Chapter 2 The journal.

With the morning cold the earth was so pretty in her crystal white gown. She woke up when the alarm on her head rang. She wanted to throw it away but remembered she should report in time otherwise it would be a first day bad impression for her. 

She took bath, before wearing her best suit. The black blazer with the white stripes on its neck made her look adorable. She walkout as she tried to balance her pressure on the sharply pointed high heels.

The day earlier she had spotted a tea place at the corner. She came across a street beggar who asked her if she had change with her. She took him to the cafe where she asked the waiter to serve them. Instead of serving them the waiter came back with the owner of the place.

"What are you doing inside here?" The owner, a round headed men with a stomach two time large than his height harassed him.

"I am with miss here." 

"It is against our rules to serve beggars here madam you can leave!" He shouted as he stared at both of them. 

Tina had no otherwise she left with the beggar where she gave him twenty shilling note.

"Thank you madam may you become rich." The beggar side as he smiled widely.

Father had taught her to be kind. She remembered his wise words. "Give out my girl if you have for the hand that gives receives ten folds." When his words passed through her mind she felt helpless. She remembered that he was sick and won't live with them for a longer period of time. 

She gave herself hope as she boarded the public vehicle to the media offices. The tout took money from her. He didn't give her change back until she asked for it. 

"Excuse me conductor, you still have not given me my change." 

"What are you talking about, what change?" He pretended.

She pleaded with him severally to give her back the change but the conductor turned into deaf ears.

"This is what they do to ladies nowaday, unlucky for him that I am here." A man beside her whispered.

He was none other than Jeremy. The town most feared civilian cop. Mostly people didn't recognize him not untill he showed them his real colours. Most of the thugs around have heard about him. Some even planned to kill him severally but their weaked plans were destroyed before they did put it to action. A day earlier a young lady walked to the police station and filed a case. The tout and the driver of the vehicle that she boarded stole everything from her. After that they threw her out of the speeding van. Luckily she wrote the registration number with the blood that was coming out of her elbow that was bruised.

The van pulled up at its final stage. The conductor met two flying kicks from Jeremy who asked him to give her money back. Tina thanked him before she hurriedly walked unbalanced on her sharply pointed high heels. The tout and the driver were cuffed as Jeremy called for back up. 

She arrived at the Standard Media Group. The place she had dreamed to work her all life. She applied for an intern earlier but missed the spot. Luck was on her side as when they needed a co investigative journalist out of those who applied she was the most fitting one, thanks to the fact that she was interviewed through zoom. She felt a little bit nervous at first but felt comfortable when the interviewer was pleased by her code of dressing even if it was on camera. Others just wore how they wanted but she kept professionalism that impressed her bosses to be.

"Investigative journalist Tina on board." She said to herself as she approached the gate.

"Stop there!" The tall guard ran towards her.

Tina was frightened. She stood still not lifting her shaky legs a step ahead.

"Who are you?" He shouted at her like a dog barking at a stranger.

"My name is Tina, a new employee at the company." She confidentl responded.

He assessed her with his devious look. 

Another guard walked from behind him. A tall but cautious one. He didn't say a word, he stared at both of them. Tina lowered her gaze, her eyes fixed to the ground.

"Mbolo what's wrong?" He interrupted the first guard who was looking at Tina's body shamelessly.

"This lady says she works here, you ever seen her before?" He questioned.

"No I didn't see her before let her pass."

He lets her pass.

"What's your name?" He asked her.

"I am Tina."

"Ooh you can call me Luka, how can I help you this morning?" He asked her softly.

"I passed an interview thus was expected here today." 

"Ooh that's it, welcome though you came very early." He welcomed her. 

She had arrived earlier than everybody. It was her dream to secure a job then that she got she knew she would have to do everything to try and keep it. Even the day when she was expected to come late she came earlier than anyone else. For hours she stayed at the waiting room before her boss arrived.

"Tina the boss calls you in." A soft lady's voice instructed her.

She stood up as she stretched herself before knocking the door. She walked in as soon as she got response. 

A lady in an orange blazer sat on her desk as she sipped a cup of hot coffee carefully.

"Madam Tina welcome have a seat." Tina felt her generosity.

"Thank you!."

"You can call me miss Paulina."

She took a cup from beside her and poured coffee into it for her.

"Thank you!" Tina was amazed by her boss generosity. She felt comfortable at first sight she felt happy within herself.

She saw the pictures of miss Paulina receiving multiple awards attached to the wall. The awards were placed on the other side of the office.

"We wanted to hire you as one of our co investigative journalist. We know that you are interested in the job opportunity and you really qualified, how much do you think we should be paying you?" 

"Fifty five thousand." She said.

"Wow! Did you just read my mind... I was to suggest that but wanted to hear from you first. That's a deal feel relaxed as I call someone to show you around your co workers and your working space as we prepare the contract for you so you could sign later. All the bonuses would be included, Javan will show you through more." Paulina said before she took the telephone and made a call.

Few minutes later a young man in his mid thirties came in. He was Javan another co investigative journalist who would be working with her. He had only worked some several months before. They both had to work under the senior investigative journalist Moha who was known all over the country and one of Tina's favourite journalist. She saw her as her role model as his story was similar to hers. They both came from a poor backgrounds. Moha's father struggled that he sold all his personal belongings his lands included so that his son would go to school. His father died right before his graduation, he didn't live to see his son achieving his dreams but Moha was always grateful of the old man's efforts.

She looked up to him, luckily for her that she would be working alongside him. She hoped to learn more from him that she could later use to improve in her career and reach the heights of his likes. 

She spent the whole day on the desk right clicking her mouse untill when she signed the contract. Her job then started immediately. Her boss gave her a booklet and told her to study the case in one week time and make sure to get each relevant information about it that could later be aired.

That day she wanted to see Moha but he didn't come. It was said that he was busy covering an investigation on drug trafficking as they filmed it for it to be aired on the TV. 

Tina were to partner with Javan who had a copy of the same booklet. 

Her mission was to carry out investigation on the firearms deals. It was suspected that cops were lending their guns to the locals in the street so they could terrorise people with it. They harvested alot from the civilians when matters went out of hand the media company thought it was wise to bring in unknown figures to undertake the task. That's how a spot came and luckily she was selected.

The evening came the sun cast its shadow. Javan offered to take her home but she refused instead she boarded a motorbike that took her home. She went to her studio apartment directly took the telephone and made a call home.

Mother was the one who received it. Father was sitting under the tree listening at the sport news. 

"You will always be listening about Manchester United news? Go to the house you daughter is calling."

Father's facial expression changed at once, he smiled something he had not done in years. He ran towards the house as mother ran after him.

He picked up the call, the joy of hearing his daughter's victory couldn't stop the large amount of tears from his eyes. Mother knelt down and started praying for her girl.

Tina ordered for pizza. She sat down as she took the journal she found in the house before she started reading it.

"My name is Khloe, this is the day I will not forget in my life, the day that I bought my freedom from the two monsters I ever knew I won't miss them, how would I? Especially not after they burnt my expensive skirt. Do they know how much Jake spent on it? It was more than five thousand. Hhh that's what they don't know."

As she was reading the delivery man had already arrived. She opened the door as she took what she ordered for before closing the door behind her. She was very hungry that worms in her stomach started making noises probably asking for food. 

After the meal, she felt tired that she found herself sleeping on the desk. She was awaken by the commotion next door. This time she heard a woman's scream but before she could capture it clearly the noise was gone. She woke up from her desk.

"You were only dreaming Tina." She said to herself before she threw herself on the bed to rest. She knew the next day she was going to be busier that her mind needed to be released from stress. The next day needed her to be more energetic as she would be fully working for the first time in her life.

The morning alarm disrupted her sleep. She jumped out of her bed and rushed to the bathroom. She freshened herself before preparing to go out. She stood in front of the mirror as she adored her curvy body. Although she was as beautiful as a peacock she had never fallen in love before. 

Andrew her college mate tried to seduce her severally but all was in vain. She remembered the words of her father who used to tell her to avoid men as many of them were liars. She had protected her temple of God but that was not much before she met her lucky charm that morning.

On her way to working place she came across a tall, muscular man standing under electrical post. He tried to make a call using his Nokia 1110 that had no back cover. 

"Hey cute." He said when she passed near him.

She didn't say a word instead she hurried up, she didn't want to arrive late at her work. The tall muscular man followed her.