Gowon's POV

The strange car stopped in front of him, he noticed there were about four men, and an elderly woman in the old beat up Sienna, the trunk was overflowing with vegetables and tubers. The driver lowered the car window to ask for directions; Gowon looked him in the eye as he mumbled in Yoruba, he looked anxious but not threatening so Gowon relaxed a bit and flashed a smile, HE was the one being menacing to them.

Gowon knew the town they were heading to, It was still ahead but he called one of the students to give them the a precise route, they seemed legit they probably followed the fresh trails their cars left on the untarred road.

As the car made a U-turn he texted the plate number to Oke to look up, just in case.

**

Another hour passed with them still in the forest and at some point, he noticed they were doing less planting and more talking, the students were taking selfies and chatting while Yinka and the lecturer guy were engrossed in a serious discussion. He knew they were talking about unnecessary topics like trees and freaking climate change. The guy looks like a serious person though, Oke has ran background checks on him as well he has been reclaiming and preserving forest reserves even before Yinka started doing it so hopefully he won't be using her money to plant cassava.

They were sha wasting time they still had about 100 seedlings to plant!

A frown formed on his face when that her damn PA abi Intern appeared again, blocking his view of her. The guy was just all over her, following her up and down again, forming bestie, he would bring her a hand fan, pass her a bottle of water and still hang there blocking his damn view like... young man shift, I want to see my crush!

He went back into the car after a while to communicate with the other guys and to check up on the Team in Abuja....again. About 10 minutes in, she knocked on the front passenger window startling him a bit, his face didn't show his alarm, but his hand calmly reached for the gun under his shirt.

She was grinning ear-to-ear holding a pack of refreshments and a can of soda. He unlocked the car and she hopped in.

"Here!" She said as she handed him the pack "We don't have food here, just....snacks, I know Nigerians don't recognize anything that is not rice or swallow as food, so I hope this will do"

He was flustered and surprised but not so surprised, she is always offering him something to eat or drink in her apartment.

He should have declined, but it was too late it was already in his hand and he was actually thirsty. So he just thanked her and opened the can. He was not even hungry; he was too restless and stressed to care about his stomach at this point.

"Can I send some refreshments to them too?" She asked.

"Who?" He looked at her in confusion.

"I know we are here with escorts Gowon," She rolled her eyes.

"How did you know that?" That is actually impressive it means she was paying attention during the trip.

"I am security conscious too you know it's funny how you always underestimate me" She smirked. "I don't know how many there are, but I know we are not alone" She smiled.

"They are fine, you don't... have to" He smiled.

"Are you sure? We have enough to go round" She seemed genuinely concerned.

He really didn't want to stress her. He knows she likes sharing food up and down.

The other day he 'accidentally' ate some waffles she made. He found them on Oke's table, he actually asked Oke where he bought it because he wanted get some and he was surprised when Oke shamelessly said it was from her.

It is not professional to get that comfortable with a Principal but Oke claimed she insisted and kinda forced them to accept it. He believes Oke though... she is very imposing.

"I don't want anyone else to know they're here, I don't want to blow their cover," He said honestly.

"Okay" She mouthed, "I guess they are trained for situations like this," She added.

He nodded.

"Okay, see ya later" she said then hopped out quickly.

5pm

When 5pm struck, he went out to meet her. They still had about 40 more to go. He picked up a shovel and joined them because it seemed she had forgotten they had a 2hr + trip to make back to Lagos.

"Where did you learn this technique?" She asked him as he took over her own seedlings.

"My family has an Orange orchard," He said.

"Fulanis farm?" She asked and he they both laughed.

"Aren't y'all Nomads?" She added playfully.

He had to explain to her how not all fulanis are nomads, and how his great grandfather settled around Jos in the 1920s.

She was fascinated by the short history lesson and ranted about how she doesn't know much about her own ancestors because her father always kept them away from his folks.

"So will you be planting any trees in the north?" He asked her.

She sighed then said cutely, "As long as you come with me"

He chuckled. "Please I don't want to die young, I am still a virgin" He lied.

Her jaw dropped.

"Plus........your brother would probably murder me first?" He added.

So, he is now reporting their activities to Dare and Dare is much more chill than her father but the guy always has that seriousness in his eyes whenever they are talking about her safety. He doesn't really say much but Gowon can tell he is super protective of her even though he tries to mask it. And he gets it, he is actually the last born but he is super protective of his elder sisters too.

"You don't have to tell him" She smiled mischievously "He doesn't have to know where I go, I don't know where he goes, he doesn't even know I am here"

"It's going to be in the weekly report we send to him," He said.

"Wait, you give him that too?" She looked horrified.

"I don't understand how this is not an invasion of my privacy!" She said in frustration. "How is this even Legal?"

"I am sorry" He smiled like a mumu then suddenly realized he just slipped, he is not supposed to be telling her that. WTF! She just used her charms on him again.

They continued bonding as they planted off the remainder of the seedlings then walked over to the tanker to wash their hands. The group even had a small mini tanker for irrigation, the event was well-planned.

"I like that you are doing this," He said as they walked to the car. Honestly, the tree planting is the ONE thing they do that he will always support.

"Don't be discouraged by the guys that ate your money, this is a good thing"

She smiled proudly to that.

He wanted to add that tree planting is an act of charity in his religion, but he didn't bring it up before it will look like he is trying to preach to her. She is not even a Muslim.

He doesn't like it when people try to impose their ideologies on him especially in a sneaky manner, he once dated a religious nuthead in Port Harcourt that wanted him to convert before moving to third base with him. She said she was not 'comfortable' fornicating with an unbeliever, lol he was so confused by her conditions but he was not surprised the streets are wild these days.

'More reason why i have to exit the streets real soon' He thought to himself with a smile as his gaze fell on Yinka's face and their eyes locked for about 3 seconds before she looked away awkwardly. It was as though she heard his thought.

"Urrm.... Gowon Jude will ride back with us to Lagos," she said as the Intern joined them.

The smile on his faced drained out real quick.

What!

Hell no!

The only thing that has kept him going is the fact that he was looking forward to driving back to Lagos for another 2 hours ALONE with her. Travelling with her is the closest he will ever come to taking her out, this is like their second unofficial date! He is not going to have this annoying guy ruin it. He had to think fast, he needed to come up with an excuse to back up his capital NO.

"He can join the second car," Gowon said flatly, the guy almost looked disappointed as he scanned around for the invisible second car.

Gowon shot him a subtle 'come and beat me' look.

"I thought you didn't want anyone else to know they are here," She whispered to him.

"The mission is over" He whispered back to her shamelessly.

The mission is not over until they enter Lagos but screw it! he can change the rule anytime he wants, he made them.

He really likes talking to her, he likes her mind, and her presence kinda soothes him despite the fact that she can be annoying sometimes. He low-key loves the way she riles him up and he finds himself thinking about the things she says a lot these days. And then the cherry on top;.....she is so freaking beautiful and sexy, effortlessly sexy. He is not going to lie, that one is there.

They drove out with the intern guy but when they got to the Express he handed him over to the escorts, he even Instructed them to take him straight to his house.

**

8:46pm

On the drive back they talked lightly about random stuff with many silent breaks, she was exhausted so she didn't really gist with him this time she was on her phone chatting, and scrolling through her social media, he even felt small jealousy when she giggled at some point. Then she made one call to a friend that was begging her to come to Abuja, he was relieved when he figured the friend was a girl lol. Then he almost rolled his eyes when she called the intern guy to 'check up on him'.

They got stuck on Lagos Ibadan expressway entry point to Lagos, honestly the road is cursed. The traffic should be on the other side since its Friday but unfortunately it was on their side and the congestion was not moving. He decided to distract her small because, there were too many trucks around them, and the situation looking depressing.

"So when next are you planting trees again?" He asked as he scanned the cars around them but he was met with silence, she had dozed off.

He chuckled lightly, Lol farming na your mate?

In addition, she was probably up until 3am last night, he saw that her blog account was 'last seen' online around 3am so she actually needs the sleep.

He was hoping they could grab something to eat as soon as they get into Lagos, buy her that dinner he still insists he owes.

He lowered her seat slowly with the power control on his side not to wake her up, she was deep in sleep 'She probably thinks she is on her bed right now' He chuckled lightly.

His restlessness reduced when the traffic finally started moving after about 25 minutes, according to Oke's traffic update, a truck had fallen somewhere ahead and was obstructing free passage.

They were delayed for another 40minutes before they got past it and made their way into Lagos.

He watched through his rearview mirror as the first and second escort vehicle detached and diverted from their clandestine convoy just before and after third mainland bridge respectively. They did a great job on short notice honestly.

Immediately he got off third mainland bridge his phone started ringing, it was DARE. When he answered the call, he thought it was going to be about Yinka's whereabouts but he was surprised when the Man said he wanted to see him, as in... he had a job for him.

He wanted to take her home first but he decided to go with her to see Dare, the address Dare gave him was enroute her apartment.

She looked very comfortable and peaceful he didn't want to wake her up, if she wakes up now, she is going to go straight to her laptop and post more nerdy climate stuff on her pages plus.........he was not ready to part ways with her just yet........ Not ready to part ways with someone that is already sleeping lol!

A/N: Guys..... I had to go read this book from the start again to remember what i was writing sef. I do have the ending and i know where its going but damn 2 months! I tried to update last month but i was too busy! it is very hard writing when one's mind is occupied with so much stuff and honestly, I needed this break to rest mentally as well. But i am kinda back and i can't wait to put this one down.

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