Arrgh" I shouted as I held my bleeding arms and lied on the floor of the free land beside Jude's mansion. Apart from the spot where I was shot, there were also some other parts bleeding due to the dangerous jump through
glass made window. " Gabi, are you okay?" Morgana asked trying to lift me up. The guards peeped through the window and started firing at us again, We quickly dodged behind the fence breathing heavily. " This isn't the sort of fun we planned for" Morgana said as she brought out her gun, " Let me handle this" she added when I tried bringing out my gun. She rolled forward a little and shot randomly towards the window, I could now see people running helter scatter, People of the street. " You are bleeding real bad" She said as she rolled back to me. " we need to leave here as soon as possible" She said again. " I dont want anyone to know about this" I told her holding my left hand with the right. " The time is 2:15 now" I added looking up at her. " come off it, you know it takes up to an hour to drive from royalty to Perfect peace considering the Lagos traffic" She said and I nodded. " Let's get out of here, you need to have your hand treated." She said. " This is a bullet, they will need a police warrant before treating me" I told her. " Am not taking you to the hospital " She said as she drew me up and we escaped to where my bike was parked. " I will drive " she said as she hopped on the front seat. " Off course you will have to" I replied sitting beside her. I didn't know what happened next, I only woke up to meet myself on a small bed in a small room. My left hand has been treated and there was a bandage around it though it was covered with my cloth which had been washed cleaned by God knows who. I turned left and my eyes caught the wall clock, the time was 7:30pm, I got up and sat on the strong iron bed, just then the small door the room opened and Morgana came in. " Gabi, you slept for too long" She said sitting beside me and touching my left hand. " How do you feel now?" She asked me. " Much better" I replied. "Where are we?" I asked again. " In a room" She replied.
AS NARRATED BY MORGANA
I drove off on Gabi's bike to a small house owned by an old native doctor, not those involved with witch craft. She had actually treated me once when I was involved in s club fight, that was back then when I was still a stripper. The time is 7:35pm and you might be wondering how it went after we left the Mr Jude's mansion. I had driven Gabriel first to the native doctor's place and headed back to perfect peace hotel. I Parked the bike in a safe corner and located the bush where I kept my cloth. I wore them and cleaned myself before jumping over the fence with the help of a tree in the bush. I had to swallow my fear as I climbed up through the pipe after two failed attempts. I quickly had a shower , disposed the knife and cleaned my heels, I washed my under wears and dried them on a drying line in the bathroom, I then put on my cloth. I didn't forget to keep the key to sir Jude mansion where he kept it. At exactly 3:15pm, sir Jude showed up looking moody and tired. " Welcome honey " I greeted him smiling but he wasn't smiling at all. " What is it?" I asked him again. " My house was attacked" he told me falling into the bed. " My good God, what happened, what about your guards?" I asked almost shouting. " They were all killed, only a few survived, about 6 survived" he said again rubbing his bald head with his hand. " Am so sorry love, hope they didn't make away with anything?" I asked caressing his back. " No, but they left the house in a total mess" He replied. " Oh, God, am so sorry" I said and planted a kiss on his lips. " Am not in the mood for fun this night, why dont you allow my guards drop you at home" he said. " Are you trying to dismiss me?" I asked angrily, " No, I just need a clear st…" I interrupted him. " Forget it " I shouted as I went into the bathroom, pulled over my cloth and wore my under wears though they were wet, I wore back my clothes. I came back some minutes later and made for the door, " Where are you going to?" He asked . " My house " I replied angrily. " Let my guards drop you off" he pleaded, " No, I know my way, if you need me, you know where to pick me, Kendrick" I said to him and walked out from the room. I went downstairs only to meet a man in boxers explaining how he was tied down by a young man, I smiled as I knew who it was, that was how I escaped from the hotel and headed home for a change of cloth, Christiana wasn't home and the house was just like we left it the previous night. " Hello Matt" I said as I picked my ringing phone. " Morgana, have you heard from Gabriel, we hadn't seen him since morning and he isn't picking his phone" Matt said over the phone. " Gabriel asked me to keep the secret but am trusting you on this, he went out with a girl" I said. "Oh, that must be that girl he meant in the club two days ago" Matt said laughing. " Yes, a sort of club girl he had told me" I said, I could hear israel laughing from the background and hailing Gabriel. " Okay Morgana, am relieved now, bye" Matt told me. " Did you guys do anything today?" I asked him. " No, Daniel gave us the day off, he said he was busy with something " He replied and hung up, he is always know of minimizing airtime. I drove back to the house where Gabriel was being treated, I meant the old woman outside pounding some sort of medicine. " Your friend is still sleeping" She said to me, " I have been able to remove the bullet" She said again. " Thank you mama" I said smiling and swayed inside the room she directed me to, Gabriel was still sleeping like a child, he woke up some hours later. " So what did you find out?" I asked him after we have joked for sometimes and I had told him how he got here, that was an attribute that can't been taken away from Gabriel, he is always making jokes from everything even in time of danger. " I can't explain, everything is just confusing. The only reasonable thing I fetched out is that they will be shipping something the day after tomorrow " He replied me. " Shipping what?" I asked him
AS NARRATED BY MORGANA
. " Something I dont know" He said looking up to the old white ceiling, " We have to be there" he said again after some time. " Where?" I asked. " The port, we must find out what they are shipping" he said to me. " You aren't looking fit" I said not willing to go ahead with his mission. " Am not forcing you to come Morgana, I can go in my own but dont tell anyone about my whereabout. Some how, those people are kind of connected to the numerous deaths in Atata" he shouted. " I didn't say am not joining you, stop barking " I shouted back facing him. " I dont need you anyways" he said again, " Maybe next time you will get a bullet to your head" I fired angrily at him. "It will be my pleasure " he said and lied on the bed facing the ceiling. " Am sorry" I murmured unwillingly to him after some moment of silence but he didn't reply. " Gabi" I called but he didn't still answer. " For Christ sake, I said am sorry" I shouted angrily, " You better dont give yourself hypertension " He said but didn't still look up. " Am I forgiven?" I asked him " Are you coming with me?" He also asked. " Of course, I will come with you" I said smiling. " Then you are forgiven" he replied as he got up from the bed. " Let's go have fun" he said looking out through the window, " What sort of fun?" I asked him, " Like a night ride" He answered while I smiled. " Let's go" I said throwing the key of his bike to him, just then the old nurse entered. " Are you both going out?" She asked smiling to reveal her scattered teeth, not white at all. " Yes mama, for a ride" I replied. " My son, come back quick, I still need to do something on the hand " She said. " okay mama " Gabriel said as the old woman walked out." I hope you can drive?" I asked him, " Watch and see " he said bouncing out. Ten minutes later, we both could be seen cruising the street of Lagos on his bike, loud music from different clubs and bars made the night.
AS NARRATED BY ADANNA
With smiles and happiness of the morning, I went to the stream, I have been relieved when Alvana told me Gabriel hadn't written the letter, I swayed and smiled happily as I went to the stream early that cold morning, I do go very early before other village maidens so as not to be involved in gossips. The village girls are good gossipers, they can involve you in useless talk and waste your time. " Adanna" I heard Alvana called from behind, he was going to his farm as usual, he had a how hanged on his shoulder and a cutlass on his hand. " Alvana, good morning" I greeted. " You are so hardworking, you mean you have come to fetch water this morning?" He asked smiling. " Yes" I replied. " Hmm, let me take Gabriel place, let me escort you to the stream" he said. " No, dont bother.." He interrupted. " I want to escort you to the stream, that isn't something big is it?" He asked smiling, I had no option than to give in. " Don't worry, you are meant for Gabriel and am not taking his place" Alvan said smiling. " I just miss him so much" I told him. " When he was here you could not tell him you love him and you are missing him now." Alvana said laughing. " The boy is meant to tell the girl not otherwise" I said calmly. " Another postulate by Alfred Marshal" he said laughing . " Who is Alfred Marshal?" I asked. " An economist" he said. " Stop there!!" A voice shouted from behind, we both turned and it was Mbe the cat, I felt pity for Alvana immediately. "Your dog has come" Alvana said to me smiling, " Won't you run?" I asked pushing him away. " Run? I hate that sport" he said again smiling. " What kind of idiot are you?" I asked as I saw mbe drawing closer. " Mbe with the way you follow Adanna these days, I think it will be better calling you Mbe the dog rather than the cat" Alvana said smiling, I was sure he didn't know who he was standing with. "Alvana, is that for me?" Mbe asked angrily as he pushed Alvana to the ground. Alvan stood up slowly, he was still smiling. " Mbe the dog is really perfect, Adanna what do you think?" Alvana asked holding my hands, I was now shaking incredibly. " What sort of full grown man of Atata pursues a lady day and night rather than go to the farm?" Alvana asked still smiling, he was always smiling. " Alvana!!" Mbe screamed and punched Alvana over his face, the punch sent Alvana to the ground, this time Alvana didn't get up slowly, he sprang up with his both legs and stared at Mbe smiling. Mbe tried bringing another punch but Alvana caught his hand in the air, then like thunderstorm, Alvana released a hot slap to Mbe's fat cheeks. The stream became still, the trees stopped rustling, the birds of the trees flew away as Mbe fell to the ground heavily with his both eyes closed, Just a slap. " He is dead" I said turning to Alvana who was just smiling.