Delayed Diagnosis Episode 29

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 29
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

The venue of the interview was at an events hall. As I pulled into the parking lot, I had a feeling of déjà vu and could remember coming here for a wedding reception sometime in the past.
“It makes perfect sense..they use places like these for their so called interviews..how can anything be tracked back to them?” Olivia asked. Her voice was somehow…it wasn’t full of confidence like earlier and I couldn’t blame her.
I held her hands “Olivia.. Listen its not too late..we can drive away now..we don’t need to go through with this”
But she shook her head like I knew she would “no..I’m ready let’s do this”
Over the earphone strange eyes said “the funny thing is the official address for the initiative is the boutique owned by the Chief’s wife..just imagine”
Tonye added “how does the place look?”
Me: “we’re still at the parking lot…but there are a lot of cars here”
“Okay…we’re with you don’t forget” strange eyes reminded us.

I could see women, both young and old…all widows no doubt heading towards the entrance, some lingered outside to speak to each other. I could count the number of men I saw, it seems most women had come alone or with another woman, probably a friend or sister.
I was overcome with a sudden urge to shout at the top of my voice and warn them all of the impending doom they were unknowingly stepping into but I struggled for control, that would be a big error because no one would be saved that way, they would probably look at me like a senile old man. So instead I played the part of an elderly man wheeling his sister towards the interview like everyone else.

The entrance was decorated with banners of the initiative and their various sponsors.
When I saw the banner with the heading: Sunrise Steel proud sponsor, my blood went cold…I knew the affiliation between sunrise and sunset, one was the sponsor…but the other dealt with the widows being sponsored..dealt them a very harsh card….I shook my head and gritted my teeth….no way..I was going to change and stop that somehow, I had to.
“This way please…whats your registration number sir?” A young man in a ‘widows initiative’ polo shirt asked
“Number 60” I responded with a croaky voice.
“Okay..welcome sir..good luck with the interview” he handed me a tag with the number 60, but when I proceeded to pocket it, he said “no…actually sir..she’s meant to clip it on her shirt…somewhere visible”
So I helped Olivia clip the tag to the lapel of her blouse as I did so I couldn’t help wondering if the young man knew about the trafficking scheme…probably not..but one couldn’t be too sure.

•°•°••°•°•°°•

The hall was set up with chairs, neatly arranged and there was a low murmur of voices as the potential ‘trafickees’ talked within themselves, probably sharing life stories.
I wheeled Olivia and settled beside her in a comfortable foam chair.
“Are you in yet? How does the place look?” Strange eyes asked me over the headphone
“There are lots of women here…about 200 if I should guess”
He whistled and the shrill sound from the earphone made Olivia and I jerk.
As if he knew he apologised immediately “sorry…sorry about that…have you seen the target yet?”
The ‘target’ in question was the lawyer: Mr Bright.
I answered..trying to limit the movement of my lips as much as possible “no…nothing yet..its just us for now in the hall”

“Excuse me..good morning ma”
A young woman seated next to Olivia spoke up
“Good morning dear” Olivia responded
“You’re a widow?” The woman asked
“Yes I am..how about you?”
The lady nodded sadly “my husband was killed…poisoned by his own brother…and everything he worked for was snatched by his brothers…so here I am…just thank God for this initiative…I don’t know how else I can take care of the four children I have left”
Olivia shook her head “that’s so bad..are you here alone?”
“No, I’m here with my eldest daughter..she should be here somewhere” she looked round the hall but didn’t see her.
“What’s your name ma?” The woman asked Olivia “you sound so young”
“I’m Olivia…thank you..and you?”
“I’m Lola” the woman replied
“What of your husband..what happened?”
I didn’t think Olivia would be comfortable talking about her dead husband but she surprised me
“He died in an accident…we were in the car together when a trailer ran into us..that was how I sustained this injury”
The woman made cooing noises and my mind drifted from their conversation although I could hear Olivia clearly through the ear phone.
I looked around at the faces of strange women I hoped to save and I was lost in thought when strange eye’s voice jerked me back.
“Rex…are you there..what do you see?”
Before I could answer him a young man came on stage. He held a microphone and he tapped it, resulting in a high pitched sound that immediately ushered decorum in the hall.
“Good morning beautiful women and gentlemen, we’re here because you all meet the requirement for the initiative and at the end of the day I hope each of you would leave here with a big smile and a big check”

“Who’s that…who’s speaking?” Strange eyes asked eagerly over the phone
“Maybe you should have arranged for the camera bow tie like I requested, but you laughed it off…and now you’re the one disturbing me” I replied him and a woman to my left looked at me strangely. I gave her a mean old smile and she looked away hurriedly.
The man on the podium continued “now…you all know why we’re here…and the procedure of the interview..but what you don’t know is the history behind the initiative…how did this noble organisation come into being?”

For the next 10 minutes, the man droned on like a machine, with a history no doubt as fake as his accent about how the initiative came to be, about how the founder, one Mrs Rosalyn Benita had been raised up by a widow and had promised to grow up and render help to all widows like her mother, to benefit children like she and provide for them in ways she never had.

I actually spaced out while the man rambled on, as I tried to take in every face in the hall, but then everyone broke into a round of applause suddenly and I was brought back to reality as the Chief’s wife herself, the honourable Mrs Benita took the stage.
She looked every bit like the last time I had seen her, still like a queen but the only difference was the iciness was replaced with some kind of warmth, although I knew it was probably fake, still she did a good job. She was dressed in some kind of suit and I must say she did look very elegant.
she took the mike gracefully and introduced herself to the crowd as a ‘sister,daughter and mother’ of all widows. She spent some few minutes talking about her past and how life had been without a father…for a minute I started to believe it…why not? It was actually possible her mother had been a widow and she had been brought up by a single parent and grew up with a noble and beautiful dream, but somewhere along the line the chief changed her values and added the extra branch consisting of the sunset shadows…I shook the thoughts out of my head.
“…..so my friends and sisters please the interview is a very important aspect because it may sound crazy but believe me there have been some scam cases where women pretend to be widows all for the sole purpose of benefiting from the initiative”
The crowd gasped and she went on “yes…my friends..it is hard to believe but it is very true…so you must bear with the excos and try to answer all questions you would be asked…no matter how it may seem”
She then proceeded to give the format of the interview.
Apparently, the excos would be seated at a table and each women moved from one to the other, that way the initiative moved swiftly and everyone was attended to in no time.
She urged family and friends to be patient and wait in the main hall or in the car park outside.
She rounded up by saying a very delicious lunch was waiting for everyone immediately after the interview.

Olivia looked at me and I looked at her. She would be going alone for the interview….I had thought it would be the both of us, but this new piece of information shook me badly..I told myself it didn’t matter but it did…I didn’t want her out of my sight and I could see something that resembled fear creep into her eyes.

Mrs Benita ended her speech by declaring the interview ‘officially open’ and she disappeared into a doorway that only seemed to appear now.
The young man took the mike immediately and announced for widows within the tag range 1-20 to please move to the next hall.
There was a shuffle as the widows all complied.
We stared at each other I held her hands trying to reassure her but it seems I was the one who needed it.
I was about to tell her I wasn’t comfortable with the interview after all, we had to leave we could think of something else..there would be another way to take down the initiative without having to risk any of our lives. Strange eyes voice burst through the earphone just as I opened my mouth.
“Okay…Rex…the important part of the plan has to be now…you need to go to the parking lot and locate a Toyota Venza jeep, colour grey with plate number Fst-654q21”
I was silent.
“Rex…can you hear me…this was your plan..you better not develop cold feet!”
“I know…but I can’t leave Olivia alone now…not yet”
“Believe me Rex…now is the time…you heard the announcement…you wouldn’t be allowed into the interview anyway…you need to do this like we planned now!”
I still hesitated. Olivia squeezed my hand “Rex…it would be fine..go”
“Rex…you saw the report…nothing have ever happened to any widow at the venue of the interview..that is where they are most safe…don’t let this opportunity pass by!”

I finally let go of Olivia’s hand and I wobbled outside, taking my time. People greeted me showing respect to who they perceived as a very elderly man. I waved in reply but didn’t speak. My eyes were travelling everywhere…resting on everything at once.
Once I was outside, I quickened my pace. The parking lot was still quite filled up, people were talking, taking pictures, there were snack sellers, ice cream sellers and even photographers. They all whistled at me sensing a potential customer but I frowned and awarded them with the mean old smile I had come to master in a short while.

It wasn’t easy spotting the vehicle. Strange eyes kept on repeating the description for me, and I took my time walking round, checking out each car that remotely resembled the colour.
The sun was out already and I used my hand to shield my eyes as I looked around. Thankfully, no one really spared me a glance. Finally I saw the jeep. It was parked to one side, away from the rest beside a car I had come to know very well. The Mercedes convertible…Ada’s ride. I looked around and wondered if she was also in this place…as a matter of fact I had first seen the Mercedes and was admiring and wondering (and remembering)before I noticed the jeep beside it was indeed a venza and the plate number matched the one strange eyes was constantly repeating in my ear.
I took my time, not rushing, walking slowly then stopping every now and then for the benefit of anyone watching me.
I was beside the jeep now, in between the Jeep and the Mercedes and I made a show of checking my reflection in the window but then I thought it would look like I was peering into the car and so I hurried quickly to the back of the car and located the exhaust pipe.
Strange eyes was busy asking “are you there yet? Are you there yet?” But I ignored him.
I brought out the rolled up muffler from my wide pants pocket. I looked around nonchalantly and in the blink of an eye I squatted down with much youthful vigor and stuffed the muffler into the exhaust pipe, successfully blocking the silencer.

For an Engine to Run, both Air Filter and Exhaust must be Ventilated! If not, it might not stop immediately but after running a few minutes, The Exhaust fills up and stops the Engine from running then on!
This was what I was hoping for…and I hoped I had stuffed the exhaust properly…it would be the worst luck if the lawyer drove his car home today without experiencing any car trouble on the road.
I turned to leave and I was about to assure strange eyes the deed was done, but then I asked myself “did I stuff it well? What if I had left a little space?”
I looked around again and bent down and re stuffed the scarf. I was sure it was okay now…I was 100% sure that-
“Excuse me…can I help you?” I jerked and almost hit my head on the bumper as I struggled to my feet. I don’t know where the man had come from..he had on the initiative polo shirt, so he was a worker.
“Excuse me?” I asked him as if I had trouble hearing but my mind was racing…searching for an excuse…
“Is there any problem?”
“Don’t panic…don’t panic…” Strange eyes was saying in the earphone and suddenly I didn’t see any reason to panic…I had faced what this young man couldn’t stand and here I was..so he wasn’t half the man to make me panic….not anymore.
I cleared my throat like a very old man…”yes problem…very big problem..my sister…I can’t see her…I leave her in that building” I pointed towards the hall. “But I can’t see her again…I don’t know where she’s hiding…I don’t know…”
The man couldn’t believe what he was hearing “so you’re checking under the car?” He sounded incredulous!
“Ah…yes o…yes…she used to do it every time..one time she hide under Pa Gregory car and I didn’t see her..but I need to see her now…mummy said its time for dinner!”
It took all my willpower to keep a straight face as the man’s eyes grew wider…tgey almost bulged out of his face…he was sure he was talking to a nut job! This man had gotten so old that his brain must have expired! Must have been his very thought.
He put a hand on my shoulder. “Its okay sir..lemme lead you to your sister” I could just hear him say ‘poor old man’ in his mind and I was laughing in mine.
He led me back towards the entrance and was probably about to take me somewhere else before I shouted: “look at her…see my sister! She wasn’t hiding..she was here all along!”
He still seemed bent on leading me wherever but I showed him the old man’s bones weren’t totally dried up yet, by shrugging out of his old easily and hurrying to Olivia’s side.

“Is it done?” She asked me.
“Yes..yes…check the entrance is any young man coming this way?”
She looked over my shoulder “no…but he’s looking at us..” She waved cheerfully “okay…he’s gone now…” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why was he looking at us like two crazy people?” She asked me
“That’s because Rex is a fucking genius!…that was a very nice one mate! I was very impressed!” Strange eyes replied.
“Is this how you’re going to be interrupting us anyhow?” I asked him trying to steady my pulse.
“Don’t mind his manners” Tonye replied from the earphone.
I was about to say the same goes for her too but then the announcer came back on the stage.
“Okay…ladies…wonderful ladies…please..from tag numbers 40-60…let’s move to the interview hall!”

I wheeled Olivia slowly after the women, the other lady who gave her nane as ‘Lola’ must have fallen within the previous number when I was outside, probably 20-40..my heart was hammering….I could almost hear it…if I listened closely.
I handed her the pen.
“It may come in handy…who knows?…one click it starts…don’t bother to stop it…don’t forget I’m with you all the way”
She nodded and I continued wheeling her in silence.
I was beginning to think there might be an exception in our case and I might be allowed into the interview so I could continue Wheeling her from table to table but just as I nursed the thought, an usher in an initiative shirt emerged from nowhere to take the reigns. My hands seemed glued to the handles and he offered me a reassuring smile as he pried my fingers loose.

°•°•°•°•°•
I settled on the very first seat in the hall and put my head in my hands…one might think I was sleeping, but I was focused intently on the voices coming through the earphone.

A kind of peculiar noise that had to be the wheels of the chair turning(the signal sas indeed very sharp)and then,
welcome to the interview for the widows initiative batch D-6001-17…I’m simply Uduak by name..but you can call me ‘big mommy’

I had been listening closely and trying to decipher the number 6001-17..17 should mean the year 2017…but what about 6,001? Could it be the number of the widows so fat that have been trafficked out and was in the process of being trafficked out?..these were my thoughts until I heard the voice introduce herself as ‘big mummy’ the woman from my dream…the Chief’s alleged mother and the person in charge of selecting the widows that got trafficked out….my throat went dry immediately.
Oh boy….
I absently drew the sign of the cross and focused on listening to every sound coming from the earphone.”

“What’s your date of birth madam?
How long have you been a widow?
How were you widowed?
Just answer everything as provided”

Big mummy fired these questions and I waited to hear Olivia’s reply but I didn’t hear anything.
“What’s happening?” I asked, not really expecting her to answer.
“I think the interview is a written one…” Strange eyes replied.
“But how come we never heard of it being written before?”
“That’s what surprises me…I think its something they just started now”
I didn’t like what I was hearing at all…not one bit, and I was about to say something to that effect before big mummy spoke up again.
“So, Miss Olivia…no children…car accident…hmmmm…(the way she spoke, I could tell she was reading off something) well I’m supposed to tell you to keep your fingers crossed but I can assure you that you have been selected…(in a lower voice) congratulations…now please move on to the next exco”
The same peculiar sound again that had to be the wheels turning, but I wasn’t really focusing…I was stuck on what the woman had said, “you have been selected” selected for what? The initiative..the helpful part or the human trafficking part?

“Rex…are you there?” Olivia asked me over the earphone jerking me back to reality.
“Yes yes..I’m here..you’re doing good”

At another table now.
“Welcome to the initiative..I’m Annette..Sofia Annette and I handle all social related events of the initiative..
How did you learn about the initiative?”
“A friend of mine told me about it, after we buried my late husband”
“I’m so sorry about that..may his soul rest in peace”
“Amen” Olivia replied.
This Sofia of a person seemed very jovial and for the next few minutes she talked about the initiative and how it was important to maintain a tight lid on the operations.
“We have a verified social media account and I try to keep everything to a minimum because we have had a lot of cases of bad publicity…in a situation where a widow is rejected..they always try to tarnish the image of the initiative”
“I understand..” Olivia replied. I was glad to hear her voice was stable now and not as uncertain or shaky as it had been before.
She surprised me by asking. “The widows that get rejected…why? What is the criteria?”
Over the headphone I could sense the socials Exco was surprised. She cleared her throat before replying “well…the priority of the initiative is to help women who have absolutely no where to go..so we have a grading system..the grade 1 basically is widows who have children but don’t have any one at all…no brothers or sisters or parents to assist them. Grade 2 is for widows without kids and also without anyone at all to render assistance..Grade 3 is for widows who have family members and kids…we have grades 4,5 and 6 you understand?”
Olivia must have nodded because she continued.
“So basically our focus is always on Grade 1 and 2..every other Grade is always on another waiting list, so if a widow gets rejected..she might still be recalled later on depending on the traffic of the 1st and 2nd grade”
(I wondered if there was pun intended with her use of the word ‘traffic’)

This was followed by few seconds of silence before she said. “Okay..I would like your social media accounts so we can follow you..the initiative always keeps a good relationship with its members..especially over the internet”
I knew the main reason was to monitor the accounts of the women and to make sure they didn’t draw unecessary online attention to the initiative.

Half a dozen years of bank job under my belt and I could recognise the tapping of keyboard keys anywhere. Even over the earphone. I heard it now and wondered what they were doing.
“She must be adding her up” strange eyes answered my unspoken question.

Over the earphone Sofia said “awwww your profile picture is so cute..and very young…you look soo young here” she sounded baffled.
Olivia(bless her) was quick on her feet. “That’s my daughter…I had her when I was quite young”
Sofia: with a frown(I could hear it in her voice) “but you didn’t specify that you had a daughter when you registered to the portal”
Olivia: “I know…I had her out of wedlock…I hope it won’t spoil my chances or disqualify me?”
Sofia: “I don’t think so..I’d just add it to my report”

The sound of rotating tires again, the chair was in motion …for a longer period this time around, the next exco must have been at the end of the hall.
This time a deep male voice I knew had to be the lawyer.
“Good day madam..welcome..I’m Bright…Bright Edidion I handle all legal activities for the initiative and I have a questionnaire for you to fill up”
The opening of a zip, then shuffling of papers.
“Do you have a written will? Next of kin? Any assets…please identify in the spaces provided”

Strange eyes chipped in: “Olivia try your best to observe this lawyer man as much as possible…anything peculiar about him…anything at all you notice would be helpful”
“But don’t let him suspect anything…just be natural” I added.
Of course she couldn’t reply us but I knew she had heard us.
For the next few minutes there was no sound, just the scribbling of pen on paper and then.
“Okay…that should be all…wait you mean you don’t have any lawyer?” Bright asked
“No..not really…apart from the estate agent that helped me and my late husband find a place…should I include him?” She asked innocently.
Mr Bright laughed “no need…a lawyer that does nor litigate…is that one a lawyer? All these men that have never seen the inside of a courtroom but still claim our profession”
She humored him with a laugh
“What a bastard” strange eyes muttered over the earphone. I wasn’t really sure, the man seemed nice but his next statement would make me agree totally with strange eyes.
“So…it says on your bio that you’re 56..you’re still a very beautiful lady…you must have been a looker in your time”
Olivia made a noncommittal sound and he fired on. “What do you say I give you a call later on and help you with some real lawyer stuffs?”

“What a bastard!” I muttered.
“That’s better…if he loves females so much the easier for our plan” strange eyes said.
I had forgotten agent Tonye was connected till she added “leave him to me…I’d grind his balls to sawdust”

“Thanks…but I’m still mourning the death of my husband..and I’m older than you” Olivia replied
“I understand..but if you need a shoulder to cry on…mine is very broad”
I could bet all the dollars in the briefcase that he winked at her when he said that and I gritted my teeth.

The chair was in motion again and this time I heard the Chief’s wife’s voice. Mrs Benita.
” ma..you broke your leg…what happened now?”
“It was a car accident…I lost my husband in the accident but somehow I survived with just the broken leg”
“Eeyah….accept my sympathy..I understand how you feel..I’m also a widow..at first it would seem like the world is about to end..but life goes on and with time it would get better”
I shook my head…she…a widow??
“This woman can lie for planet Earth!” Strange eyes exclaimed over the ear phone.
I shushed him “shhh…don’t distract Olivia please”

Mrs Benita didn’t really ask any questions, rather they talked about life as a widow, where Olivia lived, how she was able to carry her duties every morning…if she felt suicidal, what business she was into..they talked for some minutes and I was already losing interest but then she said “who did you come here with?”
“My elder brother came with me” Olivia replied
“Okay..that’s nice…I’d like to meet him during the luncheon”
“No problem..I’m sure he would like that” she replied without missing a beat.

Olivia was through with the interview and the widows trooping in for theirs were at number 140-160. If I could guess I’d say there were 200 women in all, so the interview was almost done.

None of the women had returned from the interview and I would have killed myself with worry but thank God for the earphones. I could hear Olivia talking to about two widows, the lady who had introduced herself before as Lola and another woman who had quite a deep baritone voice that itched my ear every time she spoke. They were all talking about the interview and they all had one thing in common: the lawyer had hit on each of them!

I could smell something wonderful, probably coming from upstairs and I noticed a catering team moving about, carrying stainless trays and spoons from a van outside and up the stairs at the entrance of the hall.
“What’s happening now Rex?” Strange eyes asked.
“The interview is winding down..they’re preparing for the luncheon..can’t you smell it?”
He sighed. “Mr sharp mouth…that reminds me, the breakfast we had have expired since..I need to get something to eat…I’d be right back”

By 3pm the interview was done, and the same young man who I considered the m.c of the occasion returned to the stage to announce that the women were upstairs, helping themselves to a wonderful meal and we were all invited to join them.
Both men and women who had been in the hall and had been quiet and gentle, murmuring within themselves all sprang to their feet. It seems I wasn’t the only one who had been perceiving the wonderful aroma from above.
We all tried to maintain order as we filed up the stairs and if anyone noticed how an old man likely in his seventies jumped stairs two at a time, I didn’t care. I needed to be with Olivia and I didn’t plan to leave her side again.

When strange eyes had said ‘I’d be with you every step of the way’ he had really meant it.
Presently he kept asking me how the food looked like, what the food was and how it tasted like.
The setup was mouth watering, there was fruits, native and continental dishes, drinks all spread out on countless tables and the m.o was serve yourself.
Mrs Benita said a short general prayer and the feeding commenced.
Soft opera music played from overhead speakers and was a nice soft background to the contented chatter of the widows and their partners as they all went about their business.
It took me some minutes but I noticed the lawyer. He was talking to a pretty woman who was no doubt a widow and I just had the feeling he was making some kind of promise that the initiative was going to accept her…the kind of promise that came with a condition.
I was beginning to dislike the man more and more.
“Rex…are you there?” Strange eyes interrupted my thoughts again
“What is it?”
“I said what are you eating?”
I didn’t answer. I had located Olivia and I quickly hurried to her side and took the handle from the hands of the young usher who had taken them downstairs.
“How are you?” I asked her.
“I’m..fine…it went well I think..I don’t think I would be selected..because of that picture incident”
“It doesn’t matter…that would be for the best”
“She said she wanted to meet you
..the founder”
“Yes I heard her…let’s get something to eat first”
“So Olivia what are you planning to eat?” Strange eyes turned his attention to her.
She just laughed “I don’t know..something light…I’m not really hungry”
“Well there’s a lot to choose from” I added.

She settled on grilled fish with salad and a cup of juice. She waited for me at the table we had chosen while I really took my time and served myself. I really needed my energy and only God knows when next I would be chanced to eat again..so I didn’t hold back.
Finally I settled beside her with the mountain in front of me and was just about to start levelling it when she nudged me.
“The founder…I think she’s coming this way”
True enough Mrs Benita was making her way to our table. She had a disposable plate in her hands and when she settled down across from me, I saw it was fruit salad she was eating.
“Good afternoon Sir” she greeted me with no sign of recognition.
I wondered about this her new humble attitude…the first and last time I had met her in her boutique she had been a classic peacock then,proud and so sure of herself.
I tried my hoarse old man voice. “Afternoon….I’m glad to finally meet you in person”
“Me too…I met your sister earlier…she’s a wonderful person”
I nodded and stuffed my mouth…I couldn’t talk when food was in my mouth.
“How did you come…would you need a lift..I can arrange for my driver to take you”
“Actually Timothy drove” Olivia told her. She must have made the name up on the spot…and so Timothy it was!
“How do you cope with Lagos drivers? They’re very rough I tell you”
“What does this bitch want?” Strange eyes asked irritatedly and I almost choked on my food.
“Sorry…have some more water” she urged when I disguised it with a cough.
I gulped water then decided to be straight forward.
“My dear…” I sounded old and wise “I hope there is no problem?”
“No there isn’t…lemme let you get back to your food…” She looked at Olivia “expect to receive a mail of acceptance in the next few days…I don’t know but something just draws me to you…you remind me of my mother…” She looked at me thoughtfully and for a minute my heart hammered “and you sir..your eyes…something familiar about them…” She continued looking at me as if deep in thought but then there was a loud popping sound from across the hall. It was the lawyer, he had just popped the cork of a champagne bottle and was currently pouring the contents into a glass.
Mrs Benita shook her head then stood up..”please enjoy your meal…don’t forget to try our new drink..its from one of our major sponsors and he’s putting it into the market very soon” (ammunition was no longer exclusively whiskey, but now champagne also)
I nodded, not trusting my self to speak..she had looked like she almost recognized me for a minute.
We watched her walk away in silence.
“She doesn’t seem so bad” Olivia commented
“That’s because she’s a terrific actor” strange eyes replied.
I nodded, but my eyes were still on the lawyer. It seemed things were moving smoothly between him and the widow….infact it seemed things were moving too smoothly…there was a little delayed touch here and there, fluttering of the eyelashes and flirtatious smiles…I could smell trouble.
“We may have a problem” I announced.
“What is it?” Strange eyes replied immediately.
“I think the lawyer might have seen someone to take home already”
“what do you mean?” Agent Tonye asked.
“He’s hitting it off with someone else right now…a widow”
“So? It might just be harmless flirting” strange eyes concluded.
“You’re not here…I’m telling you what I’m seeing with my eyes Bami”
“That’s true…they’re definitely getting cozy” Olivia also observed after watching them for some few seconds.
“What manner of dog is this? Has he no respect for widows again?” Strange eyes sounded frustrated. “Look Rex..this plan must not fall apart…you must do something…anything but this man must not leave there with anybody today!”
I scratched my head tiredly… My food had lost appeal now and I drank water deep in thought.
As if in reply to the prayer I was yet to make, the widow Olivia had been talking to downstairs, who had given her name as Lola approached our table.
“Can I join you ma..sir?” She asked politely looking at thr both of us.Olivia smiled and I gestured to the empty chair in a ‘its a free world’ movement.
“I’ve been looking for you..I’ve finished eating already, you need to try the fried rice…its really tasty..they really tried…”
While she chattered away, I studied her idly still keeping an eye on the lawyer and the widow who were still in their own little World. She had her hand on his arm and from my position I could see under their table clearly, when I saw her leg travelling up his trouser seductively I knew I had to do something.

I retrieved the pen from Olivia, it was still recording(one click) and the ink was down she spared me a glance but she was focused on Lola who was quite the chatterbox.
There was no piece of paper anywhere and I looked around for some seconds, but then I saw the saviette (tissue) attached to my food tray.
I tried to make my writing legible.

you better run from that man! He goes after widows that are going to be accepted then uses his position as the lawyer to hijack the funds meant for them, he did it to me and I’ve been coming back for interviews for the last 4 years!
I was out of space so I scribbled on the little room left p.t.o I turned the paper carefully then scribbled what I hoped was the nail in the coffin. and he gave me crabs!

I nudged Lola who was now back to talking about how her late husband brother had tried to sleep with her in exchange for financial help.
I tried my old man voice “Lola dear…I’m an old man and you know how these palpitations used to be..I would like a bottle of wine for my feeble heart..my doctor is always encouraging me to drink it more and now i have the opportunity I need to use it…I’d go myself but my legs are really feeling weak, and I’m saving my strength for the drive back home”
She got up immediately “of course…no problem”
“Please could you help me drop this tray..please drop it next to the bottles..I’d love to pick it up later”
If she thought it odd that I wanted to drop the half finished food I still had plans for on another table, she didn’t say anything but I saw her raise an eyebrow.
I had placed the paper napkin under a spoon on the tray and I watched eagerly as she carried it away. It was a big risk I was taking, there was no guarantee that the woman was going to see it. The only hope I had was that the wine table was next to hers and if she placed the tray well, the widow could see the note from where she sat.
“What did you do..you’re up to something” Olivia said after watching me for some seconds.
“We’ll have to wait and see….” But I was beginning to feel foolish…the least I could have done was take it myself and look for a way to pass the note to her or think of another means entirely…but the deed was done now…nothing I could do but wait.

Lola walked past the lawyer’s table and his eyes were immediately on her, I could see him feasting on her hungrily with his sharp predator eyes. The slutty widow he was with noticed and must have felt threatened because she craned her neck to check out the person who had arrested his attention.
Lola was at the wine table now and she had placed the tray down but was busy checking the bottles…probably looking for one that was non alcoholic.
Suddenly I knew I had messed up, I was watching the lawyer closely and I could see intent on his face as he made to stand up. He was going to approach Lola and he was sure to see the napkin I had left on the tray…
It happened in slow motion, he tried to stand up but the widow held him back. She had tightened her hold on his arm. He nodded towards the wine table..I could almost read his lips: ‘I need to get a bottle’ and he was about to shrug her hands away. But then a miracle happened, the woman said something, he shook his head still bent on going, but then she whispered something in his ear and he looked at her,licked his lips and settled back like a good boy.
The woman now got up instead and sashayed to the table, giving the lawyer a nice view of her round rotating hips. By this time Lola was already returning with a bottle in hand and the lawyer didn’t even check her out again…only God knows what had been whispered to him seconds before but I could guess it was x rated.

Miracles do happen, and at first she paid no attention to the tray, and selected the champagne bottle but then she glanced at the half finished food like I knew she would. All manner of protein was still on the plate and its only natural that one look and wonder who would waste food in such manner.
When she stopped by the tray and picked up the napkin, I released the breath I didn’t know I had been holding.
She glanced at it, glanced at the retreating back of Lola who was almost at our table by now, glanced back at the note then she turned it over…….
Her eyes went wide and her skin almost turned white. Without even glancing at the Lawyer(who was still licking his lips and drumming his fingers on the table) she turned and hurried away from the hall.
Mr Bright’s mouth hung open in surprise as she hurried away and Olivia was equally surprised too. She looked at me. “What did you do?”
I just smiled “Bami…Tonye get ready…we’re back in busimess”

I could tell the lawyer was upset and instinct told me he would be on the move any minute from now.
I thanked Lola for the wine, and Olivia exchanged numbers with her. We had become friends in a way and now more than ever we had to stop the initiative. It wasn’t just widows anymore…but it was people like Lola…they were people now…individuals, we knew their story and it was personal,it wasn’t just a general term.
“We’re on stand-by don’t worry….what did you do… Olivia what did he do?”
“I don’t even know..he wrote something…I don’t know but whatever it is it worked..the lawyer is alone and he’s looking really pissed and restless”
We were making our way to the stairs and the lawyer was talking to the Social Miss Sofia Annette and the Chief’s wife. I had the feeling they were condemning him for his public display with the widow. I couldn’t see big mummy and hoped to keep it that way…hers was not a face I was eager to see.

•°•°•°•°•°•
My instincts might have been wrong about the lawyer being in a hurry to leave. It was quarter past 6 now and still no sign of him. We were strapped in the car, waiting patiently. Most of the cars had driven off and only a hand few remained. We had been waiting for close to an hour and still no sign of him. I let my mind wander to the shadows of the sunset as I had come to call them. Strange eye’s report had said within 3 days after the interview the widows started disappearing which meant the clock was ticking. I kept on praying Olivia would be rejected but something in the way big mummy had spoken to her gave me the chilling feeling that she had been selected for the worst.

We watched Mrs Benita quietly as she walked to her car. She was on the phone and giggling like a school girl and I just knew it was her young lover, whoever he was that she was talking to.
It wasn’t Ada that had driven her car after all but she herself and she entered the car but remained stationary for some minutes as she talked on the phone. The minute her call was done, she started up the engine and zoomed off.

Fifteen minutes later and Bright Edidion the lawyer stumped to his vehicle.
I could tell he was grumpy and angry. If I were him I would be angry to, it was the worst thing to think you were going to score,only for the lady to disappear into thin air. I gave myself a mental congratulatory pat.
He got into the car and I held my breath, hoping the car would start up. It didn’t disappoint and he put his jeep in gear and drove off. I waited for like ten seconds then followed him.
“Strange-Bami…the target’s on the move”
“Copy that”

Exactly ten minutes later and I could tell his vehicle was starting to misbehave.
“Bami…he’s slowing down…the car is slowing down..prepare to intercept” I said excitedly.
“I’m with you bro…I’m a couple of cars behind..”
True enough the car was almost crawling..making jerky movements I could tell it was going to die any minute from now.
He pulled over to the shoulder of the road and I slowed down completely and also pulled over. There was no way I was going to miss the show. I was a safe distance behind him but I had a clear view.
The lawyer obviously knew next to nothing about automobiles because he got down angrily and kicked his tire.
“You’re having a bad day aren’t you…well its going to get worse” I muttered as I killed the engine.
Olivia was looking back anxiously “where’s the agent?”
“Strange eyes where are you..he’s out now..the car is dead!”
“You’ll see me in a minute…I’m on foot already”
True enough I could see him from the rearview. He looked every bit a mechanic. The very same look he had used to get my car from under my nose once upon a time…
He was walking or half running to be precise and he was rolling/pushing a very big tire. One would get the impression that he was a mechanic on an errand and probably on his way back to the garage. That was indeed his excuse, should he be asked, he was working on a truck and had gone to a nearby vulcanizer to pump the tire but was returning now to work on it.
He passed our car and continued with his skipping as he rolled the tire further down the road.
“Now its up to the dog to stop you..” I squinted my eyes and watched closely.
The lawyer had opened his bonnet and was looking at the engine helplessly, when he saw strange eyes, who was prepared to pass him without showing the slightest interest, he couldn’t believe his luck, he hailed him immediately, stopping him in his tracks.
As strange eyes walked over I smiled…”perfect…perfect…agent Tonye..do you copy….you’re up!””

“Copy that…I’m in my way” Tonye replied.

I could hear the conversation between strange eyes and the lawyer over the earphone.
“My car just died….I noticed the engine was sounding somehow earlier..it just started jerking.
“Oga..this one na wahala ooo…I get job wey I dey do” strange eyes replied.
From my car,a short distance away, I saw him drop the massive tire he had been holding. It resulted in a loud thud in our ear that made us jump.

The lawyer was saying “look…Mr man..my house is quite far from here..I need you to look at my car…it was working fine all along and I didn’t notice anything wrong with it..it just started now…money is not a problem..I would pay you very well”
“Hmmm…okay..make I check am” strange eyes replied.
He went under the hood and began tinkering with the engine. I was 100% sure he didn’t have an idea what he was doing and judging from the sound, he might have just been hitting the engine with a spanner.
Mr Bright was saying “I bought a new battery not up to three months..I always take care of the car well…I don’t know what could be the problem”

“I’d intercept them in T- minus two minutes” Tonye said over the earphone.
“Wonderful…this should get interesting” I held on to Olivia’s hand and squeezed gently as we watched the drama unfold. It almost felt like a date, front seat in a cinema but the underlying danger spoilt the feeling.

Strange eyes was saying “aaaaah….oga….this one na big problem ooo”
I could tell the lawyer was panicking “why..why do you say so…what’s wrong?”
“Hmmm…so many things are wrong with it…I need to get it to the garage…to let the rewire work on it first before I do my part”
“What exactly is wrong with it…can you fix it up immediately?”

I saw a very sleek range rover 2016 model pass our car slowly, just cruising along.
I knew who was in it. Tonye.
“Wow..that’s a cool ride…where did they manage to get such?” Olivia asked me, she must have also known who was behind the wheel.
‘Dear..they are the government..they have their ways” I replied her but I was excited.

The car seemed to be cruising past but then it slowed down beside the parked venza at the side of the road.

The time was 6:40pm and it was getting dark, but not quite fully dark that I couldn’t see agent Tonye the minute she Pulled over and got down from her car.
“Wow” was all I could say. In one word, she looked wow!
She was decked out in a bum short that had her fresh thighs and smooth long kegs on display and an alter top that showed the outline of her full bouncy oranges. The top ended at her midriff and allowed a view of her flat stomach and belly ring also.
I checked her out from the short distance, with my eyes on their ‘full zoom’ option and I couldn’t help but say “wow” again.
Olivia looked at me with a raised brow and I smiled sheepishly “come on..she looks good..the lawyer is a goner…”
She couldn’t reply because agent Tonye was storming towards the car..with anger in her steps and shouting…we could hear their conversation perfectly over the ear phones…

“Sule!…Sule!…look at you!..thank God I saw you…you criminal!!
I had come up with the name ‘Sule’, thinking of it as an opportunity to honour the fallen mechanic. If a shadow had killed him, it was only right that we try to honour him in the ploy that would hopefully bring an end to the initiative and the shadows.

Anyway, agent Tonye was at the car now and she was shouting furiously, pointing her finger accusingly at strange eyes who looked guiltily and solemnly at her as she rained accusations and curses on him.
“you criminal…I left my car with you to service and you messed with the engine abi?? You changed my battery and changed some things…didn’t you? Didn’t you?!”
She sounded so angry, that for a minute I thought the accusation was real.
“Madam no vex…no be so madam…abeg…” Strange eyes offered weakly

The lawyer had been observing all along…even from the distance, I could tell his eyes were about to bulge out of his sockets..he was seriously feasting on agent Tonye and I thought I saw him lick his lips.
“Excuse me lady…what’s the problem? Take it easy…I’m a lawyer..you don’t need to shout…that’s my job…lemme do the shouting for you”
He managed to calm her down with his reassuring voice.
“What a slick bastard” I muttered…the guy really had game, unfortunately he wasn’t the player in this game…he was the ball..getting played.

Agent Tonye looked at him, then turned her attention to him. “About 2 weeks ago I took my car to his garage for a routine service…I don’t like missing it and I always try to service my car at least every six months…I just wanted him to change the brake oil, steering oil and just check the engine to make sure everything is working fine”
“Yes..yes…that’s very good…very good..that way your car would hardly develop faults…so s
what happened?”
“This criminal completely raped my car…he removed my brand new battery and replaced it with another one…my carburetor, even my shock absorber….I just noticed the car was behaving differently when I drove it back home..but I didn’t pay much attention only for it to completely break down yesterday! I had another mechanic look at it and he told me what this crook…what this idiot thief had been up to!”
The lawyer shook his head…he was fully prepared to play hero/protector.
He turned to strange eyes, his voice was very hard now.
“Mister….What do you have to say for yourself? I could get you locked up for this!”
“Oga help me beg madam…its my wife…she just put to bed and I needed extra money to buy things for the baby..please I’m very sorry”
“My friend can you hear yourself!..of course every criminal has a reason why they go into crime..”he turned to Tonye and winked “I hear a lot in the courtroom” he focused on strange eyes once more “that doesn’t make the crime any less…so where is the battery now…everything you took from the car?”
“Oga..I won’t lie..the battery is gone..I’ve sold it…but the rest is still intact”
“Can you imagine this thug?!” Tonye chimed in “Alhaji must hear this…I was going to the garage to complain to him before I saw you..he must hear this..I would tell your boss”
Strange eyes knelt down and began pleading “please madam…please don’t tell Alhaji…he would send me from the garage…please oga…please help me beg madam.. I don’t want to lose my job”
“Well you should have thought of that in the first place” he dismissed strange eyes..his eyes couldn’t seem to leave Tonye and I knew what was coming.
“I don’t just understand these young men nowadays…what is our Country turning into..you see a pretty lovely lady like this and the only thing you can think of is to cheat her”
“I hope he didn’t touch your car yet?” She asked him.
“Not yet..thank God you came along”
“Where are you going..? How do you plan to leave your car…its getting late”
“I don’t even know..and my place is far from here…I don’t think I might go home tonight after all” he looked at her suggestively and she smiled shyly.
Strange eyes who was still on his knees interrupted them “oga…you can leave your car in our garage over night…..nothing go do am I swear and tomorrow I go fix am”
“With what I just learnt about you? You expect me to leave my car in your care so that you’ll sell it?” The lawyer replied. He turned to Tonye, he had somehow moved closer to her. “Do you have any suggestions dear?”
“Hmmm…well there’s a petrol station close by..you could pay to leave the car overnight…”
“Splendid…beauty and brains…I love that in a woman…but how do I get home…I dislike public transport immensely”
“Well…I could help…I could drop you home” she fluttered eyelashes seductively at him.
I could hear the lawyer draw his breathe sharply. “Wow..you’d do that for me…you must be an angel…I’m really grateful”
“Its no problem..its the least I could do..you know we concerned citizens need to look out for ourselves”
Mr Bright looked at strange eyes..”go and find people to help you push the car…the station is not far” he said this with such arrogance and authority.
Incidentally, two men were walking by that very minute.
Strange eyes stood up and called to them “excuse me…excuse me sirs..please could you help me to push this car to the filling station? Its not far…”
The men looked at each other and shrugged in agreement, I was surprised “just like that?…” But then I watched them closely as they approached the car and I could tell who they were: the fake captain and the gala seller agent…I smiled and shook my head…things were actually moving smoothly..

While strange eyes and his two agents tackled the tedious task of pushing the jeep, the lawyer and agent Tonye strolled behind them. She had left her car parked on the side of the road and when the lawyer asked her if she still had plans to go to the garage to report the mechanic she said she didn’t.
“No..maybe another day..let’s just get your car settled for the night then we can leave”
“Okay…you know you truly are an angel…and the funny thing is I don’t even known your name”
“Me too..I don’t know yours..mine is Sarah”
“Wow..Sarah…a real angel name” the lawyer replied. I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Hmmm…but I’m not feeling like an angel at the moment…”
“What do you mean?”
I tell you this Tonye was good…she really knew her job…she let the question hang for some seconds then she purred “I’m feeling naughty right now…dirty and naughty”
They had disappeared out of sight now, they must have gotten to the petrol station and so we could only depend on the earphones. Still I could picture the expression on the lawyer’s face perfectly…I could hear him draw his breath sharply…then he mumbled “oh..Lord…where have you been all my life Sarah?”
Tonye laughed seductively…”I could ask you the same thing…but I don’t know your name yet”
“The name is Bright..Edidion Bright”

They were at the petrol station now, and I heard as the attendant adamantly refused. According to him, they didn’t allow cars to be parked over night…it was against the Policy of the station.

Money must have changed hands because he changed his mind suddenly and the car could be parked ‘around the car wash’

Tonye wasn’t done with strange eyes..”don’t think you’ve escaped…expect me at your garage one of these days…Alhaji must hear from me…”

By the time they returned to the car, everywhere was pitch dark. It was now 10 minutes after 7.
I must say the lawyer was a professional flirt..he really made Tonye’s job easier for her. They got to the car and the lawyer said.
“See that stupid mechanic…he forgot the tire he was carrying along”
Over the earphone strange eyes said “we’ll know who’s the stupid one very soon…sex driven he goat!”
Olivia burst out laughing and I couldn’t help myself…I tried to control myself as I laughed also “strange- Bami…don’t make Tonye laugh abeg..you know she can hear us..” I knew the lawyer had gotten on his nerves…not so much by the insults or the fact that he had to kneel down and beg the man but because of the constant flirting between him and agent Tonye…I was convinced there was something between strange eyes and the female agent.

They got into the car and she started the engine.
“Wow..I love your car…nothing turns me on than a lady who is on top of her game and sexy and successful in equal doses”
“Awww…thank you handsome” she replied smoothly.
She put the car in gear but didn’t move yet, she trafficated and waited for the road to clear before she could move.
Mr Bright asked her “you didn’t even ask where I stay?”
“No…I didn’t…I don’t need to”
“Why?” He sounded puzzled
“Because my place is closer”
I was sure I heard him swallow spit….he couldn’t believe his luck…I could tell
“Please…hurry up…I can’t wait” he sounded out of breath
There was a break in traffic and she entered the road finally.
I started the car and followed them.
“Bami…we’re on the move…I repeat we’re on the move”
“Perfect…we’ll meet at the site according to plan”

•°•°•°••°°
Tonye’s “place” was a 2 bedroom flat in a wealthy neighbourhood.
I knew the estate well and always drove past it on my way to work in the past, but this was the first time I would be driving through the gates.
Sometime during the journey Tonye had said more than once “Bright…naughty man…wait till we get to my place..”
Another time she had said “I’m driving…I’m driving…ooooh…Bright…stop it…now is not the time”
Both times I could hear what was clearly groping sounds over the earphones.
Mr Bright Edidion, lawyer for the widows initiative had busy hands.
“I’m going to torture this man until he tells us everything he knows” strange eyes sounded pissed
“Bami…don’t forget the plan..don’t get carried away by your emotions”
“What emotions…I’m just saying..this pig has valuable information about the whereabouts of a thousand widows and I plan to get it from him anyway I can”
I slowed down about two houses away as the jeep came to a stop in front of a estate block.
“We’re here….Bami where are you?”
“I’m inside”
“Are you alone?”
“Yes…the agents have returned to the hospital”
“That reminds me…you mean-“
“He’s fine..Andy’s fine…he’s been sitting up and even standing a bit..he’s perfectly safe in that hospital”

From our car, we watched as both Tonye and the lawyer got down.
The security light from the block was on…a bright light and from the strong beam I could see the outline of the bulge in the lawyer’s pants.
Olivia must have seen it to because she chuckled…”that is going to seriously get deflated in the next few minutes”
I got down and rounded the car to help her down also “you’re right…let’s go do some deflating”

The flat we had selected was on the last floor, at the very end of the block. I had a feeling strange eyes had gotten the flat because it offered some kind of privacy…there were no next door neighbours to listen in on the conversation(interrogation) or also to hear the terrified screams of the lawyer if it got to that..and it would, if he refused to cooperate.

“Ooh…I can’t wait…you’re soo fucking sexy…” The lawyer was saying as Tonye fumbled with the keys to the door.
“Bami..you’re in the house already?”
“Yes…I’m feeling at home in the bedroom” strange eyes replied.
“Don’t do anything to the lawyer…wait until Olivia and I get there…we’re in the building already”
Before he could reply, the door opened and Tonye and the lawyer stumbled in.
“I need to kiss you…I need to touch you…you’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen in my life….” More groping sounds over the headphone.
“wait…hold on….there’s no need to rush..we have all night… Lemme get you a drink and put on some music…”

We were finally on the last floor now, I was wheeling Olivia frantically past the doors with breakneck speed…

Over the headphone, Strange eyes shouted “Sarah….what is going on here? Who is this man?”
Tonye trembled…”honey…honey…I didn’t know you’d be at home….”
“What do you mean…who is this man…what is going on here?…they cancelled my meeting so I came home early…”
“Honey…I didn’t know…please its not what you think…” Her voice was breaking…
The lawyer found his voice…it sounded like a child’s whine. “You’re married?…you didn’t tell me you’re married now!”
Strange eyes really sounded like a husband who had caught his wife cheating on him. “Look here… Mister so you came to Bleep my wife…in my own home?!…woa! You’re finished…you hear me…tí é bá é léní”(your own have met you today)
The lawyer was something else entirely…rather than beg he sounded calm and confident.
“Look..before you start with your threats…I’d have you know that I’m a lawyer and-…..”
That was all he would say…a very loud smack that had to be strange eye’s fist stopped him in mid sentence.
He landed on the floor judging from the loud thud that followed.

Thankfully I was at the apartment marked ’40b’ I pushed the door with my back then pulled the wheelchair in after me.

The lawyer was on the floor, strange eyes was dragging a chair from the dining table to the center of the parlour.
The first thing Olivia did was to remove the earphone from her ear. “Since we’re all in the same room…”
I was also tired of the earphone and I thankfully removed mine also.

The lawyer was struggling to sit up.
“What’s going on?” He looked at the jealous husband who was leaning on a chair, looking down at him….then he looked at the woman that had brought him home. She wasn’t begging on his behalf or even looking worried….no…she stood, resting her back on the doorjamb and also staring at him with her hands crossed.
His eyes passed from Olivia to me…then back to Olivia..I was expecting him to remember her from the interview earlier, but there was no flicker of recognition in his eyes, instead he said “I don’t know what’s going on here..but I’m going to sue..I’m definitely going to sue for physical assault!”
He struggled to his feet and got up successfully.
“Have a seat Mr Bright…we need to talk” I gestured to the empty seat in invitation.
He scoffed…”who is this nincompoop? I do not need to have a seat..I need to get the Bleep outta here”
“I’d advice you to watch your language…such won’t be tolerated here” strange eyes warned him.
I took a step closer. “That wasn’t a request…now SIT!”
He looked at me for some seconds trying to decide his action, he finally decided to play it safe. He grumbled “y’all are going to get served in court…you’d be hearing from me…that’s a promise”
“I wouldn’t make careless promises if I were you…you big pig!” Tonye spoke up and the dislike in her voice was unmistakable.
He had no reply for that, he settled in the chair but continued murmuring about court.
“This pertains the widows initiative…I have some important and direct questions and I would like direct answers.

He looked surprised “widows initiative…” He looked harder at Olivia “ohoooo…you attended the interview today..well you don’t need to force me for anything you’re already going to be accepted”
We studied him in silence as he continued “but this latest stunt of yours could make me change my mind and simply cross your name off”

Strange eyes disappeared into one of the rooms.

“Look here we’re not interested in the benefits of the initiative…what we want to find out is the real job of the initiative…the real reason widows are selected”
He looked at me blankly but I could see something resembling enlightenment darken his eyes.
I moved closer and placed my hand on his shoulder.
“Mr Bright tell me about the human trafficking….where are the widows presently…are they still in the country?”
He looked surprised and he began to tremble.
“What do you mean? What nonsense is this? What trafficking…”
My voice was calm, like I had all the time in the world.
“Look here…you’re not leaving this place until you give me some answers…so it would be better for you to cooperate with us”
“I can’t tell you what I don’t know…”

Strange eyes entered the parlour with a box in his hands.
“Look here..you fool..you better start talking…” He dropped the box on a table and opened it..
My eyes widened….Mr Bright’s eyes widened….Olivia’s eyes widened..only Tonye remained unfazed, she had probably seen it countless times.

The box housed all sort of torture devices…pliers…eye gougers…and some scary wicked looking devices.
“Jesus Christ!!” Mr Bright exclaimed and he stood up reflexively….I forced him back to the chair, he struggled to stand up…the fear in him supplying him with extra strength…but still I was stronger…I struggled to keep him down.
Strange eyes brought out a rolled strong cable wire..
“Hold him still lemme tie him to the chair”
I held the lawyer firmly while strange eyes rolled the cable round him firmly. At a point he started shouting “help! Somebody help me!”
A sharp smack to the head corrected this and his chin rested on his chest.

While he was out, I used the opportunity to ask Strange eyes “Bami…what are you doing…torture?”
He smirked “impressive collection isn’t it…” He ran his fingers lovingly across a slim pointed blade.
“This is crazy” I said
“Relax…I won’t be pulling out anything from him..no matter how I would enjoy it…however if he proves stubborn, we might have to waterboard him”
(Waterboarding is a torture/interrogation technique which involves the use of water and a piece of clothe to give the sensation that one is drowning)

5 minutes later and the lawyer was still out cold.
“What a weakling..” Tonye said with disgust. She handed strange eyes a bowl of water and the lawyer came awake when the cold water landed on his face.
“Welcome back fool” strange eyes greeted him. He moved back to allow the designated interrogator: me. I dragged a wooden chair and sat across Mr Bright.
“Okay..you see those tools? They would get to work on your body if you don’t supply the right answers we need”
“What do you need to know?” He asked breathlessly he seemed to be in a cooperative mood now.
“What do you know about the group called the sunset shadows?”
He swallowed…”please…don’t ask me about them…my life is as good as gone if I talk about them..please..ask me anything else”
I picked up a device that looked like a plier but was used to crack open round objects, probably walnuts or foods with a hard shell.
“Well too bad..you see this? Your balls are as good as gone if you don’t answer me” to buttress my point, I signaled Tonye.
She approached the lawyer and in slow movements, removed his belt and unbuckled his trouser…her movements were almost seductive and when she had successfully pulled the lawyer’s trousers round his ankles, I shook my head…truly this lawyer was a dog…in this situation and under the circumstances, he had still managed to get an erection! His boxers stood like there was a flag underneath.
I moved the device close to his waving flag and hardened my eyes and my voice.. “I would ask you for the last time…what do you know about the shadows of the sunset?”
“They used to be 12 in number..they all have day jobs at sunrise steel…they are one of the deadliest assassins in the Country”
“Where are the widows being held now?”

He hesitated…thinking of his reply. “There are no current widows in the country”
I knew he was lying and apparently I wasn’t the only one.
“That’s a lie!” Strange eyes and Olivia chorused together.
I looked at strange eyes and nodded.
He brought the 5 litres keg of water.

He was behind the lawyer who was busy watching me warily or to be precise watching the torture device I held menacingly. He didn’t know when strange eyes brought out a thick face towel.
He looked at me with intent and I signalled him to hold on…one more chance my eyes said.
The lawyer was looking at Tonye with anger…”you bitch! You don’t know me…you don’t-“
I gave him a resounding slap…stopping him in mid sentence and it felt good.
The slap jerked his face and reddened his cheeks…if I looked hard enough I could see the duplication of my finger prints on his cheeks..I must have inherited the art of slapping from my father because it reminded me of the days of my youth….

“Mr Bright Edidion…do I look like I’m playing here?! I would ask you once more…the widows were formerly held in a container at the apapa wharf..but they were transferred sometime last week…I want to know where they were transferred to”
He hesitated again “I swear I don’t know…I’m not privy to such information…all my job is about preparing wills and taking care of the estate the initiative-“
He never got to complete it..strange eyes yanked his head back, placed the towel over his nose and mouth and began pouring the water, little at first…but he gradually increased the torrent.
The lawyer kicked out…moving violently and making gurgling noises as he struggled to breath.

You see the thing with waterboarding is, the nose is blocked..you can’t breathe through the nose, so the next option is the mouth..you’ll reflexively open your mouth as you struggle to breathe but instead you have water coming into your mouth,going down your throat,choking you and the result is the same feeling you get when drowning.
Presently, the lawyer was kicking madly like he was indeed drowning…after about ten seconds, I signaled to strange eyes to stop. He waited for five more seconds before stopping the water flow. He removed the towel from the lawyer’s face and he coughed and gasped for air. Water gushing out of his nose,mouth and even eyes.
This was the first time he was experiencing such…he struck me as someone who didn’t even risk water getting into his mouth while in the shower.
He was coughing.. Struggling to regain his breath but I wasn’t giving him any chance. Someone(probably Tonye) had switched of the lights and I was handed a powerful flashlight…I had watched enough movies and I knew what to do next. I directed the powerful beam in his face..he was already looking pathetic. He couldn’t shield his face because his hands were tied and he was still struggling to breath. He shut his eyes while I barked at him: “tell me the truth!where are the widows being held?”
Apparently once was enough for him because he confessed immediately…”wait..wait…wait…sunrise steel has strings of warehouses around the state…the widows were moved to one of this location”
“Which one exactly?where is it?!”
“I…I don’t know”
I nodded at strange eyes and he lifted the keg once more…
This time he let it run for about 20 seconds. When he removed the towel the lawyer went through the same ritual of coughing,throwing up water..wheezing…
I asked him the same question, directing the light in his face with my voice booming and frightful. This time he cooperated.
“There’s a warehouse at Ikoyi…they formerly stored all the raw condemned metal there before…but recently all the metal was moved out and the place was cleaned…I’m 100% certain that is where the widows are being kept….please don’t do that to me again…I’ve told you all I know”
He coughed again..violently this time but I wasn’t yet done.
“Tell me about the shadows..who are they…how can I recognise them..if I were to go to sunrise steel today…how can I recognise a shadow the minute I see him?”
He was already shaking his head “when it comes to the shadows..no one knows…I myself don’t really know much, they are a very secretive group of people”
Strange eyes placed the towel over his face again and he shouted in horror.
“No no no no…..wait…okay I only know one of them..he’s their leader…one of the top men of the shadows..he’s the CSO of the sunrise company…his name is Kehinde..Mr Kehinde…that’s all I know…please don’t drown me…no one knows I have that information…its our founder’s husband..Mr Amunike is his name..he’s the owner of the sunrise steel and he’s the one behind everything…I’m just a worker..an innocent lawyer”
“That phrase alone is a contradiction…” Olivia scoffed “innocent lawyer…you make me sick…don’t you have any sisters…don’t you have a mother?”
He had no reply for that…he just kept quiet..looking defeated and tired.

The lights came back on. It was strange eyes this time. I looked around for Tonye..but I didn’t see her.
I was about to ask for her when she came back from one of the rooms. She held a tab in her hands.
“I have the information…the address of the warehouse at Ikoyi”
“Splendid…good work” strange eyes told her with a smile.
I had one more question. I slapped the lawyer, bringing him back to reality as his eyes had travelled again.
“One question…the widows get missing within three days after the interview…what happens to the old set?”
He tried talking but then he coughed out water again…this led to a coughing fit that lasted for about 30 seconds..I waited for him to calm down before repeating my question.
He replied me slowly, in a weak voice.
“They have just two days…two days and they’ll get trafficked”
“Where exactly?” Olivia asked him. I could tell she hated the information we just found out. She sounded anxious.
“Not just a country…mostly Asian countries…Thailand, Venezuela…and most recently North Korea”
“North Korea?” Strange eyes repeated.
“Yes…I don’t know what their leader is up to down there..but

recently the request for females have been high from there…Mr Amunike gets paid in hundreds of millions…..of dollars”
“Its about time we take down that bastard!” Tonye hissed angrily.”and we would..” I assured her “the minute we free the widows being held in the warehouse…we can focus on him…actually the testimony of a thousand widows should be enough to bring the roof down on him”

“So what next? When do we move?” Olivia asked
“There’s no time to waste…we move tonight” I replied.
Strange eyes asked me “what of this fool? We can’t afford to release him, he would surely warn his people”
I wondered when I had taken the role of leader…the weight wasn’t one I was was getting to like at all….
“For the lawyer…” I slapped him again…cause it felt good “you better call one of your agents for babysitting duty”
“Copy that..” Strange eyes replied.
“One more thing…how is the security like?” I asked the lawyer “the security of the warehouse…how tight is it”
“I don’t know how tight it is but I do know that Shadows are the ones who look after the place”
Strange eyes and I looked at each other…not the dreaded shadows again!
But there had to be contact…it was a must…we couldn’t afford to be afraid.

Tonye was a whiz with the tab..she had managed to call up the blueprint of the warehouse while we waited for the agent to arrive. We studied it, passing the tab from one person to the other.
Olivia was the only one to comment: “its really big”
The rest of us said nothing…we were lost in our different thoughts.

The gala agent arrived shortly after. He took the view in while strange eyes filled him in…his job was to keep watch over the lawyer…he was his hostage and he was not meant to leave the apartment til we returned.
He ‘aye ayed’ and saluted and we made to leave.
“This is kidnapping…I’m going to sue all of you…just watch me…you’ve made the biggest mistake of your miserable lives!”
I brought out the pen and double clicked it…it had been recording all along.
“Look here…all your confession is recorded in a tiny memory card…we’ll see who’d be suing who…you accomplice!”
That shut him up and he watched us in silence as we left the apartment.

•°•°•°•°
The first stop was the hospital…the private hospital..the plan was to leave Olivia with Andy and pick up the other agent..the fake captain.
I could tell Olivia wasn’t happy with this, she didn’t want to leave my side but it was for the best…it was too dangerous..besides she wasn’t mobile and her wheelchair was a serious deterrent.

We filed into Tonye’s range rover and she settled behind the wheel with strange eyes in the front, Olivia and I settled in the back seat.
Strange eyes opened the pigeonhole compartment and brought out a powerful looking handgun. He handed it to me “I pray we won’t have to use it…its a glock 9..very powerful gun”
I nodded and collected it…I wouldn’t admit it but it felt good to have a gun in my hands again.
Olivia looked on worriedly but she said nothing…I knew what she was thinking..or hoping…that there would be no gun fight.

At the hospital, I took my time to fill Andy in on everything…he was recovering rapidly now and he was even standing and pacing round..although still slowly.
“I’m meant to go with you…I wish we were together…the initiative is our fight…I feel like I’m letting Mona down…”
“That’s ridiculous…of course you’re not…we’re doing this together…Mona would be very proud of you…” I lowered my voice “I wish I could say the same for Fomé”

“Rex..come on downstairs we’re waiting” strange eyes announced in the ear phone.
It had been Olivia’s idea that we wear it again when she found out she wouldn’t be going so that she could be with us every step of the way.

Presently, Bami, agent Tonye and the fake captain were waiting for me downstairs in the car.
Andy and I shook hands and we hugged.
‘Go get em bro…see you in a few hours” he added purposely…sign of faith.
I turned and walked to Olivia. I bent down and used my thumb to wipe the tear that had rolled down her cheeks.
“Its alright…I’d be alright…everything we worked and hoped for is within touching distance…we can rescue the women now..I’d be safe Olivia…those are trained agents downstairs…please don’t cry..”
She nodded and struggled to clear her eyes…
I hugged her with a sudden pang in my heart…I couldn’t hold the words in.. “God I love you soo much…”
She looked at me with searching eyes and she must have seen the truth in them because she smiled.
“I’ve loved you since the night I met you in the hospital” she replied with the sweetest
smile. Somehow I’ve always known..but there was nothing like hearing her say it…I smiled and we shared a kiss…much like the first in terms of passion but there was something different about this…the hope of a future together.

“Could you lovebirds round up please” strange eyes interrupted over the earphone.
I heard a tap from the earphone..Tonye must have slapped his shoulder. “Why would you interrupt…please Rex..Olivia take your time…awww…so sweet”
But the mood was past, it was time for action now…and I knew whatever happened I needed to come back alive…like a soldier going to war knows he has to come back for his young wife waiting for him at the airport or the docks…I had that feeling as I walked down the stairs, past the corridor and into the night and the unknown.

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