The time was 9pm and Clement has been trying his best to keep his identity hidden amidst the dozens of soldiers who guarded his father. One thing about them is that, they are not the men of the Nigerian army, but they were dressed in the regular khaki worn by Nigerian soldiers. One thing Clement noticed was that these men didn’t speak much in English and from what he noticed, they didn’t refer to themselves by their names, but the word ‘amigo’ which meant friend in spanish. Clement had taken his time over the night to know how things are being down and he had known quite a lot of things, the soldiers are all men of different ethnicity and by their intonation you’ll know them. Even though the dominant race is the Fulani while a few Yorubas were there, about three or four including himself were from the east, south east and south south. There were also men from neighbouring country, there was a man who was from Libya, from his khaki, one would know, it had the flag of Libya on it and as the man patrolled the gate, Clement could hear him mutter something that looked like, “Allah bless Ghadaffi.” Clement saw this as a whole new adventure that place him in the hands of death. So many challenges he encountered was the issue of falling asleep at intervals throughout the night. It wasn’t his thing to stay awake all night and even if it was his thing, it simply wasn’t his thing to be on his feet walking around the compound over night in an area where tse tse fly was rampant and other insects. He was amost spotted to be an enemy when at some point, one of the men came around and asked him a question, Clement almost blurted out that he was a police but realising that his sleepy brain almost landed him into trouble, he quickly replied the man in english incorporated with Igbo. In the next few hours, he would be celebrating his first twenty four hours in the compound. He had planned that his stay in the copound won’t last more than three hours, he discovered that Chief Obi Patrick was at arms length, but he realised that he dare not make the move to arrest his father unless his security details are somewhere sleeping which is impossible. Also, the best time to strik was when the men were preparing their meal which is always roasted meat, but at least about five of those men would still be with Chief Obi Patrick inside the house while all other prepare the meal. He sure needed and outside help before he could make a major move. He thought as he walked towards the back of the house silently and removed a phone he had seen lying on the floor and sent a message to the first number that came to his head, Sylvester. Notifying him of the latest development. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Mike was being led to a waiting van outside the khal corp building with about five men behind him alone. The most suprising thing about the set up was the fact that, his hands were not cuffed or put into any bondage or restriction. He could move freely and therefore, he knew he stood a great chance of escape, because immediately he enters the van, there would be no escape means for him anymore and he can’t risk himself being taken to Freetown in Serial leone. “Wait up everybody. The greatest Abdul Maleek is coming out in a moment.” Immediately, everyone stopped moving as if they were observing a minute silence for the dead or rendering the National anthem. Mike was forced to stop in his tracks and just then, Abdul Maleek walked out of the building with at least twenty five men flanking him all around. Danger-Kelv and Hakym led the entourage while Mr Ayo Okorie walked on Maleek’s right side and a woman whome Mike had never seen and judging from the suprised look on everybody’s face, they had never seen her before flanked Maleek on the left. Just a few metres to the Limo which stood doors opened behind the van which was expected to transport Mike, Abdul Maleek removed his mask for the first time and his men saw what he really looked like with gasps of suprise and smiles all over their face. A young man from within the entourage moved closer to Maleek and whispered something to him. “What? Clement inside Chief Obi Patrick’s residence? So who do we have here?” He asked angrily. “Where is Danger-kelv?” Meleek barked, but Kelvinwas nowhere to be found. Mike siezed that opportunity to hit the two men who stood beside him, collected one of their gun and did the unexpected, shot straight at Maleek. Immediately, bullets were rained on him but he had miraculously used the vehicles as cover and he was out of the gate at once. He wasn’t sure if his bullet hit Maleek, but he had a feeling, it his him. His vision was getting blurred, then a sharp pain hit him. He had been shot in the thighs.Mike limped deeper into the nearest forest and kept on running in a zig zag motion, but the only thing he noticed was that as he ran, his pursuers were always getting him, then he realised that the blood oozing out of his buttet pierced thigh was leaving behind a trace which his pursuers followed. He was deperate to loose them, yet blood won’t stop oozing out of his thigh and he was was growning weaker every second, he couldn’t move any longer, he can’t afford to be captured once again, because one sure thing it is, DEATH. He felt the urget to sit down and rest but the fear of the heartless men on his heels won’t let him give it a second thought. He removed his shirt and tied it below the wound, an action that stopped the blood from touching the floor, the blood as it oozed out, it soaked the t-shirt. Now he had ran for about three minute and his pursuers couldn’t trace him any more, he could hear their voices at a distance searching for him and combing every nook and crany of the forest, he knew it won’t take time before they found him, but with the Ak-47 hanging on his shoulder accross his back, he would kill them in scores, therefore, if he was killed in the process, he’ll be recieved in heaven amidst fun fare and a heart warming welcome. Five minutes later, he couldn’t move any further, therefore, he slowly dragged himself until he was seated back rested to a tree and leaves interlocking in such a way that it formed a fence around him. Only a small opening at the front which also was covered with a big oak tree. If anybody would find him here, he would sure be the first person to spot anybody that comes wandering into this part of the forest which is a major advantage for him, but a vigillant person would have seen this unusual hideout from afar and he would have done what every reasonable human would do, something that hunters themselves do, set the place ablaze, but how will he set something that is about hundred yards away ablaze without moving close to it? ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kelvin who had mapped out his escape route some few months back after he realised that the police are gaining more grounds than the khal corp. He had envisioned a day when their will be massive invation by the police and soldiers, if things get out of hand, how will he be able to escape? Not only that, he planned the escape route for both himself, Maleek and some other top officials. But as things were, he is the only one plying the escape route and as far as he is concerned, his pursuers have not yet discovered the big pipe which has been abandoned by the government. It was one of the pipes which was bought by the millitary government in the early sixties according to the date written on it, maybe they planned to use it for water circulation in case the area developed. But its now over fifty years and the area is still undeveloped safe for the tarred pot-hole proned express road that connects to the Nigerian boarder. As he crawled along inside the pipe, he could see used bullets, human bones, pieces of clothes, mostly the uniform of the Nigeria army. No doubt, this pipe served as an hideout for the Nigerian soldeirs during the civil war or some other wars. It was quite evident that the government of the country Nigeria, both present and past are responsible for the emergence of insurgency. Thousands of abandoned buildings are all over the country, thousands of inhabited forests and bushes, all of these places are used by these dangerous men, the government is doing little or nothing to eradicate the existence of abandoned building, a bill should be passed that every intending house builders should finish the construction of his house within a year and a half. Failure to comply by the law would mean that either government gives such person a loan to finish up his house or they confiscate the house and compesate him/her handsomely. Presently, Kelvin isn’t concerned about the government policy or laws, all he wasnted to do now is destroy the government themselves. His phone vibrated in his pocket. He brought it out and checked the caller, HAKYM. — It was a night to remember for the men of the Nigeria police force, most especially the headquaters, the Area F-command, the Ikorodu command and some other departments of the police offices. Every police officer working at the headquaters were all working overnight and for the first time in about twenty years, the headquarters was filled to the brim. Officers who are currently on leave had to return to work on emergency and as things were, all hands must be on deck if they are to put an end to insurgency. A senator who spoke with the reported sometimes in the afternoon claimed that the vice president, now the acting president has submitted a bill through one of his aides calling for the declaration of a state of emergency in the South west, most especially Lagos state. Everyone knows what it means if a state of emergency is declared and according to the lawmaker, plenary resumes the following day for the second reading after which there would be consentment from the lower legislative chamber and the state of emergency would be declared. The police force knew they had failed if a state of emergency should be declared and enemies have been forced to become friends, the Lagos state governor who is a member of the major opposition party who is sworn enemy with the former president, the present acting president, the senate president and his deputy and even the police chiefs whom he claimed were all working for the ruling party. The Governor after the public release of the bill presented on the floor of the house put a call through to the State commissioner of police who pleaded that the police should do everything humanly possible in making sure that Khal copr becomes history, and just some four hours ago around 6pm, the governor sent five new police vehicles to enable them move faster and conviniently in their quest to put an end to insurgency. No politically elected officer wants to leave the office. Even if they are voted out by the masses, the good ones will be reluctant to leave while the bad ones will resort to violence. Sylvester walked out of the commissioner’s office looking confused but his confusion was hidden behind a smile. The junior officers looked up to him for instructions, but unfortunately, he couldn’t give out instructions without consulting a tired Ngozi whom after her revival has been looking dazed and closer to another pass out. “Oga Sly.” A junior officer called. “Yes Joe?” Sylvester replied without slowing down. He continued walking towards the stairs that connect to the ICT facilities upstairs. The officer did a good job by trying to catch up with him. “I learnt you came face to face with a deadly monster in the underground, tell me about it. Is that why Detective Ngozi fainted?” Sylvester’s patience was wearing off gradually and his anger and irritation was returning faster than it normally does. “Is that the issue now? Everyone is trying to get solution to the problems at hand, you are here asking useless questions. I wonder how you got employed into the force.” Sylvester said walking into the ICT hall while the junior officer reluctantly descended the stairs. Afterall, they(the junior officers) are not being allowed to do anything other than to sit down idly behind the counter all day and go out on patrols. “Sylvester, what’s going on?” Amaka whom after the death of the brilliant Edgar had taken the mantle of leadership. “Nothing much, were are just rubbing minds together with no significant success.” Sylvester replied drawing up a chair from under one of the tables and sat down opposit her after he had greeted other computer analyst with a wave of hand and a smile. “I heard about Ngozi. How is she doing now?” Amaka asked. “She is much better, I guess. Even though she still loved tired, you know? Not that energetic Ngozi that we know, but she’ll come out of it.” Amaka continued whatever she was doing on her computer and passed out various instructions to her colleagues. “How about Clement? Its over twenty four hours since he left and over nineteen hours since he last picked his calls. What do you think is wrong?” Amaka asked. “No comments for now.” Sylvester replied. Just then Sylvester’s phone beeped. It was an unregistered number, but he still picked it anyways. “Sylvester right?” A female voice asked. “Yeah, please who am I speaking with?” “That’s not important for now. Have you given the box I gave you to Kelvin? Have you used it to get him?” The lady asked. “No.” He replied and the line went dead. He racked his brain, first he replied without thinking, and on a second thtought her realised he just spoke with Becky. A call they had been waiting for in a while with the hope of tracing her location while the coversation is one, now he just blew up another opportunity. –to be continued–
