Delayed Diagnosis Episode 25

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 25
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

My mother broke the silence however. “Rex..what’s really going on?”
Where do I even start?
Best to just delve into the most recent. “Andy and I have been observing a smuggling ring, that’s why we were at the wharf last night.. We got attacked-“
“Since when did you start observing? Is that your job? Are you a detective?” My fad fired from the backseat.
“You don’t understand..I stumbled into something horrible..women are being trafficked out of this country” I remembered the little baby shoe “with children too”
“Why didn’t you go to the police?”
“Believe me the police can not do anything about it..their top officials even knew about it yet did nothing!”
They were silent after that, each of them trying to digest the news.
No one spoke up until I had turned into the close.
“Your mother and I need to leave tonight” my dad announced.
I was fine with that, that was the best that could happen right now. All I cared about was their safety first. And i had a feeling things could get rough once we attempted to strike the initiative,but I steel felt like they were abandoning me.
“You don’t have anything to say?” My dad prodded.
“I’m not comfortable with you taking night bus. I can book a flight tonight for tomorrow”
“We need to be in Benue state before Ten tomorrow”
“Why the rush..my shop can wait this matter on ground is just to serious” my mom said.
“The DPO of that station…that one near the market…he’s my good friend..I’d call him tonight I’m sure he would have someone in Lagos who can help out” my dad replied.
I had parked the car in front of the gate and killed the engine but nobody got down.
“I still don’t understand why we need to rush back..look at the mess our son is in”
“Mess our son is in..” He mimicked her. “Did your son tell anybody about the mess? Not until his friend almost got killed!”
“Al..how can you talk like that?”
“Martha I am deeply hurt..I won’t come and be patting his back, telling him well done..how did he turn like this? Was this how I raised you?”
“No this wasn’t how you raised me..maybe if I had been a gambler that would have been just fine”
My mother gasped.
“Ohooo! Martha you see…no iota of respect! In fact I’m done! Martha you can stay and wait for aeroplane to come and pick you..as for me I’m leaving..I can’t stand this!”
He opened the door and stormed into the compound. They hadn’t even locked the gate.
“You shouldn’t have said that Rex..you need to apologise”
“I agree” Olivia seconded.
“Only God knows the mental torture I’ve been going through all for your safety..I had my reasons I didn’t tell any of you before, in fact let him go..how did he raise me..what values? Gambling, drinking? putting down women?”
“That’s just who he is but you can’t take away the fact that he loves you..now go and apologise…do it for me”
Mothers! Thank God for mothers..always there to separate.. Even when I was young she saved me from my father’s belt countless times.
“Okay..you’re right..I’m sorry”
“Your father is who you should be apologising too”
“Yes but I’m also sorry for everything I put you through”
She nodded with a smile “now that is the boy I raised..now go and talk to your father”
I got down and removed the wheelchair from the booth. I left my mom outside as she was helping Olivia into the chair.
Part of me expected to meet my dad inside killing his anger with ammunition but I met him in the compound carrying his bag. He was serious!
“Look dad I’m sorry for what I said…I’m sorry for everything”
He looked at me. “How can you say something like that? Or you’re now soo old that you don’t regard me anymore?”
“It hasn’t come to that now..haba”
“Lemme be going..because I might get you angry now and you’d shoot me”
“Now that’s not fair!” That got my blood hot “you think all I’ve done I did it because I wanted to? I had to! I had to carry a gun! I had to kill someone(two actually…but who was counting?) And doing everything my parents were always foremost on my mind..and you use it against me?” I shook my head “for so long I craved for your acceptance..for you to be proud of me…and you know what? I don’t really want it anymore..you can go if you wish..I can give you a thousand dollars right now if that would make you feel happier..you’ve finally eaten from your useless son!”
His eyes were expressionless (that man was stubborn walahi)
My mother wheeled Olivia inside and she had expected to see us hugging but she saw a stand off instead. Her mouth hung open in surprise.
“You know what…I don’t really have to go home today..but my ram has a fight very early tomorrow morning..crack of dawn and guess what my dear boy.. I’m choosing Rambo over you(Rambo was his ram’s name) at least Rambo doesn’t deceive me then insult me on top..have a good day”
He turned and left me standing. All my years growing up, no belt whipping or no backhand from him had ever hurt the way those words had. I tried to laugh it off as he walked away. “Sallah would soon be here don’t worry..we’ll see if your precious Rambo can survive it (jealous of a Ram??)
He said something to my mother and left her standing with Olivia. I could tell Olivia tried pleading with him but he still left.
My mom wheeled her to my side. “Rex I’m sorry..I’ve never seen him like that”
I didn’t believe that, over 40 years married to that man?
“Its alright..you both need to rest and I’m hungry..I need to go back to the hospital in the next one hour”
“We’ll all go together..lemme fix something to eat..we’d call it brunch” she tried to laugh but it sounded flat.
Everything seemed dull. My father leaving had punched everyone in the gut.
I stayed in the compound while they went inside.
My phone rang. I half expected to see the contact “pops” calling. But I didn’t have this number on my phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello Rex”
Sultry feminine voice
“Yes..who is it?”
“Its Gwen”
“Gwen Gwen Gwen who?”
“Gwen customer service!”
Oh that Gwen
“Hey..what’s up with you”
“Andy told me you needed my place for the weekend..hope you’re done?”
Your place..you mean you and Ariyo’s hookup joint?
“Thanks so much for the keys I’m really grateful”
“Yeah yeah yeah” she was chewing a gum and she snapped it loudly stinging my ear.
“Look..Ariyo just called me he needs to use that place today and since I hardly use it..anyway he would be there by evening so you had better clear out”
“You mean he wants to Bleep right? You don’t need to censor it its none of my business..I just really appreciate the kind gesture”
“You know what?Bleep you..I’ve told you my own he has his own keys so just make sure the gate is locked. Ingrate!” She hissed and cut the call.
Seems I was getting everybody angry today..what do I do now..the good thing was they knew it was not my home. So probably hotel things loading..I had more than enough cash maybe I should change some of the dollars to take care of the expenses. Mr X had said it was mine to keep after all.
But time was going, today was already 1st. Olivia had an interview with the initiative in two days time.
I needed to book the flight for my mother. It would be easier if it were just Olivia and I..now that my dad had ‘abandoned ship’ I shook away the thought…
What did I just hear? That sounded like the gate opening. I was at the side of the compound and I couldn’t see the gate so I hurried. Hope Ariyo hadn’t come early..’coming’ early twice in one day was just too much..(I forced a laugh at my sick humour)
I was just rounding the bend when I ran into my father! He was still carrying his bag.
“I forgot something” he said stiffly.
“What?”
“You”
He dropped the bag and crushed me in a bear hug.. lifting my feet off the ground.
“I’m so sorry son..I didn’t mean any of it…forgive me”
My father?apologising? There was a God after all.
“Dad its alright..its alright..I’m also sorry”
He put me down.
“I don’t want you to leave like that..I’d book the flight for you and mum for tomorrow..I don’t know about your ram fight though..you may likely miss it”
“Rubbish! Son I’m not leaving you until we finish this together all of us are in this..”
“Dad..you don’t need to-“
“Rubbish! You know what I was called in my younger years?Ally no joy! So Those troubling my son can not see joy! Not while I’m alive!” He hugged me again then ruffled my hair (which had thankfully grown back to some extent)
“I didn’t expect you to come back”
“I had to..you know why?”
“Why?” (I was expecting him to maybe say ‘because I love you’ or ‘because you’re my only son’ since he was in an emotional mood)
“Because I’m hungry!”
We laughed and headed inside.
For the next hour I planned to forget about all my worries..forget about Ariyo and the initiative and just be thankful..thankful that my friend was alive…thankful that I had met Olivia..and finally thankful for my parents. I couldn’t ask for any other.

What ever elation we felt when my dad had return was soon dampened when I announced we had to be on the move.
“What a rogue family we are no where to lay the head!
“Al,!!!!” My mother cautioned.
“That’s the truth” he shrugged. ” the key word is family…”he turned to me. “Rex..you mentioned something about a thousand dollars before..or was it just steam?”
“I’m not in debt…right now there’s money”
Who’s money? It seems the question hung on the air. My money or rather Andy’s money. He had taken a bullet for it after all. I had thought about it and I was sure the moment I snatched the briefcase and the shadow hadn’t gotten the money promised him was the moment he had become extra crazy with the idea of killing me.
“Why does he do that? Why does he keep travelling?look at him! Not even here at all!”
I blinked at my dad who had complained.
“Can you blame him? Have you forgotten we met him on the hospital bed? He Has not even eaten” my mother replied and not another word was said
Olivia and I kept exchanging glances and I knew something was up.
My dad soon followed the aroma and went to the kitchen.
“The date on the email, it said on the 3rd” She said almost immediately.
“Yes I know”
“That’s on Tuesday!”
She sounded scared. Seeing Andy in the hospital had affected everybody.
“Olivia..if you want you can still back out now..I’d understand we can find another way”
She stopped as if considering it. I was quiet as I waited. She had my word.
But she forced a smile. “No..I’m in this…we’re in this..its fine”
“I promise you nothing is going to happen” (but should I be making those promises?) I was already missing Andy, his calm presence was always reassuring and somehow we had formed a deadly combo. Two heads were better than one..
“One more thing..I would like you to stay behind..maybe with my mum or with both of them..but I have a feeling my dad won’t want to stay behind”
“Why don’t we all go?”
“Remember that doctor? The one supposed to give you your medications two nights ago”
She was already nodding “I thought I saw him”
“Exactly..I would be harder to recognise alone but I know if he sees you once, the resemblance would be just too much..it won’t be good to raise any attention at all”
She nodded as my dad called from the kitchen with his mouth full. “Its like you people are not hungry abi?”

°•°•°••°•°•°••
The meal felt like the last supper. We tried to lighten the atmosphere but the day had already been a bad one on so many levels. So conversation was lightly filled with heavy stretches of silence inbetween.

I tried to put things in order but the only problem was the mattress I had ripped mercilessly for the gun suppressor (the gun was gone now. I didn’t even know the exact time it had left my hands but I knew I hadn’t been with it later on)
The second problem was the fridge…oh the fridge had been halved.
I switched the bed from upstairs with the one in the guest room downstairs. But then I thought: ‘what if Ariyo is always just too tired to climb the stairs? The man is getting old? With his big stomach, And this would be the nearest room’
And so I switched it again.(very streneous on the arms)
Nothing to do about the fridge. I could smell part of my withheld Christmas bonus in there after all. Ariyo the corrupt branch manager. He always filtered what was supposed to get to us and even went as far as to hamper our Christmas hampers.

In the car I breached the topic again but my parents both said they were not leaving my side for now.
“I won’t allow worry to come and kill me when I travel..its better I stay here”
I chose a hotel not too far from the hospital location. I paid for the transaction with my ATM card and I winced when the alert entered. I had gotten two rooms and I could sense some kind of awkwardness. In the nearest future..I mean my parents had to have one room right? They were married. So me and Olivia….
We all poured into one of the rooms and I checked the time. “I think we’ve given them enough time at the hospital I better start going”
“We’d all go together” my mother said.
“Actually I’m feeling really tired. My leg has been troubling me somewhat” Olivia announced.
“Ooooh..that’s true dear you really need to rest..I’d stay with you..all that moving about so early in the morning” my mother immediately offered.
“That’d be nice..thank you very much ma” she looked at me pointedly and I tried to hide my smile. She was a woman after my own heart!
My dad slapped me on the back..”alright son..its just you and Ally no joy! Lemme show you how its done”

Ally (pronounced Al-lee-) no joy’ had been a very bad man in his prime.
One of the baddest. I watched the road before I made a turning while My dad droned on. He had been so terrifying as a young man that his peers always said he had zero joy. Hence the ‘no joy’ part.
“I know..do you remember the time I was in school and you beat up Richards father?” I asked him
He looked blank..”who was that?”
“Richards father one…Mr..ogbu..ogbu..something.. because of one contract but people said it was something else that caused the fight”(something else being a gambling debt)
He couldn’t still remember “Rex believe me anything you heard when you were young is nothing..Ally no joy calmed down after his second daughter. Whatever tales you heard..that was Ally when he was calm”
“Why do you keep referring to yourself in third person?” I asked him shaking my head in wonder.
He just laughed. “What we need now is strategy? This people after you what do you know about them? .you said they kidnap women?” He looked at me intently.
I focused on the road. But I thought: what was the use in hiding any details?
“Actually..this Tuesday Olivia has an interview or meeting with them..they are formally known to help out widows..but its all just a cover up”
“And you say Olivia is going to them? On Tuesday?” He looked incredulous. “Rex I thought you liked this girl?”
I spared him a glance. The road was getting choked up. I wondered what could be causing the traffic.
“Because if you do, I wouldn’t see how you could let her go through something like this..and if you don’t…” He shook his head “I’m sorry for you”
I don’t plan to let anything happen to her”
“Boy, things hardly ever happen according to plan I’d expect you to know this by now”
“I know but-“
“Did you plan for Andy to get shot?”
I had no reply for that. The question alone was its answer, but he got me thinking nonetheless.

I thought of switching on the radio but I dismissed it.
The traffic cleared a bit and I surged forward.
“But its still important to have a plan..” He spoke up after awhile “even though things don’t work according to plan…the plan is still important”
“I’m working on a plan right now”
“Lemme hear it”
“Please just one at a time..let’s see Andy first. That’s our immediate priority at the moment” The truth was I had zilch, zero,Nada!..nothing remotely resembling an idea or plan going on in my head at the moment
He leaned back in his chair but muttered “its like you think there’s time…”

°•°•°•°•°•
We got to the hospital finally and I looked for somewhere to park.
“This place is always crammed full” I complained.
“Always?” He looked at me “so this isn’t your first time here?”
“Would you like to drive back?” I offered as a reply to his question.
He just shook his head

I met a different nurse this time. I described Andy to the man. Stating that we had been told he would be moved out of ICU today.
“Yes..he has been moved out. Where you not the one that arranged for him to be put in private? He’s in One of our best rooms its on the last floor”
I wasn’t the one but I had a good idea who had done that..Mr X..and his Father in law.
I nodded then made to turn but he stopped me.
“Excuse me sirs..one more thing…the newspaper men where here and the police too..they said there was a shoot out at the mariner last night.”
I glanced at my father.
“So where are they now?” He replied “…look all of this is secondary I need to see my son now!” He fixed the young man with one of his stony stares and the man hurried up.
“Okay please just fill these forms. This is for our record purposes”
I took them. “We’d drop them here before we leave”
“Actually sir..you need to fill them right away”
My dad shouted “its like you’re mad!! I’m here to see my son and you’re giving me paper!”
The young man went purple if that was possible. “Okay..please drop it here before you leave”
I could see my father’s voice had drawn the stares of most of the people in the waiting room. The nursing mothers had reduced drastically(it was already 6:30pm) and the late comers where the only ones not yet attended to so the baby crying was to a minimum.

“Incredible! How many stories is this place?” My father panted.
“Funny I think just three”
“So why is the stairs long like this?”
“I don’t just understand the design” going to the last floor, the stairs turned at least five times.
“I wonder how they did the decking” he wondered aloud as we walked down the corridor.

The doctor hadn’t given me any specific description and I noticed all the doors had some lettering on them. The least he should have done was tell me. Not like I even asked..
It took sometime and we had barged in on about three other patients while most of the doors where locked.
After apologising to a family member the first time,a doctor the second and retreating quietly outside the third when the patient was still sleeping. The next two doors were locked but the third was open when I poked my head in I knew it was Andy. I turned to my dad and nodded.
We both went in. There was no doctor there.
“Just imagine how easy it would have been if we had ulterior motives! Look how easy it would be for someone who wanted to kill him” (I thought of the pentothal with a shuder). It didn’t sound realistic..only Mr X knew of his where about but that was just a presumption, the truth was I didn’t know anything like trust again. Trust who? I didn’t even trust myself anymore because my previous decisions had proved very deadly on different occasions.
“Is it that bad…they would still trace him to the hospital?..who are this people?”
We got to the bed and watched him. He was asleep. I could see the EKG scanner and I could decipher his heart rate was normal..or close to normal. But he was still deep in sleep.
“When is he supposed to wake up?” My dad asked me
“I thought he’d be up by now..but I guess he’s still heavily sedated.”
“We need to find his doctor” he looked around “This room is actually big..where you the one that got it for him?”
“No…that was Fome’s father”
He looked at me.
“What of Fome? Your mother said you split up?”
“Yes.. We did….to be honest-” I was about to tell him she was dead when the door opened.
We both turned.
Nurse Ify came in..or rushed in however.
She almost didn’t see us and I could tell she was in some kind of a hurry.
She saw us finally and stepped on her brakes.
“Woa! What are you people doing here?..how did you get here?”
“Actually this is my brother that I donated blood for before- wait…what’s wrong with you?”
Her eyes were red and puffy like she had been crying.
“Nothing…nothing..please you need to wait outside. I would come and fetch you soon”
“Okay…” She didn’t look okay..she seemed ..unstable..jittery like she had been crying for hours.
“You work too much…your shift should have ended now…since last night! Haba..its too much”
She forced a smile “I’d be going off soon..please I’d call you..” She practically ushered us out.
“Friendly lady” my dad commented.
“Yes she is” I agreed, but I could sense something was not right.
“Funny..she asked me if I was Mr Rex in the morning”
I stopped. “When in the morning?”
“When she came to get us the second time”
Something was waltzing round my head…I tried to grasp it. “Wait..she called you Mr Rex..or Mr X?”
“What do you mean..?” He looked at me strangely in thought “funny but now that you mention it…I thought she made a mistake…”
I suddenly remembered something she had said when I was still on the bed..when she handed me the letter. Something like ‘I won’t say I didn’t read it but I remember he referred to one ‘patient’ as ‘shadow’ last night..which led to some disturbing questions…’ She had said something along those lines…what if it wasn’t mere curiosity?
“Rex..what’s happening..you are still spacing out aren’t you?!” My father jerked my arm impatiently.
I remembered something…back in the hospital, when the shadow had been fiddling with the remote looking device..I had first thought it was for the TV, but I became alarmed when I realized it controlled the lights but then the doctor (whom I had injected) came in with the security personnel and he had flipped the light on manually…
When Sule had died also…someone had also switched it on manually…what if the gadget didn’t trip the light off but rather someone did? Someone who worked hand in hand with the shadow?? Something was not adding up.
I looked back towards the room door, were we had just left, the door seemed to zoom in my eyes with revelation…
My legs began to move
“What is it again?” My dad asked frustrated.
I broke into a run “Andy..he’s in danger!”

I could hear my dad shuffle behind me, his feet sounded like the hooves of a hundred buffalos during a stampede. Somehow that was reassuring.

I barged into the door with force and I saw the nurse Ify, she stood over Andy and yes she did hold a syringe..I knew it was a potent one. Same one the shadow had operated with.
She looked at us and proceeded to plunge the needle into Andy’s neck.
“Wait-wait!wait!!” I shouted with my hands up.
My dad also made some kind of flinching noise.
She stopped at the last minute and looked up. Her eyes looked wild.
“Why do you you want to end his life?why?what harm did he ever do to you..look at him the shadow put him in that state..this innocent man…why do you want to kill him why?” If I say my voice sounded normal I’d be lying, my voice dripped every raw kind of emotion..anger, fear, frustration..(And there i say a bit high pitched and unmasculine) knowing that needle could go in any moment and i couldn’t stop it.
“He’s dead..he’s dead…”she cried out.
For a second I thought she was referring to Andy and every thing blanked. But then she burst into tears and a part of my brain recognised the beeping sounds from the monitor. Andy was still breathing.
I knew who she was talking about. “You need to take it easy..the shadow is dead but he chose that path..by killing people you don’t have to do the same.”
“I love him..and I just saw his dead body now in the morgue. She looked down at Andy “he’s responsible for it”
“Actually I killed him…I killed the shadow..if there’s anybody you should want to kill it should be me”
She looked at me and the eyes she had been controlling blazed over. “You…and I treated you…you…you-” she didn’t get to finish what she had been stammering because My father ‘Ally no joy’ twisted her hands suddenly making her shout in pain. He retrieved the needle and somehow pinned both hands behind her back with one hand while he held the needle with the other.
He moved like a ghost..I didn’t even see him pass.!
He looked at me “My God..are you acting a soap opera? You can see someone holding something like this standing over Andy and you’re trying to reason with them?”
Nurse Ify lifted both legs and swung backwards kicking my dad in the shins, but he just did something to her hands that made her shout and immediately go still.
“All this noise and not even one person to come and find out?” we looked towards the door expecting someonr to barge in but nothing.
He pushed/dragged the nurse towards the door. Nurse Ify was looking at me and she was bawling again.
“You…you killed him..you killed him..!”
My dad stopped beside me.
“What was his real name?” I asked her but she refused to answer, crying and going again with her “you killed him you killed him”
I held her chin firmly.”you’re the one that switched off the light for him aren’t you..Both times?”
She didn’t reply..just continued trembling but her eyes showed my suspicions had been correct.
I looked to my dad. “What do we do with her?”
He raised the sodium pentothal filled syringe (and for a second I feared the worst) but he said “well we have our evidence..let’s go turn her in!”
I nodded “Ally no joy..that was really-” but he was already shaking his head. “No..there is no Ally no joy anymore..’no joy’ would have melted her bones against the wall the moment he got to her..I guess my family changed me..I’m just Ally now” I didn’t know if he sounded sad or relieved.
He pushed Nurse Ify who had began spewing all manner of insults towards the door but I could see she didn’t try to resist anymore than that.
“You better wait behind” he suggested when we got to the door. I knew why and he was right the way crazy things were happening..we couldn’t afford to leave Andy for one minute..who knows if any other foe is moving about in a lab coat, or cleaners coveralls or as a patient?

So I stayed behind and studied Andy closely. No markings on his neck he was breathing fine and from the beeping sounds coming from the monitor, his heart rate was fine.
Phew! That was close…we can’t afford to leave Andy alone for a minute…strange things had happened in this hospital Even though I was usually in the heart of them.
My phone rang (it has a habit of doing that at the oddest times)
Wendy calling…who was Wendy…?
I moved far away from the monitors.
“Hello”
“Hello? You didn’t call again?”
“Wendy?” Which Wendy…
“Yes…I had to get your number from Aunt Jossy”
“Aunt Jossy” I remembered her now…the Wendy in my sister’s friend Jossy’s make up school…she had helped me with my old man disguise the other time…just this past week and it already felt like years ago!
“Wendy..I’ve just been really busy..my apologies to Jossy”
“No problem..She asked about the video tape”
“What video?…(i recovered in time… oh..that video..) “funny story…that day did not go according to plan…infact eh..she didn’t even turn up…” I suddenly had an idea..or what looked like one.
“Wendy..can we see tomorrow?…I’d like to give you another project.”
“Hmmm…the last one…you promised to play me the video of your proposal but you haven’t”
“Things didn’t go to plan joor..when we see we’ll talk well…would you be free tomorrow?”
“Hmm..okay..what do you have in mind?”
“I want to look as different as possible ..I mean my own parents shouldn’t he able to recognise me…surprise me!”
“Hmm..that smells like extra money o”
“No problem..but I want this one to be better than the last one..this one is more important”
“I’m guessing you don’t want aunt Jossy to know?”
“Exactly..one more thing..I might bring someone along for a little alteration too”
“Who is it..?”
“Its a lady”
“Fome?”
I heard noise outside the hospital door.
“Woa..Gwen we’d see tomorrow don’t finish my credit”
“But I was the one that called you!”
“Ehn..tomorrow..tomorrow” I ended the call as the door opened.
My dad entered the room followed with about 3 doctors and a security guard. And a plain clothes force man. I could tell the last was a force man by the camouflaged cap he had on.
“There he is..” My father was saying “helpless on the bed..”he pointed at me “this is my other son”
They all filed into the room. The doctors all wore long faces and they were quiet as they inspected Andy. They hardly gave me a glance.
“We have to sue..we just have to..” My dad was saying (only me knew he was just blowing steam)”you mean to tell me if we hadn’t entered here at the time..I would just come and you’d tell me the bleeding had killed him or something like that?”
“Please take it easy sir”

“Take what easy..this is how you people play with lives! So nonchalant! How can a nurse..nurse..plan to kill my son..how can?” (He joined his fingers at the tips and gestured to emphasize the word ‘nurse’)
I felt he was overdoing it a bit but it seemed to be working.
the doctors were very unsettled “Sir, that lady is clearly unbalanced..she must have managed to hold it together for so long..but she finally snapped today..”
Another added “look at all that gibberish she was speaking..about a shadow..what shadow? We believe the stress of the work has finally pushed her under”
“…just so unfortunate that she snapped with your son in the room” the first doctor continued like he hadn’t been interrupted.
“So what would be done to her now?” I asked
The military man replied. “She’d be handed to the police. Immediately”
The third doctor who had been observing the monitor screens added “its just unfortunate but someone here seems to be leaking cases to the papers..expect to see some journalists by tomorrow..this kind of news is juicy for their crime section” he spat the words out in contempt and I had the impression he had a personal vendetta against journalists.
“So you see the kind of negative publicity you are exposing my family too!” My dad fired again.
I shook my head in wonder. Ally truly had no joy. The doctors were visibly shaken but he refused to give them a break. The threat of lawsuit had really disorganised them further.

The military man walked round the room. “You’re his brother?”
“Yes I am”
“Do you know that nurse personally?”
“Not at all..I only met her when I donated blood earlier”
My dad had come to stand beside me.
“You work here sir?” I asked him.
“For where? I’m a patient here”
“A patient?” I was surprised
“I happened to see your dad taking the other doctor away and he explained to me she had attempted to murder”
“Then you should be resting sir” maybe I was truly concerned or maybe I just wasn’t comfortable with the fact that he was a force man, I had a feeling it was the latter.
We all fell quiet as we gazed down at Andy.
“You really should be resting sir” my dad said after some time.
He smiled “I’m doing my job..in sickness and health besides I’m tired of staring at the ceiling all day.”
I decided whatever his ailment it wasn’t serious or life threatening, he still looked fit although he was elderly.
We all lapsed into silence once more staring at Andy and I wondered what everyone was thinking even the trio of doctors who stood hurdled to the side were also quiet.
“Well…we thank God your son is all right.”
“We thank God o” my dad chorused.
“I believe you’re going to press charges right?”
He looked from me to my dad..to and fro
“Definitely” we chorused.
“Okay..I better go and check on the suspect maybe the police have come to take her”
“Wait..where’s she?”
He looked at me “she’s handcuffed in one of the private wards downstairs till the police arrive” he looked at his watch “that should be soon”
He turned away and only then did I notice the slight limp he moved with.
He said something to the doctors and headed for the door they turned and followed him after glancing apologetically at us. The guard who had been quiet all through the ordeal followed them out without a word( he was probably still in mourning of his two buddies)

“Where did you leave the nurse?” I asked my dad
“She’s handcuffed to a burglary in a room..I think it was the soldier’s room”
“I have some questions for her..what room was it?”
“Hmmm…you and your questions I hope they lead to the cure of AIDS..the number of the room…I can’t recall all but it ends with 26”
“You’d watch over Andy?”
“Yes..I meant what I said..it would be foolishness to leave him here unwatched”
Satisfied I headed for the door.
Outside I met the doctors..talking(they never got tired?) But they were two..I walked towards the stairs and saw the third carrying two comfortable looking chairs. He was assisted by the young nurse from downstairs and it seems the weight was almost too much for them to handle.

Downstairs I thought I saw the young doctor I had assaulted but I wasn’t sure. We passed each other but he had his head buried in some sort of clipboard.
I was thinking of how to locate the room ending with ’26’ when the security guard who had come upstairs a short while ago ran past.
I wondered what he was running from as nothing/no one chased him apart from the stares of the few disgruntled mothers who were tired of waiting for the immunization shots for their crying children.
I must have been walking in the right direction because I suddenly saw the force man coming my way. I started to ask him where the room was, but I noticed he was walking with a spring in his step…not a limp.
“What’s going on?”
“The nurse..she..she escaped!”

°•°•°••°•°
“What do you mean she escaped?!” My dad shouted into the phone
“I’m just hearing it from the force man..he went back down and she was gone”
“How is that possible..he chained her! I saw it myself!”
“Apparently the guard they put to watch over her had been…should I say enticed..”
“Seduced” the soldier supplied beside me
“Seduced..somehow she managed to let him get close enough..”
I caught sight of something and bent down. About 3 buttons..all popped(judging by the whiteness and round shape)from the nurses jacket.
“He was seduced all right..” I nudged the fool with my foot. He was still out cold on the floor. I wondered what she had done to him. But he was far gone. Knocked out cole! I nudged him in annoyance not too gently and he rolled over “The bastard still has an erection!”
“What?! Who? .how could she get out of the handcuffs?” My dad asked over the line.
“I seriously don’t know how..but I can still see it attached to the burglary…how is the room there..hope no sign of her?”
“No sign at all..it would be a big mistake for her and she knows it too”
“This is bad..she could be anywhere right now..maybe still in this hospital”
“We’d find her” the soldier said reassuringly “if she’s here we would find her”
I nodded. “Its just a good thing she doesn’t have any of our details because she sure hates me now”
“Uh-oh” once my dad made the noise I knew there was a problem.
“Dad..Ally…what is it?”
“She had me fill some forms just before she told us you were awake in the morning…”
“Heey my God not again..” I was getting tired of all this.
When she had gone to call them, she had already read the note from doctor Rasheed and known about the shadow’s death..that was when she had called my dad “Mr X?” I wondered what shadow had told her about the elusive Mr X that would make her connect him to me to even think my father could be him.
“We were in a hurry so in the box for address..I filled in our current address”
“You mean my house” that was fine..I had no plan to go back there.
“No..not your real house…the house we just left”
For a minute I thought he was going to tell me it was our hotel’s address which couldn’t be possible considering we only got the place hours ago…I. blinked into the receiver “which address…Ariyo’s own? The one we left today?”
“Yes..that one”
“How do you know the address..me myself I don’t know it!”
“Remember when I left? I checked out the address because I knew I was going to come back”
“Okay..let’s not conclude..its possible she might have actually done it for official purposes”
“I don’t think so”he sounded worried
“Me neither” I was beginning to worry.
“Lemme call you back” I cut the call.
“Sir..I need your help..we need to check the hospital card that was registered today…”
He didn’t require any explanation he led the way walking hurriedly and I followed behind.

15 minutes later.
“Well I can categorically tell you that your file isn’t here” the young male nurse dumped the last folder on the floor. We were in some kind of store. The folders I could see stacked on shelf after shelf had to be thousands.
“What of all these other boxes?”
“Any new file goes in either of these two boxes..I’ve gone as far as to check up to last month…its not here or if it was..its gone” he was tired and sweating. The store was really packed full and hot.
What kind of problem was this. I wanted to hope that Ariyo and Gwen didn’t meet tonight after all or that if truly nurse Ify got there, she would leave when she didn’t see me or my dad. But I was getting worried as I dialed the number that had called me in the morning, Gwen.
The phone rang and rang. No answer.
I was calling the second time when she picked up in mid ring.
“Hello”
“Hello Gwen..are you at the house?”
“What do you want again…” She hissed into the phone. I could hear a soft music playing in the background.
“I have reason to believe you and Ariyo are in grave danger in that house..you need to leave”
“Are you high..just look at the state the house was in..Obasi warn yourself o!”
I heard Ariyo’s voice on the line (I’d know that cricket voice anywhere)
“Who’s on the line dear”
She cut the call.

Damn! I faced a mental tug if war..what do I do..I had warned them! nothing more I could do…but I had put them in this situation..
I’m sure nothing would happen..nurse Ify wouldn’t harm Ariyo or Gwen…but what if she did..all because Gwen had helped me out?
I shook my head.
The force man had been observing the handcuffs closely.
“I think she picked the locks..with a pin or something..wherever she is she’s extremely dangerous…you add a grieving woman plus revenge and you won’t like the answer..but when you multiply the grief with crazy…” His voice trailed off and he shook his head.
This was the last thing I needed to hear. I hurried out of the room”I need to go somewhere”
He hurried after me, catching the door on its rebound “I’d go with you”
He matched my pace and I looked at him “I thought you’re sick?”

“Not sick enough” he replied and as if to prove the point, he held the door open for me.
My phone had been ringing. My dad calling, I picked it outside.
“Hello..any news?”
“Its possible she’s headed to the house..but its also possible she’s lurking around”
“I’m vigilant on this end, if I should see her, there would be no Joy. Although I have a feeling she’s heading for the house”
I opened the car, turning the key twice to unlock the door for my newest partner.
“I’m heading there now”
“Are you with the captain? Be careful boy!”
I assured him I would.

I backed out of the hospital then tried calling Gwen again. She busied the call twice and the third time it was switched off.
“You know where she’s going?”
“I have a very good idea..she’s after my hide right now and anything she sees is fair game to her, she thinks she has my address”
I didn’t even want to picture the nurse barging into Gwen and Ariyo but I could picture it clearly, Gwen would be screaming to the side covering her eyes qnd shaking while nurse Ify advanced on a terrified Ariyo shouting “Mr X? Mr X?” before administering the lethal pentothal shot to his scrotüm.
I winced and shook my head. These were not thoughts to be had when one was driving…I applied pressure on the accelerator, speeding up.
I told myself the sturdy gate would be locked anyway. The gate should be locked wouldn’t it? It was solid and Nurse Ify wouldn’t be able to do anything but bang the gate and shout/cry
“How far is this place?”
“If the roads are clear, it should be about 45 minutes”
“If the roads clare clear, make it 20, she had a couple of minutes on us so we need every advantage we can get”
“What’s her means of getting there?” I asked “…heading to Festac from Apapa with her rage boiling…would she enter a bus? then sit comfortably and pay the conductor calmly in the kind of state she’s in?”
I don’t know where the reasoning came from, but I got the captain thinking “you know what you might have a point…the kind of revenge boiling in her now is too hot, it needs an outlet..but still she didn’t get this far career wise and not learn how to be calculating. Its highly possible she’s headed for the house”
I was convinced..or partially. I still had this nagging in my brain. The way she had cursed and snarled when my dad had pinned her…I didn’t really see self control there.
“But even though she’s calculating…you didn’t see her when we did,she didn’t look so composed then .she needs an outlet like you said and the chance was taken away from her..”
“So what are you saying? She’s still at the hospital?”
“No I’m sure she’s not”
“So..”
The nagging in my brain was of a different kind. And if it were paranoia, I had every right to be paranoid.
We didn’t speak for some minutes, apart from light traffic here and there the road was free.
The feeling got too strong I couldn’t hold it. I got out my phone and dialled her number.
“Hello Rex”
“Mum..what’s happening? How’re you?”
“We’re fine..how is Andy?”
“He’s fine..where are you…what of Olivia?”
“She’s here.. We’ve been in the room all along, and we slept off your call just woke me”.
“Okay..the door is locked right?”
“Yes..what’s wrong?”
“No I’m just being cautious.” My phone beeped “I have another call..I’d call you back”

“Hello..any news?”
It was my dad.
“No nothing yet..we’re still on the way”
“Okay….”
“What’s wrong?”
My Wallet..could you check the car if its there?”
“OK..when I get down” but I could sense something else in his silence “what’s wrong?”
“I think I had it with me..I had it with me when we got into this hospital?”
So why did he call me to check the car? I almost asked him this but I got the underlying message. One his ego couldn’t allow him voice out outrightly.
“Wait..is it possible she swiped it?”
“She would have to be very good..because I held her hands pretty tight” but I could sense the doubt and fear.
I got worried. “Wait…what’s inside your wallet. driver’s license and what?”
“Most address there is in Benue state. But..”
“But..?” I prodded. I was focused on the road but I could feel the captain watching eagerly trying to grasp the conversation, my heart was hammering.
“The receipt from the hotel..I had folded it into my wallet”
Kill me now!
The address of the hotel…even to the room number was in it.
If the nurse had swiped it then that seemed like a more likely option.
I almost hit the brakes suddenly. But the headlights in the rear view mirror advised me to trafficate and move to the side of the road.
My dad was saying. “I need to hurry to the hotel..I need to!”
“I’m closer…I’d head there myself .please stay with Andy..for all we know she could be hiding anywhere in that hospital its too big”
I ended the call and made an illegal turn.
There were three options now. The nurse could either be heading to Ariyo’s place, the hotel or still be in the hospital waiting for another chance to strike. But the fact that she had swiped the wallet containing the hotel’s address minutes before escaping made it one of my utmost priority….what was I saying…the fact that my MOTHER and OLIVIA were in the hotel alone made it my number 1 priority.
The captain had been quiet..I didn’t really know how much he had heard from the one sided conversation but after sometime he said “its okay..we’ll get there in time”
I remained quiet, zipping through traffic way above the speed limit. I closed my mind from every other thought and only concentrated on overtaking the next bus,car or truck as I got closer to the hotel.

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