20:07PM
El Deols, Anthanna.
Charles drew in a deep breath as he unbuckled the seatbelt. It had been a tiring day at work and then after work, he had to shop for some groceries and take them to his mother before returning to his own apartment. His only consolation was that he had dinner in his mum’s house before finding his way home.
He could still feel the shock from Mr Moses death and his mind was filled with questions as to why such a nice man could have been killed. Maybe he had some hidden businesses which the world didn’t know about, Charles thought. That would be it, he said to himself as he stepped out of his car and headed for his apartment. He was yet to get to the entrance of his apartment before he realized he was in the wrong line of thoughts. He remembered that the police had claimed the wife of the deceased heard the assassin mention his name too. He hadn’t been in any secret business with Mr Moses. He wondered how and why the assassin knew his name.
He heaved a sigh as he climbed up the corridor, he looked left and right as if to check if the police were really keeping an eye on him like the officer who questioned them had promised. He saw no one but chose to believe they must be somewhere around truly. He turned on his phone’s flashlight before he proceeded into the house. He locked the door behind him and tapped the switch of the bulb. He dropped the magazine on his hand on the footstool in the living room and proceeded into the bedroom with his suit jacket and phones in his hand.
Twenty minutes later, he returned to the living room after taking a shower. He was dressed in shorts and an armless top. He had missed his boss’ call while in the bathroom, so he dialed back her number with the phone in his hands. While it connected, he proceeded towards the television stand to pick the remote control but he stopped as he got to the sitting area, shocked to see a figure on his three seater sofa, lying in a sleeping position with the head well rested on the left armrest and the feet on the other armrest and a black hat covering the face.
He quickly glanced at the door and glanced back at the person, wondering how entrance was gained since he locked the door. He noticed the shoes of the intruder and knew it was a lady. Fear gripped his heart as he remembered that the assassin who had killed Mr Moses was reported to be a lady.
“I’ve been waiting for you here since five o’clock,” the intruder said. She placed a hand on the hat to hold it and she rose to a sitting position. She dropped the hat on the seat by her left side and raised her head to look at his face.
He was filled with fear and was confused about what to do.
“Come sit here,” she offered with an evil grin, tapping the space at her right with her palm.
“What do you want from me and how did you get in?” he managed to say as he began to step back towards the door slowly.
“Why don’t you sit and let us talk?”
The living room was a small one, so it took no time for him to get to the door and try to open it. He was disappointed to find out that the key in the keyhole had been replaced with a wrong one. He turned back to see her smiling at him and raising the right key up in her hand.
“Come take a seat and let’s discuss,” she offered again.
“What do you want from me?” he asked once more in a shaky voice. He remained at the door with his back turned against it and his hands still on the key as he continued trying to unlock it.
__
Sheila’s Apartment
Sheila was alone in her living room where she had just watched the news update of Frank’s death on the network news. The news had reported that Frank was killed by a woman he met at the back of the clubhouse. To Sheila, it looked somehow connected to the death of Moses and she was wondering if the lady assassin was just a serial killer. She had dialed Charles number twice, just to speak with him and ask if he had also heard the news about Frank’s death and his thoughts about it, but Charles had not answered the call but was now calling back.
“Hello Frank,” she said into the phone. “Hello…” she said again when she heard no response. She squinted as she reduced the volume of the television to listen closely, she could hear him talking to someone underground. After listening for some seconds, she realized he was talking with an intruder and quickly got up to pick her second phone. She dialed the police’ number.
She kept the phone which was on call with Charles close to her left ear while she placed the second close to her right.
“Hello officer, there’s an intruder in Mr Charles’ house at the moment, I’m afraid he needs to be rescued immediately.”
“Okay ma’am, we have men around his house, I’m also close, I’ll order them to go in now.” the officer replied.
She ended the call and tried to continue listening with the other phone but she discovered the call had ended already. Her mind was filled with fear for Charles’ life and she wondered if she should dial his number back.
____
Charles’ Apartment.
“You worked with Moses and Frank to develop a sensor, who else was on your team?” Florence asked.
Charles’ heart was beating so fast and his whole body was trembling. She saw that he was delaying and took out her gun.
“Ermm… There was no team, the codes used to develop the product was solely done by Miss Sheila Jack,” Charles answered quickly.
“Mrs Sheila Jack? Who is she?” Florence asked as she got up from the sofa and began to walk closer to him.
“She’s our boss,” Charles replied.
“At SheiDev?”
“Yes.”
She stopped a metre in front of him and returned the gun into the pocket of her jacket.
“Tell me the truth, who else joined you guys in building the sensor?”
“Please spare me, I’m saying the whole truth. Miss Sheila Jack had the work in progress before Frank came to our company to ask if we had such product…”
“Shhh…” Florence hushed him. She was hearing some sounds outside and she could tell it was more than just an entrance made by another person living in the compound. She placed her stare at his face and dipped her hand in her pocket to take her knife.
___
Sheila’s Apartment
Sheila continued to pace about the living room minutes after, she couldn’t put her mind to rest. She had called the officer’s number again but he didn’t answer. After a while, she couldn’t hold it any longer and decided to dial Charles’ number. It took a while before it was finally answered.
“Hello Charles, hope you are safe.” Sheila said into the mouthpiece.
“Sorry Miss Sheila, he was killed before we got in.” she heard the officer’s voice instead. “But we are after the killer and would catch up very soon.”
Her mouth was left wide open in shock. Charles was gone already. Her mind began to beat so fast and she wondered what the reason for the murders was. She began to wonder if that was the end or if it had just begun.
Her mind was gripped with fear and the only person she could think of talking to was her father. She dialed his number quickly.
_____
Unknown Hotel, El Deols.
“D–n it!” Daniel cursed as he jumped up to his feet. He ran his fingers into his hair and bit his lips slightly. “This was the same man who was killed last night at the club,” he said to the men who were in the room and studying the footages with him.
They had taken turns to study the footages received from the Hotel patronized by Antonio Carlos and Vincent Shawn and had found Frank visiting them twice at the Hotel.
“I’ll call the police office immediately and ask for details surrounding the murder case of Frank,” one of the FOX men said as he rose up to his feet to pick his phone.
“Please do,” Daniel replied. He took out his own phone also to call Agent Steve.
_____
FOX Underground Facility,
EPA Hill, Bexford.
“Have you traced all of the men who was in his office today?” Evelyn asked the officer sitting at the center. The open office containing tables and chairs for over twenty different officers had only four of them presently in it, the others had closed for the day. Evelyn was pacing slowly around, she had a pack of chocolate bars in her hand and she picked often from it to her mouth.
The agent who had dropped her off in the morning was the one sitting at the table in the center, the other two agents were sitting at other sides.
“Yes, not one of them seem to have any connection with the Wolves or the previous suspects,” the junior agent answered.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, they were all there for farm businesses.” he answered.
Evelyn turned to the female officer at the left. “I called you after I placed the tracker on his car, did you check his movements today?”
“Yes, I followed everything from the moment I noticed he was moving.” she replied. “There was something strange about his movement.”
“What was it?” Evelyn asked.
“He drove straight from the office to an indoor car park facility and the tracker never moved until four hours later,” she answered.
“Did you check the CCTV to see where he went to after?”
“Yes, I checked all the footages an hour ago. There was no record of him stepping out after parking the car and no record of him going back in to get the car four hours later.”
“Is that all you checked?”
“Yes, for now.”
Evelyn remained quiet for a while, taking time to enjoy the chocolate bar she had just put in her mouth.
“You have to check more tomorrow, see all those who drove into the park thirty minutes before and after he drove in and do the same for thirty minutes before and after he drove out.” She instructed.
“Okay, I’ll get it done.”
“Make sure you keep tracking, I’ll get the report when I return tomorrow.” Evelyn said before she put another bar into her mouth. She picked her suit jacket from a table and headed for the door. “Goodnight.”
___
April 6, 2016
05:05AM
Bethanna- South Husan Border
“I’m driving into Kebba now, do not delay. Jenny has gotten into the plan and she should be on the way to the directed location now,” Henry said into the headset receiver and then switched the button to end the call.
He had an earpiece in his left ear and the mouthpiece attached to his collar, his phone was on the passenger’s seat of the car. He had connected the call to the phone through the bluetooth accessory.
He was dressed in all black and had black gloves covering his palms. He also had dark eyeglasses and black face cap on the passenger’s seat. He didn’t have beards and moustache attached this time but he had a mask hanging around his neck, all he needed to do was to pull it up to cover his mouth and nostrils. He had his cap to cover the top of his head and the dark glasses for his eyes when the time for it came.
It took him thirty five minutes to get to the home of sacrifice from Kebba entrance, his journey had been made faster because the road was less crowded by pedestrians who always walked about without respecting the space meant for vehicles.
He parked some distance away from the main gate and turned off the car engine. He knew Cole and Dave must have seen him wherever they were. He waited patiently for them to join him.
Soon, someone knocked twice on the window of the passenger’s side. Henry pressed the button to unlock the doors. Dave stepped into the front seat while Cole entered the back. They were both dressed in the same way Henry was.
“You’re sure no one saw you leaving the hotel?” Henry asked.
“Yeah, we turned off all lights around the hotel building and our car was parked far from the hotel like you instructed.” Cole replied from the backseat.
“We have three small backpacks at the back,” Henry began, glancing back to the backseat where the bags were. “They contain two tranquilizing guns and two revolvers each, enough tranquilizing bullets and enough lead bullets. Remember, the tranquilizing bullets are for men of the home of sacrifice who would try to stop us and the lead bullets are for the Wolves men that may appear. The long guns on the floor are for my use only.”
“Okay boss,” Dave replied as he collected the backpack handed to him by Cole from behind.
“Check well, each person’s backpack is labelled,” Henry turned back to Cole.
“I saw the labels,” Cole replied and handed the bag labelled “H” to him.
“Get the wheelchair from the boot of this vehicle and take it to yours, we’ll drive to the building at the same time, you’d drive in before me.” Henry instructed finally before the two of them stepped out of the vehicle.
Eighteen Minutes Later
HOME OF SACRIFICE
“We have to go in, we need to see Ovil Matuse,” Henry said again to the guards at the entrance of the building who refused to let them in.
The five guards who could not understand English formed a roadblock to the visitors, insisting it was too early to allow visitors in. The argument continued until Ovil Matuse and two other priests showed up.
“You, Louis!” Ovil Matuse exclaimed from behind the roadblock formed by the men.
“Yes, Ovil. I need to see you urgently,” Henry replied.
Ovil spoke calmly to the men in the Kebban language and they gave way. He gestured for the visitors to come in.
He stopped to talk to them in the first room while the other two priests stepped aside. Only one of the guards stepped in with them.
“Louis, why are you here so early?” Ovil asked.
“I need to see Morris,” Henry replied. Dave and Cole stood behind him.
“Isn’t it too early? Morris would still be deep asleep,” Ovil replied.
“Yes, I know but it’s urgent, the assassins are on their way here for him.
Ovil squinted at him. “How did you know that?”
“It’s not the time for questions Ovil, we need to get Morris out of here immediately.”
“How am I sure you are not making this up?”
“You would know when they get here in some minutes,” Henry answered. “First allow us get Morris out of here immediately.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t let Morris get out of here. He still needs his medication,” Ovil replied.
“I know but you can package the medication and tell us the dosage to use for him everyday,” Henry retorted.
“It’s not done that way, these are local herbs not western drugs.”
“I’m sorry Ovil, we have to get him out.”Henry replied and turned towards the hallway entrance.
Ovil stepped in front of him to stop him but was surprised to see a gun pulled out by Cole.
“Step aside man,” Cole said to Ovil with a nod. One of the Priest tried to attack Cole but he fired at him in the belly and also shot at the guard. The two men fell to the ground and that sounded a warning to the remaining two. Cole moved closer to the entrance and locked the door from behind, keeping the two priests hostage in the room.
Henry and Dave also pulled out their guns and proceeded quickly towards the room where Rex was kept.
____
Unknown Location, Bethanna.
Hutton rolled out of bed quickly to pick the phone he dropped on the footstool not far away. He wondered why he had a phone call so early, the caller was the leader of the men he had kept to watch in Kebba.
“Hey!”
“Boss, we located two vehicles driving into the Home Of Sacrifice some minutes ago,” the voice said.
“D–n it!” Hutton cursed. It was just five thirty and Carl Winston was already at work. Even though he hadn’t expected it to be so early, he knew that with Carl Winston, one had to expect the unexpected and prepare for it. “How long ago did they drive in?”
“Ermm… We just…we found out ten minutes ago.”
Hutton knew from the stammering lips of the man that he wasn’t sure how long ago the cars had driven into the Home Of Sacrifice. He also wondered how his men did not know when their targets left the hotel that morning but he realized it was so early and just like him, the men were probably not expecting them to act so early. It wasn’t the time for questioning however, he needed to give orders to stop Carl Winston.
“Gather all the boys and go into the Home Of Sacrifice, watch them closely and don’t let them go with the patient.”
“All the boys?”
“Yes, all twenty six boys you have.”
“Can we kill?”
“You can do anything but make sure the patient remains alive and that they don’t escape with him. I would join you as soon as I can.”
___
HOME OF SACRIFICE, Kebba.
Fifteen Minutes Later
A total of five men who tried to stop them was shot. They made their way back in the same direction after getting to Rex. Henry wheeled the wheelchair with his left hand and held the gun in his right. Dave followed behind guarding him. It took them ten minutes to get back to the first room where Cole was keeping Ovil. Dave stepped forward and quickly proceeded to the door, he unlocked it but held it closed with his hand.
“I’m sorry it has to be this way Ovil,” Henry stared at Ovil’s face again.
Ovil squinted at Henry’s face after glancing at his patient in the wheelchair. He shook his head slightly, wondering if Henry knew what he was doing. Cole moved closer to Dave and they signalled to each other. They pulled their masks on and changed the tranquilizing guns to the lead bullet guns, Henry who was behind pulled his mask on. Dave opened the door and stepped out together with Cole pointing their guns around to check for anyone around. No threat was in sight.
The day was brighter now, they could see the surroundings very clearly. Dave stepped down the balcony and hurried to the car behind, he opened the backseat and signalled to Cole who was still on the balcony, Cole in turn signalled Henry that it was safe to step out of the house.
Henry carefully arranged the legs of the sick man and lifted him from the wheelchair carefully. He stared at his face in compassion for a second before he proceeded forward quickly. Henry walked straight to the car and placed him carefully at the backseat which was already opened. They closed the door carefully and Henry quickly proceeded to the front driver’s side.
Just at the same moment, they began to hear sounds of cars driving roughly in their direction. They looked up and sighted the cars from afar.
Henry reversed out from the space immediately and turned into the road in the direction which led to the other gate of the Home Of Sacrifice.
Cole jumped down from the balcony quickly, taking out his second gun. He and Dave pointed their guns towards the coming car in readiness. They also spotted the men in the cars taking out weapons, a total of five cars was coming their way. They opened fire immediately.
Several bullets hit the cars but could not stop them, they headed in the direction taken by Henry. Dave and Cole realized that the men had come with bullet proofed vehicles just like theirs. They hid behind their car to escape bullets from the men and allowed them to pass before stepping out again. They got into their car and followed from behind.
Henry looked into the side mirror as he approached the second gate of the Home Of Sacrifice and saw the cars several metres behind him. He heaved a sigh on realizing that Cole and Dave had not been able to stop the men. He had hoped Dave and Cole would be able to stop or delay the men but as it was, their inability to do so was only going to make the escape plan tougher and rougher.
tbc
