weekend boo.”

She saw her mother’s car swerved round the school’s parking space, the horn blare forced her into motion as she got in.

“How was your day sweetness” assumed mother asked.

“It was alright I guess,” she replied feeling both mildly pleased and irritated at the pet name.

“I know it’s been a trying week for both of us, when I took your cell phone a week ago you raged enough to bring down the roof but here you are, not dead yet, you really can exist without that blasted thing and I would have loved to let it stay with me for now if I wasn’t worried of calling you now and then.” Omotola mumbled an inaudible reply, hoping the woman wouldn’t see through the fraud she was.

The woman smiled fondly without taking her eyes off the road as she continued. “I guess we can put all that behind us and start the weekend on a clean slate, who knows you might get your iphone back, you know I do all this because I care about you sweetness, the punishment the grounding and all, it’s just you and me against the world baby, I’m all you got and you’re all I’ve got.”

A brief update to make up for the festive distractions.... wishing you guys compliments of the season.

“Wonderful,’’ she hissed under her breath as they drew near, “Besties I suppose.’’ her training at the institute kicks in as she studied the two girls for any sign of threat. The one that called her by her name managed to look pretty in her ugly grey school cloths.

Omotola nearly laughed at the irony of her situation, like the college storyline, from the movies Katie had always sneaked in for her to watch. Three best friend, that one's probably the prettiest one amidst the BFF trio, she bet the second is the geek. "nice try Mugabe, I don't know what you're up to but you can't fool me." she mumbled rolling her eyes as they drew up.

“Sup Omotola, I thought you said you weren't coming today, I knew you’re chicken, bet mommy threatened to spank you so hard you develop the talent to sing soprano.’’ the geeky one said while the Barbie girl snickered into her hands.

Omotola fumed silently at both girls, geek girl had a lab sized glasses on and was the shorter of the two girls, short curly hair on dark skin, the rest of her wasn’t impressive, Barbie doll on the other hand looked like she woke up in a makeup shop, her long braid dyed in multicolor, Babybaby will worship this one, her nails was painted likewise and she had made it her priority in life that moment to make sure Omotola noticed as she wriggle them all over her face. However on earth can she be friends with these girls.

“Why would I want to stay home?" She asked, deciding to play along and see where everything leads, the girls looked at each other as if she had said something stupid.

“Cos you were dared yesterday to skip school today silly," Barbie girl answered as she rolled her eyes, “you should have seen her boosting she wouldn’t come to school whenever she felt like it unlike the rest of us normal folks yesterday Bisola.’’

“Don’t mind her," Bisola, aka geek girl smirked, "my only regret was that you almost bet your favourite lip gloss against Florence’s mathematical sets in her defense yesterday but you canceled because you didn't think she could do it, no loyalty at all, not one ounce.’’ She signed dramatically as they both burst into shrills of laughter.

Omotola’s temper was beginning to stretch to its limit, she brushed past them and moved down the pedestrian lane outwardly looking around casually but inwardly she desperately searched around for the stupid school without giving the girls another reason to laugh at her.

They soon caught up as Bisola hanged her arms around hers while Barbie girl took the other. Omotola recoiled at the casual closure as she instinctively tried to zap them both with an electric charge but luckily for them nothing happened.

“Come on Omobaby, you know we're just teasing you right? we’re just happy you didn’t get into trouble with your mother cos the last time, she banned Valerie and i from seeing you for days.’’

“I can see why’’ Omotola muttered.

“Ow come on now that was harsh,’’ Valerie aka Barbie girl pouted, "it wasn’t us but you who wrote down the nicknames we secretly gave miss Kosoko unto a sheet of paper and left it for her to find.

“I did?’’ Omotola mused, fascinated.

“You should have seen the look of shock on her badly make-up face,’’ Valerie said, ‘’exactly like the first name on the list, festac masquerade face.”

They laughed at this, Omotola in spite of herself chuckled, maybe these girls aren’t bad after all, she mused as she allowed herself to be lead toward the school gate worried she was forgetting something while both her so called besties shared jokes and threw friendly jabs at each other.

Some primal instinct told her she’d better do as the authoritative woman says before she carries out her threat, she got out of bed wondering why she should obey the woman, she could snap her lean waist with one hand tied behind her back, or scare her off with her wings, she flexed her shoulder blades then realized her back was kind of light, she reached back and felt nothing.

“Where did my wings go," she wondered in a moment of panic as she glanced around the unfamiliar room searching for a mirror and rushed over to take in her appearance. she still looked and felt the same minus the wings, like a normal fifteen year old.

What is going on, the last thing she remembered was fighting against Askaris and combat drones, were they being punished by clipping off their wings? surely the institute can't afford to maim their assets after how far they've come.

And now there she was trapped with some crazy woman claiming to be her mother, could she really be her mother, Omotola winced as a sharp pain raced through her head, she felt that she was supposed to remember something that, yet she could not seem to recollect her musing just the few seconds ago, she paused to think; apart from her own darker skin she does looks like the woman. her reddish brown shaggy hair almost as close in colour with hers, her green eyes was almost a compliment to the green spots on her lost wings. Everything felt wrong, it was like she wasn't supposed to be there, something must have happened during the fight to explain why she was here in this parallel existence and not as a captive with her brothers and sisters.

The woman’s impatient yell had her rushing off instinctively to the bathroom and ten minutes later, she was sitting in a car beside her as she wheeled expertly through the morning traffic, dropped her off with a hasty kiss and a goodbye, then zoomed off before she could utter a word of protest.

“This is getting weirder by the minute." she grumbled where she stood, watching the city rush by, the noise was deafening as she realized the only time she had seen cities were in videos and pictures back at the institute, her imaginings didn’t prepare her for this.

"Hey Omotola, over here," A rather annoying voice saved her from further embarrassment as she stood gaping at the passerby’s, she glared over at the voice owner not liking the way her name was pronounced, the familiarity in it had her on guard.

Two girls her age made a beeline for her, they both wore the same boring school uniform she wore, grey frocks grey jacket, ties and berets, socks and matching sandals.

Chapter Fifteen

“Wake up Omotola.’’ A voice stirred her awake, but she decided she was not ready to open her eyes just yet; the female voice was friendly and careless.

“I’ve told you times without number to stop watching late night movies,’’ the voice continued, so get up before you’re late for school."

School? her eyes flipped open at that.

She was on a lush bed, much bigger than the colt in her cubicle; the room was also bigger and decorated like a teenage girl’s, with teddies and teen pop stars posters, she gaped as she took in her surroundings before seeking out the voice owner.

“Who are you?"

“Very funny Omotola, a woman; porcelain skin with startling green eyes smiled down at her, her glossy red hair tied into a ponytail, held a coffee mug as she continued, “I think it’s time you cut down on all these sci-fi movies of yours, you’ve gotta take life serious like going to school to which you might be late again if you don’t get your butt out of that bed now.”

She chattered on about Omotola’s average grade scores and letters from PTA meetings, and then stopped when she noticed that she was still on the bed busy looking seriously confused.

“Anything the matter darling?” if you don’t get ready by the time I'm ready for work, you might have to take the bus."

“Seriously Lady, who the hell are you and what the hell am I doing here, are you my new handler?, Tell me where I am, tell me now cos I don't want to hurt you.’’

“Now don’t you talk to your mother like that young lady,’’ the strange woman snapped stern faced, i already have half a mind to ban you from watching those silly movies giving you silly ideas now don’t push it, now get out of that bed before I make you.’’

On saying this, she stormed out of the room leaving Omotola all the more confused and a little bit startled.

Khriztarl:
cool updates..
just that i wonder why its revolving around one spot..

didn't get you there...is there any changes you'd like me to make?

Khriztarl:

its owk bt am still wondering if dats me...u mentioned earlier

oops...my bad,it was you.. that's an error in my part.

Your freak spawns here before you shows how far we have come, the question is how long before you break, your magic has been taken from you, only your sharp tongue remains and soon we will have that taken as well.’’

On saying this he returned his attention to the children,

‘’I admit we have been too open handed with your management and have overlooked your antics for weeks, a mistake I shall surely rectify because you have defied the institute for the last time. You think this creature will help you? Haha then your naivety knows no bound for he’s a selfish arrogant demon that would only use you until you have served your purpose, but for the timely intervention of one of your handlers, your actions might have complicate things further had you freed this monster and doom us all.’’

Amaka; Babybaby’s handler stepped out nervously from behind the wall of Askaris as the siblings glared accusing at Babybaby.

“I told nobody, I swear’’ she cried.

“No you didn’t dearest, forgive me,’’ Amaka said looking at Babybaby with shame in her eyes, you talk in your sleep and I had to do something to protect you, you do not know what you’re doing and the Doctor promised to lessen your punishment.’’

“Amaka what have you done.’’ Orchid cried, you ruined everything, you don’t understand, the institute are the bad guys here.’’ Amaka cringed in the face of Orchid's verbal assault, confused as she was quickly led away.

Doctor Mugabe sneered impatiently. “Enough of the theatrics, now stand down and no one will be hurt.’’

The children exchanged a look of understanding for a moment; they decided to go down fighting. But Alas, Shettima was right; the institute did have a fail-safe against their abilities because the Askaris came at them fully prepared, the fight ended as soon as it started.

Binta worked herself into a blur and made for Doctor Mugabe, an Askari moved in front of the doctor and calmly fired a tube-like weapon into the air, Binta shrieked and collapsed in a heap, her body shutting down as her electricity worked against her. Obiora roared and charged the group of Askaris but they expertly rolled away from his path, fired some gum like projectiles at him which expanded and weighed him down as he struggled impotently till he was an encased in an elastic fiber-like bubble that covered him completely.

Babybaby and Orchid were quickly downed with tranquilizers before they could react and Shettima was sprayed with some liquid that seems to affect him even in his intangible form and was expertly downed with a shower of darts.

Omotola had always been the least underestimated among the children because of her lack of powers to which she quickly made them regret, she spread her wings and spun where she stood like a human yoyo as they fired darts at her barely visible body. her wings slapped some back at the Askaris as they yelled and scattered. taking advantage of their confusion, she leapt among them venting out her fighting skills enough to bring a proud tear from Fortuna Monroe’s dry eye.

These men have bought down her siblings, she could still hear Binta’s shriek ringing in her ears and she held nothing back, taking satisfaction from their yelps of pain and the snap of their bones till she was a pincushion of darts and finally succumbed to the venom.

The last thing she heard was Shango’s wail of anguish as darkness embraced her.

Chapter Fourteen

“I admit I underestimated you pagan god,’’ Doctor Mugabe said, his bearded face demonized by his furious countenance. “your unwelcomed affiliation with the specimens has complicated our plans but no matter, we’ll improvise, you have been nothing but trouble pagan god but soon, your usefulness to mankind will soon be over.”

Shango’s face was devoid of expression but his fierce eyes followed Doctor Mugabe as he stalked around his spherical cage with so much intensity Omotola wondered why he wasn’t blown away by the psychic wave of hatred pulsing his way.

“Your rebellious curiosity disappoints me children,” he stopped to face the 5th generation children, his back to Shango’s cage in a show of power. “In spite of our care and nurturing, a decorated monkey will still be a monkey, since you have decided to act like your freak sire, we shall treat you as such, now we cannot afford to allow you jeopardize our decade long plans at the peak of its completion.’’

“We know about your plans Doctor’’ Omotola said, ‘‘so forgive us if trying to figure out how to save our lives hurts your paternal feelings.

“how could you keep all this from us, then planned to get rid of us and decide how and when we are to breath like we are lab rats,’’ Obiora growled, his body already pulsing with heat.

The doctor stared at them perplexed for a moment before laughing, his cohorts joined in rather nervously.

“Do you think we would let you go with all the powers you possess?’’ Do you think you can blend with the outside world and they would welcome you with open arms? Take a look at yourselves, you are abnormal freaks, how long will you last out there without our protection? Indulge me.’’

“You are afraid Mugabe son of Mugabe’’, Shango’s voice cuts in, startling them all, the Askaris shuffled nervously as the Doctor in spite of himself drew back from his cage.

“They are all you could ever dream of and will never attain, their superior feature gnaws at you, yet you are not close to what you and your accursed fathers craved after, “eternal youth,’’ their youthfulness fills you with jealousy and reminds you of your fleeting existence and the implication that you are running out of time, like your father did before death came for his dues.’’

“Silence demon!” Doctor Mugabe shrieked. His face deranged, eyes burgling. Shango must have hit on a sore spot, “exhaust your entire juju fetish all you want pagan god but before you stands the most intellectual minds in Africa, soon we will cut you open to see what makes you ticks, you will not deny us the greatest scientific breakthrough ever.

Chapter Thirteen

“They said we were created in the labs, how can you be our father as you claimed?” Omotola finally found her voice, for the first time since they entered the room.

“Yes I am and so to every being in this accursed place that is not human. In the first sixty years of my captivity, I slumbered and they mistook my body for a well preserved long dead fossil, or some alien creature or whatever their science mind could come up with, for once they finally managed to get something that could pierce my skin, taboos were practiced on my blood samples and used on animals but my body healed faster than they could cut it and my blood festered and was useless as soon as it leaves the confines of my body, they could not do much with it and I fed on their frustration for years.’’

“When they finally found out I was some slumbering deity, they then worked tirelessly for another ten years before they could awaken me for they stumbled upon and translated the writings of some long dead priest of mine, with the right incantations, blood sacrifice, a forbidden ritual and a bucketful of my taboos to contain me, these accursed bastards awakened me.

The cowards fled from my divine presence but when they knew my cage would hold, they came back like vermin to commit abominations on me.’’

“How do we come to be different from the rest of the generations? Omotola asked.

“When a child has eaten his fill, he goes around seeking trouble, they wanted more for their mortality shames them, their so called science could not provide that, so they seek out the supernatural they always rebuffed.’’

“When they began their experiments on me, I changed my form to frustrate them, a foolishness on my part as I morphed into my sacred animals, a ram, then a turtle, a cockerel, finally a hawk till my powers began to desert me, I managed to change back to my humane form but it was not enough to make the wings go away, I brought about my downfall as my mind game backfired, for the wings which are not an extension of my body became my weakness and the blood they drew from it did not spoil, then my DNA as they called it was merged with that of mortal women and so you were born, demi gods! The rewards of their persistence and perseverance, the humans never gave up, I give them that.’’

“Do you know our mothers?’’ Shettima asked.

Shango chuckled.

“Alas you gave little and wanted much, they once tried to bring a woman in to me, she went mad with fear as soon as she beheld my divinity, screaming like one possessed by Ewele the weeping daemon, they never tried to bring a woman hereafter that, your mothers never saw me child nor i them.’’

“But you knew about us’’ Binta said.

“Yes, for I was curious when I heard the beating of your little hearts in their wombs, yours was unlike the beatings of a normal human’s so I visited their sub consciousness I believed some of them knew who I was and whose child they carry, but the elder 5th generation too big and violent killed their mothers from within, the first set of mothers died, but the white coats always learned from their mistakes, made some adjustments and here you are alive.”

Time was short yet they had so many questions to ask, and Shango answered all with the patience only gods would have.

Then suddenly, the alarms starts screeching, they turned to flee the room but at the door stood a very angry looking doctor Mugabe the sneer on his face made him looked almost demon like, behind him a squad of heavily armored Askaris armed to the teeth, and the new upgraded combat drones the children saw at the test chamber.

“Well well, he croaked, ‘’I see the specimens have reunited with their father."

The lofty Obeche tree once wrest it's might against that of the howling gale and is uprooted, the Bamboo reed instead swayed with the wind and persevered.

He sighed suddenly looking very tired.

“Six children, numbered in six, the number five and six, my sacred number. “you all possess the powers I fanatically acquired in my youth, all vain to no avail for they aided me not from this captivity till I am spent and when I finally hope, now i see myself before me in different bodies, my vanity intact as the day I awakened, be gone children and hope this place treats you better than it did me.”

“That is why we’re here.’’ Orchid said “one of us is about to die and soon, the rest of us will follow. “We just want answers; we want our freedom as you wanted yours, you called us here for a reason, undermining us like the institute could cost you your one chance, you know what we don’t, at least we’re out here and you’re not, we have questions give us answers.”

He rose to his full height; the children consciously took a step back as a pair of burning wings rose at his back, sizzling as flames dropped on the cage floor.

“How many times have you read and heard stories about supernatural beings, deities and demons, spirits that dwelled under the land and sea, these stories you beheld in awe and fascination yet your apt minds rebuffed it, calling it tales by moonlight, entertaining but unbelieving. science had always been the shield of man behind which he finds all creation as logical as the inventions he made, yet behind this shield of unbelief he fashioned out inventions that during my time would be referred to as a thing of the supernatural.

For man called his ancestors uncivilized and a heathen, surely what would they have done in a world much wilder, unpredictable and dangerous than the one you see now, for then, man do not settle down to ponder and think when he had his family to feed and clan to protect and so from his mind, believing Eledunmare the creator of all things simply too great to comprehend.

Too enormous to bother himself with human affairs, so he creates entities of himself, aspects with capacities to reflect some of his manifestations, acting as intermediaries between mankind and his divinity. The erratic behavior of nature and the supernatural, the belief that there is a force behind each entity, we are of that force.’’

“I am Shango, the African force behind lightning and thunder, the name given to storms, fire and earth shakes, the thin line between chaos and order, Jakuta the stone hurler, whose strength cuts both ways; once I was human, then I was deified but now I am a slave of science, ask your questions for time is short."

Chapter Twelve

“Who are you?’’ Binta asked her voice squeaky, which sounded kind of silly since he already introduced himself as their father. The man seem to think the same because his chuckled, sound like thunder booms shook the room.

“You look like Aina my first daughter whom my wife Oshun bore for me. She was always mischievous. Alas she perished in the great fire. The corners of his mouth seem to curl downwards in regret as he said this, then a smirk spread over his face so fast Omotola thought she must have imagined it been sad a second ago.

“So the pampered 5th generation finally had the liver to step out of their comfort shells, I was beginning to think you were too daft to think for yourselves’’. His jabs stung but they wisely held their tongues but Babybaby who was still learning to keep her mouth shut, stood up for them.

“No we’re not! She fired back “Look who managed to get himself locked in a cage, who’s daft now.’’ they held breaths in alarm as the man observed Babybaby his head tilted slightly, he then threw back his head and laughed.

“yes a child with my spirit, I always wanted my words to be the last to be heard, then settle scores with my axe when I’m short of words to throw back at my adversary."

“What are you?’’ Shettima asked this time around, I know you did not lead us here simply to remind you of how you used to do and behave, we came cos we have questions and I think we’ve got to quit beating about the bush like we’re gathered for tea.’’ His bravado seems to fade fast as the man turned his attention on him.

“Mind reader this one” he said, “I used to use charms like that to single out treacherous thoughts from nobles in my court, alas i see the men in white finally succeeded in winning despite all my efforts.
Brute strength this one, his searching eyes focused on Obiora, the latter glared back, the resemblance between them was uncanny. “strength is not everything, I finally learnt it here.’’

Kkayo3 Priestchurch Khrizrarl enm hardeybhayour dragonstar14 Vantee20 Chukwudozzie Bobosneh yuno01

To err is human o, I know I made a promise but failed yesterday...another apology from me now might look like an insult so kindly manage tonight's update.

Kkay03:
I've been waiting since morning.....this isn't fair cause u promised

apologies bruh,...today has been eventful,I thought I'll be home early to post, but it didn't go as planned...I didn't mean to disappoint bruh

priestchurch:
U re too much bruh, wat a fascinating story. Pls keep d update flowing..

thanks bro...and also if there's any grammatical errors whatsoever..let me know