Ray Onu was dishing out orders to his subjects like he was sharing candy bars in a seven years old child's birthday party. Everyone had a candy or two to wallop in the office of the CID office.
"Get me the details of the people injured at the scene of explosion, Kalu." He stopped the young officer who was about concluding the previous assignment he had giving to him.
The report about the explosion got Ray out of his sit and his office, the commissioner of police had just told him to get the culprits to answer to the law but of course it was easy for him to say since he was chilling in his cozy office. The governor must have called the commissioner of police to put the squeeze on him and he in turn called Ray to do the same.
"I just got that info Chief." Lynda spoke from her desk not removing her eyes from her monitor.
"Nobody was injured in the explosion and I just got off the phone with the fire department too; the building was empty. No one was at home."
If the Ghost had blown up a building with nobody inside, what was the plan? Get away?
"Get me Sam or O'Brien on the line now!" He told Kalu who had been standing by his side waiting for the Chief of the Criminal Investigation Department to give him a direct order.
"Yes Sir."
Ray took out a packet of Benson and Hedges from his breast pocket and set it on fire. He watched the coils make different shapes as they went up to the ceiling, he though he say a shape of a man with wings; but he quickly waved the though away. He was not one to believe in Angels, even his Catholic background didn't make him join in the belief. He had stopped going for mass when he got the chance to forward his university education away from home, away from his mother.
"Sir, O'Brien is on the line." Kalu brought Ray back from his thoughts, into the scuffling in the Criminal Department.
********************
"Salam Alekum, Brother Razak." Rashid said as he kept his eyes glued to the Black Amanda jeep which was five cars away from their van, as it sped with the other cars towards Jubril road.
"Malekum Salam, Brother Rashid, to what do I owe this courtesy call brother?" Razak responded in sarcastic manner.
"Just checking on you Razak, am sure you have got things under control." He responded, not minding Razak's unmistakable irritation at him.
"That wouldn't be much of a problem if only you would stop distracting me with unimportant calls." Razak shot at him with hate ion his voice.
"I hope someday we could get along brother." Rashid said.
Razak has always been rude and mean to Rashid right from time immemorial. His hate for him was not just clouded around the fact that Rashid would be the next in command if anything happened to the Colonel but he hated Rashid more for his success. Rashid was a fast learner and a good strategist. He had mastered the ways of the brotherhood faster than any other brother in the exceptional list. He took over his late father as everyone always say; he had died after suffering a terrible bleeding from a gunshot. No one talks about the terrible incident so only the fragment was available to share. The Colonel soon took over and has masterminded numerous attacks to decrease the wide spread of the western ways in their part of the country. In honor to the late Saad Danladi, Rashid's father; Colonel Farouk brought him up like his own son.
Razak on the other hand is the son of the Colonels late sister. The Nigerian Army had stormed to settlement in the middle of the night and had burnt and destroyed anything that stood on their part and the lives of his parent where sacrificed in the ruins of the attack. Miraculously Razak had survived the blast and his screaming caught the attention of the Colonel who was looking all over for his only sister. He rescued Razak and has raised him as his own son. He was the closest of relations to the Colonel before the arrival of Rashid and everything took a new turn.
Razak, over the years earned himself an additional adjective 'the prodigal son'. He always had something to fight about, quarrel about or nag about and most times it was usually related to Rashid, directly or indirectly. Both where almost of the same age except for the difference in months which also favored Rashid. When they where fifteen, he could remember Rashid beating him in physical combat. It had hurt his ego so badly that he picked a training batten which was a laying on the sandy ground and hit Rashid on the back of his head and Rashid slumped lifelessly.
He had been scared after the action but somewhere deep in his heart he was happy that the bastard was out of his way. His uncle was very mad at him and had ordered his men to lock Razak up in one of the rooms they used as cell. From that very moment nothing he did please the Colonel. But he didn't let that bother him because he was going to show his Uncle he is better and more dedicated to the course than Rashid the bastard.
"Well, I don't think that's going to happen."
"Our lives are only pawns in the course of actualizing Allah's assignment to us. Let's enjoy it in togetherness while it last Razak."
"You have always said that and I wonder what exactly you want to achieve by saying it." Razak said as he walked towards the window where he watched the cops from. "Don't you have someone to kidnap Rashid?"
"She has concluded the seminar and has driven out of the hotel complex." Rashid was excited to share his assignment with his step brother but he was sure Razak wouldn't care to listen.
Abdul Razak watched from the building opposite the one his cousin had just left. He had been watching every move the CID made from their cover inside the blue Mazda Van down the road.
It was the perfect plan he thought but he wouldn't say that out to anyone because he would not want to praise Rashid for the success of this mission. Everyone on this assignment has gone through it a million times; he won't be surprised if he was told that Rashid practically dreamt of the success of this mission for many nights this past weeks.
Razak also took the mission as life and death because this is the test for him to have his own Faithfull's to lead just like his half brother Rashid. The last thing he ever wanted was to let his Uncle down as those who have done it in the past did not live to tell the story of their experience and he was not planning to go down that path of no return. He loves the feeling of being in charge and responsible.
"We are right behind her and I guess I should let you handle things, today is your big day. Try not to make rash decisions and follow your heart. May Allah, be with you." Rashid told him.
"Keep your opinion till I ask for it. Allah, be with you." He dropped the call.
Everything has to move as planned, it must, he thought to himself as he began to dish out orders and assignments to the other brothers.
"Get the devices ready, leave nothing behind." He instructed his men.
"Saied, let's roll this up, we are done here."
"I am on it, brother." Saied replied. Farouk walked towards Ahmed who stood up as he saw Farouk approaching him.
"You know what to do Ahmed." He placed his hands on Ahmed shoulders.
"Yes brother, for Allah to be glorified, I will."
"Do this for Allah. May Allah be with you."
"And you, brother." They hugged each other with soft taps on the back as they joined the others, making their way out of the building through the back door that opened to road D. They were 3 black Camry 2008 series with the same plate number as the one Farouk drove a while ago. The first two cars where already occupied except for the driver's side of the first. The last car was empty. Razak stood for 4 seconds with Ahmed then gestured for him to get into the last car.
"You are the special one, Brother Ahmed." He said as he watched Ahmed walk towards the car without saying a word.
Razak headed for the driver's sit of the first car.
"The second phase of our mission just got activated brothers, Allah Akbar.
************************
Zina was filled with unanswered questions, majorly because she had not asked anyone any questions yet, but she obviously felt shaken from the turnout of events. She could not understand the question that the journalist with the ODV TV tag just asked her? She could not understand who would possibly accuse her of exposing these poor and helpless women to the corrupt indulgence of civility as the reporter had put it? How is this related to Islam and how does this movement contravene their religious believes?
She checked her watch as they made a turn towards Muhammad Abu-Bakr road it said 4:18pm.
"Angela, find out what that journalist was talking about." She said as she closed the unread documents Angela passed to her. She was obviously in no mood to read anything; they can wait while she unwinds.
"I want to know everything, starting from who originally made that statement, I mean who the journalist was referring to as religious leaders and why?"
"Right away, Ma'am." Angela was already on the phone when the car stopped in front of Trendies just opposite Jabir Fuel Station.
Zina stepped out of the jeep and into the hot sun of Kebbi state; she felt the sharp contrast in climatic condition as the chill that she felt in the cozy Amanda started giving way for the heat from the northern sun this Monday the seventh day of February, 2013.
Her security officer opened the door for her and worked behind her as he accompanied her towards the entrance of the eatery but just before the entrance she stopped.
"Please wait for me in the car; I don't want to draw attention to myself. Thank you." She said with finality as she entered the eatery leaving the MOPOL behind.
"Welcome Ma'am." The guard at the entrance said as he opened the door for her with a wide smile decorating his face.
"Thanks, Dear. How are you today?" She replied but didn't wait to hear the responds from the guard as she walked on into the Trendies. She took the stairs and went to the first flour which was more reserved from the look of it.
"Madam, what would you want me to get you?" Angela asked.
"First, a bottle of water but I would like a plate of rice with stew and a turkey. Please do have something for yourself. It's going to be a long day, thanks." Zina replied
"Yes, Madam." Angela answered.
"Angela." Zina called out without looking up from the paper she was looking at. "Its Zina not Madam, remember?'
"Yes Zina. I remember."
"Don't sound like am an old lady, dear." Zina replied as her assistant went to place the orders.
******Please make sure to read this story on Webnovel.com, if you are reading The Ghost Mode from anywhere else then you are on a pirating website, do not accept to offer any kind of payment to such people as they are non-respectful of author's rights and i, as a writer am not benefiting from their schemes in any way possible.******