NARRATOR'S POV:
Somewhere in the busy streets of Ikeja, Lagos, an office story building, stood in the midst of the busy crowds and streets that never slept. The curtains of this story were opened and the top floor of the building with the large sign board written as 'THE ICS" was revealed.
LADE... The face cap shielded my eyes from the sight of the men and women hurtling around me in congested crowds. It was the morning hours in Surulere, the clouds pregnant with silent mischief and a warm wind enveloping us as we trailed. Laden with a mix of the sweet and spicy scents of confectionery and something similar t
"I've worked for Richard for 10 years, I idolized the man," I said trying to calm the swelling angst within me and set myself off the edge. "Ambition overrides ethics," he replied, his gaze falling to the dial of his watch. "I agree but I have no motive to kill." "He was stabbed, the Jama'atu had nothing to do with it," he countered and his revelation was shocking once more. "Then we should be looking for the real killers, not wasting precious time," I said with my tone insistent. "You've already been caught, so stop acting cowardly Agent. They found the murder weapon and your finger prints were on it." On instinct, I almost raked my hands through my hair in frustration, where was all this coming from! If I had been in Ikeja things wouldn't have resulted in this but where was Emeka? And why hadn't I heard from him? "General, you've been working with the law for decades now, surely you can differentiate between a murderer and someone who is clearly being framed
"You have to be wise when dealing with sly folks as such." "Are you certain of what you speak?" He asked with his hands folded behind his back.
They say it is needed to fear what is unknown than what is visible to the eye as it creeps in and destroys faster than a venomous snake. In the depths of the complexities of my mind, I hadn't known I was fast looming towards the end being led mindlessly by the hands of darkness and oblivion.The calm was over but I wasn't near ready for what
"You're taking too much time, let's take a trip down memory lane shall we and refresh yours," he said with a derisive laugh and I couldn't recognize who stood before me, it was a whole different Emeka, if at all that was actually his name."Davison Adedeji, sentenced to life imprisonment in the confines of a mental ward, charged with first de
"Absolutely ridiculous! It can't be," I voiced, still shell shocked at his words. "You ruined my brother's life and now you've created the perfect chance for me to do yours," he said. My eyes scanned his features again, willing the truth I had discovered to be unreal, a mistake but it wasn't and the intensity of the scorching sun hitting my dark skin, reminded me that it was all factual and nothing at all illusive. "Dave was never the crazy one, it was always you," he continued but my thoughts were racing with countless unanswered questions. "How then do you explain the Jama'atu's appearance on that day? I'm innocent of these crimes." "Mere coincidence, something that had to be done," he answered. "I'll prove to you all that I had nothing to do with this," I declared with a subtle nod as if trying to make a solemn promise concerning the task to myself. "When will that be? Is it while you're rotting in prison?" He questioned snidely and immediately I could fe
I have read many books about the realisms of the centre of a battle field and have also had major lectures and drills on it, as well as earned a few portable relics from the most heated extremities.Stored away in a metallic intricate case, were the shotgun shells that emanated from the prided weapons of Lt-Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu and the
The first glimpse of the lowest thorny bushes were spotted and then we knew we were close. Surprisingly, we had passed the Kawuri village which still had a few inhabitants left, even though some had fled to neighbouring countries like Cameroon.Along the line, we paused the journey to enquire more and have a litt
LADE: The Jama'tu soldiers left us alone upon Shugaba's command. The pain in my chest grew as if something was being drilled into my skin. My lungs weren't strong. I felt weaker than before. It was only a matter of time. "Agent Lade Adenuga of the ICS, we meet again," Shugaba said, wearing a striking snarl. He sent his gaze to my wounded arm and flitted it back to my face. Raising the arm some minutes ago had been tasking but I had no other choice. My weapons were on the ground. His soldiers had dislodged the bullets from inside them. "I have waited for you." His brows tipped. "Really?" "You owe me, soldier. I hate loosing." I flashed a charming smile. Shugaba eyeballed me and wet his lips. His next action had caught me off guard. He had thrown his weapon to the ground and opened his arms. "I'm all yours. If you w
Hafiz had told a lie, dawn didn't have to reach. Lade burst into the tent I was in with Hafiz. The look on his face revealed that there was trouble at hand. The final moments was here. I noticed he had aged a lot since I had first seen him at the Jama'tu camp. Now, it was time to end it all. "Your sister has made her move. I've been on her tail. She has made contact with the Jama'tu." It took about two seconds. I watched the news dwell on Hafiz. He jumped to his feet, big eyed and ready like he had been preparing for this moment for a long time, but scared because it had come too soon. Lade moved around, grabbing bags and anything reasonable. "I didn't expect her to do it so soon, but we have to act, and fast." Hafiz joined Lade in grabbing things and I stood, watching the two men try to survive. I couldn't stop myself from worrying. What if it was a trap? Since everyone had been pret
CRYSTAL... Protesters filled the streets, wailing. Some stood with angered faces. Everyone had something to say about the headlines of that morning, including Crystal. The news about the secret operation wasn't so secret anymore. The whole country knew about the eighteen dead men that risked their lives to save the kidnapped girls. The nineteenth was a traitor and only the twentieth had lived. Crystal didn't know what to think or believe. Lade had died in some faraway land and betrayed his country. Sitting at the back seat of the Maybach, she placed the cards together. She put everything Emeka had said from the start and the news of Lade's treachery in one basket. It didn't add up. Lade could kill in cold blood but he was loyal and she knew that. She didn't want to remember what Emeka said about her past pregnancy. What's to say he didn't lie? Emeka was Lade's bestfriend but he acted like an enemy who held a personal ve
"The beginning?" Hafiz chuckled. I frowned at him. I couldn’t read his features, and at this point, I had no clue on where our conversation would end. Tipping a brow, I could only fold my arms. Hafiz backed me now. He took a slow turn around the tent and said, "I'm afraid you're the beginning itself." I dragged a sigh and stood to my feet after that. "If you insist on beating around the bush, I don't have time to waste." "I know who you really are, Jane." He attacked from nowhere. "I came here today to let the cat out of the bag. It's time to come clean." At once, my gaze hardened like steel. For a second there, my heart had jumped in fear. It stunned me to hear those words fall from his mouth. I couldn't have thought that anyone would find out. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but a minute ago you tagged your sister as our biggest threat, and not me."
Hafiz toppled over, completely bound in chains of laughter. Apparently the conversation that came across as dead serious to me was weirdly amusing to him. The last indirect question he had brought to the table put me in a tight spot. I had said enough, there was nothing to free me from his vocal trap.
Morning had come but even so, I sat still, staring in silence at the wall. He didn't stay anymore and maybe this would be like all the previous times. Going scarce whenever a serious conversation happened, he had told me so much but I was even yet to spill any morsel of my own secrets—secrets that could change everything. He had also said soon, I just needed to wait a little more. Things were goin
Crystal...
It was still dark, dawn was yet to arrive and the only difference was that this time, I wasn't alone in the tent. The weight of another presence tightened the air. I was calmer now, and the upset in my belly had quelled.
I probably shouldn't have been wandering outside the tent in the dead of night but maybe I had just needed to clear my head. The dilapidated bungalow that was used as an infirmary by the locals here controlled