The Angel And The Fugitive – Chapter Five Part A

THE ANGEL AND THE FUGITIVE – CHAPTER FIVE PART A

© Reginald Obetta

The Apex house, in the capital city Abuja, Nigeria was the abode of the President, Mr Ajuwa Williams comprised of eighty-four rooms, thirty-two bathrooms, a conference meeting room, where members of the Cabinet meet, two sitting rooms, In it, hanging in a frame suspended on the white wall, were the pictures of past Presidents in circular form, a red leather upholstery, in a harmonious colour with the rug, a large glass center table and forty-five servants and workers, that ensures regular maintenance.

On the outside of the twin duplex, a special telecommunication aerial stood on a chimney, hung on a slate by the far right corner of the corrugated sheets, a skylight and a dormer window. A thatched enclosure stood beside which housed two snipers. A plethora of about two hundred and fifty armed military men and uniformed police personnel paraded in and out, from the first gate of the driveway. A vegetable garden about a hectare situated behind the chain like wall, CCTV cameras and automatic bomb activation and deactivation button and satellite control, numbered about eighty surrounded the electric fit fence to the inside, with the later, capable of detecting any signal within two miles of launch and deactivate them, with the help of anti-missile computer. Each of the security and defense mechanism were controlled in a brick built house behind the staff quarters by the defense system unit personnel. A basketball hoop was suspended on a gutter, tennis and volleyball court were beside a swimming pool after the garden and a fully fledged clinic. The house was a prevalent structure, built in the early twentieth century in England.

The president himself stood in the balcony of his bedroom, seemingly enjoying the pleasant sight of the morning sun rise with a glass cup, half filled with a red wine. He has been a shadow of himself lately, his campaign of being re-elected into office for the second term had been very hectic, largely due to the fact, he senses a feeling of not being trusted by the people any more even though, the facts are not so legible and then, the insecurity, which seemed a perfect wrong time for his ambitions and feels is going to daunt it. The recent bombings in Baigari State and Moguil state had been very particular in the sense that these states contributed immensely to his victory at the polls. . He had been left in shambles and rage since the bombings, resulting in insomniac nights. When he does sleep, he is troubled by the night mare of being dead at the Apex house by the bombings. This was the reason for the recent deployment of more military personnel in his home. Someone was haunting him from his past, he would tell that to himself and his wife who was abroad, for a while whenever he reasons, the obvious points for the commencement of the attacks. His political enemies, he taught were behind the calamity, but he couldn’t figure who. His cloud of thoughts were disturbed by the coming of one of his servants, who announced the coming of Chief of Army, defense unit and chief of Police Unit, Baigari state .

“Tell them to wait under the shade in the garden. “He dismissed her and called one of his military guard and told him to keep away the eyes of the fourth estate from getting any information as it was strictly a closed door meeting. The Chief of Army Unit, Lieutenant General Kadibe Orji was lanky disciplined, dark skin complexioned with a wrinkled face and a small pointed nose in his sixties sat in one of the four chairs already set in the garden, his chin up was clad in his uniform with pips and crowns in his epaulet. He had served in the military for fourteen years, three of those were where he worked in the artillery unit and the others, as an outfield soldier. Close to him was the chief of Defense Unit, Segun Folorunsho who unlike the former was robust looking, sat cross-legged waiting and shared similar phenotype with the Police Chief with the exception of a broad nose compared to the Chief of Defense unit tiny nose like there was none. He served in the Army as a tactics and strategy expert almost all his lifetime. Chief of Police unit, Baigari State Kenneth Orie has been in the police force for thirty years before his appointment, about six months ago. Mr Ajuwa Williams welcomed them warmly as he met them. The Chief of Defense Unit reached for his brief case opposite him on the ground and brought out a document he handed over to Mr Ajuwa Williams.

“His Excellency, here is the report of the recent bomb explosions. We are yet to nab the bombers but we have suspects in our custody”. Mr Ajuwa Williams reached for his glasses in his pocket, nodded his head in approval of what he read.

“Hmmmm, I like the authenticity of the report, but What happened to the security cameras in each street electric poles. We should have culprits and not suspects and it should have had the videos”.

“Sir, there was no witness or witnesses at the time of the explosion except one who wasn’t lucky enough to survive to tell”, the Police Chief stated.

“How possible is that? “

“His Excellency, all the video cameras were destroyed prior to the attack. It stopped functioning hours before the insurgents struck “, explained implicitly by the Chief of Defense. They stopped discussing, waited for the maid to serve drinks before commencing.

“Are the repairs underway”

“Yes, it’s currently been taken care of. ”

“Good”.

Silence struck for a while. Mr Ajuwa Williams stood pacing about with his orangeade drink. He was thinking of what to do next, the next plan to execute. His thoughts were like a mold block, he couldn’t come up with any plan, and when he realized he still couldn’t, he took his seat back and maintained eye contacts with his subordinates.

“We need to be more pragmatic, these unknown numbers are way to cleaver and will continue to come. We should expect the next attack soon. Every checkpoint in Moguil and Baigari should be barricaded since they are the most affected states for now, every single exit and borders should too. Any one of suspicion should be gunned down immediately. As it is now, military presence is needed. All hands must be on deck. We need to contain this before the killings become insidious and grow into an epidemic ”

“Yes, but we need more deployments sir, more armored tanks to keep the operation abreast,” the Chief of Army unit stated.

“It will be approved soon”, he took another sip of his juice.

The maid dropped the empty tray in the kitchen, raced towards an empty room she glanced at and looked back to check if she was followed. When she noticed she wasn’t, brought a phone from the pocket of her apron and dialed some numbers.

“Hello Alhaji, it’s me Hadijat. The president is in a closed door meeting with his security chiefs”

“Did you eavesdrop ”

“I did but not quite the exact. They said nothing when I served but stayed fir a while and heard a few things. They are planning on the next strategy that will soon commence, something about deployment of more soldiers”

“Ok, good. Continue to keep your ears close to the ground, “he hung up. Hadijat like everyone that has helped has been one of the beneficiaries of Alhaji Saheed’s “good work”. Once, a destitute and a street hawker, he chose for his despicable acts in years to come like the devil he always has been . Alhaji Saheed whiled away no time in calling Ruff, whatever the outcome of the meeting was, he knew deployment will take some time to execute, being part of the Government previously. It only suggested, they needed to hit soonest.

“Ruff, you need to hit immediately ”

“When Alhaji?”

“Today”

“I don’t think it’s really possible. The exigency is soon. I need to gather the boys and pinpoint positions. It will take a while to do that”

“No damn it, you need to act now. No more questions and do as I say. Get it done today “.

“My apologies, we will do as you say”, Alhaji Saheed hung up first. Ruff dashed towards their hideout, a place in an outskirt, after informing his friends. This was the place where their weapons were kept buried under the ground and where they stayed after an operation.

“So, what is the plan? ”

“The plan, well, this is it. We use three taxis, stop at a distance and Forge ahead on foot in three’s. There are three cross roads leading to the square and a nearby uncompleted building beside a grassy land, one group stays in it and the other on the grassy land, launch the bombs and disappear, the other should dress like the military and stay at each cross road. The uniforms are here. No one will question you because military presence will be heavy, everybody will be assumed as one, keep them busy fir a while. The street cameras there are not repaired yet so there is no need to be afraid. Ten minutes maximum, everyone should retreat into the Bush, about a kilometer behind. A car will be waiting by the side to take off”, Ruff slips his vest above his head and noticed something amiss, Rogers absence of course was it. He had the key to the box that contained the weapons under the ground.

“Where is Rogers for goodness sake? ”

**********

“Come in”, answered the doctor who was engaged in filing some paper work. Tafa and Rogers leapt into the cold office perspiring from the run up.

“How is he doctor? I have been kept waiting at the reception for some minutes with my friend without any attendance from no one till I was directed here”

“Are you Mr Tafa Waziri? ”

“Yes I am. The son of Mr Joshua Waziri”

“Alright, am doctor Mark. Your father’s case was transferred to me. He had an arrest about an hour ago, his heart is getting weaker by the day. The chance of surviving the next arrest is very slim, if we don’t get the money for his transplant now, am afraid, we may lose him. ”

“Oh Jesus, I haven’t gotten the deposit yet let alone the full amount. Doctor you have to do something. There must be an alternative, can’t you go with the transplant while I run for the money”

“Am sorry, it can’t be done. There is nothing I can do”

Rogers phone beeped for an incoming message and left, simultaneously, Tafa excused himself to place a call to pastor Simon who didn’t receive after two dials, he was to find out if his loan request had been approved. Fortunately, after the third dial, pastor Simon received,

“Good day Pastor”

“How are you Tafa”

“Not ok sir, I called to know if my request had been approved, my father is going to drop dead at any moment if he has another cardiac arrest”

“Am sorry Tafa, I just left the meeting in the church, your request wasn’t granted. The church can’t fund the surgery”.

Tafa for a moment thought he hadn’t listened well but when he heard again, he became dumbfounded, gazed into the eyes of the doctor who was still busy on his table and then Rogers who returned from taking a call. He stood in the middle of a blue sea, befuddled and never had this ugly picture he has been experiencing, his pastor couldn’t help him, his own church couldn’t help him, he had no one except Rita who at the moment was more than helpful. Rogers read the meaning on his face, he wanted to tell him he was leaving him for an assignment but the look discouraged him, he was his close friend and deserting him would be callous of him, for he was full of sympathy for him, if only he could help him but he was under an oath, the sect oath not to help anyone on the outside. Tafa moved to sit on his seat, whispered to Rogers ears and in few seconds, he was seen going to a noiseless area, taking an excuse from the doctor.

“Am in ok, what’s the point sticking to a faithless beguiled faith when my father is dying every second? . I want the money now and then I join your clique”

“Hmmmm, ok. I don’t know how long it will take to get it transferred to your account but I will get it done. It’s not really our rule to till you join but I can help you and make exception. Your my friend and won’t allow your father to die”

“Thanks”.

An Automated Teller Machine was situated outside the hospital, as no banks was near, running to and fro and with all the logistics problems will while away time so, using the ATM was best. Rogers finally excused himself from Tafa, with the reason of having an appointment. Few minutes elapsed, Tafa received the alert on his phone about the transfer, without further ado, he made the withdrawal, proceeded to the doctor’s office.

“I have the money with me now. Can we proceed with the surgery? ”

“We can obviously, take it to the accounting office. I will assign a nurse to lead you”, the doctor stood to leave, taking his lab coat off when a plump nurse bagged in.

“Doctor we have an emergency, the patient, Mr Waziri is having a heart attack.”

“Give him another 10 Mg of dopamine immediately. “He instructed the nurse through the telephone on his desk.

“Doctor, is my father ok? Is he?”

“I don’t know for now until I get there, please, excuse me “. Tafa stood dazed for a moment, he was faithless but held on to his faith for the last time. The statement made by the doctor, his father not surviving the next attack only rotated in his head, he proceeded to the accounting office.

Cuppala Square was filled with top state political figures of the Freedom Party. The local Government Chairman, party chairman and Governor led the rally, huge boisterous crowd behind them. The local Government chairman was seeking for re-election, just like the governor for the next four years in office. The former was imminent, the date scheduled to take place a week before the state. The Local Government chairman began to declare his campaign promises on stage, then the party’s chairman, rounding it up was the Governor. A huge blast of a sound was made, there was a bomb explosion on one part of the square, the sound threw tumultuous crowd into panic, few seconds apart, two quick fire bomb blasts occurred, on the stage and on the roof, and then everywhere. The remaining crowd was thrown into perplexity, running pep Mel, security operatives led the distinguished political figures out of the square, corpse littered the square though some were injured to the point of being dead, only few escaped unhurt after the sound of the first explosion. The whole square was now deserted except for Emergency unit and the dead corpses.

Ruff and his team had already sped past the empty checkpoints and the barricade of the soldiers, few miles away from their drop zone. There was some sort of silence as though, they missed something. Rogers kept hitting his fist on the seat in front, muttering hare words to himself.

“Am sorry Rogers, I messed up big time. I shouldn’t have gone beyond boundary”, Janko, one of them apologized.

“Just shut up okay, just keep your mouth shut. What the hell were you thinking huh? Releasing launchers for the sake of fun? Stick to the plan, that was the instruction and then, you decided to do your own way by getting to ki*ll people you weren’t told to. You just killed my friends siblings, the only ones he has got perhaps, give me a reason not to sh00t you, “pointed a gun at him furiously.

“Hey, calm down dude. He overreacted, that’s it and probably deserves to be punished for it.” Ruff chipped in.

“Don’t tell me to, just let me be. How do you expect me to react. It’s crazy, very crazy.

“It’s done already. Nothing you can do can change that. He simply didn’t know it was your friend’s home. I take the blame for his actions. ”

“They won’t survive, am pretty much sure.” Rogers nerves was calmed. He felt extremely guilty of what happened. To him, the whole operation was a mess and a disaster, he would live with. He blamed himself for arriving late, if he had earlier, maybe he would be the one to handle that position. Janko was a newbie and simply enjoyed releasing multiple launchers and throwing grenades on his first mission.

“No one should tell him we did this. As far as we know, it’s the job of a rival terrorist group”, Ruff stated.

 

ALL EPISODES

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