INT. ZINO'S WAREHOUSE.
"Zino paces around the room."
ZINO
But why?
How could he be so stupid?
KOME
Sister, you have every right to be angry, but he was only doing it to clear Mama's debts.
ZINO
That doesn't justify anything.
He knew what they were doing was dangerous and illegal, yet he jumped in!
OVIE
(Turns to Kome)
How long have you known about this?
KOME
Just a few weeks before Efe left the country.
OVIE
That's over a month, Kome.
You had a month to speak up.
You could have said something all this while.
KOME
I know, but I promised Efe that I would....
ZINO
(Interrupts Kome)
You promised Efe what?
You should have said something!
KOME
I'm sorry I was just scared.
ZINO
(Holds the chair in front of her tight as she struggles with her rage.)
How did he come in contact with them?
Answer me!!!
"Kome appears frightened."
OVIE
(Turns to Zino)
Zino!
ZINO
(Ignores Ovie)
I'm talking to you, young lady.
How did Efe come in contact with the New Gate?
KOME
I don't know!
(Burst into tears.)
I'm not Efe! How would I know?
(Runs out of the room in tears.)
ZINO
(Pushes the chair in front of her.)
Damn it!
OVIE
Watin dey do you? Calm down, na!
ZINO
How can I be calm?
That your brother nor get sense?
How can someone be so smart and at the same time dumb?
OVIE
Well, I won't completely blame him. He was only trying to help the best way he could.
ZINO
(Turns to Ovie in shock)
What did you just say?
OVIE
You heard me right, Zino.
And you and I know none of this would have happened if you had just listened to me and cleared up those debts years ago.
ZINO
So now it's my fault?
OVIE
No one is blaming you. All I'm saying is that all of this started because of you!
And you had a chance to stop this from happening to Efe if only you had listened a single word, I have been saying to you all these years.
ZINO
That money was and is dirty, Ovie. I wanted nothing to do with it.
Don't you get it?
Everything that comes from that company is dirty!
OVIE
Now look where we are.
Look around you. We wouldn't be able to do any of this without that money.
(Goes closer to Zino)
Look, I understand why you wanted nothing to do with the money, but I would never understand that you failed to realize how those debts were hurting, Mama!
(Walks out of the scene.)
____________________________________
EXT. HIGHWAY.
"Ella turns to Cheta."
ELLA
Abeg drive a bit faster!
CHETA
Can't you see I'm struggling to see?
I don't know how you drive this garbage without lights.
ELLA
Watin that one mean?
Abeg abeg, nor call my car garbage. Nor try am.
CHETA
Sorry, nor vex.
But try fix your light!
ELLA
The lights are okay.
Na you nor get eyes.
"Uche rolls his eyes and shakes his head".
CHETA
(Turns Ella)
Na this thing you dey call light?
(Points out towards the front glass of the 2004 Toyota Collora)
ELLA
Yes, Oga, if e too pain you, go buy your own.
UCHE
(Interrupts their petty argument.)
That's enough, guys!
Inside this tension una still dey fight.
Nawa, oh!
ELLA
He started it!
CHETA
How?
UCHE
E don do!
I don't care who started, let's just get rid of this body and get on with our lives.
CHETA
(Gazes at Uche from the rear mirror in front of him.)
Relax bro we will soon be there.
(Turns the car starring to the right.)
ELLA
Are we close?
CHETA
Yes.
(Sights men in black)
Omo!!!
UCHE
Watin be that?
ELLA
Police, oh.
UCHE
Reverse the car na!
CHETA
They don see us already.
(Park the car in the direction as instructed by one of the officers.)
Act normal, guys. Nor fear.
(Rolls down glass.)
_____________________________________
INT. THE AZUKA'S HOUSEHOLD.
"Mrs. Azuka walks into Ngozi's room with a basket of clothes in her hands."
Mrs. AZUKA
Where are your dirty clothes?
NGOZI
Oh, I already washed them.
You want to wash tonight?
(Appears irritated.)
Mrs. AZUKA
No, I just want to gather them.
Ogini?
What is the problem?
NGOZI
I'm fine, Mummy.
Mrs. AZUKA
You don't look fine, Ngozi.
NGOZI
(Forces a smile on her face.)
Mummy. I'm fine.
"Mrs. Azuka drops the basket of clothes in her hands and sits close to Ngozi."
Mrs. AZUKA
I gave birth to you, so I know when something is wrong with you.
Nwa m, talk to me.
NGOZI
I'm fine, mummy.
Seriously I am.
I guess I'm just stressed, you know our finals are fast approaching.
I'm just a bit tense.
Mrs. AZUKA
Na that one dey worry you?
(Chuckles)
You go dey alright, jor.
You have been on scholarships all your life because you have always been that pretty smart girl. So don't worry yourself! You hear me so?
NGOZI
(Wears a smile)
Yes, mummy.
Mr. AZUKA
Oya come out for dinner.
(Get up and pick up the basket of clothes.)
NGOZI
I thought we were waiting for Cheta.
Mr. AZUKA
No need it's getting late, already.
(Walks out of the room.)
"Ngozi feels something dropping out of her body. She pushes her hand in between the surface of the bed and her buttocks."
NGOZI
No, not again.
(Gazes at the blood stain on her hands, gets up, and rushes into the bathroom.)
___________________________________
BACK TO.
EXT. HIGHWAY.
"Cheta smiles at the officer."
CHETA
Officer, I greet, oh.
OFFICER 1
(Points his touch lights on Cheta's face.)
How far?
Where una dey go this night?
CHETA
Oh, we dey come from work, sir.
OFFICER 1
Ehen!
CHETA
Yes, sir.
(Points his touch into Ella's face.)
Fine girl, how you dey na?
ELLA
(Forces a smile on her face)
I'm fine, sir.
Good Evening, sir.
OFFICER 1
Good evening, Chai you too fine, oh.
(Turns to Cheta)
Na your babe be this abi?
CHETA
Yes, sir.
OFFICER 1
Chai, see enjoyment.
(Points his touch light at Uche)
Where your own babe, na?
UCHE
Officer, i nor get babe, oh.
Na money me dey fine make woman dey one side first.
OFFICER 1
Naso, una dey talk, jor. I Sabi your type, oh.
Oya make una find us something, na.
UCHE
Officer, we nor dey on funds, oh.
OFFICER 1
Why you dey do like this self?
Una too sabi stress person.
UCHE
Officer I dey serious.
I go lie for you?
We just dey come from work na the last cash were be dey with my guy for back na we use take buy fuel just na so.
OFFICE 1
(Tighten the muscles on his face)
Hmm, oya show me your papers.
I won see your driver's license too.
(He Bring out his reading glass from his chest pocket and wears it.)
OFFICER 2
(Walks in)
Watin dey happen?
OFFICER 1
They nor won shake body, oh.
(Turns back to Cheta)
Oga I dey wait for you, oh.
Abi you deaf?
OFFICER 2
Oya open your boot.
CHETA
(Turns to Officer 2)
Sir?
OFFICER 2
I say make you open your boot!
OFFICER 1
Oya make all of una come outside, now!
UCHE
(Whispers to Cheta)
What do we do now?
We can't open the boot for them.
ELLA
Guy's let's come out first.
(Opens the passenger front door and steps out.)
CHETA
(Comes out from the driver's seat.)
Officer, try understand na.
OFFICER 1
Na you nor won cooperate. Una nor won shake body.
Where your license? You think say I dey play for here?
CHETA
I nor dey with am.
OFFICER 2
(Turns to Uche)
You come open this boot.
"Uche walks towards the car boot and attempts to open it."
CUT OUT.
___________________________________
INT. ZINO'S WAREHOUSE.
"Ovie walks into Kome's room."
OVIE
Hey!
(Sits beside Kome)
How are you?
KOME
I'm not fine.
Why was sister shouting at me like that?
As I am the one that is causing this whole thing.
OVIE
Relax, Kome, she is just frustrated right now.
None of it was about you.
KOME
Of course, you will defend her.
OVIE
I'm not defending her. I am explaining to you why she was acting that way.
KOME
Whatever.
I know I should have said something, but Efe quit as he had promised me, and he begged me to keep it to myself.
OVIE
Hmm, I understand. But Efe is in trouble, you should have told us at least it would have given us a clue about what was going on.
KOME
I know, I was just scared and confused.
OVIE
Come here.
(Pulls her into his arms.)
KOME
Is Sister still angry at me?
OVIE
She was never angry with you, Kome.
She only reacted that way because she blames herself for everything that has happened to our family.
KOME
I'm sorry I know I should have told you guys what I knew earlier.
OVIE
It's fine.
(Gets up)
You should get some sleep, it's been a long, hectic day.
KOME
Good night.
OVIE
Good night.
(Turns to leave.)
KOME
Bro, Ovie.
OVIE
(Turns to Kome)
Yes, my love?
KOME
What is going to happen to Efe?
Will he be, okay?
OVIE
Efe will be fine.
We will get him out of there.
KOME
Okay.
OVIE
Go to bed.
(Turns off the light and walks out of the room.)
___________________________________
BACK TO.
EXT. HIGHWAY.
"The officer points the touch light to the car boot."
OFFICER 2
You nor dey hear me?
Open this boot!
"Officer T walks in."
OFFICER T
Ella!
ELLA
(Turns to him)
Uncle Tanko, Good Evening, sir.
OFFICER 1
Oga you sabi this girl?
OFFICER T
Na my late brother daughter be this.
(Turns to Ella)
What are you doing here at this time of the night?
ELLA
Oh, I just closed from work not too long ago, so I offered to drop my friends at home.
(Points at Cheta and Uche.)
OFFICER T
Oya, make una dey go!
Time don walker far.
Nightlife for this side of Abuja dey dangerous.
ELLA
Thank you, sir.
OFFICER T
(Turns to the Officers)
Release them dey go, sharp sarp!
"They all get into the car; Cheta turns on the car engine and drives away."
UCHE
Thank God.
We almost got caught back there.
ELLA
I swear.
CHETA
(Turns to Ella)
You didn't tell us you had an Uncle here in Abuja.
UCHE
That's true.
ELLA
So, I should look you both in the eyes and just randomly say.
"Hey guys my sister's husband is in Abuja, oh."
UCHE
Not exactly. You just gave us the impression that you were all alone here.
ELLA
Whatever let's just get this done and go home.
I'm mentally stressed right now.
"Cheta drives into an abandoned compound."
UCHE
Where are we?
Whose compound is this?
CHETA
It belongs to the government.
This is the place where most of Abuja's waste and dirt go.
Let's get this done.
(Comes out of the car.)
"Cheta and Uche bring out Mr. Asika's corpse."
UCHE
(Plugs his hand to his nose.)
Omo, this place dey smell, oh.
CHETA
That is the whole idea. Nobody will come here to look for anyone, nor would anyone want to spend a lot of time here.
ELLA
But I thought we were going to bury the body?
CHETA
We are but not in the way that you think.
You see that
(Points at a deep pit)
That is where we are going to throw the body into.
UCHE
Good, let's get this done, I can't stand this smell anymore.
"Cheta and Uche lift the body and throw it into the pit."
ELLA
I guess that is it!
CHETA
Yeah.
UCHE
Let's get out of here, guys.
(Walks towards the car.)
"Ella and Cheta follow behind."
____________________________________
INT. BUHIGH PRISON.
"The electric bell rings across the prison walls. All Prison cells simultaneously open."
DANTE
(Turns to Efe.)
Are you not coming?
EFE
I don't think so.
MOHAMMED
We talked about this, Efe.
No one has eaten in the last 30 hours. The last thing on anyone's mind right now is to get back at you for what happened.
EFE
True except that I am the major reason why none of us has eaten.
JUDE
Bro, relax.
Hiding in this cell won't stop anyone from doing whatever they want to do to you. This is Buhigh, if the thoughts of killing you were in the heads of any prisoner, they would have come for you the moment these prison doors opened.
DANTE
You would technically be swimming in your blood right now.
MOHAMMED
(Turns to Dante)
That would depend on the method they chose to kill him.
DANTE
Oh, true.
Ropes wouldn't make him bleed.
MOHAMMED
Stagged suicide, too.
DANTE
That would depend on the method too.
JUDE
Staged hanging would be a perfect example.
DANTE
(Looks up)
Yes, ropes should be able to pass through that metal.
(Points at a round metal hung up.)
EFE
I see you are all enjoying this.
DANTE
(Chuckles alongside others)
Relax we are just pulling your legs.
EFE
Whatever let's go.
(Walks out of the cell.)
"They follow behind Efe."
____________________________________
INT. DINNING HALL.
"Efe walks into the dining hall, and notices all eyes are on him."
EFE
I told you guys
(Turns to leave.)
DANTE
(Grip Efe by the wrist.)
Sit down.
"Efe reluctantly sits down."
JUDE
Focus on your meal, do not make eye contact.
"Efe keeps his eyes down."
MOHAMMED
(Turns to Efe.)
I will get your food.
Do not leave this seat!
"Dante moves closer to Efe and wraps his right arm around Efe's back."
EFE
(Turns to Dante.)
Is that really necessary?
JUDE
It's the least we can do to prevent you from being mysteriously stabbed.
EFE
What?
(Attempts to get up)
DANTE
(Pulls Efe back to his seat.)
Sit your ass down!
Do you want to die?
EFE
You guys never mentioned I could just get randomly stabbed!
JUDE
This is Buhigh prison, nothing should surprise you.
"Marcus, an eighteen-year-old prisoner walks towards Efe with a plate of food in his hands."
DANTE
(Pushes Efe behind him.)
Back off or I will kill you with my barehand!
MARCUS
Look I do not want any trouble.
JUDE
Then leave while you still can!
MARCUS
I can't
(Drope the plate of Food in front of Efe and turn to Efe.)
The dude and others over there want you to have this.
DANTE
Why?
(Pushes the food towards Marcus)
MARCUS
They just want to show their gratitude for what he did to Big Shark.
A kind gesture!
DANTE
Tell them we appreciate their effort, but we do not need their kind gestures.
MARCUS
Please don't do this. They said they would make me sleep under the bunk tonight if I came back with the food. And you know the hell that follows after that.
Please, just accept it, I don't care what you do with it. Don't let them do this to me!
DANTE
(Breaths heavily)
Fine!
MARCUS
(Sigh in relief)
Thank you!
DANTE
(Turns to Efe)
Nod your head at them.
EFE
Why?
JUDE
It's a sign that you accept the gesture.
"Efe nods at them. Marcus turns and returns to them."
EFE
I guess people don't hate me after all.
JUDE
This means nothing for now.
EFE
I don't understand.
"Mohammed returns with two plates of food in his hands."
MOHAMMED
What happened?
What did they want?
DANTE
A gesture!
MOHAMMED
Wow!
(Sits down.)
EFE
Guy make una explain to me watin dey go on, na!
Which one be gesture?
DANTE
A gesture in Buhigh means one of two things.
Firstly, If you eat that food, you might never live to see another day.
MOHAMMED
Meaning your food might have been poisoned. Something that most new inmates like you are ignorant of. It's one of the deceitful ways of getting back at new inmates.
EFE
What's the second one?
DANTE
A gesture could also just mean an open gratitude.
But there is only one way to validate that.
EFE
What is that?
DANTE
Others most support the motion by repeating the gesture.
EFE
So other prisoners have to bring food to me too?
DANTE
Exactly.
EFE
But nobody has done that yet.
Omo, I don die.
MOHAMMED
Patience my boy
(Taps Efe on the back as he chews on the bread in his hand.)
People usually take time to catch up to open gestures.
They just need a little time to figure out if your actions are worth their gratitude.
"A well-built man in his mid-thirties walked towards their direction with his plate of food."
EFE
Someone is heading this way.
MOHAMMED
(Smiles)
I told you.
Patience!
INMATE
(Looks Efe in the eyes.)
Thank you for beating the shit out of that animal.
I appreciate you, brother.
Buhigh thanks you!
"Six other follows behind him. In a couple of minutes, half the inmate in the room brings their plate of food to Efe. The room is filled with claps and praises showered at Efe."
DANTE
Thank God!
EFE
This means I'm safe, right?
DANTE
Not just safe!
You have earned their respect and recognition.
"Efe wears a smile on his face."
___________________________________
INT. WINNER ACADEMY.
"Faith approaches Bema."
FAITH
Hey!
BEMA
(Closes his locker and turns to Faith.)
What's up?
FAITH
All good.
I didn't see you in Economics class today.
BEMA
Oh, I dropped it.
FAITH
You dropped it?
BEMA
Yeah, I did.
(Puts the book in his hands inside his school bag.)
FAITH
O... kay!
(Stretches the word.)
But why?
BEMA
I need more time to focus on more important subjects.
(Closes his bag and wears it behind him.)
FAITH
But you could have dropped something else like marketing.
BEMA
Does it matter?
Both of them are the same thing.
"They walk down the hall."
FAITH
Hell, no they are not!
Economics is a basic subject. It's important.
BEMA
The rule only states that I do one subject relating to commercial studies and I choose Marketing.
FAITH
And it's naturally advisable for you to pick Economics.
It's a generally more acceptable subject globally. Everyone knows that!
BEMA
Oh, God. Faith, it's my life and I know what is and isn't important to me.
FAITH
(Stops and turns to Bema)
Are you sure about that?
Or are you just trying to reduce the chances of both of you running into each other?
BEMA
I don't understand.
FAITH
Don't play dumb, Iwebema Emmanuel!
You dropped Economics because it's a general subject. And it reduces your chances of running into Kome.
BEMA
What? Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now?
FAITH
I should be asking you that!
Just so you know, she wasn't in class. She didn't even come to school today.
So, you don't have to make up excuses to skip Math and English class later today.
(Walks out of the scene.)
____________________________________
INT. SCHOOL CAFETERIA
"Ngozi approach Isio."
NGOZI
Hey!
ISIO
How far?
NGOZI
Omo, I'm tired
(Drops her tired body on the chair.)
It's weird that Kome didn't show up to school today.
ISIO
(Files her fingernails)
Yeah, it is.
What even made it weird was what happened yesterday.
"Bema walks in."
NGOZI|BEMA
(Simultaneously)
What happened?
ISIO
(Turns to Bema)
Look who remembered we exist today.
NGOZI
(Turns to Bema)
You know I'm mad at you, right?
BEMA
I know, and I'm sorry.
I just needed some space.
NGOZI
Space for what Bema?
ISIO
To cry about Kome!
NGOZI
Isio, stop.
BEMA
(Gazes at Isio)
What happened yesterday?
ISIO
Oh, so now you care about her.
BEMA
Isio, don't start abeg.
Just tell me what happened and why Kome is not in school.
ISIO
(Chew on the gum in her mouth)
Oya come and force it out of my mouth.
Cry cry baby.
NGOZI
(Turns to Isio)
Isio!
BEMA
You know what?
Forget I ever asked!
(Walks out of the scene.)
NGOZI
Bema don't go!
(Turns to Isio)
What is your problem self?
ISIO
What did I do?
He thinks he can just walk out on us and come back anytime he feels like and expect us to welcome him with an open arm.
Rubbish.
(Hisses and continue chewing on her gum and filing her fingernails.)
NGOZI
Oya that's okay.
Talk to me, what happened yesterday?
ISIO
Kome's brother showed up from nowhere on our way home yesterday and asked her to get into the car immediately. Like he didn't even let her say anything and you know she was supposed to follow me home to take that cream I promised her.
NGOZI
But why?
ISIO
If you ask me, na who I go ask?
But it was so strange I have never seen Bro Ovia that unsettled and frightened before as if he was running from something.
Also, there was a lady in the car dressed like one of these assassins.
NGOZI
Ahh, that's weird, oh.
ISIO
Very weird!
(Blows off the dust of nails on her fingers)
NGOZI
Maybe we should check up on her after school.
ISIO
I was thinking the same thing, too.
That reminds me, I'm out of smoke abeg package something for me later.
NGOZI
Unfortunately, I'm out of supply.
ISIO
Why?
Dayo said the same thing earlier, it's unlike Dayo and his folks to be out of smoke.
NGOZI
Well, I don't know.
All I know is that no supply came in today.
ISIO
Oh, God, and I need that smoke, oh.
NGOZI
(Gets up)
Sorry, I can't help you.
ISIO
Where are you going?
NGOZI
I need to use the restroom!
____________________________________
"Tega sits close to Dayo."
TIGA
Guy, this thing is getting out of hand.
Our clients need supplies.
DAYO
Don't you think I know that?
FRANK
So, what do we do?
DAYO
I'm working on something.
TEGA
Whatever you are working on, e gats dey fast. We are losing money.
DAYO
(Turns to Tega)
Shoya were?
Na me you dey order around?
TEGA
You know I didn't mean it that way.
I'm just worried about our present situation.
FRANK
I understand where Tega is coming from.
First, our supplies kept dropping in number. We didn't even get any F8 products last week, just F6 and 7.
Like I told you last week, something isn't right with our source.
TEGA
And whatever is happening with them is affecting us.
DAYO
I get it guys. But these people are dangerous, we can't just walk in there and start questioning them. We will be sticking our noses in other people's business.
TEGA
Their business is our business, don't you get it?
FRANK
No matter how scary these people might be, we can't just sit around and do nothing!
DAYO
Relax, I know what I'm doing.
FRANK
I know you do we are only just letting you know how serious our present situation is.
DAYO
I know, and I get it!
_____________________________________
INT. THE DARKROOM, BUHIGH PRISON.
"Big shark knocks on the giant thick door in front of him."
GUARD
(Opens the small hole in the giant door.)
I have told you Big Shark, no lunch for you today!
BIG SHARK
I know, and I have come to terms with that.
GUARD
Then what do you want?
BIG SHARK
I have a job for you!
GUARD
You are in no position to offer me anything.
You know the rules.
No favors as long as you are in the dark room.
(Turns to leave.)
BIG SHARK
Okay, I guess I'm just going to offer the next guard the ten thousand grand.
"The guard stops and turns to Big Shark."
GUARD
Ten thousand grand?
BIG SHARK
Yes, but it's fine if you are not interested
(Turns his back.)
GUARD
What do I have to do?
BIG SHARK
(Turns back to the Guard.)
It's simple.
All you have to do is deliver a message to my boys.
GUARD
I'm listening!
BIG SHARK
Tell them to place a bounty on the New inmate, Efe.
The inmate who brings me the head of Efe will get a prize of one thousand dollars and will be under my protection for as long as he remains under the four walls of Buhigh.
*************************************************