More Shots Fired (09)

Ife wasn’t going to let her dad talk her out of this the same way he’d halted most of her decisions in times past. His recovery was coming faster than anticipated, thanks to a new wonder drug, a wealthy patron of the Pavilion Hospital made available at no extra costs – Ife had her reservations about his benovalent act, but at the moment was happy to have her papa back. Although, Barr. Daniels was wasting no time meddling in her affairs, trying to control her life for her, she could still tell it was from a place of love. The only thing was that she was wasn’t the same Ife he remembered before he felll into a coma. Getting Chris out of police custody as soon as possible was all she wanted at the moment, and the best lawyer she’d known most of her life could do it for her without breaking a sweat, because he was that good.

“How did he end up there?” That was all he wanted to know.

Ife ignored the question. “Do this for me, Dad, and I might ignore a lot of your past sins.” She walked out of the hospital room.

Barr. Daniels picked up his mobile-phone.

By the time Ife got home Chris was waiting for her. He greeted her with a kiss as soon as she walked through the front-door. Someone anonymously facilitated bail on his behalf, and he was most certain Ife had something to do with it.

“Thank you, Ife.”

Before she could respond, Eddy broke off their embrace with his clenched-fist to Chris’ jaw.

“You’ve stolen my woman!” Eddy shouted.

Ife tried helplessly to separate them.

Chris soon got the upper hand, sending Eddy to the ground with well-calculated, destabilizing blows.

“You keep doing this… stealing my women,” Eddy said. His voice emotions-laden.

“That’s because you’re still what you’ve always been… a closeted gay.”

Eddy summoned his anger and dived at Chris, who happened to be prepared for the attack. Chris held his ground, and greeted his brother’s back with his elbow. He threw Eddy off him.

“You’re very predictable, Eddy.” He laughed.

“I’m done… after this job, I’m done.”

Chris didn’t seem to care. As long as he was concerned, they’ve been done a long time ago. And Eddy was free to leave for wherever he wanted. As for him, he knew he has found his redemption in Ife-Mathews Daniels, and he was staying here as long as it took him to transform completely for the better, if she’d have him.

***

11:35 p.m.

Senator Morris’ limousine and two convoys drove through the quiet-streets of the New-Lagos City. The City where lives and properties were better secured because people had begun to obey Government and traffic rules.

BOOM!!!

An explosion took out the convoy in front from under. The limousine and back-convoy scampered for control and direction.

“Control one… What’s your status?” Senator Morris’ personal bodyguard with him in the limousine called the blown-convoy, should there be survivors. “I repeat, what’s your status?”

Still no reply.

“No response, Sir; they might all be dead,” He reported to Senator Morris.

BOOM!!!

Another explosion. The magnitude from Convoy 2 caused the limousine to screech on the slippery road (littered with grease.) The driver struggled to maintain control.

A masked man appeared out of nowhere and stood before with a bazooka over his shoulder. He fired by the side of limousine, causing it to lose balance and bounce off its tires. It landed on its roof.

Two others came from the shadows. All three quickly took care of the driver and destabilized members of the security team still living, including Senator Morris’ personal guard. They pulled Senator Morris out and pulled a gun to his forehead.

“You’ve got balls. Whoever you are,” Senator Morris said with his weak breath.

“No… I don’t.” Ife took off her mask to reveal her face.

Senator Morris had a surprise look on his face, but soon replaced it with a demeaning look. “You don’t know who you’re messing with, child.”

“I do,” Ife retorted, “But I don’t care,” she said, and pulled the trigger.

Eddy removed his mask. “That concludes our business.” He threw his gun to the brother and began to walk away.

***

Ife got to her home, and saw her father in the sitting room. She was surprised to see him, not knowing he’d be released from the hospital so quick, and walking.

“What’s happening?” Ife asked, still gripped with shock. Her focus had moved from worrying he father would nag about her coming back late, all clad in black, to how her father suddenly recovered, almost perfectly within a space of two days. All these had to do with Senator Morris’ visit. “What have they done to you, Dad?”

“Nothing… I guess.” He responded, unsure if he was giving the right answer. “I feel very fine though.”

“You certainly would… that’s how it starts… I’ve watched a lot of movies to know how this works,” Ife sounded very distressed.

“Ife!… Ife mi!” He called her repeatedly, without a reply. She continued to walk up the stairs.

“I can’t take this anymore… I’m leaving.” She said.

***

Ife appeared at her neighbor’s door holding a portable traveling bag in hand. One would think it was meaningless leaving an accommodation just for the one at its side, but Ife didn’t care; this was where she needed to be.

Chris answered the door. They hugged, deep and long. Still at the door side, locked in each other’s embrace. Eddy same by, carrying a large bag of his own; he was leaving his brother, for the first time in ten years since they made a pact to always love and be there for one another. They were splitting now, because of a woman.

Once out, Ife and Chris ravage at each other.

Ife ripped his shirt’s buttons, exposing his finely chiseled body, fairer than his already fair-face. She let her fingers pucker his perfect abs to the beauty of the moment. He was a creature of light to her now, and if there was something she had learnt recently, it’s how to devour creatures of the dark posing as those of lights.

***

The sound of broken glass filled the quiet space. Eddy helped himself in, careful not to let his skin grace the glass debris all around. He’d been at the front-door for more than ten minutes without any response. He was on his way to leaving the city for good, to begin his healing process; he didn’t want to know what sort of thing Ife and his brother were doing at the moment that they couldn’t attend to the door.

He went through the kitchen to access the room downstairs, were he remembered he left his other stack of escape-money. He’d almost being successful I’m cutting off the entire apartment, but caught the sight of blood. He retraced his steps by two, and followed the trail that only got larger and more concentrated. He pulled out his pocket knife and walked stealthily towards the ajar-door that welcomed the trail.

“What happened here?”

Ife looked up to him. Her eyes caught his. Tears filled hers as her naked body shook in the blood bath.

Eddy looked at the mouth of her feet, and took a second painful look at his brother’s corpse. He squinted his eyes in pain. “What did you do?”

Ife looked up in more pain. “We were attacked.”

“LIAR!!!

He quickly turned, saying he was going to look at the house’s CCTV.

Ife quietly picked up the bloodied kitchen knife that lay by Chris’ corpse, and followed quietly after him.

“Where’s the bloody CCTV?”

She heard Eddy ask in frustration. That was very unusual. The knife fell off her hand in panic.