Recap

Her blood turned cold and she swallowed hard. It was time for a chance encounter with death.

She raised her head slowly as if it will buy her more time and frowned when her eyes fell on soft brown ones, very familiar soft brown ones.

'Fa...Fadil?'' She croaked weakly her pounding heart almost beating out of her chest.

He smiled and passed her the inhaler.

'Listen to me carefully and don't even think about protesting. You are coming with me, I'm taking you to base and you are staying there in a sort of advanced witness protection system untill all this madness boils over, then you regain your freedom and go back home because you are not safe'.

She opened her mouth to protest, caught the look on his face and decided World War three might just depend on her silence. She was glad he gave her the spare inhaler he had gotten because of her because by the way she was dead scared in that shop, she would have hyperventilated no doubt.

She nodded tightly 'My stuff?''.

'Our people are getting them right now as we speak. Your employee has been told that you were involved in a minor accident and you have been taken home by your Uncle'.

She swallowed and turned towards the window. They were in Fadil's car and were already speeding towards MIB.

She was going to miss them. Yusrah, Kauthar even Khalifah. Hell even Nasiba was becoming more bearable.
She was more attached to Anisa and she was actually more sad when she left Anisa's house but she was already prepared for that. The fact that she was practically snatched unprepared made this time more painful, she had honestly thought she was there to stay.

''Look I'm sorry I know you must be torn but this is for your safety. I won't let anything happen to you '. His voice had turned soft and understanding.

She pressed her forehead to the window and banged it lightly several times. She wished he will just shut up. She was trying to think and she didn't need his voice which was at that moment annoying get in the way of her thoughts.

He glanced at her worriedly 'If you need to talk we have a...uhmm... a sort of therapist...'.

She turned abruptly making him stop his speech in mid sentence. She looked ready to burst.

'Do you mind?' That was the second sentence she had uttered since they got in the car.

He shook his head and she extended her hand and searched for the perfect music.

She sighed and relaxed into her seat when Kelly Clarksons rich voice hit her. Breakaway was an old song but just perfect.

Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I'd just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I'd end up happy
I would pray (I would pray)

She stared out the window of the car thinking had this not had happened, what could be? Would she have ended up happy? When the rain would fall down will they wash her tears away? Or will they reveal something even messier and more unsettling?

Trying hard to reach out
But when I tried to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I prayed I could break away

Her eyes where closed as she softly followed the song. It was like she sang it. Every single word spoke to her. No one could here her, no on would. She had tried to speak so many times, she had lost her voice, but did she need a voice in order to speak?. She actually wanted to breakway.

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly
I'll do what it takes 'til I touch the sky
And I'll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

She was not going to be imprisoned by fear.

Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway

She was going to take matters into her own hands. Then she will breakway.

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Thank God civillians are on the top floor. That was Laura's only consolation. She knew she wouldn't have survived it underground.

They had arrived the place and she had almost peed in her pants when she passed by the huge abandoned looking trailers knowing they were loaded with men loaded with guns.

They had again met Mr Gash who apparently had a longstanding fued with Fadil who was in his class while in Military school and who was the cause of his huge gash, I would be pissed too! She thought . No wonder they always had the Alpha eye war.

She had been directed to her bunk which she was sharing with another lady called Ifeoma, Ify for short but you pronounce the I different, Like
I phone.

Ify was really friendly. She was an average looking Igbo lady. Average in height, weight and looks but her free nature made all that irrelevant. Laura took an instant liking at her. At least it wasn't Natasha.

The bunk was square shaped and black. Completely black, it was wierdly beautiful. Everything was standard and no nonsense like. Square shaped basic furniture, nothing vain.

Her bed was by the toilet. She opened the wardrobe, it was empty. Well she didn't exactly bring anything so it was to be expected.

She dropped her handbag in the empty wardrobe and made a mental note of giving the shopping money to Fadil to take it back. Then she collapsed on the bed. The AC was blowing relentlessly and she felt the urge to sleep. She pulled her phone out and scanned through the pictures. She had taken a picture of the car and plate number when she first thought it was following her, it was not the same plate number as that of Fadils'.
Strange! She mused before the finger of sleep gently lured her away.

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She didn't know her role, if she had one. She actually felt very useless and at that time she could almost hate Fadil for taking her to the place where everyone was either a guru or a hero or both and she wasn't even close to neither.

At the canteen she felt like a new girl in high school, the kind bullied in all those HS movies. She got her food, which was blissfully free (as a Nigerian anything free is worth it, even if you won't use it. Even if it's poison! ).

There weren't many people there. Probably because it was an odd time to eat dinner, it was 11pm and they had only Tuwo and Egusi left. She didn't like the mixture because she believed Egusi was in an exclusive relationship with pounded yam, but the way her stomach was gnawing in annoyance made her accept it wholeheartedly. Apparently the people working there worked well into the night because the Canteen did not close until past 12:00 am.

She had wasted a lot of time in the canteen because she wanted to see the people, see how they lived and she aimlessly fiddled with her phone while at it, an act which was basically futile as it was a customised non-smartphone given to everyone because smartphones were prohibited (she was sure there would have been 30 videos on her snapchat otherwise. The place was amazing).

And even so, there was no network to talk to the outside world, they had a special service provider which allowed you to only communicate with the people in Base.

Phone calls were only taken in their phone booths which recorded every word said, a necessary measure. And she believed they all had their phones bugged, hers too. Since she discovered Nigeria's Central Intelligence, anything was possible.

She trudged slowly up to her bunk after missing several turns and almost entering a man's room. It looked like hers. She had still not been officially informed what she was meant to do, apart from what Fadil had vaguely told her, about the 'witness protection' ish. She still thought she had a bigger purpose there than being protected. Speaking of Fadil, spending an hour in the canteen and walking slowly all over sleeping quarters by mid night was certainly not because she wanted to run into him. Yeah right.

She finally grudgingly located her room. By the time she has washed up and was ready to sleep, she had officially declared herself a bored -to-death person. She had no idea that the next day was going to be the beginning of the end of the boredom she would have wished had lasted for ever.

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The next day by 5 am a bell rang, it was such a shrill sound that was sure to get even the comatose awake and it resounded all over the building which was sound-proof to the outside world. Apparently that was their alarm signaling the beginning of a brand new day. Laura wasn't sure she was going to like that. If there was anything she enjoyed and valued, it was her beauty sleep.

She pulled the blanket higher and tighter and turned back to sleep. Ify hit her leg after she had taken her bath and was about to dress up. Laura groaned and turned back. She was particularly lazy that day because five was her waking up time back at the house. She probably felt she was on some sort of holiday.

Ify hit her leg again after she had dressed up in a white suit with an above knee length skirt. 'Wake up Lazy bones. You are in Base'.

'Ify leave me alone. I don't work here. I can sleep forever'.

'You think?. These people will never bring you here unless they need something from you '.

She grabbed her key card and left.

Laura just yawned and got into a more comfortable position. What felt like 10 minutes later, she heard a loud pounding on the door. She groaned in annoyance, pressed a pillow to her ear and wished it away. After a minute andpounding was just getting worst, she dragged her haggard self grudgingly off the bed.

''What do you want?'. She knew it was Fadil before she even opened the door. He was rude like that.

'Wake up sleeping beauty'.

'What do you think I'm doing sleep walking?'.

He smirked and shrugged cockily.

''What do you want?' She repeated hand on her waist.

'We have a meeting with Chief in about' he checked his watch '20 minutes'.

She stared at Fadil for long time. Why didn't he wake her earlier? Why didn't he tell yesterday?. She hit his knee with her leg hard.

He groaned in pain and hopped on one leg getting the pained leg off the floor. It was her turn to smirk and close the door in his face.

15 minutes later, she was as fresh as a newly peeled cucumber. She opened the door and found him standing. Apparently he was there to make sure she made it on time.

'You look good' He smiled genuinely at her.

She was wearing a black Abaya. Yesterday before she was back from the canteen, she had found some sets of black Abaya in her wardrobe, most of which were very lovely. She had a feeling it was the doing of the person walking beside her.

'Thanks. You don't look so terrible yourself'.

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

'Hey and thanks for this'. She motioned at the long gown.

'I'm glad you like it' He saluted. Charming.

She chuckled 'Who said I did?'

'Well you didn't say you didn't. I'm sure you wouldn't have worn it otherwise '.

'You know me so well'.

They were at the reception. Natasha almost jumped up reflexively when she saw Fadil. She comported herself a bit and adjusted her skirt down, followed by her blouse no doubt to get more cleavage out. Which was in Laura's opinion not necessary since she was already showing too much skin. Laura tried not to envy her body, Laura was on the averagely proportionate side but smaller on the boob end which used to make her self concious. But after life shoved her the hard side, she even sometimes wondered what purpose they served.

The ladies both did not spare each other a glance. There was obvious enmity and the object did not even know it, or at least he didn't show it.

'Good Morning Sir'. She was not going to say Morn Sir, her rebellious side protested.

'Morning Miss Al-Mannar. How was your night?'' General Wole was unexpectedly more polite towards her. Maybe he had wife trouble the last time she came.

'Everything is fine Sir thank you '.

'Very well. As you know, for your protection, we have decided it is better for you to move here. Your family is being watched too'.

She nodded ''I appreciate Sir'.

'We have still gotten no further than we were when you last came so we want to cease this opportunity to hook hands together and pry deeper. Is there any bit of information you might have thought irrelevant and have forgotten to tell us?'.

She hesitated a bit, then shook her head.
'No Sir'.

'Okay. You said there were only incriminating things on that flash?'

She nodded. Yes.

'That will explain why they stole it and why there was an attack on your life'.

'But it will not explain why they haven't destroyed it. Why still hold on to something you know will be the end of you. Why do they need you still because in case you didn't know, there was a black jeep outside of your house last morning and it didn't belong to Major Turaki. It was just a mere coincidence that it looked like his. That was why he had followed you before the other person had the chance to. We have been keeping an open eye and that car had been constantly in your area for almost a week now'.

Laura shivered. She knew it. She knew the intial car was different but she had wanted to believe it was a mere coincidence. But hearing a confirmation just made her life seem more hellish. She really was being stalked probably by trained assassins. She wondered if she should tell them about the other thing she discovered in the flash. From the way the General was addressing her it was already a possibility that he knew.

She wasn't going to tell. She didn't want to be left without leverage. Whatever happened she had always valued sacred information no one else had. Having a leverage above all others seemed like her best option then , she just hoped no one else knew.

Come to think of it, how did Chief know that the flash hadn't been destroyed? It could have been destroyed so the only reason they might be following her will be to destroy the link between they and the flash.

Another thing bugging her mind was how did Uncle Bello know about the flash in the first instance, something that was given to her in secrecy and why did he not get it when it was with Fatima? Unless he didn't know about it when it was with Fatima untill it went to her possession, meaning the only other person who knew about it was Fadil! He couldn't be a snitch. Could he? She had never considered the possibility of there being a switch. Actually the more she thought about it, the more she was sure that there was an insider letting all information out.

Then again if it hasn't been destroyed and they were looking for her, it will mean he knew about the other thing and he was after it. How did he know. The many questions were too many for her to answer with so little time.

'Sir have you ever wondered how Uncle Bello got to know about the flash?'.

The Chief shrugged 'He has his ways'.

'Yes but what ways? What if those ways are the reasons why we can't move forward in this case? What if he has a snitch? An insider who lets out all these information to him?'

Fadil kept a straight face, he did not even flinch. It looked too straight and too intentional to her.

' You have a point. I'll make sure we investigate on that and we cover our tracks carefully. But we have been very careful, only four people here know what is truly going on. You, I ,Major Turaki and the Technical expert assigned to your team who I assure you has helped us with many of these missions and who is highly trusted'.

'Four is more than a crowd if you ask me. And it may be anyone among us'. She shifted her gaze to Fadil purposefully.

He glanced at her and looked away, then did a double take. He had seen the suspicious look she was giving him.

Laura expected many reactions but not the one she got. There was confusion evident in his face at first, then it turned to realisation, then anger, then pain. The pain was too hot and too raw it was almost palpable. He looked so vulnerable Laura wished she could take back her words, but it was too late. That was the unforgivable thing about words, they could never be erased because they couldn't be seen, but they would linger in the air over your heads, and slowly eat your soul in regret. She was already feeling so guilty but she didn't regret it, at least she knew she could trust him.

'Young lady I will not allow you to question my personnel and their integrity because it is insulting. I trust them with my life and you have no choice but to do that too besides Major Turaki had to do a lot to convince me to take you under our wing because in case you don't know, we are not an orphan shelter '

She cowered in shame. He was right, Fadil had done nothing but good for her. Come to think of it he was under no obligation whatsoever to help her but he did. She had no idea he had to convince them to let her stay and she never thanked him for once, he never complained for once. Talk about taking too much for granted.

'I'm so sorry Sir but everything is just so overwhelming. But trust me I didn't mean anything I said I was just confused and I truly deeply appreciate it'

she was talking to The Chief but the speech was meant for Fadil. It was more than a little frustrating when he didn't react at all. He didn't even look at her.

'You civilians have a funny way of showing appreciation. We put our lives at risk for yours and you celebrate entertainers'. He shook his head sadly.

'Anyway you are going to be taking up this case with Major Turaki and our best tech guy who should be here anytime soon. An office has been cleared for that purpose. If you remember anything, anything at all you must tell them, you are our best shot. We have to put an end to this menace of a man for good and I expect you all to put in your best'.

She nodded and got up.

'I'll try Sir'.

And she meant it. Why then was she withholding a particular piece of information? The real reason Uncle Bello was still after her.

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She shifted the files on the table to the right. Then brought them back to the middle. She clasped her hands and rocked on her heels uncomfortably then glanced at Fadil again who was busy arranging the room with a frown. They were in their new office for the purpose of their assigned case and they were waiting for their third wing.

'I'm sorry' she blurted out suddenly.

He ignored her and kept working.

'Fadil I'm sorry okay? I didn't mean to question you I was just so confused and I couldn't control my stupid mouth. Please say something '.

'No you are right. You weren't stupid at all, in fact you were very smart. In this business you trust no one, love no one. Everyone is your enemy. Keep that in mind, everyone is your enemy'. His voice was low and dangerous. Laura literally felt goosebumps.

He threw the glass globe in his hand and caught it expertly then left the room with Laura standing their mouth agape and utterly speechless. That cold person she just saw, that was the officer not Fadil, not her Fadil. And she wanted to slap herself so bad for luring him out. She had to do something.

She heard sounds of footsteps approaching the door. And turned suddenly ' Fadil I...'

But she couldn't finish her sentence. Because the person standing by the door was not Fadil.

He took in her expression in one look and burst out laughing.

'Surprise. I'm your third wingman. This is going to be fun!'

Who is it?

First person to guess can ask me three personal questions which will be published in the next chapter.

THE LAURA'S CONSPIRACY

THANK YOU FOR HANGING ON

😘😘😙😗

❤ -Hansatuu