Delayed Diagnosis Episode 28

Delayed Diagnosis Episode 28
Written by Kingsley Olanrewaju Efughi

I saw the ford jeep outside immediately I entered the parking lot, but I could tell it was empty. I tried not to hurry but my steps were brisk and I wheeled Olivia swiftly down the corridor. No matter what my mind would never be at rest, where Andy was concerned, the only time I had believed he was safe was when my father had been watching him.
Strange eyes was on the bed, he was in a pale yellow hospital gown.The gown meant for patients and Andy had on one that was similar. I could see he was receiving an intravenous drip and it seems he was sleeping, but the moment we entered the room completely his eyes were wide open and I could see his other hand was gripping his gun, he had whipped it out in a heartbeat. What’s more, he wasn’t receiving any drip because as he swung his legs down, I could see the needle passed over the plaster and he had been holding it in his hands.
“Woooa…what are you doing?!” I shouted.
“Sorry….I’m expecting the worst…”
“The worst…what’s going on…who were you expecting?”
He sighed then stood up, the gun disappeared inside the gown. “There’s every possibility that the news reached the underground that one of the shadows was killed by his contract/hit…the mariner is just a stones throw away, and for me to link it to Andy…anyone interested anx smart enough can also link it here”
“What about the other two agents”
“Their presence was a giveaway here…if truly anybody where to come here in search of the person that killed the shadow, I need them to identify and intercept the person before he even gets into the hospital”
I was really getting worried…I glanced at Olivia and she shook her head. No. Although I wasn’t sure what the “no” meant.
“So you mean one of the shadows might turn up looking for the person that had survived the shootout while the shadow had died…they wouldn’t even bother that he was a victim and not the one who pulled the trigger?”
“Rex why are you talking like this? You know how this people think..as long as you are slightly connected.. Most times even if you are not connected, its what they do…they’re killers”
“No way…no way..” I checked my watch “we’re approaching sunset…there’s no way I can leave Andy behind”
“Don’t you worry, I’m on top of the situation,I sent for two extra agents they’re really good, between the four of us we should be able to hold it down”
“Bami…one shadow..just one shadow alone, believe me four of you can’t hold him”
He took offense immediately “what do you mean? We’re not civilians! Unlike you we are highly trained for these kind of situations”
I held up my hands “I’m just telling you what I saw…anyway there’s no way I can leave him behind…I won’t be able to focus on the initiative…not with what I’ve learnt about them recently”
“So what do you think…we don’t go ahead anymore?” This was from Olivia.
“Actually…I was thinking….we’re supposed to go to the private hospital for your checkup and injections….” I trailed off, then glanced at Andy…letting my eyes show my intent.
“I don’t think its a good idea..we can’t just move him to another hospital..he’s barely recovering”
“Then he’ll continue his recovery somewhere else..somewhere safe, in a hospital they’ll have his time”
She seemed uncertain…”I don’t know…”
Strange eyes jumped in “actually its a good idea…we can get the main doctor to write a transfer or referral..to another hospital”
“Would he want to do that?” I asked.
“Believe me he will” the way he said it made me think even if he didn’t, he was going to make him, courtesy of his pocket gun.

We decided on this first and strange eyes was to go and get the doctor, whatever bills would have to be paid first. I didn’t feel the doctor would agree but strange eyes assured me he wouldn’t have any choice.
“Okay..before I forget, the earphones are in the car…with the recorder…and I have my mechanic coveralls on stand by”
“Perfect”
“Are you sure the plan is going to work?” Olivia asked me worriedly.
“What plan…what’s the plan?” Strange eyes asked..looking at both of us
She looked at me first and I nodded. I didn’t see any reason in not sharing a plan he was going to be part of
“We’re going to kidnap an exco” Olivia told him.
He looked at me. “Which one?”
“The one sure to know about the location..my instincts are telling me to go for the lawyer” normally the old woman who was allegedly the Chiefs mother was the one that made the trafficking selection so she was the one I should be targeting but after that dream, I didn’t want anything to do with her.
“Why not go for the head then..?”
“The chief?”
“No..his wife..she’s the head of the organisation right?”
I sighed impatiently,”Mr Bami, can we leave here first before the shadows start turning up?”
He nodded and hurried out. It seems for all his talk of being adequately trained to handle the shadows, he didn’t plan to face them if he could avoid it and to be frank, I didn’t blame him.

Transportation was another problem but Strange eyes had the answer for that too. I don’t know what he had done or said to the doctors but they were extremely helpful. But when he told me he would be driving one of the ambulance so Andy could remain on the bed and continue receiving his drip, I was impressed. “How did you get them to agree to that?”
He smiled then lowered his voice “well….you know Andy’s dad the Senator doesn’t joke with his son’s health”
I might be many things, but not slow. I smiled, “that’s true..the senator”
Olivia looked at us “his father’s a senator?”
I gave her a conspirator’s wink and she smiled. “Oh…”

We stepped aside as the doctors performed a final checkup on Andy. The doctor was obviously not pleased as he filled a form and handed it to strange eyes to sign.
I had disappeared into the toilet immediately the doctor I had assaulted had entered, but the two doctors had gone straight to work. Now I counted up to ten then decided I was wasting time..Olivia was there after all and if he should recognise me, I was going to deny him in a way that would make Peter proud.

“Is this how you’re going?” I asked strange eyes. He was still in the hospital gown and he looked quite ridiculous, with his hairy legs on display and his feet buried in size 45 shoes.
“Do you have a problem with it?” he asked me pointedly
I bit my tongue “no…no I don’t”
Olivia laughed from behind me.

A doctor/nurse wheeled Andy on the mobile bed, strange eyes was beside him matching his pace with the man and they were talking.
I wheeled Olivia behind them, I was on the lookout, my guard was up and I kept on looking at each face. Everyone was a potential shadow, take Tosin for instance, he had seemed like just a nice cleaner the first day I had seen him, Andy and he had even been involved in a discussion not knowing he had his plans.

Outside, the doctor left Andy in our care and hurried in. “So what’s the hold up?”I asked strange eyes the minute he was out of earshot.
“They have a designated driver..his job is driving the ambulance he should be here any minute now”
We waited for about ten minutes and I used the opportunity to fill in Andy(who had woken up)on what was going on.

The driver turned up, he had been having dinner and he was sorry he wasted time. We assured him it was no problem.

Strange eyes told me his agents would be driving his Ford jeep behind. “They’re trained in spotting tails…if anyone would follow us they would definitely notice and throw him off”
I nodded, it was good to see I wasn’t the only one that was worried we might be followed from the hospital.

We drove in a convoy formation, the ambulance in front, with Strange eyes in it, I followed closely with Olivia beside me. The jeep was a couple of cars behind, on the lookout for any suspicious cars.

The sun had set by the time we got to the hospital.
Once the doctor was assured that we were financially stable to foot what was sure to be a very heavy bill, he was all smiles. Andy was set up in a private room,much better than the one he had been in previously.
I wasted no time in taking Olivia for her checkup and injections. The doctor(another jovial nice woman) smiled and waved her finger at me “you’ve not been bringing her…you’re interfering with her meds o!”
I smiled politely in response. Truth be told I was sick and tired of medical workers, both friendly and unfriendly. I had met enough to last my lifetime.
I made a graceful escape as the doctor was still giving her lecture on the importance of sticking to medical appointments.

I met strange eyes outside. He handed me my car keys. “Your car is downstairs”
“Wow..nice..who brought it?”
“I had another agent bring it”
“Okay cool”
He kept on looking at me and I knew something was wrong, finally I asked him “okay..what is it?”
“This your plan…you mind telling me how you intend to kidnap an exco?”
“That’s the problem…I haven’t really figured that part out”
“And you say you have a plan? So what’s your plan then?!”
“To kidnap them of course!”
He was about to reply…but then his eyes strayed over my shoulder. I turned and saw a young lady walking briskly towards us. She wore a suit and there was something sharp about her movement.
“A.j..all has been rectified” she spoke up once she reached us.
“OK…that’s nice…this is my friend Rex..Rex..this is Tonye”
“Nice to meet you” we shook hands and I noticed she had a firm grip, that wasn’t all I noticed, she was a looker, she was quite stunning and I knew immediately what I had to do. “So…agent Tonye right?..how would you like to seduce someone on my behalf tomorrow?” I asked her with what I hoped was a charming smile.
She jerked her hand away immediately, then glanced at Strange eyes, unsure how she should react. She must have been surprised I knew she was an agent but she herself had called strange eyes A.j(Agent John) besides, I hardly met anyone friends with strange eyes who was not some kind of agent or the other.

Bami nodded hastily “he’s cool he’s cool, he’s almost an agent himself so don’t worry” then he turned to me “what the Bleep are you saying?”
I raised up both hands. “Before you crucify me hear what I have to say…”

Ten minutes later(or five to be honest) and I had the both of them nodding thoughtfully “so that means…we go for the lawyer then…not the Chief’s wife”
“Yes..the lawyer…the minute I saw his picture…I just knew there was an angle there…”
He nodded “your hunch is spot on…because the rumour is that he’s a sucker for anything in a skirt”
“Really…I’m standing right here!” Agent Tonye reminded him.
‘No offense” he smiled sheepishly.
He then directed her to try and get the Lawyer’s call records from the service provider.
She nodded politely at me and we watched her walk away in silence.
“There’s something between you two isn’t there?”
He looked at me “what…me and Tonye? are you drunk?”but I could swear his eyes got brighter.
“I’ve seen you with other agents and its always yessir! Yessir! This is the first time I’m seeing someone talk back at you and caution you and you were quick to apologise”
“I said something abusive..that was all..a mature leader knows when to say sorry”
I shrugged “its none of my business..I’m just saying what I noticed”
“Well you noticed wrong…” He grumbled and denied continuously and I knew my guess had been spot on, he liked her alright and from what I had learnt about agent Nancy who had died saving his life or to be precise his eye sight, I hoped this didn’t also end like that. I looked at him suddenly “you don’t have any problem with what she’s going to do, do you?”
“What nonsense is that? Its part of her job and she’s good at it!” He replied crossly.
“Temper temper…” I said in a placating tone which he took for sarcasm because he shot me daggers with his eyes.

Olivia was done with her checkup and she was in a good mood. “Are we good to go?” I asked her
“Good to go, good to go…good to go sir!” She replied me with a mock salute and we both laughed.
Strange eyes had been watching us but he too smiled. “You people better invite me to your wedding o”
My smile froze…that had to be the worst thing to say to a less than two week old widow. I glanced at her, expecting some form of awkwardness…but she was smiling…dare I say she was smiling dreamily.
“As long as you invite us for you and Tonye’s own” I replied him with my voice light,That shut him up.
“Where are you people going?” He asked stiffly as I wheeled her away
“We have an appointment…when you see us you’ll understand!”
“The toys are still in my car” he meant the earphones and recorder.
“We’ll be back…later tonight, I’d call you”
He just shrugged in an ‘if you like call, if you like don’t call’ manner.

The BMW or my car….I faced the great dilemma and I asked Olivia.
“I’ve never seen your car..your real car..let’s take your car”
Chai….I was certain it was going to ‘fall my hand’ with its chronic startup cough, but I wheeled her towards the car. Somehow I wasn’t worried..with Olivia things like that didn’t bother me anymore…she had seen too much of me and it would be foolishness to feel embarrassed by something as insignificant as that…or maybe with the right person it didn’t matter.
I was in for a surprise when I got to the car, it was waxed and polished a gleaming black, and it looked new that I stood looking around for my car even when the lights had blinked in response to the remote control.
Strange eyes had really pimped my ride like it was an ‘exhibit’ and I was awed.
We settled in and for the first time ever, without pumping the clutch, the car responded with a smooth engine sound. No wheezing,no coughing, nothing!
“Wow…you have a nice car”
“Thanks..you should have seen it before” my tone of voice must have conveyed what I meant because she laughed happily and freely. The sound was like a fist on my heart…I hoped and prayed that in the next few hours the laughter won’t be replaced by tears. I closed my eyes and I could see her locked in a container, among scores of other women, all scared and crying…I gritted my teeth.
“Rex…Rex..what’s wrong?”
I opened my eyes and smiled “nothing….I was just thinking of that traffic we faced while coming” I put the car in gear “Wendy…here we come!”

•°•°•°•°•°•
Wendy was the type of person that once an idea of a work was in her head..it never went away..she was waiting impatiently and she had called me countless times to figure out if I was still on my way.

The school had long closed and she was the only one who waited behind. She was standing at the main gate with the security guard. She must have told him she was expecting us because he only tapped my booth for me to open it for him, after which he waved me on after checking.
I moved in and parked to the side of the road. Wendy hurried to my window. “Just go in and park…I’d be with you shortly” she saw Olivia and smiled “he told me he was coming with someone..its nice to finally meet you”

Wendy led the way inside, switching on the lights as we passed.
“Hope the guard is cool and not a snitch?” I asked her.
“No…well maybe but I’m going to give him some money to be sure of his loyalty”
“Wow..you’d so that for me?”
I was behind her, Wheeling Olivia but I could tell she rolled her eyes. “Duh! Where do you think the money is going to come out from?”
I chuckled “Wendy….sha take it easy with my pockets”
“You just see what I have planned for you and your friend”

She worked on Olivia first and I stood to the side and watched as little by little, her hair was turned grey. Wendy was a master with hair dyes and she mixed two different shades of grey to give her the required shade she wanted.
The result was how the hair of an aging 50/60 year old woman would look.
“Okay…lemme see” she studied Olivia’s face intensely through the mirror. “Okay…just a few wrinkles here and there…you want any scarring? No scarring won’t be nice..you’re an elderly elegant woman..yes just wrinkles…not too much, just to age your pretty face a little”
“Wow..you’re very good..I’m already feeling old now” Olivia was impressed.
“Trust me..it isn’t complete..there’d be a little line, here, here and here…behind your eyes..not to talk of your teeth..” She touched almost all over Olivia’s face and I laughed. “Wendy the magician…are you going to add all those ones tonight?”
“No…since its Tomorrow..its best to do it in the morning…when the effects would still be fresh”
“Okay…that sounds nice…” But then I remembered where the interview was supposed to hold. “Actually, we won’t be able to come all this way tomorrow..why don’t you just do it all now?”
She was already shaking her head “no…no…instead I’d prefer to come to you myself in the morning”
“Wow..you’re serious? You’d do that?”
She rolled her eyes again and I interrupted her this time “okay I know..I know..I’d be paying your transport right”

She fussed on Olivia a bit, greying the eyebrows slightly, adding a fake birthmark then taking it off”
“I thought it looked well” Olivia said when she removed the birthmark she had placed above her left eye.
“Yes darling..it would come on tomorrow..tonight is just your hair basically..that’s half of the job alone”
“What’s the other half?” I asked “the facials?”
“Yes..and don’t forget the fun part…the dressing up!”

My turn and she asked me “Old or young?”
“I don’t know…just make me totally unrecognisable”
She went for old again…the similarities would have been too much otherwise. This time however, she went a different route, instead of balding me, she added a toupee, a patch of grey afro hair that was greyed white completely. She worked on my eye brows, my moustache and the beards “justice the barber is not around…but I think I got this” and truly she did, she worked the beards perfectly, no touch of black just grey all through.
“Hmmm…I’m looking like Wole Soyinka a bit” I said checking out the result.
“Believe me that would change when the wrinkles come on…you’re going to look like an Old weathered and battered man”
I couldn’t help it, I flinched and Olivia burst out laughing “you know what that means..you better enjoy your youth tonight” she had said it innocently, but trust my dirty mind to interpret it another way. I stared at her thoughtfully through the mirror and she blushed.
Wendy must have been feeling the chemistry whether organic or inorganic because she cleared her throat suddenly “ehem…so Mr Rex tomorrow morning you’re going to be so old, that your eyes would hardly open clearly…deal?”
“Deal” I agreed.
She rubbed her hands together “now for the fun part..let’s get you dressed up!”

Half an hour later and she escorted us to the car. Olivia had the nylon bags containing the clothes we had selected in her lap while I wheeled her.
“So..where do I meet you people tomorrow?” Wendy asked me
We had gotten to the car and I scratched my head. “I’d give you the address..but it would likely be a hotel”
She raised an eye brow slightly, but she didn’t miss a beat “okay..just lemme know on time..before 8 I’d be there”
I could tell she was dying to ask about Fome but was trying to mind her business.
I thanked her and Olivia thanked her also, commending her as one of the very best makeup artists, that made her blush.

I tipped the guard an extra thousand naira to smoothen things further, I knew Wendy was going to give him something, and it had to be something significant, judging from what she had gotten from me, but I knew Jossy was a no nonsense person and she had risked her job for my sake.

I called strange eyes from the car “Are you at the hospital?”
“Is that your greeting?”
I sighed “okay good evening sir…are you at the hospital?”
“Not at the moment but The bull is there”
“Which one is the bull again?”
“That’s the captain agent”
“Oh..you mean the fake Captain. Anyway…let’s meet up tomorrow for the recorder and earphones and a final briefing”
He chuckled “I’m telling you you’ve found your calling…you sound just like an agent!”
“Bami…good night, we’ll meet tomorrow”

“So what now..we get some sleep?” Olivia asked me, she was trying to stifle a yawn and I knew she must be tired.
“Yes..and pray the sun takes its time before rising”

•°•°•°•°•°•
At the hotel, the very same hotel we had left before checking in two nights ago, the same friendly clerk was at the desk.
“Ah…customer…hope you’re here to stay?”
“Yes o…sorry about the other time” I paid and he gave me the keys.
It was past 11 when we got in, and I asked Olivia “hope you’re not hungry?”
“No..that brunch we had earlier..that was just too heavy…like this I’m okay till tomorrow”
“Okay..good…me too”
I stood pacing around, like my mind was on different things, but to be honest all I could think about was the fact that there was one bed…I kept on reminding myself she was a widow, and I was a responsible man…but the mental reminder wasn’t holding much weight anymore.
“We better get some sleep” I told her.
Wendy had said to leave the hair overnight before washing…so having a shower was out of the question…which was just as good because I had been thinking of the fact that my mom wasn’t around anymore to help with the dressing.
That reminded me, they didn’t call me when they landed, but it was late now…it would have to be tomorrow.

We talked about the initiative and how the interview might turn out, it seems sleep was hard to come for both of us.

I don’t know what got into me suddenly, but one minute we were talking, and the next I held her chin in my hand and was pressing my lips against hers, she leaned into the kiss immediately and it was the sweetest thing ever, the kiss played on for seconds until I heard her moan(or my God…was it me?)
The kiss broke naturally and I rested my cheek on her head and kissed her hair, “I swear…nothing would happen to you…I swear it” in the heat of passion and swimming with emotions I truly meant what I said…nothing was going to happen…no way! If I had been doubting it before, the kiss had confirmed it, I loved her alright and I had lost someone before….we had both lost someone before…but now..loosing wasn’t an option.

°•°•°•°•°
5:00am(five hours to the interview)

I didn’t sleep much, I kept on looking at the ceiling….the fear had descended all of a sudden from nowhere and I continually stretched my hands to touch Olivia and assure myself she was with me.
Right now she was still asleep, hopefully with good dreams playing behind her eyelids judging by the smile on her lips.

I hadn’t prayed in a long while, I think the last time I prayed was when I was staring down the barrel of the gun, but this morning I went on my knees and I prayed..

I didn’t wake Olivia and when my phone rang, I went outside to pick it. It was my mother. “Rex…sorry about yesterday, immediately we got home we both slept off”
“No problem mum..how was your flight?”
“It was fine…..so what’s going on now?”
“Nothing much we have that interview I told you off today..that’s all”
“Why do I have a bad feeling about this interview?”
“Which interview?” I could hear my dad ask her over the line. In response age just have handed the phone over to him because I heard his voice next. “Boy..what’s going on?”
“Nothing much..we just have this interview to attend..its an organisation that renders help to widows that’s all”
“Hmmmm…the same organisation that you said kidnaps women?”
I couldn’t remember telling him that, but I was sure I had at one point or the other.
“No…this is different, this is harmless”
“Where’s Olivia now?”
“She’s still asleep…once she wakes up I would call…or lemme wake her now”
It worked perfectly because he quickly rushed “no no no….leave her alone we’d call later”
I smiled as I returned the call. The phone was barely in my pocket when it rang again. This time it was Wendy.
“I’ve been waiting for your message since..its already morning..and if I’m to make it there on time I need to leave now”
The time was already 7:06am “wow..I totally forgot..my mind has been on a lot lately…I’d text the address to you right now”
“Okay..I’m waiting”

After I sent it, I wandered downstairs, after talking with the clerk and he directed me to the kitchen, I made enquiries on what they could serve for breakfast. They showed me a rather scanty menu. I selected bread and eggs.
“How would you want your eggs sir” the young girl in the chef’s hat asked me.
“Eerrm..just sunny side up would be fine..two plates..where do you get your bread from..hope it would be fresh?”
“We bake it here ourselves”
“Okay wonderful…two cups of coffee and two cups of tea..you send it up to room 47 when you’re done”
“No problem sir”

Olivia had woken up when I returned to the room.
I was shocked to see strange eyes seated in her wheelchair while she sat on the bed and they were talking.
She smiled immediately at me “good morning”
I smiled back, remembering the kiss “good morning…” But then I noticed strange eyes who was smiling mischievously and knowingly “Mr Bami…what are you doing here?…wait how did you know we were here?”
He smiled “Rex..Rex…I’m shocked you still ask me questions like that..what kind of agent would I be if I can’t locate you when the need arises?”
I shook my head “its things like this that gives me doubt about you” I looked at Olivia “how was your night”
“It was fine”
I noticed she had her phone in her hands, the same phone we had left behind at the hospital the day she had smacked the shadow with it.
“Your phone…you got it back?”
“Yes..he brought it here this morning”
I looked at strange eyes and he smiled “you can thank me later boy..but that phone was pulling you both to the ugly incident that happened at the hospital as it was found at the crime scene”
I was grateful “thanks man…how did you-“
“Mister man..before you start with your questions again lemme teach you how to use the gadgets I brought”

The earphone was really small, fixable in the ear with no visible clamp whatsoever.
“The receiver is really sharp, and….wait lemme help you before you force it onto your head” I had been struggling with it and I allowed him to help me. I couldn’t help bending my head and raising my shoulder reflexively as he fixed it in and Olivia laughed.
“Would you stay still for one minute?” Strange eyes asked
“It tickles..it tickles…”
Finally it was in and Bami fixed it for Olivia also.
“Now you people can converse with each other if you’re far away…and also with me” he pointed at his ear, he had also fixed one.
“The thing is you have to be careful when talking unless people think you are talking to yourself…” he smiled “me myself I’ve been taken for a mad man countless times because of this very device”
We laughed but the sound was cut by a sharp knock on the door.
“Wendy was really fast..” I said as I opened the door. But it wasn’t Wendy, it was room service pushing in a very inviting steaming tray.
“Breakfast is served” the young man announced as he entered.
Strange eyes whistled and I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, he was devouring the food with his eyes.
I stopped the young man on his way out. “Please tell your chef to prepare another tray just like this one”
He nodded and closed the door.
“Bami I know you’re hungry…yours is coming don’t worry…but please don’t covert my food anymore”
“Yes sir!” he gave a mock salute, but then he removed the pen from his breast pocket, clicked it then dismantled it, he brought out a small memory card and handed it to me. “Insert it in your phone” he instructed me.
I was setting up the tray..the bread smelled wonderful and was very soft..and still hot and my stomach was already making some kind of notice in anticipation but I stopped and collected it, I removed my own memory card then replaced it then powered on the phone.
I went straight to the recordings and selected the only file to play:

“Bami I know you’re hungry..yours is coming don’t worry…but please don’t covert my food anymore……..yes sir!…..”

I looked at him impressed, “its really clear!”
“Of course it is..I only deal with the best of gadgets”
I nodded and he handed me the pen. It was quite a fancy pen, like a ball point pen but the ball came off to replace the memory card.
“So..two clicks it starts recording, one click it stops…got it”
I replaced the memory card and spread the tray immediately on the bed.
I looked at strange eyes “yours would be here soon”
“No problem…who worked on your hair? The both of you?”
As if in reply, there was a knock on the door.
“The room service is quite fast” said strange eyes in anticipation.
But it was Wendy this time, she wore a short gown, a big smile and a big backpack that no doubt housed her magic wand and everything else she would need.
I introduced her to strange eyes as the mastermind behind our altered appearance then when her eyes also lingered on the tray I playfully introduced her to the food also “food..meet Wendy..Wendy say hi to the food” she laughed but I also knew she hadn’t had any breakfast also and thankfully the knock sounded again..this time the second tray was wheeled in and everyone had a plate.
For the next few minutes we didn’t say much as everyone focused on the immediate problem before him/her.

Finally after both trays had been cleaned out, Wendy stood up…”okay..you guys need to have your bath so I can get to work”
I dragged strange eyes outside, leaving the women inside to take care of their business.
“What of Tonye..where is she?”
“She’s close by..still working on getting the call records”
“Okay…could she come here before we leave for the interview for a final briefing?”
“No problem..I’d buzz her….” His eyes went wide suddenly
“What is it again?” I asked him
“This your old man disguise…this isn’t the first time…you’ve done it before at a restaurant…you sent me messages about the old killer woman and Mona and you were right in front of me weren’t you?”
I just laughed and he looked at me. “Rex…you have my respect..that was a good one!”

Wendy called to say it was safe to come in and we went back in. “Olivia was almost unrecognizable, she had dressed up in the blouse and wrapper Wendy had selected the night before and She looked like somebody’s grandmother.
I noticed she had removed the earphone, probably when she wanted to have her bath and it lay on the dresser. I removed mine also and retired to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later and I was decked out in the trouser that had been selected but I didn’t have the native top on yet, I sat bare chested facing the mirror as Wendy coloured my teeth and worked on my face till it looked like a rumpled piece of cloth.
Strange eyes had been observing Olivia all along, marveling at the change in her look but now when he saw my face he exclaimed “wow!wow!wow!” He turned to Wendy “excuse me…where do you work?”
She smiled “its a makeup school, we teach the art as an entrepreneurial study but we also work in movies..mostly high budget movies”
His eyes were turning and I knew what he was thinking. I shook my head behind her back, signaling him not to offer her a job with the agency like I knew he was about to.
He seemed to catch my drift because he said instead “okay..you’re really really good…the best I’ve come across…and I’d hope to use your services sometime in the nearest future”
She handed him the Jossy’s makeup school card. “The address is on it and phone numbers…I don’t usually do this private calls..I just made an exception for Mr Rex”
He nodded and took it.
“I must warn you..our prices are anything but cheap” she told him
“Believe me…I have a big enough budget” he responded with a sly smile.
It was ten minutes past 9 when she took her leave.
We waved her goodbye and she tucked the check I had written her securely in her purse.
“Take care Rex..and you too Olivia..let me know how the game show turns out..if you win the first prize” the tone of her voice said she didn’t believe the rooster and bull story I had fed her but I laughed as I saw her to the door.
“Thank you Wendy…take Care!”

Now I was fidgeting again…”I can’t believe we’ll be late for the interview”
“Calm down…is it not by ten?” Strange eyes asked
“But its 9:30!”
“Rex relax..this is not the time to freak out…believe me everything is African time..if you’re late no big deal…maybe that’s what would get you disqualified!”
I calmed down a bit…maybe he was right…but deep down I didn’t believe it.

Agent Tonye turned up shortly after. She had trouble believing I was the same person she had met at the hospital the night before.
She handed Strange eyes a sheet of paper and he glanced through it.
“Okay Mr Obasi..so we’re all here let’s hear it”

The hotel clerk couldn’t seem to close his mouth when we checked out…he kept on looking at Olivia then me, then Olivia…and I couldn’t blame him, it seems we had aged overnight.

09:53am seven minutes to the interview…

“Okay so the four of us are a team..test the ear phones if you can hear properly” strange eyes announced as we left the hospital. We all spoke and the signal was next to perfect.
We had gone to check up on Andy quickly at the hospital and he had trouble recognizing the both of us, if not for the wheelchair and probably my voice. I was happy he was recovering faster, he talked more and his voice was stronger. He gave us his blessing when I told him we were going to the interview today and I knew he was thinking of Mona again. I assured him their deaths would be avenged and the initiative would fall and I made sure to hide the fear from my voice.

Now, Olivia was in the car and I was about getting into the driver seat.
Strange eyes was beside me and he was in his mechanic attire once more. The jumpsuit was back on, his nails were dirty with dried engine oil, and his footwear was a mess. “So…the important thing is to know that communication is key…we’re with you every step of the way…every question you’re asked..you have two extra pair of ears listening and we have your back”

We shook hands, “see you tonight then hopefully when we interrogate the bastard lawyer”
“Yes bro…take care..and don’t be scared..Olivia take care”
I got in the car then drove off…with each signboard I passed showing the distance to the interview, my heart rate increased and Olivia was quiet too….we were both quiet thinking what the next few hours would hold.

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