₦airaland Forum

TWENTY-FIVE


They finally arrived the event centre. It was obvious that there would be important dignitories. Security seemed tight.
They were stopped by armed policemen and their Pass-cards were scanned. They checked through a machine before one of the cops frowned.

“ These two men are not on the invited list.” He said pointing at Damon Jnr. and Simon Jnr.

“They are the organisers.” Fahad said and the cop burst into a very loud laughter that scared the kids. Happy Christmas.” He said as they were allowed in.

“ Did he say happy Christmas ?” Alicia asked. “It’s October.”

“ Remember his laughter then merge it .” Damon said.

They chuckled.

The event was a social event for entrepreneurs and their family members. Their friends were allowed to come, strictly by invitation.
There were a lot of important business moguls, Hollywood investors, and celebrities. Damon was not there just as Fahad’s friend, but as the CEO of Dacia Incorporated.

There were a lot of introductions, meeting of new and old friends, discussions on the business world, American Policies, Opinions on Trump, eating , drinking.

“ Licia.” Damon heard that voice again and only one person called her by that name: Kim.

He turned to see Kim, dressed in a body clinging white expensive dress, with diamond ear rings. She looked simple but elegant. She was standing with an older woman who wore a red Eileen Fisher Sleeveless colorblock V-nack jersy dress. Damon guessed she was around fifty, blonde with expensive necklace and earrings. She reeked of money.

“ Kim.” Alicia said, both girls trying to act normal while a lot of thoughts went through their minds. There were a lot of pressmen around so everybody was in the drama.

“ Mrs Abraham, it’s nice to see you” Alicia said and the older woman smiled. She was Kim’s mother, the billionaire banker who owned a bank with over three hundred branches across the globe.

“ Oh, look at them.” Mrs Abraham said, looking at the twins, “ they are so grown and cute.”

“ They got Steve’s’ eyes and mouth.” Kim said and chuckled .

This girl!

“ Not just the eyes and mouth, they are everything but Steve, Poor Steve. I wish you were here to see your cute offspring grow.” Mrs Abraham said.

“ What are you doing here?” Mrs Abraham asked Alicia.

“ My husband is the CEO of Dacia Incorporated and that’s what been here is all about.” She riposted.

“ Hmmm, that’s cool.” Kim said a bit surprised and kind of disappointed.

“ I see, you could bank with us.” Said Mrs Abraham. “We make customers big.”

“ I will consider that .” Damon said, cursing under his breath.

“ Who do we have here?” A thick voice said and a big bearded man stood behind with his wife. No, a big bearded woman with her husband: The Grants!

Damon should have thought of these. These was their kind of event.

Richard quickly hugged his daughter, while he was aware that cameras were on him, claiming to be the mother. Disgusting!

“ You should have called to tell me you arrived. We were waiting for you and your friend.” He said, giving the impression that they were in contact. But Damon could swear he whispered something into her ears as he hugged her.

Alicia was wearing a fake grin, taken aback by the appearance of these people.

“ Come here, grandpa is here.” Maria said and caught Damon Jnr. by his hand. The boy protested, frowning and clinging to his father.

“ Himme” He blabbered.

‘” Hehehehe” Maria laughed.

There was a general exchange of pleasantries, and the show was up. The Grants hugged Damon with smiles but as Richard hugged him, he passed the message .

“ You better play along if you love your life and your family’s.”

They stayed there for a while and the twins refused to go to their grandparents, so they gave up. They acted as if everything was normal, and almost convinced Damon they saw Alicia on daily bases and he was their beloved daughter’s friend.

Alicia hated it when the twins were referred to as Steve’s children. Damon would wink at her to tag along. Let them talk, the kids are mine. We just need safety.

“ Did you say you have a new company?” Mrs Abraham suddenly asked Damon.

“ Yes.” Richard said quickly. “ Dacia Incorporated. He is the chief distributor of Yarads Products covering Europe.”
Damn! That was not only a cover-up but a message to them: they were watching them. These devils!

“ I think we need to talk.” Mrs Abraham held Damon’s arm and excused herself, pulling him away from them and walked to a corner. He still had Damon Jnr. with him. Fahad was lost in business world, talking with the moguls while Halima who was tired of standing got herself a seat.

“ I am Mrs Paula Abraham. I am Kim’s mom.” She began like he did not know.

“ I am Damon Simon. Nice to meet you.”

She ignored the introduction.

“ Kim is my only daughter. I have two sons. She is not just any girl but a princess. Just look at her, not just gorgeous but majestic. She has all a man needs: Beauty, money, intelligence, power, she is romantic,….”

“ Character.” He cut in.

She paused, as if surprised and then nodded , “yes, and she has it all. I give my daughter whatever she wants and no man will I allow to plunge her into melancholy, like you did.”

“What?”

“You know what I am talking about. My daughter has been terribly disoriented. I wonder what she sees in you, apart from looks. Your company is not even worth her last Christmas gift. I got her a jewellery worth sixteen million dollars. But she wants you and you cheated on her.”

“ Cheat?”

“ Yes. Alicia betrayed her, acted like she was with Steve and encouraged her to date you, only for both of you to start fornicating. Kim could have treated you better and I would have made you rich. The Grants don’t like you. You will get nothing off them. Look at Alicia, she was not even smart enough to play it cool and get money. I guess she can not boast of ten thousand dollars now. “

She smiled.

“ You ran away with her. I don’t how you get them to fall for you. You came back and my kind hearted daughter forgave you, saved you from a drunken mess and brought you into her apartment and personally cleaned you up. But you still betrayed her. I asked her if you had sex with her. She said no. It was only when you were in a drunken state she got just something out of your body. Imagine my daughter craving for a man and she can’t have him? A street boy? So, I came in. Now, I am told you are married to Alicia legally. Who knows if the children are yours? You are going to divorce her and get married to my daughter.”

What!

What was wrong with some of these rich people, and celebrities?…some, not all but most. It seemed too much money and fame came with it’s drops of insanity. And they reason and act with justification.

Now this lady here just justified her actions. He now got it. The insane man who kicks air may justify it by feeling he is cleaning germs. He guessed she was trying to be a good mother.

“ Thank you Mrs Abraham but I and Alicia have been in love and we are sorry if ………”

“Save yourself the trouble. I am not here to negotiate. You are going to divorce her and marry Kim, period!”

“ But I am not in love with your daughter, how do you think it will work out?”

“ She is in love with you and having you is her fulfilment. You will tag along and I will make sure you do that. If you ever make her doubt your love for her…….”

“ Are you threatening me?” He said, “ What if I don’t oblige to this madness?”

She looked at Damon Jnr. and smiled at him and at that point all he saw was a dangerous wild animal. She bent down and touched his cheek. She looked at Alicia, wove at her and Simon Jnr. and then she settled her gaze on Damon, “you will lose all of them”

“ I forbid you to say that!”

“ Don’t make a scene. I am not going to shoot them. First, Alicia will go to prison if she escapes gas chamber, then you will follow up, and the kids would be left with the Grants.”

“ What are you talking about?”

She smiled.

“ I have prove that she killed Steve and you helped her get rid of the body.”

Damn!

" I don't comprehend any of these." Halima said as they lay on the bed in one the luxury custom built rooms. Fahad had tried to change the topic, seeing that Alicia got over the shock and they enjoyed dinner normally before they went to bed. But it kept resonating with her.

" Steve was engaged to Alicia or ...about to get engaged. Damon showed up and they fell in love. The parents would not approve of it and they got married......"

" Got married? Who's consent? Who was the waliy and who was the wakil?"

Fahad Chuckled.

" They got married in a registry and presented a certificate. Sealed. So they came to Nigeria for honeymoon. This happened to be a blessing because we decided to come to Mambilla Resort where I met my wife." He kissed her, his hand slowly running over her tommy.

" When they came back, she left home and people assumed the children were Steve’s. Now they say he is missing. I just feel there is a misunderstanding."

She was silent for a while.

" Why do I feel your visit to Mambilla was not just about honeymoon?" She said.

"How?"

" I remembered after Baffa showed you those pictures, you still took them for a while.....was it to show them?"

He was shocked.

" And the day I told you I was Ardo's daughter, I did not miss that expression of shock in your eyes. Like you knew him or have heard about him. I am not sure but I kept thinking....you know, when you hang in the hummocks alone for long, you think of this, those, that, them, and everything. I don't know what is going on but I feel something is sticky."

He had learnt not to underestimate her a long time ago but he never expected this from her. He had forgotten that she was quick-witted, observant and smart. They have been together for about two years and she had covered most secondary school syllabus. They were waiting for her to deliver then start the college process.

" Yes, like I told you, they were running from home. Her parents did not support their marriage."

" I know that part. But...." She paused, then shrugged, " I just hope she does not get into trouble. I like her and I feel bad about this."

" Her lawyer will handle it."

"Yeah.”

" So, how do you feel?"

" Go away, see what you turned me into? Was this how you met me?"

" No, you were just a girl but I upgraded you to a woman, a mother...."

" Hush..." She giggled, " I am scared , Cutie."

" Most ladies usually get scared, but with prayers, we will pull through, insha Allah."

He held her and slowly ran his hand over her tommy, feeling his undying love for the unborn baby.
He kept caressing her lightly until she fell asleep.

Now lying on his back, fully awake, he realised that they had a long day ahead. He closed his eyes but could not fall asleep. What would happen if Halima discovered that she was with the daughter of the couple who deprived her of her parents? And he knew all along!





Immediately they got off the yacht, a Rolls Royce Phantom Limo was waiting, with a black Ford SUV at the back for the bodyguards.
They walked to the car while a chauffeur opened the door. A bodyguard took the passenger’s sit while the rest of the security men went into the SUV behind.

They got into the Rolls Royce and Damon saw luxury. Fahad was richer than he had thought.
Well, he was a student back then so the doors were not so open. Now as the boss, the vista was in it’s vintage.

Fahad sat close to his wife who insisted on holding Simon Jnr. but her fragile condition made Damon protest. So, Damon held him while Damon Jnr. was with his mother.

They had drinks, fruits set on a centre table but nobody really cared for anything.

“ I think we should have a basketball match,” Fahad began, “ The Fahads against the Damons and I bet, Leema will slam and dunk like Michael Jordan never did.”

“ When?” Halima asked with a crinkled face?

“ Tomorrow is a good day.”

They all laughed as she smacked him lightly.

“ To be even, Damon Jnr. will be on your side while Simon Jnr. will be on our side.” Damon said.

“ No.” Alicia said. “ I and Halima will be on the same team while you guys be on the other side. We will split the twins.”

“ That is a better Idea.” Halima said and Damon noticed a change in her accent. He thought it was easy for her because he was told she lived with Americans.

“ No, that’s not fair. Halima is a double.” Fahad said.

“ Cutie, You know I know where to hit you that hurts.”

“ I’m not scared.” Fahad said. “ Damon gave me the secret. Talk now and apologise later.”

They all laughed.

Each time they had fun like this, he wished that other side of life, that murky side never existed.

“ What If you are not forgiven?” Alicia asked

“ Plan B, deny you said it.” Damon said and they laughed.

“ I think we should visit Disneyland before we go back. We are in California, guys.” Fahad said excitedly.

“ Yes, Cutie and we should go see Hollywood too. This is Los Angeles.” Halima added.

“And Yosemite National Park.” Alicia added.

“ Then we cross to San Francisco.” Said Halima

“ Then a day in Mexico.” Alicia said.

“ We now go back to Hollywood and shoot a movie.” Halima said and the men now kept quiet listening.

“ It will be an action Movie.” Alicia said.

“ The Expendables five”

“ Starring Sylvester Stallone..

“ Jason Statham..”

“ Dolph Lundgren”

“Jet Li”

“Arnold Schwarzenegger”

“ Damon Simon.”

“ Fahad Yar’Adua.”


“ What is going on ladies?” Damon asked.

“ Planning the things to do after Disneyland .”

“ You ladies are going quixotic.” Damon said.

“ We are realistic.” Halima said.

“ But Fahad will have to help carry the child till we get back.” Alicia said with a pout.

“ Damn!” Damon laughed. “ All this was just to make us understand that Disneyland is a bad idea because Halima has a condition.”

Fahad shook his head chuckling.

“ I kept wondering what they meant. And they never planned it, they just flowed.”

“ We know what we feel when in this condition.” Alicia said. “ Form the day it starts, till the day it ends, it’s never a smooth ride.”

“ But seriously, I can imagine Halima acting alongside Stallone where he throws a gun at her as she dives and spins, shooting with one hand and protecting the baby with the other.” Fahad said.

Laughter.

“ You are suspended cutie for two months.” Halima said. “ No apology.”

“ But I have been on automatic suspension till further notice.” Fahad said.

“ Ya Salam! That was not what I meant !” She smacked him lightly as they laughed .

excelmerry:
Sokodobo, irregular updates kill the drive to read your stories, pls try to be more regular in posting updates. God bless.

Apologies for this.

The Last Insurgent is a work in progress, reason for the irregular updates.

" I don't get any of these..." Damon began to remonstrate.

" You have no right to interfere with the law, Mr Damon." Ham said with a roguish smile but the dangerous note behind his eyes were palpable.

" Miss Grant....." He started.

" Call me Alicia." She cut in.

Ham seemed a bit astonished at her sudden remark.

" Okay, Miss Alicia. We understand Steve was your childhood friend, a son of your father's friend and your boyfriend who happened to be the father of your twins."

The sound of him being the father of her twins seemed to make her heart burn in rage but she managed to stay calm.

" What have all these got to do with him being missing? Who the father of my child is happens to be my business. I was over twenty when I put to bed."

" Those facts are important to our investigation. You might not see the sense in them. Anyway, when was the last time you saw him?"

" I can't remember precisely. Say, eight months, nine, can't say. I don't have it in my diary."

" And where was that?"

" Where was what?"

" Your last point of meeting?"

" In my house."

"Your house, hmmm, ...where is your house because we learnt you have been living with your new boyfriend?"

"My father's house."

Ham scratched his nose slightly, his searching eyes piercing into hers and not missing anything. His eyes alone were intimidating.

" We need you to be sure, Miss Alicia."

"I am sure."

" We are sorry about your loss six months ago. Your properties got burnt in a fire outbreak."

He said and Damon feared that his heartbeat could be heard through his mouth.

" Thank you for your concern, officer." She replied.

" Did Steve ever come to see you at that house where you lived with your new boyfriend?"

" I said the last time I saw him was in my father's house."

" But you could still visit your father's house and meet him there or does it mean because you are out of your father's house, you can't go there?"

" If that was the last place I met him, what brings the question of him visiting me there?"

" Because you could meet in your father's house, and he decides to visit you."

" Then I would not have said the last place we met was in my father's house."

"It's not about the last place you met. It's about knowing if he ever visited you in that house that got burnt. Did he ever come there?"

Damon did not like this. He felt his palms getting clammy with sweat. Halima was kind of astonished. Her twin brother or Fahad never told her what had been going on. She just gaped .

" He never came to my house." She said firmly. Damon was astonished at her confidence and composure. Her lips did not shake, neither did her eyes fail to meet the detective’s. She almost convinced Damon she was telling the truth but there was something about this Ham and the American police that made him felt uncomfortable. It was not easy to fool them.

" Are you sure about this, Miss Grant?"

"It's Miss Alicia and I am sure he never came to my house."

Ham took in a deep breath, then said, " we wonder why you are not seen with your family now that your mother is at the peak of campaign? I mean ...."

" Is that part of the investigation? I think I need to talk to my lawyer, Mr Ham. I am done with this."

" You have the liberty but we feel we should know why because when you took Steve's children away and started living in a hole with a new guy, we felt there was a rift and naturally, Steve should come looking for you.
You seems to be out of touch with your parents and Steve may have posed as a threat."

" What are you trying to insinuate?"

" Could there be a family feud? Was Steve a threat to you?"

" No."

" He was okay with you going away with his children?"

Alicia's face was now red with a burning rage.

" He was not a threat to me. We were good and that's it! Thank you for coming, Mr Ham. And I am not into politics, not interested in politics. I support my mother but that does not mean I gotta be on TV everyday. Where I lived was just like going for a camp. That was not a hole and that is unethical coming from a federal agent. I and Damon live well."

" I can see. I am sorry if I was misconceived. We will get Steve's abductors....."

" Why are you so sure he was abducted? Do you know things we don't?"

" We suspect that he was abducted and ......murdered because that is the only explanation for such an important person to go missing for seven months."

" I wish you luck."

He smiled, radiating danger, then bowed.

" I am sorry for the interruption, ladies and gentlemen. This work of ours, you know how it is."

" Thank you for stopping by." Alicia said with a smirk. " I hope you find him. He was a good friend."

Ham frowned.

" Was?"

Damon felt his heart go pit-a-pit.

" Yes. Going by your theory."

" Oh.. yes, I just mentioned something like we suspect that he was murdered. You know, this work of ours, you know how it is."

They went back into the helicopter and they left. They ended the fun. Just when Damon thought it was over. It seemed a normal life was a distance away.

Alicia covered her face and burst into tears.

TWENTY-FOUR

The sun smiled down at them with a warm friendly breath that diffused the cruel frosty radiation from the cold water of the ocean. The air felt like a motherly embrace and a service of masseuse, making the evening serene, pacific and terrific. The yacht was jumbo, posh and displayed a rare pulchritude. It belonged to the new CEO of Yarads Incorporated, Fahad Yar'adua.

They sat round a table which was cramped with varieties of food, deserts, drinks and snacks.
The normal life Damon had always dreamt of. A simple, happy life with family and friends.

It was six months since they got back together. Fahad had been shown on TV as the new CEO of Yarads Incorporated where he promised to take the company to another level and continue to contribute to the American economy by provision of employment, payment of taxes and community services.

This was like a dream to Damon. He discovered that there was going to be a party so he snuck in hours before the event begun.
On that day, they spent the whole night talking, telling each other what had happened after they parted. When Damon told him that they were homeless and stayed in a cheap hotel which he paid for with the money he found on Steve and that he was sure they would be kicked out of the hotel in the next three days because the money was finished, Fahad made sure they were flown from Miami to New-York the next morning and moved into his newly acquired mansion which was well secured.

Two weeks later, he invited Damon and his wife for a lunch in his private jet. It was during the lunch a toast was made where Alicia said, " to the unborn child".

Fahad and Damon were surprised, but Halima covered her face with her palms and produced a smile. They got it. Ladies! Alicia never told Damon about it. Alicia and Halima had become so close and found solicitude in each other.

She was two months pregnant then. That was six months ago.

Two days later, Fahad said to Damon, " I have been thinking, Damon. You got diapers to buy," he chuckled, " I have been thinking about this. You need to start something, I mean making money."
That had been a nagging thought that had been resonating with Damon. He was sick of living on Fahad, feeding and taking care of his family needs.

He wanted to earn, no matter how little and be the breadwinner that he was meant to be.

" But you know I have not ......"

" Damn result. It's not about looking for a job. I am now the official CEO and I have the power to change somethings or bring new things. I can make you a major marketer, cover Europe."

" You are talking about big business with big capital."

" I'm talking about big shut up and listen big slowpoke."

They laughed.

" Yeah , I know it's big business. I got a licence which I can give up for you. Saves time and money. I can lend you start up capital. You don't need much. With just five million dollars you are in business, that includes all paraphernalia and logistics like office, staff, official vehicles and all that. I got a document ready for you and my solicitor will be of help. "

Damon could not sleep that night out of joy. The level of joy Alicia expressed marvelled him. This was not going to turn him into a millionaire over night and start driving Ferraris so why was she so excited? She was a billionaire so all these was not meant to be a big deal to her.

" It means everything to me." she had said. " You are going to earn clean money, legit and that is most important. Do you think I regret parting with all the luxury? Why do you think I don't bother? I felt free without them, knowing the kind of things my parents do. But you, you are going to get us legit and that makes me proud of you."

" The us part is the best part of all. I love you and that love grows every second."

" I love you more, and.....we need to celebrate."

So he got into business. Fahad only did this to help. He practically organized everything for him, used his connexions and within two months, he got his first shipment.
He made a profit of fifty thousand dollars in just one trip. If he could make three in a month, then he was into money.

Fahad insisted they lived in his mansion for security reasons. They occupied a three bedroom bungalow, with a small swimming pool and luxury garden.
Life was all hunky-dory. He kept in touch with his mother via phone but tried to keep a distance as much as possible. He did not want her to be in danger.

He also placed her on monthly allowance which was enough for her upkeep even if she did not work.
He felt blissful and amour propre each time he took his family out for shopping with his money. It was indeed a good feeling but living on someone else was not fun.

He had never owned fifteen thousand dollars at once in his life. Here was he, a boss in his small firm with a secretary and over twenty members of staff. This was new to a part time sales boy.
They were now having food and drinks while Damon Jnr. and Simon Jnr. obstinately insisted that they wanted to be left alone to enjoy their newly found phenomenon: walking. It seemed they knew it was a new step into their lives. They would walk groggily, sometimes bump into each other and fall.

Halima picked a piece of cake and put in Fahad's mouth, gave him a mild smile and pecked his cheek. Damon grinned. She wouldn't have done this for a million bucks six months ago.

" It's good to be taken cared of." Damon said.

" We need to take care of you guys. I mean you have impressed us a lot. When a guy meets this girl for the first time, and it's kinda of cold, and he peeks into her chat and finds that she needs hot tea, so he runs to a tea shop, under the rain, like literary under the rain and gets two cups of cappuccino, and he runs back proudly to....find her gone." Alicia said. “ That is impressive.”

"Savage." Damon said and they burst into laughter.

" Damn! You got me on that one, darling."

Halima said, "You know when you try to impress a girl by playing that hero, and see her struggling with an aggressive bull, and speak a language you don't understand, and try to deal with the bull and you end up been kicked and you faint, and the girl has to drag your body to safety and forced to leave Mr hero lying there, that is impressive"

Another boisterous laughter.

" I think Fahad is the most impressive." Alicia said amid laughter.

" So, the ladies decide to hit on us, huh?" Damon said, after a sip of wine.

" We are just proud of you." Halima said, " It's not everyday you get a billionaire turn cattle rearer for a poor girl."

" Awwwwnn, that's touchy." Alicia said and they burst into laughter.

" I also think it's elusive to find a gutsy guy who goes to a lady's engagement party with a ring in pocket." Alicia added.

" Oh my God!" Halima exclaimed " That is classic!"

Laughter.

" We were so impressive we got you guys stuck." Fahad said.

" Somebody needs to take care of you guys." Alicia said and put a piece of cake into Damon’s mouth.

" Damon, we don't have to go into argument with these ladies." Fahad said, " Because we will never win. No man has ever won a lady in an argument."

" I concur." Damon said. " Chris Rock told us why. You try to make sense and she does not give a hoot about that. Sense is how she sees it. Your view is you problem."

They laughed

" Women are smarter than men." Alicia said, " So to hell with whatever Chris rock said."

" Yes, Alicia." Fahad said, " Marie Curie was a woman and she discovered radioactivity ,won Alfred Nobel in physics and chemistry. So, in academics, a woman may be smarter than a man, some women and some men though, but we are talking about sense of reasoning here."

" Are you saying women are dumb?" Halima asked, glancing at Fahad.

" No." Fahad replied.

" Don't let her intimidate you, dude." Damon said.

" Speak the truth and apologise later." He added.

" Damon, have you forgotten I am good at slapping?" Alicia said and playfully showed him her palm.

" Okay, a woman is sweet, intelligent, smart......" Fahad started.

" Now my friend is scared." Damon cut in.

"No, listen dude. I'm not done yet. A lady is smart but her smartness could be compared to a technologist who uses his brain, skill, time, energy and all to build a sky scraper....only to demolish it one day and you ask him why, and he says ' I did it to see if I can sum up a good reason for doing it."

Damon burst into laughter but the ladies were not too amused.

" We can't do that. We always have reasons for our actions." Alicia said.

" Okay, we know we women could be......let's just say be women and that woman in us must always be there but we are the mothers of the world and the smartest." Halima added.

"That's my girl!" Alicia said and they hi-fived.

" I remember a Mallam back home.” Fahad began, “Whenever he was praying and someone asks him to pray against the guiles of a woman, he would shake his head and say' go learn to be smart and have control over them'. One day, while he was relaxing in his room and his wife was fetching water from the well in the compound, he heard a sudden scream and sound which told him his wife had fallen into the well. He exclaimed, ran out, pulled off his babariga and jumped into the well. Then the wife, who had thrown a heavy stone inside then went to hide, started shouting for help. She cried that Mallam had gone insane and jumped into the well because she always heard him boasting on the loudspeaker. Mallam was eventually saved after enjoying gallons of water....." Fahad said.

They were all laughing.

" From that day, any time Mallam wanted to pray and someone says, please Mallam, pray against the guiles of women, he would not let you complete your sentence, he just goes ' Salatil Nabiyina Salalahu alaihimwasalam, Ayatul khursiyu, Suratul Falaq, and on and on and on....."

They kept laughing, having a great fun.

" In conclusion," Damon said, " the women win this debate. Very soon, we will all return to our rooms and be left at their mercies. And if Alicia says, repeat all the things you said outside, I will say I never went out today."

" I will say I never met any Damon in my life." Fahad said.

They laughed.

They enjoyed the evening. The yacht had a crew, a medical doctor, a nurse and two servants, and armed guards. The life of billionaires.
They were going to spend the night on sea, with beautiful luxury cabins, while they sailed to attend a social event the next day in California.
Life was good and they seemed to be putting the past behind. The normal life they had craved for. Damon guessed Pliers committed suicide. Burnt himself in his hideout to avoid been captured by the thugs.

It was at that point they heard the roar of an helicopter. Looking up, they saw it descending and a bodyguard rested his hand on his holster.
It was a police helicopter. What was going on?

The helicopter landed on the yacht, and two police officers alighted.
One was of moderate height with a freckle face. He was dressed in uniform while the bulky one with a balding head was in mufti.
They identified themselves.

" I am Ham Buckinson, MPD. My partner is Peter Dave."

" You got no right no right to land on my private property." Fahad said angrily.

Ham looked at him then bowed.

" I know Mr Yar'adua. We got a warrant."

He showed them. Then he turned at Damon.

" We need to speak with Miss Alicia." He said and turned to her, "it's about Steve Barcovy, he's been missing for over six months. We think you might be of help to us."

Boom!

The sound of Damon’s heartbeat.

Halima stood on the balcony of Flamingos Ocean View, a five star modern hotel in New-York. It was their second day in America.
Holding the rail, she watched the magnificent skyscrapers that made a scintillating and jaw dropping sight across the river.
She remembered a few days ago when they first arrived Dubai, she was dumbfounded, mesmerized and lost in astonishment as she saw sophistication. She tried to hide her feelings, not to make her humble background from the village obvious but not every urban girl would not be taken aback.
And they had a lot of fun, visited recreation centres, resorts, lunch in a yacht , shopping in the most exclusive shops and eating most exotic delicacies.

She found it hard to believe it was real. Fahad promised to give her life a lift, show her the world, and take her out of misery. What more could he do when she felt he had fulfilled this promise in quintuple folds?
Yet he kept saying he had done nothing. He never felt he was doing anything big for her. What a man! He had turned their family compound, which was a colony of mud houses, into a modern estate with blocks of duplexes.

Baffa lived like a king and the governor was their guardian now. He was like a father to her and the villagers were pulsate with life the day he came to their house.
Her uncles now saw her as the golden girl, the go-to girl. A month ago, a delegation was sent to her in Abuja by the king to help talk to the governor about some developmental projects which had been delayed for long. She did that and there were plans to start execution. This was the irony of life. They were the renascence of the moment after their long forgotten glory which left with her father.

She used to wonder what it felt like to be in a plane when she saw the big bird flying while she was in the hummocks grazing. Here she was, travelling in private jets. After a humdinger of trips in Dubai, they went to Saudi Arabia. She shed tears as she caught sight of the Holy Ka’ab.

They visited Madina, saw the historical monuments, then performed Ummurah. Their next port of visit was Brazil, Rio de Janero, enjoyed the beauty of nature before they spent one week in France.
They visited India, which was her dream place, because she used to watch Indian movies then. They spent one week in India before coming down to America.

Fahad insisted that they spent sometime in Washington DC before they flew down to New-York. She was elated to see the statue of liberty live. Her cousin, Rahine had the picture of the statue on her bowl which she used in hawking nono.

She insisted that she was not interested in shopping any more. She had everything she wanted and if she stopped wearing a clothe more than once, she would spend years without a need for a new one. She did not want to be rapacious.

She posted some pictures on social media and saw a lot of comments from her friends.
She did not actually check some profiles while she was accepting friends. It was while she was reading some comments she saw a language she recognised.

She checked the profile of the commentor.

Name: Hande Crem Debis.
School: Unibersity of Lagos, London.
Occupation: Self-employed at Federal Minister of President, Jalingo.
Relationship: Celebrated( celebrity)
Family members: President Muhammadu Buhari, uncle; Hajiya Aisha Buhari, Aunty; Rotimi Ameachi, niece; Whiz Kid , college(colleague) .

Damn!

She had quickly called Fahad that day to see Hande. They checked his mobile uploads and saw the best of Hande.
There was a picture of him in front of a popular hotel in Jalingo which he tagged: Chill am for home( chilling at home).
There was another where he stood behind an SUV with FGN number, Hande said, cruising papa car (Cruising my papa’s car).

She nearly dropped the phone with laughter when in one of the pictures, which he obviously had taken in front of a church because there were band instruments and a choir at the background.
He was wearing a singlet and held a microphone and tagged: After a show in Lagos, life of celebrated( life of a celebrity) .

But he had a lot of fans on Facebook. His pictures and posts always went viral maybe for persiflage.
He sometimes posted words of wisdom(from his perspective). Some examples were: Life is not into accident but he who is go is round.

That post received one thousand six hundred likes and over three thousand comments with lots of shares.
In another, he said, never be in season because the season is not seasonate;

On Independence Day, he twitted: Nigeria is concocaton, so let everybody magnet and interview the arial of epidemy. I am twilight for my country in the for ever.

The last one she read was a love aphorism: Love strangulation is hearted in the legs of a mechanic of life, so be internet and convocation because love is dodomant.

The reason he got so many likes was simple: they were only making a jest of him.

That was the topic of fun between her and Fahad that day and seeing Hande’s Facebook page made their day.

She felt Fahad’s strong arms from behind as he came and held her, feeling his cologne, his warm body and sweet lips on her neck.
She closed her eyes and found herself breathing harder. Come on, Leema, pull yourself together. She told herself but she could not. He was a magnet, so attractive, tempting, irresistible, hypnotizing and sweet.

She bent her head a little and turned sideways to let his lips gum hers.

“ I hope you are enjoying yourself.” He said softly, a warm smile planted on his ravishing face.

“ I’m having the best time of my life with the best person in my life. I have the best husband in the world.”

He kissed her lightly .

“ Shall we?” He said and held her by her waist. He led her into the room, she carried her bag and they went out. They used the lift and got down to a waiting Limousine. This time, it was a Rolls Royce .

The chauffer opened the door, they got in, before he closed the door, and then went under the wheel. Fahad had a thing with these long cars. She had gradually and subconsciously transformed into a lady of substance, class and opulence.
They enjoyed fruits and non-alcoholic expensive wine as they were driven.

A few minutes later, they arrived an auditorium where many posh cars were parked and highly secured. She did not know which part of New-york was this.
The door was opened for them, they alighted and went in. Immediately they went in, there was a spray of confetti, claps and cheers.
She was shocked. Sputtering sounds of fireworks made the place full of life. There was a lot of well dressed people there of different races. Some were dressed in Nigerian traditional attires. But majority were Americans.

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you,
happy birthday Halima, happy birthday to you

She was shocked and speechless. There was a gargantuan cake, decorated and mouthwatering set aside.
It was her birthday! How could she had forgotten? She told him her birth date once, while they just started dating and he registered it in his head. She had never celebrated her birthday. Nobody did that in her village except Hande.

It was one of his imported acts from Lagos. He called it bad day. There was a year he celebrated twice.

Her first birthday celebration was being celebrated in America, with her husband and his acquaintances.
Fahad held her and gave her a light kiss.
She felt ashamed getting kissed in presence of people. That was like a taboo in the village. They cut the cake. It was her first time of doing that but Fahad was there to assist.

She had never seen a cake that big. She discovered that most of the guests were his friends and business associates. Fahad was taking over as the CEO of one of his father’s multi-billion dollars companies.

They were officially going to be based in USA now but he said they would travel home frequently .
The headquarters was in New-york but he wanted them to visit their country home in Miami after the celebration.
She knew there was something missing in his life: his best friend, Damon. She guessed it was part of the reasons he wanted to go to Miami.

She had never met Damon and his wife but Salim did and he talked passionately about them.
The celebration was grand. A lot of money was spent, plenty to drink and eat and meeting of new friends. She never dreamt of been in a place like this.

While the celebration was going on, she and Fahad were standing with a couple chatting. Someone came in but he looked different. He covered his head with a hood, and not corporately dressed. Fahad saw him.

The man quickly went out again and she saw shock on Fahad’s face. He then held her hand, excused himself and took her along with him. They followed the odd man.

They saw the man outside. He and Fahad hugged each other at once.

“ Where the hell have you been Damon?”

spixytinxy:
Am also interested in d book, how do I get before d promo elapse

sent u a pm

maryamcy:
pls Hw
I get the book

Sent you a pm

Tobennz:
Plz tell me how am gonna pay for d book, and i have message you,i havent gotten any reply tru my email which is (ezetobe00@gmail.com)...
Thanks

Apologies for the delay. I sent you a mail.

Born2Breed:
If you have not bought this book then you don't know what you are missing....

Married To A Fink is a bomb!!! In fact it's a GOAL!!!

Grab your copy today, take advantage of the e-book promo and you won't regret it.


Time to read Beneath The Heart.....

Thank you

She sat on the floor, with hands wound round her legs and her head resting on her knees, letting her hair sprawl and fall freely like Victoria Falls.
Damon could see tears cascading while she stared blankly at her twins as they lay in the cot close to her. She was lost in her thoughts, and he felt a swell in his head.
She saw him.
She got up, ran, hugged him, and then released the accumulated tears . He said nothing, just held her body so close to his. They just held on to each other. It was a healing. No matter what it was, entangled with each other brought that peace, and relaxed nerves. She relaxed but the tears still flowed.

“ Steve.” She said, now shivering as she mentioned the name. “ Steve.”

“ What about him?”

“ He-he was here.”

“ What!”

“ I don’t know how he found us but he has been stalking on us. He came in, and knowing we were alone here, he wanted to rape me.”

His teeth chattered, lips tightened and he felt his bile rising.

“ I tried to talk to him, stop him but he seemed to be out of his mind. He slapped me, and when I got the chance, I ran in and picked your gun. I shot him. I killed Steve.” She burst into tears again.

He did not succeed: bottom line.
She killed him: justifiable homicide.

But Steve was not the kind of guy you killed and felt it’s was all hunky-dory. They were talking about a billionaire’s son, one who the president would personally visit his father for condolence.

“ It’s okay, honey.” he said, knowing it was not okay. “ You did the right thing.”

“ We grew up together, he was my friend. How could I ever have imagined I will be the one to kill him.”

“ Did you ever imagine he would attempt to rape you even with a ring on your finger? Life is full of twists. You did the right thing. You grew up around people you thought you knew but knew not. Think about Kim, you also grew up together. It’s okay darling.”

She lay her head on his chest as she sobbed. He ran his hands through her hair, “ think of what he would have done to us if he had succeeded. People who rape don’t deserve to live. A rapist kills his victim even if she still breaths.” He said and she heaved a deep sigh.
He wiped off her tears, gave her a smile and a deep healing kiss.

“ Now, I have to leave.” He said.

Her eyes widened in fear.

“ Leave? Where?”

“ I’m going to look for that smile of yours and will never return until I find it because it’s life to me. Now I can’t find it. To moon, perhaps or….Pluto.”

She smiled.

“ Oh, it’s here.” He grinned. “ I’m back to life. You just saved me a zillion mile voyage, darling.”

They kissed again and he saw her relax completely.

“ Hmmm….you just know how to heal me, Damon.” She whispered. “ I now understand why some women commit suicide when raped. How could I have faced you?”

“ That is why you are an amazon and not a puny.” He said. “Where is the body?”

She pointed at the door.

“ It’s in there.”

“ We got to dispose it and leave this place at once.” He said moving towards the door.” I need to do that before rigor mortis.”

He opened the door to find him lying in his pool of blood. His white immaculate shirt was soaked in blood, his handsome face in a blank stare.

Now you got yourself in a mess?
You are gone and never will come back.
Say high to Bug in hell.
And you also put me in a mess because I had hoped to come back, eat, drink, bath and sleep after the fierce fire fracas.
But now, I am left to clean a bloody mess and who knew what was going to happen in disposing your body?

He got the big thick blanket off the bed and spread it on the floor. He went round and got a big polyethylene sack.
This was not a good thing to do. He searched his pockets, saw his car keys, a bundle of dollar bills, ID card, credit card, phone, a wallet, and Viagra .

He returned everything back except the dollar bills and phone. Something in his head told him it was purloin while another said it was a necessity. He opted for necessity.
He squeezed him into the bag, wiped the blood from the floor and dumped the rags inside the bag. He got antiseptic fluids and mopped the place thoroughly though he knew if for any reason forensic experts came there, they would find blood trace. He hoped there would never be such a reason.

The purlieus was remote and there were no CCTV cameras. A felicitous location for fugitives. It was a few minutes to 11:00PM.
He wrapped the body in a the blanket, rushed outside and began searching. Steve must have come in a car. It took just a few minutes to find a custom-made Ferrari.

That must be his car. He went and used the key to unlock the door. He was not surprised when he heard a click and door was opened .
He rushed back and carried the body, then took him back and put him in the booth. Steve had come under the wheel and was now leaving inside the booth, lifeless and worthless.

As he locked the the booth, he felt someone behind him. He quickly turned with a gun in hand.

“ Damon.” Alicia quickly said.

“ Hey, what’s up?”

“I’m scared. I can’t be left alone with the kids.”

“ But I have to dispose him and that has to be done in the bush. I guess it’s going to be a long walk back home.”

“ I don’t care! I can’t be alone with the kids! I will come with you.”

“ Okay. Let’s go get them.”

They went inside and got the kids. He gave the room a last check and felt satisfied that no ordinary eye would detect anything. They went back to the Ferrari. He remembered the gas he had kept in the garage and then went back and carried it.
He got under the wheel, Alicia was sitting beside him holding both kids.

“Don’t you think we need the stroller?” He said, “we are in for a long walk.”

“ I guess we can hold them.”

“ Okay.”

“ I don’t even think it is save to come back.” She said and it made a lot of sense. We did not know how he found us. Who else knows we are here?

“You are right.”

He reversed the car until he got close to the front door, went inside and quickly moved a few things that would last for the night. They were now living the life of fugitives like Richard and Maria did but for different reasons.

He got some baby stuff, and provisions. He got back to the car and drove off. He had barely gone far when he saw bright light from afar.
Fortunately, he had not put on the car headlights. He swayed out of the road with a reverse, stopped the car beneath a tree and waited, with his gun in hand.

It took just a few seconds to see a car drive past and stopped before the cabin. Who the hell were these?
He alighted the car and asked to Alicia to stay calm. She wanted to remonstrate but he let her understood that they had no option. She could not alight the car with the kids. They could wake up and cry at any time and that was tantamount to exposing them.

He snuck and hid behind a tree, saw the silhouette of a big and broad shouldered man in what looked like a suit.

Another man joined him, leaving the driver behind the wheel. The big man raised his phone and dialled a number.
The phone in Damon’s pocket chimed. He was calling Steve. Damon was befuddled, and became punch-drunk at once.
He refused to pick the call, sent it to silent mode before he sent a message at once: I am not to be disturbed now.

We just want to be sure you are okay, he replied.
Yes, I am. I am in Down Town, in a hotel.
We are at the cabin you told us about.
The cabin issue is a hoax. They were not there. I caught her else where and if you don’t mind, I need to go.
Yes, sir.

The big man shrugged, said something and they got into the car.
They drove away with a high velocity. The sound of their car engine receded into distance and the brake lights disappeared.

Alicia was right about not coming back. Damon now took a decision. It was not a good one but they had no option. He was not a pyromaniac but with the quagmire savaging them, he had to derail from conventional ethics.
He ran back to the cabin, poured some gas and put fire to it. He remembered the owner saying it was insured. He ran back to the car and got under the wheel, saw the house burning then drove off.

A few minutes later, they were at a lonely bushy part . This was about an hour walk away from the city. He opened the boot and was glad to see a spare tyre close to the body.
He put the tyre on his body and poured gas on it, making sure it was soaked. With the gas and tyre, He anticipated a swell burn. He poured gas on the whole car then the phone rang again.

This time, it was Kim.

He quickly ran to Alicia, whispered something to her and she got it. He picked the call but said nothing.

Alicia began to moan, saying, “ please stop , please, I can’t take it anymore…..”

Damon heard Kim laugh hysterically from the other end.

“ You bum, you won’t even talk because you are fuc**ng a slot. “ She said and ended the call.

He removed the SIM card and put it in his pocket. He knew he was meant to throw it away but felt it was going to be useful.

Satisfied, he set the car ablaze. He was burning a one million dollars Ferrari. He asked Alicia to look away because he wanted to be sure the car and the body were burnt down completely. It did burn down. That was the end of Steve.

As they were about to leave, his phone rang. It was Pliers.

“ How did it go?” He asked sounding desperate.

“ We destroyed it.” He replied.

“ I think I will die in peace now. Thank you.”

“ We should thank you.”

“ You don’t know how it feels to invent something for positive use and it is hijacked for evil. Alfred Nobel died unhappy because of the way dynamite, which he invented was used.”

“ I understand.”

“ And it seems they know I am alive.”

“ I was about telling you that.”

“ You did not have to tell me. The moment the chip is removed, he would know I am alive. Only I know how it could be removed and then they would start detecting their flaws.”

“ So, we got to get you out of there.”

“ No, my boy…..they are here already. That is how it works. Thank you.” He switched off the line.

Oh my God!

TWENTY-THREE

The old man’s chest heaved laboriously, his protruding eyes apoplectically transformed into a sputtering source of raging emission. He was in the deepest fit of pique, the same old man who described the removal of two fingers as a little touch.

Damon become more jittery.
I was in the same hall with him.
I was his prey.
I was the cause of his travails.
I was in an abyss of despair.

Richard was busy calling for thugs, making sure the perimeter, as the law man called it was sealed. Damon could understand their level of desperation and agitation.
This little chip he had with him was a channel to extorting twelve trillion dollars in six years. A route to a daily income of over two billion dollars.

“ Who on Earth knew about the chip?” The old man asked rhetorically. “ Are you sure you know nothing about this, Ted?”

“ How could you even think of that?” Richard replied angrily, tugging his long silk gown.

“ Yeah. It can’t be you. I am the only one who knows about the technicalities of this machine. You don’t even know how to operate it.” He said thoughtfully, then with shaky hands lit a cigarette.

“ Only me…….and Pliers.” His words seemed to have pricked him. “ Pliers? No, he is dead. But who could have known about it and how to remove it without triggering alarm? It is not possible.”

He puffed out a thick cloud of smoke. “ Pliers is alive.” He said assertively.

“ That is not possible. I made sure he was killed. He was buried and found.”

“ Found after completely decayed.” Said the quick-witted old man. “ And you never saw Benedict since then.”

Richard seemed to have been pricked with a needle. He was silent for a while.

“ But we got the thumb. The thumb was definitely his, how else could we have gotten the money?”

Alex dragged smoke, walked to the dispenser and replenished his glass without waiting for the automated machine.

“ Yes, the thumb was his but did you see Benedict bring it?”

“ No.”

“ Because we were blinded with the money and chip, we did not think deeper. Hasn’t it occurred to you that Pliers knowing his life was in danger could have sacrificed his thumb? I’m beginning to think the man that was found buried was Benedict and not Pliers.”

“ But the body was found with a cut thumb.”

“ That’s because Pliers was no fool. He was not a daft professor.”

“ Dad, you think only you professors are smart and every other person a fool.”

“ No, I don’t in most cases. Mack, the founder of Facebook and one of the known six richest people in the world is a school dropout. I think Bill Gate is one too. But in this case, you can’t prove me otherwise. If I was Pliers, I would kill Benedict, cut off his thumb, bury him and cut off mine, give out what they want and stay dead.”

“ Shit!”

The old man replenished his glass again.

“ I have been dead for almost fifty years, wearing skirt and make up. I am not transgender like you. Nobody expects to see an old woman with protruding boobs, and it seems I am not the only living-dead man.”

“ What do we do?”

“ The chip is still around here and we will definitely get It back.”

Those words pierced through Damon like a sword. Cutting off two fingers was little touch. Damn!

Richard received a call.

“ Very good.” He said and looked at his father. “ The place is sealed.

“ I have just been thinking what to do with who ever Pliers is using to do this. Have you seen this movie SAW?”

They began to walk out of the hall.

“ I love that movie!” Richard said.

Why would he not love it? Bunch of perverts!

They walked out of the hall. Jack was a professional. He was so still Damon almost forgot he was there.

“ Come on, we got to hit the road.” Jack said immediately .
They quickly got up, ran out of the hall and retraced their steps, climbed out through the hole they had come through. They got out of the planetarium safely but that was the safest part of it. Immediately they landed , bullets were fired at them.

If Damon had not pushed Jack abruptly, his body would have been riddled with barrages of bullets. Jack had barely reached the ground when he expertly removed his gun and shot back.
He got two people down.

Damon also got his gun out and fired shots. He did not hit anyone but at least they got the chance to run. He doubted if it was possible to escape from these people.
They were now hiding behind an old van.

“ Where is the chip?” Jack asked.

“In my pocket.”

“ Let’s destroy it now.”

“ I got it under control.”

“ What do you mean?”

“ I removed the panel buttons and it’s completely impotent.” Damon nodded.“ I got a wife and kids waiting for me. I got to leave here breathing, dude.”

“ Yeah. I got it.”

They spent the next one hour exchanging bullets fiercely until Agent Matt dropped like alien from space. He looked exhilarated, his round face beamed, a big smoky pistol in his hands.

“ Here comes the exigency and coup de grace.” Matt said with a giggle. “ Now you guys gotta leave.”

Damon did not comprehend him but it seemed Jack did.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jack asked. Now Damon knew there was a plan he was not aware of.

“Oh, come off it Jack. This is my big chance. Damn sure Moma will be proud of me. Damn national honours.”

They saw a group of armed men converging and it was obvious they were planning a final attack. The old man was bravely behind them, saying they must not escape and the chip was with them.
Could they rebuild the chip? It had to be totally destroyed.

“ Get me the chip!” Matt said assertively, “ pronto!”

“ Give it to him.” Jack said. “ It must be completely destroyed.”

Damon did not really get what they meant but he just passed it on to him. Jack tapped Matt on his shoulder. Matt’s face still beamed with a smile.

The gunmen were still pushing forward.

“ We must leave.” Jack said to Damon. How? With all these blood thirsty gunmen around them?

“ Now go!” Matt suddenly yelled and they all began to fire shots at the gunmen. They took cover while Jack and Damon escaped. Matt came into the open and covered them.

This was suicide. He did not plan to leave alive. Why? What plan did they have?

As they ran, Damon could not help turning back and he saw it. Matt detonated a bomb which was fixed to his body.

Boom!

The place was set ablaze. Fire, dust, smoke, sparks and dead bodies formed a carnage, and made sanguinary scene that made Damon’s intestines crumple.
They ran into the waiting car with Vic behind the wheel. The car was set in motion with an incredible acceleration. Damon heaved a deep sigh but the image of Matt kept resonating with him. He could see his last move, before bursting like an overblown balloon, and turned into pieces of debris. Damn!

“ Why did he do it? You guys had it planned, right?”

Jack opened the pigeon hole, brought out a bottle of gin and gulped. Damon needed it too so he collected the bottle and gulped.

“ Matt had severe brain cancer and he was dying. Stage four.” Jack said. “ He did not want to go like that. This was his chance to leave as a hero, even if only a few of us know. He did not care about his name been made public, but his heart is fulfilled that he did something remarkable before he left. He did it.

He had about three months to live. He gave up these months because it was not everyday you got a chance to save the world.”

Damn!

Damon saw the joy on his face as he was about to die. He saw the fulfilment and determination. He saw guts and gallantry. Yes, he died a hero, saved their lives and completely destroyed the chip.

But he felt emotional. It was pathetic.

The chip was gone. That was something. The world did not know what they just did, instead, they could rot in jail for this. What mattered most was the motive, the driving force and result weather esoteric or vivid.

“ Good job, folks.” Vic said and extended his hand for the bottle of gin.

“ You are a federal agent, buddy.” Jack said. “ DUI.”

They laughed but Damon did not. He was not in the mood. The chip had been destroyed but they suspected that Pliers was alive. You could not tell with these people. He had to inform Pliers at once.
And they knew his father. What was his connection with all this? What was it that he still had? Simon and mysteries surrounding his life!

They called him Stone. Then whatever it was , it may be connected to his military life. Alex may be old but he seemed to be more dangerous and smarter than his son.
Damon understood why he was the mastermind of the whole saga. Well, he wanted to go home, have a shower and a good rest. It had been a day and the chip that just got destroyed made it a successful day.

KENVEE6:
when will the promo start abeg

it has since started

It was not as bad as Damon portrayed it. The Cabin was well built and neat. Yes, the materials were cheap but the design was intriguing. The living room was poorly furnished but it had a functional TV, refrigerator, and the laundry had a washing machine.
The location was suitable for the purpose. They had a lot of privacy with no close neighbour and the trees and greens made it serene.

Alicia was in the kitchen and for the first time, she was cooking without the aid of a cooking book. She had grown without having any knowledge in domestic activities. Everything was done by the servants. She never thought there would be need for it until she got married.
While she served food and put the rest in the oven, she wondered why Damon had not been picking her calls. She hoped it was not another gut-wrenching saga.

She heard Damon Jnr cry and quickly carried the food out, hoping to eat since Damon was not around. She was breastfeeding and that meant she had to be well-nourished herself.
But the sharp cry of the child got her nervous. Simon Jnr. was asleep in his cot in the room. Taking care of these boys was the most difficult task she had ever faced. There was this chemistry between them. When one did something, then it took just a little while before the other did the same thing.

Immediately she got into the living room, the niggling feeling turned into a farrago of fear, confusion, anger and agitation. What on Earth was this fink doing here? How did he find them? What did he want?

He was holding her baby, acting like he was calming him, dabbing him, telling him not to cry while he stared at her.

" Hello, Alicia." Steve said calmly, wearing a smile,

" he needs his mama, I guess."

" Why are you here, Steve?" She asked, dropped the food on the table, went and collected the child and began to breastfeed him.

" Why? Did you just say why?" He smirked. " I thought you would be happy to see me. You were kidnapped, and the kidnappers turned out to be robbers, and you got missing and I found you. Shouldn't you be happy?"

" Do I look like I'm been held captive?"

He moved and sat down comfortably on a sofa. He looked round in disgust.

"I came into this rat hole just for you Alicia." He crossed his leg ." You don't look like you are in captivity but you look like one who is hypnotized. Come on, Alicia, you are in a trance. How could you condescend to this level? Look at you, your clothes look the one Maria Sanchez used in that Mexican opera. Maria, the house help, remember?"

He flashed his gold wristwatch.

" I have known you for like all your life. You have always been classic. You made me a star because you were my girlfriend. Having you was elusive. That was how elegant you were. You had a bright life but just one night..."He raised a finger to gesticulate ," just one night you spoilt everything. You meet this street thug, and he sweeps your life down the drain."

Damon Jnr. was back to sleep.

" You abandoned me on our engagement night and eloped, got married to him and left. He got you pregnant and brought you back to be dumped. I forgave you and took you back. How many men are like me in the world?

I was ready to take the kids as mine, claiming to own what was not mine. I still wanted to marry you but.....you connived with him and got your parents robbed and almost killed them. He now came and dumped you in this trash can. If you had married me, none of this would have happen."

He redressed his necktie.

" Why have you come here?" She asked him calmly.

" To take you home." He said. " Alicia, no man can ever love you like I do. Do you know I am willing to take you back? We have come a long way and it means a lot to me."

" Why? You could have any girl you want. You are cute, rich and powerful. Why not get a fresh girl?"

He giggled.

"You find me cute, huh? That's good news. I am cute, rich and powerful but it's you I want, Alicia."

" But I don't love you...."

"Don't you ever say that!" He shouted and she cringed. She had never seen Steve behave or shout like that. His eyes were fierce and his lips tight. She saw something dangerous about him. It was like an accumulated nuclear power about to explode .

God! How did he find us?

" You are scaring me Steve."

"Really? Oh. I'm sorry, please forgive me." He was calm again but those eyes, she could see the darkness behind them. " I just want you to know that you love me but you could not see it."

Damn!

" You and I are destined to be together. All that has happened was just to make it a thriller. Like a movie plot or novel kind of stuff. Yeah. It's like they fell in love as kids, grew happily together and about to get married then something happens. Yeah, it could not just be happy, happy all the way. So, this jerk comes in and hypnotizes her and rapes her but I come back and save her. And he comes and kidnaps her and I save her and we finally get married and lived happily ever after."

" Steve are you okay, I mean would you like to share?"

" Now she thinks I'm not alright" he smiled ." If there is anyone here who is out of his mind then it's you. I am still Steve, I am still a Bleep**g billionaire but you got out of your mind and you turn yourself into a cheap tool. I will not let you get yourself destroyed. I will save you."

" I don't want to be saved. I have never fallen in love with you." She said impatiently . " You were my childhood friend and I just knew it was not love but because I never found love, you happened to be the best option...then love came and I jumped at it. I don't love you and I will never love you."

" I don't care how I live or dress so far I am with him. My heart is made to love one person and that person is Damon and I am happily married to him and have his children. Please go get yourself another girl and completely forget about me. I can never be yours."

He gave her a blank glare. There was something about him that was just not right. He looked calm but deadly.

" You are wrong Alicia. It is not your call. I have watched you for ages. I used to daydream, see myself making love to you. I was patient because I thought you were mine. If I had known, it would have since been settled. Okay, let us settle it this way......"

He gave her that blank stare again.

" Let's make love once and I will never bother you again. I will not tell your parents I know where you are."

What?

She showed him her ring.

" I am married, Steve and I have never cheated on him and will never. He is the only man I have ever slept with and I want it to remain like that."

" You cheated on me !" He vituperated. " You kissed him while we were going out! You kissed him on our engagement night!!!"

" I am sorry about that Steve but.....I can't even kiss you."

He stood up and went for the door, his eyes had turned into a thin vicious line.

" You know what? All those times we went to the beach, I did nothing but look at your as* and fantasize. I always watched your body, you are so voluptuous I can't resist you. Your babies are like four months old, right. I'm sure you and Damon are back to bed. I must fulfill my long life dream.....even if it means the last thing I would do."

She was now very scared. Her teeth chattered, she was shivering and felt tears in her eyes. This could not be happening. Where was Damon? Somebody help! They had no nearby neighbours. God!

" This is not who you are Steve." She said in a shaky voice. " You are better than this. You can't do this to me."

"Shut up! Shut the fu*k up!" He shouted. " This is me, Steve. The same old me but I can't be a fool anymore."

He locked the door then pulled off his jacket.

Oh my God. Damon!

" Somebody help!"She screamed loud.

He smiled.

" You can shout for as long as you want. No one is coming to save you. I have been watching you for three days. You always forget that it is hard to run from us."

He attacked her, slapped her, forcefully collected her child and dropped him carelessly on the sofa.

She tried to fight back but he was too strong. She made a move to run, screaming but he caught her, slapped her again and she fell to the ground.
She could not believe this was happening to her. She kept struggling but he overpowered her. He pinned her, ripped off her clothes and unzipped his trouser.

She kicked him but he was too desperate to bother. He lowered his body but her finger scratched his eyes. He was forced to let her go.
She got up, both of the babies were now crying hysterically. He came after her. She flung a glass at him, he docked and then she ran into the bedroom.

He followed her but paused as he saw the gun in her hand. She pointed it at him.

" Stop Steve!" She warned, gasping and her eyes wide opened.

" I have a gun too." He said with a smirk. " And I know you cannot shoot me."

" I said don't move, Steve!"

He still wore that smile, then he began moving to her.

" Stop!" She shouted but he stretched his hand and ....

Pow!

She sent a bullet into his stomach. He paused, gaped at her in disbelieve, looked at the blood that disgorged from his stomach then looked at her again.

" Y-you?" He muttered.

Pow ! Pow!!

She sent two more bullets into him and he dropped dead.

She dropped the gun, ran and carried Simon Jnr. and went out of bedroom leaving his body there Thinking of his body lying in the room, she burst into tears.

Immediately she saw the onions, she put her hands on her head, eyes wide opened then exclaimed

" Oh my God! My cutie, what's this?"

" I chopped it for you." Fahad said innocently.

She then burst into laughter.

" You just slice onions into six parts and expect me to cook with it." She kept laughing.

" This is how we do it." She said, collected the knife and started slicing like a machine. Damn!

" Okay. Let me try." He said.

" I don't want you to cut your hand, Cutie." She said with a soft tone, like a five year old baby. He loved it when she talked or behaved like that.

" I will try. It is imperative I learn this now because of the days when you won't be able to do it."

He said and collected the knife and started, improved but not nearly as good as she was.

" I don't get the part of not being able to do it." She said suspiciously.

" When you fall sick which might be very soon." He said and chuckled.

" Look at this man. Are you praying I fall sick?"

" In as much as I don't want you to but facing the fact that such sickness is inexorable if it comes, yes, I pray you fall sick."

She hit him slightly and chuckled.

" You got a mouth."

He laughed, then hugged her. She relaxed,. He could not resist those lips. He kissed her, felt her soft body against his, and they spent two minutes in silence, except the sounds of their cuddling and kissing.

Tshhhhh!
Sound from pot.

" Oh my God! " She quickly broke off from him, took off the cover of the pot. " See what you caused. If my food should get burnt, hmmmm. Now seasoning. You are my student and you have to show some respect."

" Yes, Ma'am." He said and started unwrapping the seasoning while she crushed them inside the pot.

She stirred for a while then holding the spoon with her left hand, she took a little scoop and poured on her right palm and then tasted it, before washed her hand.

" I need to have a taste too." He said like a child. She did not remonstrate like he anticipated.

" Let me have your palm." She said. He spread his palm and she poured some on his palm.

" Ouchhh!!" He squeaked and quickly licked it.

She laughed .

" Savage." He laughed. " How could I let this happen to me again. Mum did this to me when I was a kid."

She hugged him, " I'm sorry cutie."

" No! Don't even touch me."

She giggled. " Hmm...you are saying I should not touch but you keep pushing your body towards mine."

" Can't you see that I'm angry." He said frowning playfully

" I can see, Sir. Come on, it's time to for doing the dishes."

" I want to help."

" Hell no. It's just five plates. A small family."

" Yeah, small but as soon as you start getting sick, the number of plates will increase."

She chuckled.

" If you talk about it again, you won't eat this food."

" Noo! That's a great punishment but ....not as great as stopping me from cleaning cobwebs."

She laughed louder.

" Cutie ,you are trying to corrupt me"

He insisted on washing the plates with her. They moved to the big sink, she washed while he rinsed. He knew if an ignorant person should see this, he would call him a hen-pecked husband. That was a gross misconception.
It was sunnah (tradition of the prophet) to help your wife. It increased love, affection, bond and fun. Like right now, he was having fun with her.

This was what they wanted. They had maids and servants, but rarely allowed them come into the main house. She wanted to be that wife, who cooked for her husband and took care of little choirs.
They could come in and clean, get the clothes to laundry but they needed that carte blanche, space where we could have complete privacy.
Like yesterday, she wore lingerie throughout, except when it was time for prayers. They moved unclad from the swimming pool to their rooms.
And they made love anywhere they found suitable....at least before the arrival of children.

Children.

Oh, Ya Allah, bless us with wonderful kids.

He didn't care about their sexes, all he wanted was blessed children. They washed the plates, and he helped her as she fried the waina.
He loved the taste of her cuisines. He now understood why men loved women who could cook and not these noodles girls.

When a girl grew up doing nothing because they had maids and cooks, and knew just make up and chatting, then cooking noodles without knowing how to make omelette, and she got married......phew!

After the food was ready, he did not help her with the packing because his favourite part was sitting at the dinning while she served him food..
Then he would wait for her to sit close to him and they would eat together.

She served food and they ate. Waina, miyan taushe, drops of man shanu, fleshy kashi , naman kaza, kunun aya and chilled zobo.
It tasted good. After the meal they had squashed orange then moved to the TV. Halima was so in love with Korean dramas. And she would sit on his laps or between his legs while watching and explaining what was going .

He wasn't too much into such dramas but for her, he watched it. He preferred brain racking sagas, with complicated plots, and a lot of technicalities.
She sat between his legs and he wound his hands round her.

" Hey, don't touch that part. Just hold and don't move." She said.

" You should trust me."

"Tabdi jam!" She shook her head. "I don't have a scintilla of trust for you in that aspect. You clean cobwebs and it seems you will kill all the spiders in Abuja."

" Kachakum!" He said and laughed.

" I talked to Salim today." She said, raised her hand back and played with his side burns. He moved his hand to her bosom and she hit him.

" I told you not to go there."

" Not to go there? They are mine?"

" Hin'in ! Yours? " She chuckled. " They are mine, sir."

" They are mine my lady. I have been given licence from above to own them....."

" Hey, remember what Adnan told us fa. Don't intimidate me."

"Don’t mind him." He chuckled.

" My cutie" she whispered.

" Uhun..."

" We have been together for a while. Not for once have you ever gotten angry with me. I'm not perfect. Hope the day you would do, it won't be fatal."

He grinned.

" I may get angry with you but what matters is how to handle it. When a man gets angry with his wife, he should calm down at that moment, leave the house if you find it difficult to, then come back later and talk to her. Now we eat together, bath together and do many things together.
If you get me very angry, I would never insult you and beating is out of the way. That is beastly and cowardly. I will give you a call and tell you that you can eat alone. I got no appetite, or have your bath, I'm not ready now, or sneak into the bathroom have my bath alone and leave."

" That is savage. I already feel the pain already."

" Most ladies would be like, who cares, if you like, don't eat, I will eat it up.....but it's all crap. It hurts more . The same goes with you. I feel we could live our lives without a third party intervening."

" Awwwwwwnn, I love you."

" I love you more, pretty."

A few minutes of silence.

." Your visa is ready." He said as they lay on the centre rug. " I hope we should be in Dubai by next week. Spend just a week then cross over to Saudi for Ummurah then move to United States. I don't know what is going on with Damon and his wife. We lost contact completely. Can't reach them on phone. It's been over a year."

" I just hope it's all good with them."

" Sure." He said, thinking about what happened a few days ago. After his report on how he was shot at, the police raided the so called chemical company there and found nothing illegal. They denied any knowledge of the incidence.

But he knew there was something strange going on there. Halima told him about the strange collection of substances, and the fact that Bug was connected to them made it stink. He wished he would see Damon.

" Let's go in," she whispered. " I can't walk."

“At Your Majesty Service?" he stood up, carried her carefully and went upstairs.

Mufty knew what was at stake. His life was on the line and they would not stop until they got to him. He needed the most proactive preconditioned mind-set: they knew he was alive.
He had been with them, and he knew how they operated. He would not wait for them to get him. It was not just all about him. He was getting married and that meant he had to protect her too. So he started planning.

When he discovered Alaramma, and the fact that he was considered as a victim, when he was the one who actually shot and killed the Sheikh, he knew it would take no time before he was found because Kamal was involved.
He was sure Alaramma knew about him. He began to stalk Alaramma. Mufty now discovered the shady life he lived. He had a guest house, where he usually took his mistress to. The fake man of God was nothing but a hypocrite.

Mufty set his plan to work. He had over seven Facebook accounts which were spurious. In the past, they used to use them to monitor the people, stalk and get information. He created a fake account and connected with some of the insurgents he knew.
They knew Leena’s name and the fact that she was getting married. He created an account with the name Leena but he never posted any picture. He also made friends with some of the insurgents. He knew who they were because he was part of them. Then he began to post about getting married.

This was how he led them to believe he lived in a house which actually belonged to Alaramma by dropping fake hints. The social media was full of all kinds of people. You never knew who was watching.
He contacted three men: Jibril Kabeer AKA, JK, Garba AKA Gabby and Rilwan. These were some of his most loyal men. He had convinced them to leave the sect. He chose them because he recruited them and he knew the guiles he used to cajole them. He was glad he got them to understand that the movement was evil.

Mufty was setting up a team to not just protect himself and wife but counter some of their acts. He knew they were too big to fight by himself, but he may just have a chance to cause them a major setback or reveal something about them that could lead to their extinction.

So on that day. He knew a soldier was following him. He had asked Gabby, who resembled him in terms of body structure to wear the same dress as his. It was in the evening so when he entered the mall, it was Gabby who came out and followed by the soldier while Mufty went back to his wife.

Before then, Mufty made JK start selling caps to Alaramma juts to establish a contact. He did not only avert the insurgents, or confuse ATOF but made them take down Alaramma and a good number of insurgents. This was a major breakthrough for ATOF.

“Breakfast is ready.” Leena said with a smile. “BB”

“Thank you BB.” He said with a warm smile.

She raised her eyes.

“BB?”

“Yes, Baby Bear.”

“Nah! I am not a baby, I am a big girl.”

“There can’t be two big bears in the house. You have to be the baby bear because you need to be treated like one.”

“Treat me like a baby? I am big.”

“You are a big girl but you are my baby. Why do you think when you fall asleep sometimes while watching TV, I just carry you to the room even
when I know you could walk? Why do I feed you? Why do I rest your head on my chest and rock you to sleep. You are my baby because you are so delicate, vulnerable, sweet, cute, soft and a wife. My wife.”

She moved and held his hand. Pulled him up and he send his hand round her waist.
As they began to walk out of the room, she said, “that makes you my baby too….”

“I know Leena. The last time I felt being loved and taken care of was when my mother was still alive. I am a man but you make me feel like a pampered child.”

“Just doing my duties. Come on, let’s go and have breakfast.”

They walked leisurely to the dining room.

“Ya Allah! What is going on?” He exclaimed as he saw how she stashed the table with varieties of food.

“It’s our anniversary BB. One month into a life of delectation with the best man of my life.”







He was slender, tall with very curly hair. His thin eyes were shifty, and white. He had dark lips below hooked nose. His low side burns joined the long goatee to give him a swaggering façade. Dressed in blue caftan, he carried himself majestically towards the big gate of the house.
It was at that point he saw Adam leaning against his car. He raised his thin eyes and widened his lips into a smile.

“Adam!”

Adam who had his attention on his phone raised his face and expressed astonishment.

“Rouq-man!”

He gave Adam a hug before they shook hands.

“When did you arrive?”

“I just came back two days ago. Though I was in Abuja until yesterday. I don’t like the things that I hear around here.”

“That is what we are going through but thank God nobody will die before his time. It is not all men that go for war that die and it not all men who stay back at home live.”

“Fact! Words! Adam, so are you still single or….”

“It was one month yesterday. You just disappeared.”

“One month! Congratulations. You guys finally made it. Alhamdullillah. May Allah bless the union; give you bright and blessed children.”

“Ameen.”

“Whoa! I came back to do that too. I have being in Sweden but spent the last six months in Canada.”

“Just flexing, dude.”

“Yeah but I have to settle down. What are you doing here? I can guess. You are waiting for her: your bride.”

Adam nodded with a smile.

“I want to see….” He started but paused as the gate opened and he saw Haneefa come out. She looked different. He had not seen her in eight months. She had added weight, and looked brighter but more matured. There was something different he noticed about her.

He smiled.

“What a pleasant surprise!” Haneefa said with a smile. “when did you come back?”

He came out of his thoughts and smiled back.

“How would you know when you changed your line? Two days ago.”

“That is cool. I guess you have been having a nice time.”

“Yes but I am here for the best time.” He said and winked at Adam. “ Like Adam is having right now with his wife.”

“I know right. He and his wife are having the best moments of their lives.”

“How is Baba, Mama and everyone else?”

“Alhamdulillah. We are good.”

“I guess I will have to go and see them. Where is Leena? I guess they are leaving, right?”

“Leena is with her husband.” Hannefa said. “ and you just asked of Adam’s wife…”she smiled and gave Adam a sexy glance, “I am here, Farouq.”

Boom!

Farouq thought it was just a nightmare.

“You can’t be serious! When did you get married? To Adam? You don’t expect me to believe that, Haneefa! You can’t get married without telling me. It is not true. Stop the joke. Adam, tell her to stop it.”

“I changed my line because of you….”

“But I told you that I was coming back soon so we can get married.”

“That is the past and I must remind you that you are talking to a married woman in presence of her husband.”

Farouq began to sweat. Did he take her for granted? Was it his fault? But they had no right to do this to him. He came back for her.

“Adam is it true?”

Adam nodded. It did not make sense to Farouq. Adam was dating her best friend. How? But the only thing that resonated with him now was Haneefa was married to Adam.

His thin eyes began to radiate virulence. He felt his bile rising and began to perspire.

“You guys just made a great mistake. You just destroyed me and I will never forget that! Happy married life.”

There was a look in his eyes that scared Haneefa.

“We did nothing wrong. You could not date a girl of her age and not get more serious. You never even had a formal introduction and just left the country. You ….”

“Shut up you cheat! You traitor. You don’t tell me what to do. She knew I loved her and I still do.”

“Don’t say that again. She is my wife…”

“Really? I see you as a caretaker. She is mine and I am back.”

“Just go home. You are out of your mind now.”

Farouq clenched his fist. He felt like smacking Adam.

“I dare you to say that again.”

“I said go home!” Adam said and moved forward, his face turning grim and pugnacious. “I will not watch you say or act the way you like. Just leave us alone.”

Hanneefa moved and grabbed her husband.

“Baby lets go home please.” She said and Farouq saw the way she did it and went barmy. Haneefa?

Farouq puffed out air, turned and moved aggressively to his car, opened the car door and slammed the door forcefully.
He gave them one more glare.

“Happy married life swine. Expect a wedding gift from me.” He drove the car out with an incredible speed.

They just messed with the wrong person.





“Leena,” Haneefa said into the mouthpiece. “ I am scared . He can’t be reached on his phone. The police has not found anything. They talked to Farouq, he said he knew nothing. He denied ever threatening us.” She was crying.

“Subahanallah! When?”

“Let me talk to her.”

Leena gave the phone to Mufty.

“Tell me more about it.” He said and Leena saw a change in his expression. Haneefa began to talk. Mufty listened carefully.

“Thank you, just calm down and pray.” He said and began to add things up. Farouq….

mirabelswittie:
No,,,he promise to complete it,,,check this out

Worry not, we will see what can be done

Beneath My Heart

okeyben10:
nawani

Garabasa mu keyi. Naira dari biyar kachal

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“ I am going to miss you dearie.” Nadia said as if she was going to try. “Are you guys staying long?”

“ Maybe three months.” Adnan said.

“That is like forever.” Nadia said.

“ I will miss you darling.” Naairah said. “I wish you guys could come visit us.”

“ I plan to apply for leave so we would go to Paris. We could come over to US and see you guys, hang around before we come back.” Jamil said.

“Is that a surprise package?” Nadia said. “You never told me.”

“ I wanted to do that after I get the leave. But I had to do it now because your dearie, darling ,missing thing got me emotional.”

“That is so nice of you and the idea is awesome.” Naairah said.

Adnan pretended to be happy about it but he knew it was not just a pleasure trip. He told Naairah that he had something to tell her but he did not tell her because the mood was too romantic. But they always had such moods. He had to tell her today and tell her about the arrangement.
But when carefully planned, he would still have time for fun.

“It will be a splendid idea.” Adnan said after a thought. “ I hope you guys would make it.”

“Insha Allah.” Jamil said.

“I guess this is our last meeting…” Nadia said.

“ For now” Naairah cut in.





A very dark complexioned bloke opened the door to Lawal’s car and got in.

“ Good timing Duna.”

“ Thank you boss.”

“ Can you see those couples there?”

Duna looked at them.

“I see your former wife…”

“Don’t call her my former wife. She is my wife……we are going to pick her, and fix the husband. I would not mind necrophilism if we don’t pick her alive.”

Duna hid his surprise. Lawal was only into political thuggery. This was a new one and that sent a wave of excitement into him.

“Do you have your rod?”

“ You know I would have it sir.” Duna said.

“ I think you can do with two million naira.”

“ Sai Babban yaya ( That’s the big brother)!” Duna exposed his white teeth. “ I smell dead bodies already.”

“I need the girl alive. I will shoot the guy and we pick her but if she proves stubborn, we shoot her and pick the body.”

Duna said nothing. He did not know the meaning of necrophilism which was also known as thanotophilia, necrochlesis or necrolagnia.
That was not his business.

Lawal watched the happy couples bidding each other good bye.

Last good bye.




Nadia was under the wheel of the car while Jamil sat beside her. They wove at Naairah and her husband before she drove past Lawal’s car. Lawal started his car engine and drove after them.
Adnan drove behind them but they did not know who was in the car. They took another road and went towards their home, leaving Lawal trailing Nadia and her husband.

“ I am so happy for her.” Nadia said. “ And I truly like Hayat now.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“ Okay, that slipped out of my mouth but I never told anyone this. I was part of those who encouraged her to marry him and move on but….she had a first love. That was real love because they met under a funny circumstance and by worldly standard, they were not on the same level but she fell for him against all odds.

They faced a lot of troubles like we did but their love stood the test of time. They stuck to the guns and I finally fell in love with the relationship. But he was killed under some strange circumstance but she never believed he was dead.She waited for almost four years before she was forced to marry this guy. But thank God, she fell in love with him along the line and she is happy. He is a nice guy. He treats her well and those around her. He gave me the job …..”

“And my company contract.” Jamil said quickly.

“Yeah but the truth is….I never forgot Adnan. But I presume he is dead and it is too late now. I have to forget him and the good thing is ,they are very similar, not physically but there are things that just seems to connect them so I guess it made it easy for her.”

“ Hmmmm….May Allah forgive his soul.”

“Ameen.”

She gave him her phone.

“Please connect me to Naairah. Search for bestie.”

Jamil collected the phone and dialled Naairah’s number. He gave it to her when it connected.

“I am abetting you. Driving and calling: bad habit.”

“ I am sorry Sweetheart. “ She said before she collected the phone.

“ Dearie….” Nadia said, “ I am driving so I will be straight. I never told anyone yet…..I think I have to moderate my take of chocolates too.”

Jamil heard Naairah screaming from the other end before he got what she meant.

“ What are you talking about?” Jamil asked at once.

She gave him a sexy glance.

“ I am pregnant.”





“ Okay, I think they are taking the right way.” Lawal said as he drove after them. “ This is so sweet. She is driving so I will waylay her, shoot him and you pick her up……..”

“Yes sir.”

He smiled again, feeling his gun. He loved this.

Jamil and his wife were happy in the car while death followed them.

Beneath My Heart now available. ebook format.

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It had been fun for the couples after hours of trips and shopping at Jabi Lake Mall. Naairah was so happy for Nadia. She had never seen her look so radiant and vivacious. They were at the parking lots after and ready to part.

“ Oh, Dearie I forgot your chocolates.” Nadia said before she realised that Naairah was winking at her.

“What chocolates?” Adnan asked.

Naairah sighed.

“Kin kwafsa (you messed up)”she said to Nadia.

“ Damn, I did not know that he does not want you to take…wait. What am I missing? What is it about intake monitoring?” she rolled her eyes,

“anyone feeding through your umbilical chord?”

"Shut up and feel chastened for exposing me.”

“Oh my God!” Nadia exclaimed while Naairah blushed, feeling ashamed because Jamil was there.

Nadia hugged her .

“I am so happy.”

Jamil looked at the ladies and turned at Adnan.

"Alhamdulillah ! I am so happy for you.” And they shook hands.

“Whatever."Nadia said and they laughed.

“Hey, but chocolate is perfectly safe for pregnancy.” Nadia said. “ It could even lower the risk of preeclampsia.”

“That is true.” Adnan said. “If taken in moderation. But Miss Sunshine could eat just chocolates for lunch and dinner. It contains caffeine and it stops her from eating other healthy foods.”

Nadia looked at Naairah and grimaced. “ You must take it in moderation or else…”

“See who is talking.” Jamil cut in. “ Are you not a chocolate queen? Thank God I got the negative sides. She keeps telling me it is good for pregnancy.”

“ Okay, I will give the chocolates to you, Ya Hayat and you give it to her, please.”

“Okay, let me have them.”

Naairah smiled. “ Awwwnnn thank you darling.”

“No! Leave the chocolates Nadia. She would use this smile of hers to cajole me to give all to her today.”

“She won’t do that, daddy.”

Adnan smiled.

“Okay, bring it. ”He said. “You see, she called me daddy and I am asking her to bring it. We get home, Miss Sunshine calls me Hayati and I smile like a fool and feed her all of the ice-cream.”

“You are my daddy ,remember but we used my bride price to eat chicken pepper soup.”

They laughed shortly.

They talked and laughed, unaware of a man who was sitting in a tinted SUV. Lawal wore a tight lip, his eyes steadily on the couples.
They were laughing and having fun while he was suffering. This had to be settled at once. He could not stand watching Nadia enjoy her marital life while he suffered. If he was not going to have her, then nobody was going to do that.
Then he would go for Hayat. The bastard had affected his business empire. Who the hell was he? He did not give a damn. He was going to kill him too.

Lawal had to swallow his pride to go and beg Adnan to let him have his license back. Adnan promised to do that. When that was done, he would kill the bastard!
But Hayat was his secondary problem.

He opened his pigeon hole and brought out a gun, loaded it slowly as he watched the happy couples. They were happy. He grinned evilly. How would they know it was going to be their last outing together ? He hoped they were going home.
It would be settled at Ribadu Boulevard. That was a quiet road. It was going to be a clean job and he was not hiring anyone to do this. There is nothing that would give him more pleasure than sending them to grave himself.

Then an idea fell on his mind. Why not kill Jamil, snatch her at gun point and then take her somewhere and rape the hell out of her, keep her for six months then kill her?

Yes!

That would be the first choice of action but if that would not work, then he would kill her right away.

He picked his phone and called someone.

“ Duna, where are you?” He said, listened and then said, “ Meet me at Jabi Mall now. Please hurry." He hoped the couples will keep talking for the next fifteen minutes when Duna would have arrived. He needed a helping hand.

TWENTY-THREE

“It is befuddling.” Kamal said, removed his cap and dropped it on Derrick’s desk. He lowered his balk and heaved a sigh. “It’s still a dead end.”

Derrick pointed at a percolator.

“Coffee?”

Kamal nodded and carried a teacup, poured coffee into it and sipped.

“Do you mean Manga was not found there?”

Kamal shook his head.

“No. But our mystery man knew something. He must have being an insider.”

“I am confused.”

“We set up a trap for Manga whom our men have been watching. We dug into his activities. Our men followed him to a mall and he met with someone. Their rendezvous looked fishy. One of my men followed the young man Manga met. The second man followed Manga. The young man was followed to Alaramma’s house. He was seen loitering around the house as if stalking.

Alaramma was attacked because he worked with the late Sheikh. We got suspicious. The intelligence soldier saw Manga move out of his house at night. This happened on his wedding day. He was followed to a road that led to Alaramma’s house.
When I got this information, I became suspicious. I had no doubt Manga knew something. Manga left his new house in the evening, took a bike and arrived at Baruwa. He entered a stall, came out and took another bike to Alaramma’s area. We were alerted and we swept into action.
But we were late. The insurgents were there before us. They had got in and killed alaramma and a woman.”

“His wife?”

Kamal shook his head.

“A mistress.”

“What? Is that allowed?”

“No. That was a secret we found out. He was not as religious as he claimed.”

“Why do you think he was killed?”

“That is part of the things we are trying to figure out. They got him before us. We killed all of them. None of them escaped but unfortunately, we could not get anyone alive.”

“What about Manga? Did you kill him too?”

“That is the irony. He was not there.”

“But he was followed.”

“I am confused. The soldier was sure he was followed but Manga was seen in the mosque. He even spoke to his colleague. He has a strong alibi.”

“How is that possible?”

“I think the man who was followed is not Manga. The soldier was in Mammy Market that afternoon. He may have been drunk.”

“What about the young man who Manga met?”

“He was seen there. He was not loitering about. He said Alaramma owed him some amount of money and refused to pay him so he followed him to his secret lodge.”

“Owed him for what?”

Kamal sipped coffee.

“He sells caps. We checked his call logs and realised that he and Alaramma had been contacting.”

“But he still met with Manga. What about that?” Derrick asked.

“He said he owed Manga. He sold a cap to him that was faulty and Manga asked for a refund. That prompted him to go to Alaramma to get his money, buy another cap and give to Manga who was angry because he wanted to use it for his wedding.”

Derrick moved his backwards.

“Where was the Youngman when the insurgents came?”

“He ran away. He called Alaramma who did not pick. Then he called our emergency line. When the operator picked, he babbled in confusion. It was later we related the incidence to the carnage.”

“I see why there is confusion.”

“There is something else…”

“Hmmm?”

“Someone called us and said Alaramma killed the sheikh. He said we should check his phone logs, we may find a certain number. He gave us the number.”

“This is getting more intense.”

“We searched his phone and guess what?”

“What?”

“We saw a number that matched.”

“Whoa!”

“And we called the number.”

“Was there a pick?”

Kamal took a sip and replenished the cup.

“The voice I heard was that of Jahl. Immediately he realised that it was not Alaramma, he cut the line. That was before he may have found out that his men are dead. That was the last time the line existed. We recorded the voice and compared it with that of Jahl. We got a match.”

“What? You mean he was part of them”

“We suspect that. He has a lot of wealth but we don’t his source of income. He was known to have a shop where he sold Islamic books and CDs. What we saw could not provide what he had.”

“Were his bank transactions scrutinised?”

“He never received transfers. He deposited cash.”

“Who made this call?”

“We traced the number. The SIM was registered with the name of Sule Hamidu. He died one year ago. But he said something….he called himself Maskman.”

“What!”

“And the leak started from our social media agent.”

Mufty smiled as they left the bathroom. His phone was ringing. He went and picked it.

“Hello.”

“Done, sir.” Someone said. “Idi and the men are dead. So is Alarama and his woman. It worked.”

Mufty smiled.

“Alhamdulillah. This is just the beginning. I will get back at you.”

He turned to see his wife on the bed. He would not tell her what just happened. It was their first night. He would not tell her that it was him who set them up because he knew they were after him. He would not tell her that Kamal thought he was a fool. Setting men to watch him was an advantage to him. This was now more of a war of brains.

He remembered how he did it. But for now, he still has a first night with his pretty wife.

He walked slowly to her with a smile.

THIRTY-THREE

“ You are a policeman.” The huge man said. “ Where is Tania? Sly, that is my name, right? I remember that vividly. I am sly and Tania was with me that day. Where is Tania?”

Henry was shivering, cursing the day he joined the Police Academy. The man was intimidating and very scary. His voice sounded like the rumbling of thunder.

“ Chill man!” Henry said with a shaky voice.

“Don’t tell me to chill…”

“I am a Police Officer and my duty is to serve the people. “Henry said, “ to make them happy and that is what I intend to do. I am going to find Tania for you, sir. That is my obligation. Just relax and don’t plug out my heart,” he touched his heart, “I need this heart to find Tania …for you. Okay, I am your friend..your best friend…”

“Shut up! I don’t have a friend. They caught me and took Tania away, and put me…..what did they do to me?”

“Who?”

‘You know what I am talking about!” He yelled and Henry literally shook violently. “You are a police officer and you know.”

“I am a dumb police officer, sir. I know nothing. Some times I forget my service number…”He forced a chuckle, “ I have always been so dumb that is why I don’t know what happened to you. The only thing I know how to do is find Tania. Just give me the chance and I will get Tania. Tania right?”

“I am hungry.”

“No problem, feel at home, buddy.” Henry said and ran to his kitchen and brought out food from the oven. Sly dropped the cigarette and collected the food. Henry was amazed to how he devoured it at once.

“More.” Sly said. “Wait, let us go to the kitchen.”

He followed Henry to the kitchen. He looked round, saw a jug of milk and gulped it at once. He opened the oven, brought out food and devoured it.

What!
He belched and drank five bottles of water.

“ Now tell me where I can find Tania.”

“I told you that I am so dumb..”

“But you said you are good at finding Tania.”

“Yes but you have to tell me about her. I need to know what happened to you.”

Sly buzzed, his red eyes radiating fear.

“ We were coming back from a party and these men came in a car. They brought out a gun, and they said they were cleaning the city. I was a peddler if you know what I am talking about. Drugs and I have always hated the police…..”

“I don’t have any truck with drug peddlers. They keep the people happy, void of hypertension. They get high and feel happy. I am with the homicide squad….”

"In drug business, we kill ….”

“That is what we call justifiable homicide in the law. It is a necessity, buddy. I don’t have problem with that.”

“Good. You are a good cop.”

“Trust me.”

“ They showed me a gun and took Tania away. I was blindfolded and taken away to a darkroom. They did something to me and I stopped thinking. I don’t know how long I was put in that glass box.”

“Glass box?”

“ Yes. So many of us. And now, I woke up and feel so different. I need to save Tania and I will keep ripping hearts until I find her. She is good girl.”

“Okay, I need you to wait here while I go and get her for you. I will be right back with Tania, okay?”

Sly nodded.

“You can do that, can’t you?"

“I see visions and I knew one day, I was going to find Tania.”

“Good.”

Henry picked his holster, car keys and ran out of the room. He was sweating as he ran down stairs.

“ Officer, hope you are good?” a lad living next to him asked.

Henry did not reply to him. All he wanted was to get the hell out of here. He got to his car, with shaky hands, he opened the car door, got under the wheel, started the car engine and heard a swift smooth sound.

Sly was sitting by his side. How fast was that?

“ I think you will need my assistance.” Sly said. “ I want your mission to be successful. Take me to Tania or else…I will rip off your heart.”

Henry broke into a new stream of sweat. His swagger completely off. He looked so pathetic now.

“I don’t think that is a nice idea.” Henry said. “ They misunderstood you, and think you are a killer but I will make them understand that it is not your fault. They took Tania away from you. What they did is not good. Just go relax in my house, I will get Tania to you.”

“How? You don’t even know her….”

Okay, he was not that dumb.

“ Yeah, I was going to check profiles.”

“Her name is Tania Bringham.” He said. “ I will go and wait for you. If by any chance you try to fuc* with me, and you don’t get my Tania, I promise, I will plug the heart of your fiancée and then come for you.”

“How did you know that?”

“ I spent some time in your room before you came back. I have a picture, and her bio-data. I will get her. Now wait.”

He picked a file that was behind the car, removed a paper and then said, “get me a pen.”

Henry gave him a pen.

It took him just five minutes to draw two pictures.

“That is Tania and the other is your fiancée. That means your fiancée is right under my watch. I will get her and that is part of the new me. I never knew how to draw. I imagine things perfectly and bring them to life. And see……”

He used the pen and tore his skin. It took no time to heal.

“They used some kind of catalyst to make my reactions faster. This should have taken weeks to heal. I will get Tania first, then go after those who did this to me. I also need you to tell me who the hell is Adnan Abbas. I heard then mention that name. I will kill them all. All of them!”

He opened the car and went out.

“Do not think you can escape from me. I will be back.”

He walked away and disappeared into darkness.

Phew!

Henry puffed out air, and closed his eyes. That was close! But he just gained some information. He called Lieutenant Douglas.

“ Sir, I have been doing some diggings and I went after the man. I got his name, Sly and I got him to tell me who Tania is. I have her picture, he drew it. I think there is something going on. I just got what no cop has gotten. I will be right there, sir.”

Henry smiled as the called ended. Now time to imagine what the headlines would look like: He unravelled the mystery- The super cop Henry Rogefr ; Epitome of bravery: Sergeant Henry Roger goes after dangerous killer alone! Spunky cop, Henry Roger dares the devil .

He checked the cameras in the car and went through the shots. No! They were not good. He looked scared and Sly looked in control.
Okay, there would be no pictures. Only his picture would be displayed. He came out of his car, saw a young lad walking by.

“Hey, come here.”

The boy came, looking scared because he had weed on him.

“I need you to give me some shots, here.” He gave the boy his i-pad.

He posed, wearing that stern expression. He took another shot while walking with a tough looking face and his pistol in his hand. He got about ten shots and felt he had enough.

“Thank you kid.”

“Anytime officer.” The lad walked away gladly.

“I am here for you all.” He said and got into his car. This was a case that the president had heard of. This was his time to shine.
He looked into the side mirror and redressed his cap. Then he thought, who is Adnan Abbas? The name sounded Arabian or Islamic. Was it a member of a so-called terrorist group?

TWENTY-TWO

" Come on."

They could not leave it opened. Damon became jittery and with an incredible speed began to close the slots and try to make it look normal.

" Hurry!" Johnny said, "Just leave."

Damon could hear the footsteps too. He heard the sound of a door open as he finished but there was doubt that they could not leave. As the door opened, they had just a split second to hide behind the piles of boxes.
Damon was shocked to see an old woman, looking like a nonagenarian, walking slowly with a walking stick. Her hair was grey, her eyes behind thick lensed glasses, wearing a shapeless baggy skirt and silk shirt.

She left the door opened, removed a stick of cigarette and lit it, sat on the armchair and pressed a button on the chair. A dispenser opened, dispensed beer into a glass and the beer was brought to her via a machine. The hall was automated.
She inhaled and exhaled smoke heavily, sipped beer and felt at ease. Just a few minutes later, they heard another step and a lady came in. She could not have been more that forty. She was chubby, with long black hair and wore a red dress.

The old woman grinned but said no word. The lady came and knelt before her and without delay began to raise the old woman’s skirt up. It took no time to remove her pants and exposed her....no, his manhood.

Professor Alex Sean, Richard's father!

Damon closed his eyes as she started. He could hear the disgusting sound. Ten minutes nonstop! Heck!
He now got up after he was done with that part of the fornication. Damon realized that Alex was younger and stronger than he claimed. Damon had been on movie sets in the past as a stuntman and he knew a little about make- up.

Alex lifted her dress up and ....damn! Damon closed his eyes again but the sound of movements he heard made it obvious that the was still strong, and wondered if a younger guy could do better.

Ten minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Thirty-five minutes.

Jeez!

She had to beg for mercy. This old man was one hell of a horse. It took him another twenty minutes to let her go.

" Hehehe." He laughed as he wore his skirt. " You know age, baby. I used to be strong back in those days."

She covered her butt and redressed, breathing hard.

" You must have killed a lot of women." She remonstrated, " no man drill me like you do."

He frowned.

" You mean there are others?"

" I said no man has ever drilled me like you do. That was in the past." She twisted. She chuckled. " Thank God I did not know you then."

He threw an envelope at her.

" That's ten grand baby." He said. " I told you I will take care of you."

She collected it and put it in her bag.

" That is why I love you." She said, brought out a mirror and checked her face. " When next do you need me?"

" I need you to spend three days with me. Not more."

" Mhhh, the last time I spent three days with you, I got a two week rest and healing."

" But you don't mention getting fifty thousand bucks." He lit another cigarette and sat down.

" Who said you are not a sweet boy."

" Hehehehehehe, here .." he brought another bundle of cash and gave. " another ten for calling me a boy. "

His phone chimed.

" You need to go." He said. " Be there tonight."

She kissed him and walked out, swaying her hips while he stared after her. Kinky old man.

She was just at the door when another lady came in: Mrs Grant ( Richard).
Damon felt a percutaneous fear radiating. He cringed.

Richard glared at her as she passed him by.

" Don't even start, son. I'm not a kid."

Richard's face was granite hard.

" What is wrong with you, dad?"

Crazy! Here were two women, calling each other son, and dad.

" You are still hanging with her?" Richard asked bitterly.

" If she dies like Anita, Christy, and Gwen, be sure there will be reprisal. What do you take pleasure in killing my girls?"

"It is dangerous. They know you got a di** . Can't you see that is dangerous?"

" I take good care of them and they don't want to lose me. Who's gonna dish out money to them like I do? What the hell is my money for if I can't have fun? I'm seventy five and my days are numbered. I need as much fun as I can."

" I don't like this! "

" What do you suggest then? " Alex said with a smirk. " Celibacy is out of the way, you know that. It's easy for you because you have your wife who takes care of you. But having a wife with such beards must be disgusting...hehehehehe, with bare chest, and deep voice."

" I'm not here for that."

" Hehehehe, you don't want me talking about it, huh. I kind of feel you are jealous that I have real women. Now, what is it my son?"

" We got one hundred and fifty billion out of the three quakes."

" I'm not too senile to forget that."

" And you got me ten billion dollars."

" So, generous of me."

" It's not fair, dad."

" We got two more quakes and I will give you fifteen more. What's not fair? I own this empire and you are my boy. I get fifty for each, keep forty-four, give you five and one goes into logistics. Isn't that an epitome of benevolence and gregariousness?"

" You own the empire but I make it work. You are just an old man tied up in a skirt and having sex with younger girls...."

" The old man with the brains. I am the professor and you are not you. I put the dreams to live. I give the blueprint for your fucki** company. So, shut up!"

" Do you think this brain of yours is still important? This machine here will spin one trillion dollars every fucki** year. What else do I need? I got the blueprint of every other thing and the chip is not your brainchild. With this, I can say to hell with all other investments. Two trillion dollars in seven hundred and thirty days. Hmmm.....That means I can spend five hundred billion dollars in six months. That is an average income of eighty billion dollars a month. That means I can spend two billion dollars a day, what the hell do I need your brain for? I will make all other investments a charity source and make more name."

" Hehehehe. I knew this day will come, Ted, I am your father and I know you. You have waited for this, a day when you will kill me. Now with this sweet calculations you made, all for yourself, it is obvious that you need me dead. But if I die, you go down because I got you hooked. Hehehehe. Everything about your life is documented and put in place. If the cause of my death is found to be suspicious, though I know you have brilliant ways of making it look natural, or an accident, you will go down. Just pray for my life because your life is tied to mine. Pray I die on my bed, where I make a last speech and bless you but any sudden death....hehehehe you are gone. Are you not happy I am making you the president of United States of America? I built the foundation, I made you." He touched his cheeks, " I love you, son."

Damon could see the pain and hatred in Richard's eyes. There was no doubt he had wanted to kill his father.

" Anything about my grand daughter?" Alex asked, lighting another cigarette.

" No, but we will find them. This time, I will kill them."

" Them?"

" Alicia is worthless. I loved her but she is now a threat. She has chosen him over us. He organized a gang to attack me. I guess the boy is a hidden criminal. If I had known he was that bad, I would have blessed their marriage. All I need is someone to make her reason with us and keep the pedigree."

" He is not a bad boy." Said the old man. " His father is the bad boy. You feel smart but you know nothing at times."

"What do you mean?"

" I watched the footage. I saw the inside work . I got Drud to abduct one of your workers. He was touched lightly, just removal of two fingers and he talked. He was the inside man. The organiser was Stone."

" Stone?" Richard wondered. " Stone? Sergeant Simon?"

" Hmm....that bad boy is alive." Alex shrugged. " And I guess he still has it with him."

" Is he Damon's father?"

" Yes, but he stayed away from them. He knows people like him ought not to keep a family. Nobody was safe with him. "
Damon was shivering. They were talking about his father. Simon was connected in one way or the other. When will this saga seize to spill surprises?

" We must obliterate that family. And my daughter has to go. But I will get my grandchildren. With my blood and Stone's in them, they should live to make us proud."

" Hey!" The old man shouted atonce. He walked to the machine, this time with no stick or pretence of being too old. It took him just a few seconds to realize something was wrong.

" The chip! The chip is gone !"He sounded like he was going to faint. How could such an old man who had numbered days be so involved in worldly things?

He checked a hidden timer.

" It was removed less than two hours ago. Alert the house. The culprits must be somewhere close by."

" Two hours is a long time for escape." Richard said also looking perturbed.

" If it is one kilometre away from here, there will be a red light that shows it's out of range. It is close by and we must get it...at all cost."


The rumbling in Damon’s stomach was worse than the three earthquakes put together. Trouble!

Weldon shreder. All the best.

Uthman51:
how can I get this book naa

Send a mail to info.bellanbooks@gmail.com to order

TWENTY-TWO

Before they settled at the dining table, they performed two raka’ats of prayer. Now they sat at the dining table, their chairs juxtaposed. Mufty had pulled off his caftan and wore a t-shirt and black sports pants. Leena had also removed her veil after the prayer.
Mufty was mesmerized with the manner she had set the table. There was Barbecued Picnic Chicken with Chicken Peach-Cucumber Salsa; Creamline Yoghurt, Chocolate profiteroles, Kunun aya, home-made fruit juice, and fresh fish soup.

She had arranged the varieties of fruits in an amazing way. This was good and he loved every moment of it.
She was sitting very close to him. He touched her cheek with his lips.

She pulled the chicken towards her, used a table knife to slice off some parts before she slowly sent a soft flesh into his mouth.
He masticated slowly. He also took a piece and sent it towards her mouth. As she opened her mouth, it was slow, and he saw the slight movement of her tongue, her well set teeth, and the curving of her wet lips. And he nearly took back the meat to send his lips to hers. She was breath-taking, attractive and addictive. He put in the meat and she chewed. He gave her a peck on the lips. He could not just let those lips go free. They were his and he had the prerogative to have them.

“I love you, Leena. I swear I do,”

She smiled, blushed and said, “I love you too….BB”

He raised his eyebrow.

“Okay, you hid the name you will call me until now.” He smiled. “May I know what BB means. Let me guess, Big Buffon?”

She slightly hit him and laughed.

“How dare you call my husband a buff…..no, I can’t even repeat that. Dude, you should have some respect for me and my husband. Wait, am I really saying husband? Oh my God! I am married, and it sounds so new.”

He chuckled. He could understand. It felt surreal.

“I am sorry for calling your husband that.”

“Good. BB mean Big Bear.”

“Hmmm….”

“I chose to call you that because you are as strong as a bear and makes me feel secured and protected. I call you a bear because you are not androgynous yet you are soft and mild. You are my big bear because sleeping in your arms will give me that comfort I need. You are my bear, my pet and I plan to take care of you my baby.”

Mufty was taken away by her words. He loved girls that could express themselves, their feelings and that did not give any man the effrontery to take their love for granted. They were not foolish or gullible. They should be appreciated. There was a big difference between simplicity and stupidity. He had found love, he appreciated it and that meant holding on to it.

“I will go to court and my new name becomes Muhammad Manga BB.”

She giggled.

“I want to be your bear. This bear will bear with you through thick and thin. I am your bear, you are my lily, and I can’t wait to have you in my arms, give you that cuddle, with love in bundle. For example, your dimple is just a sample of your countless endowments my apple.”

She put another piece of meat in his mouth and he did the same. They ate, taken a little of each variety of food. It was so romantic coupled with the slow song that blared.

After the meal, he held her hand and he found her trembling even though she tried to hide it.
He got on his feet; he pulled her up and held her by the waist. She reluctantly held him. She was nervous. They walked slowly to the bedroom.
The bed was king size and beautiful. The bed sheet was made it look royal and romantic. He loved the room, the decoration and the furnishing.
They spoke less and he observed that she had lost some of her composure. He turned her and they stood facing each other. He kissed her.

“I am your husband; you are my wife. We belong together and that means a big wall has been broken between us. We have carte blanche here. Do not be afraid or shy.”

She nodded and closed her eyes.

He touched her face, kissed her forehead and embraced her. She felt more comfortable. She saw him pull off his t-shirt and she felt so weak she sat at the edge of the bed. What was going to happen?
When she saw his chest and abs for the first time, she melted. He was not too brawny, but he had the body of an athlete. He moved slowly to her, dragged her to her feet and they held her. She heard the sound of the zip of her gown and knew there was no escape.

But he was doing some things that swept her fears and nervousness away. Now she was more curious. Let it be, she relaxed and offered herself whole heartedly. He was her husband.

Mufty lowered her to the bed.






Idi moved slowly, stealthily, his AK 47 ready and a bomb in his pocket. He knew there was no way Mufty could escape. He knew Mufty was a soldier but he did not know that they were coming. He frowned. He did not like that. He wanted to face him and not sneak on him. He was being called the New Mufty. That was annoying. He wanted to be original and do what Mufty never did and killing Mufty head on was going to make him happy. But he had no choice now than to follow orders.

Kabul was behind him. The street was dark and the distances between the house and the neighboring houses were wide. They did not care about the neighbors. Anyone who dared interfered would receive a slog.

“The backup have come.” Kabul whispered. He just received a text that there was a truck with ten gunmen by their minivan. The third man was waiting by the van.

Idi guessed Mufty was having a nice time now. That would be the best time to get the infidel, apostate, and lost soul.
He stopped by the front door and listened. He heard nothing. He removed a small tool and slot into the keyhole. He twisted, and the door was opened. He smiled. He loved hard locks that challenged his ambidexterity but only few of such locks existed. The only locks he hated were automated, digital locks but anything manual was his game. He removed a small plastic and poured some oil on the hinges and door knob. He turned the door knob and pushed the door. It opened silently. He smiled. He slid in, followed by Kabul.

He removed the bomb and hid it behind a sofa.

He looked round the house and saw nobody. He pointed his head upwards.

“Their bedroom should be upstairs.” He whispered.

Kabul nodded.

They began to ascend the stairs silently. These men were trained killers. They saw a door and something told Idi that Mufty was inside. He turned and looked at Kabul. He gesticulated and Kabul nodded. He understood. Detonate the bomb if anything went wrong.
It was time for Mufty and his devilish wife to take a bow.




Leena turned and he grabbed her and pulled her back. She giggled. She relaxed and summed up the courage and turned back at him. She loved him and it seemed the feelings proliferated.
The fear, jitteriness, and unbalance were over. She was now a woman and being his woman made it more interesting. She had shared a room with him for weeks, never thought he would not rape her. He did not but now she was his. Patience was a virtue.

She felt peace, love and bliss. Her dreams had come true. She knew what she felt when she thought she would never see him again. The risk she took to find him. Her intentions were good and God helped her. Now she found him, and most importantly he followed her and left a dark past.

Mufty felt what he had never felt before. The person he had lost in himself many years ago was back and better. He was gullible and naïve then, Now he understood better. No one could cajole him to derail now. Thank God sent this princess whom turned to be his wife to him.
She excused herself and went into the bathroom. He watched her as she walked. He smiled at himself. He had the best woman. She was his dream woman and he felt she was enough for him.

As she came out, she saw him standing before the door.

“What?” She asked.

He held her and they went back inside. There was no Jacuzzi but the new bathtub he fixed was large and beautiful.
He began to mix water while she watched him. When he was through he held her and they got inside.
Oh no! It was good to be legally married. They were still having fun as Idi and Kabul got to the door and he slot in his master key.





“Oh my God!” Kamal exclaimed as he saw a text message.

“We are late. He is not alone. They are inside already.” He said. “Surround the house. Nothing comes out and leave. I mean nothing and includes an ant!”

“Yes, Sir!”

The military men began to move faster.

“Foes, fire!” A sergeant said as he caught sight of the truck with the backup insurgents.

Ratatatata!

There was an immediate exchange of gunfire.




Idi frowned. He just heard that as he opened the door. What was wrong?

“There is trouble.” Kabul said.

“We must hurry.” He said as he heard more gunshots.” He entered the room and pointed his gun. There was nobody on the bed. The lights were out but the faint rays of light made enabled them to see.
His blotchy eyes travelled to the bathroom door. It was obvious a man and a woman were on this bed not long ago. He had to hurry.

“Let us juts bomb the house and leave.” Kabul suggested.

“No.” Idi said. He wanted to put a slog through Mufty. It was at that point he came out of the bathroom as he heard the voice. He wanted to speak but it was too late. Idi sent bullets into his body.
His woman shouted and Kabul rushed there and fired more bullets. She died instantly.

“Let’s move.”

As they began to leave, Idi stopped and put on the light. He wanted to go back and be sure they were dead when he heard gunshots very close.

“Move it!” He said.

As they went down stairs they saw military men in the living room. It was too late.

“Detonate the bomb!” Idi shouted but he could not.

Bullets riddled their bodies and they both died before they dropped on the floor.

“There is a bomb in the house!” Kamal shouted.

She took in a deep breath.

"Hey! Don't do that." Adnan said seriously.

"Do what?"

" Breath hard. If you need to breath hard, call me to do that for you. You need to rest and breathing hard is a hard task."

She chuckled.

"You are not nursing a vegetable Mr Hayati."

He knelt before her, his knees on the floor while he rested his body on the bed, his face close to hers.

"You are not a vegetable Miss Sunshine but you are so delicate my love. I know your worth so I don't want anything to touch you. I meant it when I said you are my life."

" Hayati, I know that. How many men can do what you did? I was said to be barren, yet you were the one keeping me strong. You never stopped loving me, rather you were more caring. You had the chance to marry your Arabian cousin, she is beautiful and that cannot be denied but you never gave her a chance.....all for me. Hayati, you proved that I am your habibti. Thank you for coming into my life."

" Unconditionally is the word between us Miss Sunshine. Our hearts....."

"......Met on a star."The said in unison.

" We have to offer a Walima for this. Let us call people to eat and drink and thank Allah."

"I think I have a another idea."She said.

"Hmmmmm..."

"If we decide to invite people, it is going to be just the rich that will come. Why don't we reach out to those in need?"

"That is a better idea. In that case, we are not just going to give them food and drinks but arrange some cash in a pack for them."

"Like how much each?"

" Maybe fifty K."

"How many people are we gathering?"

He shrugged.

"May be five hundred. It is a miracle we are showing gratitude for."

" That should be around twenty five million naira."

"Yes."

"That is cool but why don't we invite just twenty five people and they get one million naira each? Don't you think by doing that one may invest and maybe help others one day?"

"No. That is a bad idea."

"Why?"

"Because you are bringing all of the best ideas and making me look daft."

"Come on. " She pushed the air jokingly. " We are doing this together. You propounded the whole idea."

"But seriously it makes a lot of sense. I have seen rich men sharing peanuts in the name of Zakkah. What you said is logical. Instead of giving meager amount to a lot of people that cannot not really change their lives, it is better you reduce the number of people and give them something bigger. They may turn out to give out Zakkah in future too. I love you darling."

" Do you know one thing I noticed about you?"

"No."

"You have a listening ear and you reason with me."

"I do not have a option . One of the greatest fool is he who feels he knows it all. The Prophet SAW used to seek for advice from his companions, he used to listen to them. Who the hell is Adnan Abbas?"

" Please come and lie close to me Hayati." She said.

He climbed the bed. She was lying on her right side, he went behind her and lay by his right side behind her. His hand passed one her waist and stopped on her tommy, his their heads juxtaposition and she placed her hand on his while her fingers moved on his strong hand slowly and sensually.

She felt warm, love and safe.

" I have never been more scared in my life." She said. "The first time I saw Baanah, I was intimidated. Her hair alone scared the hell out of me. So long, silky and beautiful. She is beautiful and I said to my self, what would happen if this pretty girl began to give you children?
And she made it worse by saying horrible things to me. I cried until my tears dried up. I wonder what barren women go through. I will never forget what you did for me. You were the only one I could confide in. Until now, I never told anyone, not Nadia who was going through hell herself, not my mother.
If I had told my mother, she would not have stopped it. She would have only advised me and you were doing just that and I saved her from high blood pressure. Now it's over. I am with your child Hayati. That has been one of my greatest wish. To have an everlasting bond with you. A being that share equal amount of chromosomes from us, your blood and my blood. May Allah guide and protect it."

"Ameen." He said. " Miss Sunshine..."

"Na'am."

"If not for the doctor's warning, I would have fought with you at this moment. Like serious boxing."

"Are you strong enough to do that?"

"I will leave the door open for an escape."

They chuckled.

"Why would you fight me?"

"Because you felt any woman's beauty could take me away from you. Lah! You are the most beautiful woman in the world to me. Miss Sunshine, I see the beauty of your soul and that is what I fell in love with first. Do not misconceive me, I love a beautiful woman and that is what you are. I am okay with you. No other woman can take your place. You have taken the whole of my heart, occupied it and refuse to leave space for another lady.
Let me say, you are my heart's landlady, chairperson and CEO. Never you feel intimidated or insecure. What we need is prayers. Let the devil not come between us. It is you, you and you. I love you with all of my heart, body and soul."
She turned and faced him, summed up courage and looked directly into his eyes, as she used to feel shy of sometimes, and then said, " I love you with my whole heart, body, and soul Mr. Adnan Abbas Haliru Babangida."

This was the first time she would mention his name since they began dating and she started calling him Hayati and when she did, it was done in full.

He giggled.

" I called you in full because I wanted you to know that I mean it. Nayi rashin kunya ko( I disrespected you, right)?"

"No my dear. I can relate." He then kissed her and their voices seized. It was now the voices of the body that could heard.

" Oh my God!" Adnan exclaimed and disengaged. " My food!"

He rushed out of the bed.

"You made my food burn." He said as he ran out.

"You did that to me a lot of times." She said after him.

Fifteen minutes later, he was back with a tray of food. He went back to bring some drinks. Naairah was glad because she was hungry. He dropped the trays and went to her.

"What?" She asked.

He carried her from the bed and carefully placed her on the floor gently.

"Hayati, I can do this."

"I know, why are you a queen? To be served and that is what this humble palace boy is doing.Just doing my duty."

" What a wonderful palace boy you are but you are also my king."

" I am your servant, cook, knight, king, companion, subject....I am just anything good to you or...that is what I am trying to be. I don't know if I do it right."

" You are the best. Just the best."

" Is this the part where girls say Awwnnnnn?"

She laughed.

" How do you guys say yours?"

" We go grrrrrrrrrrr..."

She laughed. "And the girl would run away."

She was surprised when she tasted the fried rice. The look of the food amazed her. How did he do it?He used to make tea, oat, omelette, and noodles for her for her but he had never really cooked like this.

"When did you learn how to do this?" She asked.

"I have always known how to cook." He said with a swagger, raising his shoulder. " A master chef."

She eyed him, rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me." She said and got up. She walked out of the room and then something nudged his brain.

"Come back hear Miss Sunshine!"

She did not. He got up and ran after her. He descended the step with alacrity. Naairah saw him and broke into a run, laughing.

"Do not go into that kitchen!" Adnan said chasing after her. He nearly caught her but she slipped through and went into the kitchen. she was laughing but gave out a light scream as he nearly caught her.
She rushed and carried a book that was on the cabinet. Adnan gave up and laughed.

"I caught you." She said. "Let me see.......My Cooking book by ..."

He snatched it laughing.

" Okay, you got me. I took everything from it."

"It is okay Honey. We women do it too. Your food taste great and I am so proud of you. Come here...my boy."

He smiled,dropped the book and walked to her like a little boy. She hugged and kissed him.

"I am proud of you. Let us go and enjoy the delicious cuisine by my husband."

"Okay dear." He said, turned and she knew what to do. She climbed his back and he started hopping like a horse, "Doki salama, baba baby na...."

They went back to their room to enjoy their meal.







Henry arrived his apartment late.As he climbed the stairs, he said aloud, "I hope everyone is good? "

"We are good officer "Mrs Ginladun replied. She was the only one who used to reply him amongst his neighbors.
He felt he was the one protecting then and would always show them how important he was.
He opened his door and went in. He was tired of coming to meet an empty house. He had to get married ASAP and have that welcome hug he always dreamt of.

He could imagine her say, "how was your day? "
And he would be like, "it was good. Had a hectic day, bust a gang of assassins......"

He stopped, stiffened and put on the light. He heard perceived cigarette smell.

He was shocked to see a huge dangerous man sitting on a chair.

"Welcome back Sarge" He said, "I have been waiting for you."

Jesus, Mary, Joseph!!!!!!

Oh no!

It was the beast!

Pappy received a call from Grandpappe and it was an emergency.
There was a strange development in USA and the Bastions had been consulted by the US President.
Adnan was needed and something else popped up. He had to be coronated as the TCO.
He did not know that Adnan was planning to join his sworn enemy: Mason Ford.



Henry was hiding behind a car, panting and his eyes bulged out. His cap had since gone missing, his gun was in his hand but he could not fire a shot any longer. He trembled as he peeped.That was swift and sanguinary. He had never seen a man with such a speed and agility. He had killed fifteen policemen already.
Who was he and what did he want?

The man was big, standing above six feet with a completely shaven head. The eyes were very red, and dark with a bogey façade. His body rippled with muscles. His skin was white, as if he had never been under the sun.

He looked around and grimaced.

"Where is Tania?" He shouted. " I want Tania. If you don't give me Tania, I will kill all of you. All of you!"

Henry jolted, he was literally shivering, and he wished no photographer should see him at this point. The swagger was gone as he peeped and prayed the monster should not see him.
The man opened a police car and drove off.

Henry came out with a great speed, his eyes looking serious, and shouting into his mouthpiece, " We need back up! Criminal on the run......."
The people that went into hiding began to come out, Henry was now looking very fearless and gallant. "I am going after him!"

He got into his car and drove off with an incredible speed. He had only driven for a few minutes when he caught sight of the police car driven by the man.

Jesus Christ!

He slowed the car, and contemplated turning back. He did not expect to catch up with him so soon. It was just a face saving gesture. He had seen how the man handle gun, killed policemen, tore hearts and broke necks.
He just proposed to Jenny a few weeks ago and he wanted to see that day. He pressed his legs on the brake pedal and the car was forced to an abrupt stop.

The police car was pulled up by the road side.
Henry came out of his car, holding his gun. He ran and hid behind a car, praying the man would not come for him. Then he heard sirens, backups were coming.

He sprang out, looking tough and acting as if he was going for the man. He wove at them to stop, pointing at the car.

" Suspect in the car." He said into the mouthpiece.

The armed police men alighted, and they all looked very alert. The car the suspect was in had not moved and they could see nobody in.

Detective Tim was part of the men. He alighted and crawled closer to the car.
Henry grimaced. Tim was going to take the shine. Henry could not let him take that. Henry followed him.
Tim waited, then broke into a run, got to the car and opened the door and aimed his gun.

" Freeze!" He shouted.

But there was no one in the car. The man was gone.

Henry was relieved at the news and he became his perky self.

" I assure Americans that I will do whatever I can to get the suspect." He told a journalist, wearing his gallant expression and the swagger was fully back. "He had escaped from the crime scene and I chased him alone because I could not afford to wait for the backup but unfortunately he escaped for now."

Later that day, the footage of the suspect was watched and this raised a lot of concern.
Who was Tania and why was he looking for her? There seemed to be something wrong with his reasoning power but his intelligence was befuddling.
What they later discovered from the footage was so puzzling they had to inform the Presidency.




Mason said into the mouthpiece.

"When are you coming?"

" I said in a fortnight." Adnan replied. Naairah needed five more days of rest and he could not travel with her then but he would not tell them about her.

"We have a situation."

"What is wrong?"

"One of the specimens escaped."

"What! How? I told you to wait for me."

"Dr Quinn said he could handle it. He said he was the DNA expert. We used the chemical and he did it. He applied it on Specimen C and he woke up, killed six guards and escaped. We got the footage and he is beyond what we had anticipated. Now he is making news. On a killing spree. He goes about looking for his girlfriend. They were together the night we snatched him."

Adnan puffed out air.

"Quinn or whatever fuc*ed up! I told you to wait for me. He is the DNA expert but I made the formula. We have to work together. The brain is a complex organ. Now I am instrumental to making a beast."

"That is not a problem. The only thing we must handle is how to control them but I am happy with his skill and ability. He heals within seconds. He is superfast and......."

"I will be there in eight days." Adnan cut in.

"Please hurry. I hear the President has been told and he has sent for my father. They might dig into it and know it is a part of the Evolution. That is not the best for us. I also need to contact Lori. Getting her pregnant is part of our deal and you can't tell me you don't have their contact because Addy got to you."

"We will talk about that when I arrive." Adnan said. " We have a more pressing issues at hand right now."

"Okay. I will be expecting you but is there nothing you can do to get him under control?"

"I don't think you made arrangements for a censor for remote control. We can't do anything until I get there. We will have to track him, sedate him and treat him.
They do not know what can bring him down easily. What you have there is a bio-robot. Just give me time."

"Okay. I will make arrangements for your arrival. I hope you know this is discreet. I hope you will love to know about your real parents. I used to know your father."

"That is very interesting. Now you make me wish I could come over today. A lot lie ahead then."

"I know right. Until you come."

After the call, Adnan left the basement and walked into the bedroom where Naairah was lying on the bed.