Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

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After changing into their night wears, both mother and daughter sat in the living room.



While Jane had the remote control and was busy flipping channels, Ima’s attention was fixated on her laptop screen. Every once in a while ahe would look up at the screen, chat with Jane and then return to her work.


She was going through certain business deals she had coming up and her trip. Also she contacted some of their clients and vendors. While Jama was busy at his his place of work (as a senior military officer), and at home with his family, he gave her the free hand to run the business as she deemed fit. He was more of a figure head as she literally ran the business. He provided all the cover and protection she needed.


She had been engrossed for some minutes now that she failed to notice the channels were no longer been changed. Looking up from the screen, she saw the young girl sleeping with the remote control in her hand. She just smiled at the saliva drooling from her mouth. Looking at the clock, it was a few minutes to 10pm. “Jane!!!.. Wake up amd go to your room” she said calling out to the girl.



She watched with keen interest as the girl woke up, licked up the saliva and stood up. Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, she yawn then said “Goodnight ma” and turned to leave for the guest room with the remote control still in her hand.



Chuckling, Ima called out to her “Ehmm, miss Jane, my remote control please!!”
“Sorry” she said yawning again as she turned and placed the remote control on the glass table.



Ima kept watching as the girl walked away until she heard the door being closed. Just one day and she had enjoyed the girl’s company this much. By tomorrow it would be back to her normal lonely nights and routine in this big house. She admitted that her years of being alone had made her a little hash towards the girl, but the girl was sure an easy going person who was mostly joyful.



But for Jama she had no close friends or confidants. Most of her contacts were strictly on business terms, this include other men she had slept and was still sleeping with. Her life revolved around Jama (who had saved her) and the business and nothing or no one else. But she had already developed a soft spot for the girl.
20 minutes after the girl walked away, she hadn’t done anything on the laptop making it go into sleep mode. She just closed the lid and went to bed exhausted.


******


By 5:00 hours, he was by the door to Ima’s apartment. She came to open the door for him.


Yawning, she greeted and hugged him then headed to Jane’s room to wake her up to get ready. He was surprised she hadn’t woken up the girl already.
Returning to the living room, she just collapsed next to him on the couch. Folding up like a little girl, she passed her arms around him in an embrace as they began to whisper to each other. He was returning by the weekend because he intended to meet with his boys from the southern region there.


Some 30 minutes later, the girl emerged from the room with her clothes in the leather bag.


Laughing, Ima stood up and went into her room and brought out a gift bag asking her to use it instead.


After hugging and kissing Jama, she hugged the girl and told her don’t forget to call me when you get home.



By 6:05, the air conditioning system on, his speedometer was jostling between 80-100mph as he drove out of the Island on the 3rd mainland bridge heading for Calabar.


While she slept for most part of the journey, they chatted when ever she was awake with him answering questions about the things she saw on the way mostly. Stopping for gas and breakfast at Ore, he refueled again at Asaba and Umuahia, and by 5:pm they were at Udukpani junction.



As they crossed the Cross River, he began by telling her what she would say to her folks and people about her abduction and eventual rescue.



At no point was she to make mention of the Greenhorns to anyone including her parents. And as for Vibangs, she was to act as normal possible until she got further instructions from him. Besides, it was a certainty she was going to go back home, attending school from there.



Which meant she might not get the freedom she needed for a long while.



Some 40 minutes later, they were in front of her gate. Leaving her with both his and Ima’s phone numbers, he dropped her off and left. He told her he was still in town but wouldn’t see her until perhaps his next trio down here.


******

Driving off, he had arranged with his boys the point of their meeting already which was far away from the barracks or any military establishment within the city. A particular hotel around Ikot-ansa was recommended to him but he didn’t know the place. He planned on asking
Driving on Marian road, he saw a boy and a girl talking by the road. For one he would have ignored them and ask someone else, but the beauty of the girl made him stop next to them.



He worn down the glass excusing them. “Good evening, please I’m looking for XYZ hotel at Ikot-Ansa, how do I get to the place?


He could see the look of disappointment on the boy’s face when the girl said while pointing at the boy “You’re in luck, that’s where he’s going right now. Fury, see you in school tomorrow” and then walked away in a manner that suggested the boy had been bugging her and she needed a lifeline.


The sad boy tried to stop her by holding her hand to no avail. Turning to face him, he greeted him “Good evening sir”
“Evening my bro, I can see i just ruined your day. Sorry about that” he apologized smiling
Smiling back at him, the young boy said “It’s nothing sir”
“So are you actually going that way or she just said that to get rid of you?” he asked with his bet on the later
“Hahaha, she said that to get rid of me sir” he said laughingly
“Ok, here’s the deal, I’ll try to compensate for ruining everything for you. I just need you to take me there” he said offering the boy a deal.
He observed that the guy looked at the exterior of the car briefly, then peeped behind through the front glass down because the back glasses were tinted. Then he said “No problem sir” and opened the door entering the car.
He was impressed by his skepticism and the fact that the boy was security conscious. Perhaps, the mud all over the car must have convinced the boy he’s new in town and just cane from a long journey.
“I heard her call you Fury, is that your name?” he asked starting a discussion after the boy asked him to continue driving forward.
“Yes sir” he confirmed
“Wow, so who’s the girl?” he asked curious
“She’s my course mate sir” he answered in a way that suggested he was trying to woo the girl but she wasn’t interested in him
“You’re turning right by the roundabout” the boy said..
Within 10 minutes of picking the boy, they were at the hotel..