Present
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BBC NEWS NIGERIA
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Here's Juliet Chinansa Michael with you this morning on AM News on BBC Nigeria
Firstly, The HEADLINES
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The search for the Chief Judge still continues.
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The president declared three days for the mourning of Charles Kingsley
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Mr Murad Usman , the president of TPP { Trusted people's party}charged the president to court for declaring a public mourning for a commoner.
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Bamo university is to be shut down for a week to mourn the death of Charles Kingsley.
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Autopsy of Charles Kingsley has confirmed that the death isn't a murder but a natural accident.
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Dollar rises again , 1 dollar is now equivalent to 3560 naira
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Bill Jude, the president sent his consolation greeting to Mr Charles
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NOW THE NEWS IN FULL.
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" Murad is trying something funny here " Mr David said switching the TV off
" should we teach him some lesson " Mr Wealth asked the president sitting opposite to him in the President's sitting room with a mug cup filled with tea in his hand.
The president had called him early in the morning so that they could drink tea together.
" why teach him a lesson when he's exercising his freedom of speech " Mr David said grinning auspiciously as he took a sip from his mug before returning it to the saucer on the small sophisticated glass cushion in front of him.
" when someone want to campaign for you willingly and free of charge, why teach him a lesson " Mr David asked again smiling awkwardly.
" I can't even understand what you meant by that " Mr Wealth asked looking confused
" hahaha, only God know when you're going to understand this game " Mr David said laughing hysterically.
" you know that I lack passion for politics but please spare me of the clause you used before, is Murad also working for you or what did you mean by him campaigning for you " Mr Wealth asked still looking confused.
" just watch , this game is always interesting, you'll know soon " Mr David replied him as he took another sip from the mug cup.
" I'll love to be among the spectator as usual " Mr Wealth said also lifting his mug cup from the saucer which was placed on another cusion placed in front of him.
" do you have anything about that guy that's going to be tutoring my daughter " Mr David asked Mr Wealth who couldn't complete the journey of the mug to his mouth as he had to stop it midway in order to reply the president.
" he's clean and perfect, his profile correlated with the one we got from Canada " Mr Wealth replied Mr David finally finalizing the journey of the tea to his mouth.
" good, let now hopes he " Mr David couldn't finish his statement when the land phone inside the room rang.
Mr David stood up to get it.
" okay send him in " he said as he hung the call before he joined his friend back on their little tea adventure
" the guy is here, I think he's accepted the deal, and that's very bad , he failed the last test " Mr David said smiling and his friend gave a remark about it as they waited Ben..
Ben's p.o.v.
I didn't know why I seemed to be tension-filled as I went through the same security process like I did the other day.
My glasses sitting magnificently on my face.
I heaved a sigh of relief when the elite cuber magnifier scanning door didn't detect the glass.
I quickly took a swift sweep in the large sitting room to get some of the footage of the room without getting caught by the cameras.
After some of the customs that was performed by Wisdom the other day when I was there, was performed by the guy that was taking me up this time, we got on the elevator.
I tilted my head up slightly to get the position of the CCTV inside it.
The elevator opened with a loud dung sound revealing the rails of security already at their position.
I made sure I got full footage of it as I walked with the tip of my left leg , bending slightly on my right, my head tilted to the middle so I could get the perfect footage I need.
To normal people, I was walking normal.
After going through the tedious security processes in front of the sitting room's door, my eyeglasses was undetected by the securities holding their position there with their advanced scanning equipments.
The president and the head of his private security team were the only people inside the room.
In my hand was the file containing the rules and I noticed the president gaze on it as soon as I was in sight.
" good morning Mr " the president greeted when I was close to them stressing the last word so I can complete it myself.
" Parker and morning to you too " I greeted still standing waiting to be offered a seat first.
" have your seat Mr Parker " the president motioned to me as if he was reading my mind.
" care for some tea, it's the best you'll ever get " the president said to me as soon as my butt made contact with the red soft sophisticated divan .
All the divans in the room has been changed , different from the divans with the tiger hide I saw when I was there yesterday.
" I'll pass and Sir, I'm here to return this " I said stretching the file to the president as he was very close to me but Mr Wisdom the head security swiftly intercepted it and collected it from me.
" you turning the job down " The President asked me gazing at the file in Mr Wisdom's hand like it was a sort of time bomb which was going to explode soon
" not now, only if you don't agree to review the rules " I said pausing for some seconds
" I already highlighted all the rules I'm not comfortable with inside it " I added and the president collected the file.
He brought out three A4 papers which the rules were printed on it.
He slightly smiled after he's gone through the rules then handed the file back to Mr Wisdom.
" is that all " the president asked me with a grin.
" yeah " I answered in a sophisticated manner.
" okay, then you can start today, since you're here on time " The president said to me , I smiled as I got all what I want on my little recorder.
Just then a land phone that sat kingly on a small table beside the president rang and he picked it.
" send him in " was what I heard the president said before he hung the call.
The door opened and Wisdom entered with a face that conveyed different messages related to threat.
" good morning Sir " he greeted the president excluding his dad.
" morning, heard you've a report concerning our young tutor here " the president swiftly asked him as soon as he reciprocated his greeting.
" yes Sir, Mr Ben is a … " he said with tone conveying hatred towards me.
Chapter 23
Years Back
My training session with Goat was kind of hilarious, inside his quarter was another room, a walk through the red door inside his room led to the room which was meant for our training session.
The room possessed more length than width.
Inside the room were different kinds of gadgets which we use for training, but the most used gadget inside the room was immediately at the entrance of the room.
A stroll into the room by the left hand side was a mirror attached to the wall and a quick glance down the mirror was make up kits.
Different types of make up equipments which I was sure belong to girls.
" according to mask law, your look matters in every mission even when it involve assassination " he had said to me the first day I entered into the room as I was surprised at the length of the room and different gadgets inside it.
" I'm going to train your mental reflex, your physical abilities , get you through to tutors who're going to teach you all subjects and most importantly, I'm going to make sure you look like a merman, you're very handsome , so I'm not going to find it difficult to transform you into someone girls will queue and give their all to have " he said to me while I stared at him with a blank expression trying hard to digest and find meaning to all he was uttering.
" do you have any question ? " he asked me when he noticed I was lost.
" ye, I meant no " I stuttered shaking my head.
"Okay, if you say so " he replied me giving me odd look.
" we're going to be having pur training here everyday and the first thing you must do whenever you're here is to first take care of your look, and after every session, you should also make sure you take care of your look when we're through with training, nothing, not even a pimples must appear on your face and make sure you cram the combinations of cosmetic I'm going to apply right now, that's for the start of our training session and when we're through, also make sure you do well to remember the ones I'm going to apply.
It's very important and you'll know the effect in future " he said as he sat on the small stool placed in front of the make up kit.
He started picking some creams, applied like four different types on his Palm before he applied it on his face.
I paid attention to all he's doing.
The ones he applied to his hand were different same as the ones he also applied to his legs.
To be sure I was giving him my attention, he asked me to repeat what he did which I got perfectly and he didn't fail to accolade me for it.
TWO YEARS LATER
My biceps was already something to be proud of, my chest got broadened in a sexy manner and my stomach has already been segmented into six sexy part.
Like Goat promised me, I had become a merman and Goat never cease to tease me of my look that soon when I'm out on the field , I'm going to have tons of girls begging for my attention. But what use is it when the person I want to notice it doesn't even act like I existed.
He trained me hard , tho in a cool manner which I enjoyed so much.
He always tries to push me to the extreme but he always do this in a manner which I can't explain.
Even in my study, he's always there for me , after every lecture with my teachers in charge of each subjects, he always sit me down to make sure I understand it very well.
He said he want me to be the greatest agent the mask has ever produce but I wasn't sure if that was going to be possible because of Precious.
She now spend most of her time with Miss bull eye.
Even when she's inside the room , she barely talk to me, it's either she's sleeping or she's training hard.
She's become more beautiful and dreadful as her hair is always plaited into pony tail.
Her shape was becoming more like Miss bull eye own and she's equally possessing her trait.
I was sure that with Precious in the mask , i can never become the best, but I wasn't bother by this as I also aimed for becoming the second best and the perfect guy for her.
My martial art skill had increased greatly and my swiftness has become something to write home about.
But something funny was occurring to my face and I was bewildered of this.
Instead of my face to look mature, it was getting babyish, there was no different with my face of ten years old then and fifteen years now.
The only difference was that ,I've looked more handsome , no, it's extremely handsome.
" Precious " I called my roommate , tapping her on her shoulder as she slept soundly.
It's been almost ten days since I last saw her.
I haven't slept when she entered , but I couldn't tell her anything because she looked tired.
She only " hi " me before she resigned to her bed, removed her mask and slept off.
I allowed her to sleep for four hours staring at the beauty she's grown to become.
She's now more mature as she doesn't complain like she always do before.
The light was even on when she woke up and she didn't complain about it.
She rubbed her eye wearily as she opened her eye.
" Ben " she called my name as she stared at me.
"How're you ? " I greeted her smiling.
" I'm fine, hope everything's alright " she asked me as she changed to a sitting position.
She took her mask which was laying on the bed carelessly, and worn it only to cover her hair.
" yeah, everything's okay " I replied her with a grin
" good, do you have something to tell me " she asked me with a kind of weird tone.
A tone that made it seems like we never shared anything together before, like I was some sort of stranger.
I felt bad with this but hid it.
" yeah , I do, I've been thinking that you've change "
" how ." she asked interrupting me.
" ever since we've been assigned to our mentors, you rarely talk to me, you made me feel like a stranger , you're not always around and even when you're around , you seemed to be far away " I told her pointblank expecting her reply.
" is that all " she asked blankly and I felt heat surged beneath me.
" I've got a lot to do in a short period of time and I really need to rest now " she added as she made attempt to sleep back.
I couldn't tell how I was feeling after hearing that from her.
She seemed different from the real Precious, no , my Precious has been swapped and a clone of her was replaced with her.
" did I do something wrong" I asked her with a sad countenance as she feigned to sleep off.
" yes " she replied opening her eye.
" what's that " I asked and she stood up.
She's putting on a black leggings and a red arm less top.
Just like Miss bull eye. I knew she's getting her cloths from Miss bull eye as I'm also getting mine from Goat.
" care for a duel " she asked me as she got up.
" yeah " I replied her facing her.
Her face became more dreadful as she made a kungfu pose and I folded my hand into a fist.
She's the first to attack me , she's more flexible, faster and stronger than I was.
I tried to guide her attacks as she attacked me relentlessly, when I got a chance , I also swiftly launched some attacks towards her which she dodged only by swerving to left or right, depending on where the attack is coming from.
I seemed to be the one with the upper hand as I displayed many skills to bring her down , and she looked to got worn out.
After twenty minutes of fighting she suddenly stopped and asked me a question which got me perplexed.
" do you still have any skill left because you seem to be out of it, or should I keep on playing with you " she asked me and I stared at her shocked.
She removed the mask on her head and dropped it on the bed , letting her hair which was neatly braided into a pony tail to fall freely behind her..
She steadied herself as she made another pose , stretching her hand towards me , motioning to me to bring it on.
I launched another attack but was surprised to find myself falling down , if not for the closeness of her bed , I might have hit my head on the floor.
What she did still remained a mystery to me , because it was too swift to see anything.
All I knew was that, as I was about to hit her, she bent down and her leg performed the trick, and I lost balance.
I quickly do a Chinese get up and made to attack again, but she swiftly ran to the wall and shocked me again.
She swiftly ran on the wall and when she got to the middle , she performed double back flip and landed on my shoulder, her leg coiled round my hand to bar it from doing anything, I lost balance and fell down.
She quickly got hold of my right hand, her right leg on my head and her left leg on my rib, she used it to apply force and pulled my right hand towards her.
I quickly used my left hand to hit the floor repeatedly to show that I've given up.
I heaved a sigh of relief , holding my right hand as she released me.
The pain from the submission attack was too much for me to bear or endure .
" you see , you're not strong enough for the future and this exactly what you did wrong " she said to me before she head to her bed and slept off, while I wringled in pain on the floor.
" let's talk kiddo " Goat said to me as I entered his room the next day, with a tone that depicted that all isn't well.
" hope I'm safe " I asked sitting down beside him.
" yeah, but that's if you wish to be " he said to me scaring me more.
" the contest for the last five Is coming up next week " he added with a sad countenance.
" then I think I'm safe because I think I'm strong enough for it " I said with a tone connoting confidence.
Goat had already took me through the process of the contest.
It's a last man standing between all the ten contestants.
Two trainees will be paired and one must kill the other
" but why do you look sad about it " I asked Goat when a thought suddenly scraped through my mind.
" the board had done the pairing for the contest and you've been paired to face P2 " he said with a sad countenance.
I stared at Goat with my mouth widely opened , I couldn't believe my ear,
" is he playing prank on me " I asked myself repeatedly.
I pinched myself to be sure I wasn't dreaming or in any sort of trance.
" I spied on the training session of P2 and Bull eye yesterday and I knew you've to work very hard in order to be able to defeat that girl " he added staring at me.
But I didn't say anything.
I was just blank, I felt my soul bidding me bye, the world was against me and the earth seemed to be tired of my existence .
" I can't fight her " I suddenly screamed.
" she's my life , the reason I'm still here today " I added weeping.
" Kiddo, looks like you've not been paying attention to my teachings, what did I told you about love " he asked me clamping my head in between his two palms.
" what did I told you about love " he suddenly screamed at me when I didn't answer.
" it's a shit that make people vulnerable " I answered him with a teary voice, but "
" no but " he said boycotting my word.
" you're not in love, and you're going to kill her, tho it might be hard but you're doing it, so get yourself ready " he said with a tone of finality.
" now get your ass into the training room, no more playing and resting is now prohibited " he screamed at me as he pulled me up .
I walked sluggishly into the training room as I felt empty.
I'll rather die than kill Precious, I love her so much and I don't care if she doesn't love me.
She's my life and I knew I can't get anywhere by killing her .
I'm going to lost myself if such happen.
The remaining days before the contest became an horror to me.
The day became fast and my mind became slow.
Happiness became an alien to me.
Goat gave up on me two days to the contest when I refused to train.
I spent the remaining two days in my room brooding.
Since the day of the announcement, I haven't set my eye on Precious, I knew she's preparing hard to kill me and I don't f-----g care , as long as she live.
I slept late the day before the contest expecting , no, wishing that Precious to sleep in. I only wish to see her for the last time before I die.
But I slept off late while expecting her.
I had a dream that night , tho it felt real more than a dream that Precious came in and slept beside me, caressing my hair, weeping as she also play her hand on my face.
She pecked my cheek before she departed..
I woke up feeling a bit refreshed with the dream I had.
" all trainee should report to the challenge room right now " a voice shouted on a speaker which I've never heard from before.
I was about to stretch when the speaker sounded.
So I just took my mask and head out.
The challenge room has been decorated to look like a ring.
A high seat filled with people who looked influential with masks on their face could be vividly seen .
I saw my colleagues standing at a spot with a small basket in front of them.
I stood beside them and I was sure the person next to me was Precious.
The spectators seat were brimmed with people wearing mask and it circled the ring.
All my colleagues except me all looked prepared for the contest, especially precious.
" I love you kiddo " I suddenly heard someone who walked passed me say it with a sad countenance.
I looked at the person and saw that it was Goat.
He joined the remaining mentors in the part segmented for them.
Miss bull eye as usual was looking hot but was glaring at me.
Our eye met occasionally and I swiftly looked away.
" all the trainees should take off their masks and drop it inside the basket in front of them " the voice came from the speaker inside the room and we all obeyed it.
I looked totally unkempt unlike others.
" K1 and D1 should both step inside the ring " the speaker blared out in an ordering tone and two of my colleagues walked into the ring.
I didn't notice the single knife inside the ring until the speaker said something about it.
The knife was tied to a rope dropping from above.
It was kind of high to get it, but with the right skill, it isn't impossible to get it down.
The rules of the contest was stated clearly from the speaker as we all listened.
And gunshot was heard to signal the starting of the fight as their was no referee in the ring to control the match.
It was a bloody match between K1 and D1, but D1 was the first to get to the knife by propelling herself from the buckle of the ring and performed triple steps front flip to get the knife down and stabbed K1 on his chest.
Blood flowed ceaselessly from the chest of K1 and the spectators took to their feets to applaud D1.
The ring was swiftly prepared and cleaned for the second contest.
The first match ended with a girl defeating a boy.
Their was the total of six boys and four girls.
Precious and I were the last to be called upon as their was already two boys and girls who were lucky to find themselves among the living.
And only one procured no wound , simply implying that she's already through to be a field agent.
I smiled awkwardly as I entered the ring.
I was surprised to see Precious also smiling at me.
She had sadness hidden behind her smile but I couldn't detect it then.
I thought she's smiling because she already knew she's going to defeat me easily like she already did a week ago..
When the gunshot was heard, she swiftly moved closer to me and trapped my head in between her right elbow.
" go down without a fight and your spirit will watch me swear at your name for eternity " she swiftly said to me before she released my head.
Hearing her say this resurrected some unknown forces and hidden energy inside me.
" granting her final wish before dying ain't a bad thing " I assured myself as I attacked her with great adrenaline surging through my vein.
I was sure my fight with Precious was the most interesting contest of the day as we fought like an arch enemy.
I found myself performing skills I didn't know I knew.
She was also great , more better than I was .
I could see Goat on his feet as he tried to jeer me up silently.
I knew he was surprised at what he was witnessing.
It was more than his expectations.
After forty minutes of an hardcore fight, I noticed that I've gotten weaker and I was sure Precious must have noticed it as she was also going slower on me.
I fell down after some minutes and I saw as she propelled herself upward with the mixture of different skills to get the knife.
But the knife fell from her hand as she got hold of it from the rope.
I thought it was a mistake.
It fell right in front of me and I picked it as I stood up.
She stood in front of me off guard.
I smiled as tears dropped off my eye as I slowly raised the knife towards her.
" I love you " I silently muttered as I made motion to stab myself , but she swiftly got to me, didn't know how she did it but the handle of the knife was showing from her stomach.
She hugged me to support herself from falling as blood gushed out from her stomach.
I slowly brought her down as she laid on my leg.
I screamed in pain as I watched blood spilled from her mouth.
She shakily placed her bloodied hand on my cheek as she tried hard to smile.
" I love you Junior and will always do even in afterlife " she said to me in a shaky voice as tears tripped down from her eye.
" I love you too " I muttered to her weeping profusely as I tried to pull the knife from her stomach.
" you must become the best and must not make my sacrifice go in vain " she said squinching in pain.
" nothing is going to happen to you, you're going " I couldn't complete my words when I discovered that she wasn't breathing again.
" nooooo " I screamed before I collapsed beside her.
To be continue…