Ok fam...I really thought this update would be the last but it's going to stretch once more and cover the epilogue/preface of the next book. There will be a concluding part to the Rex Obasi trilogy, that is a third and final book titled; Operation Wrath Of God <brotas in arms>

I'll only start the story when I'm 100% settled and I know I'll be updating regularly so this kind of delayed diagnosis doesn't happen again. And on that note, my deep apologies for the lack of updates...for almost two months! *Shuddering*
Thanks to those who reached out to check on me, you guys are the realest. Soul is fine and glad to be back. Jah bless

Kai see cobwebs everywhere

fabianiweka:
How sparrow get into the brota aboard is a misery to all the agent including the writer

This statement is 100% correct

Thanks for your comments fam...would definitely run a dedication when the update is ready later tonight. Jah bless.

Evold:
What was Rex thinking rushing home like that. He should be shot by 11 so that he would be cautious in his next life

Rex has always been a reactive person he has just been lucky so far but this11 is a bad guy.

excelmerry:
But i thought Alli no joy sent Rex a text about them leaving?

Jeez lemme go and check. Imagine mixing details in your own story. I'm sure I can write around it tho. Gracias bro

BurnaKing21:
Wow ..sparrow finally puff......i'm happy abt it..

Lol, I'll like to know why you're happy about it.

::::::::::::::

I decided not to leave the driver in the house since my dad had given me strict instructions to ensure the safe house was exactly as I had met it. That wasn't a problem, the small house was scanty with little or no furniture...except for the broken kitchen chair in the corner, and the driver still sitting in the wooden pile. I had smacked him real bad, but my shoulder was killing me the nail had really dug deep into my shoulder.

...I'll have to go for a tetanus shot for sure. I sighed....I hated injections...it's not my fault...you remember what I went through in the hands of the crazy shadow and his pentothal injection.

"Get up on your feet...any funny movement and I'm killing you immediately....I hope you try something funny so I won't have to go through the stress of dragging you about." I barked.

He seemed to believe me which was good, cause I meant every word.

I picked up my phone from the counter and noticed my network was struggling to get past the first bar.

"No network." I sighed, "come on, go out first." I waved my gun towards the entrance and Junior, the first minister's driver, walked meekly to the door.

I directed him to the sedan..it was a good thing Clyde hadn't driven it off to my house earlier..

"Hope your eyes are wide open...You're driving..."I tossed him the key (with my left hand)

I entered the passenger seat and waited until he also opened the door and got in. "why were you wasting time without entering....You're walking on eggshells here....don't forget what I said....just give me a reason to bodybag and put you in the booth."

"I can't try anything....I was just thanking God."

I raised an eyebrow,

"That I'm still alive, I thought you'll kill me so many times."

"Oh...well it's better you hold off on any prayer for now."

He swallowed and started the car.

The man was very fearful, since he had attacked me and I had been a second away from shooting him..I could understand...staring into the barrel of a loaded gun was a humbling experience.

My phone vibrated..Which meant network was back. I hurriedly headed for my call log, intending to call my father, but I noticed the message icon kept blinking, so I opened it first. It was from Kirsten.

Deadly assassin sighted at the Benue airport this afternoon. He has a page in the report I mad last month which means he has affiliation with the shadow and by extension, the wall.

"Holy Mackerel!! I opened my door, shouting like a Crazed fellow..."move over...move over..switch!"

Junior scrambled across, to the passenger seat. I entered the car and gunned the engine... Keeping my mind blank if not my thoughts could drive me crazy.

:::::::::
Paul followed the car closely, maintaining his position directly behind the uber. When they turned into the express, a tanker got in-between them and it took him a couple of minutes to overtake it.

"Where exactly are they going?" Utebo asked from the backseat.

"No idea.."

The car entered a pothole and Olivia gasped in pain..she was trying her best not to worry the kids by biting down each cry of pain when the ache in her knees got too much to bear. She wouldn't mind the painkillers now...she'll gladly pop a dozen if it will make the pain go away..

Emma was already looking at her strangely,...the little child was in her aunt's lap but her full attention was on her mother.

There's a general rumour that kids are extra sensitive and are influenced by our mood and in this case it seemed to be true, Emma was quiet and moody, unlike.the boys who.were playing some kind of game, looking out the window and counting the buildings.
When the car jerked and Olivia winced, Emma's lips began to quiver and her eyes, fill up.

::::
Mynet's Intel was correct but 72 hours late. He had a description of the Obasi's family car, the make colour, plate number, even information about the dim and bright headlights. He had a picture on his mobile which had been sent to him while he was still in Abuja..and the car was virtually stamped on his mind...plus he has received photographs of everyone he was going to kill tonight...including the children. It was going to be a massacre and the plan was to burn the house so the bodies would be cremated immediately.

That was dark humour.

He drove the Nissan which had been arranged for him earlier when the his room had been booked, the hotel clerk had only given him the car keys with the room key.

He wasn't in a hurry, he drove slowly, trying his best to observe all the cars on the highway.

Unknown to him, Alli no joy had driven to Lagos a couple of nights ago, and the car he was on the lookout for was parked hundreds of miles away, in the parking lot..

A couple of cars passed him but he had no idea his targets were in two of the vehicles.

::::::::::
"My God!are you.okay?"

Dagnet turned back.and rushed to Buzz's side. The bullets had caught him on His back, just beneath the ribcage and he stumbled, shouting and trying to continue walking, but gradually he fell to his knees.

"the bullet passed through...it's not stuck in there, I just need to stop the blood first, you'll be fine.." She sounded a lot more reassuring than she felt.

"I wonder...the.kind of....g...guns these people have." He said slowly..wincing with.each breath.

Dagnet tore off her shirt, pressing it against.the.exit hole, which was gushing like.a literal.bloody fountain.

She looked at the family of three who were huddled together, shaking and avoiding the bloody scene by, shielding their inquisitive son and looking away.

"Sam..go get the light back on...just go straight and look to -"

"I know.where it is...the gunshots are.getting closer...come honey, come Junior. Hey detective, let him tell you how to operate the code" he called over his shoulder as he rushed to the end of the hallway were the circuit box was situated.

He jumped and stretched but couldn't reach the lever, until his wife stood on tiptoes and helped him pull it and immediately the light came on.

"Honey take junior with you to the kitchen let me try and help.."

Dagnet was struggling to help Buzz to his feet. She had managed to remove and tie her shirt round his body to atleast reduce the blood if not stop it completely.

He observed Buzz for some.seconds then cleared his throat,
"errrm...maybe he should.just tell us the code now.."

He had legitimate concerns...Buzz looked like he could rest in peace any minute.

:::::
Outside, a serious gun fight was going on. The elation Bami had felt when he realized the car was bullet proof, was quickly replaced with frustration as the bullets kept raining. He couldn't get down from the car...and frankly, he didn't want to. But he couldn't even lower the glass to shoot.

"Run that one." Ada said and he followed her gaze. The man was flat on the ground shooting at them, probably trying to hit something flammable under the car.

Bami floored the pedal. The car had very sharp acceleration and the needle rose steadily. The man scrambled to his knees and rolled away, a cartwheel out of danger, he continued shooting away, However he made a terrible miscalculation, was a second too slow to react as he had stared at the incoming car in disbelief.

A little flick of the steering was all it took. The man got creamed, The crunching sound of metal meeting flesh was sickening as usual. What was even more so, was when the car drove over what felt like a speed bump but was the body of the merc.

The second of the trio ran to the van and emerged, fixing the rocket head to his RPG.

"Oh shit....!" Bami shouted as the mercenary leveled the deadly weapon in their direction.. He couldn't speed and knock him down... He wouldn't reach it in time...And surely the car would blow up. It had really impressive armour but there was no way it could survive a 'shakabulla'

Bami had thrown up both hands in fear as if he wanted to perform some magic...And it worked...the man who had been about to unleash the rocket, fell to the ground, dead. Bami cranned his neck, checking out his rearview and side mirror.

He caught a glimpse of the man who had saved him...Sparrow. He didn't really see him...just a flash of silver hair.

Suddenly, the lights Came on without any prior warning...Sparrow had been walking up to the man, deciding to avoid killing him if possible. When the light came on, he was vulnerable for a second cause the guard was swiveling his gun round, in a confused state. He saw Sparrow immediately and shot him.

The man with the silver ponytail went down immediately and the merc hurried to stand over him and empty his whole rounds of bullets..

He raised his gun and....

Whoosh!

The small but mighty blue car crashed into him, slamming him backwards against the pickup.

Bami was out of the door quickly, shouting, "Sparrow...are you okay?"

:::::
Bigelow was in trouble...the tear gas was making it impossible for him to remain where he was, yet if he moved, he would surely be cut down by the bullets.

The team was was advancing strategically, releasing sporadic bullets as they walked down the hallway, pointing their guns in the open offices or kicking in the doors.

The tear gas was really killing him and the men were getting closer. Then the light came on and he knew they won't reach the panic room on time, the gunmen were advancing with much speed.

The grenade he had lunched earlier must have really hurt them and put them on a brutal Offensive.

He removed two grenades from the waist belt. He said a quick prayer and pulled the pin from both grenades and took a deep breath which was a big mistake, His eyes became watery immediatelyas the harmful gas filled his lungs, and rushed out of his corner.

He was shot immediately. He fell to the floor slowly, like a choreographed move...knees fest the lowered himself slowly to the ground. Both hands fell to his side and the grenades rolled out of each one.
Two of the shooters looked at each other in horror.

::::::::
Benue..
Alli no joy kept checking his side mirror and craving in his seat, "Are we being followed?" Clyde asked.

"No no....just the second car behind us...." He looked at the driver, "Driver head towards Government road first....maybe we'll see a nice guest house."

::::
The car pulled up a couple of streets away and the assassin moved about in the dark till he had a view of the house. The lights were off and every curtain drawn...It felt empty. They were probably just sleeping. He remained in his spot for 15 minutes, scoping the neighbourhood and then decided he'll have to break in.

A 6th sense told him to hold on for a while and he paused at the end of the shrubs, shaded in-between the plants...And he saw the headlights. Closer and brighter until the car screeched to a stop.

A man got out and went round the car to the gate.

"You, don't go anywhere!" He shouted at someone else in the front seat. He opened the gate which strangely wasn't locked and rushed into the compound, with his phone to his ear..shouting, "how come nobody is picking up!"

11 snuck his hand into his jacket and pulled out his gun. He watched as the man in the passenger seat came down from the car and hurried into the compound. Before he rushed in, he looked around and shivered. He must have a nose for danger, 11 smiled.

He emerged from the shadows and crossed the short path to the gate. His gun with the branded bullets in his gloved hand.

:::::::
I rushed into the compound and straight to the flower ports lined against the wall, the third pot from the right. The spare key was still there and I struggled to use on hand to open the door hold my phone and gun with the other. I heard a sound and turned sharply or as sharp.as I could manage. It was the driver.
"I thought I told you to stay in the car...anyway come..come take this key and open the door."

Thanks for your comments....You're all appreciated, much love from the depth of soul's soul.

Mynet11:
Welcome back Souloho, we missed u so much. Hope all is well with u. Thanks so much for these 2 updates, it was worth the wait eventhough i was worried about ur absence online. Unlimited ink to ur pen. Jah bless. Oh lest i forget, thanks for the dedication. Waiting patiently for more. Mynet11

Thanks a lot boss...I'll do better with communicating so that you guys won't always get worried..but hopefully I'm back for good and the story will be ending really soon too. Thanks for your kind words boss!

paulohgirlie:
Souloho, where art thou?

U dropped a grenade nd ran away
I beg update b4 dis girlie wee-wee for body

Lool that's my way na

Update is coming pls hold on

EkopSparoAyara:
Alot of happenings in the life of BROTA(NS )...

BRAVO SOULOHO19..

It's my birthday today guys..

Wow! Happy birthday brother....I remember birthing Agent Sparrow after your birthday request...a year gone so fast

I'm in Transit at the moment but provided this traffic doesn't drain me, I'll definitely try and drop an update later today.

:::::::::::::::::::
Bami had cut the call because he was running out of time. His eyes were glued to the depleting bar on the screen that was showing he had about 15 seconds before the signal was lost again. He immediately dialed in a number..he had planned to call Rex but then remembered he was still in Benue.

He entered the next number that came to his mind. The emergency number that had been released a year ago, the direct line to the police. Publicly referred to as 'police secretary' by the people. Even though it was manned by tens of.people.

"Hello, goodevening and welcome to the Metro rapid response dispatch, how may I -"

"There's an attack at Brota's headquarters...hired killers attacked the building few minutes ago, there are vulnerable women and children in danger...I repeat women and children...we need help immediately.."

"Sir you're calling from (rattles off an address) please hold on, I am forwarding the details.."

"Can you.hear that? That's gunfire...we need-" The line went off." Fuc_k!" he shouted.

When Rex had requested he dig into the Counselor Mark, one of the vice directors of Dss, internal operations, Short Sam had found a couple of correspondence between the director of the police station. Still he couldn't do anything but hope that his call wouldn't be manipulated and deleted. Hopefully the dispatcher was someone with honour who would do the right thing.

He was still on his feet...Still hunched over the desk, the phone pressed to the side of his head, while his eyes narrowed at the monitor.

The bar had run down completely and network was scrambled yet again. The attackers had really come prepared with the right kind of equipments.

He got tired of the dial tone and replaced the phone slowly. His wife was on the floor on the corner. Crying and touching the side of the metal file cabinet. She wanted nothing more than to hold her baby right now, but it had been her idea that Junior hide in the cabinet. It was roomy enough for junior who was apparently going to be a late bloomer physically. The reason behind her suggestion was a possibility too painful to imagine.

Maybe when the killers came to kill them, they wouldn't check around and their baby will survive.

"I'm so sorry.." S.s whispered then glanced at the heavy iron in his palm. He was going to die protecting his family.

::::::::
Dagnet ran back down the corridor the moment she pulled the lever and plunged the whole Brota into darkness. She was tempted to bring out her pen light but she didn't, she just reduced speed to a quick trot.

She was almost at the corner where they had perched earlier and watched the assembly. The gunshots were ringing and she desperately wanted to see what they were shooting at. Maybe they were turning on each other...or maybe had arrived. Real help....the kind of help that could contain the.attack... And then the explosive went off. She felt the impact the most, as she was close to the edge and the narrow corridors seemed to bring the sound waves straight to her ears.

::::::
The first wave flowed into the building, guns trained and moving in a zig zag order, a flash bang grenade sailed far into the lobby, then another, then another...each going farther than the last. The third frag grenade rolled past the wall where she was standing, rubbing her temple slowly and holding her gun gingerly. She saw it and managed to scuttle towards the other end. The impact had her stumbling forward in her blind haste and she fell into Bigelow's hands.

He was with someone else, Buzz. He had freed him from the interrogation room and both men had located the armour room and were armed to their teeth. Their rifles had flashlights under the nozzle.

"you're alright....it's okay...they've breached us...they've fucking breached us!" He shouted at Buzz...."you better be.sure about the microwave thing ."

"it is there, we had the drills for over a month." Buzz replied

Bigelow looked frantically forward, there was no movement yet...he shook Dagnet gently by the shoulders.

"it's alright...stop that.." she said slowly, placing her hand on her temple.

"Dagnet I need you to run and bring Sam and his family downstairs...you'll follow Buzz to the kitchen..there's a panic room...are you with me?" (more shaking) "he'll show you the entrance to the panic room...you stay with the family and protect them..."

He released her, "This is not the time to be fragile...you have to be strong...not for you but for that family sake."

She gripped her gun tightly and hurried up the stairs.

"announce yourself first," Bigelow advised. "I gave Short Sam a gun."

He trained his eye back to the empty space ahead. "you should go help them"

"I can hold the fort with you." Buzz replied.

"Get them to safety first."

He ran up the stairs, tripping in the darkness while
Bigelow switched off the flashlight so he was in the dark, he listened out, leaning on the wall so he had a ready shield available.

A flashbang, sailed into the foyer at the mouth of the corridor, then he could see the moving lights, three lights blinking...no not three...four.Probably fixed under the nozzle of their rifles. Bigelow could also hear movement from the stairs, the family was making its way down the steps and the enemy was getting closer.

He had to do something. He pulled the pin from one of the grenade he had taken from the armour room, then waited. Counting the seconds slowly. The M67 fragmentation grenade had a fuse that took 4.5 seconds to burn. The Dss had really put them through all classes of training, and now he was glad for it.

Three breathless seconds later, he straightened from the wall, guaged the distance the flashlight was shinning from in a micro second and let the grenade sail. The grenade exploded one second later, a little distance above the ground.

Some physics specialist of the sort had been invited to give them a special class years ago. After a lot of mumbo jumbo and technical jargon, the bottom line was that the explosion usually achieved it's best Shockwave a couple of feet from the ground. And so the intense training had began although they used fake grenades which just explode a can of paint, the goal had been to find the perfect timing the grenade would take to explode and make contact.

All the weapons Bigelow had seen in the armour were government issued which meant he was farmiliar with all of them. So the grenade toss had been just like another training for him. When it exploded, Bigelow could hear a lot of shrapnel fly about and agonized shouts. He quickly hurried to the mouth of the Stairs, where Short Sam and his family were waiting, paralyzed with fear. "Go go! Dagnet you stay with them through out...Buzz when you get them in, you come back me up."

"why don't we all go in," Dagnet said, "Buzz said it could hold a dozen people and is impenetrable."

"We have to mount a defense...fight back" Bigelow replied.

"oh-oh" Buzz muttered

"what is it?" Bigelow said and held his breath.

"electricity...the microwave has to be on before we can activate the door."

"Ooooh...And you didn't mention it since...why didn't we think of it!" Bigelow echoed in disbelief.

"The circuit box is just outside the kitchen!" Dagnet recalled fiercely, snapping her fingers. All this while, they had been talking in a kind of loud whisper.

As they spoke, a canister landed few feet from them. For a second they all feared the worst, it was a grenade. Although, Dagnet, still reeling from the flash bang earlier, feared it was another flash grenade. But it began to emit thick gas instead. "Tear gas...go go!"

Dagnet switched on her flashlight and led the way, with the family in the middle and Buzz bringing up the rear. He was tired and his limbs felt heavy, but he managed to carry the little boy.

"Bleep!" Bigelow exclaimed. There had been gas masks, but he had been been in a haste, more interested in the night goggles, and grenades and guns, all attack and no defense.

The moment Dagnet's flash light came on, even though she shielded it with her palm, gunshots were fired, the good news was, the corridor branched of to the kitchen path, with the circuit box in a corner on the wall. But still, Bigelow heard one of them shout in pain before they went completely out of sight. The shout had been masculine, which meant it was either Short Sam or Buzz that had been hit.

"Shit!" Bigelow was pressed to the corner of the wall leading to the stairs as the guns continued to release round after round of lead. The gas from the canister was already filling the hallway and impairing vision.

Bigelow could feel his eyes water and his throat begin to itch in irritation. Without risking to look behind the wall, he stretched his arm, till the nozzle was pointed past the wall's edge and pulled the trigger.

:::::::
Outside, Sparrow was under heavy fire, his presence was the reason the mercs hadn't stormed into Brota with the kind of force they intended, he had been discovered after he had killed the second man by the gate. While the first four men team had broken into Brota, behind heavy flash grenades which they tossed in.the double.
About 6 guns were trained in his position, He couldn't shoot back because that would enable them narrow in on his exact location and he'll be a sitting duck where he ducked.

Then the explosion from inside sounded and the gunmen outside didn't pause. Even Sparrow found himself wishing the grenade hadn't hurt the young family or any of the agents, Dagnet flashed in his mind.
But few seconds later and the crazed shout of one of the men rang out and he ran out, screaming in pain and on fire.

One of the mercs shot the burning man in the head, then he hurried to the truck and began to toss gas masks to the others. Bigelow enjoyed a little reprieve and darted to another pillar while a handful of the men had rushed through the broken glass.

::::
Now, the mechanical gate which ironically had been made by the Sunrise steel company, was completely open. Which meant there was enough space for three cars. The two trucks were at the center of the gate, completely riddled with bullets, if old man Rosco hadn't died after impact, he now had a dozen bullet holes in his torso. His pickup truck had veered to the side a bit, after impact. Which left just a little space, shy of a lane.

Headlights began to approach with the light getting brighter and more focused quickly which meant the approaching car was way above the average average speed.

The trio of mercs who remained outside immediately opened fire.

::::::
The Audi handled like a dream, it was a smallish car with a very mean engine...Bami thought it soothed 3f perfectly, as she was also small in stature but had a very wicked heart also.

He branched off the highway into the dirt road leading to Brota at top speed, he was easily past the 100km/h on the dashboard and the car bounced due to the change in terrain, Bami could swear they spent up to 3 seconds in the air and the car landed, bounced on its tires and continue to fire. "This car is crazy!" he exclaimed.
"Ada down, get down!" he shouted suddenly as they got closer and he saw the men train scary looking guns at the car.

He flinched instinctively and almost hit the brakes, but then the bullets began to sound like rain patter on a roof. There was no shattered windscreen or headlamps or dented bonnets, no head shot had dropped him on the steering wheel.

He looked at Ada, she hadn't gotten down like he instructed...the stubborn girl.

He began to laugh, slowly at first then, crazily and he gunned the pedal more, sending the car through the hailing bullets. "This motherfucker is bullet proof!"

:::::::::::::::
Benue

In the Obasi residence, Kirsten received a call where she stood, over the kitchen sink, her hands soapy as she helped wash the early morning dishes. She rinsed her hands quickly but Utebo helped her remove the phone from her backpocket while she hurriedly dried her hands on the kitchen rag.

"Hello....good evening ma...no Ma, he's not around....he hasn't come back me, since the both of you left....oh...Hmmm....ok ma I'll inform them immediately. Yes ma...he's here...outside, ok ma....yes ma...in ten minutes tops."

Cynthia had paused and was staring at her, no longer interested in dishing the soup in bowls, Utebo was also looking at her and she was the one who spoke, "what's going on...who was that?"

"That was my boss, she saw somebody in the airport who we have Intel on as a very ruthless killer, and he's been linked to the ho....to ermm...the very same organization we're after."

"you mean the kidnapper?" Cynthia asked.

"No...no...this is bigger than the kidnapper..it's another case we were working on. We need to leave the house!"

Utebo began to look worried, "what of Rex? She hurried out of the kitchen, followed by Kirsten.

Cynthia switched off the gas in annoyance. "Can you guys just calm down and explain what is going on here first?"

But the women were already gone. Utebo, already calling for the children as her maternal instinct kicked in.

Cynthia heard her father's voice and walked out of the kitchen to see him with her mother, her farther was announcing that they'll be going for a short trip tonight and the kids were jumping about, ecstatic.

She stood beside Kirsten, "what did you tell them?"

"Nothing.....yet."

:::::::::
Clyde opened his mouth as she narrated her call with Tonye to him. "Oh my God...that was over two hours ago...we can't afford to waste any more time."

He rushed to Alli no joy who was pacing round the parlour worriedly as his family moved in and out of rooms, parking. "Just take the necessities..toiletries and just a change of clothes..no need to pack much." He called out.
He was actually thinking of how they were all going to be transported. His ever reliant Volkswagen was in Lagos, left in the parking lot of Brota, while he, Rex and Emma had flown in the next morning.

The agency car, which Clyde and Buzz had been using for the shadow protection just a week ago, had been driven by Clyde with junior, the ministers driver, handcuffed and gagged in the booth, while Rex had driven the first minister's stretch and Tonye had gone with the ambulance. Now they had just the deep green, tinted glass, Peugeot 407, Paul's official car.

But how would they fit everyone in the car...it'll take atleast 3 trips to get everybody out of the house. Then there was Olivia too...Damn! the ambulance would have been the best option....!

"Sir, excuse me...we received a call from one of our agents that a well known hitman with links to the hole arrived in jos like 2 hours earlier."

Alli no joy went pale in the face thinking, not here for God's sake, not in his safe haven, Benue. "Let's hurry up." He began clapping his hands, "let's hurry, we have have about 5 minutes before the user gets here..." He lowered his voice to Clyde. "Book uber."

He brought out his phone and dialled Rex's number. The call kept forwarding or saying not reachable. He headed to Olivia's room. He had wanted Rex to speak to her, calm her fears but he didn't know what was up with his son's phone.

He put his phone away as he approached the room, the door was open , still he knocked before entering.

His wife was with Olivia, helping her to the wheelchair and for a second it felt like Alli had time traveled two years back.

The tension was back, fear was back, danger was back, even the bloody wheelchair was back.

He tried not to notice Olivia's wet eyes or the noiseless trail down her cheeks.

"Al, how are we going...is the other car back?"

He lied, "yes there's a driver waiting outside already for us."

"Ok, let's go honey....it's alright don't cry.." Martha said to Olivia.

Alli hurried out of the room, Utebo, Cynthia and Paul along with the children where in the parlour already.

Utebo Was holding the girls Emma and soma, Cynthia holding the twin boys. Paul carried a small traveling bag which contained the children's clothes as well as the women's plus Utebo had taken some extra wrappers for her mum.

Paul drifted towards Alli . "How do we do it...I'm thinking the children sit at the back with Utebo and Cynthia while Olivia stays in front...While we wait for the driver to come back...I can drive."

"But it wouldn't be wise to drop them in a hotel without any protection...three women, with one in a wheelchair handling four children is just too vulnerable." He said shaking his head.

"I thought you were taking to your friend's house..the man you called."

""Now I'm not so sure...what if we're under surveillance and we don't know?"

Clyde opened the door and poked his head in....he had gone outside earlier to scope the neighbourhood. Now he sounded excited. "The uber is here!"

"Jeez that was really fast!" Alli.exclaimed. He hit send on the message he had composed for Rex

It read;
"Killer heading here...we're on the run. Call"

He followed the young agent outside and Paul announced they all wait for a few minutes while he drove his car to the front of the house.

The uber was a roomy Toyota and Alli was convinced it will do after checking it out. The neighborhood was well lit and all the houses had light bulbs in front of each gate. The downside was someone could still have a crystal view of them from far away. Kirsten went to fetch the the rest and soon enough, Paul (driving), Utebo and Cynthia, The twin boys and cousin girls were in the Peugeot. The passenger seat had been moved completely back and reclined a bit, still Olivia had cried out in pain when Alli lowered her into the chair. She had refused to take the painkillers, not wanting to be asleep when Rex came back and her legs were still sore. It was going to be a very uncomfortable ride.

Alli sat in front, beside the uber driver, while Clyde and Kirsten sat at the back with Martha. The plan was to move ahead of the other car and he gestured for the driver to get going.

"where to sir?"

"I don't know yet...just drive first."

"No challenge boss."


:::::
Kirsten had a nagging feeling of dejavu as she sat behind Alli, staring out the window but holding Martha's hand. She couldn't shake the feeling...like this had happened before...but how was that possible? Well maybe it was just one of those things...

But then the driver asked, "where to?" and said,"no challenge." Her ears perked up. That was something she had heard recently, sitting at this same spot, staring out the window like she was doing now. That night she and Tonye had just arrived from Lagos and were going through the house which was a fresh kidnapping crime scene when they found out about buzz's betrayal. They entered a car o some lonely alley to interrogate Buzz, with a driver who was suspiciously suggestive and unbothered about the violent interrogation...then he had driven her and Clyde to the hospital but the minute Tonye went down to settle him, he was already gone.

She was almost certain this was the same driver.

"Clyde you booked the driver?"

"Yes..it's crazy, he was the closest driving past our house that moment, I saw less than ten seconds away and he was parked outside when I got out."

"Hmmm..."

::::::::::::::

Dedicated to
Helenbee Oloolorun chibestjerry EkosparoAyara Mynet11 imoortalvoices crowd mitchelljnr queenitee kennybelle vulcanheph charminee UncleSnr deview light4life plus1one do4luv14 dimssy pcicero akvocalz switkera iamloyalty Ann2012 Evold amseeingthings blazebaba kimmiebabie emmyN wizsolzy solly1 Teehsticckz Kaycee9242 jumizie13 kawo9ze dammykrone honorable356 mikano001 rattyo3 Ebonyqueen001 thanks for sticking with the story...Jah bless!



::::::::::
Around that same time, while BROTA was under attack, Big Foot parked his car and strolled into the lobby of the Apapa general hospital. He had a brown envelope tucked carefully under his arm, which gave him a conspicuous look because his arm was held stiffly and at an awkward angle (to hold the envelope (bomb) in place
He had on a cap which was engraved with the infamous double cannons belonging to Arsenal f.c.
He adjusted the cap, pulling it a bit lower to shade his eyes partially. Big foot was a big man, taller than most men. But he was cleanly shaved. It seemed the lack of facial hair on his face was what finally made him pull of his look, which was not worth more than a second glance - or at most, a third. But in his business that was good news.

Still, Big Foot didn't like bomb deliveries or to be candid, he didn't like mixing with people. However he wasn't socially handicapped and could flow seamlessly with people...enough experience had been gained in the field, years of scoping out possible bomb location sites, and planting the explosive itself...although he always planned most of his drops at night, just like he had with the reporter's car. It was just pure badluck/luck that the fool had survived. He would have naturally waited till a few more days, then when things settled down a bit drop the bomb wherever the Andy guy would have been, whether in the hospital or in his home....Big foot would have found a way.

But the powers that be were in a kind of crazed frenzy and wanted blood immediately. Making him rush through a plan. And now here he was, letter bomb tucked under his arm.

He observed the faces scattered around, sitting in different waiting corners. All eyes drifted briefly from the African magic literally happening on the television. Big foot met each face as he scanned the lobby, he didn't flinch or smile, neither did he scowl or frown. His face was impassive. He was a man on a mission and that's the only important thing.

His eyes immediately zoomed in on the heavy set woman in the corner, she sat behind a stand and had some folders overspilling with information, scattered on her desk.

"Hello, please I'm looking for Mr Andy...Andy Tinkan, is his full name, he's my brother in law..." He had mentioned the full name purposely, the fact that he knew the name which wasn't made public would surely register,

however she replied, "who is that....?"

"I said he's my brother in law"

"okay, please do you have any identification with you?"

"Hello? Did I step into a bank?." He said it smoothly, not raising his voice, maintaining his poker face, the look wasn't an act, it was his normal expression. "I've been with my sister through out the day, trying to encourage her and convince her that her husband is fine, so at least let me know what's going on...let me see him."

"He's okay, he's just recuperating, visitors are not allowed at this stage...or even by this time...but the ID request was an instruction from the police."

One major rule in Big Foot's code was; never to give explanations, ignore anything that required an explanation. "If he'll not be receiving any visitors let me just leave this on the bedside table, when he wakes up he'll see it. Can I get balloons anywhere around here?"

It worked. She looked at the parcel. The envelope was A4 size, sealed and signed, she glanced at the television and sighed. "Ok sir, I'll leave it on the table."

The envelope seal was like a wall switch carefully balanced by an inquisitive child, trying to discover the line between off and on. The only difference was, it wasn't just a bulb waiting to go off in this case.

Whoever opened the letter, would break the circuit and trigger the carefully spread plastic. It could blow half the face of the person if it were opened close to the face. Either way, there'll be impact with the body, but the distance and position of the letter during the discharge would determine the....impact of the blast.

In this case, the added fact that the target was most likely returning from limbo tilted the odds against the weak and was the major reason Big foot had gone ahead with the idea. There's no way Andy will be able to survive the blast, whatever injuries he suffered earlier which are still too sore to begin to heal would crumble from the explosion. All the scenarios Big foot imagined made sense to him; if he was lying on his back, boom! Sitting down with the letter on his laps, boom! Hunched over the letter, boom!

He watched as the nurse came round the partition. She was a busty woman. "Thank you, please just take it to him now and leave it on the table. I'll try and come with his wife when he's much better, hopefully that'll be soon."

:::::::::
Jimoh's Playlist was already on the third shuffle, the earphones were dug firmly into his ears, but the volume was turned low. The television was also switched off, he had since gotten tired of the movie which mostly was about people disappearing and reappearing and calling down thunder like Thor. His eyes were closed as Tracy Chapman crooned in his ears.

Every now and then he would open his eye and crane his neck till he saw Andy's feet through the blinds. So far, two doctors had seen him to update him...some medical jargon he couldn't remember, but the breakdown was that he was responding well and recovering. The worst was over.

The nurse from the front desk emerged from the corridor. Jimoh jerked out of his doze as he heard the footsteps approach. She seemed to be heading straight to the room, where another nurse was performing a routine pulse read on Andy. She hesitated when she saw Jimoh, who was sitting up and blinking rapidly, then she headed towards him.

"Hello, someone left a card for your boss."

Jimoh sat up immediately, "who is the person?"

"his brother in law"

"brother in law..." Jimoh's voice trailed off... "but he's not married...let me see it, what kind of card?"

The TV in the room was switched off, so the Nurse was keeping the conversation very short. Her movie was wasting away downstairs.
"ATM card," she replied sarcastically as she handed the envelope to Rex's assistant.

"it's sealed.." Jimoh announced unnecessarily, ignoring her comment. The nurse was already out the door anyway.

He felt the envelope. It was surprisingly heavy and still impossible to see what's inside, the words 'get well soon' were scribbled across the envelope. He observed the seal, like an inquisitive child.

::::
Big foot was backing out of the parking lot when he felt/heard the familiar vibration/sound. He eased his leg from the throttle for a second as he did his calculations.
He really hoped the target had been awake and triggered the bomb himself. Still he couldn't help but curse, "fucking nosy nurse!"

:::::::::::::
Brota


"Oh Lord....once they blow up the glass we'll be sitting ducks...they have overwhelming force on their side."

"Just the two of us....."

"what-" Dagnet noticed his frown.

"There's someone down in the holding cell, He works here but Bami told me he assisted the kidnapper."

"We might as well die together...three guns are better than two."

"And if he's working for these same people nko? He'll just shoot us in the back."

"Damn it...!" Bigelow sounded super frustrated.

"We're sitting ducks here..no strategy...see the guns they're holding...what will a 9mm and a glock do against those kind of guns?!" Death was on the other side of the glass and she was freaking out.

"we get to the armour room...Bami showed me around earlier..I saw lots of grenades and flash bangs and better guns."

He was interrupted by the red light which began blinking, at the middle of the glass. The bomb had begun it's countdown.

00:01:55

Less than 2 minutes.

"okay here's what we do....you run to the room and get as many weapons as you can while I'll go hit the lights....we have less than 1 minute..." As she spoke, Dagnet was already heading towards the kitchen where the circuit box was in a cage on the opposite wall.

Meanwhile Bigelow ran to the pantry, desperately trying to remember the code he had seen Bami enter when the latter had been showing him the firearms like a proud father.

::::::::::
Old man Rosco had done his part. Now he was going to get in his truck and drive home like nothing happened. Continue living his life normally, finally retire and stop making deliveries. There was enough money to enjoy his retirement.

The tragedy would not in anyway link to him. There would be no video feed, all the videos from the cameras would be destroyed. There'll be nothing for the authorities but the dead bodies.

He loaded the cartons of bottle water back into his pickup. The people here had been nothing but wonderful to him, patronizing his business and never delaying the monthly payment for deliveries. And yet he had betrayed them...It was fear....yeah....He was afraid....these men were dangerous, they would have hurt him if he didn't go through with the plan..."

He shook his head, there was no need lying to himself, the 2million naira payment was what made him agree to the break-in.

He watcheed the man in the middle as he attached the c4 to the door. That's it...he was out of there. Approximately 12 mercenaries were scattered in strategic positions, apart from the last two who were at the main gate which was still wide open.

:::::::::
The only reason Bami hadn't returned to BROTA immediately wasbecause of Ada. She had continued the troubling wail, refusing to answer his calls. After a while, he realized she wasn't even hearing him, she seemed to be in another realm.

Armed with the insight, he approached her gingerly, she still sat on the floor, stained with an insane amount of blood. She no longer stabbed the body of 3F continuously, maybe cause the glass in her fist had been reduced to half a shard.

Bami reholstered his gun, then turned a wide arc, avoiding the dead bodies. He crossed over the torso of the woman. Her face was gone now....carved away by Short stabs from the Piece of glass in quick succession.

He helped her to her feet and her knees seemed to turn to jelly. The little glass fell from her hand and he could see her palm was badly blistered and bleeding from the friction. She no longer wailed but stared up at him with glassy, gassed out eyes.

Bami practically carried her to the rest room. He thought for a minute then quickly went through the two bedroom apartment. He came back 22 seconds later, with a couple of T-shirts, a towel and a bottle of spirit. He spent a couple.of minutes, running the water over the towel then wiping the blood off her face, fore-arms and arms. Then squeezing the blood from the towel while keeping it under the running tap. He wondered idly about the polo shirts he had had seen in the wardrobe. The shirts were definitely masculine and Bami wondered who they belonged to. He repeated the process until her face and neck wasn't all bloody anymore. He helped her wear the polo shirt, over her gown which was now ripped in some places and had some bloody stains too. Thankfully the shirt fell to her knees.

Whoever 3f's lover was, he must be very tall.
After dressing her up as best as he could, he held her hand and led her outside. Ada hadn't said any word since she stopped the peculiar noise and Bami just knew they couldn't wait on the road for a bus or taxi or even enter one till they got to the place he had left the car earlier during the traffic.

An idea occurred to him and he had the unpleasant task of digging through 3f's pockets. He emerged with the car keys to the blue audii which was parked outside. Ada who watched him without saying anything, turned and left the house when he got the keys. She seemed to be a lot more stable already but her eyes still had that look in them. The look lacked genuine innocence and was replaced with something raw...like a fire had just been lit but the flames were yet to be stoked.

::::::
Old man Rosco was in a hurry to drive off before the bomb went off and the door was blown out. He had seen and done a lot of evil tonight but he didn't have to witness more. He started his pickup and the mercs let him through. He recognized one of the men standing by the gate as the young man who had made contact with him and broken in, pretending to be his subordinate. The young man gave him an insolent stare and Old man Rosco returned the grimace. The old man only had his attention off the road for two seconds and as he returned his eyes to the road, he let a shout and gripped the steering. But it was too late.
The van rammed straight into the pickup. Stopping it in its tracks. The collision was so much more than a fender bender...more like a fender carnage. Old man Rosco hadn't been wearing his seatbelt, he had slowed down to about 5km/h and the van had come flying in at about 180km/h.

The snap forward plus push back from the air bag was too much and Old man Rosco broke his neck immediately.

The van waxed to a stop, smoke seeping from the edge of the bonnet, which had caved in as well. There was a full second of silence, and then came the rain of bullets. More than five assault rifles were trained on the van and shooting round after round, puncturing the vehicle at an alarming rate. The windscreen, side mirrors, got shot out, the body of the car even the tires were shut out...all these happened in less than 5 seconds, then - the floodlights at the end of each wall (which illuminated the compound) went out immediately. And every light in the building went off. It was as black as a lifeless painting, the only other colour, being the red light on the countdown timer attached to the bomb.

Even that stopped now, and there was a loud explosion as the bright flare of the combustion reaction blew out a great portion of the doubled sliding glass and the remaining portion of the door slid open.

The mercs had broken down into three groups of four, the plan was to storm the building with overwhelming force, behind tear gas and flash grenades. However the unexpected entry of the van made half of them get on their knees and open fire. The two men who had been on either side of the open gate stepped back as they opened fire to the sides of the van. Whoever was in it would surely be dead or fatally wounded by now.

The bullets were cutting through the body of the van like paper.

Unknown to them, shadow wasn't in the van. After gunning the engine and jumping out of the moving vehicle, he had rolled on the dusty terrain to break his fall and was on his feet in less than a second, walking briskly to the guard house. The mercenary by the other side, had backed out of the guard room, the moment he shot Cornelius in the head, and now was outside focused on emptying his bullets into the driver side of the van. Sparrow was as stealthy as an inanimate shadow.

He slid into the guard house and stood still till his eyes adjusted to the darkness fully. The bullets were still firing nonstop and the noise would certainly be to his advantage. He slid open the door...(without electricity, everything was manual now) and raised the colt.45 he had found in the van. He fired two bullets into his head and stepped back once more as the man fell noiselessly to the ground.

::::::::::::
Bami tried making small talk with Ada as he drove back to Brota. He was currently having an internal debate if he should take her to headquarters or not.

But where else? There was no other place as safe as BRota..at least for now.

"are you hungry...?"

No reply
"Do you want to talk about it?"

Just the hum of the air conditioner.

He got to an intersection and after a second's hesitation, turned left towards Brota, maybe he should call Bigelow to find out what was happening, and Rex too...he should also call him and tell him Ada was safe
....or sort of anyway. He glanced at her with his side eye. She was staring straight ahead, occasionally glancing at billboards and buildings as they passed.
He kept his eye on the road, as he activated the fingerprint sensor. His thumb was scanned and he began to scroll through his contacts.

When his phone rang, he picked it automatically...a reflex action and noticed the number was farmiliar.. it was his work desk...from his office in Brota. "Hello.."

"help...we're under attack they brought guns, bombs, and rockets, they're like a 100!"

"Hello....Sam? Sam...hold on...I'm on my way...listen carefully...take your family and everyone else to the kitchen...there's a microwave on the counter...can you hear me?"

There was a sudden loud noise and S.s gasped, "Oh my God...they've blown the glass"


The line went off...Bami hit the brakes immediately. He had taken a longer route just so he could pick up his car. Now, he made a 180 de gree turn almost colliding with a bike at the last minute cos he didn't check his mirror. He heard the curses immediately, even got one on his father's behalf. Nigerians.
Ada still hadn't looked at him but she glanced at him as the car gained speed.

After 11 seconds approximately, he slapped his steering in annoyance and swore. "bloody stupid!"

She understood perfectly. His was the farmiliar voice of self disgust.

kennybelle:
Finally, I caught up

This is an amazing story. Came across it earlier this month and I saw the reference to the part 1. I just couldn't stop reading. I used every free time I had, and I'm glad I'm now with the pack. It's sweeter sailing together than being left behind

Dear writer, I love your diction, so articulate. No unnecessary use of vernacular. More like I'm reading an American novel.

I pray for more wisdom, knowledge and good health.

Thank you so much! Thumbs up sir

Thank you ma'am....God bless!

mitchelljnr:
souloho19 it's already weekend o, don't forget 11 is almost done branding his bullets. More ink to your pen.

Vulcanheph:
Dear soul
How far na?....
You've made me start to lose interest in the story.

Please....soul is scripting

Mynet11 no wahala brother

Lool @ Sparrow and mitchelljnr

Sorry for the delay fam. Would definitely drop the update before weekend. Stay blessed

Cerowo happy birthday to you...more blessings dear, have fun!

::::::::::::
Obasi Residence

"You don't need to worry...try and sleep Olivia, I'm sure by the time you wake up Rex would be here."
Utebo sat on the edge of the bed, stroking the brow of her sister in law. Olivia was still a bit muddled from all the drugs she had been pumped with in the last 48 hours and indeed she needed a lot of rest. However, she refused to drift of to sleep again, or to be more succinct, she couldn't.
She had been asking for her husband for the last 4 hours, ever since he kissed her on the forehead and rushed out of the room, she hadn't been able to shake off a certain gloomy feeling. She had managed to doze off a bit but then she had woken up again, asking for Rex. He was not yet back, but definitely on his way, she had been told.

Okay, satisfied, she had tried to surrender to the lull of the sedatives but she couldn't quite. A certain moribund foreboding seemed to fill the room and she had found herself feeling suddenly depressed and on the edge of tears. When the twin boys had dashed into the room, caught up in their shooting game, she had felt a relief so astounding, she might have shouted - if her lips hadn't been too heavy or still on the verge of quivering. When Kirsten had rushed in to whisk the boys away and caution them from disturbing her, she had insisted she leave them be.

The young lady seemed to have understood perfectly, nodded and exited the room with a compassionate look in her eyes. But boys would always be boys, few minutes later and the boys were darting out of the room, shooting audio 'clips' from imaginary guns. Olivia strained her ears as their voices faded away and she found herself thinking of Rex yet again. Where was he? Why wasn't he with her? What was he up to? Hope he was safe?

She was saved from thinking (or questioning?) herself to death when the door opened and Martha came in with Emma in her arms. The warmth swelled from deep within and washed her, immediately she saw her daughter smiling at her, all dimples and big brown eyes. For a second, Olivia almost got up from the bed and walked to her daughter....love was that powerful. She however managed to sit up and stretched her arms as Martha placed Emma (who was giggling mischieviously) in hers.

"Any word from him?" She asked, glancing at her mother in law for a second.

"Al said he spoke with him just now..."

"Oh..."

"You know what? I'll go get my phone and call him right now so we can all speak to him."

"Oh thank you..." Olivia watched her leave and focused on her daughter who was smiling up at her and framing her face....with both hands on her cheeks.

She began to tickle her sides....Emma loved that. "Would you speak to daddy? You'll tell him you love him....Yes you...."

:::
Martha left the room, her grand daughters' laughter ringing in her ears. It took a great deal for her to mask her worry and smile with Olivia like everything was going to be alright....but she wasn't so sure. It was a terrible cycle of false assurance going on in the Obasi residence that evening, she thought to herself. Her husband had looked her in the eye less than an hour ago and lied to her that everything was fine, but she had seen beneath the facade, which was why she had tried to do better, lest Olivia see through hers as well.

She heard Cynthia and Utebo talking in the kitchen as they prepared dinner. It was supposed to be groundnut soup, but maybe it was her nosetrils cause all Martha could smell was fear....fear and doom.

She went to the parlour, her phone was charging on the other end, but she stopped when she heard her husband's voice from outside.
She parted the curtain a little bit and peeked outside. He stood before her son in law, Paul and the other agent who worked with Rex...Clyde something....

Her husband was on the phone, talking a little too loudly, his left hand was constantly scratching the bald patch in the middle of his head...a clear sign that he was nervous.

He ended the call and looked in her direction.

That's it! Enough was enough!

She marched outside, forgetting her phone and the call she had been about to make. Things were starting to feel like events from two years ago yet again....

But this time she wasn't just going to smile and swallow it all while the men kept details from her, all in the name of protecting the family. For God's sake, it was her family too and she wanted to protect it! She needed answers and God help her, Alli was going to give them to her.

"Al! tell me what's going on?"

"Oh dear, I was just coming to look for you....that was De' Omirida, he and the wife are expecting us...they basically forced me into agreeing to visit." He smiled, but she knew him better than that.

She looked at Paul and Clyde. The latter was focused intently on a lizard on the far wall, while the former was suddenly engrossed with his shoes.

"Alli Nicholas Obasi! you tell me what is going on and you tell me right now!"

He looked at her and sighed. "I think we're all in danger."

:::::::::::
Few miles away...

The danger in question was being delayed for a little while. Branding his bullets with his signature digits '11'
He had it all timed. Once everywhere was fully dark, he was going to slaughter.


:::::::::
LAGOS
ORIENTAL HOTEL

Tonye dallied at the reception a little bit. Trying to scope out the situation and plan her next move. She was tired, really tired. She had spent 30 minutes in the air and 2^1/2 hours stuck in Lagos traffic but finally she had made it to Victoria Island. But all she felt like doing was to lodge in the most expensive suite, have a long bath, order room service and konk out for the night.

But she couldn't, that wasn't the plan. The plan was to.....what was the plan again? Rex had said; run recconnaisance, investigate and find out what the first minister had planned, but don't make contact.
Easier said than done.

Well she wasn't an assassin but she could easily envision lodging in a room next to the first minister, drilling a hole in the wall and blowing his brains out with her gun.
Except; 1. She didn't know what room he was in. 2. She didn't have anything to drill a hole in the wall with. 3. She didn't even have her gun.

Her gun had been abandoned in the glove compartment in the ambulance, which was still in the parking lot in the hospital, unless the driver had regained consciousness and managed to drive it away.

She remained in the corner, with the water dispenser, looking round the classy foyer, at the receptionists, dressed in their fancy suits, tapping away at keyboards, looking intently at computer screens, as if they were in a bank and not a hotel for bleeps sake.
Well, the first step would be to get a room first. She had a hunch that if she used her badge to obtain the information, the minute she got on the elevator, the first minister would receive a call, alerting him of her presence. Somehow, she'll be able to find the room the first minister was lodged in. Then maybe she would wear a mask, pay him a visit and torture him by kicking him in the balls repeatedly till he confessed whatever agenda the hole had in store for BROTA.

Her husband crossed her mind immediately but she shoved him out. He was busy in the field, the last time they spoke he was with the Chief's daughter....she remembered the crazy wailing she had heard over the phone and she shivered.

She needed to focus. But how could she? She kept remembering the face she had seen in the airport, getting off the arrivals section, the same face she had comfirmed in page 873 of Kirsten's Shadow report. That couldn't be a coincindence. There wasn't much intel on the man but the scar alone on the side of his face could only mean bad news.

The worst thing was she had tried Rex's number but it kept turning up 'not reachable.'

She noticed one of the security had picked an interest in her so she put off trying his line again...maybe when she got a room she'll get through and if not, she'll try Kirsten. Maybe Rex had gone back home and they were together by now.

She took a deep breath and headed to the nearest hotel clerk when the elevator doors on the other end slid open. A busty lady of average height sauntered off the lift, she didn't seem to notice anyone and was talking animatedly into her phone. She seemed pissed. However, it wasn't the bright red lipstick or the eye liner, so thick it looked like a super hero's eye mask, nor was it the juicy cleavage spilling out off the short excuse of leather gown the lady had on that caught Tonye's attention. It was the glitter on the hand she held the phone to her ear that caught her attention. Even from far it was clear it was pure gold. And when the lady passed by Tonye, she confirmed it. She had spent the last 24 hours watching the first minister glance importantly at the damned rolex so much that it irritated her, and now she could tell it was the very same watch.

"trust me Pablo, I'm done with him. He received a call and threw me out yet again...didn't even pay extra....the selfish bastard...I took a little insurance for sure...I'm taking my profile down the website....."

Her voice trailed off as she sailed away and Tonye had turned a full 360 as she watched the Lady head for the exit.
Finally she closed her mouth which had formed a suprised 'O' and hurried after the woman.

::::
She caught up with her as the lady walked to a sleek Rav4.

"Excuse me, what room did you come out from?"

The lady turned around in shock. "pablo I'll call you later.....Sorry?" She looked guilty and a little bit scared, she looked at her car, just few feet away, like she wished she could just appear behind the wheel and drive away.

"What room?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Because a man, called our desk that we should give his lady friend some sum of money...You match her description."

The girl looked suspicious, and Tonye realized she should have come up with something better. This lady just stole a watch worth thousands of dollars after all, everything would seem like a trap to her.

But it seems she was also greedy, she looked thoughtfully at Tonye. "What room did he call from?"

"Oh no missy, that won't work...you tell me...if it corresponds then you'll have the cash immediately..." she had her hand in her purse like she was holding a bundle of money, she was actually holding her phone.

"You know what, its not me...I didn't see anyone...I'm not interested."
She turned and began to hurry away.

"At least tell me what floor....please?" Tonye called out.

The lady had gotten to her car but she stopped with the key in the lock. She turned and looked at Tonye cautiously. "Why?"

"The person you were with received a call and is going to make a couple more, if he hasn't started already. Innocent people are going to die if I don't stop him....please tell me."

The lady sighed, "room 146."

:::::::
BROTA

As a part security consulting firm, the very first project BROTA ever had, had been BROTA itself. Bami was the chief security expert, owing to his years of experience as a federal agent. He had spent extra time, and extra money had been hacked off the budget for the so called 'sophisticated defense system' which had been installed in BROTA. It involved an emergency lockdown mode, sealing the main building from the outside, by sliding shut the Magnetic glass 6000 bulletproof doors, and enabling the Panic room, a secret air conditioned room made of titanium steel, which Bami had cheekily had the panel installed in the Microwave in the kitchen.

The fancy microwave had a button inbetween 'bake' and 'grill' labelled "PANIC"
When the button was pushed, and a 5 digit secret code; 70891 was entered, a metal hatch popped out of the wall, just behind the 10 foot fridge. This lever was the only entrance to the panic room, which could hold 2 dozen people comfortably, with camp beds, a stocked fridge, toileteries and even a television with a ps4 console.

Now, the problem was; everyone who knew about the Panic room and the proceedure wasn't in the building at the moment.
Dagnet and Bigelow didn't know, they were recent additions to the teams and didn't even have offices yet. Short Sam didn't know, neither did his wife and son(come on now)

The only person who knew was Buzz the betrayer. And he had been abandoned in the interogation room by Bigelow when the alarm had began blasting.

The alarm had since stopped blaring now, and the voice shouting; 'we are under attack' had since stopped. Thanks to a shotgun bullet to Cornelius' head.

Short Sam dashed downstairs, his short legs flying the stairs 5 at a time. He shouted for his wife and son; "Meredith! Junior!"

"Daddy!"

"Samuel!"

His wife and son were in Olivia's office. Dagnet had turned the table on it's side to provide some kind of pathetic shield and when the hacker saw his family clinging together, trying to fit in the leg space of the giant oak desk, he felt a kind of dread he had never before felt in his entire life. He felt like a failure. He felt like less of a man, because he had endangered his family and failed them. But the worse thing was he felt, no.....he knew he couldn't protect them.

Bigelow ran to the office and shoved S.s (who had frozen at the entrance) inside. "Stay here with your family....here...take this!" He squeezed his Sig Sauer into the short man's hand. The gun almost fell from his grasp. S.s had never held a gun before in his life.
He rushed to his wife, who was hugging their little boy and trying to keep him from crying.

Dagnet looked at Bigelow and their eyes held.

"Is it going through?" He asked her.

She had the phone to her ear but all she could hear was the dial tone. It's all she had been hearing for the last 30 seconds, still she kept dialling.

Bigelow dug his mobile from his pocket but was greeted with the 'no signal'

"Shiit! They must have some kind of signal jam or something!" He shouted. There was no need for him to shout, they were all in the office, but adrenaline was very high.

"Is there nothing we can do....Do you have network on your phones?" Dagnet asked the family huddled behind the upturned table.
No...there was no network.

"I....I might be able to unjam the network for a small period of time....but...." His voice trailed off. He didn't need to say it. But he couldn't leave his family.

The computer which had been on the desk was now a broken mess on the floor, surrounded by scattered files and paperwork.

There was a full second of silence, then Bigelow took charge.
"Dagnet, you take them upstairs to the office Sam was working before, barricade them there then come give me some backup." He turned to S.s, "the minute you unscramble the network, place a call to everyone, tell them we're under attack!"

Bigelow watched Dagnet lead the small family upstairs then he walked slowly down the long corridor. His second pistol in his hand. When he got to the end of the hallway, he stood, breathing heavily, with his back to the wall. Everything was eerily quiet, it almost felt like the attack had been called off. Or maybe they.....
He finally took a quick peek round the edge. He saw two men on the other side of the glass doors. One of them was even smoking a ciggarette. He noticed he was a bit elderly. The second was on the phone, pacing infront of the entrance. Bigelow stole glances every now and then, his heart was beating madly and he noticed the intruders didn't seem to be in a hurry. He desperately hoped S.s would be able to crack the signal and send a call through.

He heard a loud gunshot suddenly and peeked again. The man had ended his call and fired his shotgun at point blank range into the glass, but there wasn't even a fracture or a crack. Next, the man struck the glass with the butt of his rifle but his gun just bounced off, Bigelow actually began to hope. Just two invaders? He alone could handle them, and they couldn't even get through the glass....

It was said the New Mettallic glass was 600 times stronget than steel. It had cost BROTA a fortune to install but now it just might be what would save all their lives.

He heard a noise and turned sharply. It was Dagnet. She held up her hand in a 'don't shoot' gesture and Bigelow lowered his gun, his nerves were frayed. He put his index finger to his lips and tilted his head for her to come closer.

"What's going on?"

"They can't get through the bullet proof."

His voice had a great deal more bass now and a kind of reassuring timbre.
He turned his head slowly once more and gasped in surprise.
He could count about half a dozen men, in his line of view, all dressed like real mercenaries. Even with his extensive knowledge in firearms and history with intelligence and counter terrorism, the only time he had handled the kind of weapons the men were armed with, was when he had played call of duty.
But that wasn't even what made him gasp.

The men all moved partially away from the entrance, which was why he could only see half of them, the reason they moved was because one of them was down on his knee, attaching a very wicked explosive....(Bigelow was almost certain it was C4) with ductape to the spot the sliding gates joined together.

"Big....what is it?" Dagnet whispered

"We're bleeped.."


To be Continued...

Thanks for your comments fam, I really appreciate. God bless.
Mynet, I warned you didn't I...but trust me, the guy got bad skills
Ratty0 don't worry about the flash....maybe the landlord or the fresh tenants would find it in the cookie tin, Helen hid it.

Ok, tbh I don't even know Andy's fate but we'll know soon enough....in the next episode I think.
Honorable welcome back boss!

Ekopsparrow...Brota is really on fire...quite playing with the birds and go do something

Jumizie I lor you too

Cerowo Ann queenitee thanks

Mitchelljnr solly chibestjerry mikano dammykrone kawoze mitchelljnr oroolorun Jah bless you all bosses!

Kaycee9242:
souloho thanks for the update, I'm having problems with remembering all these ppl names and their roles pls be regular with ur updates so dt we don't find it difficult to comprehend the story. thanks all d same

I understand bro, i also have to read back most times. I'll definitely do better. But in the meantime;

Beatrice the lesbian - Emma's kidnapper, Fome's lover, Rex hater, Niece to Betran who was right hand man to the late Mr. x, Fome's father. He (Betran is currently receiving dialysis In L.U.T.H) the doctors say he won't last much longer.

She also has a cousin Christie, who beat Andy's ass once upon a time and usually pleads to the little humanity in Beatrice.

Rex is in a 'safe house' provided by his father, to interrogate junior, the driver of his inlaw Sam who happens to be the first minister.

Tonye left him, drove the ambulance to the airport to head to Lagos when they found out from a phone call that the first minister lodged in a hotel in Lagos.

The Obasis are in a bit of a confusion, Olivia is still on meds but recovering well, the kids ar being kids playing, Paul, Utebos husband and.the major (or lt colonel?) and Alli no joy as well as Clyde the agent are strategizing leaving the house because of the attack they fear is imminent.

Cynthia, Rex other sister and Kirsten, the gem and sharpest mind of BROTA is also indoors.

In Lagos, Bami went on a rescue mission to save Ada but she had already killed her captors. They should be bound to Brota by now.

Andy is still in intensive care in the hospital, being guarded by Rex's assistant Jimoh, who is not a foot soldier. Big foot has a letter bomb he plans to deliver. On the envelope are the words; Get well soon

Sparrow is somewhere...(as usual)

Short Sam and family is in BROTA

So is (ex) Detective Dagnet and Bigelow

I hope this helps

::::::::::::::::::

"Hello, Mr. Omirida, how are you my old friend! How is Nkechi.....aaaaah.....my brother, the family is all fine o, you know how it is, the children and grandchildren all swarming all over the place..." Alli no Joy laughed nervously as his eyes darted from his son in law, Paul to the other BROTA agent, Clyde then finally came to rest at the frame behind the curtain in the parlour window, Martha. No doubt she knew something was wrong, knew he was hiding something from her but what could he do? The most important thing on his mind right now was his family's safety. When they were safe, then he could come clean and tell her about Cynthia's husband and the unbelievable, intricate web their son had managed to spin round the family yet again.

He stammered and scratched his head. The man he was speaking to had been his close friend for over 30 years but he was finding it hard to ask him the favour which had prompted him to make the call.

Come on, what was he going to say, 'I'm coming over with my family to spend the night.'

Suddenly that was what he found himself saying, "Gburu Gburu! Ogbu number 1 of no man's land! My brother it has been really long we visited you. Are you at home....ah! We're on our way...just Martha and I.....ah no need we've eaten already....aah if you say so....Gburu Gburu! The graceful tiger! see you soon."

Alli no joy didn't know this, but what he had just done had been done by his son countless times in the past, hailing, praising and eulogising a friend to steamroll the said friend into agreeing completely with what he wanted. Perhaps father and son were more alike in more ways they didn't know.

When he ended the call, he looked at Paul who was staring at him apprehensively. "So?"

Alli nodded. "yes, he's expecting us....well he's expecting just Martha and I but he's my blood, there's no problem there."

The Major gave a sigh of relief. "Ok, let me inform them to get ready." He started towards the house but stopped. "What do we tell them?"

"Well...."

:::::::::::::::::::
L.U.T.H

After fighting it and pacing round the hospital floors for what felt like eternity, Beatrice called her sister's cell. "Hey, how is he?"

"He's still sleeping."

"Ok, I'm going out I'll call you back.."

"Where are you going?"

"Christie I'll call you back ok?"

"It's a trap, don't go ther.."

"Nothing's going to go wrong, we're finally going to do something about the hole and we can only do that by working with BROTA. Besides Sparrow is like a surety so it can't be a trap."

"Hmmm...ok just be careful."

"I will. I'm finally going to avenge Mona and Fome's death and Mr X."


:::::::::::::::::::
Somewhere in Lagos...

Big foot had put a lot of careful extra work in making the letter bomb. Now he waited patiently for the traffic light to turn green. He was 30 minutes from the Apapa general hospital and finding the victim from the bomb blast the previous morning wouldn't be too difficult. Not for someone like him. Big foot was extremely resourceful. He glanced at the manilla envelope in the seat beside him. It would need to be carried carefully, but as long as the envelope latch was still glued together, the circuit was closed. It was a small charge, less than a quarter kilo and extra time had gone to lining the walls of the envelope to double the weight and keep the plastiq in place.

Once the lid of the envelope was opened, the adhesive holding both wires would be broken and in a second the charge would go off. Hopefully the target would be peering into the envelope when it does.

Letter bombs hardly killed straight away, the victim more often died from grave injuries sustained from the mini blast. But for someone like Andy who was literally a punch away from the underworld, it would do the trick alright.

The light finally turned green and big foot accelerated with a look of satisfaction in his eyes. He wished he could watch the fucker burn. The idiot had the guts of surviving his earlier project. Well not anymore...


:::::::::::::::::
Oriental Hotel, Lagos

The first minister lay like a sack of beans while the Lady trailed the leather whip down his naked, pespiring body. His was the case of 'sweating under A.C'

He was stark naked and both hands were handcuffed to the head board, both legs were spread apart while the lady clad in a leather cat suit continued to trail the whip down his body. Every now and again she would let rip with a crack and he would cry out in painful pleasure.

"You've been a naughty, naughty boy..." Her voice was sexy and she whispered in his ear and licked his neck, leaving a trail of sticky saliva like a snail had moved across his neck. It wasn't disgusting to him, on the contrary, the impossible was happening slowly, he was having an erection!

His sex life with Cynthia had been dormant for years. She no longer excited him and she was too stiff and uppity to even try to spice things a bit in the bedroom.

"Are you ready for the ride of your life?"

Oooh yes!

Before he could reply, he heard the special beep. At first, in the heat of passion he thougtht it was his driver finally reaching out to him. The fool should have arrived with the stretch at least 2 hours ago.

He knew the man had a girlfriend he snuck out to everytime they were in Lagos. The first minister didn't make a big deal of it because he also needed his privacy. A powerful man like himself being dominated in the bedroom was news nobody should be privy to...Nobody.

He blinked rapidly when he realized the tune was the sacred tone reserved for Sir Holly.

"Hey Phoenix baby I have to take that."

"ooooh....you told me no interruptions!" She pouted her lips in feigned annoyance

"I know baby but that's my boss, very important....unhook me."

She crossed her arms and pouted further. "That's how you always do, later you'll spend the whole night making calls and typing on the darned thing!"

His eyes went red immediately. "If that thing should stop ringing you're going to be in big trouble! unhook this thing immediately."

He managed to convey the threat perfectly, despite being in a ridiculously vulnerable position and she hurriedly unhooked the cuffs from his wrist. He rushed to the pile of clothes and dug around until he had his phone in his hand.

"Hello Sire"

"Is the purge finished yet?" (cough, cough)

"almost sir, the agency was hit today but the Obasi residence is billed for the morning."

"Have you lost your mind? Was that the instruction I gave you? I said it has to happen together. A clean and precise strike to neutralize and disable both (cough) locations...."

"Yes sir and Mynet is already on ground..."

"Just zip it. I'll reach him myself. That family has been a thorn in my side for too long, I'm taking no chances, I want them wiped tonight."

(Dial tone.)

The first minister sat on the bed slowly and began biting his nails. His hard-on had since deflated, the moment he heard the raspy voice of his lord. But now he began to panic. His dear wife was still in the fucking house and he knew that Mynet11 was a mean psycho. He was going to put a bullet in the head of everybody. Both young and old, Grandparent and Child.

"Shiit!"

"You see what i was saying...oya come back to bed naaa" The leather suited vixen pleaded, sulkingly.

"Phee just shut the hell up...infact get out."

He rubbed his eyes tiredly then grabbed his phone. He dialled a number. "Hello, I need you back at the location. Drive them away like I instructed, my wife especially. If you can get only her out, it's better. But this time it's dangerous....,,,what? Bleep you that's highway robbery....ok ok i'll tripple it, just move!"


:::::::::::::::::
BROTA

Bigelow was down in the holding cell when the alarm began blasting off. He had been questioning Buzz, the BROTA agent who had turned betrayer and invited Emma's kidnappers.

He was trying to find out all the man knew about the hole, and if he was in league with the shadows, but ten minutes into the interrogation it had become clear the man was just a clueless pawn.

He seemed to be in love with the lady or maybe he was just pussy whipped. He had betrayed his boss' family for love. Planted a listening device in their house for love. Watched the kidnapper get into the compound and leave with a crying baby for love. Then helped her plant a message to be found in the kitchen.....for love.

"I don't understand you....are you aware she's a lesbian?"

Buzz looked dirty. His clothes were rumpled, his face was rumpled. He had spent 12 hours squeezed in the booth of a car. He was hungry, both hands were handcuffed to the chair he sat on and he smelled terribly. Even the odour from his mouth almost knocked him out when he spoke.

"Beatrice isn't...a lesbian.....she's.....She was just confused, that's all."

"look here, she just used you....she's a user, she doesn't even like guys, let alone love you. She loved Fome. Everything she has done, is because of Fome. To her you're just a piece of meat to be manipulated to bring her closer to her goal. That was the same way she seduced the shadow and shot him in a hotel through the hole in the wall."

"But....but....She loves me....we love each other..." He insisted stubbornly.

Bigelow had seriously considered lounging over the table and giving the man a destiny resetting slap. But then they heard a loud gunshot and the alarm started blasting;

"We are under attack.!"

"Shit!" Bigelow sprang to his feet and rushed out of the room.

"wait...wait...I can help...I can help...let me help!" Buzz shouted.

But Bigelow was gone.

:::::::::

Upstairs, Short Sam had been on the verge of another 'Eureka' moment. His fingers danced magically across his keyboard and he squinted at the screen. The signal which had invaded his home earlier in the day was being bounced off numerous proxy addresses but even that was child's play for Bigelow. He had created a timeline loop and according to calculations, every 3 minutes, 22 seconds, the signal was going to bounce off the original address.

He now had 3 ip addresses which had turned up in the last 20 minutes and 1 had appeared 4 times already.
He watched his computer screen intently, rubbing his hands.

"I was born for this you son of a bitch... aaaaah..... Abuja...."

The signal location had began to triangulate.

He was so immersed in his binary world he didn't hear the blast from the shotgun. It took the alarm blast and the dreaded phrase; "We're under attack" to finally peel his eyes off the screen.

He looked up in horror and bolted out of the office. The only thought in his mind; his wife and son.

::::::::::

The young man snickered at the old man, who was whimpering and looking at the dead guard in horror.

"you better Keep your wit about you old man! Remember your nephew, if you want to see him you do as planned!"

Old man Rosco nodded animatedly. He dropped the crates of water he still held on to and hurried to the truck. He grabbed a shot gun from the backseat and rushed to the security post. His staunch legs moving briskly.

::::

Hello sir....Sir Bami? We're under attack sir....we're under..."

Old man Rosco placed the nozzle of the shotgun at the base of Cornelius's ear and pulled the trigger. He blew half of his head off.

With shaky fingers, Old man Rosco tried to wipe the blood from his face and pieces of flesh and brain matter stuck in his bushy grey beards. He glued his lips together, trying hard to swallow the vomit that was building from deep within.

He held his breath as he hit the controls with claims fingers. The smell of death was in the room but holding his breath couldn't stop it from penetrating his skin pores, his nostrils, his ears even his eyes. He still smelt death, he could hear death and he saw death. Splattered other computer screen. Finally he couldn't hold it anymore. He barfed so hard, he might as well have thrown up his intestines as well.

He fell to his knees, a huge blubbering mess. Crying, sniffling and vomiting.

But he had done it.

The steel gate outside, the main defence of Brota - unmatched in thickness, width and strength slid open slowly and the truck full of mercenaries drove inside.

::::::
Benue

Mynet11 was in the shower when he heard the beep. He hurried out, still stark naked, dabbing his soapy eyes with the towel. He slipped on the tiles and almost landed on his head.

Maybe that would have been the best thing for the Obasi family. If he had somehow cracked his head on the hard tiles. But he steadied himself and rushed to his device on the dresser. He wiped his eyes and read the message.

He smiled wickedly.

He was going to kill tonight afterall

dview001:
souloho... why start what you can't finish?

why should an update takes 2months

I think the fame is getting into your head Sir

UncleSnr:
If he can't continue, he should close the thread.
If he needs money, he should come out public. Stop encouraging mediocrity.

UncleSnr:
If he calls it waste of time, energy and resources, why start it in the first place?

First of all thank you for airing your grievances. I appreciate that, I can only think you're enjoying the story so far hence the irritation for lack of updates.

Now let me be very blunt. I am not going to end this story. I am not going to abandon this story. I do not need your money. I do not even need your praises.

I wrote delayed diagnosis stuck on 30 views for over 10 pages and I still updated twice a day because firstly, I write for myself, not for you. Writing is my own method of self therapy and I'm not going to abandon what brings me peace. Never.

I'm not going to start explaining the reason for my absence because everyone has their life to live, but then again, life comes indifferent phases. I'm not at the place I was 2-3 years ago right now. Do you think if it was possible I wouldn't update more regularly? Or do you think I couldn't rush this story and end it prematurely? I thought of it, even had an update scripted since December, all it would take is less than 2,000 words and "The End"
But I can't do that, everyday I imagine loopholes that could have been avoided earlier in the story or more dots that could have been connected, twists that could have been created and the last thing I would do is give it a premature ending to crown it all.

Dview I can remember you following from delayed diagnosis till TDWO, why are you having selective memory right now? Don't ask me "why start what i can't finish." It's very annoying. Especially when a couple of posts up I pleaded for patience, come on!

UncleSnr thanks for your advice, but I'll pass on closing the thread. This is not a waste of energy, time and resources but rather an outlet of the aforementioned.

Writing is what keeps me grounded so if you feel I'm deliberately not updating because I now feel "too big" (in ygritte's voice) "You know nothing!"


On a lighter note, the next update isn't as long as I wanted but it's just like a prologue before the main action.

Jah bless!

rchilee:
Andy a befitting death? Why?

HelenBee:
Please Souloho19,don't let Andy die. He deserves to live and fall in love too. I actually thought the reporter was his Mrs Right.


Souloho19, everything will work out fine for you. Believe.

But the reporter is dead now...Andy may not have anything to live for again....first Mona and now the reporter. Let them live happily ever after in the after life

Helenbee thanks for your words of encouragement. Solly1 queenitee dimssy Sparrow chibestjerry I appreciate you all deeply.
God bless!

HelenBee:
Souloho19, I hope all is well with you? You don't go silent on us for days without a reason. Please let's know what's up. We care

EkopSparoAyara:

I wish I had his number, I would have put a call across,straight up...We miss you man...We care..

Thanks for reaching out and i'm sorry for my absence. It definitely isn't intentional, I've been going through some kind of rough patch but things are beginning to balance out. I really appreciate you looking out for me, God bless.

@Mitchelljnr, the update has been 90% ready for a couple of days...it's just my research on letter bombs that has been a bit futile. You know we have to give Andy a befitting death. On a side note, I wonder what those at google think concerning my search history...

My name is Khan, and I'm not a terrorist!

Update would drop soon fam, sabali!