“Shit,” Chinedu said when the converstion with Habib ended. If his hands
were not on the steering wheel, they’d be clenched at this point.
Why now? Now that everything was fine and somewhat dandy. Why now?
Now that he was irrevocably hooked on her. Now that he had pledged to love
her. Now that he had asked her to marry him. Now that she had accepted. Why?
Poor Iphey. He couldn‟t even warn her of the danger that was brewing…Oh
God. How he loved her and wanted to protect her. They couldn‟t run away. No!
he wasn’t just going to up and run like some chicken. Run from who? He didn‟t
even know who they were up against.
That’s the question that should be on your mind, Chinedu.
This thing reeked of cat pee. Acidic. Could it be just a gambling debt? Or was
there something James wasn‟t telling even the EFCC?
He had to do something… and real fast too…
Bob Marley‟s Stir it up was playing in the background…Damn. Bob used to
help him think straight…and…OH! A Plan began to form in his head.
“Why didn‟t I think of that….” said Chinedu, as he dialed a number.
A part of him admonished him…begged him not to call the number…told him
to think hard before…it was too late…
“Ehen??” said the voice on the other side, “who be dis?”
“Ahn ahn! Gbenro, ta lo ji pata re? Who don go vex you today?”
“Tani yii? Who dey talk…who‟s this?”
“Chinedu ni…”
“Ah ah! Tuale!. How you dey na? Na wa o! E don tey oh…”
Chinedu and Gbenro had remained friends. Their friendship had remained a
secret. They were never seen together when they did have to meet. Gbenro had
come to Chinedu at a low point in his life and so had started their unlikely
alliance. Chinedu helped him in cash and Gbenro becaame Chinedu’s eyes and
ears in the underworld. Just as Alhaji Galadima recruited him for the police,
Chinedu began to funnel information from Gbenro to the authorities when
necessary. Gbenro knew people who knew people and it was Chinedu who
needed Gbenro‟s expertise now.
“I need answers and answers I will get by hook or crook.” Chinedu thought to
himself.
“Gbenro, abeg…Meet me for that place now now…Abeg…E get wetin I want
make you help me do…abeg…” Chinedu said.
“Na wa o! Ogbeni. This one wey you don talk abeg like three times so…”
“Wo, dey come, Quick quick!” Chinedu was becoming more agitated now.
“Make I discharge some people. I go dey there sharp sharp!”
“Ok now. See you there. Thank you my brother…”
He had another call to make.
Iphey, Pick up. Pick up…
There was music in the background when he got through.
“Hello…Iphey? Err…are you with James yet?”
“No. I‟m still at home,” she said.
“OK. Listen. Call him and tell him you‟ll meet him at the Galleria.”
“What? “ There was a tinge of irritation in her voice.
“Look, Iphey, We still are not sure of this guy. He‟s your sister‟s husband but
he‟s been away for a while…Remember the circumstances surrounding his
disappearance…”
“Look Nedu, you don’t know him like I do. Sure I told you the later bits…”
Chinedu was too wired to let her continue. “Trust me Iphey…I‟ll come pick
you up in about an hour….Please promise you‟ll do as I‟ve said…”
“You‟re talking weird, Nedu, James is still my sister’s husband…”
“Please, just do it, ok?”
“Do what exactly?”
“Call James and tell him you’ll only see him at the Galleria in an hour.”
“OK.”
“Phew! I must “gist” our children o! Kai! This your stubbornness is
legendary.” Chinedu was happy she had accepted to do as he wanted.
“Go joo.” Iphey replied.
“See you in an hour honey…”
***************************************************
Ten minutes later, Chinedu was at the assigned place and left the engine
running as Gbenro slid into the car.
“Tuale! Ore mi, kilon popping na? You just shari your guy sha…”
“Haba Gbenro! You know everything na…” Chinedu glanced into all the
mirrors as he drove of. He had to be sure no one was following them.
“Anyway sha, wetin you dey hurry hurry me make I come do?” His passenger
asked.
“Ehen, Gbenro, e get one guy like this wey I want make you tell guys make
them torchlight am for me…I wan know who him be…”
“Wetin the guy do? Im dey disturb you? Make I organize boys make them go
arrange the guy neat…”
Satisfied that they were not under observation, Chinedu stepped on the
accelerator and pulled away. “No. No be like that…the story long small but I
will explain quick…See e get one girl…”
“Ha Sinedu! Woman matter…Naa…I no dey that one.”
“Guy, hear wetin I dey talk na! This na my woman o.” They were both silent
for a while and then Gbenro nodded.
Chinedu continued, “My girl get one sister when e marry one guy like
this…The guy come leave them run…The man come back this year say people
wen im owe money dey chase am…the thing be say, the people wey dey chase
am come dey think say my girlfriend na the guy partner who hold their
money…”
“So wetin come happen. She take the money?”
“Haba now Gbenro, she no take am. She doesn’t even know anything.”
“OK na…so wetin you want make I do?”
By now, they were parked not too far from where Iphey lived. The engine
idled because the air conditioners were on. Chinedu slung his hands over the
steering. “Some people wan kidnap my girl be that Gbenro. It fit even happen
tonight!”
“Hmmmm…” Gbenro started thoughtfully…
“Which one is hmmmm?” Chinedu said.
“I hear some kidnap rumors sha, na the big Ogas, the ones for Island, na them
get that one sha.”
Chinedu sat up straight. This must be it, it must be the same people Habib
was after, the reason he had picked an interest in James in the first place. The
ones who ran gambling rings in Lekki and environs and used low gangs in
Ajegunle to do their dirty business. He cursed himself for demanding to be out of
the loop. Well it was too late for regrets. Hopefully Gbenro knew the lackeys
who would do the actual job and would be able to help foil it.
“Gbenro, I think it is the same deal, what do you know?”
“You get the girl picture? “
“Wetin you wan carry am do?”
“Ogbeni, answer me O jare…”
“E dey my phone sha…” Chinedu began to scroll through his BlackBerry,
“Ok..Ehen this one clear..see am…”
Gbenro took the phone from Chinedu and looked at the picture. His features
suddenly registered his shock.
“Na she be this?”
“Yes that’s her…Na wetin happen?” Chinedu asked a visibly disturbed
Gbenro.
Gbenro, shaking his head vigorously said…”Guy, wahala dey o…”
“What do you mean?” He wa confused now..Very confused…He was
convinced that there was no way Gbenro could have met Iphey…Absolutely no
way… but Gbenro‟s next words put paid to his thoughts…
“Sinedu, this ghel wey you see so, na Dabaru personal project tonight…”
“Dabaru???”
His nightmare was back.
Oh God…This was turning into the worst nightmare ever…The situation was
getting uglier by every spoken word…Every gesture…
Dear God, I said I was sorry…you promised me you’d forgiven me…I turned
a new leaf, I did everything …I …Why is this happening..? Chinedu had to think
hard and fast.
Gbenro, assimilating the situation and fully understanding the gravity of what
had just transpired, was clearly at a loss as to what to do or where to attack the
matter from. He was reduced to babbling.
“Kai…You know say I no fit go meet Dabaru…I no fit…him no go wan
know….Sinedu, if him hear kperem say you know the girl, the girl own do pari o!
Ogbeni, you dey think of your mama so?”
Chinedu sat up, a plan forming in his head. Living in the dredges a long time
ago made him an authority at thinking on his feet…he knew what he had to do.
The time had come.
The thug in him…the thug that Alhaji hadn‟t succeeded in taming had been
set loose. The thought of losing Iphey to Dabaru. He shivered. He wouldn‟t go
without a fight.
He looked at his wristwatch…9pm. He was supposed to pick Iphey in half an
hour. That wouldn’t b possible anymore.
“Where Dabaru dey?” Chinedu said.
“Hein?? Wetin you dey talk?” Gbenro asked.
“Where im dey? I wan see am.”
“This madness has to end.” Chinedu said out loud. He couldn‟t continue to
run from his shadow. Or Dabaru as the case was. What better time to face the
music than now.
A very discombobulated Gbenro was saying “No be me go carry you go
where dem go kill you o!”
By now Gbenro was looking left and right as if Dabaru would materialize if
just by calling his name. He had learnt quite early that the fear of Dabaru was the
beginning of wisdom.
“Gbenro????” Chinedu called.
Gbenro guessed Chinedu‟s badgering wasn‟t going to stop. Ah, how he
wished that Chinedu wouldn‟t do this, however he knew his friend. It would stop
only when Chinedu had gotten the information he needed.
“Ha, Sinedu…Ok, I no go follow you go meet am o! I go show you where im
go dey…No call my name o! I dey beg you…”
“Gbenro, I be small pikin? You go go show me the place now but I gat to
make some calls first…” Chinedu said while scrolling through his phone…He
dialed.
The call was to his very handy cabby…Supo had run many an errand for him
in the past.
“Supo, Hello…Can you hear me? Where you dey? The place is very
noisy….Abeg, Abeg, Comot for there then flash me.”
One minute later, Supo flashed Chinedu‟s phone and Chinedu called back.
“Oga mi! I been dey watch Nigeria friendly match o… those boys just dey…”
Supo had a knack for giving unsolicited information.
“Supo, where you dey? “ said Chinedu said cutting him off.
“Oga mi. I dey one place like that near city mall…”
“Great! You get reach 10k?”
“Ermm…No sir…”
“Ok. Ermmm…Come for Shoprite com meet me now now…I dey wait o!!”
He turned to Gbenro. “Ogbeni, pade mi ni No 2. (Meet me at No 2.) Make I
reach Shoprite. I wan sharply buy somethings.”
No 2 was a code for one of their meeting places. All because the gang must
not get wind of their association. Chinedu sighed audibly but his resolve was
strengthened.
The next call he made was to Iphey. Thank God for GSM…What would he
have done?? he thought.
“Sweetheart, are you still at home? Has James called you? Not yet…OK. See I
won’t be able to come take you to Galleria. No..no. Just stay there…Yes, I’ll send
Supo. I love you.” he hung up after her muttered “love you too.”
##########################################
9.45PM
“Dude, Listen to me na…I need a favour…” He had just left Shoprite and
was driving to his assignation with Gbenro at No 2.
“Do I need to leave where I am?” Habib asked quietly, “I’m embedded
somewhere already…”
“Yes…No. OK, you don‟t need to move. I would have wanted you too
involved but I can manage with back up…and protection.” Chinedu said.
“Chinedu, what are you getting into? These guys have proofing. I think they
may have some insider backers. We aren’t sure who you‟re up against, I suggest
you stay out of it my friend.”
“Habib, one thing I know is that Dabaru is part of this project and Iphey will
be kidnapped. If it ever gets to the point where he finds out that Iphey is
connected to me…HE WON‟T THINK. She‟ll die. Because of me. I wont let it
happen.”
“Chinedu…if you let us do our jobs it may not get to that point.” Habib
started, a hint of irritation in his voice…
“Look, I’m not prepared to take that chance.” Chinedu cut him off. He tried
to breathe. “Habib, I figured since you‟re in on this whole mission, you‟re the
best person to ask for help. Will you help me or not?”
“Send me the co-ordinates when you get them from your source…and
Chinedu? Keep me posted, OK?
“No wahala…” Chinedu said, what he actually meant was, “Not a chance.”
The caller waiting tone was beeping while he was on the call to Habib. So
immediately he got off the phone, he checked his missed calls.
Iphey.
Supo had probably gotten her to Galleria by now and handed over their
shopping. He called back.
“Hey babe…”
“Chinedu, Err…Supo just gave me a few things.”
“Yeah..Good…”
“He gave me a bag of some kind of….paraphernalia…”
“Iphey, clothes, a hand bag and a…blonde wig hardly qualify as
paraphernalia…” Chinedu said trying to make light the situation.
“Chinedu!” Iphey said in her “Cut the crap” voice.
“Look babe, some people are watching you. Some very bad people…I
thought I wouldn„t have to tell you but…there.” He listened for a while.
“You said you have to meet James but they mustn’t know it„s you, that’s what
the different clothes are for…Is James there, yes? OK…make sure you stay in the
restaurant. Don’t go home and don’t follow him anywhere. Discharge him
soon…tell him clients or something. You must change before you leave. Go out
through the side door…Iphey, trust me, ok?”
“Go to double Four….Stay there. Supo will come to pick you again. Do as he
says..Go with him to wherever he takes you. You„ll be safe there.”
The phone line went silent for a while. Chinedu could almost hear her
thinking.
“Iphey…are you there?”
“Yes..” Iphey said in a voice that even he did not recognize. He could tell she
was not happy with the whole cloak and dagger affair.
“Sweetheart…This too shall pass…We‟ll get through this…Be strong for me.
Please go and change. Call me when you‟re safe with Supo.”
She remained silent. “Iphey. I love you…” He had a terrible feling that she
would not see him in a long while.
“I love you too honey. Promise you’ll tell me what this is about later.” Her
vice faded.
“I promise, and please act normal…not like anything’s up. Call me if you
have any hiccups…”
#########################################
10.30pm
The night seemed to be on never-ending mode. Chinedu sat at a darkened
corner in the bar nursing a drink. Gbenro should be crouched outside
somewhere, phone in hand and ready to squeal to the number Habib had
provided if need be. He‟d relayed all the necessary information to Chinedu
earlier before they parted. Now Chinedu waited for Dabaru and his top shot to
come in.
Opposite him, Dabaru‟s boys sat drinking and making merry. He wondered
which one of them told Dabaru that Iphey was James‟s girlfriend so he could
deal with him. He called his mind to order. He was here to see Dabaru. He was
here to bury the hatchet. At whatever cost…He hadn‟t seen any cars by the
way…Dabaru was still not in sight…Oh there he was. He‟d aged some since
Chinedu last saw him. He even had a limp now. The years he’s spent in Kirikiri
wouldn’t have helped and maybe he’d got shot in the line of “DUTY”.
Chinedu sighed. What was he doing here? Oh yeah. He knew. To die. Oh
Lord, what have I gotten my self into. What was I thinking? What…
He heard a voice…a very familiar voice. He heard the voice long before he
saw the face. The voice that was now greeting Dabaru in the most familiar tone.
This voice that he‟d grown to know so well. The face he‟d grown to look up
to.The voice that now faded as it followed Dabaru into what seemed to be the
VIP Lounge of the bar.
It was Alhaji Galadima.