F B – 10

TEN

‘My sugar…my sugar heart!’ Oladimeji
lurched . ‘ℓ̊ have been waiting for you!’ He
belched.
The smell hit her nose, she stepped back and
frowned.
‘Sugie…sugie heart…care…care for my drink?’
He went over a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ pour from the bottle he was
holding into a tumbler. With staggering feet,
he went over to her a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ gave her the tumbler.
‘We are one…so drink me… all of… all of
me …my drink!’ He laughed heartily and
gulped from the bottle, he belched once
more .
She watched him calmly knowing he was
heavily drunk.
He dropped his bottle, turned to look at her
a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ open his arms. ‘Sweet …sugie heart, come
to me… come and meet my third leg Sugie! ‘
He advanced towards her. ‘Come let’s make a
baby…babies… royal babies.’ He winked at her,  staggered back, hit his leg against
the bed stand a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ slumped on the bed.
She waited, then moved closer to him carefully
as though the floor was about to give away.
‘Oladimeji?’ she knelt close to the bed. ‘There
are some things ℓ̊ wud like you to
understand…’ She placed the tumbler down.
‘We will first sort this from your own
perspective…Oladimeji…? Oladimeji…are you
listening to me?’ She waited.
He turned to his side a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ began snoring.
She glared at him in disbelief. The sight before
her was contrary to her earlier plan. She took
in that moment a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ allowed her psychological
instinct prevail. She stood, looked him over
and glanced around the room thoughtfully.
Dear lord in heaven, please come to my aid!
She inhaled deeply and exhaled before heading to the door.
++++

****
She looked down the illuminated corridor,
since the minor part of her plan had been so
easy without any effort from her, she was still
going to use her psychological instinct for her
major plan.
Knowing their boss was very engaged, she
knew they had nobody to monitor their
activities, definitely, most of them would be
out of duty relaxing a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ enjoying themselves
the way they knew how to do it best.
She took strides accross the corridor.
The second, third and fourth …
Hester saw him and knew he was dozing from
afar. Her strides slowed, she smiled and
appeared unhurried.
As the footsteps approached, his eyes fluttered
opened and he scrambled to his feet.
Appearing as though his form of conciousness
a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ presence meant nothing to her. ‘Weldone
o.’ She acknowledged a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ acknowledged and
walked pass him .
Sleep vanished from eyes a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ deep confusion
took charge as he watched her walk pass .
‘Emmm… excuse me.
She turned expectantly with a charming smile.
‘Our lady!’ He recognised her. ‘What are you
doing here?’ He was apparently surprised.
She appeared momentarily taken aback by his
question. ‘Oladimeji said ℓ̊ could stroll, so
here ℓ̊ am … strolling a̶̲̥̅̊η∂ ℓ̊ must say its been
outstanding so far, ℓ̊ mean the sights!’ She
grinned.
‘Strolling…strolling?’ He stared at her not
carried away. ‘Strolling?’ He looked the way
she had come from.
She knew exactly what was going on in his
mind. ‘What is the problem?’
‘​This is restricted area, you have to go back .’
‘Why? ‘
‘I know you should go back.’ The guard
returned firmly.
‘Okay. ‘ She began to go back the way she had
come. He went along side.
If she did have an objection, it was not
expressed because in no time, she stooped as
though her right shoe lace had loosed. Her
beautiful, wine colored, long , fitted at the
waist and flared at the hem gown prevented
him from discovering her bait.
He had no choice than to wait, since her
spectacular presence had sprang up a number
of thoughts in him, in no time, he was lost.
She rose and moved noiselessly and her arm grabbed his
neck tightly. ‘Shhhhh …’
It was the feel of the cold blade of the knife
on his neck that took him out of his
earlier shock.
‘Get down on your knees slowly, with your
hands outstretched, remove that gun out of it’s
sheath and toss it backward. ‘
He didn’t move.
‘If there is sunlight, your breath will fluctuate
at the glittering of this knife.’ Her voice was
calm as the pointed edge of the knife
penetrated his neck.
The message got clearer in his head.
He had
been at the wedding venue, he had heard the
story of her last outing with Oladimeji. He
knew little of her capabilities but he couldn’t
just surrender.
She chuckled. ‘You are thinking of doing
something silly abi? ‘
It was a rule or probably something that
everyone who knew the business
acknowledged, the more hilarious, the more
dangerous.
He obeyed.
‘I have two questions for you.’ Her voice was
firm.
He became all sweaty.
‘What is your name? ‘
‘Lu…cky. ‘
‘Which route is the safest to the underground?
‘
His eyes almost popped out from its socket.
‘I …I don’t know. ‘
She picked the gun and cocked it.
‘I swear my lady, I have not been there. ‘He
said trembling. ‘Please …believe me.’
‘I will ask a simpler question since you can’t answer
that. Where are the guys? ‘
‘I … I …emmmm….in the left wing, the hall
way is painted green.’
She allowed silence prevailed, before hitting him  on the  shoulder and knocked him out with the
butt of the gun. She pulled him to a corner.
She began running. Then she saw the stairs
then she went down through the snake-like
rails until the end.
The place was quiet as she walked through, she
saw coded doors.
+++++
****
He heard the noise,with the gun properly
positioned in front of him, he looked through
the junctions.
Then he saw the leg slide before him but
couldn’t stop himself because it was
unexpected. He jumped and landed
unbalanced, his gun went before him.
He stood hastily and was suprised to see
her,he forgot his gun.
‘who are you?’
‘I’m someone looking for the underground. ‘
Hester turned and began to leave.
But he was fast, he grabbed her the arm and
spun her close.
‘Who are you? ‘ His voice was icy.
‘I am looking for the underground, can you
help me?’ She met his gaze.
With both hands holding her neck, he pushed
her to the wall.
He didn’t know her.
Her right leg went to the wall before her body
to absorb the force so she doesn’t feel pain as
he pushed her against the wall.
‘For the last time woman, who are you and
what are you doing here? ‘
She was quiet.
He hit her back against the wall. ‘Open your
mouth and talk, beautiful women don’t freak
me out, open your mouth and talk! ‘
‘Guys with smelling mouth reminds me of a
faeces drain.’
His grip around her neck tightened. ‘I am
going to kill you! ‘
‘With her right leg, she kicked him on his left
leg. He released her. She kicked his leg once
more and he went down on a knee with a groan.
He grabbed her gown and dragged her down
with him. With enclosed fist, she delivered a
blow to his jaw, as his head went back, she
gave him a backhand slap across his chest.
He doubled over and coughed blood.
She glanced around.
He stretched both hands above and touched
the gun.
She saw him too quickly, thankfully, the
corridor wasn’t rugged, she slided down.
Before he could lift his hands, she was behind
him, she grabbed his neck.
He fired forward desperate for breath. As the
grip tightened, he dropped and held her arms in
a futile effort to free his neck so he could
breathe.
She let him go eventually.
Massaging his neck, he coughed
and pant for air.
She picked the gun and towered him.
‘You are …you will die in that underground. ‘He
spat blood.
Smiling, she waited for him to look at her. She
allowed herself go and landed his knees on her
shoulders.
He cursed and wailed .
‘Which is the way to the underground?’
‘I’ve …I’ve not been there.’
‘You as good as dead! ‘ She cocked the gun.
‘No …it’s towards the east, trut …truthfully I
have never been there.’ His eyes were clouded.
‘I want you to tell me, I will get there
successfully. ‘
He didn’t answer.
She kicked his side.
‘You will not die …please …please …’ He closed
his eyes and gnashed his teeth.
She knocked him out with the butt of the gun.
Knowing the shot could have served as an
alert. She began running, she saw the switch
box and turned it off.

She fetched a small torch from a bag she
carried across her.
She heard what she assumed as footsteps.
Spontaneously, she jumped on a pole and slid
down. She jumped on another and she did
same.

‘Hold it !’ A voice said.
She frozed.
‘Turn around. ‘
She brought out the guns and faced him, she
pulled the trigger of one and sent a bullet flying.
He dived to the ground and closed his eyes.
She fired another shot before covering the
distance between them. His gun was still in his
sheath.
Well aware of the chaos that was brewing in
the building, she decided not to waste time.
‘Which way lead to the underground? ‘
‘I …don’t know. ‘
She didn’t believe him.
‘Stand …no …place your hands on your head.
Lead the way to the underground… Wait.’
She unbuckled his sheath and tossed the gun
to the ground.
‘Any silly move, you become a gory sight. Now
go …’
He obeyed.
Few minutes later,
‘That is the door, it’s coded and I don’t know
how to open it’
‘We have come this far and does not mean I
can’t still blow up your brain Frank, that door
is not coded, it requires a Handprint and I
know you have been in there before. ‘
‘No …no ma.’ He trembled knowing he was
doomed if Oladimeji ever found out.
‘Place your hand on the screen or I’ll make do
with your dead palms!’ She ran out patience.
He obeyed and the door began to slid open. ‘I
can’t open the rest, please … don’t make me
because I can’t. ‘ Tears rolled down his cheek.
She believed and shot him.
He fell.
She entered in knowing he would survive. She
hadn’t hit any majors.
The door closed behind.
She saw cameras but it didn’t matter to her.
She got to another door and saw it was coded.
She brought out her phone, opened an
application, she allowed to the screen of her
phone to touch the screen on the door.
She withdrew her phone and typed in what was
displayed on screen.
The green signalled and then it opened.
She did same for the second and third,
And then,
She climbed down the ladder and came face to
face with an open deep space.
She saw the control button and the platform.
Hester stood on the platform and pressed the
control button.
It spread opened with great force that made
her loose balance and sent her rolling
dangerously on the steps that had now formed.
The mistake,
She shouldn’t have stood on the platform.
Hester landed bent over , hot tears stung her
eyes. She gnashed her teeth as pain threatened
to torn her being apart.
She coughed and spat blood, though she
couldn’t see it, she felt it . Her vision was
blurred, she blinked severally. She knew she
must have fractured something or things.
No I couldn’t have come this far to be caught
…to go back. She blinked severally. God please help me…
Her fighting spirit returned, she gnashed her
blood stained teeth as hot tears rolled her
cheeks. She placed one hand in front and then
a knee, …. she crawled slowly …stopping in
between to take deep breaths.
She got to a wall and struggled painfully to her
feet,
a hand came over her mouth.
Hester slumped into unconsciousness.
+++++
****
‘She is badly injured, very injured, a thorough
check up has to be carried out.’
‘Doctor… do everything possible okay? She
don’t look good to me at all.’
The Doctor nodded. ‘The major problem I see
is her leaving today. ‘
‘Today Doctor, today, even if it is in the
middle of the night. I don’t mind moving the
hospital over, surgery or no surgery. ‘
The doctor stared at Ethel knowing he meant
it.
+++++

****
‘Sir, we …we don’t know but she escaped. ‘
‘Escaped!’ He roared and the hall echoed his
voice.
Their heart beat quickened. They were all
gathered and on their feet.
‘That should be an impossibility.’ He shook his
head. ‘Escape. ‘ Oladimeji repeated and paced
still finding it hard to believe. ‘How come?
How did that ever happen?’
‘Sir, she escaped through the underground. ‘
One of his inner circle bodyguards said.
‘Underground! ‘ He practically screamed. ‘It is
not possible to escape through the
underground not with the codes and all! ‘ His
gaze swept their faces. ‘I don’t want to
consider the underground because it’s really
crazy, it is absurd she should have never
gotten close to that place. ‘ He closed his eyes.
‘I said it on the day she stepped here that
excuse of whatever form left my dictionary. So
you forgot so soon what I did to scorpion and his crew.’ He faced them. ‘I need explanations fast,
how did she pass the trio security that should
be on every corridor? What happened, what
the hell happened!’ He worked his fingers
through his afro hair.
A grave yard silence engulfed the hall.
Oladimeji was burning with rage, he
approached one of his officers and gave him a
slap with the back of his left palm. He did
same for the couple of persons next to him.
He checked his blazer, in his hurry, he had
forgotten his gun. ‘God damn it! Where is that
gun! Sting go and get me two clubs from my
office. ‘
He immediately left.
They all began perspiring in the airconditioned
room.
‘While we are waiting for him, I will like to see
pictures of the happenings of last night.’ He
removed his blazer and sat before the screen.
One of camera operator lost control of his
bladder and it gave way.
‘Boss …we …we …I’m very sorry Sir but we
didn’t put on the cameras. ‘
He jolted out of his seat as if he just sat on
fire and grabbed the sword hung on the wall.
They all bow. ‘Please boss, have mercy.’ They
chorused .
Sting entered. ‘Please boss, have mercy.’ He
pleaded knowing how his boss could be in
anger.
He seethed in anger and after few seconds, he
tossed the sword to him. It landed close to his
feet.
Oladimeji stormed out of hall still
shocked at his misfortune.
He entered his room and wept at his mistake.
‘I lost her again. ‘ His whole body shook as he
sobbed.
+++++