Capital crime episode 23

Capital Crime episode 23
The Aftermath
Bukky
All eyes were on me. They wanted me to say something after the prolonged silence.
“ I know we have lost good men today. Brothers. Sisters. Partners and parents today. But all hope is not lost. ” I began.
“ They served their country well and will live on forever in our hearts.”
I put my emotions in check, trying not spill my heart’s content.
“ As heroes.”
“ Now please, get back to work.”
I noticed that Ife was not in the room, I wanted to ask Itoro of her whearabouts but that was adding salt to injury.
I left them and joined my convoy. Drove home to my official residence. Along the corridor, I had a crazy thought of what may happen if I failed. I almost cried. Well, I need him now. Sammy is the only one to confide in- I went straight into my chambers where I met him reading a book.
Hmmh. The old Samuel I know always reads when he is happy. What could this mean? I pondered.
SETH
After escaping the battle zone, my demons did not spare me. They haunted my mind multiple times, running through the chambers of my head like little wicked foxex.
I was on a call with Rumeh Kadiri and the young man told me that the Alpha was pleased with the outcome of the events. The news was indeed favorable.
Favorable? Well I dont know. Maybe.
Yet.
Just yet, I was not so pleased withthe outcome of this one.
“ I know.” I said to Kadiri on the phone, “ The victory was ours from the beginning. Only this time, it came pryhically.”
I paused to allow my guts sting deep. I am not the type of person to regret actions but now, I did. Only for a split second, I did.
“ Dont you dare! Ray!!!”
The memory zapped through my subconsciousness.
Upfront the highway, was a police road-checkpoint. It was normal to find one on this Benin– Uromi highway.
I hoped that these men were not aware of the Mayhem that happened earlier this morning at the Benin City, the capital.
I hung up on the call. A thought crawled on the surface of my mind. I glanced at the boy’s necklace. stripped the chain off and the pendant– bullet– piece relaxed into my palms.
The only means of identification left on the boy was the agency ID Card. The one that bore “ Contract agent”.
“ Stop! Came an order from one of the men who were on road Check. The man had an umbrella with him. It was pouring down steadily.
Without saying much, I let the boy step out with the ID around his neck, oscilating back and forth upon his black hoodie.
*****
At this moment I remembered Ray again. When he raised his gun to shoot this young man and I told him not to.
He had refused and admist the confusion, a bullet went straight into Ray’s head from nowhere. At the same time a thunder roared in the dark skies.
Blood splatterd all over my face.
Ray fell unto my arms and slumped dead to the floor.
In shock I stood and turned asking “ Who did that?
My men where clueless.
Then the gunshot came again, another member of my team fell.
We all ducked in anticipation for more bullets. I though maybe my sniper guy had lost his mind.
“ What the Bleep was that?. You crazy? I asked him through the intercom.
“I don’t know. That wasn’t me. Shit! ” He scre-med into the intercom.
Jerry looked straight into my eyes. He signalled himself to be innocent.
“ Can you see any one? Find me a location. Where? ” I asked him through the intercom.
“ Whoa! hold up I just did ” The sniper guy said “ I can’t get a clean shot. Look behind you, at 4 o’clock”.
Only now did we realise it was a prison warder who had shot Ray. The man was hiding behind a truck.
He tried to shoot again. His gun clicked.
At that moment another thunder clapped.
“ rrrr….get him!” I yelled. “you importent rat! Get him!!
My men fired several shots at the man as we ran after him in cold pursuit.
In anger, I released a slug and it cut him through the th-gh. He fell.
Bullets rained on his vest from behind. One particular slug cut through his shoulder region.
Yet I was not satisfied. I ran up to him, turned his face so I could see it.
I was amazed. What!? You? Screw you.
“ I paid you. The Alpha fuxking paid you. You traitor” I said and slapped my pistol on his cheek.
He laughed and spat blood unto my face.
He said with blood in between his teeth“ Go f-ckx yourself”
“ Fool! you work for me. Not them” I said in anguish and slapped the pistol again on his teeth.
The aftermath was him losing two of them. They broke and fell into his mouth. He choked, before coughing them out.
Blood stained my face.
In gro-ns , he laughed as life escaped his body.
I left a bullet in between his eyes, accelerating the process.
Letting go off his collar when he dropped desd on the cold tar, I rose to my feet and could not think of anyting else but the fact that one of my plans had failed.
“Arrrrrrrrrrghhhhhhhh!!!!” I scre-med.
Then again as I looked up to the dark skies.“ Noooooooooo!”
Rain torrents began to drop upon my face. Dissolving the blood stains.
************
“ Stop!” The officer’s voice brought me back to the present time.
“ You know what to do.”
Jerry nodded
“ Be quick.”
Jerry climbed down the vehicle and approached the police officers.
I watched the boy gesticulate and explain to the men on blue and black. The boy was really smart. Who wouldnt want such a smart kid on their side?
Minutes grew and my patience petterd out. It even skyrocketeted to brimstone clouds of anticipation when the officer in charge drew a walkie -talkie near his ear. The conversation was inaudible.
The man stared at Jerry, shook his head and continued with more questions in defiance to eveything the young man said prior to that moment in time.
These seemed like forever. I rom-nced my fingertips on the pistol under my sit.
My other hand stroked the fine carvings on the necklace. ( The one I reaped off the boy’s collar)
If worse came. Bloodshed would pave way for us. My men are ever ready.
At the moment, the man whom the boy was talking to, approached the vehicle to do a thorough inspection. This gave him the priviledge of looking intently at the faces of all eight passengers.
When he got into a gaze lock with me, the officer became startled. It was for a split second, but I read the man’s reactions. Not because there was no blood stains ony face and cloth again( I cleaned up everything and used my coat to cover Ray back at the s₱0t he fell and died) but because he must have seen something in my eyes.
I smiled in a bid to put the man on a defensive side.
“ Afternoon officer” I said.
“ Afternoon bros. How work? ( Bros is a slang for brother) The man replied.
“ Fine. Man must wack( Man must make a living)” I said in response.
The officer followed with more pidgin English. “ Abi na. Na so e be ( Obviously. Thats how it is.)”
He continued “ Just make sure say e reach my hand small o” ( Just make provisons for an extra stomach)
I understood. I fickled four five hundred naira bills into the palm of the officer. A smile came afterwards. And raindrops were a testimonial to this.
The man graceoulsy collected the bribe.
“ You’re too much.” He complimented.
After this, the man left and rejoined his group, searching other vehicles on the highway.
Jerry climbed back aboard the vehicle again. Smoothly, we troded along toward our destination.
I finally released my grip from the pistol under my sit. With a sigh of relief, I settled down.
What a day… what a day indeed.
BUKKY
My wrist watch showed the time to be just a minute past twelve in the afternoon. It was still Tuesday. And cloudy but no signs of rain here.
I had gone into my convoy. Drove home to my official residence. Along the corridor, I had crazy thoughts of what may happen if I failed this last test. Tears escaped my eyes. I sniffed them back in as if they were in my nose.
Well, I need him– so he was the only one to confide in– even though she knew he had been cheating on her with the dead Stella Chaltone of the American Embassy– I still need him.
My security men paved way for us through a lobby and no one spoke a word of meaning. Just walkies grimming on and off “ Potfron coming through… Over…” “ … Parameter safe for entrance…over”
And the regular,“ Your excellency which I got from my house- hold staff. To this, I did not reply either. I went straight for my chambers and met my husband reading a book.
(Hmmmm.) The old Sammy Alakara, I knew, always reads a book when he is happy. What could be the source of his joy today?
It would make perfect sense if it helped to eleviate my mood.I smiled briefly without his notice. The book was inbetween his palms and a crossed leg hung over another. The position was perfect for a king.
Kome my personal chamber maid was busy with chores: cleaning and and dusting of furniture in the sitting. She had just dusted a stool where Sammy placed his foot.
“ Thank you, so much. Kome.” Sammy said with a sinister and over-appreciative smile.
I frowned to this.
The story continues…