Chapter 35

Gboyega

Elsa and the kids travelled back to Canada and life couldn't have been more lonely.

I sighed audibly as I looked at the writing before me. I had been staring at the same words for the past twenty minutes but nothing had registered in my head. My eyes had become blurry and my mind kept straying to Eyare.

What had happened to him?

Everytime I called his number, I kept getting a switched off message. I even went severally to his place, but had seen a locked gate on all occasions. That worried me!

Things were quiet with Red.
His family was at a safe house and his daughter was recuperating nicely. Things seemed too calm for my liking and this put me on the alert. It made me jumpy and nervous, so I decided to call him.

"Boss! I was just about to call you." He sounded excited.

"Spill the beans." His excitement was infectious.

"I've got major info on what Mr. Eyare asked for. When can we see?"

"Do you need to ask twice? Come on over to my office now." I pumped my fist into the air, adrenaline flowing through my system.

I packed all the paperwork to one side of my already-jumbled up desk. I didn't have the mental energy to sort them out. My mind had been in a funk these past two weeks.

Picking up my jacket from behind the chair, I collected my car keys and hurried out of my office. I tapped my hands impatiently on the steering wheel as I waited impatiently in the car, then I saw him. I horned twice to catch his attention. He swivelled his head in my direction and jogged to meet me. I groaned aloud on seeing the brown manilla file clutched in his hands.

I wasn't ready to read anything.

He got into the car and removed the dark glasses he was wearing. "Boss!" I saw fear in his eyes and another emotion I couldn't quite put a finger to.

"Fess up, Red, what's so urgent that had you taking me from work?" Yeah right, like I was able to get any work done. I mentally shook my head.

He looked pensive as he shook his head. I was about to ask him to spit it out when he beat me to it. "A big conspiracy, boss."

I became even more confused.
He saw the look on my face and cleared his throat to start speaking more clearly. "Mr. Eyare is the next king in line in his hometown."

I rose an eyebrow at him. "That isn't news to me." Was this the best he could do? I was already getting antsy.

"Listen boss, all the details are in the file, but what I'm about to tell you is top secret that no one knows, not even Mr. Eyare himself." He looked at me to see how I was digesting the news. He needn't have bothered, I was all eyes and ears. "The king is not dead and I know where he is being kept."

That jerked me up. I felt goose pimples erupt on my arms. I thought Eyare's father had died.

Red knows where he's being kept? My mouth hung open.

"That means he was kidnapped'. I stated, incredulously.

"Wrong boss, he was supposed to have been killed. In fact, he should have been dead by now, but lady luck was on his side or whatever god he prays to, because the person who wanted him dead sent someone to do the job, but the person decided to keep him alive and use him as a bargaining chip for when the time is right."

It was my turn to become pensive. This was a serious turn of events for Eyare. "You know, Red, I've been looking for Eyare for a couple of weeks now. His house is locked up and his number is switched off. I'm really worried about him." I was talking more to myself.

"Hmm! Mr. Eyare is not in a position to talk to anyone." He looked at me sadly, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" I shifted in my seat and turned fully to look at him, my eyebrows raised enquiringly.

"Mr. Eyare is under a spell by his own best friend. They grew up together. He's the son of the man who wanted his father dead."

This was getting much more complicated. I was seriously confused here. Red must have seen the look on my face, because he sighed and continued explaining.

"Boss, your friend is under a juju spell. I don't know if he'll be able to get out of it." He looked at me pensively, fear evident in his eyes.

I looked away from him. Silence weighed heavily in the air and I cleared my head of all thoughts. I couldn't allow what he had just told me to weigh me down, I needed to think. I stayed this way for a few minutes, allowing the information seep into my consciousness. Suddenly a light went off in my head.

I knew what I had to do.

"I know that look, boss. Don't do it, don't get involved. These are dangerous people trying to take over the throne. Please stay on the sidelines."

How many times had I heard those same words from Red?

Probably a zillion times. Every single time he said those words to me, I never listened to him. Yet, I went ahead and created a ruffle, removing my competitors and paving a pathway for myself.

I never could have gotten far, business wise, without his help.
He was my ace, my golden ace.
I was glad I knew him. He knew this time, I would also not listen to him.

His shoulders slumped in resignation. He had list, and I had just formulated a plan to make everything right.

"You know why I call you Red?"
I cocked my head to the side and assessed him. "You always liked danger and that, my man, is the colour of red."

I grinned suddenly. It took him awhile. It was slow on the uptake, but I saw a hint. The hint of a smile ghosted his lips. It turned into a grin and suddenly we were both laughing out loudly.

Damn, it felt good! After all this time of anxiously waiting. After the laughter abated, I felt energised --- alert even.

"Listen up Red. This is what we are going to do . . ."

The next day

The weather here was much, much cooler. I breathed in the clean, fresh air.

There were so many trees. Clean tarred roads stretched far to every corner I looked. There were even industries too. This place shouldn't be called a town, it should be called a city.

I was already thinking of the myriad of business possibilities I could make here. Maybe I would stay here for a bit, after this whole thing was over.

I got a cab that would take me to my destination. The driver was quite chatty, so I zoned out his voice.

How was it he knew I was a visitor?

Was it that easy to tell?

Did I have a poster on my forehead that read newbie?

He said the drive would take about an hour and thirty minutes, so I decided to close my eyes and nap for a bit.

                     *     *     *

I was snapped into wakefulness by the jolt of the car. I frowned and looked around, wondering where I was. Then I remembered immediately.

We were on an untarred road, with no houses as far as the eyes could see, just a stretch of dusty, hazy landscape. Harmattan was thick in the air. Foggy, with thin air that made it almost difficult to breathe deeply.

The driver stopped on the side of the road and turned round in his seat to look at me. "Oga. . . "

"Yeah, yeah, you want your money, I get it." I brought out some money from my pocket and gave it to him.

"Can you drive further down'? I hoped he'd say yes. "I will pay you more money." I flashed some more money in his face.

He made a disgruntled noise at the back of his throat and shook his head. "I no fit drive pass this place o, na leg you go use take waka go, oga." (I can't drive past this place, you will have to walk on foot, sir).

I sighed in defeat and got down from the car. Good thing I had dressed for the part. I looked down at my t-shirt and the khaki shorts I wore, down to the sneakers on my feet.

I had been given the coordinates of the place, but from the hazy look of the weather, I had to be extremely sharp eyed. I dug out my dark glasses and slid them on. They weren't ordinary sunshades. They were infrared glasses that made it easy to pinpoint things easier, by highlighting them in red dots.

The harmattan was at its peak here. The dust was thicker outside the car and the air was dry and warm at the same time. I slung the back pack I brought over my shoulder and began trugging.

After thirty minutes of constant trekking with nothing in sight, I became sweaty, tired and irritable. The landscape was bare and desultory looking. The handkerchief I held unto became wet with my perspiration. I was tired of squeezing the wetness from it, so I flung it to the ground in consternation. It was of no use to me now. I whipped out my phone to call Red.

"Boss!" His crisp voice filled my ears and I closed my eyes, feeling the tiredness behind my lids.

"Red, I've been walking for the past thirty minutes, yet there's no barn in sight."

"Do you still have the map, boss?" He was always patient with me. But that was what I payed him for.

Darn it! I hit my head with my palm in consternation. I had completely forgotten about the map. The weather was probably driving me round the bend and making me forget things. "Hold on!" I dug it out from my bag and squinted at it. It was a very well mapped out in black sharpie, and very detailed. Whoever drew it must be conversant with the lay out of this area.

I it highlighted every road and ridge, even the grasslands weren't exempted. A few tributaries were highlighted in blue, going in different directions. Even a stream or lake in my path way by the size of it, but no structure that could be characterized as the building of a house.

Then I saw it. A small structure on the farthest corner of the map. This, I presumed to be the barn.

Looked like I still had quite some walking to do. I sighed, already feeling tired. It had been awhile since I had worked out. My stamina was dangerously low.

"Boss. . . do you see it?"

I had forgotten Red was still on the line. "Yes Red, thanks. I'd best get to it now. Less talking, more walking. Talk to you later." And I cut the call.

I put the map back and removed the flask of cold water. After taking some sips, I felt much cooler and better prepared for the long journey ahead. I hoisted the back pack on my shoulders once more and continued the tedious walk.

I'm coming, Oba, hang in there.

*

A/N: Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Gboyega is on  a serious mission to break out the king from where he's kept.

Let's pray for his success, shall we?