ALL IN A CIRCLE Episode 151 by dy9ty7

ALL IN A CIRCLE Episode 151 by dy9ty7

Ngozi was seated inside the office when Mike returned from the medics. “What are you doing here?” He asked as he eased himself into the room.

“Clement asked me to leave.” She replied.

“But why? Are you guys through with the questioning?” Mike asked.

“Not at all. He just claimed he want me out of the room for reasons best known to him.” She replied. Mike sat down on one of the table and stared at Ngozi

“Ngozi, tell me, do you know that criminal?” Mike asked.

“Why asking?”

“I have always noticed from the way you look at him and the way he looks at you, it seems you have something in common. And just last week, I was passing the corridor when I heard you say something like Nwankwo. I wanted to eavesdrop, but I am on my way to lock Doctor Rapheal up. I know Nwankwo is his name, so what’s the relationship? What does it look like?” Ngozi could see the look on his face, everything screamed suspicion.

“He is my brother.” She said throwing Mike off balance. He was expecting Ngozi to say they were partners in crime and had committed all atrocities together, the least he expected was the brother-sister relationship.

“What happened?” Mike asked. Ngozi then took her time to explain how she got separated with her brother and the way they got reunited. “And what plans have you put in place?” Mike asked. Ngozi couldn’t believe she was hearing this from Mike.

“I have spoken to Clement, but he refused. Moreso, I didn’t ask for his release, all I wanted him to do was release him to me for a few hours and travel to the village so our parents can see him. But Clement has been irrational who only knew about himself and cared about himself. You saw the way he expertly brushed off his father’s case. He knows how to protect his family, but he doesn’t care about what happens to someone else’s family.” Ngozi said with utmost bitterness.

“Don’t talk like that. Lets go.” Mike said leading the way.

“Where are we going?” She asked.

“Just come with me.” with this they exited the office. And a minute later, they were standing at the door into the holding.

—————-

Clement gave Ngozi an askance look which wore off as quickly as it came.

“Your brother Kelvin, is the popular Danger-kelv, the man behind every evil perpetrated by the Khal corp. The main man of the Khal corp, he has been the number one right from the time he joined, while I was number two, a certain Hakym was number three, but as things were, Hakym is the number two man. I have pictorial evidences of I am Kelvin. There is a woman named Becky, only Sylvester will know her, she was the woman who was oozing blood from the nose, the day you traced me to Edo state. If you get her, she’ll give you more evidences. According to the note she dropped inside my pocket which I have since hidden.” Jay paused as he removed a folded paper from only God knows where and flashed it accross the officer’s faces. It reads;

“D-K tried to kill you. If you managed to survive this without the police getting you. 25 I-admiralty-have- Ikoyi-the-estate-recording.” Clement and his colleagues couldn’t undertand the last sentences which was written with hyphens. Jay smiled.

“It simply means, 25 Admiralty way, Ikoyi estate, her location and I have the recording.” Clement was dumbfounded, he didn’t know what to say and as if pre-planned, his colleagues didn’t say anything too, maybe they just wanted him to handle everything.

“Are you sure of what you are saying?” Sylvester asked, even though his voice didn’t sound familiar, he wasn’t sure if the voice belonged to him.

“I am dead sure. For more evidences, go to Kamboil petroleum and gas along the boarder road, go inside the mini mart and asked for Kenny, the manager. He has served as a watchman for the corporation. All the staffs in the gas station knew him.” Jay explained.

Sylvester with facial expression passed a silent information to Mike who nodded in affirmation.

“I have many evidences that could nail, Danger-kelv. He should be your number one priority, once you get him you’ve gotten Khal corp, but with Danger-kelv at large, am afraid things might go wrong.” Jay explained after which he went silent and every other questions he was asked, he didn’t answer.

Clement couldn’t explain how he felt that moment, he just knew he couldn’t feel anything, he couldn’t feel his legs as he walked, he couldn’t feel his brain, because every trial to think, ends with a headache. The only thing he could feel was his heartbeat which was abnormally faster, two beats per millisecond.

—

Clement was seated in the office with his colleagues, everyone to his own thoughts. He thought about the events in the last two weeks, how he discovered that his long lost sister was an assassin, thanks to God that no one else knew about it, but all the same she would be charged to court for another gruesome offence which it only takes the grace of God and exceptional expertise of a lawyer to win such case. The possiblity of winning such case is always one out of ten which only happens once in every decade. The best every lawyer can do is to fight to the end in a bid to make the judge linient in his judgement.

Some lawyers are even quick to give up on the case the moment they entered the courtroom. Even though, Sandra Oselu has volunteered to get Victoria a sound lawyer.

Just last week he lost his dear wife, the greatest misfortune that ever befelled him. It has always been at the back of his mind that, he wanted just two kids, a boy and a girl. And as God would have it, he had the girl already, and God willing his second child will be a boy, where is that woman who promised to bear the kids? Tears threatened to spill, but he knew better not to let them.

And just today when he had concluded that all storm is over and calmness restored, he got a double header shocking revelation, even though, one was a mere speculation while the other looked to be true, but he expected Jay to back his claims up with concrete evidences. But will he be responsible for the fall of his family members? First his actions cost Rachel’s death, his actions got Victoria arrested, now, he is expected to take charge and get his brother arrested and finally, his father. He just hoped everything he heard were all lies.

Sylvester on his part was just waiting for someone to make the move, he wasn’t surprised that Danger-kelv was someone close to the force, because from his actions, he seemed to be well informed, but the most surprising aspect was that a whole Clement was related to the notorious Kelv. Though he hasn’t met any of Clement’s family except his late wife. So no wonder, Kelvin had so many informations about the police and their work plans. Could Clement be Kelvin’s informant? He need to investigate this to the end.

Mike on the other hand was just looking from one person to the other, clearing his throat, making sounds just to get their attention and make someone speak. But as things were, everyone has lost their voice, and chances of them getting it back was slim and as a matter of fact, impossible.

Ngozi was happy at the latest development. How God works, no man can explain. Just some weeks ago, Clement was head bent on making sure Jay faces the wrath of the law, despite knowing that she was related to him. Maybe he wanted to punish Jay so badly because of her. To prove a point that, as a police officer or any security agent, your family members must be law abiding, because any of them found perpetrating evil will be punished severely.

Despite her pleas to let her brother out for a few hours, Clement refused. Now that Clement has found himself in deep waters too, it remained to be seen how he intends to get his brother out of this.

She was not all that surprised, as she has been speculating, predicting Kelvin’s involvement with the Khal corp, but the way and manner which the truth was revealed and the look on Clement’s face was all fun to watch.

“So?” She said.

“So?” Sylvester asked. Mike wanted to just remove his gun and shoot the two of them for their foolishness.

“What do you suggest we do?” Ngozi asked, her eyes set on Clement.

“Well, we have to visit the Becky of a woman first to find out what she knew about these whole thing. And then proceed to Kamboil petroleum and gas, to find out all the manager knew about the whole scenario.” Clement explained.

“And why should we do that? Time is not on our side, I believe we should swing into action immediately and get him arrested.” Ngozi said.

“Well, we can’t afford to be hasty about this. Slow and steady wins the race.” Clement replied.

“Not in a situation like this.”

“Don’t you dare question my authority. Sylvester, prepare an intelligence report and swing to action immediately, lead a team to Miss Becky’s apartment, Mike, kamboil is your next destination, I’ll personally lead a team to Chief Obi Patrick’s house.” Clement instructed.

“And me?” Ngozi asked. Clement looked at her for a while.

“Join hands with Sylvester and his team.”

*********

Sandra walked into the bedroom, twenty five minutes later after the departure of Barrister Benson.

“Hey.” Kelvin greeted.

“Sweetheart.” Sandra replied as she sat down beside him on the bed, her head on his chest.

“Baby, you looked tense. Any problem?” She asked.

“No problems dear.” He replied smiling. Sandra turned her head, such that she was able to look into his eyes.

“Sweetheart, something is eating you up, I know it because you are not always like this. You and I know you can talk to me.” Sandra said stroking his chest through his customized singlet.

“Are you saying I am telling lies? There is no problem.” He replied.

Sandra thought for a while, this approach isn’t working, she needed to devise a plan to make him talk, because it looks strange, a guy who almost killed himself because he slept over in a lady’s apartment is here with a travelling bag which suggest he won’t be leaving in the near future.

“I am even surprised to see you, and not only that, you came with a travelling bag which I supposed has clothes in it. Do you plan spending a few days with me?” She asked.

“Do you want me to leave?” He asked.

That was it, she has been trying to avoid stepping on his anger chord because he could flare up. A very temperamental person who seems jovial and could make jokes out of anything, but the popular saying which says “do unto others what you want them to do to you” is unapplicable to Kelvin. He could kill anybody that tried making jest of him while he enjoyed doing it to others.

“Its not that. Anyways, have you eaten?” She asked.

“I have no appetite.” He replied, just then his phone rang. Sandra herself could feel him freeze the moment the phone vibrated and the rate at which his heart pumped blood against her back, she knew he had something in his cupboard.

“Hello.” He said. He listened for a few seconds before he spoke.

“You know what Hak? I’ll call you back, am in the middle of something, you just keep and eye on them.” He said and hung up immediately.

“Who was that?” Sandra asked.

“A colleague at work.” He replied sharply and left the bed. She knew better not to press any further, because when you know the kind of person you live with, it is better to let him have his way most times to avoid stories that touch.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Chief Patrick was discussing with his closest and the most trusted security man in his study.

“So, what time do you intend to move?” He asked.

“Any moment from eight o’clock in the evening should be okay. Immediately after nightfall.” He replied.

“That’s good, but what if the police showed up now or later before eight. What should we do?” He asked.

“Well, it all depends. No policeman would be bold enough to come here and question me or make an arrest, it is only Clement that can come and face me, simply because he felt the fatherly love and care is still there and I dare no harm him, but I just hope he doesn’t come, because doing so may well spell the end of him and I have lost every iota of love for him. Everyone to his own name and family. Thank God he has a family now.” Chief Patrick explained.

The man knew Chief Patrick meant every word he said, if he could sign the death of his son’s wife without battling an eyelid, then he would only batter an eyelid which is not enough to change his mind when signing his son’s death warrant. “Are you sure every thing is in place?” Chief Patrick asked.

“Perfectly sir, the books, everything you’ll be needing is in place. All you need to do is hop into the car and you’ll be driven to your new home.”

“You know, I am glad we built that house back then and no one knew about it.”

“Yeah.”

Chief Obi Patrick was expected to drive to one of his housing extension located on the outskirt of Lagos, a village majorly dominated by the Fulani tribes of the northern Nigeria. And their occupation is mainly cattle rearing. Chief would be living in the small bungalow with his illegal security details still in place, but he would be cut out of the world, no one would see or hear about him anymore, and from there he would run the affairs of Khal corp without the fear of getting caught.

—

Clement drove into his empty house, or better still put as silent house. Silence they said brings about emptiness, loneliness also brings about emptiness. Clement felt empty that moment, missing every person in his life, from Akpan, the first member of the house to see him and welcome him, to Rachel who would always welcome him with a kiss, with the few days he spent with Amanda, he had grown fond of her, but the few hours he had spent without her, he felt like he just lost an integral part of him, which is true, the most important part of him, his life, his future was all that Amanda represents.

Then to Dolapo, the ever humble lady who had also became a member of the Obi-patrick family, the only difference was the name. The moment his eyes fell on the bottle of whiskey which stood on the table, he forgot about his worries and picked it up. From his experiences with achohol, it seemed to be the perfect spirit lifting material close by. He won’t mind recommending it to churches, this is a perfect spirit and soul lifting matrial he had seen in many years.

Just like magic, he had forgotten all his worries, the moment he swallowed the liquid. All he could think about after sipping the drink was the case at hand, he couldn’t imagine himself going against his father and brother. How he wish he had known for a long time, instead of chasing shadows and running after the unknown which unknown to him was known and he would have arrested them easily, but as things were, getting them arrested would be very difficult and likely impossible to accompish.

He carefully set down the wine cup and the empty whiskey bottle and he walked towards the kitchen to set up what to eat. Just then his phone started ringing. He walked back into the living room to answer the call, it was an international number.

“Hello.” He said.

“Hello uncle.” A familiar voice replied.

“Dolapo. Is that you?”

“Yes sir. How are you?” She replied.

“Am good. How is America?” He asked. She gave a short laugh.

“America is good. We are loving it here.” She replied.

“How about Amanda?” He asked.

“She is with Vlad’s mum.” She replied.

“Hope you are enjoying yourselves?” He asked.

“Yes we are. All thanks to Vlad and his mum, they are really nice set of people.” She replied. They spoke for the next twenty minutes before she ended the call.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kelvin carefully walked towards the gate when he was sure that Sabur was somewhere far from the gate, and with one gantle yank, the gate opened and she walked out of the house. He strolled along the street and immediately, a black Range rover sport came to life a hundred yards away and it swung to reverse, closing the distance as he moved closer to the car. Immediately, he reached the side of the car, the passenger door opened and he hopped in.

“Hey.” Hakym greeted.

“Yeah, how do you do?” Kelvin asked.

“Everywhere is tense, even Maleek is sketching a different plan. He wants us to attack the police headquarters, the National assemblies in Abuja, the state assembly of Lagos. Everything is really going on fast. With no direction and tactics.” Hakym explained as he put his hand somewhere beneathe the steering wheel and produced a blue print book, he handed it over to Kelvin who looked at it with scrutiny, its a map of entry and exit into the aformentioned government buildings.

“So, when are you making the move?” Kelvin asked.

“As soon as I am through with my drawing.” Hakym replied.

Kelvin sighed, if they succeeded in blowing the house of assemblies, the government would collapse, and there would be lawlessness, in Lagos and in the whole federation. Then he could seize that opportunity to leave the country.

“When do you intend leaving your woman’s place?” Hakym asked.

“I don’t plan spending a long time here. You know with me here, no one knows I am dating Sandra, and even if they knew, everyone know it would be very stupid of me to take cover here, when I can easily get protected at Khal corp. Everyone would overlook Sandra.” Kelvin explained.

Truely, there is a little sense in what he said, but as a terrorist, he shouldn’t think that way. But one thing attributed to it, strategy and tactics. Hakym stretched his hand to the backseat and brought out a small bag.

“Here.” He handed it to him.

“Everything here?” Kelvin asked as he opened the bag and nodded his head in satisfaction.

“Everything you’ll need. When next I come here, I’ll bring the Ak-47 in a seperate bag. And three hundred thousand Naira is there in the bag for your upkeep.” Hakym explained.

“No problem. Thanks.” He shook hands with his colleague and alighted from the car.

*****

The next day as planned, Sylvester set out of the office with Ngozi seated beside him on the passenger side of the car, the silence in the car was overpowered by the solemn music being played by Sylvester, its a story about a man who found love but lost his love as a result of his love for his job. The story perfectly suited Sylvester’s story and as the artiste sang with so much sadness and sorrow in his voice, Sylvester couldn’t help but sing along with him.

Behind his deep baritone voice, he has a soronous voice for singing. Ngozi loved his voice, because he loved it when a man displays his talent in music. Ngozi was glad that the noice emanating from outside the car was overpowering the music being played in the car. The song was making her feel bad, because she knew for some reason best known to God, she would have been in the situation where the musician found himself if God hadn’t spared him and made her come out of hiding, the day some suspected Khal corp members visited her. She would have lost her fiancee because she loved her job. Her job would have costed her her love, but all thanks to God, because he doesn’t leave his people.

“Sly, reduce the volume of the song.” She pleaded once they had left the main road and are slowly approaching the Ikoyi axis, which is always quiet and scanty with cars. Except for the cars parked in front of private firms, most of which were law firms, moving cars are hard to find. A car or two will pass every two minutes, at times, no car would ply the road in thirty to one hour.

Sylvester slowly turned down the volume of the stereo and turned to face his partner, one eye on the road, the other on Ngozi.

“Do you think we are doing the right thing?” She asked.

“What do you mean?” He asked in return.

Typical of Nigerians, the best way to answer a question is by throwing a question back at the questionaire and that makes it two questions to be anwered by two different people, even though most Nigerians only do that when conversing, no one has ever tried it in an examination.

“I mean, does it sound well, a woman whom we don’t know, how are we to enter her house and ask questions of something we are not sure of.” She explained.

“Well, I don’t believe Jay is lying. I mean what does he stand to gain in telling lies?”

“Don’t you think the paper is a means to get us? Don’t you think its a ploy?” she asked.

“And from your testimony, the woman pretended to be in distress to enable Jay take you hostage to speed up his escape from the police grasp. How sure are you that this isn’t one of such ploys?”

“Well, lets give Jay this chance. He willingly told us himself and what ploy would have been in place for over two weeks? How sure are they that we’ll visit the woman’s apartment?” Sylvester said convincingly.

He brought the car to a halt in front of a duplex which stood in the middle of two houses under construction.

“I think this is where we are going.” Sylvester said checking the address that Jay wrote for them this morning before they set out of the office. He pointed out the things to note so as not to enter a wrong house, one of such things was the two uncompleted building. The other was a star-like symbol on the white iron gate.

After confirming Jay’s description, the two officers alighted from the car and approached the gate. Ngozi almost fainted the moment they reached the gate and a voice came out loud.

“Drop your weapons.” A programmed voice said. Ngozi dropped the only gun on her inside a cupboard attached to the wall, Sylvester in his smartness dropped his gun, but he still had one on him, nothing happened, but a red light was flashing on him, in particular, the point where his gun was. He reluctantly dropped the gun and immediately, the gate swung open.

They walked into the compound which was empty with nothing to show that someone or a group of people lives in the house. They proceeded towards the front door which opened the same way the gate opened, but this time, no one talked. The moment they left the lobby and entered the living room, they came face to face with a large lcd screen which was hung on the wall, a beautiful lady was on the screen and a blue light from a camera was flashing at them. No doubt, they would be conversing with the lady via video chat. Maybe she is not in the house presently, they’ll have to ask her why they can’t see her.

“Have your sit.” She said.

—

Clement parked his car in front of his father’s house and went to knock on the gate. A minute later, one of his father’s bodyguards opened the gate.

“Hey.” Clement said, expecting the man to open the gate for him to enter. But to his utmost surprise, nothing of such was forthcoming. The man still stood with his huge frame shielding the inside compound from his view.

“Will you at least let me in? I want to see my dad.” He said.

“Well, I have been instructed not to open this gate for you not to talk of letting you in. And as you can see, Chief is out of town. He travelled.” The bodyguard replied.

“Stop being silly. I have to get in there this minute.” Clement said angrily.

“Well, if I am being silly, that’s what I am being paid for. I was instructed and its my duty to carry out the instruction without any fault. So would you please leave.”

Clement walked back to his car and picked his phone. He tried his father’s number but it wan’t going through, he tried the business number, same story, his political number was out of range and he was left with one more option, his last number, the phone which was always with him, but unfortunately he didn’t have the number. He angrily returned to the gate and demanded answers from the bodyguard.

“Now, I demand to know where my father travelled to.” He said angrily, not minding the size of the man before him, not minding the look in his bloodshot eyes, not minding the strength he possibly could wield on his own.

“I advice you to move back an inch. If you stand any more moment here, you’ll be surprised of what would happen.” The body guard warned. Clement dared him, but the bodyguard still accorded the respect he deserve, but still insisted that he must leave that minute.

Clement out of anger burts forward and pushed the bodyguard out of his way into the compound, only to face about seven of them, both from downstairs and some on the balcony upstairs pointing their guns at him.

“Come on guys, its me. Drop your weapons. Its dangerous.” He said smiling, but the looks on the faces of the men told him there was nothing to smile or be happy about.

“Now, I get this. I demand an explanation to know where my father is now.” He said moving towards the main house.

“One more step there Clement, and you can kiss the earth goodbye.” The chief security officer to his father said as he walked out from only God knows where.

“CSO, good morning. Talk to your boys, the way they are pointing the gun at me is very dangerous.” He said, half persuasively, half pleading.

“And what if they don’t?” The CSO asked closing in on him.

“It might go off.” He replied.

“Good. If you know you don’t want those weapons to go off while they are aimed at you. My best advice is that you leave and never return.” The CSO said.

Clement saw the look on his face, he was serious and not joking this time. He knew he couldn’t possibly outsmart them, and so, he reluctantly walked out of the compound.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kelvin walked out of the bathroom, clad in his briefs and singlet with his towel hung around his neck. A fuming Sandra was seated on the bed.

“Kelvin, I demand an explanation. What do you have in the bag you brought in yesternight? No one knew when you left the house and you returned with a bag.” She screamed.

“Hey! Let me be.” He said.

“I won’t let you be. There won’t be peace in this house unless you tell me what’s in the bag that you are hiding. If it is money you can tell me. What’s the point if we hide things from each other?”

“Was that why you denied me s.ex yesterday?” He asked.

“Tell me what you have in the bag. You are in my house and I have the right to know the things you bring in here. My house has been targetted by the police a number of times.” Kelvin had never seen Sandra this angry or mad, she was a direct contrast to the women who have their money and are ready to make men lick their feets before they help them.

“Haven’t I done enough? You told me you worked in an office, I don’t know the work you do. You hide a lot of things from me. I think I deserve to know more about you, can’t I tell my friends about my boyfriend without framing something up? I know virtually nothing about you except your name.” She continued ranting.

“Well, it seems I am not welcomed here. Then I think I should just leave.” Kelvin said as he walked towards the wardrobe and picked his own travelling bag, and that did the trick.

“Its your house, and you can stay.” He heard her say before walking out of the room.

IN A CIRCLE Episode 151
#OpraDre

–to be continued–

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