Opana the coffin maker episode 24

Opana – Episode 24
 
© Akoto Alexander
 
As Kwaku Mike turned it was a doctor and he was signalling him to help the female nurses with an emergency case that had been brought to the hospital. Because he didn’t want to raise any alarm or suspicion he joined the female nurses to rush the accident victim to the theatre, they pace at which they were rushing the accident victim to the theatre brought pains to the th-gh of Kwaku Mike. One of the nurses was gazing at Kwaku Mike as they were pushing the accident victim to the theatre and it got him feeling very uncomfortable, he bent his head down to avoid any embarrassment, when they got to the elevator which will transport them to the second floor where the theatre was he told the female nurses to continue since he was on his way to do something when he was called to assist them. Before he turned to leave one of the nurses asked what his name was because he had never seen his face at the hospital before.
 
Nurse 1: Excuse me my brother, please what is your name and which ward are you because I haven’t seen your face here in this hospital before?
 
Michael Ansah: (looks at the name tag on the nurse’s chest and answers her) Hehehe Abena Boaduwaa today you said you don’t know me erh, don’t worry send the accident victim to the operation room first, I will wait for you at the cafeteria
 
when the morning shift staff come and change us then you can ask me all the questions you want to know about.
 
Nurse 2: What about me Mr Fine boy?
 
Michael Ansah: Ah you can also join us pretty lady.
 
Nurse 1: Please ooo three is a crowd wai, today is for only the two of us, you can have you turn next time.
 
Michael Ansah: Hahaha you ladies are very funny, the elevator is ready for you people. Since we are all in this hospital together we will bump into each other most often so don’t worry at all. Now getting going before we lose the patient.
 
As the elevator shuts and Kwaku Mike turns to leave he sees some people walking into the hospital and immediately he remembers the faces of the people who just entered the hospital. Kwaku Mike becomes scared at the sight of the men that he misses he steps which makes him feel pains in his th-gh immediately, a female nurse came close to him to ask if he was feeling well and immediately he replied that he was okay but just feeling dizzy because of the stress he was passing through at the ward he was place. He decided to hang around the hospital corridor whiles he was planning a better escape plan, he felt a bit scared as what happened earlier on in the day came to his mind. The leader of the bad guys went to the reception desk and started talking to the nurse there so Kwaku Mike decided to take chances and utilise the opportunity at hand but something prompted him to wait a little and eavesdrop on the conversation that will take place between scorpion and the nurse.
 
Scorpion: Hello young lady my name is Detective Daniel Acheampong and with me over there are my colleagues from the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Headquarters. We are searching for a youngman with gun wounds who was brought here early this morning, we want to take down his statement so we can gather more evidence to help us expedite an investigation we are doing.
 
Nurse: Hold on sir so that I check through the hospital system and see.
 
Scorpion: Kindly be fast on that because the more time we waste the greater our chances of losing the culprits behind this crime.
 
Nurse: (after some minutes) Mmmmm sir, am not having any such information on my computer but please go to the first floor, there is another desk there where they record emergency cases, it could be that the person you are searching for came here with an emergency case so his records will be taken up there.
 
Scorpion: Ah thanks very much for your assistance but please kindly keep this a secret between us, we wouldn’t like this news to get into the public domain for now.
 
Nurse: You don’t have a problem at all sir.
 
Scorpion: You are such a darling and I will come and take your contact later so we go for a date only if you are not married and dating.
 
Nurse: Am very single sir and willing to mingle so don’t worry.
 
Scorpion: Mmmm, duty first then pleasure will follow later, you will hear from me soon.
 
 
Scorpion goes to his boys and tells them to stay alert and watch out for anything funny, he orders them to stand at vantage places so that a move can be made should their suspect come to sight. He tries to move to the first floor with a few guys and as they were moving he bumps into Kwaku Mike who was by then hiding his face from scorpion boys and he fell down.
 
Scorpion: My friend you better watch where you going.
 
Michael Ansah: (playing smart) Am very sorry sir, am just tired due to the busy nature of this hospital all night long.
 
Scorpion: Don’t complain because this is what you chose to do and that is the reason why you are paid.
 
Michael Ansah: You are very right sir and sorry for bumping into you, I should becareful with my steps next time.
 
Scorpion: Don’t worry my brother, let me help you up to your feet. We all should be our brother’s keeper.
 
Michael Ansah: Oh thank you sir, you are really a gentleman and am grateful for your kind gesture.
 
 
Kwaku Mike takes some steps away from Scorpion and moves to the exit of the hospital but he is called back by Scorpion again.
 
Scorpion: Excuse me my brother, you made mention earlier on that this place was very busy last night. I am a detective from the police headquarters, I and my boys are searching for a young guy with a gunshot injury who was brought here last night or early in the morning.
 
Michael Ansah: (looks at left and right then whispers in a low tone) Mmmm sir this thing you are asking me is confidential because when people come here with such problems or injuries it is kept very confidential here in this hospital but such people are kept at the last floor of the building. Since you are a police officer I believe when you get there, the doctors on duty there will open up to you but for we the nurses we will give excuses and stories that we don’t know anything or even have information of such people or person here.
 
Scorpion: Woow you are such a gentleman, kindly take this for your assistance. (tries to push two 50cedis note into Kwaku Mike’s hands)
 
Michael Ansah: Oh sir I can’t take this, it will look like am taking bribe for the information I gave you.
 
Scorpion: Oh don’t say that my brother, I will feel offended if you dont accept this small token from me. You don’t know how helpful your information is to me, this small token is coming from my heart, please accept it with an open heart and mind.
 
Michael Ansah: Well if you say so I will take it but my mind is making me feel like am taking bribe from you and it’s not making me feel happy at all.
 
Scorpion: Don’t feel that way because it is between the two of us alone, let me rush to the top because time is not on our side, I will use the staircase instead of the elevator.
 
 
Michael Ansah: Okay sir and thanks very much for the small token you gave me, am more than grateful.
 
Scorpion signals his boys and they rush to the top through the staircase, Kwaku Mike now walks majestically to the exit but before he walks out from the building one of scorpion boys gave Kwaku Mike a look which nearly made him to lose his steps and reveal his true identity. Kwaku Mike finally walks out from the hospital building and compound and as he gets to the roadside no taxi was coming his way so he could board or hire. Scorpion and his boys gets to the last floor of the hospital building and they rush into the first ward they come across and to their greatest surprise, that room was filled with pregnant women who were waiting to be sent to the labour ward when they start feeling signs of the baby coming. They move to the room opposite the one they first entered and with that place, it was covered with new born babies, scorpion looks at the faces of his boys and signals them to move out, as they moved out and got to the corridor of that floor someone called them from behind.
 
As Brigadier Adu-Tettey and wife were also driving to the hospital in a tough speed he immediately gets a signal on his dashboard which makes him to park the car at the edge of the street, he saw vapour coming out from the bonnet of his car and he gets down to check what the problem is, as he opens the bonnet he saw that his car is overheating so he immediately calls his men to take a U-turn and pick them up because none of the cars they tried to stop slowed down to listen to them…..
 
___
 
Back at the hospital:
 
Matron: Excuse me please who are you people?
 
Scorpion: Hello madam am Detective Daniel Acheampong from the police headquarters and with me here are my colleagues.
 
Matron: This floor is only for women and babies so what do you want here?
 
Scorpion: We are looking for a young guy with a gun shot injury who was possibly brought here last night or early this morning. His life is in great danger so we were sent here by the IGP to take him away from this place to a very safe place.
 
Matron: So who directed you this very floor if you are searching for a male, as I said this floor is only for women and children?
 
Scorpion: Oh one of your male nurses directed us here and he said this floor is for people with serious injuries especially those who have been taken to the theatre.
 
Matron: This is strange because every nurse in this hospital knows that this floor is meant for pregnant women and children so why will that nurse direct you here in the first place?
 
Scorpion: Madam are you serious about what you are saying?
 
Matron: Do I look like am joking or playing games with you? As a matron of this hospital why would I be playing games with police officers who are searching for someone concerning a matter of life and death. If you don’t believe me, you can check in the other wards over here on this floor so you can verify for yourself what am saying.
 
Scorpion: No need for that madam, but can you please direct me to the very place that I can see the youngman we are searching for? If he is here we have to get him out of this hospital before daybreak, any second we waste puts his life in much danger and I don’t want to risk the life of my men or even the youngman.
 
Matron: (whispering to herself) So should I show this people the ward that youngman is? The doctor and that soldier told me to keep everything secret but this people are also policemen and they all work hand in hand so why don’t I direct them to the guys private ward.
 
Scorpion: Are you saying something to me madam?
 
Matron: (coming back to herself) Oh I wasn’t talking to you sir, I was trying to see if I can remember all the patients we took to the theatre last night and early this morning.
 
Back at the roadside Kwaku Mike was still not getting a car so he decided to walk further and see if he could get a taxi at the next lane of the road.
 
Meanwhile the soldiers had also gotten to where their boss and wife were standing and they joined them in their car whiles one of the soldiers was asked to stay behind and try to work on the car.
 
Back at the Hospital:
 
Matron: Well whoever gave you the direction to this floor gave you a wrong direction, now follow me to the elevator so I show you the floor which has the kind of people you are chasing after.
 
Scorpion: You are such a wonderful person, if all people we police officers come in contact with are so sweet and down to earth like this, like we will be very swift in discharging our duties to curb down crime.
 
Matron: For this hospital rendering the best to our clients remains our top priority, that is why we are the leading private health facility in the capital city and Ghana at large.
 
(The matron and Scorpion together with his boys descend down to the first floor in,side the elevator, they get to the first floor and walk to the private ward that was allocated to Kwaku Mike)
 
Scorpion: So ma’am is this person the only patient who was brought in early this morning with a gunshot wound?
 
Matron: Oh yes he is the one and I learnt he is a son of a diplomat.
 
Scorpion: Oh really, this information was not in the docket that was dropped on my desk. Thanks for this first hand information, I really appreciate it.
 
Matron: Ah don’t mention my son, we are all working for the betterment of our beloved country but hey it seems the drip and blood we were infusing in him is finished. Please give me a minute so I check up on him.
 
Scorpion: No problem ma’am, I wouldn’t even like any interruption when am taking his statement.
 
Matron: (after going closer to the patient realises that it is a wrong person) My goodness, Ani-Agyei what are you doing on the patient bed, where is the actual patient?
 
Scorpion: Ma’am is there a problem?
 
Matron: Yes there is a big problem, the one lying on the bed is a nurse in this hospital, he is the nurse who was appointed to monitor the health condition of the patient who was suppose to be in this ward.
 
Scorpion: Ma’am so you mean the actual patient is not this guy? Where will this young guy be then? He shouldn’t make things difficult anymore than it is already oooo?
 
Ginola: Scorpion I am suspecting that male nurse who we bumped into and he directed us to the last floor as the person we are looking for, his movement was a bit suspicious to me when we met him.
 
Scorpion: Ah so why didn’t you signal or prompt me when you saw something like that?
 
Matron: Is everything okay sir and why the name scorpion because you mentioned a different name to me earlier on.
 
Scorpion: Oh ma’am in our line of work we use animal names and sysmbols to represent our identity. You wouldn’t like your real information like name to leak if you were a detective that has been dealing with hærdened criminals. Ginola call Stubborn to start the car because we are moving right away, madam thanks very much for your assistance and patience, we are very grateful for everything. (they rush out of the ward leaving the matron behind)
 
Matron: Ani-Agyei wake and tell me what actually happened in this room, you the person who is suppose to monitor a sick person is rather the person lying on his bed without your dress. Where is the doctor even, I need to raise an alarm now because I don’t know how we can explain the disappearance of this youngman to the soldier and his wife when the come here this morning. Ani-Agyei you better wake up and start talking ooo.
 
The matron rushes out of the private ward to the corridor and presses the emergency alarm bottom to trigger the alarm which got every staff of the hospital alert. She runs to alert the doctor of what she has just discovered at the private ward.
 
Meanwhile Kwaku Mike had gotten a taxi and he jumps into it and orders the driver to just drive and if they get to a place far from where they were he will tell him the exact place that he wanted to be taken to. Thanks to the one hundred cedis that criminal gave him, he has enough to pay the driver and also find something to eat since he left the bag he was carrying along when hd left the village in,side the bush when he was been chased by those killers. When they got to the highway and he saw that no one was trailing the taxi, he told the driver the exact place that he should take him. Scorpion and his boys also run out from the hospital making noise which channelled the attention of the people around. They sat in their car and the speed that the driver of the car moved was overwhelming, at the enterance of the hospital main gate Scropion and his boys car nearly run into the car that had Brigadier Adu-Tettey and his wife in it.
 
Brigadier Adu-Tettey: If this people in that car mistakenly hit our car like I will make you boys play with the driver’s chicks, how can you drive carelessly like that or was he thinking he is on a formulae one track? He is very luck today.
 
Mrs Adu-Tettey: You soldiers koraa what do you get from slapping people?
 
Brigadier Adu-Tettey: Captain Awude can you please answer the question my wife just asked?
 
Captain: Madam you see, some people act like excuse me to say animals and the only thing that they understand is instant justice. You see if the government decide to hand over power to the military for just one week, this country will be compared to South Africa or Dubai in just some few days time. When you slap someone the person looks sharp and accords you with the attention that you need and for we the army officers our slap is a very powerful tool that we use to straighten civilians that fool around.
 
How to grow your business while you stay at home
Brigadier Adu-Tettey: Bham!!! Captain Awude God bless you and thank you for the word so sweet, please park under that tree and get the boys on track so that our cover won’t be blown out until we get that youngman out of here to a safe place. My baby girl let’s go in,side and sort his medical bills then get  him out of here.
 
What are the senior staffers of the hospital going to tell Brigadier Adu-Tettey and his wife that will make them understand them?
 
To be continued