SITA
Limo wasn't a trend anymore, but I booked one as though I was an Arab millionaire of the 1980s. the chauffeur was a cool gentleman, dressed in a pretty white suit, his head masked with a hat, and his hands with gloves.
He took my luggage and packed them in the car, then, he opened the door for me and held it. I turned to take a glance at my jealous driver. I had deliberately called for a chauffeur because I didn't want to take my driver along with me.
"Take care of the house," I said to Maria who was standing by him. "And you, don't hang out with my car, hear that?"
He nodded and wiped his face. His eyes were red. He was holding back his tears. Maria was fighting the same thing, but my gardener was just watching.
"What if the general comes?" my driver asked.
"Tell him to come find me," I replied and hopped in the limo. The chauffeur shut the door and made for his section of the long car.
"Safe journey, ma'am." Said Maria. "Remember to give your dad a call."
"Thanks for the sweet reminder." I teased and winded up the glass.
The limo took off, and soon, even my house was out of sight. The chauffeur wasn't the sort that did well with words, but he knew what to do with music. He had Angelina Kidjo, and he didn't slip off from that. just Kidjo all the way, and I was glad to have such luxury.
I listened, shook my head, nodded, slept, woke up, and yet, we weren't at my destination due to a couple of traffic jams, and the fact that a limo wasn't meant for rush.
"Ma'am, you have refreshments in the fridge, you can help yourself with that if you get hungry." The driver said.
On a normal day, I could have bothered to obey such info, but today, I knew I needed to be clear, and light. I shouldn't have anything weighing me down, and I should be more careful with what I take even if I am hungry.
"Never mind, I am okay," I replied with a warm smile he could see from the front view mirror if he would ever care for such. My phone buzzed twice. I tapped in, and lo, it was a mail from the round table errand boy, Baba.
I tapped in and saw pictures, location and info. The secret military base had been unraveled and marked. It wasn't a big facility from the pictures attached to the mail. A video clip was there, too. A clip that was sent to the general by his boys.
I connected an earpiece and tapped into the video clip. It was a clip of the two abducted boys being tortured badly and forced to speak, but they were saying nothing.
It was a horrible video, their bones were being seen, yet, they said nothing.
A new message arrived a classified one. I tapped in and logged on to it.
Agent 1515. THE MISSION HAS CHANGED. KILL EVERYONE. FREE HOSTAGES. EXCLUSIVE PURGE. SOLDIERS NOT LINKED TO GOVERNMENT.
I smiled. It was one thing to deal with uniformed men doing the wrong work, but it was another to deal with private criminals under the protection of big uniformed men like the general. They wanted to track us, but we've gotten them, and we must end them without thinking twice.
The car stopped right before the hotel I had booked earlier. It was a big one in Abidjan, and I've studied the structure a couple of times while on my normal philanthropy business. I knew a way out and how to keep myself from being spotted by wandering eyes.
The door was pulled open by a security officer outside the hotel. "Welcome, ma'am."
I alighted from the limo, and without waiting, I headed for the door, while the chauffeur and the officer took care of my luggage. I had a lot though because I wanted to stay a bit longer in the hotel.
"Good morning, ma'am." The receptionist greeted me. "Welcome…"
"My key?" I drummed my fingers on her stand.
She passed me a card that controlled the room. I had chosen room 200, the one I could easily slip out of without being noticed.
"Thank you." I made for the lift. The chauffeur joined me with my luggage. "Hope you brought everything?"
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded.
"Okay." I remained quiet till we got to the floor where I would find my room. "Your business with me ends here." I took the luggage from him and made for my room. He didn't step out of the lift, so, I was sure it took him down to the reception while I headed to my room.
Room 200
I swiped the card and the door beeped before it opened without making a crackling sound. Nothing was cloggy with it, so, it was rather a sweet fellow to slip in and out of.
The room was magnificent. The furniture, the paintings on the wall, the gadgets, everything was as sweet as the soundless door. I moved my luggage to the far end of the room and began a security check, first with the bulbs, to ensure they had no cameras. Thanks to the camera detector I had with me.
"Clean." I went for the bugs, to make sure the room was not bugged, but it was clean, too. The hotel has no business meddling with the personal lives of lodgers. The only thing here was the smoke dictator and the fire alarm, but I still inspected the two of them to ensure they weren't bugged.
Nothing was bugged here, and nothing was taking videos of me, so, I simply ensured the door was properly shut, then, I unpacked my luggage in the wardrobe, changed my clothes, and stepped out for the big hospital.