This not good." Fahad said then regretted saying it . A man had to know how to break bad news to a woman with caution.

" What is wrong?" She demanded, her eyes growing .

" Salim just called." He said. " There is a strange earthquake in the hummocks. They fear if it continues, it is going to destroy the whole environ. They are calling on the government to evacuate the residents."

"Wayo Allah am. Hande min voni. Wayo Baffa am. Him be'am iyari boni ( She was exclaiming in fulfude)." She cried. He tried to calm her. She sat up, dove into the water and swam to the edge.

" We need to know what is going on. "He said and went after her.

They went in and wore clothes, and then he called Salim again.

" It's not an ordinary earthquake," Salim said, "but the people are been evacuated."

" What about Baffa?" Fahad asked.

" I am in Jalingo." He said. " I am trying to go there but they said the officials won't let me go in. I don't know."

" Innalillahi wa inna illaihi raji'un!" Halima was now crying.

Serious earthquake in Nigeria? He pondered. He dialled the Governor's number. He was busy on another call. He waited for long but it kept saying busy. He knew the governor was under pressure right now.

" We have to pray." Fahad said. " There is little or nothing we can do now."

She was still crying.

Fahad went and put on TV and switched to CMM News. He was shocked to see the magnitude of the quake. The earth shook vigorously, cracking and scattering rocks into fine sand. What the hell was this? Then he saw what looked like volcano. Fire evolving from the rocks. Ya Salam! Could this be stopped? A commentator, a renowned American Scientist confessed to have never seen such a quake. What was going on?

He quickly turned it off as he heard Halima coming.

" It will be alright. " He said. " The people will be saved."

She ran into his arms crying. He was confused as he ran his hand through her long silky hair. He hoped they were going to be safe.






" You should have been a toddler the last time anyone called me by that name." Pliers said. "You have not answered my question."

" I am a friend of your son's daughter."

" I don't have a son and keep your hands in the air. I am not too old to shoot."

" I mean no harm. Your son, Ted."

Damon saw the hollow eyes shift.

" Did he send you to kill me?"

" No. But I know you took him to Nigeria when he was four. There is also a believe that he killed you and stole from you. The project fund."

" Tell me who you are before I kill you." He said angrily but it was obvious he was ill. He began to breath harder, then started gasping, then dropped the gun before he fell to the ground.

Damon ran towards him. He pointed at a small bottle. Damon got it and he raised two fingers. Damon got two pills, and water for him. He swallowed, his breathing began to slow, he looked more relaxed then fell into a sleep.
Damon carried him and lay him on a sofa. Then he began going through the basement. It had a big bedroom, two clean toilets, a library stashed with big books, then a laboratory. It was obvious that he was still working.

Damon tried to see if he could find anything to give him a clue. He could not understand most of the things he saw so he simply went back and sat down, waiting for him to wake up.
Professor Pliers woke up after about three hours. Damon realised that he had dozed off a few times within that time. Professor Pliers opened his eyes and then sat up, looking stronger.

He uttered no word, went to a table and sipped fresh milk.

" If you are not sent to kill me, why have you come?" He said.

" Your son is after my life." Damon said. " I came to find out more about you. I never knew you were alive."

" Only my daughters know and Ted is not my son." He carried the milk and came back to seat. " I got junk food in there if you are hungry. Martha comes once in a month and brings my provision. I only eat freshly cooked food one week every month. When she brings, I store in refrigerator and after a week, I go back to can food like some marine.Why is he after your life?"

" I discovered about you and him. You took him to Nigeria."

" I did because his father was my friend."

" Was he part of the team? I know about the team, the real mission, the Hart conspiracy and how Maria , I mean Amanda came to work for you. You knew who they were. You were part of the set-up ."

" It is more complicated than you think. I am not saying I trust you. But my days are numbered. I can't die with it on my mind. I have no one to tell. My daughters can't know about this. Having them sneak here with the guile of checking the house is enough for them. Ted was Alex Sean's son. He was the first project leader before he died and I took over. Dr Maxwell was sent to Nigeria for a research. This was in 1970, just after their civil war," he sipped milk.

" Alex said he had a marital problem. He had a mistress who put to bed for him . The son had been a secret. So, he wanted him out of America. He said the safest place was Nigeria, so I took him there. When Alex died, I was nominated to take over which I did. I never heard of Ted again until he and Amanda came back to USA. I did not recognise them. A colleague of mine said Amanda ,who claimed to be Maria Hudson, needed a job. I gave it to her and she was diligent. I never knew Ted was around." He sipped milk again.

" Then one day, a man appeared, called himself Benedict. We met in a pub. He claimed to be a real estate agent. As we got to know each other better, he said his sister was been thrown out of her house. He needed her to stay with me for a week before he secured a place for her. I obliged. She was a pretty girl and very coquettish. I was separated from my wife, still in my forties so I fell for her. It was later I found out that she was indeed Benedict's girlfriend and she was stealing my papers, and information.
I dug into Benedict's life. He was just a technical assistant in a small gas station. When we met at the pub that night, I feigned not to have known. We left for my house and I got my gun on him. I asked him to confess. He refused, so I threatened to shoot his leg. Then he began talking.
He was hired by Ted. It was then I discovered that Maria was Amanda and Richard was Ted. Ted worked in a store close to him. He wanted some of my papers. I was shocked because only a scientist could understand my works. Why did they need it?
Then he told me he was hired to kill me that night and cut off my thumb. I now realised that it was bigger than Ted and Amanda. I would not survive even if I escaped Benedict. I killed Benedict, buried him in my backyard then cut off his thumb. I then cut off my thumb, wrapped it and sneaked to Amanda's apartment with a fake note from Benedict claiming he did it but he had to escape because someone saw him.
I wanted them off my back. You can imagine what it means to cut off my thumb and give it to them. They got the money but it was not just about money. It was about our secret discovery. I have been in this place for almost twenty years. I don't know who is behind it, but it must be one of us. Thank God for satellites, internet, mass media and my daughters, I hear what happens."

" Discovery?" Damon asked.

" Yes. In the course of our research, I discovered a new compound. I got the idea from a mathematical physicist. So, I began the experiment. But we could not find it here. It had to be a temperate country. So, we thought of Africa. We tried six countries before we saw a glimpse of hope in Nigeria so Maxwell was sent there.
The compound was discovered in Mambilla hummocks. We called it Sodium tetraoxoraudacium33. We were able to isolate Raudacium which is an element yet to be officially discovered by science. This element skipped about six gaps in the periodic table. Got atomic number of one hundred and ten. Uranium-238 with atomic number 92 is the heaviest naturally-occurring element on the Earth. But Raudacium 457 is far heavier. It is more radioactive then Uranium, Radium, Thorium and plutonium put together. It releases energy in earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. When the epicentre is located offshore, the seabed may be displaced sufficiently to cause a tsunami and volcanic activity.

"It's half life is eighty billion years. This was a breakthrough. So we built a bio-weapon which was meant to quell upheaval, subdue terrorism but I never knew there were elements of personal aggrandizement on play. People who use government to satisfy their selfish interest. My works were stolen and a company was built in Nigeria with the guile of producing chemicals for industrial use.
But they were producing weapons for terrorism and instigating war. They made sure there was war, religious conflicts, drug peddling, fictitious Islamic Jihad sects, freedom fighters. There just has to be war. That was when I knew it was bigger than Richard and his wife.

I heard Richard and his wife were killed in a hotel in Vegas." He shrugged. " But what they stole was nothing compared to what the oligarchs got from my discovery. But just this afternoon I saw on TV what was happening in Nigeria. I saw the Earthquake, the type never seen before then I knew it....only one person could bring my work to action because he had formula-66. Ted's father, the first team leader. His death was a charade. He was the mastermind behind it all. He gave birth to Ted for this. He made sure the core-men died. He killed Maxwell and planned mine. He is alive. "

" What? But the earthquake....."

" It is a test . They have a natural disaster management company. They create a disaster and quell it. Now, you will hear them going to Nigeria to Quell it. They may not charge an amount for the first time. They will feign to discover the cause and solution. Then the disasters will become prevalent, and they will be called, paid billions of dollars to solve the problem."

" Oh my God!"

" Alex is the big devil. The left-handed devil planned this while eating banana and peanuts. "

Damon sighed.

" Richard and Maria are alive." Damon said. " They are the Grants. Richard is on his way to the White House."

Professor Pliers was silent for a split second.

" Holy Moses! The transgender escape route." His hollow eyes shifted. " Tell me all you know. If they are not stopped, I swear they would enslave the world. I swear!"

As Damon eased his bulk, he realised it was bigger than saving his family. It was about saving the world.

Damon had spent his day in the university gallery, under the permission of Dr Banks, an historian, to check Professor Plier's files, and galleries. He posed as a detective, with the help of fake ID card, and documents produced by Jack.
Jack had taken a big risk. He knew what was at stake. He could face prison. But Damon was not thinking of naming him as an accomplice even if he was caught.

Professor Pliers was married to a lady and they had two daughters at the time of his death. But they were separated. Reason: undisclosed. She lived with the children in Manhattan while he lived alone.
According to reports, he was killed a few hours after he was seen drinking with an unknown friend of his. They had left for his home and that was the last time he was seen.
Damon became interested in finding out about his friend. He called Jack and lay this on his lap. As he asked Damon to give him a few minutes , Damon wondered how detectives had worked in the past when there was no internet, no means of mobile media transfer.

" Bingo!" Jack had exclaimed. " He was called Benedict. Worked as a technical assistant with a gas station. This gas station was just a stone throw from the store where Richard worked. And nothing was heard about him since then. It's kind of sticky. Nothing has ever been mentioned about him and who says I'm not jealous over how you always stumble on hidden treasures?" Jack giggled.

" Kind of strange to have a professor, I mean a renowned professor drinking with a technical assistant of a gas station. "

" Benedict was quite younger."

" Having him work close to Richard is sticky. Anything about his wife and daughters?"

"The last time I checked, the wife was dead and the daughters are alive. But I can't figure out where they are right now. That would take some time."

" One more thing, who was the forensic officer that handled it?"

" Bath Cameron."

" Thank you. I may not come back to Miami until tomorrow."

" Okay . Did you hear about the Grant robbery?"

" No."

" I don't know why it's been kept secret. He never made official report. I hear her daughter and grandchildren are kidnapped. Her boyfriend is mad. "

"Steve?"

" Yes. The heir to billions. "

Damon felt guilty not trusting this man completely. He told him only some facts but not all.

" I hope they get them back." Damon said.

" Okay buddy. My line is open."

Damon arrived Rindston Avenue a few minutes later. He knew it was risky but the only way he could get back his life and family's was by tracking the Grants down. They could not keep living in hiding and fear for the rest of their lives.
As he watched the old abandoned building, he felt a creepy feeling sweep inside him. The street was lonely. Only a few passers-by could be seen. He tried to see if anyone was watching him, but it seemed not.

His phone chimed.

" Just thinking about you, honey." He said. " How are my cuties?"

" We are good but.....taking care of these kids is the most difficult thing I ever did. Damn! Were you troublesome as an infant?"

" No. Mum said I was given an award for the most pacific baby in America. Maybe they got that from you."

"That's crazy." She laughed.

Oh, he just wished he was there. He missed them and she needed him.

" One minute you are trying to pacify Damon, and Simon springs up his. You change a diaper and the other calls you for the same. I get mad when they cry at once. If we had a normal life, we could have hired babysitters and nannies."

Normal life! We could not keep on like this.

" I promise, we will get out of this." he said without seeing the slightest hope. "I'm working on it."

" I need you to be careful. We love you.....daddy."

Daddy!

He laughed. But it added to his sense of responsibility. He had to do all he could to get them out of this mess.

" I love you too. I will be fine."

" Oops! Damon has woken. I gotta go."

" Not easy to be a mum, love."

" Who knows better?"

They ended the call. This call just added to his determination. Determination to keep his family safe, happy and free.
He moved silently to the front door, making sure he was in a dark part, he put in the master key and opened it. He tried to assure himself he was not a bugler because he was feeling like one.
He got in and closed the door gently behind him. He put on his phone flashlight. The living room was dusty, a sign that it had been abandoned for years. Cobwebs formed all around and a startling sound told him there were rats habiting the place.
Why keep the place like this? The daughters could have leased it out or sold it. Were they keeping it as a museum? He saw nothing of interest there. He spent thirty minutes rummaging through without finding anything outlandish.
It seemed his search was of no use. As he decided to leave, he saw a big painting resting on a wall in a room. It was a landscape painting of mountains. The picture looked familiar. Yes! This was Mambilla, Nigeria.

He moved and carried it, wrinkled his nose as dust particles sprayed. He dropped it, turned to go out then paused.
He moved back, carried the painting and stared at the wall behind it. This was kind of strange. He ran to the kitchenette and got a knife and went back to the wall, hit it slightly then slashed the knife into a small part. It was made of wood. He began to hit it, making holes until he made a big hole. He peeped. No doubt it was an entrance to a basement.
He felt excited. There was a secret basement. He opened the door and found himself before stairs.
He went down the stairs gently, flashing his light until he got down. He was astonished to see a very clean living room and the furniture, electronics and other appliances were modern.

What? These could not have been here for almost twenty years. These place was too clean. Then a sudden fear crawled savagely into him.
Someone had been coming here. But who?

" Put your hands in the air." He heard a voice from behind . " And turn slowly."

He obeyed. With his hands in the air, he turned slowly to see and old man. He looked frayed and worn out. He should not have been more than seventy five but looked older.
His grey hair was unkempt, his beard was rough but his clothes were immaculately clean. He stared at Damon with hollow eyes, a smugly astonished and somewhat scared expression on his haggard looking face.

" Who the hell are you?" He asked, trying to make a tough face.

" I am a fan of yours.......Professor Pliers."

It began on his wedding day at the reception. They were seated at the high table when she came in with two of her friends.
Sa'ima was voluptuous and statuesque. Her chocolate coloured skin was soft. Clean and attractive. Lawal caught sight of her as she came in and felt a jolt. What was she doing here? At first, it was anger that swept through him. How could she dare come to his wedding reception?
Well ,it was good she came, so she could see how happy he was with Nadia. To hell with her. Sa'ima had watched him in his romantic mood with his new wife, feigned to be happy for them and even brought gifts.

It was towards the end of the reception she texted him: Congratulations! I am so happy for you. You sure do know how to choose a spouse. She is so beautiful and you guys look so seraphic. I am just a little pissed off you did not inform me. How could my friend get married without notification? But I forgive you. That is what we used to do, right? Forgive each other. We used to break up to make up. What a bond we shared then and even though we are no more, what we had can never be forgotten. I wish you a blissful married life, love.
Lawal had hissed , discarded the message and forgotten about her. He was now so into Nadia and that was all.

One month after the wedding, he met her in a shopping mall. He was with Nadia and they exchanged pleasantries. Sa'ima had been so warm with smiles and nice words Nadia liked her at once. She introduced herself as Lawal’s former schoolmate which was true. They attended the same secondary school.
They started a relationship while he was in SS1 and she was in JSS 2. It started from a social night where he was asked to pick from the devil’s basket. The task was to pick a girl, kneel down and tell her he loved her.
He ended up picking her and some of his mates were screaming because he chose a Junior student. She was very shy, covering her face with her palms and her mates started shout, “go,go,go,go,go Saima, go Saima go. Go Saima ,go Saima,go.”
She had to be pushed by one of her excited mates and she came on stage, feeling very shy. Lawal was given the microphone by the social prefect.

He knelt before her, and then looked into her eyes and he felt something at once. In most cases, such things ended on stage but just that look into her eyes gave him a spark.

“ I don’t know your name, Princess Heather , but my heart knows the name of your soul which nobody knows, not even me but my heart does. I think it is a communication of the hearts, interpreted by the bodies, announced by the mouth. May you continue to reign for ever, both in this world and hereafter. I love you, Princess.”

There was a seethed heat of excitement, whistling, screams and hailing as he said those words. Saima had covered her face and ran out of the stage. That was how they started a relationship which blossomed.
They were both in a boarding school. This relationship lasted until one year before he got married to Nadia. They were crazy over each other, but they broke up over seven times only to make up. But the last break up seemed to be the most serious.

They had planned to get married, and their parents were aware of the relationship. All of a sudden, Sa'ima changed. She stopped calling him, stopped replying to his calls, until he discovered that she had jilted him. She was into another relationship. Lawal was heartbroken. He begged her but she told him that it was not a result of something wrong he did. She was just tired of the relationship.
Lawal went through hell before he finally gave up. Meeting Nadia healed him. They met and fell in love and he forgot about Sa'ima. He got married to Nadia.

After the meeting at the shopping mall, Sa'ima began to call him, say hello and sound platonic. Then she went to his office that day, dressed in a tight dress which accentuated her natural body endowments.

“ Sa'ima, what do you want from me?” He had asked her. “ I am happily married and I wish you would give me some space to enjoy my marital life.”

“ I don’t mean any harm. I know how you feel and have the right to feel that way. That is the stupidest thing I ever did in my life. I am happy for you and want you to enjoy your life but what pains me is the fact that after everything, the years we spent together, as my first boyfriend, and the love we shared , we would end up like this.”

“That is fate.”

“You see me as one who broke your heart.”

“No, you mended my heart and fortified it.”

“Lawal..”

“I don’t know why we are even talking about this. I hold no grudge against you. It is over. What happened between us is a past. I am married and hope you do the same very soon. I wonder why you and…..Yazeed are not married up till now.”

“Yazeed was a mistake.” She confessed. “ Do I call it youthful exuberance? I don’t know what got into me.”

“ Suit yourself. Please excuse me.”

“Lawal, you can’t be this cold towards me. Even if there is nothing between us, you should have some compassion….”

“May Allah be with you, guide you and help you. Please leave my office.”

“Are you sending me away?”

“I am advising you to leave. I got a job to do.”

She left but that was not the end. She met him again at the gym. She knew he used to go to the gym and she went there with the pretence of exercise. She wore Yoga pants and they met. She did not act as if she saw him, but he saw her.
Their eyes met and she acted as if she was surprised. They exchanged pleasantries. She did not really talk to him that day. She let her body did the talking.

“ I know you hate me,” she told him one day,“I also hate myself for what I did to myself. Letting you slip off my hands is the greatest harm I ever inflicted on myself. You were the first man I ever had, from the days I could not even talk to you boldly except through notes.
I know you asked me to go and get married. Did you ever bother to ask what happened between me and Yazeed? Did you know? Did you know that you refused to let me move on because my heart is stuck with you? I try to let you out of my mind, forget about you but I can’t. I left Yazeed for you. I came back to find you in another relationship.
I don’t blame you but myself. Lawal, I still love you and I know you still love me.
I am not asking for a relationship. I just need you to be there for me. You are married and that ends it. But please be a brother to me, you know me more than any man on earth. Please don’t leave me…” She burst into tears and hugged him. It was so fast he could not stop her and before he knew it, her soft body was on his.

Forbidden fruit could taste sweet.

Satan makes sure of that.

Lawal found himself feeling her warmth, consoling her while his hands held her tight. He was deceiving himself that he was only helping a sister in need. So the relationship rekindled.

Sa'ima lived with her mother who was an active politician and divorcee. She was not always around or had much time to see to what they were doing. She had three daughters . Lawal would stay in the house up till 12:00am.
One day, she intentionally spilled drinks on him acting as if it was a mistake. She urged him to have a bath, while she cleans his shirt. While he was in the bathroom, she opened the door and went in. He was shocked. They never did this before. Why now?

She asked him to relax that she was going to wash him. She was clad only in a transparent tight night gown. He looked at her body and felt too weak to reject. She washed him. They never had sex but crossed the line.
Now, he wanted to get there. He wanted to own her. She was good at keeping records. She still had his notes, the ones he wrote while they were in secondary school, even his bandana, and a cardigan he gave her. He felt no one could love him like she did.

Gradually, she won his heart completely, and he began to regret why he got married to Nadia. He had gone to her that day when he met her crying. He was disturbed. He asked her what was wrong.

“ There was a family meeting.” She said. “ My father said he is going to marry me off to a son of his friend if I don’t present someone to him within the next one month. He wants to join the marriage with that of my half-sister.”

Lawal was disturbed. He did not want to lose her. And he just got married about three months ago. There was only one solution: Get married to her.

“ Will you marry me, Sa'ima?” He had asked the big question.

So the wedding plan started.

Now the wedding had just been knotted.

Nadia was at home crying, waiting for the arrival of the bride and bridegroom from Kebbi State wher Sa'ima’s father was based.

“ Hello.” Lawal called Nadia.

“Hello.” She replied.

“Nadia, I am sorry for the inconvenience. I sent two girls to help you pack your things to the other room. Saima said she does not like the room but I know you are the senior wife so you would understand more than she does. I hope you don’t mind? We are coming back tomorrow insha Allah. I miss you.”

“ I don’t understand. You mean I should pack out my present room for her? Why can’t she use the other room?”

“You don’t know Sa'ima. Very childish. I tried to talk to her ,she refused. She was even crying. Please help me do that.”

“This is not fair…”

“What is not fair? Don’t I have a right to my house? I was trying to be diplomatic.Do not let me come and meet your things in that room! What is wrong with you?”

“Okay.” She said . “ I will move out of the room. Congratulations!”

“Thank you. I love you. Good bye.”

Was she dreaming? Was this how her life was going to be? She could sense a big trouble already. She did not even know a thing about this bride of his. Oh no……

She cried the way she had never cried.

The next day, Saima came into the house. The new woman in the house.

“ I can’t reach Bamba.” Jahl said. “I have not heard from Mufty since he left. What is going on?”

“I am not comfortable with this.” Sule Mungunu said. “I think we should tell him.”

“No!” Jahl said. “That would be a failure on my part.”

“If we can’t reach Bamba on phone, or any of his boys, then we need to tell him so some boys should go there.”

“I have boys.” Jahl said. “ We are going to Harabal Kusum now. I how Mufty and the boys are dead or safe but not arrested.”

“Mufty will never allow himself get arrested. He would rather die.”

“Hmmm…..I am worried. Get three trucks and thirty boys. Call the canoe boys to wait for us by the river. Open the arsenal. Let the boys be
armed to teeth.”

Mungunu greened. He loved such orders.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Hurry. I just feel there is something wrong.”





They kept walking until they got the point where Mufty hid the truck. He was confused. He had just a truck and one hundred and one girls. How were they going to do this.

“Okay ladies, we have got no time. I think they should be on their way now. They keep check constantly and when they get no response, they try to find out why. Now we have just one truck. Who wants to stay behind?”

Not a single made a sound. There was absolute silence.

“Okay, it is going to be worse this time. I am going to pack you in like goods. I hope you can bear it?”

“We can.”

He began to arrange them into the truck. He put Leena in the front seat, then another girl sat on her lap, then Aisha sat next to Leena, with another girl on her lap before a fifth girl was laid on the girls.

Ninety-six to go.

He put six on the roof of the car and use a rope to tie them so they would not fall because the road was not so good.

Ninety to go.

He made some of the girls sit down, then another set would sit on top of them, and so it went until he packed them in. they felt very uncomfortable but at this point, the word comfort was out the way.

Survival.

He got under the wheel and began to drive. It was a rough ride but he had to embark on it. Almost two hours later, he stopped the car.

“Everybody alight.”

The girls were glad to alight. Their bodies ached. They stretched and yawned. It was a pathetic scenario.

“You will have to walk down the road, and run into the city. I think you should go to the nearest police station. Congratulations, you are freed.”

Most of the girls burst into tears. They could not believe what he just said. They thought he was taking them to another camp, that had nice people like him.

“Who are you?” One of the girls asked.

“A worthless soul. A dead man in a living body. We do not have time. Go now!”

They kept thanking him and crying before they began to run.

Leena and Aisha did not go with them. He asked them to wait behind. This was the peak of their trust for him, they had the chance to escape but they did not. They got back into the car and he drove off.
It was while they were driving in the forest something happened. He saw the silhouette of something. He stopped and alighted. He had removed his mask.

He had said to Aisha, “I don’t know why I removed my mask in your presence but if you wish, you can describe me.”

“Never!” She said.

He walked cautiously to the image and then put on a flashlight.

He stood still and felt out of this world for a split second. He could not believe his eyes. This was more than what he had seen on his way to Harabul Kusum.
He had been driving when he saw a movement in a narrow river. He had stopped and waited.
It took no time when people emerged as they could not hold their breath any longer.
It was a man and his family members, including some neighbours hiding in the water after an attack. It was very cold and the water was cold. Even the children were forced to hide in water.

He had asked them to come out and put their hands in the air.
He wanted to be sure they were not armed. When they told him their tale, he felt more horrible. He was in a hurry to go after Leena but he could not leave them there. He had taken them to drop them at a place they could escape.

Now what he saw was worse.
It was the body of a woman on the ground. She had begun to swell up but the most astonishing thing was the infant lying beside her and suckling.
The child was naked and held on to the breast. It was obvious there was still milk. Mufty could not explain the anatomical and physiological phenomena.
He could not move and he could not remember ever feeling what he felt at that moment.

Leena had to alight and join him.

“Oh my God!” She cried.

It was Aisha who made the first move of carrying the child. Leena saw that Mufty could not move.
She had to touch him. That touch made him react in such a way that surprised them. It was like being touched with a flame from a gas pipe.
She then remembered when she lived with him. He would never allow his body come in contact with hers. There was a day she was sleeping and her skirt moved up to expose her legs.
He went bunkers. He ordered her to always have a veil on when he was around. That was when she started sleeping with a veil.
He was not just indifferent with the opposite sex, he seemed to have a phobia for them.

“I am sorry.” She apologised. “I felt you were zonked and you said they were coming.”

‘It’s okay, but please never touch me again.”

She nodded.

He bought out his phone and began to study the woman. He saw some marks on her face that made him thought she from the Kanuri people.
He put on the flashlight of the camera and took some photos of her.
He looked at the child who was very uncomfortable because he was taken away from the breast.

“Let us leave.”

They rushed back into the car and he drove off. Thirty minutes later, he pulled up the car. He seemed to know every nook and cranny of the forest.

“Wait here.” He said and alighted. He ran into the bush.

“Do you think he is taking us back?” Aisha asked.

“After everything, he would not go back himself. He is leaving and that explains why he still has us with him,” Leena said. “ I can’t believe I am going home. My parents, Adam….”

But Aisha was crying. Her son. Her son was somewhere around here.

Leena remembered and stopped talking.

Bang! Bang!

They heard series of gunshots that scared them. What a violent life they lived.
Mufty appeared with a high speed, opened the passenger’s side door and quickly dropped a boy.

He ran under the wheel and started the car engine.

“Jahl is close by.” He said as he sped off.

Aisha was shocked.
Leena collected the infant at once. The boy Mufty brought looked at Aisha and cried, “Mama!”

He embraced her and started crying.

She could not talk. She hugged him so hard Leena was scared she could crush him. Was this what was called bone crushing hug?

It was so emotional.

“I don’t know how to thank you, Ice…Mallam Mufty. I can never pay you back.”

He did not act as if he heard her as she kept thanking him and crying.

He kept driving until he got to appoint and stopped.

He removed a phone. Leena recognised it to be Bamba’s phone.

“Give me the number of one of your family members.”

Leena quickly gave him her father’s number.

“Tell him you are at Dale Junction.” He said. “He should hurry and pick you. You don’t have more than thirty minutes.”

She noded.

The line connected.

“Hello.” She heard her father’s voice. A voice she never knew she would hear again. She began to cry.

“Leena?” he recognised her voice just from the sound of her cry.

“Daddy.”

“Aeesha!”The father shouted. “I have Leena on the phone.”

“Daddy we don’t have time. We escaped. Please come and pick us at Dale Junction now.”

“Okay my baby.” Her father was sobbing.

She could hear mother say, “what did you say?” And it seemed she could not for a reply but just snatched the phone, “LeeLee?”

“Mum.”

“Ya Allah….”

Her father was on call with ATOF already.

Aisha was still with her son while Leena held the child.

“Please never lose contact with this child.” Mufty said.

“Take care of him. Even if he is taken to an orphanage, monitor him.”

She nodded.

“Wait, why do you talk like this? Are you not coming with us?”

“No.”

“Why? You can say you also escaped. No one will give you away.”

“ Thank you. If I was human and alive, I would have loved to be your friend…..”

She never expected such words from him, Mufty?

“why do you keep saying you are a dead man? Can’t you see that your heart is made of gold. You just made some goofs and you realised it.”

“I am worse than you think and I can never blend in with the society again. I can never live a normal life. This is how I will leave till I die, even though it will be in a different direction.”

“No, please. You can’t keep on like this. You can’t even go back.”

That is exactly what I am going to do. I am going back to Al-bait. I wiped out the dirt. They would not know it is me. I had it all figured out. I have an alibi. I still have a mission there.”

“Please…”

“I want you to know that you are the person who nearly made me feel like a human again. Beneath my heart is that pain, that comes like rain, and myself I disdain, Your impact on me is like breaking a spell, made me want to tell, a story that makes me yell.
I am broken, after my life was taken, by me for just a token. I listened to the devil’s melody, that flowed so steady, and until I saw no remedy.
Just leave, and get relieve and in you I believe because you have a life to retrieve.
This is the last time you will see me, but remember to pray for me, because I don’t know when it will happen to me. My regards to your family, and your fiancé and please take care of that child.”

She was now crying. She could not believe she was crying for the man who abducted her.

“Please…..”

“They are close by and you know what? Your father would report to ATOF and they would come in their readiness. They do not know if it is a hoax. Salam.”

He looked at Aisha and waved. He ran back into the bush. He had parked the car somewhere cagey. He turned and gave her a last look.

He smiled……

Mufty smiled?

She knew she would never forget that smile. She could not smile or wave back. She just cried. Immediately he left, she heard the cars coming.
It was time to go home.

ELEVEN

“Peace be upon you, Mufty.” Bamba said, “Who has not heard about you in our great family? It is an honour to meet you.”

“Get up and cover your piggish body!” Mufty said with a stern face. Leena had never seen him smile but there was a fierce note in his eyes that radiated danger which she had never seen.

“Mufty, I am Bamba of Harabul kusum. Why are you doing this? What os going on here?”

“I am taking her with me.”

“They are from Al-bait. Jahl sent them and they are headed for……”

“Get up Leena.” Mufty said. “We are leaving.”

She sprang up with alacrity, wiped off her face and felt as if she was just given the chance to go back home. Being with Mufty was better than being with any insurgent.

“Mufty, we are brothers.”

“Why are you keeping her here? Was she sent to you?”

“No. I saw a vision and god told me that she is mine.”

Mufty had expected what Bamba tried to do. He wanted to raise an alarm. Mufty sent a powerful kick and crashed his Timberland onto his neck. That was a professional move. Bamba could not shout. He whimpered in pain. Held his neck and wriggled on the floor.

“Close your eyes Leena.” Mufty said.

“No, please, mufty. Don’t do it. I will let her go. I am a muslim brother. Muslims don’t kill muslims.”

“Tell me where it is written that muslims should kill non-muslims. Tell me that you select when you detonate bombs. We all deserve death. You, me and all the enemies of God and Islam that call themselves jihadists in this act of brutality.”

“Are you really Mufty?”

“You will find out in your grave.”

Mufty put the barrel of the gun to his head and pulled the trigger. Leena was terrified at the sound. She was witnessing the second murder in two days. First it was Bamba who killed a girl. Now he was killed too but she his death as a justifiable homicide.

She opened her eyes and saw Bamba’s big shapeless body lying in a pool of blood.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.

“Thank you.” She said.

He did not reply her. He just wore that stern expression he always had.

“We leave now.”

“Okay….”

He studied her.

“What is wrong?”

“I was nearly killed. I was thrown into the river and a girl saved me. I wish she could be saved. She has a child….”

“Enough. Come with me.”

She followed him. It was then she saw three dead bodies on the ground.
She did not know that Mufty who was an insider and had information about the place had being there since in the afternoon.
After Jahl asked him to go look for the men who were missing, and he killed the man who was with him, he began to pursue the bus.
He knew he would not meet up with them but he knew exactly where they were going.

“Come with me.” He said.

They walked briskly to the hall where the girls were kept captive.

Leena screamed as she saw a man with a gun. She had cringed and began to shiver. It was the man who had thrown her into the river.

“It is okay.” Mufty said. “He is with me.”

“He is the man who tried to kill me.” she said.

“I know. There is a misconception.” He said and to the man, “Jalla, open the door.”

“Yes, sir.”

He fired two shots and the door was opened. Beside the building were the bodies of the gunmen. Mufty had taken down six of them; Jalla shot and killed four while Hudu, Jalla’s friend watched.

Leena could not understand how Jalla came into the picture. But what did she understand about these people.
The only person she trusted was Mufty.
Mufty went inside after wearing a mask and saw the ashen-faced girls wore.

“Who are the so-called wives of Bamba?”

Two young girls stood up. Mufty felt his heart breaking as he looked at them.

“He is dead. I just killed him. Will you like to observe iddah?”

“No!” They said in unison. Jalla chuckled.

“Okay, come with us.”

The girls did not hesitate or wonder who he was. They just felt anything was better than staying here.
Leena saw Aisha and hugged her.

“Iceman, right?” Aisha whispered.

Leena smiled and nodded.

They went out of the hall and followed Mufty while Jalla and his friend followed from behind.
They arrived the bank of the river. There were only five canoes. Mufty had come with one while Bamba and his boys had three while Bamba and nuhu had one. The girls were one hundred and one in number.

“The canoes are not enough.” Jalla said, eyeing Leena from the corner of his eyes. “I suggest you people should leave. I will send for a canoe to carry me , my wife and Hudu.”

My wife? Leena frowned. What was he talking about? What had Mufty done.

“We have to go with them. we have to pick her twin sister, remember?”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Some of the girls screamed as they heard the sudden gunshot sound.

Jalla was first to drop on the ground, before Nuhu followed.

Mufty did not care how any of them felt about him. He did not try to explain, All he did was what he felt was imperative.
He was stalking and peeking when he ran into Jalla and Nuhu.
Nuhu, who was obsessed with Leena had invited his friend to come help him kidnap Leena.

When they saw Mufty, they recognised him. He told them he had come for his wife. Jalla also said he came for his wife. He described Leena and Mufty knew she was the one.
Jalla went on to tell him how he had thrown he into the river. So Mufty saw this as an opportunity to use them. He told them that Jalla could have her and Nuhu could have her twin sister. When he told them that they were identical twins, Nuhu was hyper.

Now he knew he had to kill them. Anyone who saw him must die. They must not talk.
He had decided that every insurgent deserved death and that included him.

“Okay, we have to leave here fast.” He said aloud. “I have disenabled the service provider but we can’t take a risk. The canoes are only six and we must all leave. Not everyone may survive. It all depends on destiny. I don’t know if you know how to row a canoe but you must do it to survive.”

“some of us do.” A girl said. “ A lot of us come from riverine areas.”

“Good for you.”

They packed themselves in the canoes like sardines in a can.
It was not about comfort. It was about survival. The voyage began. Mufty had two Ak 47 rifles close to him. Leena was with him while Aisha and Mufty rowed the canoe they were in.
The journey which was dangerous ended one hour later. It was very cold and late.

When the alighted, he wondered how he was going to transport all of these girls. He was surprised they did not ask him where he was taking them to. Why did they trust him?

The night was bubbling with excitement. The girls were forced to come out and stand on the vast field which also served as their training ground.
The girls had cooked food. The camp was lit with electric bulbs powered by solar power.
The prison cells were made up of two big buildings were the girls would be made to share and sleep on bare floor.
Then the insurgents lived in small tents.

Bamba had taken a bath and wore a very shapeless caftan and a cap that looked like a wizard’s hat. He looked like a fictional character of an animated movie.

“Allahu Akhbar (God is great)!” He shouted.

“Allahu Akhbar!!” his men replied.

“I am very happy tonight.” He said. “There is nothing as sweet as helping someone. I feel great when I touch somebody’s live and that is what I have been doing all my life.”

“May God reward you!” A man said.

“Ameen.” The men echoed.

Bamba paused, his eyes became thinner and the smile vanished.

“The next time I say Allahu Akhbar and the girls don’t respond, or anyone prays for me and they don’t amen, then heads will roll. My enemy is an enemy of God. You see what we have been talking about? You were in a world where god is revered and feared. We say God is great and you keep quiet? Subahanallah! That must stop from this very moment. And I am very important in this movement to purify the world. It is imperative you pray for me. After prayers for the Holy prophet SAW, I should be the next before your parents. Allahu Akhabar!”

“Allahu Akhbar!” The girls joined them. They had not forgotten what he did to the girl who tried to escape.

He showed his dirty teeth.

“Masha Allah.” He said happily the joy in him was back.” I have a very good news for you. One of you is going to be blessed tonight. I know you all want to be blessed but it is not every girl that gets this golden chance. I am going to pick a wife right now…..”

The girls went silent. Hearts beating rapidly, praying not to be chosen by this beast.
He began to move slowly, looking at the girls. He got to one, extended a hand and then withdrew at once before laughing.

“She thought it was going to be her. I am sorry my dear. You are not the chosen one. I hope you are not angry.”

He did not know that the girl was thanking her God profusely.
Finally, he chose Leena and she was dragged out. The men began to clap and congratulating Leena.
A few rounds of bullets were fired into the air.

“Stop!” He shouted and there was silence. “When something good happens to your neighbour, felicitate with him, okay. Do not be jealous. Come and congratulate her one after the other.”

Leena began to cry.

“Ohhhhhh, tears of joy.” Bamba said hapilly. “ Food, food, food, serve food. Enjoy.”

After the feast and what he called a grand reception, he asked the girls to be taken back to their cells. Aisha cried profusely because she may never see Leena again. Leena was still crying as the dirty fatso led her away, making her want to puke with halitosis.
His tent was the biggest. His wives were two and lived in the cells. They only came out to cook, or come to his bed. Sometimes, they would come and sit with him outside while he cuddled them both at once.
Sometimes, they will puke due to his very bad breath and body odour.

Tonight was a special night because he had never had a girl as beautiful as Leena.
The tent was big with a small bed. It was dirty, with dirty clothes loitering, phlegm spat on the walls, undone dishes, unfinished decaying food. The room smelled and Leena felt like puking.

“I have the biggest here. It is a palace and you are now a queen. This is better than taken you to those old sheikhs. I just saved you. Now pull your clothes.”

He began to UnCloth.

“I am a modern jihadist. I do know how to kiss.” He laughed and she could still detect his bad breath even though the whole smelt like shit.

“Have you done it before?” He asked. “ Are you a virgin. I want to know so I should know how to handle you.”

“I am HIV positive.”

He laughed.

“There is no problem. I love you for who you are and not what you are. I don’t mind.” He began to breath harder and his eyes bulged out as he looked at her curves. “ Besides, I am blessed so I think my powers would heal you.”

He began to take off his clothe.

“I said UnCloth.” He said and he looked angry now.

If suicide was not a sin, Leena would have killed herself.

“I can’t. I have never gone unclad in front of a man.”

“I understand. It seems you have never done it.” His eyes glittered more, excited that he had a virgin here. “You are now my wife and this not debauchery. Pull up my darling.”

She still stood still.

He stopped smiling. With a striking speed, he moved and slapped her before pushing her to the bed. He was now naked, and looked more disgusting. She wished his halitosis could kill her because she felt as if it came with poisonous gases.
He was going to rape her and there was no chance of anyone coming to save her.
She began to scream. The grubby fatso was used to this. Some of the girls never gave in easily so he had to break them until they realised there was nothing they could do.

He pinned her down until she could not move.

“You will enjoy it, okay.” He said as he tried tore off her pant.

Then he felt something very shard on his side. It was like being hit with a rod.

“Wayo!” he yelled and rolled on his side. He raised his face to see a man standing, with a face that looked like a mask of horror. Who was this? How did he get here.

“How dare you ?” Bamba said, trying to see how he could reach his gun.

“I am Mufty Salman of Al-bait. I don’t know if you have heard of me.”

Who had not heard of Mufty the coldblooded sniper and clean-up agent?

Leena did not know when she smiled.

“I knew you will come for me.” She said in her mind and cried.

dude:
Sokodobo, Ku be itu. Soko a yai Nosara. Ooooun

Ndagim. Mjebo sarai.

vicben27:
the interpretation of ur name means " God dey" that's either Bassa-nge or Nupe. which could either be from kogi or Niger state.

That's right.

SEVENTEEN

Halima lay on the inflated balloon boat on her side, resting her head on her palm, supported by her elbow while she fed Fahad dates as he lay beside her, his hand rested on her back. He was clad only in pants while she was in bikini.
The boat was floating on the big swimming pool. They had started the day by fajr prayers as usual. He normally woke her, perfomed nawafil together then he left for mosque. He would come back, and then they would go back to bed before they will wake up for preparation of breakfast.
They had bath together as usual. She used to think she could never do this. She called it debauchery. She was too naive to know it was a great way of not only getting blessings, having fun but making the bond stronger. She was so used to it she felt a bath was not complete without Fahad.

After breakfast, they had gone for driving lessons and today, she drove the car back all the way from Garki.
They arrived late so there was no time to prepare lunch but the cook had done that. After lunch, they had a humdinger of a swim. She learnt how to swim in streams and rivers and never used the swimming pool before her marraige.
Now they were tired of swimming so they decided to rest on the balloon boat, enjoying fruits, cuddling and talking. It was a month into marital life but she was so used to it, so used to him and so in love with him.

He made sure he thought her a lot; academics, religion, current affairs, history, etcetera. He was keen on building her, a pedagogic lover boy who had a wife who was so thirsty for knowledge.
Sometimes, she woke up at night, so scared that everything was just a dream. How could she, a cattle rearer be the lady of this gargantuan mansion, having a Range Rover and over three exotic cars in her parking space even before she learnt how to drive.
From living in a hut to a house automated. He had called Engineer Mukhtar of SEAMFACE who along with his team, under the auspices of Engineer Kabeer, to give them a home automation service. The doors were censored so she hardly opened the door with her hands.
Almost everything was remote controlled. She had servants, laundry men, guards, and cooks. She only did some choirs because she wanted to. Then the most important, she had a husband who loved her. Even his mother who had despised her now loved her. His siblings always visited and they were so used to each other.

“ What is mathematics?” Fahad asked her.

“ Mathematics is a science of numbers and shapes. A number is a numerical figure used to show the magnitude of values. Shapes are classified into solid, plane and irregular shapes.”

“ Oh my God!” He kissed her on her cheeks with a bright smile. “ You are smart.”

“ Don’t make me blush.” She said. “ Baffa said the building has gone high. He’s so excited.”

“ What about the family compound?”

“ I haven’t spoken to Kawu Jalo but I will call him tomorrow God’s willing.”

“ That’s great.”

She felt his hand move on her back, she laid her head on his chest while she slowly moved her fingers through his chest.

“ I am happy .” She said. “ Today my people find me important. I am a source of joy to them. But I am scared for my people.”

“ How?”

“ I saw things when I reared cattle. There is this place in the hummocks where some white men collect somethings from the rock. They take it to their company. We don’t know what they produce but you see trucks coming to pick them with heavily armed men. These armed men were not soldiers, or police. They are strange.”

“ I remember seeing a convoy of trucks at night.”

“It is them. Even the police can’t go there. I hope they won’t hurt us”

“ Why?”

“ They look like……..insurgents.”

“ I hope they are not.”

She shrugged. She felt his hand again, then he turned and she saw that fire in his eyes, he was going to burn her, and she wanted him to do that, so she poured fuel on him with an inviting look and smile. She loved it when they lay in the pool.

“ I love you.” He whispered as he ripped off her bikini.

Sunnah! Here we come.

They spent an hour plunged in ecstasy when a call came through his phone. He hissed before checking the ID then quickly picked the call.

He listened then grimaced.

She knew something was wrong and felt a chilling feeling run through her.

“ What is it?”

“ This is not good.” He said.

TEN

Leena had a few seconds to remember her parents, siblings and Adam before she felt herself drowning. The water was cold and dark. She never knew she was going to end up like this. She had hoped to die and get buried and not under the river and float like an inflated balloon.
The last image that came to her was that of Mufty. She hoped he would come to realise his mistakes and leave that sect.
She began to sink until she was completely submerged. She felt something drifting out of her and she knew she was dying.
Then she felt something else. It was a pull and the next thing was air passing through her nose. Water gnashed out of her mouth and she began to cough.
It was a girl who had grabbed her and pulled her to the surface of the water. She could not identify the person. It was dark, and she was almost out of her senses.
The person helped her to a canoe before she was pulled up.
It was after the person began to compress her chest and pump water out of her she realised that it was Aisha.

Aisha had seen what happened and she immediately jumped in. She lived in a riverine area so she was accustomed to the river and was a very good swimmer.
The man who pushed her into the river laughed.

“Do not try to escape next time.” He said.

They kept paddling, rowing the canoes with the sad girls for over one hour before they arrived at a bank of river and began to stop. They now put on their flashlights, holding their guns and continuously warning the girls to behave well or get shot.
Leena felt better but still shocked. Aisha sat close to her. Both girls were wet and it was cold. Aisha was more used to it but Leena was shivering and felt sick.

“Welcome to Harabul Kusum.” A fat man with very big tommy said. His face was full of beards, and he wore a black turban. A rifle hung on his back and three armed men flanked him. He was waiting for them and he seems very happy to have them. “ Masha Allah. Girls that have been saved from a dirty world and brought into a pure world of Islam. No more taghut insha Allah.”

“Allahu Akhbar!” An insurgent shouted.

“Allahu Akhbar ! Allahu akhbar!” They echoed.

This was sickening to most of the girls. How could they be praising God when they were doing the things God forbade? Where they just delusional or deceiving themselves?
They began to force the girls out of the canoe and ask them to line up for assessment and documentation.
The girls were made to line up.

“What is that?” One of the insurgents observed as he saw a silhouette. He sent a beam on it and they realised that it was one of the girls trying to escape.
The fat man removed his rifle and set it on her.

“Let me catch her Bamba.”

Pauw! Pauw!

He fired two shots and the girl screamed before she dropped.

“No catching.” The fat man, Bamba said with a smile. “The other girls need to know that it is dangerous to try to escape.” He returned his rifle.

“You are all going to spend three days here before you are moved to your husband’s houses.” He began to send a beam of light on the girls. He produced halitosis and his breathing sounded like a snore. He was dirty and rough. His hair and beards were unkempt.

He paused when he got to Leena. He spent a few second admiring her before he smiled.

“I like you. Pray I pick you.”

Harabul Kusum was another camp the insurgents had close to Gumbau River. This was a place where captives were held for a day or two before being transported to their destinations . The insurgents preferred female cap\tives and usually killed the men. They slaughter these men in cold blood in presence of their wives and children.
The place was cagey, known only to a few of the insurgents. It was guided by twenty heavily armed men, headed by Bamba. They all had ‘wives’ they picked from the captives.

Now these set of captives were to be transported to a camp between Nigeria and Cameroun. Some of the top men in the sect would come and relax with girls so they could feel more at ease and do God’s work. Besides, they said they extricating these girls who were just wasting their lives with taghuts in the name of school.

The canoe men had gone back but one of them came back the next morning.
He was the man who had pushed Leena out of the canoe. He met Bamba under a tent near the river.

“Peace be upon you, The Great Bamber; The bullet of God, The uplifted man of God, The one who loves to shoot a military man and wear his uniform.”

“Peace be upon you, Jalla. What brings you to my zone this morning?”

“You know I took part in the Bama operation. I was also part of those who blew Kasuwan Dare. I was the one who shot and killed Police Officer Kabiru Marte…..”

“What do you want?”

“You are a father of all and I have come to seek the hand of one of your daughters for marriage. I saw, I loved, I want, I seek, and I hope to get.”

“Hmmm….is she among the lucky girls of last night? Definitely yes because they are the only lucky ones now. The next shipping will be on Wednesday.”

“Yes. I was part of those who brought them.”

“I barely know them but these ones are special breeds and they are specifically for Baitul Nasr. I have to explain to them why I shot one of them and I also saw one of them I love and the marriage will be knotted later. I can explain why two are missing but not three.”

“Please Bamba. I could not sleep last night….”

“Come back on Wednesday. New girls will arrive. I can’t explain why three girls are missing under my auspices. That will make me look incompetent. I should have waited till Wednesday to have a new wife but I just fell in love with her. God saved her for me…I saw a vision that a girl will be sent to me from above. She will be thrown into the river but will survive because it is written that I will marry her.”

“I – I am confused.”

“I saw a vision so when I was told that one of the girls was thrown in the river as they came and another saved her life, I knew she the one.”
Jalla felt his mouth go bitter.

“Hmmm….”

“What?”

“Em…it’s nothing. I will wait until Wednesday.”

“Good.”

“won’t you wait for my wedding. It will take place later. I am going to have a bath today even though it is not yet Friday. For her , I will do that.”

“I wanted to ask you why you don’t take bath except on Fridays?”

“Washing my body washes away blessings.”

“Hmmmm…”Jalla did not believe this. Even most of them were not Islamically knowledgeable, except a few who misinterpreted the verses to deceive them, he knew Bamba was more ignorant than him.

“I see visions, and the spirits fear me. It is all because of how strong and blessed I am. My sweat is a healing. Would you like me to bless you by rubbing it on you?”

“Alhamdulillaah. My grandfather was a waliy and he blessed me with his Urine. I am already blessed the great one. I think I will take my leave. I will be back on Wednesday.”

“How are you?” Isa said casually as he offered Mangal a hand.

“I am fine, thank you Sir.” Mangal shook the hand with a wave of guilty conscience. “Please come inside.”

“Thank you but I just need to talk to you. I am good here.”

Mangal, who was standing by the door, came out.

“I am with you Sir.”

“I will go straight to the point. You have been my wife’s colleague and I heard she also got you a job now. You were kidnapped together and she said you saved her life. I appreciate that. I am here because I don’t feel comfortable with your relationship. You are not her biological brother. You are not related. You are an adult and she is also one. Islam do not allow a man and a woman who are not related to be as close as you are. I am not accusing you of adultery…..”
Adultery!
That was the right word to describe what they have been doing and not making love. The sound of that word alone is repulsive.

“And I am not suspecting her. I am not a fool but I am just given a benefit of doubt. I need you to do me a favour. Please stay out of her live. I will plead with my friend to transfer you from here. Please stop seeing her even if it not an affair you are having. I love her and need her back.”

“Did she leave?”

“Not physically but she is gone in many ways. Her attention is elsewhere. She is not the Beeba I used to know.”

Mangal was now more guilty than ever.

“Does she come here?” Isa threw an expected question which made Mangal flinch.

“No Sir. The last time she came was when you came to pay a condolence visit with her.”

“That is great. There is no reason that should make a married woman visit a single man. Besides, she had never sought for my permission to visit you.”

“Yes Sir.”

A phone chimed. It was Mangal’s phone and he knew it was Beeba. He was waiting for her and she was at a shop getting food for them the last time they talked. She could appear any moment from now.

“I think your phone is ringing.” Isa said. “Please pick your call.”

Mangal was right. Beeba just drove into the street and had no idea that her husband was there. He did not go in his car.

“Pick your call. I won’t mind.”



“Hello.” Mangal said. “Musty, how far? Hello….Hello.”

The line was cut. Mangal shrugged.

“The line if off. I will call him back later.” He said.

“Okay. I think I have made myself clear.”

“Yes Sir. I am sorry for any inconvenience that I may have caused but there is nothing going on between me and your wife but I will heed to what you have said.”

“Thank you very much. I will have to leave.”

“Okay sir.”

He nodded and walked away.
Mangal rushed back in and began to dial Beeba’s number but it was switched off. What was wrong? He hoped he would not see her. He was jittery and unbalanced.

One hour later, he heard a knock and he peeped. It was her.

“Your husband is suspicious.” He said as he opened the door. He was here. You have to leave now and it has to stop. Did you see him? He is broken.”

“Let me in first. Standing here is risky.”

“What if he comes back?”

“I saw him leave.”

“What?”

“I became suspicious when you called me Musty. I know he is suspicious. He talked to me. They have been talking to him. Nothing is hidden under the sun and he way things are going, the way I am crazy over you, sooner or later the gaff would be blown.”

“Then we have to stop at this very moment.”

She moved in.

“I know.”

“I feel so bad about it. I am scared.”

“So am I.”

“He says he would tell his friend to work out my transfer. I think that is a good idea.”

“I know right because I am afraid if I keep seeing you, it is going to be difficult. It is insane Mangal. I am married and I am in love with you. Yes, it’s not just about sex. It is about you.”

“We should stop talking about it. Please leave now.”

She eyed him.

“I just need one favour from you.”

“What?”

“One more time.”

“Hell no!”

“Please. Just once won’t count.”

“It counts. We have done a lot of damage.”

“Please….” Ad her veil was off, exposing her wide hips. He paused and took off his eyes.

“Mangal…..”

“Okay, just one more time.”

They locked the door and spent the next two hours on bed. She went home and met Isa on the serving his children food.
She pitied him and was glad she finally made a decision to let Mangal go. She wanted to things to back to normal. She would resume being her old self.

“Welcome.” He said.

“Thank you. I am sorry. I had a lot of work.”

“I understand. I want to talk to you. I will not waste time.” He turned at the kids. “Enjoy your food. I and mummy want to talk.”

They went to the bedroom and he sat on the bed.

“I went to Mangal.” He said. “I went to ask him to stay away from you and planned on telling you the same. I wanted it to end today and since I never saw anything wrong, or none of the people who spoke to me said they saw anything wrong, I wanted to put it behind me and we carry on.”

That was good news. Yes, they should all put it behind.

“I told you that there is nothing going on between us but since it has gotten to this level, I have decided to stop talking to him.”

“That is good for you. You see, you are the mother of my children. The relationship between you and I can end and there would be nothing between us but that can never happen between you and your children. No matter how you hurt me, if I decide to disgrace you, it would affect my children because you are their mother and one day, someone would say, your mother did this. So, I would do anything to protect your integrity. I can forgive you and you seek forgiveness from Allah if you really want that.”

She frowned.

“What are you talking about?”

“I entered a cab only to stop and go back to his house. I waited there and it took no long before you appeared. You parked your car far away. I waited there and you spent almost three hours inside. I guess it was all office work.”

Beeba began to sweat, literarily shivering and lost colour completely. The game was up. I cannot go to court and say I saw you having sex with another man because I did not see what you guys were doing inside. But I saw enough to obliterate the trust I have for you. I saw enough to sweep away the love I had for you. I am going to keep your secret for the sake of my children. There is a word for it….irreconcilable difference. We will leave at that. I have divorced you.” He handed a paper to her. “ I should have made it three but that is bidi’a. it does not matter because we can never come back together. But keeping your secret has conditions. You will stay away from my children until they have grown. I don’t want them around a prostitute.”

“Prostitute?’

“I am sorry about that. At least, some prostitutes don’t like what they do. They do it for money, because they need something but what about you? You have enough, you have a husband and I am not impotent or weak. I don’t treat you badly so why do you do it? Calling you a prostitute is too good for you. You are a slot. An animal. An ingrate. You are a disgrace to womanhood and Islam.
I need you to leave right now. I will help you pack your things and send them to you. I should have let you do that but I don’t know what will happen if I keep seeing your face for the next thirty minutes. It is the grace of God that has made me kept my cool but deep down, I feel like killing you. I can do it if you don’t leave now. Please leave.”

She could not cry at that moment. She felt as if Zuma Rock was put on her head while molten brass was being used to bath her.
She saw something in his eyes she had never seen. Even though he was calm, the dangerous note in his voice and eyes were scary.

“I am sorry.” She said and ran out. Immediately she got into her car, she burst into tears.

“Mummy, are you going out again?” she heard Haneef say after her. She started the car engine and began to drive.

The world looked so dark and cold. She kept driving with no sense of direction until she pulled over and let crying hoping she would wake up to realise it was just a nightmare.

She managed to call Mangal’

“He saw us. It is over. He divorced me. He is broken but I am shattered beyond repair. I just lost everything because I let myself derail. I don’t know if I can live for long with this but I hope I have the opportunity to repent. I am done……”

Mangal just held the phone and zoned out. He had stopped hearing her.
All she heard was his exclamation.

“Goodbye Beeba and repent now before it is too late. I have taken a decision that…fits me.”

He ended the call and smashed the phone on the floor. He walked out of the house and began to walk. He did what he had ever imagined he could do. There was no excuse. There was nothing like putting blame on her or anyone. Yes, she started it but she did not force him. He was as guilty as she was.

Thirty two minutes later, he was standing on a cliff. He felt the only punishment he deserved was to take his life. It was before he jumped down he remembered that suicide was a straight ticked to hell. No matter the circumstance, it was not allowed to take his life because the life did not belong to him. But he remembered this too late. He had lost balance and he fell off.

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NINETEEN

Addy woke up with a start in the city of California. He felt his heart banging. It was just a day to the test . He had to go to Adnan’s hotel for the final briefing. He looked back and saw Lori still sleeping. He had to pass this test. He hoped their plans worked out. He could not afford to lose her. He got up and walked into the restroom. He felt sick, nervous and jittery. He had to go and meet Adnan for the final plans. He just hoped it would work out.
He was not aware that there was someone by the window of a building next to theirs watching with a binocular.

“ I see movements.” The person said. “ He is inside.”

“ Okay.” Mason said from the other end. “ Make sure you don’t miss him. If anything goes wrong, take him down, if it goes right, then we have it.”

“ Yes, Sir.”

“ You have to be fast. His father has a link to watch it from afar. That is an official privilege. Do not give him time to raise an alarm.”

“Okay, sir. I am on it.”

“ Good. The Evolution is around the corner.”

“ It’s a new world.”

“ The new world.”



Nadia moved to Lawal and sat close to him.

“ I don’t know if I offended you.” She said. “ I just can’t understand what is happening.”

“How?”

“You know what I am talking about. You always come back late. I guess it is not every day you get a broken car. You don’t even bother to give me excuses any more. You don’t even pretend to care any longer. What wrong did I do to you?”

He gave her a smile.

“You did nothing wrong, Nadia. And I do not owe you any explanation. I have the right to come back any time I like.”

“Then why did you get married? A responsible married man do not come back any time he likes. He knows he has someone under his care and protection, someone who needs him….”

“I have security men, there are electronics and constant power supply. If you wish, you can bring one of your sisters to stay here and keep you company. But do not try to control me and this should be the first and last time you should insult me again. You just said I was irresponsible.”

What?

“Please honey, if there is something wrong you see in me, let me know.”

“I told you there is none. The only thing I see wrong in you is been pesky. Can you let me be please?”

“ But…..”

He hissed got up and walked away. He paused, turned then said, “Remember that I am getting married tomorrow.”

Nadia felt as if there was a bomb explosion in her head.






The morning was chilly, and Naairah sought refuge in her husband’s arms while they sipped cappuccino in their luxury hotel suite. It was their third day in California and it was fun. They had a lot of fun, going places and it Naairah’s first time in California. She had only been to Texas and Philadelphia.

The bell rang and she grimaced and grunted.

“ I think he is around.” She said with a pout.

“Let me get the door.”

“ Please let me have the honour of receiving my glorious cousin.” She got up, wore a white mink over her dress and walked out of the room. Before she went out, Adnan called, “ Miss Sunshine,” she turned.

“ I love you.”

“Awwnnn…the words I never get tired of hearing from you. I love you Hayati.”

He flashed a cosmic smile, and then blew her a kiss. She caught it then blew back a kiss. He caught it then the bell rang again.

She pouted again.

“Is he not a spoiler?” She said, smiled and went out. She crossed the parlour, and got to the door, peeped through the spyhole and saw Addy standing. She smirked.

She unlocked the door and opened it.

Addy stood by the doorway, dressed in a thick jacket, blowing cold air. She noticed that he still had some of his haughtiness. He did not greet her, he only said, “ tell Adnan I am around.”

She did not move or make any attempt of giving him way of entering.

“ I am afraid I asked him to change his mind.” She said confidently.

“What are you talking about Naairah?”

“I never knew you remembered my name.”

“ Come to your senses. We have a deal.”

“ Yes, and when I looked through it, it looked too dicey and I don’t want my husband involved.”

“Has it crossed your mind that this will affect you and your family?”

“We are of the same family.”

“Your dad is affected specifically. He was hospitalized for this.”

“He has come to terms with reality. The worse is returning the money which I don’t think he has. He has no direct business with them. But I don’t think this will be a problem for the almighty cousin of mine. I have always known you to be independent, strong, high levelled, and above the caboodle. I don’t want my husband involved so I told him to back off.”

“So he is hen-pecked after all.”

“ Listening to a woman does not make you hen-pecked. A real man has listening ears, dialoguing instincts, reasoning with a woman and given her the chance to take part in decision. He gives her the chance to choose colours or styles of home decoration, clothes to wear or channels to watch. He does not do this out of weakness but strength because a woman needs to be taken along. She is like his baby who says daddy I want this and he does it to make the child happy. He does not follow everything she says, even when he would disagree, he would make her understand why .
That is the kind of husband I have. And when I advised him to back off, he listened. I hope you know that he means a lot to me.”

“ Naairah, you are pathetic.”

“ I know, but who is more pathetic than he who has been living under someone else’s life? Like he is what he is because he is pretending to be someone else, he does not have what it takes to be that person, yet he suffers from megalomania.”

“ Naairah, we are cousins. You are my blood.”

“It seems you are just realizing this.”

Addy hit his forehead with his palm.

“ Okay, I am sorry. Please help me.”

The day was here! Her dream day. Addy on his knees.

“ I don’t know how I can help you.”

“Talk to him…..please.” He was not used to saying please. “ I beg of you, Naairah. The test is tomorrow. We can’t back out now. I know he can do it .Please Naairah. It seems I have being a jerk in the past. Please forgive me.”

She looked at him, then nodded.

“ Come in.” she said in triumph. It was a lie. She never told Adnan to back off. She just took him for a ride.

He followed her inside.

“Sit down.” She said.

He sat down on a sofa, his palms on his knees.

She went inside and met Adnan sitting on the bed.

“ I guess you were punishing the poor boy.”He said.

“Who told you that?”

“It may astonish you how much I know you.”

She smiled.

“ He begged me. The crown was off his head. Addy beg? Whoa….”

Adnan went out and met him. They shook hands.

“ How is Lori?”

Addy felt a sharp pain. Lori was at the verge of leaving. He just had to do this.

“She is good.” He replied. “We are good.”

Naairah came and joined them. Addy gave Adnan a sharp glance.

“She is part of it.” Adnan said. “ She has a great role to play.”

“Part of it?”

“ Yes. We need a satellite tracker and audio visual analyst. She is my product.”

Addy and Naairah exchanged glances. She gave him a smirk.

“Oh, that is great. Thank you for making my sister an ICT expert.”

“You are welcome. So, we must get to work.” Adnan said. He turned at Naairah and nodded. She got up, went into the room and came back with a laptop, she connected it to the TV and put it on.

There was a display. Adnan moved to the TV.

“The test is going to take place here at the W- Lodge.” Adnan said , pointing at a very large building. “ Do not ask me how I got my information. This place is a fortress, an internet impenetrable perimeter with the most secured internet system I know of. Nothing goes in or out unnoticed. The waves are under constant scrutiny. Any phone call made is been heard and recorded. Any electronic device is detected, and nothing is hidden in the body without being seen. This is the place you are going to stand before over two hundred brains ,masters drawn from all over the world.
BOE needs to know what they have been nursing and face the task that lies ahead. You are expected to manage the The Evolution, and other great inventions coming on. Only a few knows what the Evolution is all about. This will qualify you to there as TCO
You can see how difficult this is going to be. You have to be there with a chip, a transmitter that is connected to our system. We must see what is going on there, hearken properly so I would be telling you what to say.”

Adnan looked at Addy.

“How do we fix this chip on you, and you go into a place like this undetected?”

Addy said nothing. He knew Adnan was not expecting answers. But it made him looed dumb in presence of his cousin.

“That is why we are here, Addy. If you must go in there with a transmitter, then we have to rack the brain. I and Naairah have been going through this. This is the entrance…”He pointed at satellite image. “ There is detector that magnifies sounds to the index of 100 in base ten. That means the smallest sound is been scrutinized. We must find a way to get you through because there is a micro buzz radiating from the chip.
If you cross over, there is a scanner here that scrutinizes you physiological and anatomical aspects. Any foreign body is detected and anything outside natural metabolic reactions is noted. This will then tell if you are having a phone, a PC, wristwatch, or whatever is on you. We have to cross this part.

Here….” He slid the images, “ they have a blocking and disenabling device which renders all electronic devices functionless. Your wristwatch would stop working, including your phones, computers, transmitters ,and so on.”

Adnan glanced at Addy.

“You are going to stand here, and the test would be conducted. There will be two channels that would transmit the test to six places. The Grandpappe would watch it, so will the Prime Captain , Security head, head of operations, your father who ought to have been my father, and two other officials. So, Addy, you can see that we have a lot to do. There is no 100% way to a win.”

Addy was losing hope already.

“ But I got ideas.” Adnan said. “ They created a problem, and I took it as a challenge. We must find a way to get you in there with that chip…….. but you must do a lot of work. I hope you are ready?”

Addy nodded, realizing that he was feeling hot already.

Just some hours to the day!

Lawal came into the house and met Nadia sitting in the living room. It was obvious she had been crying. The situation had worsened. He now returned home late constantly and the little remorse he used to show was gone.
He would not even make up excuses, or try to explain. The dastardly act came to a peak when he slapped her the other day for asking him why he always stayed late. She could not believe he beat her. She cried but never told anyone.

She hoped he would come to his senses. There must be something wrong. It was unlike Lawal.

“ Welcome.” She said sulkily. “ How was your day?”

“ I want to talk to you.” He said curtly. “ I am getting married on Friday. I forgot to tell you. Three more days.”

“Assalamu alaikum.” Adnan said as they went in.

“Ameen wa alaikum salam.” Abba replied.” You are welcome .You came at the right time. Please join us.”

Adnan and Naairah greeted everybody and joined them. All of her siblings were around. Hajiya Fatima was there, and Naairah gave her a hug before she sat down next to her husband. Her hand secretly went under the table, found his, grabbed it and gave it a light squeeze.
Dinner began. Adnan realized organizing dinner was one of Abba's hobbies . He could see one of the reasons he was so scared of poverty.
The dinner began. Adnan noticed that some of Naairah’s siblings looked uncomfortable, especially the three who roughened him: AbdulRasheed, Sa’eed and Muhammad.

“ I know that Adnan and his wife would be travelling very soon .” Alhaji Mukhtar began. “ So, I would be brief. I know you are all aware of what happened in the past. I also have a past and I let it affect my judgement. I was born into a very poor family. We lived in the village and all we did was farm.

Yaya Aminu was the first to go to bariqi ( city) and got into primary school. When he came home, I saw him writing and I was impressed. This aroused my interest in schooling. I wanted to go to school but our father would not allow me so I ran away from home, went to Minna where I had my primary school education. I later went to Teacher’s College before acquiring my NCE and became a teacher.
Yaya also had his secondary school education before he started working for some white men as a servant. One of the men took him to USA and got him a job as a cleaner. Then I heard he was in Bolivia before he returned.

I got married and within a few years, we were blessed with children. We wanted a female child and each time we had a child that was a male, we hoped for another until Naairah came. My salary could not support us and life was a hell.
So when Yaya came back and sent for me, I was blinded. Imagine one who barely got transportation to travel to Abuja coming back with six million naira. I swore never to go back to poverty. I enrolled into school and got my degree from University of Lagos. And later Yaya sent me to Ministry of Education to work. I rose to the rank of a Director, Permanent secretary and a Minister.

There are a lot of secrets I kept from you people just the way Yaya kept a lot from me. I hope this serves as a lesson and deterrent to us. I never questioned Yaya’s change of name or how he became a doctor.
We made a great mistake. Adnan was humiliated, and even bullied by us. Your mother and Gaddafi were not in support. I now know they knew better. We owe Adnan not just an apology, but gratitude because it was his wealth we were lying on. It was his power Yaya used to raise me and Tofa. I hope he finds a place in his heart to forgive us.
I must warn you all to keep this a secret. Not even your spouses should know. He is still Hayat to the rest of the world and it must remain like that. I just hope their trip is successful. The price of failure is high.”

“ Thank you very much sir.” Adnan said. “ I have nothing to say. The only thing I want to say is to implore that we should forget this ever happened. I have always….always….always…. ‘liked’ Naairah and that extended to the family. I pray we succeed.”

Gaddafi shook his head.

So Addy was a fake after all. He wished he could learn his lesson.

“ Are you sure you want to do this?” Adnan asked her, his hands on her waist, her hands round his neck, and their face so close their breath blended. He touched her lips with his, he could feel her softness, and wished they could remain like that for ages.
She wanted to talk, but she was breathless. The hardness of his chest, his strong but comfortable hold, his hands handling her back, and she felt as if she going through a stream of chocolate, with sweetness all over her.

She looked into his eyes, his natural eyes and felt rays of compassion, sensation, and love. She felt fulfilment, and blessings. She was ready to be with him in whatever he was doing.

“ Yes, Hayati. I want to be involved.” She said softly, her hands moving from his neck to his chest and she began to use her fingers to make circle it. “ You did not train me for nothing.”

“I know but there might be risk.” He said, touched her neck with his lips and bit her with the lips and she felt a tickling sensation, she chuckled and made an attempt to push him away but he quickly transferred the lips to hers, kissed her, she relaxed then he smiled, “ My life is full of risk. I wish it was another way round.”

“I am not that pusillanimous, Hayati.” She said. “Life is full of risk. There is risk at every angle.”

“Miss Sunshine, I love you. I love you so much I want to catch every air you inhale, check and purify it before you inhale. I want to be your knight, watch you while you sleep at night, making sure the blanket is never out of place and you are on the right, for you I will fight, I am sure not I might, that I will love you through any plight, together we embark on this love flight, you come and enhance my sight.
Miss Sunshine, if I was an artist, I would paint your picture with the exact amount of pores you have because I have you in me. I close my eyes and see you, feel you, and the love is so intense I feel your eyes on me wherever I go. You implant fidelity, integrity, maturity, equity, sanity in my life my wife.

Each time I hear the word luck, I feel it is about me because I have you as a wife. When I hear life , I feel it is about me because I have you in my life. With my imperfection, you give me maximum delectation, satiation, and I feel like a prince but on second thought, you make a king.
I don’t know what lies ahead, but I know Allah knows what is ahead, and on Him we depend, and pray to, so we submit, commit our affairs to Him. I am doing this because of your father..and that is because of you, and then your mum and Gaddafi. And it would give us a chance to know what the Evolution is really all about.

If I tell you it is going to very easy, then that is kidology. We are dealing with a team of world brains. I just hope it goes well. We are leaving tomorrow but I think we can see how Abba is doing.”

“ I did not tell you but he is organizing one of his dinners again. This time, he called it nuclear dinner. That is for the nuclear family and that excludes the wives of my brothers. The only spouse allowed is you. I guess there is something he wants to say.”

“We have time, don’t we?”

“Yes. Thank you, Hayati.”

“ Can’t one do his duty without getting thanked?”

“Please tell me you want me to be of help. I can do it. You have not said anything about it.”

He hesitated.

“ Okay, my love. I never wanted you involved but…….I will work with you.”

“That is the least the wife of a computer genius should do.”

They kissed again before they left the house.






She looked at the wall clock for the umpteenth time, and dialled the phone again. It was a few minutes after mid-night. She had called his family house and they said he was not there. They also tried to call him but his line was switched off.
She could not sleep, or rest. This was unusual. He never stayed out late. She was trying not to panic, or start crying.
She heard the gate opened and a car drove in. She rushed out of the living room just as he drove in. She waited impatiently as he parked the car and came out of it. She rushed and hugged and then allowed the tears cascade.

“What happened? You got me scared.”

He held her and put his hand on her head.

“ I am sorry, Nadia.” Lawal said. “ My phone ran out of charge and my car broke down. I could not call my mechanic or get anyone. It was along a lonely road. No one was willing to stop for me. I had to trek a long distance to get someone who helped get a mechanic who he had to wake from his house. I had to offer him a large amount of money before he agreed to come with me.”

“ Oh my God! My poor baby.” She kissed him on the cheek. “ I was scared. I called Mama, they were worried too. Let me give them the good news.”

Nadia held his hand while she dialled his mother’s number. When the line connected, she told her that her was back. The mother demanded to speak with her son.

“ What kind of irresponsibility is that?” The woman vituperated. “ How dare you, a married man leave your wife and stay out so late?”

“Mama it was not my fault. I had a broken car, a phone that ran out of charge and was stranded.”

But the mother had put off the phone.

Lawal saw how happy Nadia was. They went inside and saw that she had not touched her food. She was waiting for him. How could he tell her that he was filled? How would she feel if she knew where he was coming from? He felt a wave of guilty conscience.
This had to stop. It was escalating and getting worse. He just got married four months ago and this was happening.

“ The dinner is set. I guess you want to change first, or….”

“I am very tired.” He said. “ The stress got me weak and I lost appetite. Besides Mama just spoke harshly to me.”

“I am sorry I only called them…..”

“I know it is not your fault.” He said with a forced smile. “ I just to sleep.”

She studied him for a few seconds. Maybe he was mentally stressed out.

“ Okay.”

“You have not had dinner. Please do that.”

“ I am good. Do you need a bath?”

“No.” He said and felt guilty again. He just had a bath not quit long ago.

“ A massage will do then.”

He could not refuse this. He nodded. They went inside the bedroom, he pulled off his clothes and wore just shorts. He climbed the bed.
She moved on the bed, and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. It felt cold on him and he felt a jolt. What was wrong? What had Saima done to him? He never bargained for this. Why did she have to come back to his life now?

NINE

Beeba sat behind the cab with a tumultuous heart. She had hoped for a happy comeback, eager to come back to her husband and children, until last night.
She wished she could just walk away, and go far she would never be seen again. Her heartbeat was faster, not knowing if Isa would find out from her appearance.

She arrived home about nineteen minutes later and stood by the gate hesitating. She felt like going back. She could see his car parked in front of the house.
Before she could knock, the door opened and he peeped. She felt as if the ground should swallow up.

“Your other is around.” He said with a grin before he came to hug her. The children came out excited and embraced her.

They were excited to see her. She was filled with guilt but it seemed he could not see it on her face.

“How was Lag?” He asked.

No! Lagos was horrible. No! She was terrible. She did not want to hear that name now. Not now.

“Fine.” She said. “I- I missed you guys.”

The next few days were not easy for her. The guilt dwelled in her and sometimes she felt like telling someone maybe that could ease her. She felt the best person to tell was Isa but after a second thought, she discarded the idea totally.
Trouble started when the month came to an end. She had to go back to Lagos and that meant seeing Mangal again.
Okay, she would act as if nothing ever happened but she would never be in seclusion with him or any other man again.

She travelled to Lagos and she had to see him. They had acted as if nothing had happened. But the tension between them was palpable. They were not as free with each other like they used to be. They were very formal and would not even share a joke. Mangal did not even ask after her husband like he used to do. They chose to do the reviews and reports at the lobby.
They stopped by 9:00PM and both left for their rooms. The next day, she went for the formal reports and signing. Mangal went for his duty.
She received the monthly distribution schedule and had to explain it to Mangal while they fix it.
They worked until it was 10:00PM.

“Goodnight.” He said and got up. She did not reply.

He ascended the stairs and got to the door to his room. He slot in the key and unlocked. He turned the door knob and pushed the door.
He went in and before he could close it, he felt someone behind him.
He frowned.
She gave him no time for wondering. She rushed in and grabbed him. He responded and they kissed while clothes dropped on the floor.
One hour later, while Mangal was pretending to be asleep, she lay on his body thinking.
How did it happen again? Why did it happen again?

She had regretted it the first time. Even now she did but there was a deeper problem.
Even in her deepest mood of regret and remorse, she could still feel the sparks his hand ignited in her. She could never stop thinking about his brio. She tried to run away from thoughts. When she closed her eyes, instead of running away from his thought, she saw him, his stout chest, the abs, the mean expression he had as he took her; those manly touches yet full of sensations and mildness.
These were thoughts she buried inside and refused to admit to herself. Thoughts that resonated with her. Now as she layby his side, her head on his chest, after a hot love making, she knew she wanted more of him.

“I know you are awake.” She said.

He smiled and opened his eyes. He was feeling uncomfortable. If they claimed it a mistake the last time it happened , why a second time?
He allowed the weakness of the mind toil with him. His physical needs and satisfaction got over him. She had a body only a few men could resist. After the first time they had sex, the feelings lingered for long.
When he saw her yesterday, he had quickly took off his eyes and tried to forget her but he could not. When she followed him, he could not resist.

“We did it again.” He said. “We have to stop.”

“I know.” She said and after seeing that smile of his, she knew she was not ready to stop soon. “I could not resist you Mangal. I am horrible but
I can’t help it. Why are bad things so sweet?”

He turned and sent his hand to her back.

“I have heard that and you just proved it. I wonder what GM would say if he knew what is going on.”

“Maybe he saw it. There might have been some kind of chemistry between us we never knew. I have always like you but in a platonic way.”

She got up and sat on him.

“We have to stop but before then…..I want more of you, soldier boy.”

“You know I will give it to you, how; when; where; and for how long you want it.”

“Awwwnnn….”

The first time they committed this great sin, they all fell very guilty. But this second time, they felt less guilty. In fact, after the third they spent together, they stopped feeling anything wrong.
Now it just sweetness, romance and nothing more. She moved into his room and lodged out of hers. They spent
One week together before she reluctantly went back to Kano.

Back in Kano, she could not stop thinking about him. The only hand that touched her and made her melt was his. She tried to act normal with Isa, and he seemed to be unsuspicious.
After three the assignment, which gave her the chance to spent days with him, Mangal came back to Kano but the relationship continued.
She succeeded in getting him a job as a casual worker with the firm. They would sometimes make love in office, toilet, car and his house.

On this fateful day, she had just returned and met Isa sitting on a rocking chair in the open courtyard. He
After three the assignment, which gave her the chance to spent days with him, Mangal came back to Kano but the relationship continued.
She succeeded in getting him a job as a casual worker with the firm. They would sometimes make love in office, toilet, car and his house.
On this fateful day, she had just returned and met Isa sitting on a rocking chair in the open courtyard. He wore white singlet and black shorts.

“Hello Darling.” She said. “I am sorry I came back late. The oil scarcity is escalating and pressure is proliferating.”

“It is okay. Please sit down.”

She gave him a sharp glance.

“I hope it’s okay.”

“I just want to talk with you.”

What was going on?

She sat down beside him.

He was silent for a while. She could feel the tension between them.

“Your former boss tried to give me the impression that you were having an extramarital affair with that young man, Mangal.”

It was here!

Beeba began to find it hard to submerge her fears. She had not expected this.

“I remember.” She said.

“I used to get angry because I trusted you. I never believed him and I still don’t believe him.”

I still don’t believe him. That was a relief.

She still kept quiet.

“But I have been getting some reports lately about you and the same boy. Not from your ex-boss. They did not say you are having an affair with him. They only said you are too close for comfort. I am also uncomfortable with it.”

“Who are the people saying this?”

“It does not matter. Do you know that you have changed? There is something that has taken your attention away. You only pretend to be here. I guess it is your work or the fact that you earn more than I do now and you take a chunk of the responsibilities…I don’t know but I feel I am losing my Beeba to something….and I hope it is not someone.”

“What are you talking about? How dare you say something like that…” She began to cry. It was just a face saving act and she cried because he was right. She got up and ran to her room to cry. He came after her.

“I am sorry.” He said.

Harzeezh123:
nice work bro u deserve something best in Life I pray all yr efffort we b crown by Almighty Allah
update we ar with u

Ameen, thanks for your prayers. More updates coming.

Born2Breed:
SokoDobo....the waiting is above our hearts. Any updates coming soon?

Apologies please. Update coming soon.

excelmerry:
Is it same link to order for both hard and soft copy?

No. For soft copy, just send a mail to info.bellanbooks@gmail.com indicating your interest.

EIGHTEEN

There was a few seconds of cauldron of befuddlement, disbelief, shock, and ponders. This boy did not look like the Adnan he had his picture but the things he just said were indubitable. He just mentioned the secret code name he stole from Dr Abbas.
Addy wondered, trying to believe what Hayat was saying was true. He saw the expression on his father’s face. Could Hayat have been Adnan all these while? But Adnan was not formally educated even though he was a savant, and Hayat had a PhD which he was sure of.

“ I will not dwell on the fact, sir, you were in cahoots with Mason Ford and Don Vasitto with their allies to rob me off my money, my parents and subjected me to an inhumane condition. You may not be the mastermind, and must have done things to escape your humble profession of cleaning and plunge into riches and power.
But it would have been better if I had a fair treatment, even though my entitlements were being transferred to your son whom you gave this….” Adnan wiped off something and showed them his mark: the original mark.

Aminu was speechless, just standing like a chained dog.

“ The picture I sent to your son is a reminder of how they treated me like a trash, and I would not be allowed to play with their toys, or bicycles, and would only eat from the crumbs they throw away, lick the chocolate wraps.
I was a super hero: Trash boy who got his super powers from rotten bread. Yes, you threw me to a rotten life and I got my powers there. Whatever God says you will have, nothing would stop it from coming to you. You made me got on the street just at the age of nine and I still got my knowledge by the grace of God.

The streets was like the rotten bread, and I got my knowledge, my super powers from the streets, the rotten bread. Subjecting me to inhumane treatment from the house help, enrolling me into a cheap and shoddy school while you and your children enjoyed on my money.
I will go around school begging for food, spreading my palm and being treated like a dog. You made me felt begging was a means of survival, and stealing was just a way of acquiring something you need. I spent a good part of my life stealing just to eat.
Did you know how many nights I spent under the rain at night, or in severe cold? How I was prone to being kidnapped or slain? Making me look like a parentless child when I had not just a family but a powerful one.
Alhaji Mukhtar humiliated me, and rained all sorts of insults on me, got roughened by some of his children simply because they felt I was nothing.
You did not only deprive me of those, your son sent hoodlums to kill me, and take me away from my love. He could not kill me because only God can fix my time and it was not yet time. You only drove me closer to my success.
I still made it and have a PhD. I got money even when you deprived me of mine and got married to my love with you being the Waliy. Now you are in trouble. There is a test to be conducted and that will test the IQ and intellectual prowess. Now you need the trash boy, looking for him desperately, going on media.
The boy was right under your nose, watching you but you could not perceive. I am aware of all those times you were watching Naairah, She never knew herself. Now I am here, but I must advise you to keep Mason out of this. What do you want?”


Hajiya Fatima was watching them. She saw how chastened, weak and submissive Aminu looked. She had never seen him look like this. Even Addy stood like a student about to be expelled standing before the VC.

“ Naairah, what is going on? I know you know.”

Naairah knew Adnan had unveiled himself. There was no need of lying.

“ He is Adnan Abbas. The real one.”

“ What?” She exclaimed, “ Wait, you mean Hayat is Adnan? How? What…”

“It is a long story.”

“You knew all these while?”

“No. We spent six months before he revealed himself.”

“ What a world. I don’t know what to say. I never forgot him. So…wait, after all those thing Abban Abdul said, he was the source of our wealth? See how twisty life could be? I am so happy …But I am still confused.”

“It is a long story, Ummi. Let us get out of hospital first.”

Zayyad did not know what was going on, just like Naairah’s siblings but they saw the way Adnan spoke with confidence and the rest, including Tofa stood still. What was going on there? Who was this Hayat?
Muhammad, Naairah’s immediate elder brother joined his brothers and said in a low tone.

“ Bros, I heard a few of what he was saying.” He said. He had moved to hide behind a corner close to a corridor not far from where they stood.

“ That guy is Adnan.”

The siblings that were around were Gaddafi, the first child, Muhammad, Sa’eed. AbdulRasheed.

“What?” Sa’eed exclaimed. “ Which Adnan?”

“Naairah’s Adnan.”

“No! It is not possible. How can that scumbag be Hayat. They don’t even look alike.” Sa’eed argued.

“Will you shut up!” Gaddafi said. “ I will see what you will do if he is the one. You guys don’t reason. If you were too young to remember, I do vividly. Abba was just a primary school teacher with seven children. It was after the birth of Naairah when Uncle Abbas came back from Bolivia he started making money.
I am surprised he forgot all of these. I don’t want to talk much because he is in a critical condition. We must handle life with care. We don’t know what lies ahead. We know of a president of this country who never had shoes when he was a kid. He was from a poor home but destiny took him to the peak.”

Muhammad shook his head.

“Uncle Abbas and Addy would never stand before an ordinary guy like this. That is Adnan. I heard it. He owns all the money Addy had been flaunting and lavishing. That guy is not ordinary…that means the Adnan we beat up is…the guy who owns the family money. The source of power.”

“The guy Abba called all sort of names.” Gaddafi said.

“I don’t know what is actually happening but it seems they are in trouble and Adnan seems to have a way of helping.” Muhammad said.

“You are right. I read it on dailies that a certain girl threatened to commit suicide is she does not find her lover, blab la bla. It sounded sticky, and I guess I get it now. They are in trouble and needs his help. I guess that is why Abba is here.”

“Yes. They owe him billions. His entitlements and his father’s contracts .” Muhammad. “ And it is time to pay…I guess this got Abba sick. From what Adnan said, Uncle Abbas treated him badly and he may not help them…that means not helping Abba.”

“ If it is Adnan, he would do his best to help even though they don’t deserve it.” Gaddafi said.

They saw Adnan walk towards the ward while Aminu, Addy and Tofa followed him.
Zayyad could not believe this. If really he was Adnan, then he was working for Adnan.
Adnan! His messenger? God! Why? How did he do it? Adnan of all people? Jeez! He took Naairah away, married her, and then employed him.

They were allowed to see Alhaji Mukhtar. Adnan told them that seeing him was important to his health. There was a cause to his condition and something had to be done to help him psychologically.

Alhaji Mukhtar was lying on the bed, looking very weak but conscious. When he saw them, a sudden fear displayed on his face. He thought they were coming for the money.

Adnan looked at him and smiled.

“Abba, I am here because of the love I have for Naairah, and the respect I have for Gaddafi, and my love for Ummi.” He said. “ I would not like to go back to the past events. I also want you to forget about it. You have been looking for Adnan. I know everything and Adnan is here.”

Alhaji Mukhtar looked at his brother. They would not joke over something like this.

“Where is he?” He mumbled.

“ I am Adnan Abbas.” He said. “I have always been here.”

Alhaji Mukhtar looked at his brother. He did not have much strength to talk but the expression he saw on his brothers face told him what he wanted to know. But how? Hayat was Adnan? Did he undergo surgery?

“ I need you to be strong Abba.” Adnan said. “ If you people play the cards well, you will have no problems. It is my money, but I do not have the power to remit it. The crime is against the organization. So what do we do? Addy has to go for the test.
But it is going to be my call, my game and from now on, the cards are mine to play. If you go against the rules, then there will be a rebound. One: You must not let Mason know about me or this plan. Baba Ami….Abbas, Mason do not have personal liking for you or anyone. You have a function and if he realizes that you are of no use, then you become a gabbage.
If he finds out about me, then you are in for it. Warn your family members. The men Gajere talked to you about are not from The BOE per say. They are my men and I was going to make sure Addy went for the test

I have eyes too. I am not alone and remember that I am the real TCO, that is The Chosen One. Addy will be there but I will be the one answering the questions. It is not going to be a doddle. We are talking about one of the most highly technical men in the world.
We are going to use a device which will be fixed to him. Pray it works and I will be relating with you. I am going to use my PDA. What you people wanted in the past. I got another one built and it must remain a secret.

If Addy passes the test, Mason would want to know how he did it. I will tell you what to do. Then you will all have to report to us……..Mason is about to hijack the Evolution. We want to know get to him first.”

“ I don’t know what the Evolution is all about.” Aminu said.

“ There is a lot you are going to tell me. From the scratch. The names of DNA experts, your files and everything……if you want to have peace with my people. That may lead us to the Evolution. Mason is in hiding, ruling his world. If he succeeds in getting the Evolution, he would take over and man would suffer!”

“Does that mean we are not paying back the money?” They turned to see Alhaji Mukhtar sitting on the bed. He just asked that question.

Adnan was shocked.

“ Yes, if you people play by our rules.”

Adnan was right. It was not as easy as they thought and what they were going to find was beyond their imagination. It was deeper than they had anticipated.

Addy was going to USA for the test. The big test! Would he succeed?

tijehi:


Sokodobo, please which ones are soft copy ready? Because, you just said that married to a fink is only in hard copy. And then also said its in pdf

Married to a fink is available in both hard copy and soft copy.

The root of a cynosure is available only in soft copy at the moment.

Mangal could not believe what he just did. Did he just sleep with a married woman? Was this real? Was this not what use to disgust them when Bala mentioned it. They thought they could never do it. It never even crossed their mind.
How did this happen? His loneliness, dejection, or what? There was never a justifiable reason to sleep with a married woman. No reason was acceptable and he knew that.

No! This did not happen. It was just a nightmare. He felt like a beast. A worthless fellow. A devil. A condemned soul. That was it?
He burst into tears, dropped on the bathroom floor and cried like a child. He had cheated himself, her husband, his religion, and marital status. What punishment did he deserve? Should he go and report himself? What? He was just a weak bastard.

Beeba was going through the same feelings in her room. She had ran out of the room after it was over. She had felt it was just a nightmare like Mangal did.
She felt like a the most horrible woman on earth . She could swear she had never planned this, or thought of it. Why?
They crossed the line. She took him as just a colleague and forgot that Islam had put a barrier between a man and a woman.
The time they spent in the jungle was inevitable and was not deliberate. For the fact that they were together and nothing happened, she thought nothing will ever happen.

It was wrong to be in a seclusion with a man that was a non-mahram. Work or no work!
If Bala knew what just happened, he would swear that it had been happening for long and he was right about them. No! Even after what happened, he was wrong. The devil just got into them this night.

She was crying, soaked in water, washing her body as if she could wash everything away. How was she going to face Isa? Would it not be written on her face? Should she confess to him? What would she tell him? He trusted her. She trusted herself but she betrayed him and herself.
There was a limit between the relationship between a man and a girl.
She was doomed! What next?

The hotel was a five star hotel. This company was nothing compared to the plastic company. Room 107 was reserved for her. Mangal took it while she lodged into another room which was just three doors from Room 107. They settled in and she began to brief him in details.
The next day, he accompanied her to the Lagos Office where she reported officially. She introduced Mangal to the branch manager who had been briefed by her boss.

She signed the necessary papers and they went back to the hotel. The next day, the job started and she was there to see the kick-off.
She knew Mangal was capable and reliable.

“This is one hundred and twenty thousand naira thousand naira.” She had given Mangal that night. “The management gives feeding allowance. I think you should have it. I am not saying that is all they gave me.”

He giggled.

“You don’t have to go there. I am already thinking of mama-put. I guess they expect you to be eating here.” He knew one thousand five hundred was going to take care of his daily feeding. That meant he could save two thousand and five hundred naira daily. He had to remind himself that this was not a permanent job.

He would save as much as he could so he would be able to establish a small business before he got a job. Though the capital was little, but a barbershop would keep him breathing and avoid Maman Gambo’s grumbles.

She left the next day. She said she was missing her husband and children.
Mangal was glad to have something doing for a while. He kept himself busy with the job but deep down, he knew he was so lonely. Having lost his mother, fiancée and job, life became an inferno to him.

Beeba came back for the end of month report. She was glad to see how successful he was at the job.

“I just want to thank you for your diligence. I am not astonished though. I know I can always rely on you.”

“Thank you.”

“There are some changes this month. Our concentration is going to be on South-West…….” She began to brief him. She wanted to leave on the third day so she had to make sure she let him have all the information.
This made her stay late in his room and at a point, she fell asleep.
Mangal felt very uncomfortable. He did not know how to wake her up so he simply left and went into her room and slept there.
She felt embarrassed the next day when she saw herself in his room. How could she have fallen asleep there?
She went back to her room to have her bath, breakfast before they left for work.
She paid him his first salary and he did not waste time in depositing it in his account.

In the night, after dinner and rest, they resumed work. This time, they chose to use the lobby of the hotel. They kept working until a few minutes after 11:00PM. They were both tired and decided to call it a day.
They went upstairs and to their various rooms.

Mangal pulled his clothes and was left only in his boxers. He dropped on the bed, tired and he felt the loneliness come back.
He had to move on. His mother was dead, that was a pain that would never leave but what she needed most was prayers. He had accepted that but he had not gotten over his breakup with Hauwa. She broke up with him just a few days after his mother’s death.

He had hopes she was going to be there for him. He had built his life around her and she just left like that.
He closed his eyes, lay still while his hands crossed over his stout chest.
He got up, moved to the refrigerator and poured himself a cup of water. It was while he was drinking he heard a knock at the door.

“I am sorry to bother you.” He heard Beeba say. “The Calabar dispatch code is 768 and not 786. I just saw the message.”

He opened the door without thinking.

They all stood still for a fraction of second.

“You- you are not dressed.” She said, feeling embarrassed.

“Oh my God!” He exclaimed and ran back to wear a T-shirt. “Wallahi I was absentminded.”

“I know.” She went in after he wore the T-shirt. “That means we have change all the dispatch points and that is a hell of a work. I promised Abu Haneef that I would be on the first flight tomorrow morning. I am sorry about this. I know you are tired.”

He was tired indeed.

“It’s okay.” He said thinking about the money he just deposited.

He brought out the laptop she had given him and they began to make corrections. The laptop was on the table, while he sat on the chair.

She was standing behind him with a distribution schedule paper telling him where to change.

“Mangal.” She called. “There is something going on with you. It’s not just about being tired. Your mum?”

He forced a smile.

“I have accepted that. I am good.”

“I talked to the manager. He said they may give you a chance of a casual worker and then try to confirm you since they can’t employ you fully now.”

That was great. He never hoped to be a casual worker but that was better than being jobless and a casual worker in an oil company may not be doing badly.

“Thank you. I really appreciate you. You are like a sister I never had.”

Immediately he said that, she saw the weakness him. His eyes glistened, and a dull ray showed emptiness and helplessness.
He was like a drowning child calling out for help. He was like a naked child outside during winter in need of clothes and shelter.
She saw someone in need. Someone who had being there for her.

Mangal felt her hand on his shoulder. At first it was shock and fear.

“I will be there for you.”

His hand moved and touched hers. He did not know what to do next. Shove it off? Yes, that was what he ought to do.
Beeba was befuddled. Why did she touch his shoulder? Why was her hand still under his? What was wrong with her?

Stillness.
Silence.

“Thank you.” He whispered. This was wrong but he could not let her go. He felt her breath closer. She was now resting her head on his shoulder.
He began to shiver. A part of him told him it was fear, another part said it was cold, and another said it was need.

He turned abruptly and pulled her to himself and she sagged on his laps.
She had to stop! What was wrong? She wanted to get up, force herself up but she could not.
She wound her hands around him and their lips met.

Damn!

Beneath the senses of judgement was that sweetness that blurred the mind. All she began to feel was the sweetness of his touch and kiss.
As they moved to the bed, she knew she was lost. Something she had never dreamt of doing. It took no time before their clothes were on the floor. The unthinkable happened.

EIGHT

Beeba had fallen ill and the next day was spent trying to get her recuperated. There was no phone service so they could not make any call.
Mangal made food from the provisions they randomly packed. There was dried fish, fried meat, noodles, garri, sugar and bread. So all they had to cook was noodles.
It seemed it was a fever because she had a high temperature, headache and internal cold.
There was no blanket so Mangal had to fetch some burning charcoal and heat the tent.
He also fetched some leaves from a nim tree and cooked it.
It was bitter and he knew women hated medications but he cajoled her to take it because she had to be strong to see her husband and children again.
They spent two days before she was able to get on her feet. Now, they had no direction.
Mangal said they had no choice other than to take the road they saw the criminals take. It was a big risk but that seemed to be the only way out.
They embarked on their journey home. But at a point, they ran out of gasoline and the bike stopped.
This happened to be a new phase of suffering for them. They had run out of food. Beeba sat on the bike while Mangal pushed it.

This was how they moved through out that day. They would rest at some points. They were very glad to find a mango tree with plenty ripe mangoes.
They plugged so many, took some and had extra. When it became dark, the camped.
It was the next day they got to a point where Mangal tried the phone.
Bingo!
There was service.
She called her husband and the police were alerted and described where they were. Mangal recognised the place. It was close to a road that led to Albasu.

A team of armed policemen arrived in no time to pick them. They were taken to the police headquarters to make a formal report and briefing.
When Isa saw his wife, he became emotional. They hugged each other and Beeba also cried. But he was very happy.
They left the police station after about two hours. Isa took his wife away while Mangal went home. Immediately he arrived home, he had a bath and went to the hospital.

He was disheartened to see his mother’s worsening condition. She could barely talk but her weak eyes showed some glimpse as she saw him. She had forced a smile and he got emotional.
He resumed work two days later which happened to be the same day Beeba resumed.
They had only talked on phone once since their escape. Immediately he arrived office, he was told that the GM wanted him.
He saw Beeba going into the office. He followed her and saw the GM sitting majestically behind his desk.

“Good morning, Sir.” Mangal heard Beeba say before he also said, “good morning, sir.”

“Good morning.” He replied.

“I was told about your alleged kidnap.” Bala began. “In fact, your husband had to come to my house and harass me. I don’t know why I should be harassed after the reproaches I got from above.
I could not have a corrected version of the audit report, one of our cars was missing, as you guys claimed you were kidnapped, but found with a camping tent on a bike, after three days you called to say you have escaped. But that is not my personal problem. It is a free world. I am not falsifying your statements but I am not saying it adds up. I am talking about the days and nights you spent together in the tent in the jungle. I am talking about our missing car and failure to get the corrected version before you got kidnapped.
Well, we decided not to bring the law. The management have decided to let go but have completely lost confidence in you.
The management have therefore ordered me to terminate your appointments with immediate effect but I begged them to give you your full wage for this month . Here are you letters.”

Mangal felt as if he was hit with a sledge hammer. The image of his mother kept popping up. He also thought of Hauwa, his fiancée. His wedding arrangements had been thwarted since his mother’s illness became more serious.

“Please Sir. We all know that kidnapping is prevalent these days. We would not do anything to harm ….”

“There is nothing I can do about this. I am sorry. I wish I could help.”

Beeba knew it was a chance Bala had been looking for. It was his entire plan. She knew there was nothing they could do.

“This is what you have been looking for.” She said. “Just because I did not let you have what you wanted.”

“Please leave before I call the security. You will receive an alert. Thank you very much.”

“You will catch up with nemesis.”

“Please leave.”

That was how they were both fired. Three days later, Mangal went to the hospital and found his mother gasping. That was the last day she lived. She died at night.
That was the most tragic moment of his life. She was the only one he had. He cried until he fell sick.
One week later, while he was at home, Hauwa came to see him. She had been supportive when his mother died.
She was a very slim girl , swarthy and not bad looking.

“I hope you are not starving yourself.” She had said.

“I eat.”

After a few words, she said, “Mangal, I have wanted to tell you this for a while.”

“Okay.”

“You know I have being patient even when you kept saying we had to put aside the wedding plan due to your mother’s health issues. I knew you were right. And now, you said you have lost your job. I sincerely sympathise with you but I cannot allow your destiny to affect mine. I am sorry but we have to take a break. In fact, I have started seeing someone else and he is very serious. I did not want you to hear it from my parent but I feel you will be called to give you back your dowry.”




Mangal was dejected, frustrated and felt there was nothing more for him to live for. He was lucky that the small house he lived in was what he had inherited from his late father.
It was three months since he lost his job and he had run out of money. He had been trying to get a job to no avail.
He felt lonely, sad and scared of falling into depression. On that fateful day, he had come back after spending the whole day searching for a job when he heard the sound of a car pull up in front of his house. He peeped. It was Beeba. He had not seen her for three months. She was elegantly dressed and he noticed that she looked better than the last time he had seen her.
He was just dressed in shorts. He quickly got up and wore his jeans. As he tried to put on his shirt, she knocked at the door.

“Just a moment.” He said and wore the shirt quickly. He went to the door and opened it.

“Hajiya Beeba, what a pleasant surprise.”

She smiled.

“What happened to your line? I have been trying your number.”

He smiled, hesitated before he said, “I lost my phone.”
But that was a lie. He sold it.
She went into his poorly furnished and small living-room. The sofa was cheap but beautiful.

“I thought as much. How have you been doing?”

“Glory be to God. How did you locate this place?”

“Have you forgotten that me and Abu Haneef came here when your mother passed away?”

“Oh, that is true. I was not myself then.”

“I know right.”

“Please sit down.”

She sat on a sofa.

“How are Alhaji and the kids?’

“They are good. ABu Haneef Just lost a milk teeth today so when he smiles, you see the big gap in front.”

He chuckled.

“And you are making jest of him.”

“He deserves it. He used to laugh at my grandfather who lost his teeth since before I was born.”

“Your grandfather is still alive?”

She nodded.

“He is alive and still walks by himself.”

“Whoa! You are lucky.”

“Masha Allah. I could not let you know that I got a job with Greenland Oil Company. Abu Haneef’s friend helped me out.”

“Alhamdulillah! That is great. I mean you stepped up. That is a quantum leap.”

“It is indeed and apart from the good salary, the working environment is serene. There is no one harassing me. What do you do now?”

He took in a deep breath.

“Still in labour market. I wrote seven applications last month. I have not been called yet but I am still trying other places. You know how it is to get a job these days , especially when you have got no one upstairs.”

She felt sad about this.

“Oh my dear. I am so sorry about that. It is so sad because you have a good CV.”

“Nepotism determines CV except if you are exceptionally lucky.”

“I know right. Abu Haneef said those of us who applied were nine thousand and only twelve were picked.”

“What? Your husband’s friend must be very strong.”

“He is a personnel manager there.”

“I grab. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. It must be hard for you.”

“It is a phase of life. At least my only responsibility is me. There are people in such situations that have families to take care of. What if this had
happened when Mama was alive? How could I have taken care of her hospital bills?”

“May her soul rest in peace.”

“Ameen.”

“I was on my way home. I just felt I should check on you. You must have a new phone. You can’t be in the labour market without a phone. How
would they contact you?”

“That is true. I used to put my SIM card in a friends phone after every two days to check my messages.”

“What if the call is an emergency? Like they call you for an interview the next day?”

He nodded. He was so hungry that day he made feeding the top on priority list.

“Have this.” She gave him an envelope. “I think I still have your number. Thank you for saving my life.”

It was after she left he opened the envelope. It as a bundle of one thousand naira notes.

One hundred thousand naira!
He went out immediately and went to Maman Gambo’s shop.
She was a grocer. She frowned immediately she saw him.

“Maman Gambo.”

“Hmmm.” She answered with a stern expression.

“Do you have noodles and eggs?”

“I can’t sell on credit again Mangal. You owe me eight hundred and sixty-five naira.”

He smiled.

“I know. I am not here to buy on credit. I am here to pay you.” He gave her one thousand naira.

She smiled.

“Thank you. I hope you understand how it is. Things are hard these days. Baba Gambo…..”

“I need a carton of noodles”

“Which type?”

“Indomie. The super pack and one crate of egg…..” He spent ten thousand naira on food. He also went and refilled his gas. Food was the top in the scale of preference.

The next day, he went to buy a fairly used Samsung S6 phone. He called Beeba to thank her and told her that he had gotten a phone.
But he still could not get a job. Looking for a job could be expensive. He had to keep updated online, spent on transportation, and many more.

Then the call came…….

The call was from Beeba. She needed to see him urgently in her office. He did not ask what it was. He boarded a cab and went there immediately.
He was directed to her new office and he knew at once she had really stepped up.

“ I am sorry for the emergency call.”

“It is cool to be out of the house.”

“Please sit down.”

He sat down.

“I have a problem.”

Mangal gave her that look of you-have-got-my-attention.

“I have been assigned to supervise our importation schedule for the next three months. It is a very hectic job but the allowance is big. Besides, I do not have a choice….”she went on to explain the details of how the job is to be carried out. Mangal wondered at the back of his mind why she was telling him this. “But the problem is this…..it is not here in kano. Our head office is in Port- Harcourt but this assignment is going to take place in Lagos.”

“Whoa.”

“I told my husband about it. I am a married woman and going to spend three months in Lagos is just not okay with me.”

“I understand.”

“I wish he could come with me but he also has a job. Even though things are not too rosy for him but it keeps us going. I am sorry to say this but I do support the family a lot because he owes a bank and he lost some goods. That means he cannot come with me.
Even if he could come with me, what about the kids? It’s not like I am being transferred from here so the kids cannot go with me to start a new school just for three months. I am really confused.
So I thought of something. I don’t know if you will be able to assist me.”

“Go on, Please.”

“I will only stay for a week and you help me out. I talked to my superior. All he wants is to get the job done. I will be coming within intervals to sign some documents and see how things are moving.
The company will pay for my accommodation in a hotel. That means you will stay there. When I come, I will have to pay for where I will lodge from my pocket. That means I will not like to be staying long. These are expensive hotels. I will also pay you of course. I am offering you one hundred thousand a month.
That is not much for an oil company but that is from my allowance and you must understand that I also need money.”

He nodded.

“I will give you time to think about it.”

He grinned.

“Firstly, you know I will always help you out.”

“I know right. You have always done that.”

“Secondly, I am jobless so this is an opportunity to have a job for three months.”

“Yes, and who knows if you will get a job here?”

“I pray so. I am in. The hotel bill, will you be given the money to pay or they will pay directly?”

“Why do you ask?”

“If they are giving you the money, just give it to me so I can get a cheaper hotel and keep the change.”

She laughed.

“No, Mangal. They would just provide accommodation. They won’t give me the money.”

He smiled. “I grab.”

That was how the journey to Lagos started. One week later, they were in Lagos.

Jahl was on bed with one of two of his wives when he received the call. The provisions did not arrive and the men sent could not be reached on phone.
Jahl became suspicious. What was wrong? He tried to call two of the security men set to watch the route but failed.
He quickly wore his clothes and went out. He had not known that Kacha was dead and none of his wives would bother to report him missing since they never liked him.
Jahl walked briskly to Mufty’s cabin and knocked hard on the door.

Mufty opened the door and yawned.

“Are you asleep already?” Jahl asked.

“Not really.” Mufty replied and knew the question was a trap. Jahl knew he was not sleeping and he seemed astonished that Mufty was inside his cabin.
How could he have known that Mufty had attacked the men, killed them and had the truck hidden somewhere. He had also taken care of the security men. But he had no time to bury them so he just dumped their bodies down a cliff.
It may take a while before they were found but it would be better if he got the chance later on to bury them.

“ Gumbari and Kelani did not arrive. Not even the guards are picking their calls. I am afraid something is fishy.”

“I doubt if anyone would have the guts to come to the forest and attack.”

“We don’t know about that yet. We are going to check.”

“Check? We can only trace their tracks but the forest is a world on its own.”

“I was born before you and know the forest more than you do. I meant trace their tracks and see. I will send you and Babayo. If you don’t find anything in thirty minutes, call me. We will need a serious check.”

Just a few minutes after Babayo and Mufty left, Babayo’s body was lying in a deep valley. Mufty now threw the bike away and ran to where he hid the truck. He got under the wheel, started the car engine and sent it down the winding road.
He knew he had no much time. He had to get to them before he missed her. He had to save Leena. Unknown to him, Leena was drowning at that moment.

“Masha Allah!” A man in turban said. “The goods have arrived.” He was smiling as he saw the girls alighting from the bus. “ Beautiful girls saved from a dirty world.”

He was standing akimbo, and behind him was a river. There were so many canoes by the bank of the river with armed men in turbans.
The driver met him and shook his hand.

“Comrade Jalal. Peace be upon you.” Said the driver. “Greetings from the Lion.”

Jalal smiled.

“How is he doing? I have not been to your camp in a while. We have been busy taken care of Adamawa.”

“God’s work is not easy.” The driver said. “He is fine. At least none of his wives is complaining.”

Jalal laughed.

“Twelve wives! That is too much. I can’t do that.”

“Really? How many do you have?”

“Just eight.”

The driver laughed.

“Okay, move them quickly!” Said the driver. “ Ten to a canoe.”

Some of the insurgents held flashlights. Two men came out each holding a cat o’nine tails, and began to shout, using whips to drive the girls like cattle.

“Move it! Move it!” One of the men holding a whip said. When he felt he was not satisfied with the speed at which they moved, he began to use the cat o’nine tails to whip them.

The girls became frenzied, and began to run, while some of them fell to the ground, screaming and crying.

“Now get into the canoes. Ten in a canoe!”

The girls began to get into the canoe randomly. Some of them had phobia for river but the whips got them flummoxed. So they kept running into the canoes, not bothering to count.
The insurgents would now count them. If they were more than ten, they would start whipping them and the excess would be chased out.

Leena just got a whip, she screamed and fell into a canoe. The paddler smiled and then tried to touch her bosom. She used her hands to cover her chest.

He frowned.

“Sit down, idiot! You allow those infidels to touch you but you are running away from holy hands.”

She was crying just like most of the girls. Some of these girls were not Muslims, but abducted and forced to pronounce Islam.
These people were not representing Islam. They were only using Islam as an excuse to satisfy themselves. There was no compulsion in religion, so says the Qur'an. This was no religion. It was sheer terrorism.

The canoes began to sail. Each canoe had three insurgents. While two paddled, one held a gun.
The man who had tried to touch Leena looked at her, and them grinned.
He stopped paddling, asked the man holding a gun to take over before he moved and sat close to Leena.
The moon helped illuminate the see but the views were not very clear.

“Do you know who I am?” He asked.

She shook her head.

“I am offering you a chance to be happy. Do you know where we are taking you to?” He was speaking a low tone.

“No.”

“A land of no return is your final destination. I can help you if you marry me.”

“I don’t want to marry you.”

“Okay, let us observe nikah mut’ah. You will be in Harabal kusum for three days. We should be together for three days. I will pay you dowry.”

“It has been abolished since the time of the Holy prophet SAW.”

“Shut up! What do you know about Islam? It seems you are not ready to live and you know what? It is very easy to get rid of you. All I need to do say is you tried to hit me and escape….”

He did so swiftly. He grabbed her by the neck, pulled her up and flung her into the river.

Leena could not swim. She screamed, shouted for help before she began to drown.

SokoDobo:
I am sorry to announce that our publishing partners requests that we pause posting updates on Married To A Fink. I will however try and make more postings so as to cover upto chapter 16.

And unfortunately, we are here.

You can order for the hard copy here now. Or send a mail to info.bellanbooks@gmail.com to order for soft copies.

Note. Only hard copy of Married To A Fink is available at the moment. it consist of 40 chapters, and over 500 pages. Price is 3k.

Married To A Fink and The Root of A Cynosure are available in soft copy/ebook (pdf) format. Price is 1.5k for each or 2k for both.

Regards.

SIXTEEN

2011

The guy in red hood is Danny Bhurfer. He is twenty four, an ex-convict with no known job. Dropped out of college, and lives in Bay Dane Avenue. I got two men watching him.” Greg said.

“ He should be picked up.” Ann said, her placid façade turning red. “ I need to talk to him.”

Greg picked his phone and dialled a number.

“ Pick up target. I repeat, pick target and bring down to headquarters, pronto.” He ordered.

“ Her parents have arrived. I talked to them. Nothing reveals anything strange. She has no criminal record. Both here and her country home.

We got in touch with Nigerian security agency and nothing sticky was found. I got Tim on Joe. That is one hell of a job. But I want to know if he had anything to do with her officially.
He was called to bar before she came to London. They could not have been buddies in school. Let’s just hope Tim finds something. The small big-man wants miracles.”

“ What about the boyfriend?”

“ He is said to be clean. Once condemned to death for murder but was exonerated. She advocated for him and they fell in love. Nothing daints him…for now, but we are still watching.”

“We always watch everything and everyone.”

“Yeah. Like the small big-man says, watch everyone including me, the director.”

“ I wonder how you do it.”

“Do what?”“ The way you handle things. You cut the quintessence of omnipotence. You handle so many things at a time.”

“ I don’t think I am what you think I am.”

“ I have worked with you for three years. I used to try to compete with you. I wanted to beat you but….I realised you were just born to do this.”

“Oh, Greg, you making me blush. Thank you but could I have done this without you? I don’t do this alone. I got you guys at my back and I am just part of a whole.”

“ Organisation matters.”

She smiled. “ Thank you mentor.”

“I am not….”

He was cut short as his phone chimed.

“ We got Danny. One hell of a kid.”

“ Good job.”

He looked at her.

“We got a guest. Danny.”

“ Can’t wait to have him. Kimmon.”

Danny was sitting on a chair in the interrogation room while some agents watched on screen, observing his eyes, mouth, and everything he said or did. These were human lie detectors.
Ann looked at him and gave him a smile.

“Thank you for coming. ”she said.

“ You abducted me. what the hell do you want from me?”

“ It won’t take much of your time. You witnessed a kidnap scene.”

“Nop.”

“ On Redcamp highway. Three days ago. You were by the window of a Ford car when it happened.”

Damn! He did not like this.

“ It was no kidnap. It was an accident.”

“Accident?”

“Okay, it was almost an accident. A poor blind woman was almost killed.”

“Mmhhhh?”

“ And I went to tell them it was all honky-dory. She seemed to be in a state of shock.”

“Hmmm?”

“So. I left.”

“ Did you know she was abducted at the very moment you were distracting the attention of the man?”

“No and don’t use the word distract. You want to incriminate me.”

“ That is what it seems like. You were facing them and you said you did not see the man who snatched her.”

“I did not witness that.”

She looked at Greg and nodded.

They played the video footage.

“ I was hoping you would be smart to make this easy for you. You got criminal records and this ocular prove seems not to be good for you. If you tell us what you know, we would appreciate it and give you a soft landing.”

Danny grinned.

“Lies! You fucking lie!”

“ I mean it.” She smiled again. “ Who sent you to distract them.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Can I talk to him for a second?” Greg asked and gave Danny a glare.

“I think he needs a talk like yours. He is all yours.” She said.

Ann turned as if leaving.

“Wait! He is not going to use his filthy hands on me! I know you. You want torture me!”

“ He just wants to talk to you and be sure that there is no way out of this.”

Danny bowed his head.

“ I don’t know her name.”

Ann came back, feeling an eruption of excitement.

“ Good boy. Who is she?”

“ She met me in a club and bought me beer. And we got talking. So she tells me she wants me to earn five hundred pounds. And she says she wants to play a trick on her boyfriend and his sister. She said it for a prank show.
So I agreed. We had sixteen plans because we were not sure which will be more pertinent. We kept following them. The plans to pick her from the museum failed, then the restaurant plan also failed. It was the eleventh plan that worked.
The one you got in your camera. I never knew it was an abduction until I saw it in news. They tricked me.”

“That is bad of them.” She said with a hidden sarcasm. She knew he was lying. He knew it was a kidnap,. “Tell me about this lady.”

“ She called herself Felicia. About twenty three. I know nothing much about her.”

“ I got a deal for you. You will be only released when we find her. I guess hiding her identity will not help you.”

“You can’t do that! I need my lawyer.”

“You are dealing with MI6. We suspect international conspiracy and you are a key player. We got evidence on you. Do yourself a favour and act smart.”

He sweating.

“ I need a cigarette.”

Greg removed a stick from his pack and gave it to him, then struck his lighter.
Danny inhaled smoke. He had tried acting stubborn in the past and it got him nowhere. He suffered and ended up in jail.

“ She is Isabella. I don’t know her second name. I don’t know where she lives . She was trying to hide her identity.”

Ann listened from the receiver in her ears.

“He is lying about not knowing about the kidnap.” Said one of the observers, “ He is telling the truth about her trying to hide her identity. He seems to be lying about the amount paid to him. Her name is not Felicia but Isabella.”

“ Get Moe.” She said.

Moe walked in a few minutes later. He was a young man affected with mild down syndrome. Danny wondered what this sick looking guy with mental defect was coming to do.
Moe held a paper and pencil, sat down and stared at Danny.

“ Describe her.” Ann said.

Fifteen minutes later, the best criminal sketch artist in London was done and a picture of Isabella was ready.

“Moe is a darling!” she said.

He smiled, blushing and shy. He nodded.

“ Be sure we would go for a lunch date one of these days.”

“My- my- girl is- is a jealous girl.” He said, smiled and left.

Ann looked at the picture then something nudged her brain.

“ Play that video again.”

It was played and she slowed apart, zoomed then nodded.“ The so called blind woman is Isabella.” She took a photo shot of the sketch and sent it to Dan. “ Get her identified”

“ You promised to get me a soft landing.” Danny said. “ And make sure you get them. I could get killed for this.”

“Tell me about Joe Beckam. Why was he killed?”

“ I don’t know anything about him. I was not involved with that and never heard anything about him.”

“ Do not jeopardise your soft landing.”

“ I don’t know, I swear. I only know they wanted to play a prank on some guy or something.”

“ Who else is involved in the prank show?”

“ Isabella is the main person I know. But she has guys. The guys in the van.”

Ann was told, “ he seems to be telling the truth.”

She nodded.

Her phone rang.

“ We got a match.” Dan, an operator said, “ She is Isabella Abel. She is……….”






Isabella walked confidently into a room where Maryam was sitting on the floor and smirked. Maryam saw her and recognized the auburn hair, large green eyes and tight lips on a round face. She had a stem-thin body, with a bosom that filled her chest.
She held a .33 police special pistol and a glass of beer.

“ Isabella?” Maryam wondered.

Isabella smiled.“ I guess you did not recognize the poor blind lady you nearly killed.”

Maryam sighed. There was something familiar about her, but she did not think it was her.

“Why?”

“Don’t take it personally. It is not about hating you. It is just an imperative situation. I wish it never got to this level. Damn! You are one smart little bitc*. We keep setting traps and you keep escaping until we got this chance. Heard you are about the tie the knot.”

“ Who told you that?”

“ An ear to the ground. We know much about our loved ones because we are always close by even thousands of kilometres away.”

“ What do you want? Why?”

Isabella took a sip of beer.

“ Are you sure you don’t want to give this liquid a try. It will ease you up. You look tensed up. Do you still fall and faint? I mean those no-talking, no-moving session of yours.”

“ I am still what God destined for me.”

“Hmm..Faith. I love that spirit but who is the unlucky guy?”

“ Can we skip my personal life and tell me what you want?”

“You know what we want Maryam Kankia.” A third voice emerged and a tall, slim man came in and Isabella went into his arms as the man held her by the waist. “ Surprise, surprise.”

Surprise was an understatement.
Maryam could not believe her eyes. Him?