"Maybe i do...." He answered. "But that woman is certainly not you".
She frowned now, then smiled a bit. "Can't we just spend tonight together? Just this once and i promise you that i won't bother you anymore".
He stared at her for a moment. "Put on your clothes, Sandra, and go to your room!"
She bit her lower lip in a seductive manner, bringing her lips awfully close to his as if wanting to kiss him but he didn't flinch, neither was he moved by it. "Not after i get what i want Mikel...." Her voice was lace with lust and she slowly started to kiss down his body, lowering herself with descending kisses. When she finally got to his belt and reached for it, he gently held his wrist.
"I was not bluffing when i told you that am no longer interested in doing this. I thought that i made myself very clear" He stated and pulled her off, ignoring the look of hurt and disappointment on her face. "You know what?, my room is warmth, you can have it for your self for tonight".
As he turned towards the door bare-chest, she tried to stop him but he shrugged her hand away and left. Frustrated, upset and horny, Sandra slumped down on the mattress with a huff.
Mikel decided that he will sleep out that night, perhaps sleeping in a tree under the stars was a good idea. The camp was quite, save from the cracking sound of fire used to chase away the shadows and some of his men who were still chatting with one another. The place where the captives where kept was awfully quiet. so he figured that they all must have fallen asleep. Moving several feet away from the Camp to his favorite tree, he helped himself up on the the branch until he reached the bough that would sustain his weight. He sat on it and leaned his back against the trunk. The weather was cold but he was not easily affected by the weather. The moon was high up in the sky and beamed through the gaps in the branches. Mikel pulled out a pack of cigarettes, lit one and began to smoke. He heard the distance hooting of an owl hooting and the ceaseless chirping of crickets filled the forest. He was still staring at nothing in particular in the distance when he heard soft footsteps below. Looking down, he saw one of his men ,Bosco, leading a lady and then he stopped several fees away and told the lady in pigin English not to go too far.
Curious about what was going on, Mikel straightened up and saw the lady approach to the tree he was sitting On, he saw her squat down close to the tree and soon, he heard a sound of rushing liquid and he instantly knew that she was urinating. Frowning in displeasure that someone was soiling his favorite tree and defiling it, Mikel drooped the burning cigarette and deliberately let it plummet down the tree to fall inside her feet just as she was wiping herself clean with tissue paper. The lady stood up, stared at the cigarette then looked up the tree, searching for who had dropped the cigarette.
"Is anybody up their?" The lady spoke and Mikel instantly recognized her voice, it was Dorathy, she always has a different accent from the others that portrayed that she didn't grow up in Nigeria.
"You couldn't pee anywhere else than here?" Mike replied, making sure his tone showed how displeased he was.
"You could have set my hair on fire if that cigarette had dropped on my hair" She pouted, even though she couldn't see who she was talking to. "Who are you anyway?"
"Go back to the camp" Mike simply ordered, not in the mood to bicker with her as he lit another cigarette.
"Courtesy demands that you should crush off the light from your cigarette before dispensing them. You could get a forest on fire, you know?.being here is already enough mystery, i don't want to be burned alive."
"I actually didn't take you for talkative the first time i saw you" Mikel replied, exhaling smoke through his nostrils and the gaps between his teeth. "I guess i was wrong".
"Can you at least show yourself? What are you doing up there anyway?" She asked, unfazed by his words but could now see his dangling feet even though she couldn't see the rest of his body.
"Bosco!" Mikel suddenly called out loud and Bosco replied with the same loud voice from distance away without taking his eyes away from the silhouette of the distance hills.
"Yes, boss!" He came, hurrying to the spot.
"Take this woman back to the camp." Mikel ordered.
"Yes boss" Bosco replied and started to nudge Dorathy back towards the camp.
"Well, i was only trying to make small talk" Dorathy yelled as she started the walk away.
"Not interested" Mike replied.
"You are rude!"
Mikel gave an inaudible scoff. The nerve of her. "I will pretend i didn't hear that"
When he was finally alone, Mike relaxed and continue smoking. By 4a.m he got down the tree and returned to his hot; hoping that Sandra would be long asleep by then but when he entered the hut, much to his relief, he found it empty. Quickly lying down on his mattress without bothering to take off his camper trouser and boots, he closed his eyes and slept off. He had always battled with insomnia what he could stay awake for long hours even when his men battle with sleep on duty. He was always alert even while sleeping and the slightest sound or touch could wake him up.
**********************
It was afternoon the next day and Ahmad sat down with Mikel in the usual makeshift meeting room that had a stump at the middle which serves as makeshift table.
"We are going for pick up today".