A New Creation – Chapter 23B

“Kolawole,  You guys did what? ” Malia screamed.

“You heard me right sweetie” Kolawole replied as he rushed to change his clothes.

“That was not the plan you told me about, you guys were just supposed to loot his house and not ki*ll someone there” Malia still screaming.

“You had better just shut your before someone hears you” Kolawole barked.

“Why did you decide to involve me in all of this, now my conscience will haunt me for life” Malia sobbed

“Involved you? How? “

“If hadn’t not agreed to help you guys distract that Roy guy, he might have been able to get back just in time to save his friend”

“Didn’t you just tell me that the guy saw you and followed you, did antibacterial force him to follow you, did you put an hex on him, we only lured him with what he does best. Moreover he owes you his life because if he had returned while we were there, he would also be dead by now” Kolawole walked out of the room afte stating his points.

Malia kept on walking around the room, she just got herself in a plan that resulted to someone’s life, though she knew nothing about the guy that was killed she still felt guilty. Thoughts of Roy flooded her mind too, all she knew about Roy doesn’t go further than his name but she was still concerned about how he must be fell right now, if only she knew someone was going to die she wouldn’t have agreed to help Kolawole her boyfriend in distracting Roy. If only she knew then she would have sticked to the plan of giving Roy a wrong number but she gave him her real phone number after Roy displayed his intelligence, she has made a lot of errors.

“Am sorry Roy” Malia whispered to herself.

________

Rofiat walked inside her house and saw Halimat and Hadijat sitting down in the lounge.

“Welcome” they greeted but got no response from Rofiat who just walked straight to the sofa to sit. They both walked closer to where she was sitting.

“Rofiat what happened” Hadijat asked.

“Gentle is dead” Rofiat announced

“What” Halimat and Hadijat Exclaimed “How, When, Where” Halimat rained questions.

“He was shot dead earlier today at his friend’s house” Rofiat replied.

“Ohh my God, but who killed him” Hadijat asked.

“The white tigers” Rofiat replied.

“What” they both exlaimed again “How can they be so sure that it was the White tigers that killed him” Halimat  

“We saw an handkerchief with their emblem on it and a gun that has been confirmed to be the tiger’s” Rofiat

“How is Slimmy taking this” Hadijat asked as Halimat picked up her phone from the couch and dialled Oj’s number.

“Slimmy has gone mad, like raving mad. He wants to ki*ll all white tigers” Rofiat.

“Oh my God” Hadijat.

“Hello Oj” Halimat spoke on the phone. “Why in God’s name did you ki*ll Gentle, what sort of an animal are you, didn’t you know how close we were to him” Halimat shouted

“Babe I swear to you, I didn’t order anyone to be killed talk less of Gentle. You know what, let me call you back, I need to see all my boys right now”

“What did he say” Rofiat asked after Halimat dropped the phone.

“He said it’s not them, that he didn’t order Gentle’s death” Halimat explained.

“Do you believe him Rofiat” Hadijat asked.

“It doesn’t matter what I believe, Gentle’s death must be avenged.” Rofiat replied

“Maybe I should go and talk to him” Hadijat suggested

“You will do no such thing” Rofiat barked and at that moment, her phone beeped. She checked the phone and saw a message from Slimmy “Okay girls, I have to go right now and by the time I come back we will plan on how to sneak you two away untill all of these are over”

“We are not leaving without you because…..” Halimat was about to object but Rofiat interrupted her.

“You two had better not try nonsense this time around” Rofiat screamed and both Halimat and Hadijat trembled “The other war is different from this, you girls are two Capon’s girlfriend and a sister to a cultist, you will be the highest targets. You are leaving when I get back and that is final” Rofiat picked her car keys and left the house.

—–

+++

“Slimmy,” OJ called as his call was finally answered. The emergency meeting with the Tigers has ended and Small and Hercules were the only ones left with him.

There was silence from the other end of the line, OJ was sure that Slimmy was listening. He thought of how best he could explain his not picking Slimmy’s two calls earlier that day.

“Slimmy, I didn’t order for anyone to be killed. Believe me I couldn’t have ordered for Gentle to be killed, I have no reason to do that. Someone somewhere must be playing a game with us.” Oj paused to listen, he didn’t hear any response except for movements at the background. “See Slimmy, I would fish out anyone of my boys who secretly knows about this and I’ll personally hand them over to you to punish.”

OJ heard a short hiss and then the line went off.

+++

**15 minutes later**

“We’re not leaving any one of the Tigers alive, wipe out every single person, wipe out anything or anyone related to them. I don’t want to find a single trace of them anymore. Let their names be erased completely and forever in the books of history.” Slimmy stood in front of the gathered members of the Arch Angels and charged them up for the battle. The members who were deeply agitated about the loss of Gentle and we I already gearing up for a fight became more provoked in their spirits as they could feel Slimmy’s pain in his voice as he spoke to them..

“I heard that one of the Tigers have been taken down already just as the news came to you, kudos to you guys, that’s the way to go. From this night, the numbers of the dead bodies would increase and we’ll continue with the same tenacity. I want us to wipe out the Tigers in two weeks time.” Slimmy continued his speech. There were no cheers from the crowd as they all were in a sober mood, mourning the death of their beloved Gentle. “What did I say?” Slimmy asked his listeners.

“Two weeks!” They all chanted.

“Good, you can all go back now. Remember, stay safe and stick together, ” Slimmy charged. “Does anyone have a question?” Slimmy paused to look around. He saw two hands raised. “Yes, what’s your question?”

“Boss, the weapons, who do we report to this time around?” The junior asked.

Slimmy paused and thought for some seconds. The last war, he had been the one in charge of that process since Host was alive but now he couldn’t be because of his new position as the overall boss.

“Kong would take care of that, report to him tomorrow morning by 6am.” Slimmy said and turned to the other person who raised his hand. The hand was down already.

“I wanted to ask you the same question,” the person said.

“Okay, in the absence of any question. You can go now,” Slimmy said, dismissing the crowd. After a minute, the place was almost empty except for the inner circus and two other girls who were discussing with Rough. Rough tapped one on her waist softly and the other on her back as she concluded their discussion. Rough as the top female member was responsible for relating with other female members directly.

After the girls had gone, she turned to face the guys who were patiently waiting for her. Slimmy, Nazaretha, Kong and Rough, each of them, their faces depicted deep sorrow. There was silence for a long moment. Slimmy then took off the hood cap he was putting on which he used in concealing his face from the clear view of the younger members. His eyes were teary for the first time but he received to let any drop from it. He sniffed in and began to talk.

“Kong, Nazaretha,” he called softly and slowly. “Please make sure that the boys are well conducted and watch out for anyone who tries to disobey orders or sell us out to the enemies.”

Kong and Nazaretha nodded their heads in response, they couldn’t find words to say to console him or encourage him, the loss and grief was for all the members of the Arch Angels. Slimmy closed his eyes and rubbed his palm on his face, he took a long deep breath. Kong placed his palm on Slimmy’s shoulder and shook him softly, closing his eyes too as if to absorb the pain. Kong who didn’t go with the rest of the Angels to Roy’s house, had called Nazaretha to tell him that he had returned from the assignment and ask why he had so many missed calls, that was how he got to hear the story from Nazaretha.

“Boss, you gotta be strong for us.” Kong finally spoke. He shook Slimmy softly again and dropped his hands. He slowly walked away into another room in the mansion. Nazaretha also paused to stare at Slimmy for a while, then he followed Kong. Slimmy was left with Rough.

Rough for a while didn’t talk. Slimmy’s hand had been taken away from his face now, they were both looking at each other. Slimmy could connect to the grief in Rough’s eyes, it was the same intensity as his. She walked closer to him, slowly and stopped at his front. She looked into his eyes again and took in a breath, then she hugged him, for the first time. Slimmy did not respond at first but after some seconds, he wrapped his hands around her too. He could hear her sobbing and could feel the tears dropping from her face on his shirt.

The embrace lasted for almost five minutes and she released him, holding his two hands in hers. She stared into his eyes for a moment, then she stepped forward and placed a very brief kiss on Slimmy’s lips. Slimmy was lost for a while, he didn’t understand what he was doing but he couldn’t reprimand her.

“I wished I had expressed how I felt about Gentle to him,” Rough finally spoke closing her eyes. “How I wish he would have able to receive that kiss.” She released his hands and walked away, out from the lounge and the house.

Slimmy stood still and his mind dwelt on different thoughts. Rough had loved Gentle? He asked himself. But why hadn’t Gentle noticed and returned the feeling? That way, there would have been no clash with them. But life was really unfair, sometimes, we tend to not even notice those who truly care and show deep concern for us.