episodes

Episode 15
Two years ago after the Colonel had brought
down the Marine Cartel, he was riding on his
success. His name was on every islander’s
lips. Criminals feared him. Mobs shook at his
presence. He got a letter from Headquarters at
the Silicon Place in Abuja, asking him to
appear for a second debriefing and a possible
promotion. Although no one knew this, he was
overjoyed. People still saw him with his
trademark straight face and no signs of
flooding emotions. However deep inside, he
was very excited. The Silicon Place was the
highest command of hierarchy of the West
African Union Intelligence Force. The Force
was overhead by a group of seasoned spies,
exceptional detectives with unbelievable IQs
and soldiers who had fought in the fore of the
2015 West African War.
He was shocked and delighted when he
entered the Conference Room at the Silicon
Place and saw that his mentor, The General
was part of the board. After the debriefing,
cross examination, and encouragement, he
was dismissed and told he would be
contacted. The General showed no sign of
recognition and he felt bad. He was surprised
however when later that evening, he opened
the door to his hotel room and saw the
General standing in his room, his back to the
door.
“Come in Giwa Haruna” The General said in an
unfriendly tone, still backing him. The
Colonel’s smile disappeared.
“Good evening General. I thought this was
supposed to be my room sir?” The Colonel
asked.
“It is your room. No one knows I am here. I’ll
be quick.” The General said. He turned to face
the Colonel and took of his glasses.
“You did a good job with your last operation.
No one thought you would pull it off. For that
I am going to give you the best gift you could
ever imagine. Your Life. Leave town. Go
somewhere remote. Resign. It is for your own
good. You have another option. You can
ignore my advice. You won’t live to celebrate
your birthday. Good day Colonel.” The General
finished and walked out of the room.
The Colonel was surprised and dumbfounded.
He watched as the General left the room and
shut the door behind him. This was hardly the
man who he took like an elder brother. This
was not the man who dotted on him all
through his stay in Military School. Something
had definitely gone wrong. He was not about
to dig into the General’s past. He knew better.
He did as the General commanded.
From his experience on the force he knew
better than to trust anyone, so he always took
extra precautions. He always had plans A-Z
just in case. He was aware that there were
spies set up around him in his villa. He did
not know who exactly the spies were but he
was very sure at least one of the people
around him, from domestic staff to Personal
assistant was a spy. He shuffled his staff
randomly without warning. It kept the number
of spies reduced but did not totally eradicate
them. He knew this, so he was always private.
Always. He always stayed one step ahead.
So right from the time he received Ahmed’s
call, he became extra vigilant. He called one of
his mechanics who ran interstate errands for
him.
“Wait for me at your shop. I will be there
soon.” He said.
He knew he was going with the black Honda.
The black Honda was a brand new car that he
had not used before now. He was saving it for
a day he would need to get Watchers off his
back. He knew there were eyes on him, but he
has not had any cause to shake them off
recently. Now that he did, he deliberately had
his driver get the Jeep ready. He was not
ready to make his movement known to
anyone. He saw the alarmed look on the
drivers face when he switched cars. He had
suspected James for a while and his actions
that morning sealed the coffin. He wanted to
sack him immediately. But he knew that
whoever planted him there would suspect that
he knew about James and would probably
plant someone else who would even be
deadlier than James and that would take him
sometime to figure out. So he decided not to
sack him. He planned to give him a raise
when he came back. This way he could
monitor him closely, at least now he knew who
his enemy was.
When he got to the Redeemed camp, he picked
the mechanic he called earlier. They did not
stop the car. The Colonel moved very slowly
allowing the man to jump in. He opened a
lower compartment in the car and brought out
a brown envelope. He handed it to the
mechanic.
“Did you bring your passport photograph as I
texted you to?” The Colonel asked.
“Yes Oga.” The mechanic replied.
“Good. This is what you will do. You will drive
this car like a normal human being from here
to Ojota. Don’t drive the car like it’s your
Danfo. Do not over speed. The envelope in
your hand contains the particulars of this car.
Everything is in your name. If any policeman
harasses you, give them my number. Do you
understand?” The Colonel asked.
“I dey feel you baba.” The mechanic said
nodding his head. The car was moving slowly
at snail pace.
“Good. When you get into Lagos, go to that
Total filling station at Ojota and act like you
want to buy fuel. Stay in the car. When the
attendant is done fuelling the car, come out
and create a scene. Make enough noise and
demand to see the manager. He is tall, fair,
has a moustache and is bald headed. He will
ask you if you want to go with him to his
office. Tell him you need to pee first. Don’t
forget! You need to pee! He will show you the
rest room, and then take you to his office. He
will ask you for the thing and give you a small
paper. Write your account number on that
sheet of paper and the account name. DO NOT
SAY A WORD. 100,000 naira will be credited to
your account in two weeks. The manager will
give you 40,000 for the trouble. Remember, do
not say a word!” The Colonel finished, stapling
the mechanic’s passport photograph on one of
the papers.
“Na the job be that, Oga mi?” The mechanic
asked.
“That’s all you have to do. After you get the
money, you leave the premises then do
whatever you like with the money and the car.
If anyone asks you how you got the car, after
today, tell them it was a gift from me. And if
police gives you trouble give them my
number.” The Colonel finished, stopping the
car and getting out.
The Colonel moved to the service lane of the
road while the Mechanic got into the driver
seat. He pressed the horn a few times and
was so excited to own a new car.
“Tuale!!!! Baba o!!! You are mouthed. Iyalaya!!!
Won gbe leko yi se! Awon omo covenant ma
ku. Olosho meta ati Ogidida!!! Lale yiii!!!!!
Let’s go to Moscow!!! Baba o!!!” The Mechanic
was saying and pressing his horn.
“Hey!!!” The Colonel said bending over at the
passenger window and showing him a finger.
“From now till you leave the filling station,
behave like a human being! Or else!!!! Am I
clear?” The Colonel warned.
“Oga mi, you clear pass pure water o.
Olorun!!!” The Mechanic said.
The Colonel frowned at him.
“Sorry sir. I will totally ‘behafe’ myself.” He
said and drove off.
The Colonel stopped a Danfo and entered it.
Shina approached the Black Honda. He could
not believe his eyes. They had monitored the
car all the way. This could not have
happened. How did the Colonel get out?
“Yes officer, what is happening here?” Shina
asked the man who stopped the Black Honda.
“Sir, I am guessing this car is stolen property.
He says it was a gift and the number he gave
is not going through.” The man replied.
“What about his papers? His license? Are his
documents complete?” Shina asked frowning.
“Everything is perfect sir.” The man answered.
“Olorun oba, Wahlai na dis kain tin na him dey
vex me pass wahlai. Wetin be dis na? Which
kain yawa be dis? I say dem give me gift, na
offense? Mo ma bora sibi yi o.”
Shina had a bug between his fingers. It was a
very tiny pin that he would insert into the
wrist of his target. It was the size of a rice
grain. Even experts had a hard time figuring it
out when it was inserted in a target’s body.
He approached the Mechanic and spoke to
him.
“Sorry for taking your time sir. But next time,
try and make sure that the number you have is
always reachable. Other police men may not
be this nice. Thank you for your time.” Shina
finished, outstretching his hand.
The mechanic took the hand and the shook.
As their hands met, Shina inserted the bug in
the mechanic’s wrist. The mechanic did not
notice a thing.
“Have a good day sir.” Shina said as the
mechanic entered the car,
“Thanks sir. Jabor lona fun mi jare. Olobe!” He
said to the man who stopped him.
He drove away.
“Let’s pack up boys. Today’s done.” Shina
said to the leader of the pack.
He got into his own car and started the
ignition. He picked his phone and called
Tawo.
“Target was not in the vehicle. He somehow
maneuvered his way and we lost him. I put a
tracker on his decoy. Trace it and have a man
on him.”
Ahmed was woken by a ringing bell. The bell
rang only in his room and the sitting room.
The ringing continued. He opened his front
door and stood at the entrance. He stared for
a long time at the person at the gate. The
man at the gate was looking like a hippie.
Dark shades, huge T-shirt, baggy jeans and
white trainers. He wore a hood over his head.
He looked like a mistake from a fashion book.
He was waving at Ahmed beckoning him to
come closer. Ahmed wasn’t scared. He just
did not want another mugger. He felt his gun
at his sides, covered by his pyjamas.
After serious thought he approached the gate,
all his senses alert.
He was at the gate and looked at the man. He
did not recognize him.
“How can I help you?” Ahmed asked the man.
The man pulled his dark shades a little low
just above his nose and said,
“Don’t you recognize me son?”
Ahmed opened his mouth, surprised.