Jamal Benson
Jamal wakes up to two bad news the following morning. Jay Bee Hotel, Abuja caught fire over the night and no one knows the cause. He gets the message loud and clear. It is a lure to bring him to Abuja and at the same time let him know the battle line has just been drawn. He can only hope no life was lost in the inferno. His head ache and his stomach roil with nausea as he speaks to the Chief Operating Officer of the branch.
After the call, he sits down at his desk and opens his email. There are several messages from Henry Ojei. The crates of arms have been diverted and it's definitely on its way out of the country. However, James has covered his tracks so well that nothing could be traced directly to him, leaving Jamal to take the brunt of his betrayal. Anger threatens to shut down his system but he struggles to keep a clear head as he scrolls through the messages Henry left for him.
There is something else and it catches his attention immediately. The old man has been keeping a close tab on his estranged daughter. Interesting. Sitting back, he remembers the way the man was looking at her picture on his desk last night. A sinister smile spread over his face.
"Hello, Freya Olatorera Aleshinloye. We are about to get acquitted. "
/\/\/\/\/\
Freya Aleshinloye
"Ms Freya, I brought pancakes for you. Do you like it?" Daniel is a seven year old little boy who has a huge crush on Freya. He is also one of her smartest pupils in basic three.
"Oh, Daniel. This is so sweet of you. Did you make it?" Freya is grinning as she collects the foil-wrapped snack from his chubby hands.
"Yes. My big brother helped with it though. Is it alright?" He looks at his feet shyly.
"It looks yummy. Thank you, love." Freya drops it on her desk and sweeps him into a warm, bear hug. A wide smile spreads over his little face as he clings to her fiercely. "I love it."
"I am happy you do. See you later." With a happy laugh and a wave of his hand, he runs out of the class to meet his friends on the playground.
Freya Olatorera Aleshinloye teaches basic three in Colby Montessori school. She has paid for her College of Education with her sweat and she is proud of how far she has come in achieving her dreams. It is break time and the class is empty. Freya sits back and closes her eyes. She loves those kids, loves their innocence and easy-to-please life. Working as a school teacher gives her life a simplicity and peace of mind that was lacking during her own childhood. The only semblance of peace she ever had as a kid was when she lived with her mother and even that period didn't last long.
Sighing quietly, she unwraps the oil-soaked pancake and notices that it is loaded with dried fruits. Chuckling to herself, she eats it with relish, and chases it down with cold water from her flask. She will just have to return her lunch to her fridge at home. She is reading her latest book, Finding Solace by Mobolaji Olanrewaju, when the kids start strolling in from the playground. The break is over and it is time to get back to work. She puts the book away and welcomes the kids back to class with diction exercises.
/\/\/\/\/\
At closing hour after the Friday staff meeting, she slings her backpack over her shoulder and heads to her Car which she parks at the back of the school building. As she removes her official shoes and exchanges them for sneakers, she feels as if someone is watching her. She turns in full circle ,craning her neck and sees her friend and colleague , Saadah coming towards her.
"Are you the one looking at my yansh?" Freya gives her friend a mock glare, her voice slightly tinted with a British accent.
"Get out! Why will I be ogling your yansh when I get my own?" Saadah grins as she comes closer and gives her a smack on the bum. "It is a fine bouncy yansh though."
"Ouch! That was wicked of you." Freya jumps in mock horror, drops the Car booth and goes to the driver's seat. Saadah is a young, slim Hausa girl who just came out of College of Education, Zaariah. She takes an instant liking to Freya and the feeling is mutual between both. Both are also among the youngest teachers in the school. Freya always gives her a ride at the close of work every school day.
Saadah laughs as she gets into the passenger's side of the Car and pulls her seat belts in place. "How is work today?"
"It is great. Danny boy brought pancakes for me today." Freya grins as her eyes scans her back view. The feeling of being watched persists and she wonders if she is just being paranoid. She hasn't felt this way since she ran away from home.
"Awww… That is so sweet of him. He is really crushing on you. "Saadah grins.
"He is such a sweet little boy"
"Is everything alright? "The concern in Saadah's voice catches her attention.
"Why do you ask?" Freya glances briefly at her as she bursts into the main road and her foot presses down on the accelerator.
"You keep glancing in the back view mirror and you are not as chatty as you used to be."
"Sorry babe. I have a lot on my mind and am also thinking of the best way to train the new set of women who just register for my work-out session at the gym. " Freya flashes her a grin. "Hope Jubril is behaving himself these days?" Jubril is Saadah's fiancé and they are always having one argument or the other.
"Well, he is. He just enjoys getting on my nerves sometimes."
"That is part of the reason you are still with him nah, isn't it?" They both laugh.
Ten minutes later, Saadah drops from Freya's Car at the junction to her house and Freya continues to her gym centre to meet the women waiting for her.