For a moment, Kenneth's heart stopped beating. The message took him by surprise, throwing him into shock, panic, and fear.
He looked around hysterically and then returned his eyes to his phone's screen.
Truth or dare? He muttered.
He searched his brain, confused about the next line of action. He didn't want his wife to end up like Bianca.
He turned to return to the ward to show the message to Mr. Daniel but ended up stopping in his tracks after taking a few steps.
He clicked on the number that sent the message to him, it was a private number and he tried dialing it.
"The number you are trying to call does not exist." Came from the service provider.
He tried again and again, but still the same reply. He stared nervously at his screen. His heart was racing at its highest speed like an asphalt race car.
He gave up trying to call the number and continued on his trail back to Mr. Daniel's wife's ward. He had gotten close to the door when his phone beeped to signal an incoming message. He paused and raised his phone's screen to his gaze.
He tapped on it and opened the message, which was still from another private number.
"Your clock is ticking Mr. Kenneth!" the text displayed boldly on his screen.
At that moment, he lost his self-control and sanity. His red eyes looked up, blankly. The nurses were going about in their various duties, the hospital was filled up, patients were being driven about in wheelchairs while just ahead, and some were still waiting for their turn to go in to see the doctor, but Kenneth didn't notice all this. He was just staring ahead, blankly. Screaming and crying in his head but couldn't bring himself to scream out loud.
He brought his head down again to his phone's screen and re-read the message.
Was he expected to reply to the message? He wondered.
He noticed another video file attached to the message and clicked on it to play the video.
He watched with teary eyes as his wife kept on begging. She was stark naked, tied to a chair, and covered in blood, probably her blood.
"The countdown has just begun Kenneth! What would it be? TRUTH OR DARE!" the strange voice said before breaking out in a sinister chuckle. Kenneth's palm came up and sealed his lips. The tears he had been holding back finally streamed down freely.
He was lost in his misery that he had forgotten that he was standing right in front of the entrance of Mr. Daniel's ward.
The detective had come to the hospital to report their latest finding to the judge. They had earlier gone to his apartment but none of them were at home. They were told that they had driven out not quite long ago, so they managed to track them to the hospital.
They got there to meet a man, lost in his thoughts, tearing up in front of the door with his eyes focused on his phone's screen.
Fred had asked him politely to move away but it seemed he didn't hear what he just said so the detective roughly snatched the phone out of his hand.
"You don't obstruct the way to someone's ward, what if there is an emergency?" The detective stated, obviously pissed off.
He heard the sound coming from the phone and raised it to his gaze.
"Is this a movie?" The detective asked.
Fred probed his head closer and glanced at the screen.
"That is no movie, that's my wife. I was just here with my friend and I received this as a message." Mr. Kenneth explained. His eyes were covered in tears, stuttering as he spoke.
"Nigerian Police," The detective flashed his card before Kenneth and continued; "Where is your friend?"
"In this ward."
"This is the same ward as Mr. Daniel," Fred added turning to the detective and then Kenneth asked; "Are you friends with Mr. Daniel?"
Kenneth nodded too grief-stricken to speak.
"Let's go in." the detective said and moved towards the door, opened it, and walked in.
Mr. Daniel was seated by his wife, who was now fast asleep.
"Detective!" Mr. Daniel said as soon as he saw them walking in.
"Good day sir." The detective hummed and took a seat and said to Kenneth.
"Show me the message."
Kenneth handed it over to the detective, who started reading the texts.
"What's going on? Any problem?" Mr. Daniel inquired but got no reply.
The detective read the texts, skipping the video, and got to the point where Kenneth replied 'TRUTH"
"You replied to him?" The detective asked.
"Yes," Kenneth paused as his words were choked up by tears. He wiped his eyes and continued; "I just want to see my wife. She just went to get a doctor and I haven't seen her since. I just want her to come back to me." Kenneth cried, like a baby whose candy has been snatched from them.
The phone beeped again; another message. The detective glanced at it and played the voice record.
"Oh, Kenneth, you picked Truth. Okay then answer this question. D you want to see your wife?" the voice record ended.
"Just that?" Fred cuts in almost immediately.
"Yes! I need my wife please reply yes." Kenneth said loudly.
"What exactly is going on? Where is my friend's wife?" Mr. Daniel asked again, confused.
"His wife was abducted," Fred replied to Mr. Daniel.
"What!" Mr. Daniel exclaimed.
The detective stood up to his feet and typed ''yes'' and sent it.
Almost immediately a reply came.
"To see your wife, solve the puzzle and that is where you'll find your wife! The longer you delay, the faster she rots." The voice recording ended again.
Fred took the phone from the detective and glanced at the video, looking intently at, it as though he might decern the location.
"Isn't this a lifestream?" Fred pointed out and handed the phone back to the detective.
"I think so." The detective replied.
"Then, I think we can just track the IP address and get the location of the computer used to stream this, we could get the location," Fred suggested.
The detective's eyes widened, brightly. Why didn't he think of this? He suddenly hugged Fred and muttered a thank you before breaking the Hug.
The detective took out his phone and placed a call to the station.
"Hello, Anita!" They said as soon as the call connected.
"I need you to track down an IP address for me."
"C'mon, not now. I've got a lot I'm doing. I'm still running a search on the car's plate number you sent for me!" Anita replied on the phone.
"Please, this is urgent. Leave the car's number for now and do this now. I need it in 5 minutes, thank you!" he added and without waiting for any further reply from her he hung up.
"Let's just hope she's in a good mood," Fred muttered. Knowing Anita, if she was in a bad mood, she won't run the search even if the president's line is on the line.
They didn't have to wait for long before Anita sent the location to him.
"It's a bet9ja shop in Ajegunle." The detective announced, with his gaze on Fred; "Let's go!" he added and turn to the others; "Nobody leaves this room."
"Let's go get your wife!" Fred said and they dashed out.