Chapter 11: the rush

"What?!" I asked in bewildered confusion. I had to go on this mission, I owed it to Richard.

"I had requested your presence mainly for contributions and to give you the respect accorded to being amongst the best in your field, not to lead you into action when you're undeniably unfit."

"I am stable Sir," I insisted, trying my hardest to level my tone.

"You can't embark on an ops as high risked as this with a liability as such," he said referring to my bound hand and shoulder.

"The fracture caused by the stab is healed and I'm taking off the stupid cast in 6days but I'm certain we can make an exception of five days earlier," I argued, already fed up with the injury but I sincerely meant it, I didn't feel the pain anymore and I could even remove it today if I wanted.

"Still, I can't be too sure if you would be fully disposed to use it effectively and also you had experienced a mild axonotmesis."

"Sir I need to go on this mission," I responded in desperation.

"What if something goes wrong, it could put the whole operation at risk."

"We have a code, the operation comes first before teammates. If anything happens, it's on me and they have the right to leave me hanging," I said trying to assure him and after a while of arable consideration, he nodded finally.

"I would visit a doctor first thing after I leave here and if he gives me the green light to go ahead, I'll forward it to you," I added while the man still rolled his chin in thoughts again.

"Well enough, that seems more satisfactory," he said, agreeing to my request.

"But, I hope you know what you're doing Agent. However, goodluck to you," he cautioned finally before I saluted and walked out the door.

...

I was in my car with my driver, Sadiq behind the wheels, still contemplating visiting my family when I got a call from Emeka.

We hadn't talked since the night he had mentioned something that wasn't supposed to be at all. I had been wondering about what he had said since that day and how he had gotten information that no one knew about or was supposed to.

"Whatsup?" He asked casually like everything was fine and we hadn't been avoiding each other the whole day.

"I'm good."

"So, I'm at your apartment but you're not around, did you just step out?" He queried again and I heard the sound of a door closing on the other end of the line.

"Yeah I drove down to Surulere, this morning," I replied.

"Why?" He asked, sounding surprised at the news.

"I'm paying my family a visit, I haven't seen them in a while," I said, vaguely explaining myself.

The line went silent for a few seconds before he could reply. I knew he didn't buy that I would just pack up my bags and go to visit a family I hadn't seen in a lifetime. It didn't add up but I guess he wouldn't want to start prying as he was already on thin ice with our last conversation.

"Alright, send my regards and when you get back do give me a call, we need to talk," he said and I nodded to myself forgetting he couldn't see me. The thought of when I would eventually get back seemed to be in a decade or centuries to come even though it was just a few days away.

"I will."

"Err before you go, I uh- I'm sorry about the other night. I was drunk and took a wrong approach to address things. It was rude and I acted like an-."

"Asshole," I interjected, completing it for him and he laughed slightly before ending the call.

Our impending discussion would definitely be on the slipped topic, the HS and I didn't know how much he knew but I did know he would want some answers, answers I was having forebodings about silently.

At the next turn we entered the street of the Central Hospital in Surulere. It wasn't highly rated but it was pretty decent for me to run a scan and get the results I needed.

I hated the scent that came with hospitals as it was weirdly tiring and upsetting to me. I also marveled at how people could sit here for hours, not minding the smell but It wasn't always like this though, I guess I got too used to it.

There were three nurses wearing white attending to patients as they came. They all had the same similar bored and strict look on their faces and I wondered who ever said nurses were nice. Nigerian nurses were a bundle of evil dispositions in disguise, though I was thinking a bit hyperbolically actually but still, they weren't the warmest people to be around.

I remembered one time I accompanied Crystal for a health check at a hospital in Lekki and on entering we were met with the sight of an unpleasant scene. A little child was screaming in the hands of a nurse as she absently and uncaringly punctured his skin with the needle multiple times. The child's cries were getting to us but the nurse looked unfazed and I guessed things like that happened on a normale over here.

I didn't blame them though as how could they behave like they were happy and cared about their jobs when the situations the government put them through was the birth of all their frustration. Sometimes these people worked extra hours and yet at the end of each month, their salaries are still being held back by those in power. It was discouraging and almost apologetic on the part of the leaders that they would deny their workers of their wages and still manage to satisfy their own selfish needs with the money in question.

'Enough of the political dilemmic thoughts' I mumbled to myself because I knew if I continued to dwell on the actions of those in the corridors of power in our nation, I would only effectively achieve nothing while rendering myself in an incensed state.

"I need to see an orthopedist and a surgeon," I said to the nurse at the far end, who seemed less busier than the rest.

"Do you have set appointments with them?" She asked, looking disinterested, acting as though I wasn't even standing in front of her.

"No, I just needed to see if It's due to take off this cast and bandage."

"Well they're not on seat now," she said, after laughing at something her coworker that just joined the group said.

"When will they be available?" I asked and I stood for a full three minutes as she had continued discussing with the new nurse. I was not a very patient person and I was getting annoyed at every delayed second.

"Nurse, I asked a question."

"See, Oga I don't know, you can just get a seat and wait for him to return," she responded, her tone haughty and inimical, looking as though I was the one annoying her with my attitude.

I knew very well that it would be a long wait, but then, if I kept on talking to the bad mannered nurse, it would not be productive. So, reluctantly I went and sat down on one of the seats in the waiting room with the rest of the queue.

A flat screen TV was directly facing me at the front and I felt that at least I could use it as the necessary distraction for my wait. It was currently showing news reports on the popular AIT channel and the first headline that was read out caught my interest immediately.

They were talking about us, the ICS and apparently a new Commander was to be sworn In today but the identity of the person was unknown.

I understood the urgency to replace the now defunct and deceased Commander. They couldn't leave the organisation without a head as it would portray us as weak to the rest of the society, our enemies included.

The newscaster had moved on to other headlines regarding the whereabouts of the terrorists group and the situation the country was in. My full attention was on the screen and that was why the next thing that happened shocked the life out of me.

I felt strong arms grasp me, sharp nails digging deeply into my skin and when I looked to see what was going on, I was horror struck as I was met with red veins bulging out from a man's eyes, similar to that of a crazy person.

The action caused those around me to scream in fear as the man brought forth a knife. I quickly intercepted it and threw the man off me but he pranced back almost immediately looking unaffected by the push.

Now the man had begun shouting profanities at me as I struggled to pull the lunatic away from me and to think it would be harder to combat with a mad man than a skilled opponent. I heard the frantic steps of patients as they scrambled away in fear.

"You! I hate you, you're an evil bastard! You ruined everything! When I get out of here, I would kill you and rid the world of your evilness. They think you're not crazy like me? They are in for a big surprise then."

The man kept on shouting manically for some seconds before some guards came up and pulled him away, dragging him down the hallway. It took about 5 of them but yet he still resisted their holds and his words didn't stop ringing till the sight of them disappeared at the next turn.

I had to blink a few times to adjust into the reality of what had just occurred. Must every day bring forth spiralling surprises? But unlike others today's events were more disturbing than ever.

I remembered my mom's voice during one of her many night lectures of when we were about 7 years, and she was saying that a series of bad events could be a sign or premonition of something forthcoming.

"We are sincerely sorry sir," a voice said and I assumed it was that of a doctor or hospital staff but I didn't bother to look as my mind still dwelt on the harsh words of the man. It was sickening and puzzling because somewhere deep down recognition set in.