CHAPTER SEVEN
An uncontrolled cork of champagne popped out of a bottle with a loud noise, the champagne foamed up over the place and couple of laughter echoed in the room. A lot of people were in the living room, all stunningly dressed. It was Chief Gerald White's house; he was celebrating his new achievement. One of his sons has just been appointed as the Minister of Transportation, and he organized a small reception in his house.
Chief Gerald White sipped from his glass to stop the drink from pouring, and then raised his glass for a toast. His Son, Fred White also raised his glass together with other friends and well-wishers.
"Toast to a new level, better days ahead," Chief White said.
Everybody responded and the clicking sound of glasses began to echo in the room as they made their toast. Most of the prominent men in Abuja were at his house, both those in politics and the business moguls. Waiters passed all sorts of dishes which exuded a mouth-watering aroma that subjugated the air. There was enough to eat and drink. Chief White was about making a statement when one of his thugs came in.
"Chief, we've finally found that man that was on a video call with one of our previous catches," the thug whispered in his ears.
The thug was referring to Mike. They dotted his face the day his friend that was in their custody called him. They knew that his friend would have given him some information about them, so they planned to eliminate him too. Mike did not think that they would come after him, though he tried to be careful and watchful.
"Is he still breathing? Chief Gerald asked. "If your answer is yes, then leave my sight and do the needful," his jaw clenched.
Chief Gerald's tone was fierce but low. It was not loud enough for the next person near him to hear. His tone was calm and dreadful. The thug nodded and left his presence immediately. Chief White then turned to his guests and forced a smile to his lips again.
***
Mike stepped out of a supermarket and was heading to his car. He had gone for a grocery shopping and planned to drop at Jideofor's house to see his family briefly before going home. He has promised to get Adel a box of chocolate the last time he visited, and so he bought one for her. He walked hurriedly to his car with the shopping bags and was close to the car, and suddenly a black truck on a top speed approached him furiously. Mike was not lucky to see it on time, and he was caught up by the speed of the car. His instinct to escape was jammed. He spotted a guy that he recognised from the video call with his late neighbour, and it dawned on him that it was a deliberate attack on him. In split of seconds the truck ran into him, knocked him down and sped off.
Mike fell and blanked out. The shopping bags that he was holding scattered on the floor, and everything that he bought rolled out of the bag. Some onlookers ran to his rescue, and they carried Mike, put him at the back seat of his car and took him to the hospital.
***
Tunde had returned from his trip and had resumed work. Tolani had already schooled 'Olajide' on somethings that he needed to know, so that he would blend in with Tunde and avoid suspicion of anything. 'Olajide' had also agreed to resume school, but he begged Tolani to change his school, so that the teachers and his friends would not suspect anything. Browsing through his phone as he entered his house, Tunde saw a news update about the accident that Mike had. Tolani was in the kitchen rounding off with her cooking when she heard Tunde lamenting.
"What's even going on in this country?" Tunde said, "Another journalist has been attacked, and I don't think that it is ordinary. It appears the journalists have a sensitive information that some people are trying to protect," he said.
Tolani heard him and that ignited her curiosity. She quickly connected the incident to what Jideofor told her and ran out of the kitchen, not only to welcome her husband but to see what he was talking about.
"Welcome darling," she greeted him, hugged him, and helped him carry his briefcase.
"Thank you my dear," Tunde replied.
"Did you say that another journalist was attacked?" She asked.
"Yes…," Tunde replied in anger, "His name is Mike," he said, "He was knocked down by an unknown driver and has been rushed to the hospital." Mike flashed his phone screen on Tolani's face for her to see.
The name, Mike, rang a bell in Tolani's mind. She remembered that Jideofor mentioned that name, she wondered if it was the same person now.
"Oh no!" Tolani exclaimed, "This is bad," she said.
She thought of how Mike's plight would affect Jideofor if it happened to be the same person. Her mind quickly ricocheted on what Jideofor told her about Chief White, and it began to make more sense to her.
"Darling, I agree with what you said, that someone may be trying get rid of these journalists to cover a secret," she said.
Tolani read the blog post and became uneasy, and Tunde noticed it.
"Do you know him?" Tune asked, looking at his wife's eyes.
Her restlessness was visibly obvious, and she need to confirm from 'Jideofor,' if that the same person he told her about, but she was very cautious, as to avoid any suspicion. She was discreet.
"No, I don't know him," she replied, "I'm just wondering, what is actually going on in this country?" Tolani entered the Kitchen to serve food to her husband and Tunde headed upstairs to refresh himself, and first, he decided to check up on 'his son.'
***
Jideofor was working on his story with the laptop which Tolani had given him earlier. His door suddenly swung open, and Tunde entered, Jideofor was buried in what he was doing and did not notice that Tunde had returned from work. Tunde's entrance startled him, and he quickly minimized what he was doing. Tunde was alarmed at sighting 'the boy' operating a computer. He has never seen him operating a laptop before. Jideofor noticed the bewilderment in Tunde and tried to cover up.
"Welcome dad," he greeted Tunde, with feigned calm excitement, and said, "Mom was teaching me how to operate a computer."
He put up and awkward smile, hoping to convince Tunde. Tunde smiled back, impressed to hear that.
"Wow! That is nice," Tunde exclaimed, "So…, what have you learnt?" He asked, still smiling, and looking at 'the boy' with excitement.
"I have learnt how to put on the computer and how to shut down too. Mom also thought me how to open Microsoft word," he said.
Tunde nodded. He was glad that his son was coming out of his bad condition, and he was excited with the new development.
"That's good my boy," Tunde replied, happily. Tunde looked around his room and noticed how organized it was, unlike the way it used to be, and shrugged. He was carried away by excitement and the tidiness of the room did not make any deep impression on him.
"It looks like you're ready to resume school," Tunde said to 'the boy.'
"Yes," 'the boy' replied, "But mom is taking me to a new school," he said cautiously, and then said, "My classmates will mock me because of my new condition."
He was referring to what the doctor told Tunde and Tolani about, that their son was suffering from amnesia. At least that was a good excuse for him to act weird about somethings without much suspicion.
"It's ok, my boy," Tunde nodded in agreement, "Whatever you want," he said and opened his arms for a hug.
'The boy hugged Tunde, and Tunde tapped him on his little shoulder and left for his room. Jideofor exhaled as soon as Tunde left, he did not expect him to come to his room at that time, and he was glad that he was gone. Shortly after, his door opened again and Tolani entered, and Jideofor noticed that she looked disturbed.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
She brought out her phone and showed him the blog post about Mike's attack. She had searched for it and brought it for him to confirm if it was the person that he had told her about. Jideofor was stunned at seeing it.
"My goodness!" He said angrily and banged the table. That was the least news he wanted to hear.
"Is he the same person that you told me about?" She asked.
"Yes, he's the same person," he lamented and read further, and said, "Hey! I pray he survives it. Can you please take me there?"
"Is the name of the hospital written there?" Tolani asked.
"Yes, National Hospital," he replied briskly, "Please I need to see him immediately," he said. Tolani pondered over his request. She thought of the excuse to give her husband, not wanting him to have the slightest idea of what was going on yet, because he would freak out. She had more courage than him. She always knew how to handle demanding situations better than him. Tolani did not even consider the fact that Mike did not know her, she just wanted to take Jideofor there as he had requested.
"Get ready, we're going to the Hospital," she said and left his room.