Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

Episode 7 years ago

Must Read: The Cartel (18+)

I spent Sunday locked up in my hotel room gaming on my PC. Coming out just twice, to get some beverages and bread in the morning, and also to eat something cooked in a nearby fast food restaurant later in the evening. But for most parts of the day, I got calls from several of Vivian’s and my girls demanding to know where I was, or if I had seen or heard from Vivian. While I kept my location hidden even from Dera who called to apologize, I told them I hadn’t seen or heard from her.



By the end of Sunday night when I eventually decided to sleep, I was already tired of the solitary life and the fact that I was hiding. I decided activities at school the following day would determine whether I would stay on in the hotel or check out and go back to my apartment.
I literally snuck into my department Monday morning and planned to remain a wallflower while there. But somehow, I still found myself dealing with stares from peeps while also answering several questions from close course mates. I had barely had someone I could refer to as friend.



Along the line, one of my course mate came into class with a copy of one of the City’s local newspaper and placed it in front of where I sat saying “Fury that your chick get mind o.”
Immediately my eyes fell on a caption at one end of the front cover saying: FEMALE ARMED ROBBER MEETS TRAGIC END… As female Victim runs her over during failed car snatching attempt”
“I hope she’s ok.. I witnessed the whole thing guy. E dey like say na film Dem dey act until I hear gunshots and see her reverse jam one of the thief. By that time I no gree stand again o. As I run dey go back towards gate na then I hear her tires screech as she speed pass. As I look back i see say she done Jam one of them.” He starter talking while I flipped through the pages looking for that particular article
He paused and jumped to the page containing what I was looking for before continuing “I been think say na you dey drive until she pass. Na then the boys come dey carry dey person wey she Jam. I no believe say na girl till I read this paper this morning even though other guys around say na chick. Choi, where I go see girlfriend wey get mind and sabi drive like her?” He said happy with himself while I rushed through the article.
Without being told, I knew the article was a falsified story and an attempt to prevent the incident from being seen as a cult clash. And why this story would be believed by the general public is because for the past two months, nothing less than 12 car snatching incident at gunpoint had been reported. But my questions was, who exactly is Vivian and who was trying to cover this story? I wondered
“I hope she’s okay Fury?” I heard him ask bringing me out of my thoughts.
“She’s fine. Thanks for asking bro” I replied as I began to gather my things to leave the class
*Choi.. That her fine sports car. My dream car.




Make she just go hide am abeg” He said making to leave my front while grabbing the news paper.
“Please lemme borrow it. I’ll return it” I held on to it while standing up
“Na N100. Na you make me buy am. Who dey read this rubbish newspaper sef?” I said, demanding I paid him back his money before going with the newspaper
“You’re not just poor, you’re stingy?” I said jokingly as I reached for my pocket and brought out some notes.
“Mr Richman, you can even double the money” He said after seeing several denominations of sq££zed naira notes that I had just brought out of my pocket. He reached down to pick a N500 note but i slapped his hand away with the newspaper, before dropping N100 bill on the desk for him and left him
“Your stinginess no get part two. You suppose carry all of us for class go buy beer in thanksgiving for your chick.” He teased, but in response, I made the middle finger sign while walking away. Notice of the semester exams which we were expected to start anytime soon had just been pasted, so I stopped over to copy it before leaving.

****

I decided I was going to spend the remaining week at the hotel and the first thing I did when I got back there was to pay up for the remaining days and getting my discount. Back in my room, I tried to read because of the exams timetable, but stopped before I even began. I ended up gaming until nightfall.


Around a couple of minutes to 9pm,, I could no longer hold my hunger because of the computer game and decided to go out for food. It took me around 30 minutes to go over to the fast food restaurant from across the hotel and back with some takeaways. Still didn’t want to stay out, especially at night alone.


Entering the hotel gate, I was walking towards the main building while passing through the car lot. I saw two black SUVs parked with three men standing around and dressed in mufti, but holding military grade rifles. My heart immediately missed a beat and began pounding. “you’ve been found Fury” I told myself
“Guy run now” A voice said in my head said
“Don’t try it” Another countered immediately “Se you kill person ni?” The voice added just as I realized one of the men was looking at me. The lights at the car lot was brighter where they stood, but not enough to show my face where I stood. I immediately looked down at my phone screen’s and started walking slowly towards the hotel. My heart was racing as I pretended I was engaged with my phone.



As I walked I waited for a command to halt, but it wasn’t coming. So taking the phone towards my ear, I looked back in their direction and was please to realized they weren’t even paying attention to me. Just then I noticed the back doors of one of the cars opening as two ladies stepped out. I heaved a deep sigh of relief and walked into the hotel.



Having dropped the keys to the room with the receptionist, I went over to their desk to get it. The lady was on a call and also joting down whatever it was the person on the other end was saying. Since it was the land line, I concluded a customer was probably making a request. She smiled at me making a gesture with her pen, indicating I should give her a minute. I smiled back and made a “No problem” gesture with my hands.



About 20 seconds later, the two ladies walked in, their expensive fragrance preceding them. I expected them to walk towards the receptionist, so I positioned myself to see their faces when they stand by the desk. But the receptionist while still on the phone smiled at them, then pointed her phone into the air before smiling again while nodding her head in an “Okay” manner. I supposed it meant they were going upstairs or she should meet them upstairs which I didn’t think was likely in that she was the only one by the desk.



At this point I turned to see the ladies who I suppose were already on their way up the stairs but got another shocker. Though with a different hairstyle, I could swear with my life that was Jade with the fringe hairstyle and glasses. She was already looking at me when I tuned but immediately looked away once our eyes met. Even though the hairstyle and glasses made her look different, her shape (which I had always admired) and movement pattern were unmistakable.

“God please who are these two girls that I’ve got myself entangled with?” I asked in my head as she followed the other lady up the stairs. I could swear what she was now speaking French with the lady.
“Sorry for the delay Mr. Fury” I heard the receptionist say drawing my attention from the empty stairway I was still staring at. “Here’s your key. That was the hotel’s manager making a reservation for some guests who just arrived at the airport” She added
“It’s alright” I said. I wanted to ask her who those ladies were just to be sure, but immediately decided against it. Who knows who or what she is herself. I only trusted myself at that point.
“Good night Miss” I added
“Good night Mr. Fury” She responded.
As I headed upstairs, I could still perceive their fragrance which was all over the place. Never perceived anything like this before while hanging out with Jade, so I concluded it belonged to the older lady. Back in my room, I felt I should call Jade and see if her voice would betray her, but decided against it.



After gaming late into the night, I slept around past 2am, waking up somewhat around 8am the following day. I got to school and everything seemed to be normal. No much stares or questioning about Saturday’s incident or Vivian.

*****

Saturday I returned to my apartment with the place looking exactly as I left it, unkempt. It was now the turn of I and Vivian’s floor mates and neighbours to ask their own set of questions. I still hadn’t heard from Vivian and even decided I wasn’t going to bother myself about her anymore. But the more I tried to ignore the fact that I hadn’t heard from her, the more worried I became. Her number remained unreachable and the text messages I sent with hopes she might at a point turn on the phone weren’t delivered.


*****


It’s Saturday afternoon, two weeks after the incident and a week after I returned to my apartment. Exams was beginning on Monday and having finally gotten into the examination mood, I was reading in my room. One of the reason I loved my apartment and preferred reading at home was the fact that it was mostly occupied by advanced medical students, hence always tranquil, neat and had noisy visitors. I and Vivian seemed to be the only noisy ones around.
I heard someone knocking on my door in a calm way. It was as if the person was afraid of knocking. So I kept quiet and waited for a repeat before asking “Who’s there?”
“Hellooo. stranger!” Vivian replied calmly
Immediately I heard her voice, the love I thought I had for her turned to hate. I that had been missing her and yearning to hear from her, all of a sudden began to feel disgusted with everything she represented. Perhaps because she was by my door step.



Standing up from my reading desk, I went and opened the door for her. There she was, beautiful as ever in a white floral t-shirt and blue jeans. Her lips painted blood red as she gave me the look a puppy gives when it wants to be picked up by it’s owner melting my heart. But I was determined to show her my displeasure as I fought back the smile on my face.


“Can I help you?” I asked trying hard to look angry but she remained silent, staring into my eyes searchingly
Continuing I added when she wouldn’t say anything “You cut off communication after storming out from here and show up after two weeks…” But she cut me short, taking me by surprise when her lips landed on mine.
Less than 30 seconds, we were struggling to get her out of her jeans on my bed as we kissed
******