He could not afford to get caught, he thought as he tightened his shaky hands on the steering wheel. "oga, open up!"one of the officers demanded as he knocked on the tinted window. Of all days for Nigerian police to be active, they had to choose that day.

He was uncertain about what to do, if he where to open up they would definitely ask for driver's license; things would have been much easier if he had enough money on him to bribe them with, but all he had was a measly hundred naira.

"Oga, na you we dey wait for oo''. the officer added impatiently. Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead as he prayed fervently.
"oga." The officer started to bang on the window more harshly and attempting to open the locked door.

He wiped his forhead and clutched the wheel tighter trying to ease his heart which was beating so fast his ribs might give way. His hands where shaking like a tender leaf in harmattan. He needed as much time as possible to calm himself and think of a way out.

His prayers seemed to have been answered because seconds later he heard gun shots and immediately the officer's attention left him. He knew it must have been Ahmad and the rest, because he heard the word armed robber escape the officer's lips as he matched on the accelerator and sped away.

He felt a little guilty about leaving the rest behind but he had to save himself. He could not begin to imagine the look on Umma's face if he were to get caught. Her expression the previous day still tore his heart to pieces. The last thing he had wanted was to hurt her. But how could he explain to her that somehow all his problems seemed to disappear with every single drag? he knew no one would ever understand. He had found a way to deal with stress and pain, he had no choice.

He sighed, as he found the garage he was ordered to deliver the car to. He knew he had to leave the car somewhere partly because he knew it would definitely implicate him and also because he didn't even know where to sell a stolen vehicle without being caught. There must be something valuable he could sell, some rich folks can be careless with their property sometimes.

He began to search the car. He had begun to get disappointed until he raised up the carpet in the back seat where he discovered a small stash of money, seven thousand in all. It may not be much but it would be enough to get him to Abuja. He closed the door and quickly made to leave the area but stopped short when the enormity if his actions dawned on him. What if they got caught and led the trail back to him? he shuddered at the thought or what if they all got killed and the question of who got the car to the garage arose?. He had to make sure no one could link him to the crime scene. He scurried to the adjoining house which was more of a one room apartment where he knew Danladi and Movich where staying. He pushed the door slightly and it gave way, Movich and Danladi where never careful enough to close the door when they were high and he lnew for sure that they were high because he was with them when they smoked to their fill.

The whole town was deathly silent and dark even his breathe seemed to be making too much noise and his dark skin seemed to light the place up. He tiptoed to where Movich was sleeping and kept the keys by his head then carried his shirt and went out.

Hopefully, Movich would think he was the one who went on the job and was just too high to remember, hopefully if it would be traced, it would be traced to him, hopefully, Ahmadu and the boys will be long dead to confess otherwise. Or else, he is mighty screwed.

He dropped Movichs shirt on the ground and wore the canvass worn by Movich the other night then silently ran from the car door to the house making sure there were greasy imprints that can be traced from he door to where Movich slept before he left.

He immediately locked himself up in the room when he entered the house, his body still shaking from the earlier events. And later that night, he couldn't sleep but stayed awake staring at the ceiling, and jumping slightly at every single sound he heard. That wasn't the kind of life he had planned for himself. But life wasn't fair, it was not fair that his sisters had to be sent out of school because of a few printed notes; or he couldn't get the girl of his dreams simply because he was not well to do; it was not fair that his mother had to see him at his worst and that he had to assume the role of the head of the family rather too quickly in his life.
But somehow he found himself asleep a few hours before dawn, and had to force himself to the masjid for morning prayers. He was still on edge and knew that whether he liked it or not he must face his mother before travelling kr running away to Abuja.

"Umma in kwana.Good Morning' He said when he went to greet her. he couldn't look up to see the disappointment on her face.

"Lafiya i am fine." she replied ,with great difficulty if you asked him.
He told her that he needed to go to Abuja that day. And the first thing she asked was where he got the money from. He borrowed it from a friend, he lied.

She looked skeptical at first but nodded her head anyway."Allah kiyaye.May Allah guide you" She said and turned her attention to her rosary beads. Her reaction pained him more than he cared to admit.

"Yaya,where are you going? His youngest Fatima asked for the hundredth time that morning.
"Abuja." He replied with a small smile. The girl was too curious for her own good.
" Queen of askers. Must you know everything?."Amina asked sarcastically. He shook his head fondly as the two bickered on.

The most annoying thing about public transport is how they jam-pack you into a car, and expect you to endure for a long journey even though you had paid. He struggled to get a good position trying to ignore the fat woman with her restless kid, another one with a multicolored face who smelt suspiciously like cheap bleaching cream. It was going to be one long journey.

Maitama was truly the area of the rich, he thought as he stared dreamily at the beautiful big houses, he wondered what it felt like to be rich and have no problems. His destination was the next house. He had been there only once with his father, and immediately he reached the gate nostalgic memories hit him.

As he approached the gate,a sharp voice called at him." Kaii!ina zaka?" hey,where are you going? He turned and saw a man in a security uniform approaching him.

"I want to see Alhaji Datti please." The man seized him up and down.

"Do you have an appointment ?' the security man asked arrogantly. Ibrahim gritted his teeth in annoyance; he didn't really understand small level employees and their love for throwing their weight around when given the slightest authority. But he knew that the man determined whether he saw the boss or not so he forced a smile.

'Yes Oga. I am the new laundry man'.

Ibrahim held his breathe waiting for the dismissal. He could just lie and say it was another Alhaji Datti. The security man eyed him suspiciously while Ibrahim held his head high and looked him in the eye. His lie had been detected for sure.

'Why are you late? You have caused poor Dennis to do all that laundry alone for two days. The poor boy has started looking wrinkled. Do you know how many times the people in this house wear clothes in a day? And they all have to be washed and ironed after being worn only once. Two days ago. You were meant to be here two days ago but no. You had to come when you felt like. Now go in inside I'll tell Madam later. Go start working'
The security finally stopped ranting. IB stood looking the small bent man down. How could a person so small fit all that energy into that body?.

He nodded and carried his light bag of clothes then proceeded inside. He was lucky once again and once again, he prayed the real laundry man will not appear and that his lie will not be detected. For a person who did not like lying, IB seemed to be doing a whole lot of that those days. Some voice whispered that he started lying when he started taking dope but he pushed that thought away.

He was determined to work for the senator for as long as it took as long as he would find the truth about his father and help him.

True to Augustines words, which was the security mans name as he later found out, he and Dennis washeda lot if work though the man had exaggerated more than a little. He had tried to extract information from Dennis about his Father but the young man had been tight lipped. He wasn't much of a talker. The only way he could get information was from a talker and that was why he had gotten close to Augustine.

Two weeks after he had started working for Alhaji Datti, IB was outside half listening to what Augustine was saying when the Senator came back. They stood up and rushed to him all bowing and greeting him.

'Who is this young man'. Alhaji Datti asked looking at him. He fidgeted and stuttered crushing his palms together. He feared that if he talked or even breathed, the Alhaji might discover who he was and what he was doing there.

'He is the new laundry man Sir'. Augustine answered excitedly hoping from one leg to another.

'Oh!' The senator exclaimed shortly.

IB left out a deep breathe and walked back to where they sat. Augustine soon joined him. 'Who is Alhajis driver? IB asked disinterestedly. By including only that word driver, he could get the information he needed.

'Oh that man. That arrogant good for nothing fatty. He feels like he is the Alhaji himself. Just because he travels to big people's houses with the Alhaji, he is feeling like a senator himself. He is so unlike the former driver'. IB sat up.

Augustine continued not noticing the movementand excited look in the eyes of the young man.

'The former driver Sanusi was a humble man. He was very friendly though he was elderly. It's a sad thing that he had to let his greed take over his better judgement. He would have still been here'.

Augustine turned and studied IB. 'You know now that i have spoken about him, i have been wondering why somethings you do are familiar and now i know why'.

IB tried to keep his cool and raised his eyebrows weakly. He could hear his heart beat in his ears.

'You are his son' Augustine blurted out.

This chapter was written by Ibreathemagic and edited by ProjectNigeria. It is being published and edited with the permission of the writer. The writer has written and is writing romance and very relatable books on Wattpad one of which is 'A swim across time'.