Umar had just finished cleaning BK’s car, when he spotted BK coming out of the BQ looking smart and slick, impressed by how BK was dressed, he inquired
“Oga BK, i like wetin you dey wear o, I like am well well”
BK replied, totally ignoring Umar’s last comment “You don wash am finish?”
“Yes Oga”
BK inquired more seriously “Ogbeni, you sure say you wash am well especially…. the seats, dashboard”
Umar nodded as he repeatedly answered “Well well, Oga” to BK’s questions, BK was dressed in dark blue jacket with a white shirt, brown belt and brown Italian leather shoe, a good business owner look.
BK had called Susan early that week and they had agreed to meet for drinks on the island, BK wanted to meet at Marquee but Susan said she loved the relaxed scene of Terra Kulture. Being a gentleman, BK gave in to Susan’s demand; he was on his way to pick her up at the hospital.
Settling into the serene environment of Terra Kulture on Tiamiyu Savage, they took a table close to the glass partitioning the garden and the building itself. This was the first time BK was seeing Susan in a dress asides Unilag Saturday morning thingy they’ve been having for a few weeks now.
Susan was sitting opposite him, in all her glory, she was wearing a gown with long white bead necklace that stopped over her boobs region with her hair tied in pony tail, to make her face look bolder and prettier.
BK was lost in sight of her beauty, she had an evenly toned skin, she had a nice light complexion, her eyes were beautiful, dark brown, her eye lashes looked so beautiful and thin, the ridge of her nose was like that of a white-woman, her lips were nicely shaped and red.
BK couldn’t stop staring at her lips and wondering how it would taste to kiss those red lips, kissing her lower lips, holding her head softly, hugging her closely.
BK was brought back into reality when she touched his hand on the table, BK was back into the present but didn’t know how to rescue himself from this embarrassing situation, it was then he realized that his mouth was ajar and he was staring penetratingly at her face, he saved his face by screaming
“You’re the falling star, you’re the get-away car, I want you to be the line in the sand when I go too far”.
Susan replied “You do know it’s ‘ungentlemanly’ to stare that hard?” she used her hands to signify quotes as she said ungentlemanly, totally ignoring his lines.
“I tried not to but”
Susan blushed and giggled “but what”?
“Your eyes are beautiful, it’s like I got lost in them”
Susan smiled “Please don’t start, are you serious?”
“We’ll get lost together babe, till the lights start pouring through”
“Really, BK, really!!”
“Yes Susan, I mean it”
Susan replied “Would have believed you if it wasn’t Michael Buble that said so in the song “Lost”. Correct me if am wrong, and whole falling star from Everything”
BK smiled and jokingly frustrated “Good Lord, that line works all the time, even the first one”
“For those poor girls that fall for your cheap line stealing”
They both laughed as the barman brought in Chapman for the both of them.
“So, what other genres of music do you like?”
“You want to know so you don’t steal lines from them as well?”
“Very funny Susan; No jo, I’m just curious to know”
“Well, I love blues, some rock and a little bit of songs here and there, I’m more of a mood person, whatever soothes my mood”
“You don’t listen to rap?
Susan replied “Of course, I do, I think Kanye is one of the most disturbed and intelligent rappers”
“Are you serious? What of Eminem”?
“Eminem??? He’s okay but he is always singing about his wife, his mother, his daughter, family sentiments and all”
“and Kanye is devilish jo, what do you think of that Power single?”
“Power definitely has something evil about it, the suicide line and all”
“Oh so, you agree with that”
“Yes, but he isn’t in the same rank of devilish as Lady Gaga”
“Lady Gaga is definitely getting a whole floor in hell for herself ”
They both laughed.
Bk asked “Are you dating someone as we speak”
“Nope, broke up with my boyfriend before relocating to Nigeria”
“Are you serious?”
“Yep, why will I lie?”
BK replied “You’re absolutely stunning, how wouldn’t you have guys flocking all around you?”
“Well, I have got quite a handful but my options are still open and I get to take my time”
“How do you mean take your time”
Susan replied “I do ‘friends with benefits’ with a guy, we meet up, shag our brains out and leave”
BK couldn’t speak, his tongue was tied, what sort of lady is this, in his mind he could visualise someone spanking her ass in doggy position while she was screaming for more. He quickly brought himself to reality with a virtual pinch.
Susan asked “Are you seeing anyone?”
“No…..no….no….no one at the moment”
“Ok, why not, you’re young, doing well, drive a nice car, good-looking, so why not”
“Haven’t met her yet”
“That’s another Michael Buble song”
BK laughed “Ok, I get it, you also listen to a lot of Buble”
“Girls aren’t difficult to find”
“Good girls are difficult to find”
“Well, I know what you’re talking about, I have an idea”
“So, what drove you to FWB”?
Susan replied “Well, emotionally, it’s a lot of work loving someone then finding out they’re sleeping with 2 of your friends and your cousin”
“Wow, I’m so sorry”
“It’s okay, that was a long time ago, so I just have shagging arrangements and even he hasn’t been around for a while”
BK replied “Hmmmm, so how are you coping?”
Susan replied “It isn’t food, is it? Of course I can cope”
She brought out her tongue and stylishly licked the straw up to the open end of the tumbler. BK didn’t know what to ask or think anymore especially since she was rubbing her shoes against his legs under the table and flirting with him openly.
This is getting interesting, BK said to himself.
Back in Lagos, at Oregun office of the re-activated SOD
Lanre walked into Ben’s office; he took a sit with him,
Ben began “You know why we’re here; I can safely assume that you’ve been briefed directly by Morris”
Lanre replied “Yes sir”
Ben replied “Perfect, we have got some analysts working as we speak trying to look through the ICPC, EFCC and CBN data stream, but I’m interested in seeing what we can gather about this case through informants”
Lanre replied sarcastically “Informants?”
“Yes, informants remember Malik? I have a feeling if they don’t know about it, they can point us in what direction, professional kidnappers aren’t that much in circulation, Malik has got those connects, do you have a better alternative?”
“Malik????? Isn’t he the reason why we got shut down before we started?”
“Lanre listen! I know who Malik is, he was part of this team before, he’s a field specialist, the man he killed was an accident”
Lanre replied in a harsh tone “Sir!! An accident?? Malik shot him point-blank in the head”
“Lanre, I know where he shot him, damn it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Lanre calmed down and replied, “So, what do you want me to do?”
“I want you to bring him in; he might have some information that would help us”
Lanre replied “Can’t someone else do this, sir?”
“No Lanre! I want you to do it and it’s an order, if I wanted your opinion, i would ask for it, but for now, get me Malik”
“Ok sir”
Ben replied “No use of deadly force is advised, we want him alive, so leave your pain and anguish aside, think of the job”
“Ok sir but why cant we just call him”
Ben replied “I know the way he thinks if we call him, he will want to make a run, and evacuate his family, which will not be any good for this investigation, we need his information and we need it now.”
“Ok sir, do we know where he is ?”
“Yes, we know, our intel currently states that he’s a tout in Bariga, you should find him there, see Nkem for details before you move out. Not sure if he’s undercover or something”
“A tout? Malik never fails to make me wonder, how many guys do you want me to take with me?”
“About that, I don’t want you to take anybody, it should be smooth, go alone”
“Going alone isn’t exactly a good idea, he has field training and an intermediate level experience with Parkour technique”
Ben replied “Don’t you think, i know all of that?”
“Sorry Boss, are you sure you don’t want to reconsider me going in alone?”
“Nope, get out of my office now! ”
Lanre walked out of Ben’s office, he moved to the second door by the right into Nkem’s office, as soon as he walked in, Nkem picked up a paper from the printer, and handed it over to Lanre.
Nkem “This should give you an idea of where he is, by our Intel gathering, he will be at the Bariga Garage, he’s a tout in charge of collecting ticket fees from the Okada riders, so, you would most probably find him dragging Okada with their riders, around the market area. Do proceed with extreme caution”
Lanre replied “How does an highly trained spy become an ordinary street tout….Ok, thanks Nkem, how about omms?”
“The satellite phones are currently been set up but we’ve got you some communication lines, GSM, extended call times, encrypted data services, untrackable socket for comms, all you need is installed into it, the HQ numbers have been stored in your speed dial, let me get the phone for you”
Nkem opened her drawer to bring out a Nokia 1100 phone.
Lanre screamed “What in God’s name is this? Is this a joke?”
Nkem replied “Well, remember how long ago we got shut down, these were the phones we received, probably if we’re able to solve this case, you might get an iPad and an Android phone with satellite support and tracking devices”
Lanre smiled to Nkem “God help me”
Lanre left Nkem’s office and went to the door of Ben’s office raising the phone against Ben’s glass partition.
Ben screamed at him “Lanre, make it work!!!”
Lanre proceeded into the locker room to get fresh clothing, he picked out a black jean with a white t-shirt, and a corporate shirt over it, making him look sort of like a student with his gun holster underneath the shirt.
Lanre left the office in a Toyota Prado with a diplomatic plate number.
Lanre had always hated the idea of Bariga, it was always the last place he wanted to to be seen but work is work. He parked far off and went on foot, He was in the midst of the foot traffic of Bariga where Danfo drivers were causing traffic jam, because they wanted to pick up commuters from the main road, different car horn blaring, conductors screaming.
Okada drivers were busy cursing out the drivers, the market women were laying out their wares some of them, selling pepper, fish, fruits, pomo, splashing water over the vegetable to make sure they look fresh, the meat sellers were arranging their goods, dragging the sack of meat off the bike carrying them, it was a usual busy day in Bariga market.
Lanre was observing this madness and getting furious at Ben for making him do this when he saw an average height black dude wearing a fitted long stretch shirt with a blue jean and some fake looking running shoes. He was holding off 2 okada men at the same time, one on the left and the other on the right while cursing at them to either show him a ticket or pay for the new one, his hand was firm on the necks of the bike holding them off at the ignition of the both of them, he immediately knew it was Malik.
He wasn’t sure whether to bring out his gun and call out or just call him out or move close to him first, he decided on the last option to get close to him and then have a civilized conversation with him.
He moved closer to where Malik was holding them off, Malik was busy screaming at the Hausa okada men when Lanre was right behind him, the Hausa bike men were already revving their bikes and hoping that the grip Malik had on their bike would cut for one split second so they could take off and never be back in Bariga again but their dreams wouldn’t come through today because Malik’s grip was still very strong on the bike.
Lanre was behind him when he called out Malik, he looked back and saw Lanre standing behind him, Malik knew what he would do instinctively, he left the grip he had on the bikes down, the scared bikers screeched with fumes coming out of the exhaust at the back, they raced away swerving amongst the crowd to get away from Bariga as fast as their bikes could carry them.
Malik threw his elbow right into Lanre’s face behind him, but Lanre dodged it by whiskers by swerving in the opposite direction, Malik immediately took to his heels, running as far as he could, Lanre went after him.
Lanre thought of bringing out his gun and shoot at the sky, that would cause massive panic which will pay Malik off or it could happen worse where the different factions of the Garage might just think it’s another gang war and start hell, he left the gun in his holster and went after Malik on foot.
Malik was running in zigzag motion, he wasn’t running in straight motion just in case he decides to shoot, he wont get hit by the bullet but an innocent bystander might.
Malik was pushing people out of his way, running in between them, he ran into a narrow street beside the market, the ground was a little bit wet, he made through the section of the women selling tomatoes and pepper.
Malik was scaling through them like a pro thanks to his free running training, huddle jumping through them running into the tiny passage of the Bariga streets meanwhile Lanre was putting his legs in all the wrong places, in basket of vegetable, splashing mud all over the old women’s merchandises, the women were hurling curses at Malik and Lanre for ruining their market wares but his eyes were still set in pursuit of Malik, he saw where he turned into another street, Malik entered the street and Lanre swift at his back in this hot pursuit.
As Lanre entered the street he saw Malik running down the street but 2 hoodlums were approaching Lanre, Malik must have given them heads-up to attack him.
He continued to run at them, they were holding planks, as the first one lifted the plank to hit him, he dodged it and punched him hard in the ribs as the guy missed his target of Lanre’s head, he threw another punch to his mouth and the first guy fell flat on the ground face down, holding his ribs.
The second hoodlum raised the plank to hit Lanre’s ribs, but he was faster than him, kicking the second guy through the plank he was planning to hit him with as he was running towards him, the hit on the second guy broke his nose as they plank hit him hard in the face, the hoodlums were on the ground decapitated, he was an expert at hitting once and hitting as hard as he could, close quarter combat was his thing.
Malik was running far ahead of Lanre who has just escaped been beaten to death with planks, Malik was still running down the street when he made another left, and then made another left, he was still after him, feeling like his heart was going to explode in his chest, Malik emerged from the same street he entered riding a Bajaj he got from God knows where speeding away,he looked left and right then saw a Okada man who was dropping a lady, he went over forced the Okada man off his bike and then going after Malik.
Lanre and Malik started riding into the small and narrow streets of the Bariga inner streets, as Malik made a right turn into another street, he went in with the same speed, he almost got knocked down by the haggard pure water delivery truck, they wanted to start a fight on the road about he who was wrong or right but he was looking up ahead to make sure Malik was still in sight but Malik just made another left turn, Lanre looked left and right stood up on the bike, moved through the small space of the tight bariga inner street road and made for the same turn as Malik.
As he took the right turn, he found himself in a rather extensive road, just down the road of Bariga the junction that leads to Oworo and Gbagada, he saw Malik riding off into Gbagada area, he then followed him with full speed, as he made to turn to the Gbagada exit, he was almost ran over by PSP truck not knowing the road network of Bariga on the left, meanwhile, traffic was mounting on the Gbagada link bridge, he stopped for a second to think.
He got off the bike on the bridge, looked to the left, crossed the road to look at the right side of the road, he saw a truck carrying sand heading towards express, he looked back and saw his bike speeding all the way to him, he was almost where he was when, he took a few steps back and jumped over the bridge, he stopped the bike to see if he had jumped to his death but saw him on the sand in a truck gasping for his breath making a “FUCK YOU” hand gesture to Lanre.
He brought out the phone and called Ben that Malik has escaped, Ben told him to head back to the office.
He said gasping for breath “Sir, we can alert FRSC at 7UP, I have the plate number of the truck he’s using to escape”
Ben answered “I made myself clear, return back to the office now”
He protested “I almost died twice today because of this guy, I aint giving up on him”
Ben was forced to answer “We have his kid, Lanre!!!!”
“What??? Why did we have to do this then”
“I didn’t want it to degenerate into something else, Just return to the office”
Lanre watched the truck go.
Malik was still trying to breathe when his phone rang, still out of his breath, he said “Hello”
“Hello, Malik, why are you running”
Malik recognized Ben’s voice “You sent Lanre to arrest me, I told you it was an accident, it was self-defence ”
“I have heard your story, I need you to come in, it’s not an arrest, I can assure you, we need your help”
Malik replied “I’m sorry Ben, I don’t trust the S.O.D, Goodbye Ben, look elsewhere for your help”
“Tolu is 4 years old now, isn’t he ?”
“Leave my son out of this…”
Ben replied with fury “You already brought him into this by refusing to do as we humbly asked”
Malik replied “What do you want?”
“Come to the office, stop at 7UP, I will arrange transport to bring you to me”
“Don’t hurt my son”
“I’m not a kid killer, he’s safe here with me, he’s even eating as we speak”
Lanre was back at the office furious as hell, he barged into Ben’s office with torn trousers, and his blood stained shirt, he got cut by the haggard pure water truck that knocked him down.
Ben asked “What in God’s name happened there?”
“Ofcourse, he tried to run, he even got away”
Ben replied “Please go and clean yourself up, Malik will soon be here”
Lanre turned around to leave and Ben asked “Are you getting your groove back now?”
Lanre replied definitively “Almost”
Malik got to the office, sat in Ben’s office as Lanre came back into the office cleaned up, Malik’s clothes were already torn and horrible looking.
Malik turned to Lanre and aplogised “I’m sorry Lanre, I didn’t know it wasn’t because of that case you came looking for me, I thought you wanted to re-open the case, you government people cannot be trusted.”
Ben cut in “Guys, please lets leave this chit-chat for another time, the Vice President’s son has been kidnapped, he’s being held hostage somewhere in Lagos, we need to find him”
“What has this got to do with me? I’m just a tout for now, Its an undercover assignment, don’t ask”
“Well, you might have heard something or might be able to speak to someone who knows about any of this, it happened few nights ago on the island”
“I don’t think I know any info that can help you guys, honestly”
“Malik, try harder…….”
“Although, I was called for a job some days ago, I turned it down, my boy was in the hospital then”
Ben replied “Tell me more”
“They were south south boys, looking for some Lagos experienced thugs, they said the job would be done Friday”
“Did they say what kind of job it was ?”
“Of course not, it was my guy Dafe that told me”
“Okay, we need you to go back and act like nothing happened”
“What??? I can’t do that”
“You must, it’s not up for discusssion”
“So, what do you want me to do? Infiltrate them?”
“I need you to find out more information about what happened on Friday”
“Ok, but my son will be safe, right?”
“He’s in a room sleeping, you can see him if you want to”
Malik got back to Bariga, towards the evening, went home to freshen up and then went to Dafe’s house.
Malik knocked on Dafe’s door
Dafe asked “Who is that?”
“Ijaya(Yoruba word for fear) jo”
Dafe hailed Malik “Ijaya, my person, how na”
Malik replied Dafe “I dey jare”
Dafe asked “Wetin happen for Garage today, I hear say one guy dey pursue you”
Malik laughed “My guy, na one guy wey I dey owe money dey use him fighters dey look for me”
Dafe laughed “No be small thing o, shey everything don dey alright sha”
“No mind am, we don settle”
“Ehen, how far, u go manage this Alomo with me ?”
“No wahala, those ur sugar babes dey come today ?”
“No o, na tomorrow, make I organize for you?”
“Yes o, I for like dey that film o”
“Ehen, no wahala, all join na, we all go see tomorrow na”
“How that friday parole be na”
“Omo, we no do am o, we burst the job”
“Ehen, wetin happen na?”
“Boys no reach that night?”
“Which kin operation be the operation sef”
“I no no but why u dey lawyer me na”
“Nothing jare, i just wan know noni”
“Which one be ur own? I owe you money?”
Malik laughed “No o”
Malik got up to leave and then Dafe hit him at the back of his neck with a metal box, Malik passed out.
Dafe wasn’t sure why he knocked Malik out but he needed to make sure that no one knows any information about the operation.
Malik was dragged into another compartment close to Chidi’s room, he woke up with a headache in a dark room, he was tied in his leg and hands, stripped of all forms of clothing asides his boxers, the ground was cold, Malik could hear the dialogue in the passage despite his chronic headache.
SJ was trying to calm as he asked “Dafe, so you bring am come here because he dey ask about that Friday event?”
Dafe answered “Yes, Oga”
SJ asked “Wetin you tell am?”
“I tell am say we no do the operation again”
“Doh, you do well, wetin u tell am after that?”
“Nothing Oga, na everything I tell am be dat”
SJ replied “Ok”
SJ told Dafe to go back home and wait for his further instructions, as soon as he backed him, SJ pumped 3 shots into Dafe’s head at point-blank with his silver 9mm hand gun, and asked the boys to dispose off his body.
SJ placed a call to an unknown number and said “We need to move quickly, i think they’re unto us, its time for our contingency plan”
The line goes dead.
Kemi was already packing up to leave the office when her boss called her into his office, when she got in, she saw some unfamiliar faces, they introduced themselves and asked her to follow them.
Kemi muttered “S.S.S????????????? What is this about”
Lanre replied “Kemi, please come with us, it’s not an arrest, we just want to ask you a few questions”
Kemi replied stammering “Why can’t I be asked those questions here ?”
“Its procedural, it wont take more than an hour”
“I’m not comfortable with this, i need my lawyer”
Lanre got impatient “Kemi, we want to talk to you about the 4.9M you transferred into different accounts everyday for more than a week”
“I don’t understand”
Lanre replied “You thought the EFCC wouldn’t pick it, well they didnt pick it but do you know whose record we went through? CBN, every interbank transaction goes through them”
Kemi replied ” Bu…but, how did you know”
“We need to go now ma’am”
Kemi was fidgeting, unable to mutter any concise sentence, all sorts of thoughts got into her head.
An unknown number called Zee and said “Sir, Kemi was taken by some men who look like Security agents”
Zee called SJ “You’re right, I think something is up, Phase II is a go.”
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