3. The Missing Truth 2

At Laura's House

The janitor was cooking for the first time by trial and error which led him nowhere until Laura returned from work. She had resolved to embellish furnace on Ella and send her away for being a friend of her enemy.

Without recognizing the guards at the gate, she worked into the house and yelled, “Come here, Ella. What were you …”

“Welcome back, Boss. Ella isn't back from the complex,” the janitor interrupted her and declared.

“What! She left the complex long ago,” she stated and the janitor was speechless.

Nevertheless, all hell broke loose when she got to her parents' apartment and met her father in critical condition.

“What is the matter with him, Mom?” She asked anxiously and examine the medications on the table.

“Welcome back. He had a fever.”

“Fever? Why didn't you inform me?”

“I did not wish to bother you. But I asked Ella to get some medications for him from the mall,” she said and showed her the drugs.

“Did she bring this from the mall or complex?” She asked in trepidation and her parents wondered why she asked.

“Ella didn't go to the mall. She got this from Bright, the President's new secretary,” she emphasized and pushed the drugs away.

“What do you mean?” Her anxious mother asked.

“I mean that she had collaborated with Bright to harm me. By the way, where is she?”

“After she brought back the medications, she informed me that her attention was needed at the complex.”

“Oh, my God! You should have informed me. I was not aware that she had returned to the house with any medication. I was rushing back to stop her from cooking for us.”

Pa Dickson's temperature was high already and they attributed it to the fake drug instead of lack of food. 

She looked at his weak father, felt his temperature and asked, “How do you feel?”

“I'm starving,” he declared.

“Have you seen what I mean? After giving you poisonous drugs, she left when she knew that you will need food and now your temperature has risen.”

“Ella? Can she do such a thing?” Her mother asked.

“I doubt,” her father stated weakly.

“Nobody should be trusted. Do you believe that Gen. McDonald will give me the contact of a dead man instead of the President's number?”

Her mother looked into her angry face and reluctantly agreed with her, “You are right.”

“Get ready, father, let's go to the hospital,” she declared and got up.

Notwithstanding, her hysterical mother reminded her of her limit.

“Do you still have access to the company's hospital? I doubt.”

She froze instantly and furrowed her brow before processing the information. Apart from her dethronement, she was not proud to face Dr. Robinson and his team of doctors who must have heard that she lied to the public about the abortion.

“You are right, Mom. Maybe we should get another medications from the Mall,” she proposed and sat down.

“You are right. …”

She was interrupted when the janitor walked in with a bowl of food. Pa Dickson sat up from the couch in anticipation for a meal and everyone faced the self acclaimed chef. He dropped the plate of food on the table and the indiscernible aroma saturated the environment.

“What did you prepare, Janitor?” Laura asked.

“I don't know what the food is called but you will like it.”

The desperate Pa Dickson opened the bowl and saw the concoction.

“What is this?” He asked.

“God!”

“It is food,” he informed them.

Laura was speechless. Everything that Ella bought from the mall on Friday was in the bowl in little quantity. Pa Dickson shook his head in dejection and picked up the sliced cucumber, watermelon, tomato and ate.

His wife and daughter grimaced in dissatisfaction and asked simultaneously, “Can you eat it?”

“I am eating what I can recognize,” he answered and continued eating.

“Excuse me,” the janitor said and took a step.

“Wait. You will get medications from the mall for my father.”

“Okay, Boss,” he answered.

When Ella did not return until dinner, Laura checked her room and was surprised to discover that her things were not there.

“Oh, my God! She has left,” she said and stared vacantly.

“Why did she leave without my knowledge?” She asked herself and thought deeply.

“Whatever her relationship with Bright, I will see Sgt. Courtney tomorrow. She gave my father poison and left. Nonsense,” she concluded and went to sleep.

At Tim's House

After the lunch, the old man returned to his room and Tim began to monitor Ambrose and his team members' movement. From the look of things, they will be in Canterbury on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, after George's discussion with Capt. Bruce, he engaged Barnabas and Reuben in the search for a car to replace the station wagon and they were able to get one immediately. Lucky enough, the engine was intact but the battery was dead and the tyres needed to be changed. He informed Capt. Sawyer and he did a general servicing of the car.

“He can always return it if he dictates any fault,” he informed Capt. Bruce.

“You're right, Captain. I will let him know that.”

Nevertheless, he informed George that the car was ready. He joined him at the park immediately and he was happy to see it. He looked at the primordial car and laughed inwardly.

“Can I have the keys?” He requested all the same.

“Sure,” Capt. Bruce said and handed the keys to him.

He collected them, got into the car and turn on the engine while the rest looked on. No matter the look of a car, the engine is the most important element. He was pleased with the sound and turned it off.

“The engine is okay,” he announced after he got out of the car.

“You are right. Capt. Sawyer confirmed it,” Capt. Bruce stated.

Now, he faced Barnabas and Reuben who were waiting to see that George was satisfied with the car.

“Thank you, Barnabas and Reuben. You can return to the car park,” he said and dismissed them.

“You are welcome, Captain,” they answered at the same time and left.

“Thank you for this, Captain,” George appreciated him and returned to his office.

He closed afterward and met Collins and the other team members at the lobby.

“Let's go,” he announced and moved.

His voice will never cease to get on Laura's wick, so, she looked up. Her eyes would always go to his wrist and seeing his wristwatch which was meant for her crush, she glared at him. 

Meanwhile, George was too busy to remember that she was existing. Presently, his concern was how to get the clunker to Tim because his movements would be limited without it. To avoid upsetting any of his drivers who he was aware would not wish to get close to the clunker let alone drive it, he opted to drive it. Apart from Tim's movement, the incident at the Mall on Saturday had taught him the importance of disguising.

He got to the vestibule and instead of waiting for Collins to meet him with the car, he walked to the car park ahead of them and they wondered why.

Nevertheless, they were hacked off when they saw the clunker beside Jerry's car.

“What is this?” Jerry yelled.

“Who parked this dustbin?” Collins asked.

“I parked it,” George clarified and opened the car.

“Ha!”

“Huh!”

They exclaimed one after the other. George overlooked their questions and sat behind the wheel.

“Oh, my goodness!” They shouted and laughed mockingly at him.

He laughed as well and turned on the ignition. 

“Don't Tell me that you will drive this, George,” Collins pointed out.

“Just watch me,” he answered and they laughed raucously at him.

Tim was in his study when the team returned and he walked out to welcome them. He was surprised to see the clunker and wondered who was behind the wheel. He got the answer immediately George parked in front of him and got out of the car while the rest drove to the garage.

“Good evening, Boss,” he saluted him.

“Oh!” He exclaimed in bewilderment and returned the salute.

“Did you drive this by yourself, George?” He asked happily.

“Yes, Boss. I have been wondering how you would go about your work without a car.”

“That is thoughtful of you,” he complimented him and collected the keys from him.

He got behind the wheel and turned on the engine. Likewise, he listened to the sound and was satisfied.

“This is good,” he said and got out.

“Is that what you want?” George who would not wish to drive it again, asked.

“Yes. This is what we need. I'm glad that you have understood the need to disguise,” Tim answered and looked at his face.

He did not disappoint him when he grimaced and refuted at once, “Disguise, yes but I won't drive an ancestral car again.”

Tim laughed and tapped his back, “Good job. I was surprised that you deigned to drive it in the first place.”

“Thank you, Boss. I will take the station wagon back to the complex so that we can have space in the garage,” he volunteered and Tim was pleased.

“You just saved the situation. I have been thinking about that. Thank you for being thoughtful.”

Now, Collins and Jerry had parked their cars and joined them at the vestibule.

“Good evening, Boss,” they stood at attention and saluted him one after the other.

He returned the salute and teased Collins, “I hope you won't request for the manual of my new clunker before you take it to the garage?”

He laughed shyly and collected the keys, “In the house, I don't need a manual,” he said and got into the car.

They laughed happily and watched him drive away. Nevertheless, Collins was influenced by George's leadership traits. He was humbled when he drove the clunker from the complex to the house and had no reason to shy away from driving it.

Tuesday - At The Complex

Laura got to the office with her fighting spirit and skill on. The moment she clocked in, she excused herself.

“I will be back, Barbara,” she said and walked away without waiting for her response.