The police inspector was surprised that I was making such a queer request. He wanted to have a one-on-one chat with me. So, he invited me to his office the following day. But that following day, I had to be at work. So, I told him that I would see him after work. I was still thankful to God that I hadn't resigned from my job. What would I have done now?
The next day, after work, I went to see him. He offered me a seat in his office. The last time I saw him; he didn't have an office. Now, his rank had been increased. So, he now had a comfortable airconditioned office all to himself.
"So, tell me, Mr. Ben. What would you want a gun for?"
"I have a mission." I replied.
"Mission? What kind of mission?"
"My girlfriend has been kidn@pped. I need to go get her."
"So, why don't you tell the police? Why do you want to do it yourself. If truly she has been abduct@d, it could only mean one thing. The people who did this would be very dangerous. You cannot confront them by yourself."
"I understand, Bro. But I do not want the police involved because it is more complicated than you think."
"Tell me more." The inspector urged.
I sat quiet for a while. I didn't know how I was going to start telling the police officer that I was going to confront Mr. Sunday, and that Delia Sunday, the beloved wife of Mr. Sunday, was my supposed girlfriend. What was he going to think of me? He would immediately discourage me because it appeared like he was even under Mr. Sunday's payroll. Well, I had no choice. If I wanted him to help me, I had to be open.
"Do you remember Mr. Sunday?" I asked.
"The same Mr. Sunday who called us to arrest you?"
"Yes."
"Then, would you be asking that kind of a question. Of course, I know Mr. Sunday. What about him?"
"He is the one I want to confront." I spoke.
"What? Mr. Sunday? You are not serious, are you?" He laughed.
"I am very serious, Bro."
"What does he have against you?"
"He is keeping my girlfriend, his wife."
The inspector looked at me in shock. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. He thought that after my arrest for frolicking with Mr. Sunday's wife, I would have learned my lesson. He was very surprised that I was not only still on the case, but I was also intending to escalate it.
"You want to go after Mr. Sunday?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Because of his wife?"
"She also now doubles as my girlfriend."
"Now, listen, Mr. Ben. If I were you, I would just forget about the Sundays and move on with your life. You are trying to get into something too big for you. You see, most people know Mr. Sunday as a cocoa dealer, but the truth is that he is much more than that." He spoke.
"What are you talking about?"
"Mr. Sunday is the biggest drug lord in these parts. He is a very dangerous man to dare with. He has armed men working for him and they are ready and willing to defend him with their life. You cannot get to him. It is very precarious. You have to be very, very, careful."
"I will take my chances. I have worked for him before. So, I know his strengths and weaknesses. Also, his wife is on my side."
"But she has been grounded."
"She is a valuable asset nevertheless."
"Alright, it appears that you are bent on doing what you want to do. So, I will give you what you want. But it should remain a top secret between us. If my superiors find out that I am involved in this kind of game, I would be in serious trouble." He warned."
"I understand."
"Good. You can go home now. I will come and see you at your home this night, and when I am coming, I will be bringing your merchandise." He spoke.
"Thank you, bro. I will be waiting. I have to go now."
I left the police station and headed straight for my home. I had had a long day. So, I had to go home and rest. When I got home, and after I had freshened up and eaten? I laid on my bed and thought about the whole thing. I wondered if Delia was worth all the trouble. I had known her only for about a month. So, why would I be going through all this trouble for her?
It was not like I was desperate. I had a good job and a good pay. So, why couldn't I just calm down and concentrate on my job? No, my chivalrous nature would not let me abandon her. After all, the sacrifice she was making was for the both of us. Also, there was the pecuniary incentive. If everything worked out well, I would be rich by the millions. The amount of money I could make in a week would far supersede what I make in a year working for my company.
I was deep in thoughts when I heard a knock on my door. That must be the policeman, I thought to myself. I went to the main door, opened it and let him in.
"Good evening, Mr. Ben. There is no time to waste. Here is your merchandise." He spoke, handing me a military backpack.
"Really?" I was very excited.
"Yes, in it are two guns. One is a pistol and the other is an AK. They are not owned by the police force. They belong to me personally. I confiscated them from some guys during a robbery operation I was involved in. Also in the bag, are several rounds of ammunition. Please, be careful and remember that if you are caught, you do not know me." He reminded.
"Yes, I know."
"Good luck, Bro. Please, come back alive."
"Have you forgotten who I am? I am Ben Samuel. I am a survivor. I am the man who has gone through untold danger and came back alive. Don't worry, Bro, I will be back. But if by some twist of fate I don't return, pray for my soul."
When the inspector left, I checked the weapons and ammunition again and thanked God for Youth Service. If not for my time spent at the NYSC, I would never have known how to handle military gadgets. Satisfied with everything, I got my phone and put a call through to my boss.
"Hello, Sir. Good evening."
"Good evening, Mr. Ben. Why are you calling this late?" He asked.
"Sir, I just wish to obtain permission for tomorrow. That fever I told you about has escalated. I don't think I would be able to make it to work tomorrow."
"Mr. Ben."
"Yes, Sir."
"I think you should avoid self-medication. I can bet that is what you have been doing, and that is why that illness of yours has been coming and going. You cannot just be taking medicine like that without knowing what is actually wrong with you. You need to go to the hospital and do a proper checkup. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Alright, your permission is granted. Use your day tomorrow and go to the hospital, Okay?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Goodnight and get well soon."
"Thank you, Sir."
That part had been taken care of. I had to leave the option of returning to my job open because I had no guarantees that my operation would be successful. If things didn't go as planned, I would have to resort to coming back to my job.
That night, I slept with a lot of anticipation. Luckily, I didn't have any nightmare. When I woke up in the morning, I bathed, took my bag and went to the bus stop. As I reached the bus stop, I smiled to myself. The last time I was here, I was on the run. I bought a ticket, got into the bus and left.
About an hour into the journey, we encountered a police checkpoint. My heart skipped when I remembered what I was carrying in my bag. What if the police on guard decided to do a thorough check. But as we came close, I relaxed. One of the police officer on duty was my inspector friend. He looked at me and winked, and motioned for the driver to continue.
I got to the village around 3:00 PM. I went straight to the grandma, my former host's house to see her. She was very happy to see me, but she didn't know what my mission was. I told her I came to see her to thank her for her hospitality, and also to apologize for leaving without saying goodbye. If only she knew that I had left the village in handcuffs. She asked how long I would stay and I told her I would be leaving in two days' time.
But we all know that I was lying to the grandma. I didn't come to see her. I came to rescue my beloved Delia, and I had to do it that night. May God be my helper.
TO BE CONTINUED…