This is a passion work. So, I would really appreciate it if you leave behind a review when you're done reading.
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CH27: SAD NEWS
"So Bro, How did the mission go? Did Bro Kunle capture the Emissary?" Korede Balogun asked a question Kola Balogun was hoping to avoid answering for now.
Kola sighed. 'What would come, would come.' He thought to himself.
He hesitated for a while before saying,
"Korede, I don't want you to overreact to what am about to tell you."
The moment Korede heard his brother call his name, a bad feeling welled up inside him. His elder brother only called him by his name if he wanted to tell him something really serious or something he won't like to hear. A part of him was starting to wish he had not asked the question. Alas, the die had been cast.
"From what we know, Alpha team engaged in a car chase with the Emissary and his men. They managed to take out one of the hostile cars and closed in on the car the target was in. However, before they could engage the target, a Helo with a mounted machine gun ambushed them and they crashed." Kola paused and looked at his brother who already had a look of dread on his face.
He wanted to stop but he knew it was best to get this out of the way. So, after a slight release of breath, he continued, "Kunle managed to survive the crash and get out of the car but the Emissary came back to finish the job. He was shot at point-blank range. He was dead by the time emergency services arrived on the scene. We also found a destroyed detonator at the scene which leads us to conclude that the Emissary was the one who detonated the bomb that brought down the building you were in."
Korede probably did not hear Kola's last sentence as he was already lost in shock.
"No, No! No!! It can't be. He can't be dead." He mumbled in denial. He couldn't believe it. Or rather, he didn't want to believe it.
Kola didn't say anything. He just placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. He could understand his grief. He was also shaken when he found out. Kunle was no less a brother to him than Korede. He still remembered having to go inform their aunt, Shade Balogun, of her eldest son's passing. If not for the presence of her husband, Adedayo Keshinro, Kola had no idea how he would have consoled her. Adedayo Keshinro was a soldier himself, so he was able to control his emotions enough at that moment to console his wife. It wasn't a pleasant experience.
Kola was lost in thought when he heard Korede ask him a question, "What about the Emissary?"
"He escaped on the Helo. We haven't been able to find him since. We suspect he's no longer in the country." Kola answers in a low tone.
Korede stood up in anger pushing his brother's hand away. "How the hell did you guys lose him?! How did three helicopters with mounted machine guns escape your notice? It's bad enough the NDI sent us bad intel but even when we are killed, they can't find the person responsible?" He shouted (1)
Kola Balogun did not say anything. He knew his brother was going through the stages of grief. Anything he says right now would probably be useless. (2)
Anger kept boiling in Korede's heart. The rage kept rising until… Bam … He punched the wall. In his rage, he unconsciously removed the limiter on his potential. Hence, he had punched the wall with everything he had. When he removed his hand from the wall, there was an indentation in the shape of a fist. It had to be noted that every building on the Military base is built to Military-grade standards, even the toilets. No expense was spared. So, one could imagine how much force was behind Korede's punch. Kola merely glanced at the indentation before looking away. He was very familiar with his brother's strength after all.
The punch seemed to have helped Korede vent some of his rage. He began to breathe in and out rhythmically, trying to bring his rage under control. Angry or not, he was a soldier. One trained his entire life by the Balogun Family. A family with a warrior lineage.
A warrior… A soldier… cannot allow his emotions to control him. Yes, he had them. He was human after all. However, he must always keep them in check.
After five minutes of the breathing exercise, Korede started to look calm. He turned to his brother and asked, "What about the NDz? The Haram Boyz? What's going to happen to them after their role in this?"
"After they tried to purchase a dirty bomb, the top brass has decided to intensify actions against the Haram Boyz. Though there had been military action against them for a while now, the truth is that most of the top brass considered them a major nuisance at best. Now, however, they have our attention. It might take a little bit of time but the Nigerian Military is now fully committed to wiping out every trace of the Haram Boyz once and for all." Kola replied.
He saw that Korede has no expression on his face. He shook his head a bit. Korede had not calmed down at all. He was merely acting calm. This was just the calm before the storm. Anyway, kola continued.
"As for the NDz, both the NDI and the DSS are asking for us to hold off on any actions against them. The gang has its tentacles in a lot of places in our country's criminal underworld, so they want to make sure they unravel them before we make a move against them. We agreed for now since we have to look at the bigger picture. If we don't do this cleanly, something might come back to bite us where we don't want. We, however, made it clear they have very little time."
When Kola concluded, Korede still had the same stoic look on his face. He simply said to his elder brother,
"When it's time to move against the NDz, I want in."
Kola was about to say something to dissuade him but Korede cut him off,
"Big bro, please I'm not asking. I'm telling you. I'll make a move whether you like it or not. It's just I'd rather have your blessing."
The two brothers stared at each other. Eventually, Kola asks
"Kid, what do you plan to do?"
"The NDz. The Haram Boyz. The Emissary. I'm going to KILL every last one of them." Korede replied grimly.
Both Kola and the Symbiote, who had been listening in on the brothers' conversation, were surprised by Korede's intense emotion.
Kola couldn't help but say, "Hey, Korede. Have you forgotten the Family teachings? We don't fight for revenge. I know Kunle would also not want you to. (3)
"To hell with the Family rules. I never understood it anyway. Also, don't give that 'Kunle wouldn't want you to' speech. You can't tell what another person wants or doesn't want. Besides, Kunle is dead. The dead have no desires." Korede retorted agitatedly.
Just when Kola was about to say something, a nurse enters the ward with a stretcher bed.
"Sorry to interrupt Colonel but I was asked to move the patient to another room since he is now awake."
Korede was about to reject when Kola said sternly, "This ward is reserved for your team since you guys were comatose. Now that you are awake, if they ask you to move, you move. Get some rest. We will continue this conversation later when you are sober." He turned to the nurse and said with a smile, "Alright, you can move him. Sorry to bother you."
"No, not at all." the nurse replied, startled. The young lady did not expect the Colonel to be so polite to her.
Korede also kept quiet. Though angry, he knew he had pushed his brother's nerves far enough. If he refused any more, he would get on his elder brother's bad side. Angry or not, he knew to avoid that. Although his elder brother indulged him most of the time, there were a few times in the past when he got angry. Korede definitely didn't want to relive those moments. They were Hell. The person he feared the most was not their father or mother but this dear older brother of his.
When the nurse asked Korede to lie on the bed so that she could push it to the new wardroom, he refused stating that he could do it himself. Both dragged it back and forth before finally coming to a compromise.
The nurse would push the bed to the new room while Korede would walk behind her. She only accepted the compromise when Korede stated that it would be like an exercise for him. Only then did the nurse reluctantly agree. Kola didn't say anything throughout, he just watched the two. Minor interactions like this could help Korede calm down. He followed behind the two to the new ward.
Once the nurse finished setting everything up and was ready to leave, Kola also decided to leave. As he was about to leave, Korede asked him a strange question,
"Bro, do you know anywhere I can learn authentic ancient swordsmanship?"
"Why do you want to learn that?"
"I have a feeling it will help me with the trials ahead."
"Did you just say 'trials'?" Kola asked shocked.
"Yes, I did." Korede couldn't understand why his brother was so shocked. He didn't realise he had said 'trials' until Kola asked. Seeing his brother looking at him weirdly, Kola quickly recomposed himself, "Alright. I think I know someone who might. I'll see how it goes."
"Really? You do?" Korede was surprised. He didn't expect his brother would give him a positive answer. He just threw out the question on a whim/hope.
"I might. No promises though. Let me confirm from the person first. I'll give you feedback later. Alright, get some rest." Kola replied. With that said, he left the room.
Once outside the hospital, Kola stroked the inconspicuous ring on the ring finger of his right hand. When Korede asked him the question just now, he felt the ring release a surge of heat. He couldn't help but recall what a mysterious man in a suit told him more than two decades ago.
"It seems Korede's trial has started. I have to keep an eye on him and be ready to help him more so now than ever." Kola mumbled.
The ring had saved his life numerous times than he can remember like the man said it would. There was no way Kola would disregard the man's words.
"Ancient swordsmanship huh. To think I'll have to cash in that favour. It's been a while since I last spoke to her. Wonder how she's doing." Kola mumbled. He looked at his watch. It was almost 4 am.
"I have to quickly go get some sleep. I will call Mom and Dad in the morning to let them know their 'darling' son is awake" He chuckled as he walks off towards the Eagle squad camp.
[A.N: Please, don't forget to leave a review of the work to encourage me. Your opinion really matters to me.]
AUTHOR'S NOTE
1 Hope we remember that Abdul-Lateef took out two helicopters that attacked them at the building they raided. Plus this Helo, that makes three total.
2 The stages of grief in order are Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance.
PS since I'm not a psychologist, I won't be able to perfectly show him go through all the stages. The best I can do is to probably gloss over them but it will happen fast. So, don't have any expectations.
3 I figure that I might need to clarify this. It's not that the Balogun Family will not go after the person that killed one of their own, it just that revenge will not be their goal. What if the member did something wrong? what if there's a bigger picture to see? Those things are considered before passing judgement on the person. Blind vengeance is not acceptable. Not to mention it corrupts and makes you lose important things without realising it.
[A.N: Please, don't forget to leave a review of the work to encourage me. Your opinion really matters to me.]