Shamim could have sworn that he had never drove in such speed before in the past five years that he had started driving himself. With his eyes focused on the road and his hands holding the steering firmly, once or twice, he loosens his tie. Finally, he arrives at Abdullah's house and parks his car, staring at the building well before going in.
"He has never done this type of thing before." Asma whispers.
"He said It is something very important, let's just hope it's something good and important." Darifa hopes.
"I wonder why he is late." Ella says unbothered.
Shamim opens the door with his face not smiling at all. "I am sorry I kept you all waiting."
"What's good man, is everything okay?" Asks Abdullah.
He didn't give any replies and sits on the couch facing everyone. "I got a tip off."
"Tip off?" Asks Darifa.
"Paul is in India." He whispers and the tension is displayed all over Ella's face. "Are you thinking of what I am thinking?"
"What are you thinking of?" Ella asks with a straight face.
"We could use this situation as our own opportunity." Abdullah says. "If he is India, then that means it is much more safer than Nigeria."
"What in the hell do you both have in mind?" Miss Smith asks impatiently.
"We should take a strong step closer." Shamim smiles at his sister and asks. "Shouldn't we?"
"You suggest we get hold of him in India?" Darifa asks, somehow getting what the boys were driving at.
"I think we should find out why he is going there in the first place and how long he is going to be there before making any move." Asma suggests.
"Did your source give you any information on that?" Darifa asks.
"He told me he went with his daughter and will be there for fourteen days."
"And today is day what?" She asks again.
"Day one."
Ella claps her hands to get attention and it worked out for her. "You want us to go to India to do what?"
"Is that even supposed to be a question at all?" Shamim asks sarcastically.
"What else? To know why your parents died." Abdullah replies.
"I do not plan on getting blood on my hands." Ella whispers.
"No one is asking you to do so." Asma says and locks eye with her. "But we all want to know what your parents and grandparents did to deserve death." She faces Shamim. "Do you have a plan yet?"
"No." He shakes his head. "We have to come up with a plan as soon as possible, we don't have much time."
"All we have to do, is get Paul and make him talk." Darifa whispers rubbing her fingers on her jaw as if she was thinking of something very serious, she asks. "Do you have any idea on where they are staying?"
"My source told me, that they lodged in one of the most expensive hotels in India."
"The first thing to do, is to get our tickets, and stay in the same hotel too."
"Go to India?!" Ella asks with rather a bit fear.
"We are all going." Asma says with a bit of excitement. "I have always longed to go to the country."
"But don't forget we aren't going there for the fun of it." Darifa reminds.
"I am aware, but you know, we can actually have the fun after we are done with the Paul man."
"Darifa you have a plan?" Abdullah asks snapping Asma off her sweet conversation.
"A plan will come up as soon as we get there, I am sure of it." She stands and looks at the portrait of Ella hung on the wall then smiles. "Tomorrow, we leave for India."
**********
Ella opens the door to the second room probably to have a minor chat with whoever is in the room but she sees Darifa putting something into a small box. She can't see all clearly but she she clearly sees a syringe. "A syringe?" She asks herself. "What does she plan on using that for?" She walks in and shuts the door loudly to announce her arrival. "You are all here?" She asks as she sees the rest of her team in the room having very quiet talks.
"Are you ready?" Darifa asks as she zips her bag and keeps the box into a bag pack.
"What is that in your bag?" Ella asks again.
"Devil's breathe." Darifa says with smile.
"Devil's breathe?"
"It is a truth serum, popularly known as 'devil's breathe'. It can be used to obtain truth from someone when injected into the blood vessel, because it makes them restless." Shamim explains shedding light.
"You plan on using that on Paul?" Ella asks an obvious question and everyone in the room frowns. "I get it, I hope it won't do him any harm."
"It won't." Abdullah assures. "It will just make him very restless."
"Ella." Darifa calls and stands opposite her. "We are working as a team not an individual, and for every team, there is a team leader."
"You want me to be the team leader?"
"We can't be stupid to that extent Ella, we all know you don't even agree to any of these things." Asma retorts. "Darifa is the team leader, you have to listen to all she says."
"I already told mom and dad." Shamim whispers. "I told them we are all going to India, just for fun."
"What did he say?" Miss Smith asks.
"He was okay with it, and told us to have a lot of fun."
"Shamim." Ella calls calmly. "Can you please tell me who your source is?"
He laughs and exhales sharply. "For a while now, I have been lurking around Nigeria's hottest news. Linda was caught on camera making some special reservations for herself and her father, preparing to travel, by a blogger and posted on social media. So I reached out to that blogger and told him to continue his research and tell me if he finds anything."
"What if he tells on you? That you paid him to spy on someone that influential."
"Don't worry, I am anonymous to him. To reach out to him, I send text messages using burner phones."
Ella bites her lower lip and smiles, she is somehow satisfied with everything that had all came up with. "Well done, I think you all we have to pay me later, this has made you all creative." She teases and everyone laughs.
"My first order as team leader is." Darifa whispers and takes a step further to Ella. "Do not let your emotions overrule you Ella Smith." She pulls out Ella's Diamond necklace from her pocket and wears it for her. "Rule number two, do not hide your identity for any reasons anymore."