TARASHA – Episode 42

® 18+ SNVL
© Oyinloye Oluwatosin Emmanuel

‘Hey, Conductor!’ Henry shouted on top of his voice as they ran towards the conductor who was about entering into the train.

The man stopped and turned. He raised his brows in wonder as he saw two people running towards the train.

‘We need four seats on board,’ Henry said to him when he was sure they got his attention. They finally got to his front and stopped. Henry was breathing heavily as they had to run from where the car was parked to the train. Tarasha stood beside him, she had her backpack strapped to her back. She looked quite calmer than he was.

‘I don’t think we have any seat left,’ the conductor replied unpleasantly, staring at Henry’s face. He almost turned back but changed his mind and decided to check the booking record in his hand. He found two remaining tickets as he opened the book. ‘I have only two here,’ the conductor took them out with his fingers and looked up. ‘I can see you’re four,’ he added as he looked forward and saw Cole and Nicolas coming towards them.

Henry took a glance back, he turned back and saw the man already returning the tickets into the book.

‘Please, let’s have those two.’ he quickly said and took out some money to make the payment.

‘I thought you needed four,’ the conductor said as he took out the tickets again and stretched them forth to Henry.

Henry collected them and handed one to Tarasha. ‘Two people can go first, the other two would join later,’ he said and looked back again, waiting for Nicholas and Cole to catch up with them.

‘Please, you have to go in now. The train is about to move,’ the conductor urged them.

Henry looked at Tarasha’s face, wanting to know if she would choose to go with her or any of the other guys. Tarasha signaled for him with her head to proceed into the train. He took another quick glance at Cole and Nicholas before walking in.

Tarasha turned briefly and made a signal to Cole before following Henry. Cole stopped walking towards them and also stopped Nicholas from proceeding.

They’re going without us?’ Nicholas asked.

‘Yes, I think the available spaces are limited.’ Cole replied and then turned back. ‘We need to get our Talkon communicators, she’d be talking to us through that medium.’

Nicholas stared for a while at the train and then turned with Cole, they both returned to where the car was parked.

‘There’s a seat here,’ an assistant conductor in the train beckoned to Henry.

Henry took another glance at Tarasha as he walked towards the conductor. He was ushered to a seat close to the front. He looked back and saw Tarasha being ushered to a seat some metres away from him.

He heaved a sigh of relief as he settled in his seat beside a middle aged man. He greeted the man and then rested his back properly. He closed his eyes and consciously began to take inhale and exhale slowly but deeply.

The speed at which Cole had gotten them to the station was really crazy. Henry had doubted at some point if they would get to the train station alive and it was a miracle that they got there without crashing into any object and without being stopped by the law enforcement agencies. He wasn’t sure he had the confidence to drive a car so fast and without fears but he was sure he could go to any length when he was on his power bike. He however was sure that Cole and Nicholas would have some problems with the police if they did not change the car.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 18 Part 2
‘Is everything alright?’ a voice cut through his thoughts. At first, it seemed like a distant voice but he opened his eyes and found his new neighbour staring at him with concern.

‘Oh! Thanks, I’m alright.’ Henry replied with a smile. ‘I had to run to catch this train, so I’m just trying to recover and catch my breath.’

‘I see,’ the man let out a faint smile and rested back.

Tarasha was ushered to a seat close to the back beside a young girl and her mother. She greeted the duo and made some pleasant remarks about the girl before sitting quietly. She was sure they were on the right train as she already spotted two disguised thugs in the coach which she suspected to be security officials for Elvis Richards.

____

Madam Henrietta knocked for the umpteenth time on the door but got no reply. She would have turned back and concluded that the doctor had left the lab if she wasn’t hearing sounds inside the lab. She decided to open and check to ensure there was nothing wrong with the Doctor.

She turned the knob and pushed in the door gently. She took a step in and looked around, she couldn’t still find the doctor but could tell what direction the sound was coming from. She stepped in closer and found the Doctor behind the table, bent down as he searched for some things at the lower part of the shelf.

‘Doctor,’ she called out in a loud voice.

The old man looked back and saw her. He got up slowly and weakly, he made a slight groan as he touched his back where he could feel some pain.

‘I’ve been knocking at the door for a while,’ the woman said.

‘Sorry, I didn’t hear you.’

‘I wanted to tell you that breakfast is ready,’ the woman said.

‘Okay, thanks. I’ll be coming for it soon, I need to tidy up this place first.’

‘Is it just two of us?’

The doctor raised his brow. ‘How many people did you cook for? I don’t think they’ll be back soon or would bother to eat, Tomi prepares the food when it’s for everyone.’

‘The food items available were not so much but the food prepared is for more than just two people.’

‘It’s okay, we’re not the only ones at home. I would call Samantha and ask for further instructions.’

‘Okay,’ the woman replied in a low voice. She stood on the spot for a while without saying anything, she was arguing in mind whether to ask the doctor how soon Tarasha would be back or not. She finally let out a breath and turned without asking any question.

The doctor watched her leave absentmindedly. Her thoughts had drifted back to the ampoule which liquid had been used up to half. The thought alone was getting him scared, he hoped he wasn’t going to get into trouble with Samantha.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 21 Part 4
_

Madam Henrietta stopped in the hallway and leaned against the wall for a while, wondering what to do next. She looked in both directions of the hallway and located the way to the room where she had seen Chief Gab in.

She closed her eyes for a moment and argued in her mind whether to follow her thoughts or just return to her room and wait for Samantha. She shook her head as she opened her eyes again. She summoned courage and walked straight in direction of the room.

She stopped at the door and looked left and right as if she was suspecting that someone was watching her. She stretched her hand towards the knob but quickly retrieved it as she heard a sound. She looked around, the bulb light had fluctuated which showed that one of the systems set up to protect the house was rebooting and the sound had come from it. She had heard that sound before but didn’t know what it meant. She waited for almost one minute without making any move. When she was sure the silence had returned she turned the knob and the door gave way easily to her surprise, she had thought it would be locked.

___

8 minutes into the journey

‘Henry,’ Henry’s eyes popped open as he heard Tarasha’s voice sound through has earpiece. He had closed his eyes in order to take a rest, almost forgetting that they were not on the train for a trip. He didn’t however know what Tarasha’s plan was.

‘Tara, I can hear you,’ he whispered in reply, using his palm to shield his mouth to prevent his neighbour from hearing his voice.

‘Take off your jacket and face cap, put on the eyeglasses and go to the toilet.’ Tarasha said to him.

‘Okay,’ he replied and began to do as she instructed. He neatly folded the jacket and placed it on his knee, he put the face cap on it.

He flashed a look at his neighbour as he sat up. ‘I’m going to use the restroom, I’ll be back.’ The neighbour nodded and watched him stand and walk away.

Henry looked right and left, he was sure Tarasha would be talking about the restroom which was closer to her seat. He saw the direction sign to the toilet towards the back. He put on the eyeglasses as he proceeded towards the sign. He noticed after taking few stepstwo men walking towards him from the other end. One of the men was the conductor who issued the tickets to them, he didn’t know who the other man was.

He took his eyes off the men and continued towards them. They stopped where Tarasha was previously sitting and began to ask questions from the woman there with her little daughter.

‘Where’s that lady I brought to sit here?’ Henry could hear the train guard ask the woman as he walked past them.

‘She said she wanted to use the loo,’ the woman answered.

Henry could not wait to hear the other things they said, he could not reduce his walking pace for the fear of being suspected or identified.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 1B
_

‘What direction did she take?’ the conductor asked the woman.

She pointed backwards.

The two men glanced at each other’s faces briefly.

‘Let’s check the guy she came in with, he was seated at the front.’ the conductor said.

The second man followed him quietly and they got to the place Henry was previously seated. The conductor looked at the neighbouring seats briefly to confirm if he had come to the right place. Then he noticed the jacket and face cap on the seat Henry had gotten up from.

‘Hello sir, where did the guy go to?’ the conductor asked.

‘To ease himself,’ the man replied.

‘What way did he go?’

‘He went this way,’ the man pointed backwards.

‘d@mn it! I’m sure they’re the one,’ Stainless said and then clenched his teeth. He took out his phone and quickly dialed Rex.

‘Hello boss, they’re on this train but have left their seats and they’re not in this coach I’m in.’ he said hurriedly into the phone.

___

Henry was observant as he walked to the restroom, he took not of every sign and signals left on the ground by Tarasha for him. He got into the toilet and located a small box and a nylon kept for him on the small window there.

‘Hey Tara, I’m in the toilet now.’

‘Take the box and nylon, move through the next coach into the other toilet, change quickly.’

‘Okay Tara, what’s in the box?’ Henry asked as he quickly took the box and dropped it into the nylon bag.

‘There’s a Beretta Nano in it, and there’s enough lead containers in the bag for you. In the nylon bag, there different set of costumes there including two skin masks.’ Tarasha answered Henry as she walked through the coach towards the back. She had also taken off her jacket and eyeglasses and was now left with a sleeveless top complemented with a face cap of the same colour. She had also taken off her hair wig and now looked more like a tomboy.

‘Don’t spend more than ninety seconds in any of the toilets, let me know when you’ve completely changed into the first set of clothes and face mask.’

She was about exiting the coach when a man stood in front of her.

‘Young woman, who are you talking with?’ the hefty tall man asked intimidatingly.

‘And how’s that supposed to be your business?’ Tarasha gave him a nonchalant look and shook her shoulders. ‘Please, let me pass.’

The man stared at her for some seconds and then gave way. He had no justification to hold her if he did. He turned slowly and watched her go until she exited the coach.

‘I just found a girl here, she looks suspicious but does not have the description you gave,’ he said into his phone.

‘Go after her immediately,’ Stainless replied. The hefty man turned and hurriedly followed after Tarasha. ‘In what way does she look different?’ Stainless asked.

‘She…’ the hefty man tried to answer as he moves into another coach but a hand grabbed his neck and pulled him

‘She…’ the hefty man tried to answer as he moves into another coach but a hand grabbed his neck and pulled him into the aisle and pushed him into the toilet.

Amazed at the strength in the hands of the lady pulling him, he tooks too long to make a counter move and before he could act, she had slammed his back to the wall behind the water closet. He tried to respond quickly with a blow but she dodged it easily, he couldn’t throw another one immediately as he was yet to balance his feet on the ground.

He tried to spread his feet around the water closet but she pulled him by the neck forward and slammed his head to the wall again, then she followed it quickly by a prod into his belly. He felt something more than just her fist touching his belly, something sharp pricked him. He felt his bones going weak and soon couldn’t manage to stay on his feet anymore. As he dropped slowly, he looked at her hand and saw the small knife she had used on him. He was bleeding but not so much to make him feel so weak immediately, he was sure the knife blade had been poisoned by something else.

She helped him set his buttocks on the water closet and rest his back. She raised his head up with her two fingers under his jaw and placed the knife on his neck so close that he could feel the blade already cutting through his skin.

‘You have one last chance to live, just tell me where your boss is.’ Tarasha said to him.

He stared at her face deeply. He was sure she wasn’t going to let him leave even if he lets her know what she wanted.

‘You can go to hell,’ he answered and she replied by sending the knife blade into his throat.

‘Hey Tara, I’ve completely changed the clothes now,’ Tarasha heard Henry’s voice as she walked in through the other coach.

She scratched her nose gently with her palm to cover her mouth as she replied. ‘Locate the conductor who showed you the seat, you need to trick him and get his uniform.’

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‘Okay… Boss,’ she could feel some uncertainty in his voice but she was sure that he had the ability to get the job done.

She saw some people staring at her as she walked through the aisle. She knew some of them must have seen a little of how she pulled the man into the toilet. She hurried on notwithstanding, ignoring their looks but still being careful.

_____

Chief Gab raised her head slowly and his eyes met with Madam Henrietta’s. He tried to speak but his mouth was left agape in surprise, she was the last person he expected to see. He couldn’t imagine what she had come to do in there. He slowly rolled out of the small bed which had been set up for him in the room, his movement being restricted by the handcuff used to chain him to the bed. He sat at the only place he could sit, beside the metal headboard where his hand was cuffed to. He looked down and tried to find the other leg of his sandal which had gone under the student sized bed.

By the time he raised his head again, she was standing at the middle with her hands in front and her fingers intertwined. He felt uneasy with the way she stared at him. The overwhelming feeling of guilt returned and he could not look straight into her eyes. He had some explanation to make but he knew there was no way it would cleanse him of the guilt he felt. Her face reminded him of her as the intelligent young adult who had come to seek for help in his office, after her mother and some village elders had spoken to him about her in the village when he visited the place. She was the brightest amongst the young school leavers in the village at that time and he was sure she would have come out successfully through the University if given the chance. But his lust for women at that time controlled his actions and took away his ability to think, he got more interested in getting under her pants instead of helping her secure a future.

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Madam Henrietta could see the guilt on his face but she wasn’t interested in making him feel guilty or getting his apology, what she wanted to do was to find out if Samantha was really what she claimed to be.

‘How did you find her? She finally spoke after minutes of silence.

He raised his head and glanced at her, he knew the only person she could be asking about was Tarasha but he expected her to ask or talk instead about what he did to her years ago or what happened to their daughter.

‘Atinuke, I’m sorry for all that happened. I know I’m a disappointment to God and man but I truly regret all I did those years…’

‘I’m not interested in knowing how sorry you feel, I just want to know if you’ve confirmed that she truly is the girl I had for you.’ Madam Henrietta replied in disgust.

‘What are you talking about?’ Chief Gab stared at her with his eyes widened.

She realized that he had no idea about what she wanted to know. Maybe Samantha hadn’t told him the way she was told, she concluded. She closed her eyes and stepped back. Her only option was to wait until Samantha returned.

____

Elvis Richards fastened his eyes on Rex as he walked back into the coach. His mind had been at unrest since Rex left and for the few minutes which he didn’t heard anything, he kept looking around the coach to see if there was any entrance through which anyone could come in through.

‘Hey man! You’re not supposed to panic,’ Rex said to him with a scolding look.

‘But I don’t know what’s happening, how do I stay calm?’ Elvis Richards asked.

‘Your panic would actually kill you faster if you don’t stop,’ Rex warned in serious tone.

‘Just tell me what’s happening?’

Rex ignored. He got back to his seat and dropped his backpack. He took out two pistols and unloaded them. He brought out another set of pistols and inserted the removed cartridges into them.

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‘Looks like we’re going to cause a lot of damage on this train,’ Elvis Richards commented loudly. His heart was full of fear, from the way things were looking, he thought it would have been better to remain in his residence and be treated by the police rather than to be caught on the train trying to run away.

‘I may not use these guns, but that’s if you don’t give me reasons to use them.’ Rex replied him. He got up to his feet and inserted the guns into his pocket.

‘Me?’

‘Yes, you.’ Rex replied, he got up and pushed the backpack under the seat. He turned to the man, ‘Samantha is here with just a partner, we have about six men on board to tackle them. You are also disguised and she wouldn’t recognize you if you don’t reveal yourself to her.’

‘Why would I do that? I can’t reveal myself to her.’

‘She doesn’t need you to tell her who you are, she only needs to see you panicking this way and she would know.’

He sighed. ‘But… But how in the world did she know that we’re on this train?’

‘The same way she got to know that you were leaving your residence in Abuja,’ Rex replied and moved closer to the man. ‘She has her way of extracting information from the men you work with and that is why I had to change the plans and even hide some things from James. She could have also found out about the train tickets booked by the immigration officer and she would conduct her search based on that but I’ve changed all that by booking differently. She does not know where you are on this train and if she appears here, she only did by chance. So stay calm, even if she comes here, she wouldn’t recognize you if you don’t reveal yourself. The truth remains that she would not get out of this train alive.’

Dave James stood akimbo with his back resting against the wall of the entrance. He watched in displeasure as Inspector Dakolo carried out his interrogation on the immigrations officer the police way. He would have gone about it his way as an agent of the NIS, and he believed his mode would have been more effective than the Inspector’s pattern but the Inspector wouldn’t allow him have his way. The Inspector who still saw him as only a journalist still restricted him from carrying out some activities. The man had also questioned some other things about him, like how he secured a well sophisticated gun. Dave had to lie that he got the licensed gun from a journalism company which he worked as an agent as a tool for self protection because of the danger involved in his work. He felt the urge to make the Inspector know who he was and how passionate he was to crack ths case but he bottled up his feeling and decided to keep it professionally even as he works with the man.

‘I swear you’re going to pay for this dearly, you’re going to pay Inspector.’ Mr Paul threatened Dakolo. He was sitting on a wooden chair while Dakolo was standing in front of him with a gun and asking questions. ‘This is illegal,’ the man continued. ‘This is definitely not a police arrest, you picked me up from the road and brought me here to harass me and ask questions about things I know nothing about.’

Dakolo knew the man was right and that he had violated the man’s basic right to freedom with his action but he was also sure that the man was a criminal involved with the Vice President and that he knew the Vice President’s whereabouts, that only was the justification for his action.

‘You need to stop saying thrash and start talking Paul, tell us where the Vice President is headed for and through what route he went and you’ll be free to go your way.’ Dakolo replied adamantly.

Dave sighed and shook his head. He was irritated by the way Mr Paul was answering the Inspector and he knew it was only happening because it was done the police way. He began to take some steps closer to them before his phone rang. He stopped and took it out to check the caller, it was Stephanie. He turned back immediately and walked outside the room to answer the call.

‘Hey Steph! Good morning,’ he greeted with a gentle release of breath.

‘Good morning Dave, I’m on my way to the police office. You asked me to call you before I go,’ Stephanie replied from the other end.

‘Yes, I just want to make sure you’re fine. It’s a good thing you want to show yourself at the police’s at a time like this, it’s no longer dangerous. The Inspector General who was a friend to Elvis Richard is no longer in charge and the Vice President himself is on the run. They would ensure safety for you when you go, just tell them as we discussed.’

‘Okay Dave, I’ll call to tell you how it goes.’ she replied.

‘Alright, stay safe.’

‘You too.’

Dave ended the call and walked back into the room. He closed the door and stopped at the entrance for a while, he felt irritated on seeing the Inspector still going back and forth in his interrogation with the immigrations officer. With determination to pull out the necessary information from the immigrations officer in the shortest time possible, he charged towards them.

Dakolo noticed the manner at which Dave was coming and took a second to stare at him. He stepped aside on seeing that Dave’s eyes was fixed on his interrogatee and he was coming straight to meet him. He watched as Dave pulled the man up from the chair by the neck and pushed him to the wall.

‘Now, enough of your tantrums. Just to let you know, we saw you with the Vice President today and we’ve also monitored your calls in the past few days, so tell us where Elvis Richards has gone.’

‘You are… you’re hur… hurting me,’ Mr Paul managed to say. Dave’s hand was fastened on his neck and the grip was so strong that he was finding it difficult to breathe.

Dave released the man’s neck and turned him around for a second. Then he sent a blow to the man’s face which made him stagger and crash into the wooden chair he was previously sitting on. Dave bent and dragged him up again. He dealt him three quick blows in the belly and one on the face making the man fall helplessly to the ground again. He moved closer to pick him up again but Dakolo stepped closer and prevented him.

‘You’re hurting him already, we’re not supposed to carry this out this way.’ Dakolo said in whispers. He was considering the warning that had been issued to him by the Acting Inspector General who told him to mind his actions during his suspension and even as he continues to carry out underground investigation must not do anything that is illegal or which does not conform with the police processes.

‘We don’t have much time sir, this man is not going to speak up if I allow you continue with your romance with him.’ Dave replied him and put down the hand which the Inspector had raised up to stop him.

Dakolo stepped backward. He didn’t know whether to take Dave’s words as an insult or as an ordinary comment spoken out of his impatience. He watched as Dave picked up the man again and slammed his back to the wall at the right side.

‘I don’t mind puncturing your belly all around with this knife,’ Dave threatened, his right hand used to hold the man against the wall and his left hand holding a small knife which he held close to the man’s belly. ‘Now, tell me where Elvis Richards has left for.’

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Inspector Dakolo stood watching in awe. He had been suspecting all along that there was something more about Dave and the Samantha Osman’s case than just him being a journalist, now he was quite sure that Dave was more than a journalist but who Dave was he was yet to know.

____

The VIP coach of the train had been well protected on the orders of Rex, leaving the other people at the other sections of the coach wondering what was happening.

The VIP section was a unique first class section of the train and a coach was usually divided into two big or four medium sized parts (rooms) depending on the size of the coach, with each room having reclining chairs, spaces for television, sleeping spaces and small refrigerators. The disguised Elvis Richards who was now Patrick Oluwafemi was in one of the rooms of the VIP section.

‘We’ve not seen anyone here, are you sure the criminal really came to this part of the train?’ a fat pot bellied man in one of the rooms of the VIP coach questioned Stainless and the train guard who had come into his lounge. He was having a nice time when his girlfriend and they had decided to spoil his fun by coming in and saying that a thief was on the train and they suspected he had come to that section.

‘I don’t think any one of them is here, can we leave please?’ the train guard who was bothered by the man’s complaint urged Stainless.

‘I’m sure she’s on her way here if not here already,’ Stainless replied him. ‘She’s targeting someone on the coach.’

Rex had called and asked that Stainless and all the other men come to the VIP section since they had searched around for Tarasha and could not find her. Rex was of the notion that since Elvis Richards was her target on the train, she would definitely come for him.

He wasn’t far from the truth. Tarasha was on her way to the VIP section. While Stainless and the guard were still arguing silently about staying or leaving, they heard some disturbing sounds coming from the other side of the coach.

7 minutes ago

‘Our instincts tells us strongly that the thieves would target this coach and that’s why we are here to protect you,’ one of the men in Rex’s team explained to the occupants of the VIP room he and his partner was.

The occupants this time was a family of four, a young man and his wife and their two kids. The young man was sitting on one of the reclining chairs and holding one of his daughters by his right while the younger one was sitting on his lap. He seemed unperturbed unlike his wife who was at the sleeping space and kept staring at the faces of the men. She didn’t trust them even though one had showed to them his police identity card.

It all seemed peaceful at first and there were no signs of any intruder. One of the men was standing close to the entrance while the one who showed his identity card was pacing around slowly and looking through the windows as he got to them.

He peeped through one of the windows and was about to turn back when he observed something and stopped to check again.

His face was met by the sole of a shoe as he tried to peep. He staggered back in and before he knew it, he was sent sprawling on the floor as a heavy kick landed on his chest.

Tarasha had peeped into the room and already seen the locations of all she needed to see before coming in through the window.

The man standing at the entrance charged toward Tarasha with a blow but she dodged it easily and grabbed his arm with her right palm close to his armpit and her left hand on his shoulder, she pulled him forward and then switched her right hand to the back of his neck, with that she dragged him and slammed his head into the window glass.

Tarasha turned to see the man on the floor already up and coming towards her. He threw a blow and she met it with her hand, he tried to kick her with his knee but she returned it with her foot. He launched another blow and she held him by the fist, she twisted his hand, raised it and moved under to the other side. She held him on the shoulder with the other hand to prevent him from turning with his hand which she dragged to the back, inflicting severe pains through his hand and across his chest.

The man whose head was slammed to the window had fallen to the ground after taking his head out of the broken glass with his neck and face badly injured. He struggled to get up on his feet and saw that his partner was also being battered. Before he could make any move, he got hit by his partner who was pushed by Tarasha to him.

Tarasha took a quick turn to the back and glanced quickly in the directions of the man and the kids and the wife.

‘You all, get out of here quickly,’ she said with a hand gesture pointing to the door.

The man who was already trying to get out quickly picked his kids, he placed the younger one on his chest and held the other with his right hand, the wife picked up a small bag and they headed for the door immediately.

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Tarasha turned back quickly to the men, one of them had turned towards her already but was yet to look up.

He raised his head up only for Tarasha feet to hit his face hard. The man at the back swerved to prevent his partner from falling on his body. He walked over his body and rushed to Tarasha in anger but she somehow swerved and wrapped her hands tight around his neck.

The couple had just left with their kids and closed the door, but within the few seconds of the door being opened, Tarasha’s ears picked some sounds and could tell that other men were coming to meet her in that room.

The man whose neck was tightened under Tarasha’s arm tried to free himself by using her elbow on her belly but she held his hand and twisted his elbow joint. Then she twisted his neck and turned his body back, making him yell out loud. She dragged him and with some speed walked towards the door. Before she got there, it flung open and the a tall man rushed in.

With her two hands on the shoulder of the man by her side, she took a leap and sent the tall man a double kick on his chest and that made fall back to the wall side of the train beside the door.

‘Hey, hands up!’ Stainless shouted, pointing his gun as he followed the tall man in but he was caught aware as Tarasha was already beside him and her hand had already gripped his wrist, he tried to turn the gun to her but she raised his hand up and a bullet was released towards the roof.

‘d@mn it!’ Stainless exclaimed as his hands released the gun. He had only a bullet in the gun and Rex had warned him not to shoot except the bullet was going to hit and kill Samantha Osman. Rex had warned all of them about the usage of guns, and had specifically explained to him (Stainless) that the use of guns would draw much more attention from the train than they required.

Before Stainless could understand what was going on, a kick had been sent to his belly and he was dragged and pushed into the room. Tarasha closed the door quickly and bolted it from behind, locking herself with the four men inside.

___

Police Headquarters, Lagos.

‘So you are saying you can’t remember what location they took you to that village from?’ the Inspector sitting in front of Stephanie George asked.

‘Errr… Yes, I wish I could but Samantha has a way of making anybody remember only the things she wants us to remember,’ Stephanie replied the man.

‘So, what did she do to you to make you forget?’ The Inspector questioned further, taking notes with his tablet device.

‘Benryl, that’s what we used. We take it every time we get to the location and or after going out, so that we can forget the route.’ Stephanie replied.

‘Benryl?’ the interrogator asked,he seemed to be finding it difficult to recall what it was. He looked at his colleague for help.

‘Benryl is that liquid that wipes off some of the victim’s brief memory,’ the colleague explained.

‘Oh, yeah!’ he finally remembered. He turned back to Stephanie, ‘So she injects you Benryl forcefully everytime you get to know the location?’

‘No, she doesn’t do it forcefully. We allow her do it, I always submit myself to be injected and she doesn’t do the injection herself.’

The policemen looked at each other’s faces, confused by her words.

‘She explained how dangerous it will be for us if we remember the location and since I’m also not willing to face that danger, I prefer to have it erased from my mind.’

There was silence for a minute. The Inspector kept checking his notes and wondering what question to ask next. Her answers had totally confused him and changed his plan.

‘Have you gone to the hospital for check up?’

‘No, why do I need that. There’s nothing wrong with me or my mother, Samantha Osman has good medical facilities which caters for everyone she hosts.’

‘I think you should go for a check up from here, you don’t know what could have happened to your body system with the harmful things she must have forced you to do.’

‘Samantha Osman never did any harmful thing against me or my mother, she doesn’t harm people for no reason.’ Stephanie replied the man. ‘She’s actually a good woman but unfortunately still has the heart of an assassin.’

The police men looked at each other again. At that point, another officer entered into the office, holding a phone.

‘Inspector sir, the AIG is on and he wants to speak with you right away.’

The Inspector jumped up from his seat and took the phone from the officer. He moved away to the window side.

‘Sir,’ he said in a respectful voice into the phone.

‘Inspector, is she still there with you?’

‘Yes sir, she’s here with us.’

‘You must not let her get out of your sight at any moment, she must be fully protected. Samantha Osman or anyone else could come anytime for her.’

‘Okay sir, I would ensure she gets the full protection required.’

‘I don’t want to hear any stories.’

The Inspector returned to his seat after the call. ‘Miss Stephanie, we’d go with you to the hospital for a check up and also help you get home safely…’

‘What? Who says I’m going to a hospital? And why must you come with me?’ Stephanie asked, already getting pissed off.

‘Look miss, you have to be fully protected henceforth. No one knows what Samantha Osman may try to do to you from here.’

‘What? She asked me to come here, you think she wouldn’t have done the worst to me before letting me go?’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 4A
‘Ma’am, I’m sorry, we’re following instructions. We have to watch your every move from now on, your life matters to us.’

Stephanie heaved a heavy sigh. She regretted agreeing to report to the police.

____

‘i can’t still reach him, he’s still on another call.’ Dakolo said and shook his head tiredly. They were back in the car without the immigration officer, with the same driver driving and with Dave at the front with him.

This time, their anxiety was a lot higher but the traffic on the Lagos road kept them from driving as fast as they wanted. Dave had been able to pull out the truth from the immigrations officer. Mr Paul, after receiving merciless beatings revealed that the Vice President had been taken on the train trip by an unknown man. He went as far as revealing the number of the train tickets and the location they planned to drop from the train.

‘It’s finally going through,’ Dakolo said with a note of happiness after trying the Acting Inspector General’s phone number a number of times without being able to reach the man.

‘Inspector Dakolo,’ the AIG’s voice sounded through the phone’s speaker.

‘Sir, we need quick help sir. We just found out that Elvis Richards is on a train heading for Jebba.’

‘On a train? And headed for Jebba?’ the AIG asked, his voice showing that he was full of surprise.

‘Yes, he’s headed for Jebba. We have to stop him or wait for him at Jebba, but I’ll prefer we stop him, a lot of things might happen on the road to Jebba. Theherain left about forty five minutes ago. We need you to help contact the train station and request for a halt in the train movement.’

‘Are you really sure of this?’

‘Yes sir, I am very sure.’

‘I’ll take you for your word and I hope you don’t fail me. I’ll also call for reinforcement from the Lagos Headquarters. I’m also on my way to Lagos,’ the AIG replied.

‘Thank you for trusting me sir,’ Dakolo replied. He ended the call and looked at James who was staring at him.

‘So, they’re stopping the train right?’

‘Yes, the IG would call and order for the stop.’

‘We have to find the present location of the train and where it would stop. I know it could take some time for a train to halt even after the brakes are applied.’

___

Location: On the Train.

Tarasha held what was remaining of his right hand, she had already broken the bones and twisted the joints of the left hand but he was stubborn and unwilling to let her go without fighting more. She had twisted his right wrist already and what was left was to twist his finger joints and elbow.

Stainless had his knee on the ground and his right hand held up by Tarasha behind him. He was already weak but was ready to breathe his last for the fight. The other three men were down already, two had breathed their last and one was unconscious. Tarasha had brought them all down, with no guns but just her hands. The VIP room was now scattered, the television, the chairs refrigerator and other things were broken as they had all been used in the fight.

Stainless was left but wasn’t ready to give up. Tarasha hoped to render him totally paralyzed before his final death.

Stainless let out a scream as Tarasha tried to break his hand into two with his elbow supported on her knee and her hands bending either side of the arm in the downward direction.

Tarasha stopped for a moment as she noticed something. She dropped him on the floor and moved close to the window. She noticed the train was coming to an halt. She tried to imagine what was happening.

‘Hey Henry! You there?’ she said into her Talkon receiver.

‘Yes, why is the train coming to an halt?’

‘I can’t really say but I think some people requested for it to be stopped because of the gunshot sound heard.’

‘Okay, I hope you’re on the watch out for Rex?’

‘Yes, I am alert.’

Tarasha turned back to Stainless. He was in severe pains but was still struggling to get up. She wasn’t convinced about Henry’s thoughts on why the train was coming to an halt, the reason being that Rex had not been found anywhere on the train yet and she couldn’t tell if he was up to something.

Stainless finally managed to get up and charged in her direction, even though he was unable to use his hands. She pulled out a knife from her body as she dodged his kick, she grabbed him by the neck and drove the knife straight into his belly. Her desire to see him suffer slowly to death had been overcome by the decelerating motion of the train.

The train came to a halt after Stainless fell down lifelessly.

Tarasha walked quickly to the window where she entered from and picked a bag she had hung before hurrying towards the door. She stepped into another section of the VIP coach and found no one there. She knew they must have left when they heard sounds of the fight.

She walked through the first VIP coach and into the second. She met the occupants in the first section of the second coach. She looked well but didn’t find what she was searching for. She continued but not until she got to the last room on the VIP coach did she find who she was expecting, Rex. He stood at the exit with his hands behind him and back turned to her.

He turned around slowly and confidently with a mean look on his face.

‘Samantha Osman, our meeting this time is inevitable, I hope we can settle this once and for all.’

He turned around slowly and confidently with a mean look on his face.

‘Samantha Osman, our meeting this time is inevitable, I hope we can settle this once and for all.’

‘I do hope we do, we’ve made mistakes of capturing each other and letting the victim go, but only one should leave here alive today.’ Tarasha replied.

‘That’s my girl,’ Rex replied with a crooked smile and tightened his fist slowly.

Tarasha tightened her fist too and she kept her gaze on his face, she noticed it was a bit oily. It showed that Rex had not just been waiting for her, he had been busy with something.

‘Why did you make the train stop moving?’ Rex asked as they began to move closer to each other slowly, ready for the fight.

Tarasha raised her brows. She wondered if the question was a sincere one or if he was just playing mind games with her. As they got closer to each other, she remembered that Henry would be waiting for her order to take his next step. She pressed a button on the wristwatch on her wrist to give Henry the signal.

Rex saw her gesture and she also knew he saw her and knew what it meant. Rex wasn’t however not bothered about wh@tëver signal she had sent, he had everything covered and was sure of victory.

____

Henry sat in the seat impatiently. It was the seat for one of the Vice President team men who had gotten up. He was disguised now and unrecognizable. He had his device in his hand and looked at it from time to time as if he was expecting a notification. At the same time, he looked around and took note of everyone moving from one part of the train to another.

The train had stopped now and a lot of people were up on their feet, peeping out through the window, wondering and discussing why the train could have stopped. Henry remained sitting even though still alert.

A beep on his device caught his attention. He swiped down the notification bar and saw the message.

‘IG Rikau asks for opportunity to talk to young ones as he prepares for his death.’

He cleared off the notification at once and looked up again. He felt a vibration on his wrist, he glanced at the wristwatch, he could see the red blinking light. That signal was from Tarasha and it meant that she was now with Rex, he had the responsibility of locating Chief Elvis Richards on the train.

Cole kept on stealing glances at Nicholas as they drove back to the base. Nicholas demeanor had changed when he started looking at his phone before they changed into a new vehicle to return to the base with. He had asked twice if there was a problem and Nicholas had replied that there was none.

Nicholas had his device held firmly in his hands. He didn’t believe he was going to make such a quick turn around about a decision he made less than three hours ago. He had decided to support Tarasha against Rex secretly just before they dropped off Tarasha and Henry at the train station but his decision had changed quickly when he entered back into the car and picked his device. A new message from Rex had entered and it carried a strong warning for him.

‘I see you’ve changed your mind about providing me information, this is just to remind you that your mother and your son are in no way safe,’ the message read and a video was attached to it. He downloaded the clip and played it only to see his mother and son tied in a room with their eyes blindfolded, a man with a shining machete was sitting on a seat in the same room and looking straight to the camera. He had exited the messaging app and called his mother’s phone number for it to be answered by a strange male’s voice who claimed to be the man with the machete and promised to bring down the heads of his family once given the orders.

‘Why are you doing this, there’s no information I have that I haven’t given you.’ Nicholas quickly returned to the messaging app and sent a reply to Rex.

‘Is she on the train now?’

‘Yes she is,’ Nicholas had no other choice than to admit.

‘What’s her plan?’

‘She did not disclose it to any of us.’

‘I need you to send me the address to your operation base where the rest members of your team are presently,’ another message came in from Rex.

It took Nicholas some time to reply. He at first closed the chat until he got another message from Rex.

‘You’re wasting time an endangering the lives of your mother and son.’

Nicholas typed in the address slowly and sent. He kept a sad face from that moment until Cole received a call from Tarasha and he told him that she had instructed that they go back to the base and move out everyone else from the place.

‘Hey Nicholas,’ Cole called to him, his phone was ringing and he needed help to answer the call as his hands were busy on the steering wheel. ‘Help me answer the call.’

Nicholas picked the phone and answered the call, Tomi was on line. He placed it on loud speaker.

‘Hey Cole,’ Mr Matthew sounded instead of Tomi’s.

‘Matthew, speak up, I’m all ears.’

‘We’ve got the new apartment ready, you all can come now.’

‘Alright, I’m still twenty minutes away from the base. We should get to the new place in another sixty minutes,’ Cole replied.

Nicholas felt some relief knowing that they were about to move to a new place but his tension soon returned when he realized that Rex would think he had backstabbed him by letting them know he (Rex) now knew their location.

Five minutes after the call, Cole pulled over to a curb beside the road. Nicholas stared at him wondering what the reason for the halt was.

Cole picked his phone and unlocked it, he switched to the notepad application and copied out an address. He pasted it into the map application and clicked on get direction.

‘Here,’ he handed the phone over to Nicholas. ‘Copy this location to your phone,’ he said as Nicholas took the phone.

Nicholas turned on the screen of the device and transferred the location.

‘I’ll drop you off here, you’d find your way to the base from here. You take the Doctor, Madam Henrietta and our hostage to the location sent to your device.’

‘But…why are you not coming with me?’ Nicholas asked.

‘I’ve got a different assignment from the boss and I’ve got to go now,’ Cole replied him.

‘Okay,’. Nicholas replied. He took off his seatbelt and opened the door. He placed a foot outside and was about to stand up when he felt a grip on his elbow. He turned around to see Cole holding him back with a warning stare on his face.

‘Don’t mess things up,’ Cole said in a serious tone and released his hand.

Without replying, Nicholas stepped out of the car and closed the door. He straightened his clothes and dipped his phone into his pocket before he walked away.

____

Madam Henrietta was sitting quietly in her room, unable to sleep or even take her breakfast. She had been waiting for more than two hours and strange thoughts had been coming to her mind. It felt as Tara was no longer going to return home, she had left for good and they no longer would be seeing each other.

The fear was so strong in her heart that she began to pray and intercede for get daughter after so many years of never praying up to thirty seconds.

Her food was on the stool beside her bed but she couldn’t eat it. The strange feeling that she was about to lose something she just found kept her feeling so uncomfortable.

After taking his breakfast, the doctor had placed his forehead on the dining table and slept off. His mind was greatly troubled but he knew there was no solution to the deed that had been done. The only thing that could help the situation was for Samantha to achieve her aims before Dave regains enough speed and intelligence to stop her. He was sure Dave was very conscious of his real identity wherever he was. The antidote to the liquid which was supposed to wipe off his memory had been used to half and he was sure none other person that Stephanie would have used it on him.

He suddenly rose up from his sleep and looked around. He was sweating severely all over his body and his heart was pumping so fast. His nightmare had returned, the nightmare he used to have before Tarasha kidnapped him from his home. He saw the masked man again, with a gun and this time the bullet went straight to his chest.

His phone began to ring and he picked it up quickly. He looked at the screen, Cole was calling again.

‘Hello Doc,’ Cole’s voice came through.

‘He…llo Cole,’ the doctor answered with a shaky voice.

‘Is everything alright?’

‘Yes, there’s no problem.’ the doctor replied.

‘Nicholas would be there to take you all out in the next fifteen minutes, tell Madam Henrietta, you both have ten minutes to get ready and wait outside for him.’

‘Outside?’

‘Yeah, you get dressed, pick all you need to pick and wait at the balcony.’

‘But what about the lab equipment and tools?’

‘We’d move them later,’ Cole replied.

‘How do we get to the balcony?’ the doctor asked as he got up from the dining seat. He stepped out of the dining area and glanced at the wall clock.

‘Get into the control from and unlock the doors, you’d find the door lock device at the left wall side and the laser activator at the right wall side. Now listen carefully Doc, those devices are invisible to the physical eyes until you do the right thing. You go straight to the center of the walls and tap twice with a finger, the device’s screen will pop up and request for pass codes. The code for the door lock is 9879554 and the laser deactivation code is 789755. Just go on there right away, I’ll send you the same instructions in text.’

Madam Henrietta was startled by the knock on the door. Her heart skipped a beat and she stared at the for a while. Whenever the door was knocked, it either meant Samantha was there or she had sent someone to get her.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 16 part 7
‘You may come in,’ she answered with stammering lips.

The door opened and the doctor took step in. Madam, you have to get dressed up and take what you need to take from here, we’re leaving this place in the next five minutes.’ he said briefly and turned to leave.

‘Wait! Where are we going to?’ she jumped up.

‘I got a call from Samantha, one of boys is coming to pick us.’ the doctor replied. He decided to use Samantha’s name to make her respond quickly.

_____

Rex’s fist smashed the window glass as Tarasha dodged his blow swiftly. She turned to his back but he quickly turned to meet her sending a blow. He stopped her fists with his, but she had also sent a kick with her knee to his belly almost at the same time. It hit him and made him jerk up and his bum touch the window slightly. She tried to follow up with a blow to smash his face into the already broken glass but he was quick to recover from the impact of her kick and grabbed her wrist. He tried to twist it as he moved to the other side but she was able to wriggle it free from him and sent him a jab in the belly as she turned immediately.

There was a brief pause and it gave both parties some time to readjust themselves. The fight was still fresh and both parties still looked neat and unruffled. Even the room still looked so arranged.

Rex ended the break as he rushed to her with a kick from his left leg but she saw it coming and bent her head to dodge it. She then attempted to hit his leg which was still in the air but didn’t know he placed a double kick. As she launched her right leg, he turned swiftly and wiped her off her feet with his right leg.

Unluckily for Tarasha, she fell and her head hit the side of the reclining chair. She held her head for a second and then rolled away quickly to the middle of the room. Rex followed quickly and tried to stamp his feet on her face but she held him by the ankle before he could get close to her face and pulled his leg wide, making him lose balance. He tried to stable himself by putting his second leg at the side she pulled the other but she rolled quickly to his back and kicked him behind the waist with the soles of her foot. He fell forward and almost hit his head on the wall but his palms landed on the wall first and he used it to th-ru_st himself back to his feet.

She had already gotten up before he turned back. He could see from the expression on her face that the pain from head strike was still being felt. He moved towards her slowly and she also moved slowly towards him. He tried using the same tactic he used with the kick but this time with blows.

He launched a blow to her face and she quickly stopped it and at the same time sent her feet into his belly before his other fist could reach her. She followed him immediately and sent another kick to his belly and to his chest after each other, making him hit his back against the wall. She leaped and directed a kick to smash his face against the wall but he was quick to dodge by swerving to the right. However she used her toes to hit the wall instead and lift where she made a sharp turn to his direction and sent him a kick with the sole of her foot on his head and another kick in his chest. He staggered back and this time landed his bum on the small refrigerator working at the corner in a sitting position. He raised his head and saw Tarasha coming to him, he rolled away and Tarasha’s feet hit the wall and the top edge of the refrigerator instead of his belly which she was targeting.

She turned quickly and rushed to him with a kick but he managed to dodge and grab her leg. He pushed her back and she landed on the refrigerator just like he did. He rushed to her and tried to push his onto her belly but she was quick to sit up and held his foot. He pushed further until her back hit the wall but she continued to resist him. He sent a quick blow to smash her face to the wall but she dodged and his fist hit the wall. He lost balance and she pushed him away quickly. He staggered backwards but managed to stay on his feet.

She got up from the refrigerator quickly and adjusted her trouser comfortably. She looked at Rex straight in the face, he was also staring at her. He stepped back to the window and pulled out the empty curtain hanger at the top of the window. He held the 1.5 metres long steel stick in his right hand and rubbed it with his left hand.

She stepped away from the corner of the room where she was and quickly pulled out her belt, she held the buckle in her palm and flipped it. straightened immediately but was not as long as the one in Rex’s hand.

He let out an evil smile before rushing towards her to make the first strike towards the side of her neck. She blocked it with hers straightened in her left hand. The strikes and blocks without touching the body continued for about a minute with them circling the room until Rex tried to hit her on the forehead and she blocked with her weapon. She pushed a kick into his belly and as he staggered back, she followed up and wiped him with the metal strongly at the side of his head. He staggered back weakly and she got the opportunity to whip him another on his shoulder.

She tried to whip him a third time but he lifted his head quickly and hit her weapon with his. He stepped back hurriedly to the door and rested his back on it, trying to buy himself some seconds enough to ease of the pain he was feeling.

She hurried towards him but stopped before getting to him as she heard a voice sound in her. ‘Huh?’ she responded.

‘Elvis Richards is no longer on the train,’ Henry repeated again.

Her eyes shone wide open at Rex and he was also staring at her, wondering why she stopped. At that same moment, she noticed that the train had begun to move again.

‘d@mn it! What stupid game are you playing with me?’ she asked in an angry tone as she stepped closer to him.

She struck her weapon but he blocked it with his and made a strike which she blocked. They continued to strike and block for a minute but none touched the opponent.

They separated for some seconds to give each other some space. Rex could see from her changed demeanour that she was angry and it got him angrier too, he had been fighting when her with the mindset of fighting a woman and that was why she got the opportunity to get some hits on him. He needed to make her know that he was a Tiger and a senior one at that.

‘I don’t play small games you f***** wh*re, this is real life and you’ve just been fooled big time cause Elvis Richards is no longer on this train.’ he said to increase her anger.

His words really got her mad and she charged towards him immediately. She struck once, he blocked it, struck again, got blocked and targeted his rod the third time with a speed he didn’t expect. With hers held with her two hands, she hit the rod just above his grip and it flung away from his hand.

He stared at her blankly after watching the rod hang on the broken glass of the window. She didn’t give him time to make any move as she strike the rod towards his forehead which he blocked with his hand, she struck the second time and he gripped it in his palm. It got stuck between the both of them.

Their eyes met and locked even as they pulled the metal between each other. Rex was unwilling to let her have it and she was not ready to let it go. She twisted the rod, making Rex bend over but he still not release it. She kicked him in the belly with her knee but he still did not release instead and he rose up swiftly and twisted the rod making her turn with it. He pushed his feet into her belly and she fell back leaving the weapon in his hands.

He stared for a moment at the weapon in his hand before flinging it away, then go marched quickly towards her.

____

The Doctor brisk walk behind madam Henrietta looked funny because of his old age. Nicholas had just come into the building and had asked them to go quickly into the white Mercedes bus parked in the compound while he went inside to get the hostage.

The doctor had a small bag in his hand while the woman had a bigger one, they got to the bus and put their bags into the already opened boot. The Doctor proceeded straight into the bus and made himself comfortable on the soft leather seat behind the front seat while Madam Henrietta waited at the entrance of the bus.

They were will waiting for Nicholas to come out with Chief Gab when a sound at the gate caught their attention. It opened and some men dressed in all black entered, three at first together and then more following after each other slowly.

Nicholas hurried the man out after cuffing his hands behind. He stopped as he got to the balcony of the building. He saw men in black, he knew at once that they were from Rex. The man in the picture with his mother was also dressed like the men.

He didn’t know what they were there for since Rex knew that Tarasha was somewhere else but he knew there was nothing he could do about them. The security inputs and lasers in place around the house had been put off to enable him take the people out successfully.

He took out his phone carefully and held it in his right hand, he dialed Cole’s number secretly.

Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 3

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Also read – Updates On Tarasha to continue…
He turned around slowly and confidently with a mean look on his face.

‘Samantha Osman, our meeting this time is inevitable, I hope we can settle this once and for all.’

‘I do hope we do, we’ve made mistakes of capturing each other and letting the victim go, but only one should leave here alive today.’ Tarasha replied.

‘That’s my girl,’ Rex replied with a crooked smile and tightened his fist slowly.

Tarasha tightened her fist too and she kept her gaze on his face, she noticed it was a bit oily. It showed that Rex had not just been waiting for her, he had been busy with something.

‘Why did you make the train stop moving?’ Rex asked as they began to move closer to each other slowly, ready for the fight.

Tarasha raised her brows. She wondered if the question was a sincere one or if he was just playing mind games with her. As they got closer to each other, she remembered that Henry would be waiting for her in order to take his next step. She pressed a button on the wristwatch on her wrist to give Henry the signal.

Rex saw her gesture and she also knew he saw her and knew what it meant. Rex wasn’t however not bothered about wh@tëver signal she had sent, he had everything covered and was sure of victory.

____

Henry sat in the seat impatiently. It was the seat for one of the Vice President’s men who had gotten up. Henry was disguised now and unrecognizable. He had his device in his hand and looked at it from time to time as if he was expecting a notification. At the same time, he looked around and took note of everyone moving from one part of the train to another.

The train had stopped now and a lot of people were up on their feet, peeping out through the window, wondering and discussing why the train could have stopped during the trip. Some of them were arguing as to whether, what they heard was a gunshot sound and if it was indeed from that same train. Henry remained sitting even though he was still very alert.

A beep on his device caught his attention. He swiped down the notification bar and saw the message.

‘IG Rikau asks for opportunity to talk to young ones as he prepares for his death.’

Cole kept on stealing glances at Nicholas as they drove back to the base. Nicholas’ demeanor had changed when he started looking at his phone before they changed into a new vehicle to return to the base. He had asked twice if there was a problem and Nicholas had replied that there was none.

‘I see you’ve changed your mind about providing me information, this is just to remind you that your mother and your son are in no way safe until the end of this mission,’ the message read and a video was attached to it. He downloaded the clip and played it, only to see his mother and son tied in a room with their eyes blindfolded, a man with a shining machete was sitting on a seat in the same room and looking straight to the camera. He had exited the messaging app and called his mother’s phone number for it to be answered by a strange male’s voice who claimed to be the man with the machete and promised to bring down the heads of his family members once given the orders by Rex.

‘But why are you doing this, there’s no information I have that I haven’t given you.’ Nicholas quickly returned to the messaging app and sent a reply to Rex.

‘Is she on the train now?’

‘Yes she is,’ Nicholas had no other choice than to admit.

‘What’s her plan?’

‘She did not disclose her plans to any of us.’

‘I need you to send me the address to your operation base where the rest members of your team are presently,’ another message came in from Rex.

It took Nicholas some time to reply. He at first closed the chat until he got another message from Rex.

‘You’re wasting time and endangering the lives of your mother and son.’

Nicholas typed in the address slowly and sent. He kept a sad face from that moment until Cole received a call from Tarasha and told him after the call that she had instructed that they go back to the base and move out everyone else from the place.

‘Hey Nicholas,’ Cole called to him, his phone was ringing and he needed help to answer the call as his hands were busy on the steering wheel. ‘Help me answer the call.’

Nicholas picked the phone and answered the call, Tomi was on line. He placed it on loud speaker.

‘Hey Cole,’ Mr Matthew sounded instead of Tomi’s.

‘Matthew, speak up, I’m all ears.’

‘We’ve got the new apartment ready, you all can come now.’

‘Alright, I’m still twenty minutes away from the base. We should get to the new place in another sixty minutes,’ Cole replied.

Five minutes after the call, Cole pulled over to a curb beside the road. Nicholas stared at him, wondering what the reason for the halt was.

Cole picked his phone and unlocked it, he switched to the notepad application and copied out an address. He pasted it into the map application and clicked on get direction.

‘Here,’ he handed the phone over to Nicholas. ‘Copy this location to your phone,’ he said as Nicholas took the phone.

Nicholas turned on the screen of the device and transferred the location.

‘I’ll drop you off here, you’d find your way to the base from here. You take the Doctor, Madam Henrietta and our hostage to the location sent to your device.’

‘But…why are you not coming with me?’ Nicholas asked.

‘I’ve got a different assignment from the boss and I’ve got to go right now,’ Cole replied him.

‘Don’t mess things up,’ Cole said in a serious tone and released his hand.

Without replying, Nicholas stepped out of the car and closed the door. He straightened his clothes and dipped his phone into his pocket before he walked away.

____

Madam Henrietta was sitting quietly in her room, unable to sleep or even take her breakfast. She had been waiting for more than two hours and strange thoughts had been coming to her mind. It felt as Tara was no longer going to return home, like she had left for good and they no longer would be seeing each other.

The fear was so strong in her heart that she began to pray and intercede for her daughter after so many years of never praying up to thirty seconds.

Her food was on the stool beside her bed but she couldn’t eat it. The strange feeling that she was about to lose something dear which she just found kept her feeling so uncomfortable.

After taking his breakfast, the doctor had placed his forehead on the dining table and slept off. His mind was greatly troubled but he knew there was no solution to the deed that had been done. The only thing that could help the situation was for Samantha to achieve her aims before Dave regains enough speed and intelligence to stop her. He was sure Dave was very conscious of his real identity wherever he was. The antidote to the liquid which was supposed to wipe off his memory had been used up to half the content which was supposed to be about the quantity that would stop the liquid from working. He was sure none other person that Stephanie would have used it on him.

He suddenly rose up from his sleep and looked around in fear. He was sweating severely all over his body and his heart was pumping so fast. His nightmare had returned, the nightmare he used to have before Tarasha kidnapped him from his home. He saw the masked man again, with a gun and this time the bullet went straight to his chest.

His phone began to ring and he picked it up quickly. He looked at the screen, Cole was calling again.

‘Hello Doc,’ Cole’s voice came through.

‘He…llo Cole,’ the doctor answered with a shaky voice.

‘Is everything alright?’

‘Yes, there’s no problem.’ the doctor replied, trying to sound more calm.

‘Nicholas would be there to take you all out in the next fifteen minutes, tell Madam Henrietta, you both have ten minutes to get ready and wait outside for him.’

‘Outside?’

‘Yeah, you get dressed, pick all you need to pick and wait at the balcony.’

‘But what about the lab equipment and tools?’

‘We’d move them later,’ Cole replied.

‘How do we get to the balcony?’ the doctor asked as he got up from the dining seat. He stepped out of the dining area and glanced at the wall clock.

‘Get into the control room and unlock the doors, you’d find the door lock device at the left wall side and the laser activator at the right wall side. Now listen carefully Doc, those devices are invisible to the physical eyes until you do the right thing. You go straight to the center of the walls and tap twice with a finger, the device’s screen will pop up and request for pass codes. The code for the door lock is 9879554 and the laser deactivation code is 789755. Just go on there right away, I’ll send you the same instructions in text.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 12
Madam Henrietta was startled by the knock on the door. Her heart skipped a beat and she stared at the for a while. Whenever the door was knocked, it either meant Samantha was there or she had sent someone to get her.

‘You may come in,’ she answered with stammering lips.

‘Wait! Where are we going to?’ she jumped up.

‘I got a call from Samantha, one of boys is coming to pick us.’ the doctor replied. He decided to use Samantha’s name to make her respond quickly and positively.

_____

Rex’s fist smashed the window glass as Tarasha dodged his blow swiftly. She turned to his back but he quickly turned to see her sending a blow. He stopped her fists with his, but she had also sent a kick with her knee to his belly almost at the same time. It hit him and made him jerk up and his back hit the window slightly. She tried to follow up with a blow to smash his face into the already broken glass but he was quick to recover from the impact of her kick and grabbed her wrist. He tried to twist it as he moved to the other side but she was able to wriggle it free from him and sent him a jab in the belly as she turned immediately.

There was a brief pause and it gave both of them some time to readjust themselves. The fight was still fresh and both of them still looked neat and unruffled. Even the room still looked so arranged.

Rex ended the break as he rushed to her with a kick from his left leg but she saw it coming and bent her head to dodge it. She then attempted to hit his leg which was still in the air but didn’t know he planned a double kick. As she launched her right leg, he turned swiftly and wiped off the ground her left feet with his right leg.

Unluckily for Tarasha, she fell and her head hit the side of the reclining chair. She held her head for a second and then rolled away quickly to the middle of the room. Rex followed quickly and tried to stamp his feet on her face but she held him by the ankle before he could get close to her face and pulled his leg wide, making him lose balance. He tried to stable himself by putting his second leg at the side she pulled the other to but she rolled quickly to his back and kicked him behind the waist with the soles of her foot. He fell forward and almost hit his head on the wall but his palms landed on the wall first and he used it to th-ru_st himself back to his feet.

He launched the blow to her face and she quickly stopped it and at the same time sent her feet into his belly before his other fist could reach her. She followed him immediately and sent another kick to his belly and to his chest after each other, making him hit his back against the wall. She leaped and directed a kick to smash his face against the wall but he was quick to dodge by swerving to the right. However she used her toes to hit the wall instead and lift where she made a sharp turn to his direction and sent him a kick with the top of her foot on his head and another kick in his chest. He staggered back and this time landed his bum on the small refrigerator at the corner in a sitting position. He raised his head quickly and saw Tarasha coming to him, he rolled away and Tarasha’s feet hit the wall and the top edge of the refrigerator instead of his belly which she was targeting.

She stepped away from the corner of the room where she was and quickly pulled out her belt, she held the buckle in her palm and flipped it. It straightened immediately but was not as long as the one in Rex’s hand.

He let out an evil smile before rushing towards her to make the first strike towards the side of her neck. She blocked it with hers straightened in her left hand. The strikes and blocks without touching anyone’s body continued for about a minute of them circling the room, until Rex tried to hit her on the forehead and she blocked with her weapon, leaving his belly opened to attack. She pushed a kick into his belly and as he staggered back, she followed up and whipped him with the metal strongly at the side of his head. He staggered back weakly and she got the opportunity to whip him another on his shoulder.

She hurried towards him but stopped before getting to him as she heard a voice sound in her. ‘Huh?’ she responded.

‘Elvis Richards is no longer on this train, I think the train stopped for him to drop.’ Henry repeated again.

Her eyes shone wide open at Rex and he was also staring at her, wondering why she stopped. At that same moment, she noticed that the train had begun to move again.

‘d@mn it! What bl****** game are you playing?’ she asked in an angry tone as she stepped closer to him.

She struck her weapon but he blocked it with his and made a strike which she blocked. They continued to strike and block for a minute but none touched the opponent.

‘I don’t play small games you f***** wh*re, this is real life and you’ve just been fooled big time cause Elvis Richards is no longer on this train.’ he said to increase her anger.

His words really got her mad and she charged towards him immediately. She struck once, he blocked it, struck again, got blocked and then targeted his rod the third time with a speed he didn’t expect. With hers held with her two hands, she hit the rod just above his grip and it flung away from his hand.

He stared for a moment at the weapon in his hand before flinging it away, then he marched quickly towards her.

____

The Doctor’s brisk walk behind madam Henrietta looked funny because of his old age. Nicholas had just come into the building and had asked them to go quickly into the white Mercedes bus parked in the compound while he went inside to get the hostage.

They were still waiting for Nicholas to come out with Chief Gab when a sound at the gate caught their attention. They watched keenly and saw as it opened slowly, some men dressed in all black entered, three at first together and then more following after each other slowly.

Nicholas hurried the man out after cuffing his hands behind. He stopped as he got to the balcony of the building. He saw the men in black, he knew at once that they were from Rex. The man in the picture with his mother was also dressed like the men.

He didn’t know what they were there for since Rex knew that Tarasha was somewhere else at that moment, but he knew there was nothing he could do about them. The security inputs and lasers in place around the house had been put off to enable him take the people out successfully.

He took out his phone carefully and held it in his right hand, he dialed Cole’s number secretly.

‘Nicholas, speak up, what’s happening?’ Cole said into the phone. He was sitting in the stationary car, waiting for Tarasha’s command when he got the call.

He still couldn’t hear anything in reply. He took the phone off his ear and stared at the screen for a second. ‘Hey Nicholas,’ he spoke and still didn’t get a reply. He cut the call and then redialed Nicholas’ number. It was not answered. He began to wonder if Nicholas had dialled his number by mistake or if there was something wrong which Nicholas was trying to get his attention to.

He picked his tablet device from the backseat and placed it on his lap. He unlocked and quickly opened the NSCC application. He typed in the address of the base into the dialog box and clicked on search camera points. It completed the search in a minute and showed more than ten points of cameras present in the street and the ones capturing routes leading into the street.

He began to select the points one after the other. He realized that there was indeed trouble when all the points couldn’t fetch the steam in real time, only the past hour footages were available.

He checked the time. He was yet to get any instruction from Tarasha yet and had not been able to reach her. He needed to make a decision between waiting for Tarasha’s instruction and going to the base to see what was wrong.

He remembered that Henry was with Tarasha, he decided to reach Henry to get the update he needed and also update Henry on what was happening.

____

Henry kept going back and forth, not knowing what to do. The train had continued moving again and a lot of people had gone back to their seats while very few were still arguing that the sound they heard in the train was a gunshot. One of the men argued that he heard a man from the VIP section saying the gun was shot in his room.

He found an empty seat and settled on it. He opened his Google map to show the current location of the train, then he checked the previous location (where it had stopped for several minutes before moving again). He zoomed the map and checked the routes connected to it’s previous stationary location. He located all the routes possible for Elvis Richards to have escaped through when the train stopped.

He was about dialing Cole’s number when the call from Cole came in. He answered immediately.

‘Henry, I tried to use my Talkon to connect to the boss but it’s not working,’ Cole’s voice came through.

‘I think she’s very busy in a scuffle with Rex, I’m about going to locate where they are but the Vice President has escaped from the train and I need you to check through the possible routes he might have taken.’

‘Escape? How did he?’

‘The train stopped for some minutes and began to move again, he must have dropped them.’

‘Have you searched everywhere for him, he must have been hidden somewhere by Rex and it might be difficult for you to recognize him because he would be disguised.’

‘I didn’t search everywhere but I confirmed through the cameras and scanners at the entrance of the train that he left already and he was disguised truly.’

‘That’s crazy, but I won’t be able to go after him. I think Nicholas has some trouble moving Madam Henrietta and the Doctor from the base, the NSCC cameras have also been strangely disconnected, I can’t get the live streams.’

‘What? You have to go check them right away,’ Henry said.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 9
‘Yeah, please tell the boss in case.’

After the call with Cole ended, Henry got more interested in finding out how Elvis Richards could have gone out of the train. He didn’t know whether to accept that it was pre planned or if it was planned on the train. He opened his NSCC application on his tablet but as it loaded, another thought came to his mind and he switched to his newly designed application.

He opened the archives of the Vice President’s contact and saw that the man had made a couple of new phone calls, he believed he could get information about the man’s movement from it.

He played the recorded audio of the man’s last call first, it was a received call done five minutes ago.

‘Sir, we’ve just located the place and we’re getting them all out.’

‘Good work boy, I’ll get the message to Rex as soon as he contacts me.’ Elvis Richards voice sounded in reply. ‘Make sure you keep me updated and don’t make any mistakes.’

‘Sure sir.’

Henry took a pause after listening to the last phone call. He pondered on every word spoken by both ends. His assumption was that the place located had to be their operation base and his support for the assumption was the call he had just received from Cole. Elvis Richards’ promise of getting the information to Rex also proved that Elvis Richards was not in the same place with Rex.

He exited the folder containing the recorded audios and switched to check the details of the call. He traced the calls to the location they were made him from and that helped him confirm that the man had gone off the train and was in a vehicle driving him to a different location.

He returned to the folder of recorded audios again and played the call before the last one.

‘Good afternoon sir,’ a voice sounded from the other side.

‘Agent Tim, what can I do for you please?’

‘The police has gotten information about your train movement and the inspector general has ordered for your train to be stopped.’

‘What train? I’m not on a train.’

‘Uhn, well, I thought I should tell you in case because the police has been told where the train would halt and we’re coming there’

‘Thank you, Agent Tim.’

Henry took a moment to think again. He wondered if it was the stop that had already taken place that the Agent was telling the Vice President about or another. He didn’t see any police officer come on board when the train stopped, so it got him more confused. He went ahead to play previous recorded audio.

‘James, how are you?’

‘Father, I’m alright. I’ve been worried about you,’ the call receiver replied.

‘Son, I’m glad we brought in Rex to this plan. He’s got amazing foreknowledge of almost everything. We got attacked by Samantha Osman on the train.’

‘What the heck! So where are you now?’ James sounded worried.

‘I’m no longer in the train, he made plans though Stainless with the train driver, they stopped at a pre planned location for me to get down and I’m in a vehicle with one of his men.’

‘And where are they taking you to?’

‘I don’t know but I trust his judgement.’

‘I’ve tried to reach him severally but he never answers,’ James said.

‘I think he’s being careful of giving out his plans. Our information is leaking from someone and somewhere, that’s how Samantha got to now we planned to leave the house and use a train. So he keeps most to himself.’

‘I understand, please keep me updated.’

‘You also try as much as you can not to trust anybody with this information.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 16 part 7
___

Everybody in the coach had their attention turned to the back as the door was crashed open by a lady. She landed with her backside on the ground in the aisle and amidst the broken parts of the.

Rex kicked the leftover of the door which had flipped back as he entered. He charged towards Tarasha immediately and bent to drag up forcefully. She grabbed his wrist as he tried to hold her neck and sent a kick to his chest but he grabbed her foot. He rolled his hand which she had caught and grabbed her wrist, changing the position. In a twinkle of an eye, he pulled her up and flung her roughly to the seat by the side.

One of the men sitting there was able to get up before she landed but she crashed into the other’s body as he stood to leave. He fell back into the seat and hit his head against the window, saving her from doing the same.

Rex charged towards her immediately and tried to push her kick into her belly but she stopped him with her two hands and grabbed his feet firmly as she struggled to get up immediately. She held on to his leg firmly even as he tried to take his leg from get, she took two steps forward giving the man she fell upon space to step up and jump over the seat to a safe place. Other people sitting close to their fighting area had also gotten up and moved away.

Rex was finally able to release his leg from her from her grip and quickly threw another kick with the other leg but she punched away his feet making him hit his body against the seats in front.

He got up almost immediately as she jumped onto the seat to move away, he launched a quick blow and she dodged it easily. She sent him a kick on his chest and he started staggered back and almost fell but for the chairs behind which held his waist back. Before he could recover, she leaped and landed her feet on his chest, making him topple over to the front top of the seat. He rolled to the ground and quickly tried to get up on his feet amidst the intense pain he was feeling. He felt so foolish for allowing her get him with that move.

She had already gotten to his front before he could stand fully, and as he tried to raise his head, a heavy kick hit his chest slamming his back to the wall. He was yet to raise his head still when the rains of blow to his face and belly continued. He fell to his knees weakly. She stamped her feet on his back, close to his neck and he fell face forward. He tried to hold on to her but she wriggled off her feet and kicked him on the shoulder. She dragged him by the hand and pulled him out to the aisle.

At that point, Tarasha began to hear some sounds being made by the train and sensed that it was about to stop again, she got a bit distracted.

He allowed her pulled him but immediately she took her hands off to make another move, he rolled away and tried to get on his feet. She was however fast to see his move and quickly followed after him. He had just placed a feet on the ground when she kicked him on his shoulder sending him landing on the ground with his buttocks. He tried to get up immediately, ignoring the pains he felt but she sent another kick to his other shoulder. He fell back and made another trial to get up immediately, she launched another kick which hit his chest and he held onto her leg even as he fell back, dragging her with him and making her unbalanced.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 8
Immediately he saw her stagger, he took the opportunity and swept her other feet off the ground with his leg.

She lost control and fell backwards but quickly turned and landed with her palms facing the floor. They managed to get up at the same time. Tarasha seeing that get wasn’t standing so strongly decided to take the opportunity and rushed to him with a kick, but he was expecting she would take the move and endured the pain he was feeling. He swerved and dodged her kick, in twinkling of an eye, leaped up and rolled in the air, he sent a kick to the side of her lips making her fall to the ground and almost hit the side of her head against the chair. He rose up quickly again and pulled her up by the neck, he turned her face to himself and punched her hard , she staggered back and he followed immediately with another punch.

‘Hey Stop!’ they suddenly heard a voice that distracted them and Rex stopped to look at the man who had come out of the crowd with a gun. He took two steps back and slowly raised his hand, Tarasha also took some steps back before turning to see what Rex was stepping back from.

‘Henry, stay out of this. Just go look for Elvis Richards on this train,’ Tarasha said to him. By this time, the train had totally stopped.

‘Get off the way Tara and let me shoot dead the idiot at once,’ Henry said in reply. He had entered into the coach at the time Rex had the upper hand and he had felt so mad watching him deal blows on Tarasha’s face.

‘Leave that for me, go look for Elvis Richards,’ Tarasha replied, changing her stand to a position she could clearly see Rex and Henry easily. Rex still had his hand raised up in the air and was moving back very slowly.

‘Elvis Richards is not on this train, he’s gotten out.’ Henry argued.

‘He’s on the train, he has been disguised remember.’ Tarasha retorted.

‘No Tara, he got off the train when it stopped the other time. He’s made some calls in a different location from the train, I monitored it with my app.’

The look on Tarasha’s eyes changed, she flashed a quick glance at Rex and met a smirk on his face. She looked at Henry again.

‘You’ve got to get out now also…’ Henry stopped to fire a quick shot as he saw Rex trying to escape but missed largely. Rex had gotten out through the back door already.

‘Hey Tara, there’s an attack at the base,’ Henry shouted aloud, seeing as Tarasha pulled out a gun and wanted to follow after Rex.

She halted as she got to the door and turned sharply. She gave Henry a sharp look, demanding an explanation.

‘I got a call from Cole some minutes ago, there are no streams from the NSCC cameras in the base area and it seems the location has been gotten by Elvis Richard’s men.’ Henry replied, walking towards Tarasha in quick steps.

‘But I asked Nicholas to move them to a new place already,’ Tarasha replied.

‘I don’t think they moved before they were attacked,’ Henry replied.

Tarasha’s heartbeat increased drastically as she remembered that she left her mother and Chief Gab in the base.

‘I don’t think they moved before they were attacked,’ Henry replied.

Tarasha’s heartbeat increased drastically as she remembered that she left her mother and Chief Gab at the base.

‘And you think something could have happened to them?’ she spoke up again after a moment of looking lost in her standing position.

‘I don’t know, it’s why we’ve got to leave this train right away, before it gets late.’ Henry replied.

Tarasha sniffed in and shook her head, she decided to believe that nothing had happened back at the base. The only way something could have happened was if someone (either Cole or Victor) had given out the team. But it wasn’t time to ask any more questions.

‘Let’s get out of here,’ she said to Henry and raised up her gun as she walked in the same direction taken by Rex. She stopped at the entrance and looked left and right to ensure that Rex wasn’t lurking around somewhere.

‘How do we get out of this location?’ Henry asked as he looked out of the train. They were in a village where they saw no car or bikes to snatch.

‘This village has got to have a link to the main road, we’d get there first and get a car to leave.’ Tarasha replied him.

Henry’s eyes widened. ‘We need to get off quickly, the police would try to come here through the main route.’

___

Elvis Richards still sitting in his disguised form at the backseat of the vehicle, did not know where the vehicle was headed for but remained mute and untroubled. The only thing he knew about the menAll that kept him going in the vehicle without complaining was his trust that Rex had a good plan.

He was dozing off when his phone rang and disturbed his sleep, he picked it up and was surprised to see who the caller was. It was Rex. He felt some joy inside him. Rex had told him that he was not going to call or speak to him until after he made sure Tarasha was dead.

‘Hey Rex, I’m sure you’ve finally killed her.’

‘No man, d@mn it. Your calls are being monitored, they’re tracking us and getting all of our moves through your phone call. It’s dragging us back.’

‘But how is that possible?’ Elvis Richards asked.

‘I’m sure they built an app that has the capacity to grab your voice and that of your callers and store them. They can’t grab mine because of the security locks on my network.’

‘That’s strange,’ Elvis Richards heaved a sigh. ‘But is Samantha Osman dead?’

‘She isn’t dead,’ he replied, mentioning his words slowly. ‘She’s got some company and she’s tough. It’ll take me a lot more time to kill her without the right weapons and you’d be caught if I take all that time here, you’re already being tracked by someone else in her team.’

‘So what do I do?’ Elvis Richards sounded somewhat disappointed.

‘Right after this call, turn off your phone and throw it out through the window.’

‘Huh?’

‘Yeah, do as I say, else you’d get located and killed before I get there.’ he emphasized strongly.

Elvis Richards heaved a sigh of frustration.

‘Get it done immediately man, I’ve got to apply some first aid to my injuries and I’ll join you there as soon as I can.’

Specialist Hospital, Lagos.

‘My last wish is to see that man dead, once and for all.’ the Chief said in a shaky voice in the hospital bed.

Three other men were in the hospital ward with him, one sitting on a chair and the two others standing at different positions. The man had been transferred that morning to the specialist Hospital from Abuja. Known to be an healthy old man before, his health status had suddenly changed weeks ago and had continued to deteriorate after he heard the death of his kids.

‘I think I can give your men all the details they need to bring her down in two days, it now depends on them,’ the man sitting said.

The old Chief turned his head towards Eric, as if to ask if he could trust them to deliver this time around.

‘What details do you have for us?’ Eric asked the NIS chairman.

‘Elvis Richards doesn’t know I work for Chief, he contacted me early yesterday and asked me to provide him men who could keep top secrets information, I provided him twelve of them and I believe he wants them to work with the Assassin he hired.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 1A
‘So how does that help us?’

‘It can help you if you have knowledge about XXS Security numbers, Victoria can assist you on it, you’d be able to track my men and get their locations.’

Carl and Eric stared at each other for a second, trying to get the logic behind the man’s offer.

‘The XXS Security System is what you use to track your men?’ Eric asked.

‘Yes,’ the chairman replied.

‘So you think it’ll lead us to Samantha Osman since she’s tracking them closely?’ Carl put in.

‘Yeah, since Samantha Osman is tracking and following their moves, you would run into her if you also follow their moves and you’ll also get Elvis Richards killed that way.’

‘I’m not concerned about having Samantha Osman dead anymore, I’m an old dying man and my life can’t get any worse, there’s nothing she can do to me. I only want Elvis Richards dead now and I beg you,’ Chief Afeez paused and looked at the NIS Chairman directly. ‘I beg you to work with them directly.’

Carl and Eric glanced at each other again. What their employer now wanted was the life of Elvis Richards only, but they saw it as a good record to make to be the assassins that brought down the notorious Samantha Osman. Right in their minds, they decided to take it as their personal challenge which they would accomplish together with the one they were being paid for.

____

The train having been stopped for over thirty minutes, had most of the passengers already weary of waiting and being forced to stay indoor. All the doors had been locked five minutes after the train stopped and it was announced that nobody was allowed to get off the train. The passengers wondered why they were stuck in the unknown village and what was really happening. A few of them had found out from the train driver that it was an order sent from the train station. He had also told them that the cause for the first stop was to check some parts of the train which seemed not to be working well.

Dakolo and Dave were able to get to the train before the arrival of the police. The track was inaccessible by vehicles, so they had to park their vehicle some distance away from the place and run to the train.

‘Police Inspector Dakolo here, please open up.’ Dakolo shouted as he banged the door of the train. He raised up his Identity card and soon train guard opened and allowed him in. Dave followed afterwards.

‘Are you sure nobody has gone off this train according to the instructions?’ Dakolo asked the train guard.

‘I’m not sure, I haven’t seen any but some of the passengers claimed that there were three people, a lady and a man in a fist battle and another gunman who was with the lady. We can’t find them anywhere on the train, some claimed to see them leave.’

‘Is there any other thing that has happened here?’ Dave asked the man.

‘Yes, it started in one of the toilets and then spread to the VIP section, there are some dead bodies there.’

‘Can you take me to that toilet first?’ Dave asked.

Dakolo looked up, wondering why Dave was taking the lead while he was there but Dave didn’t look concerned, he followed immediately as the train guard led them. They soon got to the toilet and found the dead body of the first man laying by the side of the water closet.

‘This was the first dead body we discovered before calling the police, some eyewitnesses said a lady killed him.’ the train guard explained.

‘Can I see one of the eyewitnesses?’ Dave asked.

The train guard stepped out to call on an eyewitness. Dave took a moment to look at the dead body properly, he took out his protection gloves and put them on before bending to check some things on the body of the dead man.

He picked out a card from the chest pocket of the man and raised it up. He recognized the card, it was the property of the SSS and particularly owned by a NIS agent.

‘This is an identity card for the SSS agency, I’m not sure which of their subsection this is,’ Dakolo said as he observed the identity card with Dave.

‘This man is a secret agent,’ Dave said. ‘He works in the NIS.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 6
Dakolo flashed a quick look at him, wondering how he knew the details about the man’s job in the SSS, he came up with the assumption that it was due to his job as an investigative journalist.

So many thoughts ran through Dave’s mind but he decided to believe that the man on the floor was an agent of the NIS who was in the team in charge of the Samantha Osman’s case or Elvis Richards case.

The train guard returned with an eyewitness but Dave was no longer interested in talking to the eyewitness, he was more interested in the NIS Identity card. He turned to Inspector Dakolo, ‘Please Inspector, find out what he knows.’

He stepped out into the coach and took out his phone. He opened the contact and searched out Lizzy’s number. He had not called her for a long time, but he really needed her help at that moment. He dialed the number and placed it on speaker phone as it began to ring.

‘Hello, who’s on the line?’

Dave had a strange feeling on hearing her voice again. He drew in a deep breath before taking it off loud speaker and placing it close to his ear.

‘Lizzy, it’s Dave. Where are you?’

‘Dave? Dave James?’ she asked in a surprise tone.

‘Yes, Dave James.’ he replied.

There was silence for close to one minute and Dave was the next to speak again.

‘Lizzy, where are you? I need your help right now,’ Dave said.

‘I’m in Abuja at the office, what can I do for you?’ her voice sounded calm, Dave could sense the feeling of guilt in the voice.

‘I have the identity card of a NIS agent here, he was found dead. I want you to check what assignment he was on,’ Dave replied.

‘Please send me his tag number,’ she replied.

‘It’s 5684TGY, his name is Balogun Enoch,’ Dave answered.

‘Okay, I’ll check and get back to you as soon as possible, please call out his tag number again.’

Dave called out the tag number a second time before ending the call. He turned to join Dakolo and the train guard but they were already coming towards him.

‘The same woman who killed the man in the toilet is responsible for killing the other people on the VIP coach and was the same caught fighting with another man,’ Dakolo said to James as he proceeded forward with the train guard leading him. They walked past James and continued walking.

‘Where are we headed for?’ Dave asked, following them slowly.

‘We’re going to the VIP section,’ Dakolo answered him.

Dave increased his steps and joined them, he could see the eyes of the seated passengers looking at them.

10 minutes later

They were in the room where the fight between Tarasha and the four men took place. Dave was checking the bodies of the dead men, he had found two other men with NIS Identity cards. He was now checking another dead body which wasn’t of a NIS agent. Immediately, he turned over the body, he recognized him as Stainless.

‘I thought this guy should be behind bars, he’s been wanted for a long time and caught some weeks ago.’ Dave said aloud.

Dakolo moved closer to see the face of the person he was talking about. ‘Who’s he?’

‘One of the thugs that were caught few weeks ago after the raid of the police at Samantha Osman’s residence.’ Dave replied. ‘He has previously been accused of many other crimes.’

‘He must have been released by special order,’ Dakolo put in.

Dave got up and was about to move to the next dead body when his phone rang. He took it out and answered it.

‘Lizzy,’ he said into the mouthpiece.

‘Dave, the task and case for that guy is not specified in the records, but the records shows that he and fourteen other men were mobilized for an unspecific task by the Chairman.

‘So how do we know what they were mobilized for?’

‘We can only know if we ask the Chairman himself, I’m very sure it’s not an official assignment.’ Lizzy replied.

‘Thank you Lizzy, I’ll call you later to talk more.’

‘Wait Dave, where have you been?’ Lizzy asked.

Dave had a strange feeling at the sound of her voice. He shook his head gently before clicking the red button.

‘Is there a problem?’ Dakolo asked, after noticing he was absent minded.

‘There’s no problem,’ Dave answered. He dipped his phone into his pocket and took out another device to take pictures.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 20 Part 4
‘Dave, we have to get out of here now. The police are almost here,’ Dakolo whispered to Dave.

‘The police?’ Dave stared at him, wondering what kind of stupid talk he just made, then he remembered that Dakolo wasn’t the officer in charge of the case and was even on suspension.

‘Dave, we’ve gotta step away, they’re approaching already.’ Dakolo said and then held Dave gently by the arm.

‘We’re not done yet,’ Dave protested. He walked away from the man and went to the next lifeless body.

‘What else do you want to do? You’re doing more than your job already, checking the bodies of the victims is a job for the police.’ Dakolo complained in a strict tone.

Dave looked up, he could sense from the police man’s tone that the man was already getting angry. Dave got up and pulled out a rectangular nylon packet from his back pocket. He opened the packet and pulled out the content.

‘Have this Inspector, you can hide your face with it.’ Dave said as he handed one of the three materials in the pack. He took out one for himself and wrapped the other one into the packet.

Dakolo unwrapped the material quickly and discovered that it was a NIS face mask. He flashed a quick look at Dave and found Dave already putting on the face mask.

He felt a sudden cold rush through his whole body and wondered why he had never thought that Dave could be a secret Agent. He was speechless and couldn’t make any move until he heard the voices of police officers outside the train.

___

12:14pm

‘Boss, it’s not safe for us to stay here. They might be watching us or might have implanted some things here for us,’ Cole said to Tarasha. He was standing by the driver’s side of the vehicle. Tarasha was standing at the back of the vehicle with her tablet device in her hands while Henry was sitting on a chair at the security stand beside the gate.

‘We need to get some weapons in the store,’ Tarasha said to Cole. She stepped forward and opened the front door of the car, she dropped her device on the seat.

Henry had his earpiece plugged in his ears, his device on his hands and his new application running on it. He had not been able to track Elvis Richards neither was he still getting any of the calls recorded, he knew Rex must have done something to stop his app from fetching the necessary details.

He took off his earpiece from his ears and was about to get up from his seat when a text message entered his phone.

‘Your mother is still alive, you have the opportunity to take her with you today.’ the message read.

He clicked on the reply button. ‘How do I take her home?’

‘I’ll send you the address and you meet us there by two o’clock, okay?’

‘Yes, send the address, I’ll get there as soon as possible but you would have to send me a proof that she’s with you.’

‘What kind of proof do you want?’ the reply came in.

‘Take some pictures with her, first with your two hands held together behind you, the second with you carrying a chair and the third with you holding a shoe.’

‘Cool, will be done in a minute.’

10 minutes later.

‘It’s time to go, Henry,’ Tarasha called out to him as she and Cole returned from the building to the vehicle holding some sets of weapons. Tarasha turned to Cole, ‘We’d need to an extra car, call Matthew and Tomi to meet us now.’

‘Where are we going to?’ Henry asked, now walking towards them.

‘We need to get back Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab,’ Tarasha replied him.

Henry stopped some distance away from them and shook his head. ‘I have some other important matters to handle.’

His words met Tarasha as a shock and she looked up quickly. She saw him already turned back and walking away.

‘Henry,’ she called his name. He gave no response but continued walking on.

Tarasha stared thinly at him, hoping he didn’t mean his response to her. Since the base had been discovered that morning, she knew she could no longer trust even her team members. The only person she thought she could trust was Henry, and now Henry was sounding like one no longer interested to work with her.

‘Henry, what the hell is wrong with you? This is no time for jokes you know,’ Henry heard Tara talking to him as he arranged his devices and his gun into the backpack he left at the security stand. He flashed a look back and saw her walking towards him. She stopped before the pavement and placed her hands on her waist.

He finished in some seconds and hung the bag. He turned to look at Tarasha’s face, ‘Sorry I can’t come with you, I have to go get my mother now.’

‘Your mother? I thought we’ve talked about that before,’ Tarasha replied. ‘We need to get everything settled first before the environment can be safe for your mother.’

‘d@mn you Tara, stop acting like you care and you’re going to help me when we’re done with your mission, all you know how to do is use people, ‘ Henry replied, sounding angry.

Tarasha stared at him speechless, wondering what had come over Henry and where he had gotten his idea from. She could see the fury on his face and sense the anger in the voice. She watched as he stepped down from the security stand and proceeded to the gate.

‘Henry,’ she called as he touched the handle. He stopped but did not look back. ‘What’s this about?’

He turned his face sideway and caught a glimpse of her. His anger grew as he wondered how she could be asking him what it was about when she knew it all. It made him now convinced in his heart that the man who contacted him was right about his claim that Tara knew all about his mother’s plights and was only hiding it from him to make sure he remains in the right condition for her to keep using him as part of her team.

He had felt something more hurtful than disappointment when he found out that Tarasha and Cole had deceived and continually lied to him. The hurtful part was that he had asked Tarasha more than once but she kept on with her deceit. He discovered all about the lies and deceits on the same day he introduced his newly designed app to her

Flashback ~~ Few days ago

Henry closed the running process on the application and returned to the dashboard. He saw a new notification, the app had been able to fetch some of the NSCC footages he requested for. He downloaded the footages into a folder.

He heaved a sigh of relief and rested his back while he waited for the footages he requested for to be completely downloaded. He had an inner feeling of joy knowing that he had created an app which will go a long way in helping the team succeed. He never knew that the same app will make him regret being a part of the team.

The footages downloaded completely after a minute and he opened a random one. The look on his face slowly changed into a confused look as he saw himself on a road in Abuja which he recognized well, with two other unknown men. He blinked his eyes and released a breath. Then he picked his phone and quickly opened his inbox. He paused the video as he began to check through the past messages. He located the text conversation with one of the several numbers he had blocked. He scrolled to the middle of the conversation and located the message he was looking for. In the message, the sender claimed that he and a partner had once met with Henry in a particular location in Abuja but Henry remembered nothing as at the time of first reading the message.

He scrolled down to read his reply to the message.

‘Nothing of such ever happened, I never met someone like you and I wasn’t in Abuja at that time,’ he had replied.

He scrolled again to see the sender’s reply.

‘Would you just answer my call and allow me remind you properly, I’m sure Samantha Osman has done something to make you forget totally. I can help you remember if you want.’

Henry gave no more reply. Two other messages followed after that in the conversation until he blocked the number and the sender began to contact him with another number. The cycle continued with the numbers until Henry finally made up his mind to find out what happened during the few days he was in coma.

PRESENT

Now, Henry was standing fully aware of Tarasha’s deception. Even though he planned not to take a drastic step that’ll make her fight against him, he also wasn’t ready to miss the opportunity to get his mother back to safety. He had confirmed with the information sent to him from the unknown person that she was no longer in the hands of the security officials but some individuals who had taken her after her release.

He still saw her standing behind him and he knew she could become dangerous to him from that moment, his mind was however made up to d@mn wh@tëver consequence could result from his action.

‘I wish you success Tara,’ Henry said before he opened the gate and stepped out.

Tarasha was perplexed. She didn’t know whether to go after him or just return to the car and continue the mission without him.

‘Boss, what’s wrong with him?’ she could hear Cole’s voice behind.

She turned and proceeded back to the car. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with him but we have to go anyway.’

‘Go without him?’ Cole questioned. ‘Leaving him roaming about by himself could cause troubles for us.’

Tarasha stopped as she got to the passenger’s side entrance and turned her head slowly to Cole. Cole was right, apart from reducing the strength of the team, Henry going in a different way from them also posed serious risks to them.

‘I think he found out something we don’t know or he’s been deceived by some of those men who reached him secretly, I told him to cut them off totally,’ she said, staring blankly into thin air. She gave him a quick look as she opened the door, ‘Let’s get out of here.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 13B
Cole turned to the driver’s side and entered into the vehicle.

They got out of the compound and soon located Henry by the side of the road still trying to get a cab. He stopped a cab and bent over to talk to the driver but the driver zoomed off, it appeared he wasn’t interested in going towards Henry’s destination.

Cole drove towards him and stopped by his side. ‘Henry, get into the car and let’s talk about this.’ Tarasha said to him.

Henry stepped back from the road pavement, increasing the distance between his body and the car. ‘It’s no longer time to talk Tara, you lied to me when we had the time to talk.’

Tarasha was quiet for a moment. She felt anger building inside her but she tried as much as she could to resist it. She could have done something else if it was someone else giving her such problems and not Henry.

She opened the door and stepped out of the car. ‘Henry, we already agreed to go for your mother after we get things settled, why are you impatient?’

‘d@mn you Tara, why should we leave my mother’s safety until the end of your mission?’ Henry replied. ‘It shows who you really are, selfish, only concerned about your mission.’

Tarasha looked around briefly to check if they weren’t already attracting the attention of other road users.

She tried to step closer to him but stopped as he pulled out a gun and pointed at her.

‘Hey! Relax, it has not gotten up to this, we’re on the road you know.’

‘To hell with you, I won’t let you come so close to me anymore. You’re not going to have the opportunity to drug me like you did the other time.’

Tarasha was confused by his words but she couldn’t ask any questions yet as she didn’t want to cause more attention from passersby. She got back into the car and ordered Cole to drive on.

Henry stepped back to the road pavement, hiding his gun behind him. He waved down the next cab and got into the front seat without first negotiating with the driver.

‘Where are you going to?’ the cab driver asked.

‘Get out of the car,’ Henry replied with his gun pointed at the man.

The terrified man quickly took off his seatbelt and stepped out of the car.

‘I think he’s gone crazy again,’ Cole who didn’t hear the conversation between Henry and Tarasha commented as he drove on. He had only seen Henry point the gun at her and made his conclusion.

‘I’ve never seen him like that,’ Tarasha said as she pulled out a device from the bag at the backseat. Henry’s words troubled her greatly and she wasn’t sure that she could leave him to continue with her mission. The rage she saw in his eyes was one that would lead him into trouble and probably his death if left alone.

She opened the NSCC application on the device.

‘I have seen him gone mad like that once, when we went to Abuja together.’ Cole spoke again.

Tarasha flashed a quick look at Cole, she now perfectly understood why Henry was acting the way he was. She pulled out another phone and dialed Tomi’s number. ‘Hey Tomi! You’ve got to hold on for a while, wait till I give further instructions before you come.’

‘Boss?’ Cole glanced quickly at her. ‘You said we have to execute this immediately, are we holding on because of Henry?’

Tarasha did not reply him immediately. The NSCC application had completed the command issued. She could see Henry ok the footage as he got into the cab and sent the driver out. She glanced out at the side mirror to see if she could locate the cab behind but there were other taxis and she couldn’t spot his.

‘It’s dangerous to leave Henry to himself, I think he found out already what happened in Abuja and how he was drugged to lose his memory. He feels betrayed that I lied to him,’ Tarasha said to Cole. She remembered how Henry had asked her several times what really lead to his coma and she kept on repeating the same lie to stop him from probing further. She had however made the mistake of thinking he’d not discover the truth and not planning for when he would, not considering the fact that Henry had a brain for technology and that it was possible for him pull out the already deleted footages.

‘Boss, don’t you think we should just do something to make him silent like we did the last time?’ Cole suggested.

‘We can’t do that now because we don’t know how long he’s known the truth for and what data he has given to the enemy. He’s lost his trust in us and we would only make things worst if we go the forceful way.’

‘So what do we do?’ Cole asked, he had reduced the speed of his driving and was moving to the slow lane.

‘Maybe we have to split, you’d keep tracking and following them,’ Tarasha replied.

‘How do I track them?’ Cole asked.

She picked up the backpack from the backseat of the car and took out another device. She placed her former device on top and navigated to the tracking app.

‘There’s a chip attached to Chief Gab’s handcuff, I’m tracking with this app and it shows they’re still on motion.’ she explained.

‘I think I got to pull over to get the instructions perfectly,’ Cole said as he put on the traffic indicator. ‘But I really don’t think you should allow Henry disturb this.’

Tarasha took in breath. Cole was right and was talking like an assassin. Henry’s stubbornness should have got him dead instead of sympathy.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 17 Part 11
___

1:30pm

‘Henry E.G is coming to us,’ Carl said as he walked into the dark room.

‘Great move,’ Eric replied him as he sipped from his glass of wine. He was standing behind the NIS Chairman who was sitting behind a large screen desktop, running a NIS secret software and seeing the locations of his men. ‘We just got the locations of the NIS men, they’re still in motion but we have a clue of where they’re headed for.’

‘When is Henry E.G coming here?’ the NIS chairman spoke.

‘He should be here in a matter of minutes, he agreed to come here by two o’clock.’ Carl replied. He picked a pen from a pocket hung on the wall and proceeded further in, Victoria walked in after him through the entrance.

‘I would not like him to see me here,’ the NIS chairman added.

‘You have nothing to worry about sir, he’s not getting out here alive, so he wouldn’t have the opportunity to talk about wh@tëver he sees here.’ Eric said to him.

‘Is he coming alone?’ the NIS chairman asked.

‘We don’t know yet, but we have enough men in this facility to take care of him,’ Carl replied.

‘How many men do you have here?’

‘About fifteen of them, Victoria would be here to lead them while we go after Samantha and Elvis Richards.’

‘And what if he comes here with Samantha Osman?’ the NIS chairman looked doubtful.

‘She wouldn’t come here, she has Elvis Richards to attend to. No assassin leaves a serious work to attend to a team mate’s personal matter,’ Carl replied him and then turned to Eric. ‘Henry has his location open now, we can track him.’

Eric flashed a look at Carl, then pulled a chair close to the Chairman. He minimized the software running on the screen and opened a tracking app.

‘Where did you get such number of men from?’ the NIS chairman asked as he shifted away to give Eric enough space to use the computer.

‘We have a supply of about thirty men in total, we made contact with severals gangs in the country and they supplied us with men.’ Carl replied.

‘So if we have fifteen men staying back, where would the others be?’

‘The rest of them are coming with us to get Samantha Osman and Rex,’ Carl replied. ‘We want to use them as distractions for the two assassins.’

‘I think you guys got a good plan, just make sure you keep secret things secret. And keep your communicators on, so that you keep getting my data from me.’

There was silence for over five minutes.

‘I got Henry E.G’s location, he’s still stuck in traffic somewhere but he should make it here by two o’clock.’ Eric broke the silence.

‘And we should be out of here in five minutes time, the boys would arrive in two minutes.’ Carl said to Eric.

Eric got up and turned to Carl. ‘Can Victoria handle Henry E.G?’ he said before flashing a glance at her. She was sitting at the corner of the room and working with her device.

‘I explained all that she needs to know already, we’ve planned for this before today, so she would have no problem handling him.’ Carl replied with boldness, staring at her face. Eric also stared at her face and she stared back at him confidently.

There was a beep on Carl’s phone, he turned the screen up to check and then flashed a look at Eric. ‘We gotta go.’

2:13PM

Henry picked up his phone again and checked the address in the message sent to him. The map confirmed that he was in the right street and the number at the gate of the building also confirmed he had seen the right building.

He picked his backpack from the passenger’s seat and poured out some of the content to the chair. He had a couple of instruments he had brought with him. On the seat was a wristwatch, two electronic wristbands, two collar chips; a metal detector and the other a camera. He also had two pistols and five cartridges, a tablet device and a waist pouch.

He took off his seatbelt and turned off the car engine. He unzipped his jacket and put the two guns into the inner pockets. He put the cartridges into the waist pouch and fastened it across his shoulder. He then put on the wristbands on his right hand and the wristwatch on the left. He also arranged the chips at the appropriate places.

He returned the remaining tools into the backpack and placed it orderly on the passenger’s seat before he stepped out of the car.

The gate opened just as he raised his fist to knock.

‘Henry E.G?’ a dark tall man with dreadlocks asked him with a crooked smile.

‘Yes, Henry E.G.’ he replied.

‘Please come in,’ the man replied and gave him space to walk in.

Henry stepped in gently, he heard the gate being locked behind him. He looked around the building quickly. Then he took out his phone and dialed the number which had been giving him directions.

‘Please come in Henry E.G,’ the voice said from the other end before he could say anything.

‘Where’s my mother?’ he asked softly, scrutinizing the front view of the building with his eyes. He tried locating all the doors and windows and tried to observe the materials they were made of. He took notice of about five men apart from the one who opened the gate, hanging at different spots around the compound.

‘She’s in here, I have a deal for you. I told you I can’t let her go until you agree to my terms.’ the voice at the other end of the call replied.

‘What are your terms?’

‘We can’t discuss on phone, you should come in for a proper discussion.’

‘I can’t trust you,’ Henry replied.

‘You can trust me if you’re in my premises already without being hurt, what more will it take you to come in for a deal discussion?’

Henry was quiet.

‘We could have hurt you a long time ago if we wanted to, you were powerless with us in Abuja, remember now?’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 14 Part 12
Henry did not remember anything but he had seen in the fetched videos that he truly met them. ‘I’m coming in, what way do I take?’

‘Come in straight, the main entrance.’

The room was a dark and cool one. The bulb at the center of the ceiling produced several lights of different colours which only produced aesthetics in the room without brightness. Henry could spot the form of two people in the room at the both sides, a man seated on the left while a lady sitting at the right. He stood at a spot after walking three steps from the entrance.

‘Welcome, Henry E.G.’ the lady began as she got up from her seat. She touched a switch on the wall beside her and a white bulb turned on, brightening up the whole place. Henry looked around the place and noticed immediately that it was designed with sophisticated technology. Fear gripped his heart immediately as he doubted the ability of his devices to work in such an environment, their inbuilt system could be one which makes every other electrical device useless in the building.

He was still wondering when she tapped another switch. The white covering over the left wall split open slowly, revealing a transparent glass wall.

He opened his eyes in shock as the walls opened up completely and revealed another room at the other side. He saw his mother sitting on a chair alone in the room, her wrists at both sides fastened to the chair arms by a strap and her feet fastened the same way. She didn’t look asleep, neither did she look conscious of her environment.

‘Don’t worry, she’s safe and she can’t see anything happening with us here.’ Victoria began to speak, trying to take his attention from his mother back to her. She took a pause and a deep breath, ‘But if it happens that you do not cooperate with us,’ she stopped and cleared her throat, then she turned her face slowly to the left side. Henry also looked in the same direction and this time, he saw a man in the same room with his mother, he had two knives in his hands, both with very sharp blades.

His heart skipped a beat but he maintained his composure, trying not to give the enemy the notion that he was weak.

‘What’s your deal?’

‘Well, before we go to that, I’ll like to show you how foolish you are.’ Victoria said.

Henry stared at her thinly, unmoved by her insult. He watched as she took out a small remote control device and turned back. She clicked a button on it and a screen appeared on the wall behind. Henry saw the man sitting at the left side also turn to watch the screen. Soon, a portrait view of messages appeared on the screen and she began to scroll with the control in her hand.

‘Before we met you, we started a conversation with Samantha Osman about the safety of your mother. We had a deal for her but she never cared to listen to us and made it clear that she doesn’t give a d@mn about you and your mother.’

‘Can you get the hell straight to your deal?’ Henry slammed. He was tired of them showing him how Tara cares for no one else.

‘Hey! Stay cool man, I’m just trying to show you how foolish you have been to stay loyal to Samantha Osman,’ Victoria answered him in a harsh tone. She clicked a button and the screen turned off. The man sitting down behind got up from his seat.

‘Just go straight to your d@mn deal,’ Henry replied angrily.

Victoria bit her lower lip gently and then narrowed her gaze at him, she seemed not to be in a hurry and was purposely trying to get him angry with her sluggishness. ‘We’ve got our men already following Samantha Osman and we know she’s going after Elvis Richards, but even though our men are after her, we’re quite sure she is not easy to kill.’ She paused and let out an evil smile. ‘We need you to help us kill Samantha Osman.’

There was a long silence. Henry heart was beating so fast. He knew he was impossible for him to help them kill Tarasha even though he was angry with her for knowing about the danger surrounding his mother without making a move.

‘I can’t do that,’ he said.

Victoria cleared her throat and looked leftwards. Henry also looked leftwards and saw the man with the knives approaching his mother. At that moment his mother looked up and he could see the terror and fear of death on her face as she shivered all over.

He took out his gun immediately and fired two quick shots towards the man with the knives but the bullets only hit the glass walls and bounced back. The man with the knives seemed to have felt the impact of the bullets and he looked back, but it was only brief, he turned back towards Henry’s mother.

Henry turned to see Victoria and the man already holding their guns up and pointing at him. He looked left again and saw the man with the knife holding his mother’s head and tilting it backwards to allow him access her neck well.

‘I would help you,’ Henry finally voiced out with a deep release of breath. He closed his eyes as tears formed in them. He had to make a choice now, a choice between Tara who never cared and his mother who cared for him from babyhood.

‘Stop,’ Victoria said and the man with the knife stopped immediately. It was then Henry noticed the mouthpiece attached to one of the buttons on her shirt.

‘You would not just help us, you would help us kill her.’ Victoria said, stressing the word ‘kill’.

‘Yes, I would help you kill her but I have to make sure that my mother is safe and would be safe after.’

Location: International Airport, Lagos.
Time: 3:43pm

‘Over here,’ Dave waved to Lizzy who was pulling a box along with her. She had just arrived from Abuja after Dave pleaded for her help in Lagos.

Dave stepped out of the car to help her with her box. He opened the door to the backseat for her to enter and then put the box in the boot before getting back into the car.

‘Lizzy, thanks so much for coming.’ he appreciated as he got back into the driver’s side.

‘Okay Dave, you’ve still not told me where you’ve been all this while.’ Lizzy replied.

‘I’ll tell you Lizzy,’ Dave replied as he pulled on his seatbelt, he took a glance back at her with a smiling face.

‘I’ve asked you that question several times also, you never answered me.’ Dakolo who was sitting beside him at the front put in.

‘Oh! Pardon my manners, I’m yet to introduce you two to each other. Lizzy, this is Inspector Dakolo, popular police agent. Inspector, please meet Lizzy my favorite partner. We’d all be working together for this assignment.’

Dakolo turned to look at Lizzy, he forced on a smile. ‘Nice to meet you Agent Lizzy,’ he said and stretched out his palm for a handshake.

‘My pleasure sir, ‘ she took his hand without smiling.

There was silence for half a minute.

‘You’re yet to answer my question Dave,’ Lizzy spoke up.

‘I would,’ Dave replied, still having a broad smile on. He looked into the rearview mirror and his eyes met with Lizzy’s. ‘First, I got to apologise to you for disappearing for so long without any word and not contacting you immediately I got back. Inspector Dakolo, you were the first person I contacted after getting back myself after I was changed to another person.’

Lizzy was quiet. Dave stopped talking as they got close to the gate. He got cleared by the airport gate officials and then drove out.

‘I was captured by Samantha Osman,’ Dave continued. He paused to see the expression on their faces. ‘But she did not kill me, I don’t know if she was just nice or if I was lucky to have someone working in her team which I knew.’

‘She let you go just like that?’ Inspector Dakolo cut in.

‘Yeah,’ he replied and giggled as he saw the shocked look on Dakolo’s face.

‘That’s doesn’t make sense, it’s unbelievable. I don’t believe she can leave you alive after having the chance to kill you talk more of releasing without hurting you.’

‘Yeah, she’s not that stupid. She tried to wipe off my memory but somebody else helped me.’

Dakolo released a deep breath with an exclamation, he seemed thoroughly confused. ‘So she knew you were an agent after her life and she still kept you alive? Sounds unlike Samantha Osman, she doesn’t leave any trace.’

‘Yeah, true. She doesn’t leave any trace but she’s not that cruel as we all think she is, she doesn’t kill when she has an option to show mercy.’

Dakolo looked more confused. Dave’s words seemed to be making it more difficult to comprehend.

‘So who’s that person who helped you?’ Lizzy asked.

Dave glanced at her with a smile. ‘Well, I don’t need to answer that, she’d join us soon. She has some work to do with us.’

There was a minute silence.

‘Have you checked again if their location have changed?’ Lizzy asked.

‘The NIS men? No, I haven’t checked again but I believe they would still remain in Solace Hotel.’

‘Then what’s your plan?’

‘We are going there but I don’t think we have to be patient because we don’t have the manpower to handle her,’ Dave said.

‘We can get the police to do it, we don’t have to spearhead it ourselves.’ Dakolo put in.

‘The police would fail woefully like they’ve always done,’ Dave replied him blankly. ‘Samantha Osman is a crazy assassin with a crazy team but there’s just more than Samantha Osman there, we have about ten trained SSS men working against Samantha Osman, so any other team either us or the police will be going against the two teams.’

Dakolo heaved a sigh of frustration. The case was more complicated that he was seeing it. He understood why it was really a job for the SSS.

‘What’s your plan Dave? Just being patient?’ Lizzy questioned.

‘Yes, we’d be patient and watch them to against each other. Let Samantha Osman’s team go against Elvis Richards team while we watch, ‘ he explained. He stopped and glanced as he heard sounds of disagreement grunts from Dakolo, the Inspector seemed not to agree with him. ‘We don’t have a choice, we can’t stop them even if we try to.’ he said in a strong tone.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 21 Part 7
He remained silent for about thirty seconds before he spoke again.

‘We have to watch them fight, we’d come in when their strengths have reduced, but if Samantha Osman team dominates the fight, we’d watch for a possible escape of the Elvis Richards team members. If any of their key members tries to escape after defeat and escapes successfully, that key member will lead us straight to Elvis Richards, that would make things easier for us. However, any team who wins gives us an advantage.’

Dakolo heaved another sigh. ‘I really do hope you’re right.’

‘I believe it will,’ Dave replied with smiles. He seemed to be confident that his plan was going to work. He took a glance at Lizzy. ‘Thanks again Lizzy for coming, I really can’t trust anyone else in the agency.’

Lizzy let out a forced smile. She felt guilty knowing that she had betrayed his trust. She wondered how he would feel when he finds out that she had once worked with the enemy because she was mad at him.

Dave moved to the slow lane on the road as he continued to drive slowly. He took out his phone and dialed a number.

‘Move to the restroom for ladies, stay at the first toilet, I’m sending someone to meet you there now.’ he said into the phone and thereafter glanced at Lizzy. He put the phone down. ‘Lizzy, please we’d stop at a shopping mall. Stephanie George would be waiting for you in the first toilet at the ladies restroom. There are policemen monitoring her, we need to get her disguised to take her with us without being followed.’

‘Okay,’ she responded calmly. A little bit of anger rose in her heart but she resisted it. Dave was asking her to go pick the same person who was the reason for which she worked with the enemy. Before she knew it, he had picked a makeup kit bag from Dakolo and handed it to her. She stared at the kit bag and let out a breath.of fresh The only reason she was going to honour that request was the weight of the mission and the knowledge of Dave having fall into the hands of Samantha before.

Soon Dave stopped the car in front of the restaurant and Lizzy went into the place.

For the first two minutes, the men sat in the motionless car silently until Dakolo voiced out question in his heart.

‘Agent Dave, apart from being a top undercover agent, what other things do I need to know about you?’

Dave squinted at him. ‘Other things like?’

‘Your real name? Real mission? Wh@tëver. I believe I’m yet to meet the real you but since you’ve revealed your identity to me and made me your friend, I can ask for more about you.’

Dave smiled. ‘You’d know me well enough,’ he said and then licked his lips gently. His smile slowly diminished and a sad look dominated his face, he rested his back slowly and closed his eyes. ‘I’m yet to know the real me.’

‘Is there any problem?’ Dakolo asked.

Dave didn’t respond, he was lost in thoughts already.

‘Agent Dave,’ Dakolo called again.

‘Yeah, sorry,’ he jerked up. ‘I was thinking already.’

‘What are you thinking about?’

‘Elvis Richards, I’m wondering how and why he chose to use the Solace Hotel. It’s a well secured hotel and the management would willingly give him out to the police if contacted.’

Dakolo’s eyes shone widely, he had never thought about that. ‘Then we should do that right away, I mean contact the police and the management of the hotel.’

‘We’d mess things up that way,’ Dave warned. ‘Remember that Elvis Richards gets information from the police and then, there must be something which makes him think Solace Hotel is a safe Haven for him which we don’t know, we have to stick to our plan.’

___

Location: Solace Hotel, Lagos.
Time: 5:33pm

‘Are you sure you ain’t playing any stupid games with us, it’s past an hour you got here and you still haven’t been able to reach Samantha,’ Eric let out his impatience finally. He had his eyes looking straight at Carl even though he was talking to Henry.

Taking directions from the NIS chairman, they had tracked the Elvis Richards team up to the Solace Hotel but were unable to get to the exact point in the hotel where they were. The NIS chairman through the same medium with which he sent directions had told them he was unable to locate the men inside the walls of the hotel. The hotel had forty floors and it would cause some confusion if Carl and Eric’s team decided to check each floor. So they booked an apartment with three bedrooms and a big living room. Sixteen of them in total had gotten into the apartment before Victoria joined them with Henry and two other men while the rest of the team were around the area.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 3
Henry was sitting on a couch in the living room, directly facing Carl on the opposite seat while Victoria was sitting on the sofa beside his. Eric was sitting at the dining area working on his laptop while the other men were around, in the different rooms waiting for further instructions. Instead of searching through every floor, rooms and apartments, Eric and Carl had decided it’ll be a better option to wait until Henry got in touch with Samantha Osman who would possibly know the specific part of the hotel where the embattled Vice President was.

‘She’s not answering her calls,’ Henry replied Eric after dialing Tarasha’s number again. He had placed it on loud speaker to make it the call response clear to all of them. ‘She might be busy and when she is, she only communicates with Talkon devices which I don’t have with me here.’

‘F*** you! Is there no other way you can reach her?’ Eric asked angrily as he got up from his seat and approached the sitting area.

‘You told me not to call anyone else,’ Henry replied her. He seemed confident and unruffled by Eric’s harsh manner of talking.

‘I think you should call someone else now,’ Carl spoke up. He adjusted himself on his seat and placed his pistol on his knee.

Henry dialed Cole’s phone number. He placed it on loud speaker and the call was answered after the first ring. He removed from loud speaker before placing it close to his ear.

‘Hello Cole,’ Henry spoke first.

‘Henry, where are you? Have you come back to your senses?’

‘Where’s the boss? I need to speak with her, I need her help to get my mother back,’ Henry replied, ignoring his remarks.

‘She isn’t here, I believe she’s quite busy.’ Cole replied.

‘Where are you?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘I need to join you guys,’ Henry replied. ‘I can’t help my mother on my own, I’ll wait until we finish our work together.’

‘Oh! What brought you back to your senses?’

‘Just answer my question Cole,’ Henry slammed.

‘We’re at Sam Hub.’

‘Sam Hub? Doing what?’

‘Trying to locate the others through Chief Gab, Tarasha’s finding it difficult as they’re in a secure environment.’

‘Okay, is the boss there with you?.’ Henry replied.

‘Yes, she is around here.’

‘Okay, I’m coming to meet you there.’

‘Where exactly are you now?’ Cole asked.

‘You don’t need to know,’ Henry replied.

‘Well, don’t try anything stupid and make sure no one follows you.’ Cole warned.

‘Send me the exact address of where you are or turn on your location so that I can find you.’

‘I’ll send you the address.’

‘Do it quick.’

Henry ended the call and took the phone off his ear. He was looking straight at Carl’s eyes while being sure that every other person’s eyes were on him.

____

‘Henry wants to join us back,’ Cole announced to Tomi and Mr Matthew who were in the car with him. Tomi was sitting beside him at the front while Mr Matthew was sitting at the back.

‘Where did he go before? I thought he was with the boss,’ Tomi asked.

‘No, he left us when we left the base, he went for his own task without her permission.’

‘And he’s coming back now?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why did you tell him the location? You don’t know if the boss wants him back or if he’s gotten into trouble,’ Tomi protested.

‘The boss wants him back, she would have told him the address herself if she was able to answer his calls.’

‘I just hope you did the right thing,’ Tomi said, sounding doubtful.

‘Rest your mind Tomi, I know what Tarasha wants.’

Five minutes later, someone tapped the right side backseat glass gently. They all looked and saw the shape of a lady but didn’t see her face. Cole knew instantly that it was Tarasha, he unlocked the door from his place and she opened and entered after dropping in her backpack first.

‘Welcome boss,’ Tomi greeted on seeing her enter. Mr Matthew also followed her example and mumbled some words of greeting.

Tarasha’s mind was too busy that she did not pay attention to their greeting. She went straight to business, ‘I hope you briefed them both on their duties.’

‘Yes boss,’ Cole answered.

Tarasha took out a small chip and attached to the collar of Mr Matthew. ‘We would leave you in this car, don’t open up for anyone else but Henry.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 1
The man nodded in reply.

‘I’m increasing the receiving signal for your chip, so I’ll get to hear wh@tëver conversation you have with Henry, but you don’t try to tell me anything while he’s listening.’ she continued. She took out an earpiece and gave it to him, ‘You’ve learnt how to use this as part of your training in the last few days, I’ll give you instructions with it.’

The man nodded again. He already knew what to do.

‘We have available three different cars,’ she said, now talking to Tomi and Cole. She passed a bag to Tomi, ‘The device ID is there and the apps are running, you’d feed Cole and I with necessary data as we proceed.’

Tomi nodded in approval.

Tarasha handed car key to her. ‘Check your text message, you’d find the exact location where your car is. It’s five minutes walk from here. We’d start the task by seven o’clock.’

‘Okay boss,’ Tomi took the key and then stepped out of the car with the bag.

Tarasha watched as she walked away. Cole had already briefed her on what she needed to do and was sure she would be able to accomplish it. Tarasha had gone into the solace hotel control room and hacked into their system, getting the API codes for all their security cameras. Tomi’s job was to act as their eyes and direct their movement in the building, especially for the purpose of locating entrances and escape exits. Tarasha had during the days they stayed in the base all day trained all her employees to have basic knowledge in every area of her job, both in the use of guns, technology and maneuvering of roads and routes for escape and that was why it was possible for Tomi to carry out the task.

‘Are we going in different cars too?’ Cole asked.

‘No, the both of us goes together in the third car, that’s where our weapons are.’

‘Okay boss.’

‘I have the codes to their control room already, so your primary mission with me is to work and fight the control room. You’d watch me from there and also make sure Tomi keep getting feeds. You’ll also serve as a backup for her. But majorly, you’d unlock and open doors for me, open escapes for me and close against the enemies. Tomi’s job is to find these access centres while you give me access.’

‘Sounds great boss, but…’Cole voice faded off as he stared at her with some concern.

‘But what?’

‘I think you may need me to be with you instead, boss you’ve worked so much today. You’ve engaged in a fight on the train and another few hours and I know you might have sustained some little injuries. Rex and his men on the other hand are well prepared for today, they must have had some time to rest well and are expecting you. I should be with you to help physically.’

Tarasha knew he was saying the truth but she believed she needed more technological help than physical. Cole was meant to assist her physically from the onset while Henry was supposed to take on the task in the control room but Henry’s absence had caused a big space in the team.

‘I need you more in the control room,’ Tarasha replied him. ‘I discovered that Solace Hotels is owned by Elvis Richards himself and that’s why he’s comfortable there, he would have planned a way of escape in case I come but with you in the control room, you’d be able to lock him in totally and prevent him from leaving.’

Cole heaved a sigh. Her explanation made him understood the importance of his task at the control room and he decided to give it his best.

‘You’d have to be careful boss.’

Tarasha let out a brief smile, ‘I was born and trained for this!’

7:17pm

Rex released the content of the third syringe into his arm finally and flung the syringe away. He walked close to table where there was a mirror behind. He picked up the pistol on the table and held it to as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He could see the reflection of the other men behind him, they were alert and ready for his instructions. Through the mirror reflection, he also noticed a red light blinking from the camera at the left corner of the room. It was a sign that the source of power was either low or something was wrong with the camera.’

‘She’s here,’ he announced aloud.

Location: Solace Hotel, Lagos.
Time: 7:16PM

‘Hello Madam, where are you going to?’ a security man blocked the lady at the landing of the stairs.

She raised her head slowly, she looked drunk. Some part of the hair on her head covered her eyes and she shook her head to take it off.

‘I’m going up there,’ she replied him in a nonchalant tone and tried to go further up.

The man stretched his hand to stop her, he was now very sure that she was drunk.

‘Go to your room, this place is out of bound to non security staffs.’ he said in a warning tone.

She raised her head up and looked above the man’s shoulders. There still remained five step of stairs and a floor area of about one and a half metre to the door. She saw the warning notice on the door which clearly stated that the place was out of bounds to non security staffs.

‘That is my room,’ she said tipsily, pointing a finger at the door.

‘You’re heavily drunk at this time of the night,’ the security man chuckled. He stared at her from head to toe and admired her body even though she was well covered. He wished he could take advantage of her but he was on duty and there was no way he could leave his post.

‘Where is your room?’ He asked. ‘Where’s the tag?’

She took out a card pack and showed it to him.

‘Room 34B, let me show you the way.’ he offered.

She turned back drunkenly and fell back on the man’s body. He held her by the arms to help her from falling.

‘Easy,’ he took the opportunity to wrap his hands around her waist as he took the flight of stairs down.

She stopped moving when she got to the last stair step on the flight.

‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.

‘Nothing,’ she smiled and wriggled her body in a way to suggest that she was enjoying his touch.

Her gesture got him encouraged and he moved his hands close to her Brë@šts.

He started moving his fingers close to her N?pplës when she spoke. ‘Take me to my room please,’ she said in a soft seducing voice.

‘Okay babe,’ he said and moved her down the stairs. He felt she was a slu*t of some kind and his mind was already running wild, he was thinking of a way he could take her to a corner and have a quick one.

He was caught by surprise as he turned behind the wall. A heavy blow landed on his face and he staggered back, almost falling. Tarasha turned and pulled him closer to prevent him from falling in the open space. Cole landed another blow on his face and then dragged him by the collar to the wall. He inserted a pin into the man’s neck and the man went unconscious immediately.

Cole returned five minutes later after completely changing into the man’s uniform. He met Tarasha waiting for him down the staircase.

He stopped in front of Tarasha for her to assess his dressing and the makeup on his face. She cleaned a stain on his forehead and then tapped him on the shoulder to signal that he was good to go.

‘Here is his access card,’ he took out a card and showed to Tarasha.

‘You lead the way,’ Tarasha gestured for him to proceed.

Cole lead the way up the stairs and she followed after him. They got to the door and he opened with the use of the access card. He entered and she followed, hiding behind his figure.

‘You go straight, that door leads into the control room.’ Tarasha whispered to him.

Henry nodded in reply. The place was a large one with full technology tools for security, access control and ease of movement in the facility. There were large screens at both sides. Each screen had a man sitting behind a large flat setup device which had different controls and touch screens in between. The men at both sides had on the same uniform put on by Cole.

They looked up on seeing Cole enter but they would have not noticed that he was an stranger but for the lady following behind without her uniform. Before they could get up to make any attempt to stop them, Tarasha already fired two shots at them, the silencer attached to the gun reducing the sound of the shot.

They continued straight into the control room, Cole swiped his card into the car reader and waited for the door to open. He took out his gun as he walked in.

There was a very large screen right in front which covered almost the whole surface area of the wall. Just like the devices in the previous, a longer one (length of the screen) stood in front of the large screen in the control room. There were four seats with equal spaces between them arranged behind the device. The two seats at both edges were empty while the two at the middle were occupied by people, the one on the left by a woman and the right by a man, both of them were dressed in the same uniform as Cole.

They didn’t bother to turn back to check who entered the control room as they both did not expect that a stranger could get in. The bullets hit them and they fell down from their seats without troubles. Tarasha walked straight to the right side of the room and tapped a button on the device. She typed in a code on the device and a prompt showed on the screen in front requesting for a fingerprint, it displayed the message ‘Requires Fingerprint Authentication’. She walked to the dead man beside her and pulled up the body, she dragged him to the device and placed his index finger on the sensor. The device made a short beep and the screen displayed a message, ‘Access granted’.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 22 Part 13B
‘We’ve got access to all the facilities right now, ‘ she said to Cole who just finished the same thing she did at his end. ‘Make sure you use the codes well and lock all the doors to block entry to this place, they shouldn’t be able to reach you until we’re done.’

‘Okay boss, stay safe.’ Cole replied as he moved to the center. He watched her leave and then began the process to lock the doors fully, which would mean denying access to everyone including those who possess the access cards.

The four hostages were locked in a room, their faces covered with masks. Their feet were tied to the legs of the chairs they were seated on and their hands tied at the back with the exception of Chief Gab whose hands were already cuffed, his body was fastened to the seat with the rope across his chest.

More than thirty minutes they had been locked up in that place, they heard no sound whatsoever and no signs of life around until suddenly they began to hear sounds of approaching footsteps. Few seconds later, the door opened.

Nicholas counted in his mind as he heard the men walk in. He couldn’t say for sure how many they were but he could tell that nothing less than three men entered. There was no other sound apart from that of footsteps for about a minute, then a voice spoke.

‘Take off their masks,’ the voice said.

The hostages needed no prophet to tell them who spoke, they recognized the sound as that of the Vice President.

Nicholas’ mask was the first to be taken off, followed by the doctor, and then Madam Henrietta and Chief Gabriel.

Elvis Richards was standing at the center where they could all see him well. He had changed into a corporate wear – a tucked in white shirt on a black trouser. He no longer had the disguise on his face.

‘Wow wow wow! I love this,’ he said and let out an evil smile. ‘See the faces of those who ganged up against me, Henrietta and Gabriel.’

The hostages were quiet.

‘I think this is the best day of the year,’ he said with a smile. ‘I’m going to see the death of my enemies before I finally leave this country.’

He moved slowly towards the side of Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab. He stared at them for a while and then looked away suddenly like he just remembered something. He looked at his men and then glanced at Nicholas’ face. ‘I think this is the guy Rex asked you to bring to him.’

‘Oh Yes,’ one of the men replied and then walked towards Nicholas instantly to get him off the seat.

‘Also take this doctor with him, he doesn’t need to be a part of this.’ Elvis Richards said. He waited for the two hostages to be taken away before he continued with Chief Gab and Henrietta.

He stared at Madam Henrietta’s face for a while, ‘You, I never knew you would hurt me even after I helped you. I thought it was that stupid little Stephanie that was trying to bite more than she can chew but I never knew you were the one supporting her. What did Gabriel give you to make you think of hurting me?’ he paused for a while and stepped closer to Henrietta and stared deeply into his eyes. ‘You’re a big ingrate and a fool, if you had a brain to think, you should know that Gabriel was the one you’re supposed to harm. He hurt you in the past and almost took away your future but I gave you a better future and you decided to pay me with evil.’

‘Shut up Elvis, you’re not fit to judge anyone of us,’ Chief Gab spoke out in anger.

Elvis Richards made a swift turn and walked closer to him, he slapped him hard twice on the face. ‘You fool, ain’t you supposed to be dead? You were supposed to rot in prison but you were lucky to have escaped and find stupid Nonso to help you. But, that your luck is ill luck. It has brought ill luck to Nonso and is about to send you to the grave today.’

He turned to Henrietta again, ‘You also will die with your stupidity and thereafter, Rex will make your Hero Samantha Osman join you…’

Someone barged into the room and distracted him. They all turned to see James Elvis.

He stayed at the entrance for a while looking around the place with his hand still on the door handle. He had arrived to Lagos at the same time and with the same airplane as NIS Agent Lizzy.

‘Dad, we gotta go now.’

Elvis Richards checked the time. ‘But we still have about two hours left to the trip,’ he retorted, wondering why the boy was in a hurry. They had planned a journey by sea and the boat was scheduled to move in two hours time.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 8
‘Yes Dad but Rex just informed me that Samantha Osman has gotten into this building, we have to leave now, so that they can lock the doors and close and the exits to trap her in. You’d get disguised as soon as we get under.’

Elvis Richards gritted his teeth in dissatisfaction. He knew he had to respond to James quickly so as to leave through the secret underground escape quickly to give room for the locking of all the exits.

He made a sharp turn to the men behind and requested for a gun. The men responded with gestures but refused to give him the gun.

‘Sir, we can’t shoot a gun in this room. A explosive is set up already and would be triggered by a gunshot. Rex came to set it up to ensure that Samantha Osman kills the two of them herself.’

Elvis made a sound of displeasure. He flashed another look at Chief Gabriel and Henrietta before he proceeded towards James. James held the door for him to walk out first and then followed after, the two other men followed too leaving Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta alone in the room.

Silence took over totally for the next five minutes.

‘Adunni, I have something I need to tell you before I lose this opportunity,’ Chief Gab broke the silence.

Henrietta raised her head and stared at his face, wondering what he had to say and hoping he wasn’t about to start apologizing again.

___

‘Any clue on Samantha’s movement yet?’ Carl said into the phone. He was still sitting in the same place he was an hour ago. Eric had followed Henry with some other men to the location Cole had sent.

‘No, the d@mn guy is sitting in the car with the f***** man who acted as Patricia’s Father and he claims that Samantha left more than an hour ago with rest of the team.’

‘If that’s the case, then we don’t have to waste any time, we’d begin the search here right away,’ Carl said.

‘I think you should find a way to check their records and locate the exact place where the Vice President could be,’ Eric suggested. ‘Yeah, I’m getting it started right away.’

___

‘Oga Henry, I don’t know where she is. She asked me to wait here till they get back,’ Mr Matthew replied Henry for the umpteenth time.

‘Okay, I’m sorry for troubling you but why didn’t she drop a message for me? Cole should have told her I was coming.’

‘Yes, Cole told her and she said she’d call when you get here, you should be patient.’

‘No, I got to go. I’ll track and join them where they are.’ Henry said and thereafter he opened the door.

Mr Matthew watched him walk away until he went out of sight.

‘Has he left already?’ he was taken aback as he heard Tarasha’s voice in his earpiece. He had almost forgotten that he had the earpiece plugged in his ear and that he was supposed to expect a message from her.

‘Yes boss, he said he’s going to track and join you there ‘ he answered with stammering lips.

‘Okay, did he touch you?’

‘No.’

‘Okay, get out of that car and come over to Solace hotel, when you get to the street, you wait for instructions from Cole.’

‘Boss, can’t I drive the car there?’

‘No, don’t.’ she replied. ‘A tracker could have been placed on it.’

‘Oh! Okay,’ he replied and began to take off his seatbelt immediately.

‘I’m cutting off connection with you and you wouldn’t be hearing from me for now, wait for further instructions from Cole.’

____

‘Hey boss, you there?’ Tarasha heard Cole say as she switched the connection to the left ear piece to him. It was previously connected to Mr Matthew while the one at the right ear was and remained connected to Tomi.

‘Yeah Cole, I’m with you.’ she replied.

‘I just located Elvis Richards with his son James, they are at the VIP section on thirty first floor and seem to be rushing somewhere. I think they know we’re around.’

‘Tomi, are you with us?’ Tarasha asked. She was expecting Tomi to give her direction on the quickest way to get to the VIP section.

‘Yes boss, searching already.’ Tomi replied. The three of them were all connected and could hear and talk to each other’s be

‘Have they answered the call yet?’ Elvis Richards asked James who just walked into the room as he handed his bag to Ayo

‘No, but I’ve sent someone to the control room.’ James replied. ‘Are you ready to go now?’

‘Yes, I have all my docvments here.’ Elvis Richards replied, pointing his finger at the bag with Ayo.

‘Okay, let’s go right away.’

James ushered his father out and he followed immediately. Ayo followed behind them.

Immediately they stepped out of the room, James got a call on his phone.

‘Hey, what’s up?’

‘Sir, I couldn’t gain access into the control room. My access card is not working, I don’t know if it’s the card or the card reader.’ the voice at the other end said.

‘What the hell is that?’ James cursed. ‘Do everything you can to get in touch with someone in their right now, tell them to open access to the secret underground escape, we’re on our way there already.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 14 Part 10
‘But sir…’

‘Get it fine, f*** you!’

James hurried on. ‘Dad please put on your face cap,’ he said as he walked past the man.

The man responded and stopped to collect his face cap from the bag he gave to Ayo, he put his on and then hurried to join his son who was in front of the elevator.

‘What’s happening?’ Elvis Richards asked, wondering why James way only standing there.

‘The Elevator isn’t working,’ James replied.

Elvis Richards looked up around, ‘Why? B there’s power supply.’

‘It’s not power issues, I think someone turned off the elevators from the control room.’ James replied.

‘What the hell is that?’ Elvis Richards widened his eyes.

‘Let’s go take the stairs,’ James said and led the way as he brought out his phone. He dialed Rex’s number and the call was answered almost immediately. ‘Hey Rex, I think Samantha has gained access into the control room. We can’t use the elevators and the access to the control room is locked from outside.’

‘F*** it!’ Rex cursed with the phone still close to his ear. He had underrated Samantha once again. She must have entered hours before he discovered her, he thought. Or how else would she have been able to locate where the control room, gain access into it and block everyone else within the short period he thought?

‘Where are you now?’

‘Still on the thirty first floor,’ James replied.

Rex had discovered she was in the building around six pm, but for her to have gained so much access to facilities meant she had been there by around three o’clock and he did not know. He was baffled and it was a mysterg to him. Even though he expected her to discover the location later, he didn’t expect her to discover it as quick as that. There was nothing he could point to as the reason, nobody had known of his plan to use Solace Hotel which was Elvis Richards property, even Elvis Richards himself was only told at the last minute. How the information leaked so quick to her was unexpected.

Then he suddenly remembered the hostages, he remembered having told the NIS man to take the hostages straight to Solace Hotel, only that they were kept in sacs in the bus for some hours until he ordered that they be taken in to the room where they were presently. Could she have tracked them there quickly because of the hostages? He asked himself. But he remembered commanding the NIS men to make sure that they were checked and all electronic devices were taken off from their bodies before been taken out if Samantha Osman’s base. He himself when he had gone to set up the explosive device in the room where they were confirmed by searching their bodies that there were no electronic devices or chips on them.

He suddenly remembered something again, he had seen a handcuff on one of the hostages hands. Due to his rush to set up the explosive, get out of the room, treat himself and prepare for Samantha, he had been too careless not to check what kind of handcuff it was or bother to ask if the hostage was cuffed by his men or from Samantha’s base.

He tightened his fists in anger, he was sure now that the handcuff was what led Samantha to Solace Hotel so quick.

He picked up his backpack and fastened it to his body. Samantha now had the advantage of her access to the control room, but he was certain that she wouldn’t use it fully because she had no knowledge of the facilities in the building. He also was certain of one advantage, darkness. It was night time and darkness was one of the greatest tools of every Vilary clan assassin.

‘Hey Rex, are you still there?’ James voice sounded, reminding Rex the call was still on.

‘Yeah, James. Wait there for me, I’ll join you in a minute.’ Rex replied. He was on the floor above and was sure he was closer to Elvis Richards than Samantha.

His plan was to get Elvis Richards out of the place first successfully. Then Samantha would come look for him and thereby receive her death. He had his thoughts well arranged, he knew she would be interested in saving Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab and she would go there first. She would make the mistake of shooting a gun or one of his men would make that mistake and that would be the end of Chief Gab and madam Henrietta and possibly Samantha Osman if she was close to the two hostages when the bomb goes off. The other option if she was there at the explosion was for her to get badly injured and physically weak. Rex was however sure that when she left there, she would have grown weak either emotionally or physically, or both ways.

‘Hold on boss,’ Tarasha heard Tomi say to her as she got close to the stairs. ‘Hide under the staircase, there are four men coming towards your direction from the stairs.’

Tarasha quickly moved under the staircase like she was instructed and watched as the men walked past. The lock of all exits and entrances in the facility had caused panic in the hotel and had resulted to the hotel management making an announcement for all users who are in their rooms to remain there and that walking around should be miminzed until the situation was resolved.

‘Can I step out now?’ she asked.

‘Yes boss.’

She stepped out and hurried up the stairs.

‘Some other three men are coming from in your direction,’ Tomi said as Tarasha got to the landing before the continuation of the stairs.

‘How close are they to the stairs?’ Tarasha paused on the landing.

‘Very close,’ Tomi replied.

Tarasha continued on her way up. The men appeared at the beginning of the stairs and waited there instead of moving down. They held their guns tight in readiness to shoot,it had been like that with every lady they met on their way. The Samantha Osman they knew was a lady so it made them suspicious of every woman, especially those that were caught roaming about when the order to minimize movements had been given.

Tarasha looked up, she could see the men observing her already. The man at the back of the other two was seen talking into a device, she knew he was probably giving her description to someone else.

‘Young lady, where are you going to?’ one of the three men asked her as she got close to them.

‘Where else? To my room,’ she replied them. She placed her hand on the handrail as she stared into the eyes of the questioner.

‘Where’s your access card?’ the man asked, wanting to check her room number on it.

‘My husband is in the room, it’s not locked.’ Tarasha replied.

Her response got them more doubtful, they looked at her and wondered if she could really be married.

‘Is your room on this floor?’

‘No, the next floor.’

‘Take out your phone and call your husband, tell him to come meet you here.’ the man replied intelligently.

Tarasha tried to conceal a smile. She dipped her hand into her pocket and took out her phone. The man directly in front of her watched carefully and stared at the screen of her phone as she began to type in a number.

‘You don’t…’ the man tried to question why she didn’t have her husband’s number saved on the phone when he got a headbutt straight to his face. His head flung backwards and he hit the back of his head against the nose of the man behind. Before the man beside could shoot with his gun, Tarasha already sent him a kick in his belly and his shot went wild as he crashed into the ground with his bum hitting the floor.

As she dipped her hand into her jacket inner pocket to pick out her gun, she placed a hand on the handrail and leaped, stamping her foot in the chests of the standing two men. She landed quickly and fired a quick shot at the man who fell to the ground first before firing the others.

‘Tara, I just located where Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab is, in one of the unused rooms on the thirtieth floor.’ Cole’s voice sounded in her earpiece.

‘What floor is this?’ Tarasha asked as she hurried on.

‘Twenty fourth floor,’ Tomi answered her.

She climbed onto the stairs which led to the next floor. She got to the midway landing when she heard Tomi’s voice again.

Following Tomi’s tip, he took out another gun with the other hand and pointed both straightwards. Some men rushed into the stairway and she fired quick shots at them as she hurried up the remaining steps.

___

‘Madam, can we get a room at least while you fix your security breach?’ Dave walked to the reception desk to complain again. He had already gotten into the hotel with Lizzy and Inspector Dakolo and was trying to pay for two rooms when the announcement was made for movements to be restricted.

‘Sir, our men are still trying to fix the breach in security, please be patient with us, just a few minutes and they’ll get it done.’ the woman behind the desk replied him. She had gotten up from her seat some minutes ago to find out what was wrong from her colleagues.

‘You’ve said that twice now, and I understand you perfectly well. What we just want is that you allocate our rooms to us, so that we can go in and get settled, we traveled a long distance and what we need now is rest.’ Dave said. He took a glance back at Dakolo and Lizzy sitting some distance behind and saw them also staring in his direction.

‘Sir,’ a man who seemed to be a top official of the hotel joined the receptionist to explain the issue to Dave. ‘This is more than what you think, what we’re having is like a total disruption in our system. Something is wrong with our control system and we can not allocate any room right now, new access cards to open the doors can not be issued because the system would not allow for it to be activated.’

‘And what could be the cause of that?’ Dave questioned the man, he turned back briefly and signalled for Inspector Dakolo and Lizzy to join him.

‘I can’t tell, all I know is that our personnels are trying to fix the problem already.’ the man replied. He was quiet for a moment, expecting a reply from Dave but he saw Dave staring back at the people approaching. ‘Sir, you cannot also go out of the facility right now. The security issue is as serious as that,’ the man explained to Dave, thinking he was calling on his partners for them to leave. ‘All our doors, the exits and entrances are also affected. None are working.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 9
Dave waited for Dakolo and Lizzy to get closer to him before turning back to the man. ‘I can tell that a specialist is tampering with your system, that’s why we are here.’

The man stared at his face, wondering what he was talking about.

Dave took out his ID card and displayed to the man, he also signalled for Dakolo and Lizzy to show him their ID cards. ‘We need somewhere enclosed to work from,home you need give us access to an already opened room.’

‘Sir… I don’t know what you are talking about but I can’t do that on my own. I have to take you to the manager first,’ the man replied.

‘Where is your manager?’

‘The assistant to the manager should be close to the twentieth floor now, he’s on his way down here. The elevators are not working and that’s why it’s taking him time to get here and address everybody waiting.’ the man replied.

‘We can’t wait for him, it’s going to take a whole lot of time.’ Dakolo said and proceeded towards the staircase immediately.

‘Sir… Our men are already trying to…’ the man followed, trying to prevent him.

Dave and Lizzy also followed Dakolo. Dave pulled the man back while Lizzy and Dakolo continued.

‘If you should stop us, Samantha Osman could bring down this whole building in five minutes,’ Dave said to him in a low but threatening tone. His words seemed to have some effect on the man. ‘You need to show us a room now, where we can set up our system and help you fight them. Then you explain to the manager when he gets here.’

___

‘Where’s that from?’ Carl stopped and asked the man walking behind him as they heard sounds of the gunshots.

‘I think it’s from upper floors,’ the man confirmed Carl’s thoughts.

‘Put a call through to the other men and tell them the direction to go,’ Carl said as he proceeded towards the stairs. He stopped when the phone in his pocket began to ring. He took it out and answered, ‘Eric, are you back in?’

‘No man, nobody is allowed into the hotel. They say they’re having a security breach,’ Eric answered him.

‘There’s truly a security breach, an announcement was made to all users inside, Rex or Samantha Osman must be doing something in the control room.’

‘Boss, Rex just joined the company of Elvis Richards and his son.’ Tarasha heard Cole say to her. She was now on the twenty sixth floor.

‘And where are they now?’ Tarasha asked.

‘Still on the thirty first floor, they waited there until Rex joined them and it looks like he is having a discussion with them.’ Cole replied.

‘How many of them are with the Chief?’

‘Inspector James, Rex and…’ Cole voice faded away.

‘And who?’

‘And his PA,’ Cole replied slowly. ‘ But they just got more company, four other men just joined them.’

Tarasha heaved a sigh. She would have loved to go straight to where Elvis Richards was and execute him right there but she knew it would be stupid for her to go face Rex alone when he was with five other men. She had to wait for a time that Elvis Richards would be far away from Rex or find a way to make it happen.

‘Boss, what do you want to do? They’re close to the right side stairs and I think they would want to take that way.’ Cole spoke again after a moment of silence.

‘I can’t meet them the way they are, we need to cause a distraction to make them go separate ways.’ Tarasha replied.

‘Uhmn….Boss… I think we have a distraction already,’ Cole said. ‘A distraction for us.’

‘What’s that?’

‘I just found where they kept Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta,’ Cole said. ‘In one of the empty rooms on the thirtieth floor, the doctor and Nicholas was kept in a room at the floor above but Nicholas has just been brought out by one of the four men with Rex.’

There was silence for a moment.

‘Boss, the rooms where they are are on the left side, your side.’

Tarasha remained silent, with her back leaning tightly against the wall and her head tilted upwards as she stared at the ceiling. She really wanted to go straight to where Madam Henrietta was but she thought it could be a trap and also thought it would be dangerous, being that she had no where to keep them safe even if she got them away from the room they were kept in.

‘Where’s Henry?’ Tarasha asked.

‘I watched the bug recording a minute ago, he was with Matthew and left for here. He’s stuck outside the building now, due to the access denial set up here and he’s got someone with him.’

‘Who’s with him?’

‘One of those men that we clashed with at Ayobo,’ Cole replied.

Tarasha remembered instantly and she also concluded immediately that it was those men who have been disturbing Henry and also sending spam messages to her but she still did not understand fully who the men were.

‘The other one that fought I and Nicholas is in this building already, but it’s surprising that he and his men are fighting against Rex’s men.’ Cole added while Tarasha was still thinking.

‘Okay, let Henry come in.’ Tarasha said.

‘Huh? Boss, I should open access?’

‘Yes.’

‘But what if Elvis Richards gets out?’

‘You don’t have to open it for a long time,’ Tarasha answered. ‘Make a call to Henry, tell him you would let him gain access into the building, open the access and close it immediately he gets in.’

‘The other guy is going to come in with him,’ Cole said.

‘I know,’ Tarasha replied. ‘I need Henry to get Madam Henrietta, Chief Gab and the probably the Doctor out. So you give information to Henry on where they are, also give him information on where I am.’

‘Boss?’

‘Yeah, that would make the guy with him leave him. Henry would come for Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta while the guy comes for me.’

‘Boss, are you sure this would work? Would Henry get them out like you think? Remember he was mad at us,’ Cole said.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 17 Part 7C
‘Henry has a feeble mind, he was mad at us and not with Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta, he’s going to get them out safely, he wouldn’t want anything to happen to them.’

‘Rex and Chief Elvis is now moving, they are coming down the stairs right way.’

‘I think that gives me some time to get to the thirtieth floor.’

‘Uhmn…’ Cole was about saying something else but Tomi cut in.

‘Another group is moving in the direction of Rex and his men, I don’t recognize them.’ Tomi said.

‘That should be the group of the men who’s got Henry,’ Cole put in. ‘I’m dialing Henry now, I’ll be offline for some seconds to talk to him,’ Cole notified them before his connection to them went off.

Tarasha was about walking up the stairs again when Tomi’s voice sounded. She leaned back against the wall.

‘Boss, I’m getting confused, I just located another group of people there in the building.’

‘Which other group?’

‘I can see Inspector Dakolo, he’s on the fourth floor now, but he has that Bi*tch Patricia with him,’ Tomi said. ‘He also has one other man with him.’

‘Patricia, are you talking about Cole’s girlfriend?’ Tarasha asked, wondering if Cole had been stupid to allow Patricia track him again.

‘Yes Boss, she’s got a SSS tag and she’s about putting on a face mask.’

‘Huh!’ Tarasha let out a breath. She now understood that Patricia was a NIS secret agent trying to get to her through Cole.

‘But Boss, I’m seeing Agent Dave James also with them.’

‘Dave James? That’s not possible,’ Tarasha shone her eyes.

‘He is the one and he just put on the NIS mask.’

Tarasha wondered for a moment but for lack of time, she decided not to waste time on the legal officers. If Dave was there, then it meant the Doctor did not wipe off his memory like he should. It meant the Doctor had decueved her and given Dave another liquid. She proceeded onto the stairs, deciding to solve Dave’s matter later.

‘Three men coming towards you boss,’ Tomi notified her quickly.

___

Six Minutes Later

‘Wow wow wow! See who we’ve got here,’ Rex said with an evil tone as he saw Carl down the stairs. He had just climbed the first step from the midway landing when he saw Carl leading a team of men approaching the stairs. Elvis Richards was right behind him and James Elvis was behind his father.

Carl stepped back slowly, making his men also step back. They had their guns raised and pointed at Rex and his men. The four men behind Rex also had their guns raised and pointed at Carl and his men.

‘Young Tiger, you really do have a lot more to learn.’ Rex said as he approached the last step. ‘So would you let us go or die while trying to kill us?’

Carl remained silent. He wasn’t going to allow Rex weaken his mind with words. He realized that he and Eric had made a mistake of not killing Rex when they had the opportunity. They had thought it was mere solidarity to a clan member but they never knew that they would be against the same clan member months after. As at then their only assignment was to kill Samantha Osman but now, they also had to kill Elvis Richards who Rex was protecting.

‘I’m not here against you.’ Carl said

‘Who sent you?’ Rex asked him.

‘It’s not your business,’ Carl replied.

Rex nodded in agreement, it wasn’t his business.

‘Yeah, it’s not my business. It’s only sad that you can’t operate here at the same time I am and you can’t have what I protect.’

‘I won’t step out for you until I get that man behind you,’ Carl asked.

Elvis Richards stepped back on seeing Carl refer to him. James stepped forward, taking out his gun and shielding his father with his body.

Elvis Richards chuckled. The men behind him were holding up their guns and the men behind Carl were also doing the same.

‘I’ll beat you up in three minutes, if I don’t I’ll let you take him. If I do, I’ll kill you.’ Rex offered.

Elvis Richards widened his eyes, wondering if Rex was doing the right thing. James also tapped Rex on the shoulder but Rex shook his hand off and gave them a reassuring glance.

The offer seemed tempting to Carl, he knew it was possible for Rex to beat him in a hand battle but it could never happen in three minutes.

‘Deal,’ Carl agreed. What he didn’t realize was that he might never get the opportunity to stop the fight when it was up to three minutes and he wasn’t defeated yet.

___

‘Boss, they’re in.’ Cole resumed. ‘Henry came in with the guy and two police officers also entered before I could lock the access. The gunshot sounds have attracted police officers to this area.’

He had just switched on his connection but was yet to locate Tarasha on the screen. He didn’t get a reply from her but could only hear sounds like groans and yells, he could tell that Tarasha was busy at that moment, kicking the butts of some people.

‘Cole, I’m on the twenty eighth floor now, check if I’m still on the right direction.’ Tarasha’s voice sounded to him.

Cole quickly tapped the buttons on the device and located her on the floor she was in. She was close to the staircase and he could see lifeless bodies of men around.

‘Yes, boss, one more floor to pass through.’ Cole replied her.

‘Okay, check the number of men surrounding where they are.’ Tarasha said to him. He could see her in the live footage, loading her guns. ‘And then, send this location to Henry, tell him I’m on the twenty eighth floor waiting for him.’

‘Okay boss,’ Cole replied and began to act on the instructions immediately.

‘Boss, they’re in a room on the seventh floor,’ He heard Tomi say. ‘I can’t see what they’re doing there.’

‘We need to find out somehow or stop wh@tëver they’re doing,’ Tarasha replied him. ‘Find the room number and send to Cole.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 14 Part 2
‘Tarasha,’ Cole called. ‘Six men are around that area and they are without guns, only knives and machetes.’

‘Is Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta still in the same room?’ Tarasha asked as she began to climb up the stairs again.

‘Yes, they are.’ Cole replied. He had the footage on the screen and he could see Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta having a discussion even as they were tied to the seat. It seemed to be a serious one as Madam Henrietta had tears in her eyes.

He clicked a button on the flat screened device and swiped a red icon. A message displayed on the screen before him, ‘searching for item’. Cole left that position while the system was searching and walked away from the middle to the left side, he had sent the footage of Tarasha loading her gun to that side. He extracted it into a device and then sent through a messaging app to Henry. ‘Tarasha is here on the twenty eighth floor but she wants you to help Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta who are on the thirtieth floor,’ he added a few texts to the message.

He returned back to the middle and the search command he gave was completed. There was a red warning signal blinking and it showed that a dangerous device had been detected. Cole zoomed the video to check what it was. He recognized it as an explosive device, he turned the angle of the camera to make it show other sides of the device. There was a small one squared centimetre screen at the other side but Cole could not find where the button or trigger for the explosive was. He zoomed it again and checked the label on the device, he memorized the name and quickly walked to the next seat to check what kind of device it was. He typed the name into a search box and clicked enter. It took less than four seconds for the search to be completed and it displayed ‘Explosive JGA, lead activation required’.

He wondered for a while what it could mean and suddenly realized that a gunshot beside the explosive could trigger the explosion. He returned to his previous seat to check where Tarasha was now.

‘Boss, do not use your guns anymore,’ he said in a serious warning tone as he located her. She was already on the thirtieth floor and was walking in the direction he described to her.

He saw her stop to listen to him, she looked around and then leaned her back against the wall.

‘What do you mean?’

‘There’s a bomb in the room and it’ll go off at the smell of the bullets, it’s lead triggered.’ Cole explained.

‘Thank you Cole,’ Tarasha replied. She released a deep breath wondering how it would have been if she had caused the deaths of her parents by herself. She now understood why the men there had no guns with them but only knives and machetes.

She unÇOçked her guns and kept them before proceeding. Just as she turned into the area, she saw two men standing in front of doors at either sides and they also saw her too.

They proceeded towards her immediately with the knives in their hands. The first man tried to stab her in the chest but she swerved to the side sharply and grabbed him by the wrist, she dragged his hand up above his head and then sent a kick with her knee to his chest. The other one also tried to stab her but she bent her head and punched him with both fists in the belly. The first one still had his knife in the hand and tried to stab again. This time she dodged and moved to the other side and then grabbed him by his wrist and elbow, she twisted his hand to the back and then moved him close to the wall, she stamped her feet on his back slamming his face to the wall.

She dodged another stab attempt and pushed the second man against one at the wall. She stepped back and waited for some minutes before she leaped and kicked the two men on their chests.

Two other men rushed out from the rooms behind as she landed on the ground. She pulled out her belt and straightened it, it stretched out rigidly. She pressed a button on the handle of the weapon and items like spikes prod out of the weapon across the whole area.

She turned and saw one of the new men already rushing towards her. She stepped on the back of the man on the floor and then lifted herself with the wall and wiped the man on his neck, before the second man could reach him, the rod hit him at the side of his head close to his eyes.

The men all watched as Rex slammed Carl’s back for the last time on the ground, he then pulled a knife and inserted it into the assassin’s neck. Rex got up after cleaning his blood stained hands on Carl’s clothes. He stared at the men who came with Carl, they were still holding their guns up. It had taken him more than three minutes to kill Carl, but he had dominated the fight from the beginning.

He made a gesture at Carl’s men with his head. ‘Is there anyone of you who still wants to try?’ he asked, challenging them to a fight.

None of them responded. Instead they moved to one side of the hallway, showing that they had given them a chance to pass.

Rex turned back however and went in direction of the stairs which led to the lower floor.

Elvis Richards followed him immediately and his men also followed slowly, not turning back immediately as they still kept an eye on the gun holding men.

James was the last to follow and just as he disappeared into the staircase. Carl’s men rushed to Carl to check if he was still alive, letting off their defence. They were caught by surprise as Rex returned to the scene and fired four quick shots, one at each of them.

‘Cole, are you sure of what you’re saying?’ Henry asked in doubts. He wondered why Cole was letting out so much information to him when they should know it was not safe to do so.

‘Yea sure Henry,’ Cole replied him.

‘Why can’t she call me?’

‘She’s got only the Talkon device and you are not connected,’ Cole replied from the other side.

‘Okay, I’ll meet her there.’ Henry replied without much enthusiasm, mentioning his words slowly one after the other.

‘So?’ Eric stared at his face eagerly. He had his phone in his hand and was staring at the screen from time to time, he had dialed Carl’s number thrice with none of the calls being answered.

‘She’s on the twenty eighth floor, you go meet her there.’ Henry replied him.

‘We go together,’ Eric said in a strong tone. He dialed Carl’s number again.

‘I have something else to do,’ Henry replied him.

‘Which isn’t a part of the agreement,’ Eric fired at him.

‘But I just told you where she is,’ Henry argued.

‘Carl, where the hell have you been?’ Eric turned away from Henry as his call was answered.

‘Carl is dead,’ a female voice replied. .

‘What the f***! How did he die?’

‘I met him here stabbed in the neck, the four men with him are also dead.:

‘And where are you?’

‘The twentieth floor.’

‘How many other men do you have with you?’

‘Seven men.’

‘Are you close to the left side stairs or right side?’

‘The left.’

‘Hold on and remain alert. I’ll join you there as soon as I can,’ Eric said and then ended the call. He looked sharply at Henry and pointed a gun. ‘Let’s move.’

___

8 minutes later

‘That’s the right room Tarasha,’ Tarasha heard Cole say to her as she peeped in.

She leaned her back against the wall outside as she ÇOçked her gun. ‘The lights are off in there.’

‘O… Okay, I just turned the bulb on,’ Cole replied.

Tarasha could see the reflection of the light through the door even without peeping, she moved swiftly into the room with her gun raised. She only saw two people in the room, Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta. She looked around the room for a while, she noticed it was probably one of the extra rooms previously used for security.

‘Omotara,’ Madam Henrietta called with teary eyes as she saw her daughter.

Tarasha walked past Chief Gab and his piercing look and knelt before her mother. She could see the woman’s face full of tears. She felt strangely emotional and guilty for causing the tears of the woman. She placed her right palm on the woman’s cheek and used a finger to wipe the formed line of tears.

‘Mother, I’m here to get you.’ she rose and placed a kiss on her mother’s forehead. She glanced at Chief Gab and then quickly moved to the back of Madam Henrietta’s chair.

‘Boss, boss… Are you there?’ Tomi’s voice sounded in her ear.

‘Yes, speak on.’

‘Henry and the other man are running up now, I think they’re acting on Cole’s instructions. They might get to you very soon.’

‘Okay. Cole, what part of the room is the explosive?’ she asked as she began to cut the ropes tying her mother’s hands behind. Cole did not answer her immediately, so she began to talk to the woman and Chief Gab. ‘I’m taking off your ropes now but please do not get up until Henry gets here and he’s alone with you.’

‘I don’t understand,’ madam Henrietta replied and tried to glance back at her daughter.

‘Use a torch, it’s at the left corner of the room.’ Tarasha heard Cole’s reply.

She finished cutting the fastened parts of the rope and then turned forward. She looked at both of them, Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta.

‘I’m going to unfasten your ropes but you should not stand up yet,’ she began to explain. ‘Henry is coming up here and he might come with some people, don’t get up if he comes here with anyone but if he comes alone or when he’s left alone, he would ask you to stand up.

‘Okay, but where are you going to?’ Madam Henrietta asked.

Tarasha around the room, she saw two other doors apart from the main entrance. She looked back at her mother. ‘I’m going upstairs first, to help the Doctor and then I have to hide.’ she explained. ‘Those men coming with Henry are coming to kill me, and I can’t take you through the other side of the building, the men who brought you here are at that side. Henry only can get you out safely.’

After her explanation, she turned to Chief Gab and stared at his face for some seconds. He couldn’t look at her face, he kept staring at her shoes instead. She got to his back and made loose the fastened parts of the ropes.

After that she got up and went straight to where the bomb was. She squatted in front of the device and took a good look. ‘Is it safe to touch?’ she asked.

There was no response.

‘Cole, is it safe to touch?’

‘Oh! The explosive? Yes,’ Cole replied. He sounded as if his mind was somewhere afar. ‘You have to disconnect carefully from under, the cables cannot touch each other, it’ll explode.’

‘Okay,’ Tarasha replied. She wondered what took his attention away but did not bother to talk about it. She stared at the explosive device again, she knew it would take her nothing less than three minutes to disconnect it safely.

‘Tomi, I need five minutes to disconnect an explosive, do I have that much time before anyone gets here?’

‘I think you should work with not more than four minutes, I’ll tell you if anyone is coming faster.’ Tomi replied.

‘Boss, I got a real big problem here…’ Cole’s voice came through almost cutting into Tomi’s words.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 21 Part 4
‘What’s the problem?’

‘Someone’s trying to break the mobile network connections here,’ Cole replied.

Tarasha widened her eyes. ‘That’s quite dangerous, do you think they’d want to make the environment unsuitable for hotspots too?’

‘I do think that’s the real target boss,’ Cole replied.

‘d@mn it!’ Tarasha cursed. This was another reason why Henry would have performed better being in the control room. His skillfulness could help him continue with the main task and also block the hacker from tampering with the networks.

‘There’s only one person who could do this boss, Henry.’ Cole said.

‘But Henry is on his way here.’

‘Yes, but he could have told the men about our use of the Talkon communicator and that’s why they’re trying to weaken connection in the building.’

‘Try what you can to stop them, our hotspot version and connection is very strong, it’ll take them more than thirty minutes to weaken.’ Tarasha replied and quickly glanced at her wristwatch. She had used more than one minute without doing anything.

She suddenly remembered something as she began to deactivate the explosive device. ‘Cole, Dave James must be the one trying to break in. Locate where he is now.’

4 minutes later.

Henry got another call from Cole after he got to the twenty ninth floor with Eric and his men. They had checked for Tarasha on the floor below without seeing her.

He stopped to answer the call and Eric stopped behind him, still pointing the gun at his back.

‘Henry, there’s a lead activating bomb in the room, I will send you instructions on how to deactivate it.’ Cole’s voice sounded.

‘Ermm… Whats…’ Henry tried to talk but Henry gave no opportunity.

‘I’m sending you the picture and the instructions right away,’ Cole said.

‘Hey, but..’ Henry wanted to protest but the call ended immediately.

‘What’s that?’ Eric asked immediately.

Henry’s phone beeped, the message had entered.

‘He wants me to deactivate a bomb in the room,’ Henry replied him. Eric stepped forward to see what Henry was looking at on his phone.

‘d@mn! Is that a kind of trap for us? Guns can’t be used in that room.’ Eric cursed.

‘Trap for you?’ Henry gave him a questioning look. ‘Who knows you? The bomb must have been set there to kill Tara.’

‘It’s a low impact explosive,’ Eric commented as he looked very well at the picture. ‘We’re going there anyway.’

‘I don’t know how to deactivate this thing,’ Henry complained.

‘That’s your problem, start moving.’

‘Don’t shoot,’ Eric warned his men as they got closer to the room. Henry led the men towards the room.

Eric raised up his hand to the men behind them to stop them from moving closer. ‘Get in,’ he whispered to Henry and then hid his body behind the wall as he peeped in. He raised his gun above his shoulders slightly and followed Henry, he gestured with his hand for the other men to follow him.

Henry walked in slowly, conscious of the fact that Eric was behind him. He met Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab staring at him glaringly.

‘Where is Samantha?’ he asked as he walked slowly to Madam Henrietta’s front.

‘She left some few seconds and she says you’re coming to deactivate the bomb before we can be untied,’ Madam Henrietta replied him.

‘Where’s she now?’ Eric asked in soft tones, lowering his gun.

Henry took a glance at Eric and then looked back to Madam Henrietta. She was also staring at his face and since he didn’t say anything in response to Eric’s question , she took it as approval for her to answer him.

‘She went up, the next floor, to help Dr Ekwueme where he is.’

There was silence for a while. ‘We got to go there,’ Eric said to Henry in soft tones.

‘I ain’t going anywhere with you anymore, I have something to do here.’

‘That’s not what we came here for!’ Eric fired.

‘I have fulfilled my own part of the deal, Samantha is up there, why don’t you go get her yourself?’ Henry fired back.

Eric pointed his gun at his forehead in anger. He felt like blowing off Henry’s brain at that moment but he remembered the bomb there and controlled himself.

‘I’ll see you again,’ he said and then turned. He led the men out of the room.

Henry took out his phone quickly as he walked to the position of the bomb. He minimized the messaging app and opened the call dialer, he dialed Cole’s number.

‘Hey Cole, tell Tara that some men are coming against her.’ he said quickly into the phone after looking back to ensure that Eric or none of his men were watching him. He stopped in front of the explosive device.

‘You got to start working on that device already,’ Cole replied him without responding to his warning.

‘I’m talking about Tara here, she’s in danger, some men are going after her and she needs to be aware.’

‘Henry, look at that device, the timer reads two minutes and five seconds left, those people in there would be dead if you do nothing.’ Cole replied instead.

Fear gripped Henry’s heart as he looked at the timer on the device on the floor and confirmed as true the remaining minutes left for it to explode. He squatted quickly and opened his messaging app.

‘You don’t need to touch anything, it’s deactivated already.’ a voice startled him from behind.

He turned sideway and saw Tarasha stepping in through a door. He stared at her with his mouth left agape, he slowly got to his feet.

She stopped in front of him and held him on the shoulder. ‘Take this,’ she brought out a small pack containing a Talkon Device and handed it to him. ‘You have to get them out of here, Cole would give you directions.’

She turned quickly to Madam Henrietta’s front. ‘Take care mother, I’ll see you soon.’ she said with a reassuring look. She glanced at Chief Gab and then turned towards the door.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 4
‘Wait Omotara, there’s something I need to tell you.’ Madam Henrietta quickly shook off her ropes and managed to get up.

‘Mother, you’d tell me when I come back to meet you.’ Tarasha replied just with a glance at the woman.

Madam Henrietta stopped reluctantly and turned back. Chief Gab was already trying to get up from the chair too.

Henry stared at Madam Henrietta’s face as she looked at him. ‘Why is Tara calling you mother?’

Madam Henrietta stared back at him without replying. ‘Because she is Omotara’s mother,’ Chief Gab replied. ‘Please take us out of here,’ he quickly added.

‘Tara’s mother?’ Henry stood motionless. He couldn’t move as he remembered his mother again. His phone rang, Cole was the caller.

‘Hey Cole,’ he said in a restless tone.

‘Bro, get the communicator working and lets get done with your assignment. We still have a lot of things to do today.’ Cole said.

‘What other things do we have to do today? Does it include going for my mother?’

‘You’re wasting time Henry, you mother is safe and sound in the hands of the police. Tara knows that she isn’t safe.’

‘Yes, and that’s why she left your mother in safe hands this afternoon,’ Cole replied in harsh tones.

‘What do you mean?’ Henry asked softly.

‘Your mother is safe, Tarasha followed you this afternoon and got your mother out for you.’ Cole replied.

Henry held her breath for a long time and then released it.

‘Get your device on immediately and let’s get this done quickly, your mother is wating for you.’

Henry let out a breath again, he then opened the pack and began to fix the device.

___

He opened his eyes to find himself in a dark room. He couldn’t see anything and he was stuck to the chair. He managed to keep on breathing until the atmosphere suddenly changed, there seemed to be a strange heavy pour of cold on his skin. Suddenly the lights came on in the room and he saw the figure of a man standing some distance in front of him. He saw the black shoe first and then raised his head slowly. The man standing at the distance was holding a pistol and looked very angry. His lips moved but he heard none of the words of the gunman. The look on the gunman’s face turned angrier and scarier. The gun was pointed straight at his forehead and he was sure the bullet would not miss his forehead if the trigger was pulled. He closed his eyes in anticipation for his death, but when he opened them he found himself back in real life.

Dr Ekwueme was sweating profusely even though the room was cool enough. It wasn’t a dream this time, it was more like a vision because he had not closed his eyes talk more of sleeping or dozing off. It looked so real and felt so real, the only thing that made him sure that it was a vision was that the room wasn’t as dark as what he saw, there was a bulb at the back corner of the room which provided some faint light to the area at which he was tied to his seat. The entrance was darker, while the center where he was was bright.

He raised his shoulder to wipe off the sweat around his lips. He still felt so strange. It was the first time of him seeing such when he wasn’t sleeping and this time was different because it was the first time he saw the face of the person holding the gun and also the first time of seeing the person talk to him.

He still found himself shivering on the chair and he strangely began to recall memories of the good times with his family, especially with his ex wife. He wished he could have that life again but he was very sure that it could never return. He also got back memories of his deal with Elvis Richards years ago and his other illegal deals, he knew he deserved a punishment which was more than death.

He soon began to hear some footsteps and voices coming closer. At first, he thought it was their abductors coming but as they got closer he realized it was a different set of people.

‘Move into the inner rooms and spare no one,’ Dr Ekwueme could hear someone say. Soon he heard footsteps marching past the entrance to the room where he was. After some seconds, he saw the image of man walking into the room he was. The man was holding a gun and as he moved closer, his body became clearer and soon Doctor Ekwueme saw his face. It was the same face he had seen in the vision few minutes ago.

He closed his eyes for some seconds, hoping that the vision would have disappeared again by the time he opened them but he was disappointed to find the gun still pointed at his head. He blinked his eyes again, again and again. This time, the vision wasn’t going away neither was he waking up from the dream. Alas! It was real life.

‘Where’s Samantha?’ the young gunman with the furious look asked.

He shook his head, unable to muster words to speak.

‘Where the hell is she?’ he asked again.

The doctor could not open his mouth to speak.

Out of anger, Eric fired a bullet at the man, straight into the middle of his forehead.

Life moved out of the doctor’s body in a second and he remained stuck to his chair, his eyes opened and his mouth still opened with his tongue slightly out. His body was now as lifeless as a dry log of wood.

Eric still full of anger fired another shot at the body of the dead man. He was already frustrated, the picture of Carl’s dead body kept appearing on his mind and all he wanted to do was squeeze out life from Samantha. His uncontrolled zeal had disturbed his sense of reasoning that he didn’t think that coming to that thirty first floor could be walking into Samantha’s trap.

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He took in a breath and shook his head, he lowered his gun and turned back to move sharply but he met something dreadful behind him. Samantha Osman was standing right there, her eyes full of fury and her readiness to devour him just like a lion. For the first time in life as an assassin, he felt so afraid.

SOLACE HOTEL CLOSE, SOLACE ROAD, LAGOS

‘Hello sir, please what’s happening here?’ Stephanie pulled over beside a man and asked.

There was a demonstration on the street. So many people shouting, insulting the government, some were singing songs of protests and a few were carrying placards while some others were taking video records of the demonstration.

Stephanie had remained in the area following Dave’s instructions. Dave had promised her one thing before he got in, that no matter what he did, he would not try to kill Samantha Osman but work towards getting the Vice President only but if the need arose, would work towards getting Samantha submitted to the police.

‘Madam, don’t you know what’s going on on social media?’ the man Stephanie asked replied.

‘What’s going on please?’ She asked.

‘Inspector General Rikau promised to say some things before his death and he did this afternoon. This is the people’s reaction to it.’

‘Okay, thanks.’ Stephanie replied. She quickly brought out her phone to check the news.

She logged on the youngicee website to check for the latest news. She saw the updates concerning the Inspector General’s confession. The first she saw read ‘The Nation Reacts To IG Rikau’s Confession With A Sudden Protest’, followed by ‘Celebrities call for immediate shut down and repair of the system’, ‘The United Nations Reacts To Inspector General’s Deathbed Confession, encourages government to fish out all accomplices and major partakers in the crime’, ‘Protest Rocks Government Hospital In Lagos As People Demand to Punish Chief AbdulKadir Afeez’ and so many others.

She opened several pages in different tabs and began to scan through. At the end of fifteen minutes, she was able to understand what had really happened. The Inspector General had made another shocking confession that day, in a video where his swollen body and decaying skin was shown, he listed several other crimes that had been done by him and through him, including the murder of the Danjuma’s family. He mentioned a lot of names of people who were involved like him, most of which still held reputable positions in the government. He then mentioned Chief Abdulkadir Afeez as one of the major sponsors of terrorism and other evil works. He ended the video with an advice to his listeners, telling them that even if a lie exists for several years, the truth would never be hidden forever. He encouraged everyone never to do evil, that the consequences can never be escaped.

His confession video had sparked an outrage online which developed into a physical outrage after several celebrities and prominent people in the society voiced out their anger and shock that so many people in leadership positions were the same people who ruined the future of others, and also declared that they would step out immediately to lead a protest clamouring for immediate removal of all the people whose names were mentioned and overhaul of the government before the nation could continue existing as one.

GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL, LAGOS.

‘Sir, I think we need to find a way to get this man out of here immediately.’ the doctor complained to the Director Of Police Operation as he led him towards the ward where the Chief was. ‘So many people have been teargassed but they are not relenting, I don’t think we’d be able to stop them from getting into this hospital to get this man.’

‘There’s no way we can get him out without getting through the crowd,’ the director replied.

‘But you can have plenty police vehicles to help,’ the doctor argued. They got into the hallway and met several officers standing around to protect the man.

‘You said his case was critical and that he could die if he experiences such outrage,’ the director replied.

‘Yes, but the people want him dead already.’

The director stopped and looked at the doctor’s face. He knows the man wasn’t just afraid for the hospital but also wanted the man dead just like every other citizen protesting at the gate of the hospital wanted.

The doctor proceeded when the director was quiet. He entered into the ward and the director followed. The three officers in the ward saluted the director.

The doctor walked straight to the old man on the hospital bed. He examined him visually for a moment and then touched his neck to feel his pulse. He took out his stethoscope to check the man. He had a different expression on his face when he looked at the director again. He did some more checks before he finally declared the man dead.

The director stared at the doctor’s face for a moment, suspecting that the doctor could have done something to hasten the man’s death but what did he care anyway? Even himself as a security official wanted the man dead as much as the masses wanted him.

The director chuckled as some thoughts ran through his mind, ‘Even his dead body is not safe, the people would still vent their anger on it if given the opportunity.’ He said staring at the dead man lying in the hospital bed.

The director had an angry and disgusted look on his face as he stared at the body. He wondered how a man could be so cruel and wicked to his mankind. He prayed silently that the man would rot in hell.

Flashback : Few hours ago

Tarasha got out of the car and proceeded towards the gate two minutes after she saw him walk inside. She touched the button for the door bell and waited patiently. She soon noticed someone behind the gate, peeping through the gate hole secretly.

‘I need to talk to you, please step out.’ she called onto him.

The man behind the gate opened it partially and stayed at the entrance.

‘Yes? How can I…’ he couldn’t complete his statement as he got kicked in the groin and began to writhe in pain. Tarasha kicked him again on his chest and he staggered back into the compound. She walked in immediately, pulling out her guns. She fired him a shot first and then fired at all the men in the compound. The suppressors attached to the guns helped to silence the sound of the shots. She closed back the gate and then walked straight to the entrance of the building. She turned the knob gently and pushed open the door, she waited to see any reaction from inside before she stepped in. There was a man at the left corner of the room, he was seated in a plastic chair while his gun was on a table which was about two metres away from him. He got up quickly on seeing Tarasha but she sent a bullet to his right knee before he could leave his seat. He fell to the ground on both knees and let out a scream. She rushed to him and punched him hard on the face to make him quiet, he fell with his back to the ground and struggled for a while before he could stretch his knees.

She pointed her gun on his forehead. ‘What part of this building gives an entrance to the ceiling? Or where did Henry E.G pass through?’ she asked in whispers.

‘I don’t know,’ he replied back and she hit his head with the butt of her gun first before strangling life out of him.

She walked straight to the exit of the first room, and as she got there, she met a man who was coming to check what was happening. She dragged him by the neck and pulled him into the room where she was. He tried to punch her but she held him by the wrists and then slammed his back to the wall beside the exit. She touched his forehead with the mouth of her gun.

‘Which part of the building did Henry E.G go into to meet with your boss?’ she asked.

He pointed his thumb to the wall shakily,’The one after this one you’re about to enter. Just go straight.’

She pulled him by the neck and pushed him to the ground and then shot him on the head. She proceeded according to his direction, there was no one in the intermediate room. She got to the entrance to the next room and stopped to listen. She could hear some low humming sounds of machines in the next room but she couldn’t hear voices. She turned back and looked around, she located an entrance to the ceiling just at the corner. She got into the ceiling through the hole and found her way directly on top in the ceiling above the room where she could hear Henry’s conversation with the lady. After a lot of back and forths, Henry finally agreed to help them get her if they made sure that his mother was safe.

‘So, this is the docvments which contains our deal and our agreement with our chairman, you can release it to the public if your mother isn’t handed to you after you help us kill Samantha.’ Victoria said to Henry.

Henry collected the docvment file and opened it. He began to scan through and found out that they were truly original.

‘Chief Abdulkadir Azeez?’ he widened his eyes in surprise, staring at Victoria’s face.

‘Yes, why are you surprised?’ Victoria questioned back with a evil grin.

Henry stared at her face, confused. He couldn’t believe that the Chief could be behind them and could not think of any reason why it should be the Chief.

‘Time is reading,’ Victoria reminded him after thirty seconds.

Henry stared at the docvments in his hands again. The docvment was to be exchanged for his mother after he completed his own part by helping them kill Omotara. He didn’t think it was something he could do, but his mother’s life was at stake and they had given him the docvment with which he could hold them down if they tried not to fulfill their own part of the deal.

‘Let’s go,’ he finally said and turned back in the direction he came in from.

‘No, we’re leaving through the back opening. Someone might have followed you here without your knowledge.’ Victoria said to him and pointed to the door behind her, showing him they were going in that direction. Henry turned back reluctantly and followed her direction.

Tarasha waited until she couldn’t hear Henry and the lady’s voice anymore. She knew getting Henry’s mother out would be easier since Henry and the lady had gone through another direction instead of where the dead bodies were.

Even though she wasn’t sure whether Henry’s mother was in the same room where they had the conversation, she knew the woman was somewhere so close to the place that Henry could see her from. She decided that she would do all it takes to leave with the woman that day and would do it in less than thirty minutes to enable her return to her mission quickly.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 19 Part 8
_

PRESENT

Henry was still baffled and wondering how Tarasha had followed him to the place without him suspecting. After putting on the Talkon communicator, he had asked Cole to give him proof that Tarasha had gotten his mother out and Cole sent a picture to his phone where he saw his mother sitting with Tarasha at the backseat of a car, still dressed in the same clothes she wore the last time he saw her. That had made him believe Cole totally and now he was following Cole’s instructions and about to lead Madam Henrietta and Chief Gabriel out.

___

Eric tried to shoot at Tarasha but she was faster, she grabbed his hand and turned it up before he could pull the trigger. His bullet went straight into the roof. She followed with a punch straight into his belly, he staggered back but didn’t fall as she still held his hand up. She pulled him forward and sent him another blow in the belly. She then dragged him closer and slammed his back to the edge of the door. His hand touched the trigger and the bullet entered into lintel of the wall.

He tried to kick her but she dodged and punched him twice with her right fist on his chest. She twisted his hand which she held and made the gun fall from his hand. At that moment, she began to hear the footsteps of men coming in their direction. She quickly released his hand and then butt in the nose.

Eric was more frustrated now, he tried to punch her but she dodged easily and dragged him to the other side where she sent two blows into his belly. He hit his head and his back on the wall adjacent to the door. He let out a groan and gritted his teeth. He was baffled by Tarasha’s strength that night, it didn’t seem she was a strong as she was now at the first time they fought.

The first man rushed in through the door and Tarasha welcomed him with a kick in the chest sending him back outside. Eric at the back tried to attack also, but she sent back his raised kick with her foot and then stamped her foot heavily on his chest after which she landed a kick on the face of another man rushing into the room. She returned hurriedly to the back of the door and pushed it forward to hit the face of the third man. Eric was coming for her again. This time she grabbed him by the arm with her left hand and with her right palm on his chest, she slammed his back against the wall again.

She pulled him closer to her and turned him towards the door as she saw one of the other men coming with his gun already pointed. She took two steps backwards and pulled out her pistols. The man had already placed his finger on the trigger and could not stop himself from firing multiple shots into Eric’s body. Eric’s body had taken most of the bullets before the man could stop the shooting but before he could look up and take another move, bullets from Tarasha’s gun had already entered into his body.

She continued to shoot as proceeded forward, firing the shots into the bodies of all the men.

___

‘In less than fifteen minutes, we’d be able to break their communication chain which it’ll weaken their strength and end the battle quickly.’ Dave explained to Lizzy and Dakolo.

‘So we’re going to stay in this room till that time?’ Dakolo asked.

‘No,’ Dave answered. ‘There should a secret exit from this building through which Elvis Richards must have gotten out through or is planning to get out through.’ he stopped stopped and turned to Lizzy. ‘Lizzy is going to to stay in here and help us track the NIS with the chips on their bodies, it’ll give us an idea of where they are in the building or where they passed to get out of the building.’

‘Okay,’ Lizzy nodded in agreement.

‘The three of us would be on a conference call and have our earpieces, you’d give us directions as we both move.’ Dave explained the process.

‘But I thought you just paralyzed the mobile network in the building,’ Dakolo put in.

‘Yes, I did but I powered it back on when we noticed that only few mobile phones within the building were connected but we had two hotspots initially which has now turned to three within the building and connected to one outside the building. I think the assassin’s team would be communicating with the hotspots because the location of one of the hotspots is in the control room of the building.’

____

‘There’s a woman coming in your direction,’ Henry heard Cole warn him. He stopped and asked for Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab to wait behind him.

‘Is she armed?’ Henry asked in low tones.

‘She isn’t holding a gun but she has one with her,’ Cole replied.

Henry ÇOçked his gun. He asked Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab to move back up the stairs while he stayed at the last step. Soon he heard footsteps of someone coming up the stairs.

Victoria was surprised to see Henry step down from the stairs with his gun pointed at her.

‘Hey! What are you doing?’ she asked with a frown.

‘I’m done with your guys and I’m leaving here now.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 20 Part 6
‘Where’s Eric? I need to tell him that I couldn’t reach the source at the base,’ Victoria said to him.

‘Of course you can’t reach to the source,’ Henry said.

‘What do you mean?’ Victoria asked, she flashed a quick look around but did not look at the spot where Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab were hiding. She looked again at Henry and he was still pointing his gun at her. ‘Please put down that gun before you make a mistake with it,’ she warned Henry.

‘I know what I’m doing girl, I’m no longer on your team.’ Henry replied.

‘Stop talking trash and tell me where Eric is,’ she replied, taking some slow steps around him.

‘Eric should be dead by now, he went to confront Samantha. He can’t still be alive,’ Henry replied.

Victoria raised a brow. She shook her head and decided to ignore his words. ‘And where are you going to?’

‘I should be asking you that question,’ Henry returned.

Victoria sighed. The way he was holding the gun gave her more concerns than the conversation. It was obvious he wasn’t an expert and he could misfire if care was not taken.

‘I told you already, Eric has not been answering my calls and I need to reach him quick.’ Victoria replied him angrily.

‘Don’t you get it? Eric should be dead now, just the way your boss we left behind is dead.’

Victoria raised a brow, she wondered if he knew what he was talking about.

‘Henry, stop talking nonsense and let me go.

‘You guys are dumb, especially you. You should have noticed a foul play when your boss sent a message that he could not track the men in the building any longer.’

Victoria was getting more confused now. She remembered what he was talking about it really felt strange at that time hearing that the boss claimed not to be able to track the men when the chips on their bodies were specially created for such scenarios.

Henry saw that she was thinking deeply. ‘You see, I’m sure your boss was dead then and Samantha was the one sending…’

‘d@mn it Henry!!! What god-damned conversation are you having with her, kill the bas***d and move on.’ Henry heard Cole sound angry through the earpiece.

He stared at Victoria’s face, she was also staring at him. Even though he knew she was a part of the enemy’s team, he still found it difficult to pull the trigger on her. She wasn’t posing a serious risk to him at that moment and the main enemies Carl and Eric had already been taken care of.

Victoria saw Henry’s reluctance to shoot. She could see his earpiece and knew someone had spoken to her when her shut his mouth without finishing his sentence. She decided to use the opportunity to take the gun from him, she took a step forward slowly. Henry still remained in the same position, it didn’t seem like he noticed her step.

All of a sudden she leaped and tried to take the gun but he saw her coming and stepped back, she grabbed the gun at the tip instead of at the handle where she planned to. Henry’s finger pressed the trigger and a bullet went straight into her belly.

___

‘Hey boss, you there?’ Cole said after he turned on his connection to Tarasha. He had watched Henry fire the shot at Victoria before he made the call.

‘Yeah Cole,’ Tarasha replied.

‘Where exactly are you?’ he asked. He had stopped following her movements since he was now directing Henry’s movements.

‘The Doctor is dead, I’m going back down.’ Tarasha replied him. By her reply, he knew she was still at the thirty first floor.

‘I located the room Dave James and Agent Dakolo are, it’s a lodging room so the cameras are restricted and I can’t see what they’re doing there.’

‘Just the two of them.’

‘No, Patricia went in with them.’ he replied as he minimized the footage showing Henry’s position from the main screen. After going through a list quickly, he selected the footage showing the hallway to the room where Dave and Dakolo had entered. He didn’t know he had missed the walking out of Dakolo and Dave during the short while he paid more attention to Henry and was trying to get back to Tarasha.

‘Can you get to the room within the short while?’ Tarasha asked as she rushed down the stairs, following Tomi’s command.

‘It would have been easy boss but I’ve got not less than ten security men outside, trying to break into the control room.’ Cole replied.

‘Ermm… What if you disconnect power from that room? It would turn off their systems and buy us a little more time,’ Tarasha suggested.

‘That’s a good idea boss, I’ll do so right away.’ Cole replied.

‘Boss, Elvis Richards and his group are on the second floor and on their way to the ground floor now.’ Tarasha heard Tomi say to her.

‘d@mn it!’ Tarasha cursed. She had just gotten back to the twenty eighth floor and had a long way to go to catch up with them. She knew Cole had locked all the exits but she couldn’t write off the possibility of Rex having another plan to get Elvis Richards out.

She held her two guns in her hands ready to fire at anyone who tried to delay her as she rushed down the stairs.

____

A sudden darkness covered the room leaving Lizzy totally confused. It was just two minutes left to totally weaken the hotspots connections and power had suddenly gone off in the room. The laptop being used was still on but the socket to which the server used to begin the whole process was connected to had gone off. It would mean they would have to start the process all over again. She dialed Dave’s number on her phone immediately. While she waited for Dave to answer, she got up and looked out through the window from where she was. She could see reflection of light outside.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 17 Part 7C
She turned to the door and opened it. There were also lights in the hallway.

‘Hey Dave! I think we’ve been discovered, there’s no longer electricity supply in this room alone.’

‘That means the server went off?’ Dave asked, he sounded disappointed.

‘Yes,’ Lizzy replied.

‘Uhm… You need to get out of that room immediately, leave everything except for your personal stuffs there and move far away from there. I’m sure they’re on the way there.’ Dave warned.

___

The Elvis Richards team which got to the ground floor had been reduced to five, Rex had sent two of the other men an errand. Elvis Richards led d team into a store of the Hotel’s unused materials and equipments.

‘We have to take off those paint containers, that’s where the entrance to the underground is.’ Elvis Richards said, looking at Rex’s face.

Rex glanced at his two men and they immediately began to move the paint buckets. They finished moving everything in a minute and the Chief proceeded to the now empty space. He used the sole of his shoe to wipe off a space on the ground.

‘Here’s the place,’ he squatted and then used an handkerchief to clean off the place. Rex stood beside him. ‘It’s not on,’ Chief Elvis Richards looked up at Rex’s face. He was greatly afraid, their hope of getting out through the underground was completely lost if the lock wasn’t working.

Rex squatted beside the man. He checked the dead screen lying in front, it was have been powered off by Samantha or any of her team mate who was in the control room of the hotel.

Rex got up, he took out his phone and a number.

‘Talk to the head of security outside, tell them to turn off the power generator outside and put it back on after a thirty seconds.’ Rex said, handing the phone to the Chief.

Elvis Richards collected the phone and did exactly as he was told without asking questions. Soon, the whole place was thrown in darkness. Thirty seconds later, the lights came on again.

Elvis Richards stared at Rex’s face, wondering what the essence of what just happened was. Rex was staring at the screen on the floor, Elvis Richards also placed his gaze there, thinking that Rex was hoping it would come on after the lights came back on.

First forty seconds passed and it didn’t seem like anything was going to happen. Elvis Richards was now shaking visibly, the not-too-confident look on Rex’s face scared him. He knew that if Rex didn’t know what to do, then it meant the end for him.

Suddenly, the lights on the screen on the floor came on and the buttons with the numbers 0-9 appeared. Elvis Richards quickly bent and typed in the code. He rose up and smiled as the door to the underground gave way slowly.

_____

Tarasha was on the twentieth floor when the lights went off. At first she thought Cole had made a mistake but stopped as she realized that it could have been from the power room outside the building.

‘Cole, what’s happening?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know boss,’ Cole replied. ‘Everything went off.’

‘I think it’s from the powerhouse outside, what are they trying to do?’ Tarasha complained in a pained voice.

Cole was yet to answer when the lights came back on.

‘Boss, it’s back on. ‘ Cole said.

Tarasha remained quiet, it took her about twenty seconds to realize what had just happened. Rex on getting to the underground must have commanded for the lights out. The light out will shut down the whole system and when it comes back on, Cole would have to reboot the control before locking it again which will open access to all the exits and entrances during the process. Tarasha would have told Cole not to reboot but it would be a disadvantage to her also. She would not get directions from Tomi or Cole neither would Cole be able to direct Henry anymore and it will also keep Cole locked in the control room without being useful.

____

Rex watched with a feeling of success as the underground entrance closed back after Elvis Richards left with James and Ayo. He turned back with the other two men, ready to face Samantha Osman.

___

2 minutes later

Tarasha just got to the eighteenth floor when she heard Tomi’s voice. ‘Boss, Rex is returning but he’s no longer with Elvis Richards and inspector James.’

Tarasha let out a deep breath. She knew Elvis Richards was out of the building and there was no need running to catch up with them, Rex was now coming back up for her.

‘Cole, release access to every entry and exit. Elvis Richards is out already, now find out where the underground leads to and send the details to Tomi. Tomi would start tracking Elvis Richards.,’ Tarasha said with the consciousness that Tomi was also listening. ‘After you release access, you’d locate where Henry is and follow through the ceiling exit from the control room to help Henry get Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab out.’

‘Boss, I think I should direct Henry to the first floor before joining them. It’ll make it easier to get them out.’ Cole suggested to Tarasha.

‘Okay, if you think that would be easier for you.’ Tarasha replied him. ‘Have you found where the underground leads to?’

‘Still on it boss,’ he replied. ‘Rex is now at the third floor,’ he quickly added.

‘Tell me what direction he’s taking so I can attempt getting to the ground floor without meeting him.’

‘He’s still taking the stairs, at the right side. I’m not sure he knows that the elevators are now working,’ Cole replied. ‘But some people are already stepping out of their rooms and he should have seen them.”

‘Just check and tell me which of the elevators to use, It’ll be better if I can track Elvis Richards down myself before he goes somewhere far away.’

‘Ermm…’ he was quiet for about fifteen seconds. ‘You can take the closest elevator to you,’ Cole replied.

‘Boss…’ Tomi’s voice cut in. ‘Dave James and Inspector Dakolo are right at the base of the same staircase Henry is climbing down.’

There was a sudden silence. Tomi’s words had come as a surprise to Cole. He hadn’t seen Dave James and Dakolo moving at all neither did he see them leave the room. He quickly swiped through the option of streaming footages but still did not locate them. He returned to select the footage now showing Henry’s position, he checked what number of floor it was and then switched to one of the footages covering the floor below. Dave James and inspector Dakolo were already at the halfway landing of the staircase while Henry was about to climb the stairs.

‘Henry, stop and move back,’ Cole quickly said as he turned on his connection to Henry. He saw as Henry stood still in response to him but only stared like a confused man without making any effort to turn back. It was already too late.

‘What floor is that?’ Tarasha asked. She didn’t bother to blame Cole for having not seen it before it happened, she knew such a thing bound to happen since he(Cole) could not possibly keep his eyes on all the footages at once.

‘The thirteenth floor,’ Cole replied.

‘I’d take the lift to get to them,’ Tarasha said as she jumped down the stairs. She saw a few people already stepping out of their rooms as she made her way to the elevator. She ignored them and went straight into the elevator. A man wanted to join her but she pointed her gun at him and gestured for him to go out which he did immediately.

‘I can’t believe my eyes,’ Dave said with chuckle as he climbed up the stairs and saw Henry standing at the top. ‘See who we’ve got here.’

‘Who’s that?’ Dakolo asked in whispers, he was right behind Dave.

Henry stepped back slowly on seeing them, he gave a sign with his hand for Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab to hide back up the stairs but Dave had already seen them.

Dave had a frown on his face as he saw the gun in Henry’s hand but he was unperturbed.

‘Henry Ekene George!’ Dakolo said in a surprised tone as he saw him clearly.

Henry still held his gun unshaken, pointing straight at them even as his back was now close to the wall.

‘You’re not going to shoot us, are you?’ Dave said, he turned his neck to look up the stairs where he had seen Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta go back up. ‘What are you all doing here?’

Henry pointed his gun at Dave who was already moving closer to the stairs which led up. His eyes met with Dakolo’s eyes again and he could see the affection of a friend still in Dakolo’s eyes.

‘Henry, I never imagined you’d be like this.’ Dakolo said in a pained voice. ‘You now work with an assassin and have become one.’

‘I…’ Henry wanted to reply when he heard Cole speaking, he kept quiet to listen.

‘Just keep them waiting there for a few minutes, Tarasha is on her way there…’

‘I’m not an assassin and I’ll never been one. This just has to happen because of the inefficiency of the police which you are a part of,’ Henry replied Dakolo. His reply caught Dave’s attention who now kept his gaze on his.

‘But I would advise that you guys find your way out of this place right away, Samantha would not hurt anybody except you try to stop her.’ Henry advised.

‘So you don’t think we should stop her from doing evil?’ Dave asked. Dakolo was speechless.

‘No, you should not stop her from making the evil ones pay.’ Henry replied him. His gaze tarried on Dave’s body for a while, he wondered how the NIS agent still had his memory intact as it was obvious.

‘That’s the job of the law enforcement agency and not for an individual or an assassin group,’ Dave returned.

‘You’re right, but what happens when the police and other security agencies are failing woefully and even aligning with the criminals to punish the citizens together?’ Henry asked.

Dave was quiet. He knew Henry had a point, but it was still impossible to agree with him.

‘But do you know that the law would never acceptyour explanation?’ Dakolo spoke in a calm voice, his eyes staring thinly at Henry. ‘The law would not pardon your for trying to help us solve these problems in a criminal way, you are only causing more havoc and you and Samantha Osman would face the full penalties for all your acts.’

Henry was silent for a moment, then he remembered again that Cole had told him Tarasha was coming to them. He became sincerely concerned for Dave and Dakolo, knowing what Tarasha could do to them in anger.

‘I advise again that you both should leave when you have the opportunity now, Samantha would not pardon you for trying to stop her by stopping us here.’ he warned.

Dave looked around, he could feel Samantha’s presence close by, coupled with the fact that Henry had warned them twice. He wasn’t ready to face Tarasha, at least not at that time yet.

‘Looks like people can now move freely,’ James made a side comment to Dakolo as he saw a man walking out of his room with his luggage.

Dakolo only glanced at the man briefly and returned his focus on Henry. Dave also focused back on Henry but this time on his hand, he could see the gun was already ÇOçked and pulling the trigger was the only thing left to release the bullet. He was thinking of the best way to get a hold of the gun or make Henry drop it when he began to hear some sounds. He couldn’t tell what it was or where it was coming from, for a moment it seemed silent again but he remained alert.

‘You guys gotta get off our way,’ Henry said after taking a glance at his wristwatch.’We’ve got to leave here now.’

Dakolo was still feeling dazzled at the sight of Henry holding a gun, he unhooked the handcuff from his waist. ‘Henry, you’re a wanted man. I can’t let you go, it’s my responsibility to hand you over to the police.’

‘We’d let them go, ‘ Dave said. Dakolo flashed a quick glance at him wondering why Dave would say so. Dave could see that the inspector was surprised. ‘Yes, arresting them is not why we came here.’ he emphasized. ‘And is there anyway you can arrest him now and still continue with our main purpose here successfully?’ Dave stopped and shook his head. ‘No, if you really want to make an arrest, you have to wait for another day.’

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 18 Part 4
Dakolo shook his head in negative, he wasn’t going to agree with Dave this time. He took out his gun quickly and pointed at Henry. ‘Put down your gun Henry,’ he said in a command tone. He took a quick glance up as he heard a sound. Madam Henrietta had come to peep from up to stairs where she was supposed to be hiding.

‘Go back up,’ Henry said to Madam Henrietta as he took a quick glance up at her. She and Chief Gab were coming down the stairs. ‘Go up!’ he shouted again but they did not answer him.

At first, Dave saw it as an opportunity to snatch Henry’s gun from his hands but then he realized that Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab could not just be disobeying Henry for no reason. Someone was trying to do something. His hand located a tiny magnetic tracking chip attached to ring on his finger. He rolled it down and placed it between the nail on his index finger and his thumb, he targeted the visible metal part on Henry’s belt.

Suddenly, it seemed like a shadow appeared behind Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab, Dave’s mind worked so fast and so did his eyes, he quickly spotted Tarasha up behind the two with her gun aimed towards his direction. The magnetic chip left his fingers.

In a split second, Tarasha jumped on the handrail. ‘Bend now,’ she shouted as she fired two quick shots. Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab quickly bent their heads while Henry also squatted where he was.

Dave was able to dodge the bullet aimed at him as he bent his head quickly and fled back down the stairs but Dakolo was caught unawares and he got hit by the bullet on the shoulder. He staggered back and hit his back against the wall but tried to raise his other hand to shoot at Tarasha but she fired another shot straight to his right hand. The bullet hit his fingers. She turned quickly and fired in Dave’s direction but he was gone. She landed on the floor beside Henry.

‘Please, don’t kill this man.’ Henry pleaded as Tarasha stepped down the stairs still pointing her gun at Dakolo.

She glanced at Henry’s face briefly.

‘Let him go please,’ Henry pleaded more.

She wasn’t willing to listen to Henry, there was no reason why she should let him live; a police officer who was a threat to her mission. However she could see with her side eye, her mother right there, staring at her from the stairs. She didn’t know what the woman was thinking, but the eyes being on her alone weakened her, she did not want to appear like a killer in the woman’s eyes.

She looked towards the stairs to see if Dave was hanging anywhere around. There was no sign of him anymore. She bent and picked up the gun which fell from the Inspector’s hand, after that she searched his body and took out the extra gun and catridge on him.

‘Cole, where’s Dave James?’

‘He’s gone, I think he’s scared.’ Tomi replied instead.

Tarasha gestured for Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab to come down the stairs.

‘Boss, you have to use the elevator now. I can’t locate Rex again. The two men with him have now become four with Nicholas being one of them, they’ve split into groups of two and each group takes the different stairs at each side. I don’t know what his plan could be,’ Cole said to Tarasha.

‘Find where the underground leads to quick, then you can find him too.’ she said to Cole and then turned to Henry. ‘Let’s go, we’d use the elevator to the ground floor, we’d stop by at the third floor to get disguised, I have the kits there.’

Tarasha directed Henry, Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab to go in direction of the elevator while she stopped to take another look at Dakolo who was on the floor still conscious and writhing in pain.

___

Rex sat on the swivel comfortably, enjoying the rotational movement, his iPad was on the table and his phone in his hand, he was dialing Inspector James.

‘The car is waiting for you at the exit, hurry up and make sure you go straight to the sea port. Four security men have been arranged to help you,’ Rex said into the phone.

‘Alright Rex,’ James replied.

He got up from the table immediately and walked straight out of the room. He noticed that the activity in the hallway and increased and he knew that it would be the same all over the hotel.

He hung the bag on his left shoulder and took out his phone from his pocket. He dialed James number again as he closed the door.

‘James, give the phone to your father.’ he said, his eyes moving around as he scrutinized everything he saw.

‘Rex,’ Elvis Richards called from the other end.

‘Call the security officer again and tell him to repeat the process of turning off power one more time, only that this time he should turn it back on after sixty five seconds.’ Rex said.

‘Okay,’ the Vice President replied him.

Rex returned his phone into his pocket. He raised his Ipad and unlocked it, he maximized the tracking application. He could see two dots on the map of the building, both close to each other, moving in the same direction and at the same speed.

The power suddenly went off again throwing the people in darkness one more time, and they reacted with shouts and complaints having to use their phone lights.

Rex observed the dots on the tracking map carefully, he zoomed and noticed that the movements had completely stopped. He zoomed out to check what floor it was and where exactly they were. He chuckled as he discovered that they were in the elevator and their most likely destination was the ground floor.

The two dots on the building map represented the tracking chips which he had attached to the bodies of Madam Henrietta and Chief Gabriel. He had calculated everything from the beginning including the possibility of Samantha rescuing the hostages from where they were tied. Now that Chief Elvis Richards was out of the building, he knew Samantha would be aware and would try to pursue after them but if he could get Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab with him, it would distract her from going after the Chief.

He calculated in his mind, how many seconds it was left for the power to come back on. He also calculated how many seconds it will take the elevator to start working after the power comes back on and the calculated the amount of time the elevator will take to get to the down floor from where it was. With that he could predict the time he needed for him to meet Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta at the ground floor when they stepped out of the elevator.

___

Tarasha was surprised when the lights suddenly went off and the elevator stopped moving.

‘What’s happening Cole?’ she asked.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 18 Part 10
‘I don’t know, the power has gone off again.’

Tarasha was silent.

‘But I have gotten the exit of the underground escape, it ends at Silver Restaurant in Lekki, I think the restaurant is also one of Elvis Richards’ secret properties.’ Cole said.

‘Send the details to Tomi at once, let her get to the restaurant immediately, watch him come out and follow him,’ Tarasha said to him.

‘I’m sending the details already,’ Cole replied. ‘I’m also checking the map of the area on my phone now and I can predict that Elvis Richards is making his way to the sea port. I guess he now wants to escape by sea.’

‘How close is the underground exit to the port?’

‘It’s less than fifteen minutes drive,’ Cole replied.

Tarasha sighed in frustration. She hoped Tomi would be able to track the man.

‘Round up what you need to do for me and then focus on helping Tomi. Keep your communicator on and stay safe, I’ll tell you if the plan changes at any minute.’

‘Okay boss, I’ll check around once again for you’ Cole replied.

Tarasha dropped the call. She glanced at Henry and the other two people with her, they were looking up to her to do something to get them out. Suddenly the lights came on again and after ten seconds, the elevator continued it’s movements. They got to the third floor soon and Tarasha led them out of the elevator into one of the rooms on the floor. She had a bag of make up kits in that hotel room and other bags containing weapons and other tools she needed.

‘Henry, get seated in front of the mirror quick,’ she said as she went to pick her bag of makeup kits. Henry pulled the footstool beside the bed and dragged it to the front of the mirror.

‘Tara, I just saw Rex again, he’s waiting for you beside the elevator. He has a device in his hands and I think he’s getting your location somehow,’ Tarasha heard Cole say to her.

Tarasha stopped and looked towards Chief Gab and Madam Henrietta where they stood at the opposite side where Henry was. She stared as Madam Henrietta sat on the bed tiredly while Chief Gab leaned his back against the wall.

‘Chief Gab and Mrs Henrietta,’ Tarasha called, startling the both of them. They stared at her, wondering what she wanted to say. ‘Check your bodies, one or both of you have trackers on your body,’ she said and proceeded to where Henry was sitting.

She dropped the kits bag on the floor and began to arrange the tools.

‘Tara, I don’t think they understand what you mean,’ Henry said to her after seeing the expression on the duo’s faces.

She looked up and saw that Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab had made no move whatsoever to check their bodies.

‘There’s something attached to your clothes, Rex is using it to find our location. Search you bodies and find wherever it is and give it to him,’ she said and details to them.

Madam Henrietta got up and began to search her body and Chief Gab joined.

‘Boss, I just locked access temporarily,’ Tarasha heard Cole’s voice as she began the makeup disguise on Henry’s face. ‘Rex was surprised not to see you come out of the elevator and I think he’s talking to someone now. He got into the lift to use it but it didn’t move because I closed the system.’

‘Great work, but that’s okay for me. Find out where Tomi is,’ Tarasha replied him. She still had her mind fixed on not letting Elvis Richards go even though her parents’ safety mattered to her.

‘Is it this one?’ Chief Gab spoke from where he was. It was his first time of speaking to Tarasha that day.

Tarasha glanced at him and saw a chip on placed on his palm, it had a tiny blinking light on it.

‘Yes, put them together.’ Tarasha said. Madam Henrietta had also found hers attached inside, close to the tip of her skirt. ‘Madam Henrietta, there’s a gown and a hijab in the bag on the headboard, take them out and put them on. You’d also find an Arab male traditional garment in it, that’s for Chief Gab to put on.’

‘Henry, I’d leave you to take them out successfully. They are your parents, you are Yusuf and they are Mr Rasaq and Khadijat Abdulahi.’ Tarasha said and stopped to look at Chief Gab who had put on the gown. She noticed he needed a moustache to make him look more different.

‘Boss, I’m on their trail, I think they’re truly headed for the port like Cole suggested but they’re yet to leave Silver Restaurant.’ Tomi’s voice came through.

Tarasha paused what she was doing to think. ‘Cole, what colour of cloth is Rex putting on?’

‘Ermm… A blue jean jacket with a black inner and a navy blue trousers. A bag is hung around his left arm and he holds a tablet device in his right hand,’ Cole replied her.

‘Okay, you need to join Tomi now. Make sure you do everything to ensure Elvis Richards does not leave.’

‘Okay boss, so where do you go from here?’

‘I don’t want more people to get hurt tonight, I’m leading Rex to the top most floor where we would have time and space for ourselves. So unlock access and let it last for only fifteen minutes,’ Tarasha said into her Talkon receiver before getting up to her feet.

‘I’m through Henry, I got to go now. You wait here for a while until you get an instruction from me or Cole to leave with them,’ Tarasha said as she turned to the other side of the bed. She picked a bag there and the two tracking chips dropped on the bed, stared at her mother for a moment and then turned to leave.

‘Omotara, I do need to tell you something very important.’ Madam Henrietta said as she watched her daughter walk towards the door.

‘Mother, we’d have all the time to talk when I return.’ Tarasha replied with a brief glance at the woman. She stepped out and banged the door.

Madam Henrietta felt heavy. That feeling of never having the opportunity to talk to her daughter again was stronger.

___

‘Find them guys, they are in a room at the third floor.’ Rex said to his men through the phone. Through his tracking app he had been able to locate them on the third floor. He didn’t want to risk Tarasha going out without meeting with him, so he decided to remain on the ground floor till he had a tangible reason to leave.

The ground floor was crowded already, the access had been locked again and no one was going out or coming in. Rex was sick and tired of the games with Tarasha. Just as he played his game of turning on and off power, she played hers of opening and closing of access.

Suddenly, everything began to work again. Rex sighed tiredly. He raised his iPad and unlocked it. The tracking app was still running and the location of the tracked objects had changed. It was moving away from the third floor but the unexpected part was that the direction was now upward. Maybe Tarasha had discovered the tracking chips and had put it into the elevator to take it up, he thought to himself. He had however ordered for four of his men to go to the third floor and search the place for Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 16 Part 2
___

‘Be safe boss,’ Cole replied as he rounded up all he needed to do in the control room. He moved to the left side, there was a dialog box open displaying an option of Yes and No. He clicked on Yes and immediately a part of the roof just above him opened up, big enough to allow him pass through. He picked his bag and strapped it on. He put a small torch on and put the tip of the handle in his mouth, holding it down between his lips. He was going to use it to navigate through to the third floor where Tarasha had asked him to get to before leaving the building. He climbed on the chair and jumped to hold one of the elements of the roof.

___

Rex kept watching as the direction continued upward. He had spoken to his men a minute ago and they only told him they were close to the third floor already.

He stared at the tracking app confused. Then he turned towards the elevator on hearing sounds of it approaching the ground floor. Soon, the elevator opened and two people stepped out. A fat woman and her husband.

He hissed and looked away until the fat woman walked up to him.

‘Hey, you’re the man on a jean jacket,’ she spoke with her voice which sounded like a cartoon character. ‘She says you’re expecting this.’

Rex stared at her for a moment before taking the phone she was giving to him. He was surprised to see an ongoing video call with Samantha Osman at the other end.

‘Rex, I’m with your tracking chips and the location you see is mine, join me on the top most floor for a party.’ she said with him with a wink.

Rex clenched his fists. He held the phone and walked straight into the elevator, joining one of the hotel security officials. He looked again at the phone’s screen. He could see that Tarasha was also in one of the elevators and was on her way up truly.

He couldn’t wait to kick her a$$ for the last time finally.

____

‘Get ready man, I’m almost there.’ Henry heard Cole’s voice in the earpiece.

‘Cole is close here, let’s get ready to go.’ he stood up from the bed and announced to Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab. Both of them responded sluggishly, there seemed to be something that bothered their minds which they weren’t speaking out.

Henry turned quickly towards the door as he heard a sound, someone was trying to open the door. He raised his brows, wondering who it was.

He quickly glanced at them at the back. ‘Get seated and get busy with something,’ he quickly whispered to them and sat back, holding his phone.

Henry hid his gun under his lap and placed an eye on the door as the force to open it continued. Henry was scared. He hoped it wasn’t Rex. The door was going to give way soon because it wasn’t locked with a security card but only bolted behind.

He got up to his feet and put this gun into the pocket, he took two steps closer to the door. Just like he expected, a shot was fired at the door and it gave way eventually.

Three men appeared at the entrance and stared at them inside. They looked disappointed by what they saw.

Henry did not know who they were until he saw Nicholas behind them.

‘We just broke into another innocent family room,’ Nicholas said as he stepped into the room with the men. His eyes met with Henry’s and locked for a moment.

Henry was sure Nicholas knew who he was and wasn’t deceived by the disguise but he wondered why Nicholas was with them.

The men stepped out of the room one after the other, Nicholas was the last to step out and close the door.

___

‘I think we’ve found them,’ one of the men said to the three others as they stepped out of the room.

‘That’s a completely different family,’ Nicholas said to encourage them to forget about the family.

‘Didn’t you see the shirt under the man’s gown, it is the same as what Chief Gabriel had on.’ the same man replied. He got the attention of the other two men who didn’t notice but were now inquisitive. Nicholas knew there was no other thing he could say to discourage them from going back into the room.

They all turned back and walked slowly to the door, with only Nicholas standing. He watched as they opened the door and all rushed in.

‘Put your hands up the three of you, your game is over.’ One of the men shouted as the three of them pointed their guns.

Nicholas entered slowly behind them, he also had his gun raised. At first he pointed it at Henry. Then all of a sudden, he fired three bullets one each into the back of the three men. He heaved a sigh as stared at Henry’s face.

‘Put your hands up,’ another gun touched Nicholas on his neck. Cole had arrived. ‘The boss knew from the first day you returned that you were now a mole.’

‘I can explain.’

___

Dave monitored his tracking chip from the room he sat. He was now disguised as one of the hotel security men after leaving Dakolo with Lizzy in one of the rooms.

He dialed Lizzy’s number.

‘Hey Liz, I need you with me. I’m going to be following Henry E.G from here and we need to follow them together. Call for help for Agent Dakolo,’ he whispered into his phone.

___

‘I’m going with you,’ Inspector Dakolo replied Lizzy after she told him she was leaving.

His shirt had been taken off and he had a cloth tying the bullet wound in his shoulder. The bullet which had hit his finger had not stayed in his body, so he only had a bullet in his shoulder region and an injured right hand.

‘You can’t go with us, you’d get killed this way. The little first aid I applied for you won’t take you far.’

‘I don’t care, Samantha Osman has lingered for so long, everything about her has to come to an end today.’ Dakolo replied. He managed to put on his shirt and buckled his shoe with the other hand.

____

The rushing cold wind blew on Rex’s body as he stepped up the stairs to the concrete roof of the building. He spotted Tarasha immediately, standing close to the edge at the other side with the wind making her jacket and her hair fly.

He moved towards her slowly and she soon turned to face him. She dropped the bag in her hand to the floor and slowly took off her jacket, Rex also dropped his and began to take off his jacket. After putting down her jacket, she took off the wig on her head and flung it away.

The wind got more turbulent and it seemed like something more than the rain was about to pour. The clouds turned strangely red even as the moon hid itself totally in them. Lights surged through the sky, making thunderous sounds that suggested that the god of thunder was angry that night.

Tarasha and Rex stood, alone, at the top of a skycraper far away from the world and everyone else.

With the speed of light, the two zoomed to meet each other at the centre both with their clenched fists as weapon. Tarasha bent to dodge Rex’s blow and then dug hers into his belly. The impact made Rex’s feet skid against the concrete floor for three seconds. She followed him and sent a blow to his face but he dodged by swerving to the left side, he tried to grab her by the fist but she was strong enough to wriggle her hand off. She directed another blow to his belly and he blocked it with his fist, he immediately tried to push a kick to her waist but she dodged. Quickly he rolled a kick through the back to her face, she bent and his leg crossed over her head but as she tried to get back up, he landed quickly and stamped his feet on her chest close. She staggered and fell on her backside to the floor.

She rose up immediately and dodged a kick her targeted to her chest, both turned back to each other immediately. Rex waved a kick with his right leg but she stopped it with her hand as she took a step back with her right leg. He launched a blow forward, she dodged and pushed a kick into his belly. He staggered back, she followed him and sent a kick to his face. He dropped on his knees and used his palms on the floor to stop himself from falling flat. She whipped him another kick on the face before he could move and he fell to the side. He rolled away and quickly tried to get up, however she followed him and kicked him again by the side of his belly. He landed on the other side, and tumbled.

He rolled over quickly and tried to get up to his feet even as she followed him immediately. He had not gotten up fully when she sent another straight kick meant to push him to the floor through his belly but he was able to grab her feet even though it touched his belly. He staggered back and eventually fell on his bum but still holding her leg and making her unbalanced that way.

He managed to get up quickly and swept the other leg off the floor while she struggled to free the one in his grip. He released her feet as she landed on the floor. He rose up quickly and attacked her with heavy punches on the face. With her palms flat on the concrete floor as she struggled to get back up, she found it hard to dodge Rex’s punches, and he hit her until the forth attempt where she grabbed his fist with her right hand, her left hand still on the floor helping her push to sit halfway up. She tried to push him away but couldn’t until she laid her back on the floor and pushed his body away with her foot. Rex landed on the floor and rolled up immediately before she could get up, he kicked her by the side of her belly as she tried to get up and she fell back. He followed and before she could get up, he dragged her by the neck, gave her a kick the upper chest region with her knee and left her to fall with her head hitting the ground.

He made sure there was no breathing space for her as he got on top her and rained her face with blows. Her resistance gradually reduced and he soon got up to take a thirty seconds rest.

Tarasha’s face was so injured again and she had blood already running out of her nostrils. She tried to take in as much breaths as she could within the short moment he went on his break but it didn’t feel like there was enough air to take in. She stared up into the sky and saw no hope in it, it was so dark but had a strange ray of redness which made it look like the sun was somewhere still reflecting it’s light sparsely. She realized that she felt so weak all over her body, having had no time to take a rest since the time she woke that morning. She felt so powerless and wished she could close her eyes and take a nap from there.

Rex flashed a look at the sky and then at Tarasha. Every second of seeing her still breathing increased his urge and zeal to kill her. He would have preferred to have the fight indoors where he would be able to put her in complete darkness. He was so sure he would finish her completely in a lesser period of time there. However, even in that open environment which she had brought him for the ‘party’, the night still so cooperative with him: the moon was totally hidden behind the clouds and even the stars seem not to be happy that night, the colours reflected from them that night seemed not to be white but dark red as of blood.

Rex looked around the wide concrete top of the building. There was a structure at the main center of the building which was less than four metres to where he stood and beside it was an iron rod which he thought could be useful.

____

‘Henry, you take them to a safe hotel and lodge. You can speak to the police commissioner in Lagos about your mother when you get there,’ Cole said to Henry after asking Nicholas to put on the traffic indicator of the car.

They had gotten out of Solace Hotel premises in the car Cole and Tarasha drove into the place. Cole was sitting in front with Nicholas who drove, Henry, madam Henrietta and Chief Gab were sitting at the backseat of the car.

‘So where are you guys going to?’ Henry asked, after Nicholas pulled over to a curb.

‘To finish the boss’ assignment,’ Cole replied him and Henry understood what he meant. Nicholas got out of the driver’s side after Cole stepped out and Henry also got out from the backseat. The car keys were handed over to Henry. ‘Please Henry, be safe.’

Cole and Nicholas watched as the car drove away. Nicholas turned his face to Cole who was already staring at him, he heaved a sigh as Cole changed his expression.

‘I still don’t trust you,’ Cole said briefly and turned back immediately. He began to walk hurriedly towards the junction where they had turned into the road from.

‘You have to give a benefit of doubt, I showed you pictures proving that I was compelled to do those things I did and right now my mother and my son are still in Rex’s control.’

Cole did not bother to reply him. He had other things in mind including how they were going to join Tomi and get to the port before the ship moves.

His phone rang as they got closer to the junction. He took it out and checked the screen, it was Tomi.

‘Hello,’ he answered the call.

‘Cole, I’m at the Port with them already. I think a ship is going to move soon.’

‘Which of the transportation services provider?’ Cole asked.

‘I’m not sure yet and I don’t think we have much time to confirm before the ship moves.’ Tomi replied.

‘Okay, that ship leaving, do you know if it’s direction is towards one of the shipping ports in USA or a neighbouring country?’

‘Cole, I just got here. There’s no way I would know the answers to these questions you’re asking,’ Tomi replied, she sounded irritated by Henry’s question.

‘Okay, how many minutes do we have to get there?’

‘The ship would move in less than ten minutes from now, ‘ Tomi answered.

‘Oh! d@mn it!’ Cole cursed and exhaled deeply. He stopped walking and turned around as the fingers of his left hand ran into his hair. ‘Has Elvis Richards gotten in yet?’

‘No, he just arrived in his car with his team. They stopped by on the road, I think to get him well disguised.’

‘Can you stop him?’

‘No,’ she answered sharply. ‘He’s got people around him, even if I’m good at taking shots from long distances, I would never get a clear shot at him.’

‘Can you delay the movement?’

‘I’m not sure I can.’

Cole let out a breath. ‘Okay them,, you have to find a way to join them on board.’

‘Join them?’

‘Yes, the only option is to join them, stay on board and monitor, but if you can delay please do, we’d join you there in twenty minutes.’

‘Okay, I’ll join the ship.’

___

Tarasha could see Rex weaving the rod in his hand as she tried to get up on her feet. He wasn’t in a hurry, he took his steps one after the other with so much confidence.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 20 Part 1
The velocity of the wind was not reducing neither was the coldness in the atmosphere. The lightening increased and thunder became noisier, it was evident that the clouds were about to let out the rain.

She got up before he got to her and saw as he raised the rod to strike her, she leaped backwards to dodge the rod but he followed with another strike which she bent back to avoid and took two steps backwards. He followed up immediately with another strike directed to her forehead, she was just getting back up and couldn’t bend back again. She stopped the rod as she grabbed it with both hands. He tried to pull it from her but she held it firmly without releasing, disregarding the pain she felt on her palms.

She was still trying to balance up with her feet when he kicked her in the belly. She almost slipped as she stepped on a wet part of the concrete but she managed to remain on her feet until he kicked her again on the waist and she fell on her knees, her palms hitting the ground to stop her from falling face flat. Before she could make any move, the rod in Rex’s hand hit her twice on the back and and once at the left side of her belly. She fell flat on the floor.

Rex took a walk around her, rolling the rod playfully in his hand. He watched as she made wriggling movements and placed her palm flat on the floor at both sides to help herself up. He raised the rod high and struck her hard on the back again, her hands dropped and laid flat on the floor.

Rex took sometime to walk round her again. He stared at her weak body on the floor and had a feeling of victory already. He took a glance up at the sky trying to guess what time it could be, but he couldn’t. He however was sure that the ship would have moved or was already planning to move. He had made contact with the sea transport company himself and had chosen the best option out of their transportation services for the Vice President’s trip.

He took in a deep breath of the cold air as he returned his focus back to Tarasha. He could see her already making slight weak movements in an attempt to get up again. He was enjoying the moment, there was no better feeling of victory than the one felt in making an enemy assassin suffer slowly to death.

He stood alert at a meter distance from her and watched as she struggled weakly to get up. He held the rod in his hand like a walking stick and narrowed his gaze at Tarasha. She was now up on her feet but facing the other side and not yet able to balance herself. He began to take very slow short steps towards her.

She managed to open her eyes and stared in front of her but she couldn’t find him. The night seemed darker than it was and even the little she could see in the darkness appeared blurry to her eyes. After some seconds, she began to hear the sounds of his slow and soft footsteps and she could tell the direction he was coming from. She took in a deep breath as she observed slowly for him to come closer. She made a sharp turn towards him as soon as she noticed he was close enough but was struck hard on the head with the rod. She fell heavily on her back like a lifeless log of wood.

___

Disguised Elvis Richards sat in his corner peacefully. He chose to sit at the balcony of the cabin while the men inside kept watch over him through the transparent sliding doors.

He had only had a singlet and shorts on, he enjoyed the cool breeze which he could feel on his body. He reminisced the narrow escape from Solace Hotel. He never thought in his life that there would be one day he would need to escape like that but it happened. He remembered himself being so full of tension and unsettled.

He was amazed y Rex’s intelligence, he matched Samantha Osman in every aspect and had even at one time captured her to kill but through his own mistakes, Samantha had escaped. He had no doubts in his heart that Samantha Osman was strong and intelligent but he was grateful to Matvei for sending him someone who was equally up to the task.

His mind was at peace as he anticipated the new life that would begin after he steps out from the ship into another country.

He yawned and stretched his body tiredly. His phone which was placed on his lap dropped to the ground. He was so enjoying himself in his thoughts that he totally forgot he had brought a phone out with him.

He picked the phone and checked the screen. Luckily for him, there was no scratch on it. He unlocked it and swiped down the notification bar which was empty. It felt strange to him at first, his phone was always buzzing with text messages and there were always several missed call after not being with it for a long time, but then he remembered that this was a new phone and he had tossed his former phone out through the window on Rex’s instructions. He navigated to the menu list and opened his browser. He typed in the Youngicee stories website URL and it loaded fully in few seconds, he navigated to the news section and scrolled down to check the latest headlines.

The first headline that caught his attention was not the top most one, it was the sixth one h in the arrangement. It read ‘Inspector General Rikau gives up the ghost few minutes after Chief Abdulkadir Afeez is announced dead’. He clicked the link and opened on another tab. He scrolled back up to check the ones he had skipped, ‘Protesters unwilling to go home even in the darkness: demand to see Chief Abdulkadir Afeez’s dead body’, ‘NIS Chairman found dead in Lagos’, ‘Samantha Osman: The Nemesis of the Notorious Seven – popular columnist writes’, and ‘Elvis Richards yet to be found; Will he escape Samantha Osman’. He took in a deep breath and reloaded the page again, there was only one new update. ‘Samantha Osman would not escape the law, says New Inspector General’. He also opened the link to the last update in a new tab.

___

‘They are in this hotel, I hope they are not trying to do what they did with Solace?’ Dave asked as they drove into the hotel compound. He was sitting at the front seat with Lizzy who was driving while Stephanie Williams say with the injured Inspector Dakolo.

Lizzy gave him a stare as she drove into the parking space. ‘This place is small and incomparable to Solace, what do we do here? Do we book another room?’

‘I think it’s the best option we have to get close to them. I’m sure they’re still tracking Elvis Richards that’s if he isn’t dead yet.’ Dave replied. ‘Or what do you think sir?’ he asked and turned to Dakolo to get his opinion. He wasn’t surprised to see Dakolo writhing in pain behind with Stephanie staring at him in pity. ‘Sir, you gotta go get better treatment immediately,’ Dave suggested again.

Lizzy also looked back after parking the vehicle. ‘The truth is that you aren’t trained to handle this kind of situation. It’s a job for the NIS, it’s better you take a rest.’

Dakolo stared at her with an angry look but he didn’t counter any of her words. She had said the truth, he had truly seen SSS agents being able to continue with tasks with bullet wounds after getting some first aid.

‘I’ll go for treatment at the police hospital close by but I’d join you soon again,’ Dakolo finally spoke.

Dave heaved a sigh of relief. ‘Do you need us to take you there?’

‘No, I’ll find my way. I don’t want us to joke with this opportunity to nail Samantha Osman,’ Dakolo replied. He opened the door and stepped out immediately. ‘In trusting you in this Dave,’ he said and Dave nodded in response before he walked away.

‘Are you really going to kill or hurt Samantha?’ Stephanie asked in a shaky voice.

‘No, I told you before. I wouldn’t kill her,’ Dave replied. He was saying the truth, he was not planning to kill her, all he needed to do was reveal all secret information concerning her and submit her to the SSS which was his job as a NIS agent.

‘But you want to arrest her?’ Stephanie asked. She remembered Dave promising her that he was going solely for Elvis Richards but the discussion between he, Lizzy and inspector Dakolo while they drove revealed that Dave’s task was solely to capture Samantha Osman.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Chapter 14 Part 7
Dave found it difficult to answer her question. He didn’t want to disappoint her. He stared at her face in the rearview mirror and wished he could just tell her his real motive.

‘We have to go in now,’ Lizzy interrupted their tensed conversation as she took off her seatbelt and opened the door. ‘I’ve got very little time to work with you remember, I have to return to Abuja tomorrow.

___

‘Hey Tomi, we’re here now.’ Cole said into his phone as they got to the water side. He and Nicholas stood, seeing the already moving ship from where thry were.

‘We moved already.’

‘I know, I can see your boat. Have you found out how you can stop them or kill the Chief?’

‘No, I don’t have an idea. I have just a gun here with me and he’s surrounded by many armed men.’ Tomi complained.

‘Shi*t!’ Cole cursed. He dipped his hand into his pocket and took out his gun to check. He realized that he only had four bullets left in them. ‘Tomi, just stay and keep an eye on the man. I’ll get back to you soon.’

He cut the call and dialed Henry’s number immediately.

‘Hey Henry, have you gotten them settled?’ Cole asked.

‘Yes, I have. We’re in a good hotel,’ Henry replied.

‘Okay, you can stay there until the boss gives further instructions but I need your help now. We are the Lekki sea port, we got some details of the ships at Sea and the one Elvis Richards is currently on is carrying some goods for Erico Limited. I know you helped Erico build their online system, I don’t know if you can clone their managers’ phone number and call the sea port authority, tell them that a contraband was included by a criminal staff of the company and ask that the ship halts until it’s removed.’

‘Well… Cloning the number wouldn’t be difficult but how do I talk in the voice of the man?’

‘Come on, you can use a voice cloner, it doesn’t have to sound exactly like the man, no one recognizes voice of the man and the staff on duty in the afternoon is quite different from the one now.’

‘Okay, I’ll try.’ Henry promised.

Cole heaved a sigh after the call. He returned to the dialer and clicked on Tarasha’s number.

___

The rain began to drizzle even as the thunder and lightening continued. Tarasha laid there like a log of wood, far lost in the world of unconsciousness.

Rex looked back at her from where he was at the roof, he noticed no movement whatsoever where he left Tarasha. He looked down from the roof again and then glanced once more at Tarasha. The thought on his mind was to drop her from that height to the floor. He believed that would be the best kind of death he could give to her, it was what she really deserved; to fall from the top heavily to the ground. It would keep the nation busy by the time they woke the next morning and it would take them a long time before they could come up with an explanation of how she dropped to the floor from the sky.

He turned back and began to walk straight to where she was, he was about five metres close to her when he noticed a glint of light some distance away close to the edge of the building at the right side. It was from the bag Tarasha had dropped there. He realized it was a phone from the constant blinking of light and changed direction towards the bag. He picked the bag and began to unzip it as he walked back to where she was. He took out the phone from her bag but couldn’t help but notice a neatly folded long rope in the bag which he detected at once that Tarasha was planning to leave the top of that building with. He took it out of the bag and dropped it on the floor, it could be useful to him. Two steps after dropping the rope, another thought came to his mind and he stopped walking, he turned back to pick the rope. He was changing his plans of dropping her from the top to the ground but was going to hang her from the rooftop halfway the building. He pictured the sight as a more befitting death for her. He dropped the bag on the floor and walked to where she was with her phone and the rope.

The phone began to ring again as he got to where she was. He turned the screen up to check the caller, it was Cole. He swiped the green icon to the right to answer the call and placed the phone close to his ear.

Deep down in her unconsciousness where there was total silence, her physical ears which had been trained to differentiate sounds was able to pick the ringing tone sound of her phone distinct from the sound made by the turbulent winds and thunder. The ringing soon stopped and she continued here the sound of the storm only.

‘Boss, I’ve dropped Henry, Madam Henrietta and Chief Gab safely but I got to the sea port some minutes ago and the ship had already moved. What do I do?’ Cole’s voice sounded from the other side.

Rex did not answer and Cole spoke again after waiting without hearing anything.

‘Hello boss, are you there?’ Cole asked. ‘Hello boss, what do I do?’

‘F*** off idiot, your boss is dead.’ Rex cursed and then flung the phone to where Tarasha’s bag was. He stared at Tarasha again and released a breath.

Tarasha was now conscious but too weak to move any part of her body or even open her eyes. She was still imagining who Rex could have spoken to one phone when she felt strong hands hold her feet and began to drag her on the floor. She couldn’t tell where she was being dragged to. After almost ninety seconds, her leg was dropped to the ground.

Rex dropped her close to the edge and began to loosen the rope. After a minute, he was able to form the rope into the part he would hang her neck and the point he would tie to the structure on the top.

Tarasha could feel a hand on her shoulder and soon felt the rope being drawn in from her head to her neck. She tried to move her feet but she was till too weak to make any reasonable movement. The rope was fastened to her neck.

Rex got up and picked the part of the rope which he would tie to the structure. He noticed a slight movement of her body. He knew she had gotten back unconscious but was still very weak. He was sure that before she could regain the strength to make any reasonable movement, he would have tied the rope to the structure and dropped her body down to hang against the wall.

‘You f***** Samantha, your mother is still alive. I’ll make sure I **** her dirty @ for the troubles you caused me in this country,’ Rex said angrily and spat on her face before he turned and began to walk to the structure at the center.

Tarasha felt the spittle on her face but she felt the drizzling rain which was getting faster now wash it away quickly. His words about her mother began to echo so loud in her head and her mind took a fast trip down memory lane. She saw flashes of the scene where Mrs Lydia Danjuma was being R@PED by Inspector General Rikau and then pictures of how she was R@PED brutally by lower Lords of the Nefary clan. Pictures of her training in the Nefary clan also flashed through quickly with pictures of Jefa”s dead body. Then she saw a quick flash of the scene where Mrs Atinuke told her that Madam Henrietta was her mother and then she saw the scene of her mother’s reaction when she told the woman that she was that same Omotara before the flashbacks in form of hallucinations were cut short by the sounds of Rex’s footsteps as he made his way back to her.

Her heartbeat became louder to her and the sounds of Rex’s soft footsteps sounded to her like that if a giant marching angrily. Her eyes popped open and she turned her head in the direction of the sounds. She saw Rex still about ten metres away bending to pick something from the floor. She still felt so weak in her body and she closed back her eyes. The heavy footsteps continued and her mind did another quick flashback to her last moment with her mother. Mother Henrietta had told her she had something to tell her but she had shunned the woman and instead said they were going to talk when she returned. Maybe she should have just waited for her mother to talk to her about that last important matter. She was full of regrets.

Also read – Tarasha 2 – Epilogue
As the sounds of the footsteps came closer, signalling that Rex was closer. She heard so loudly echoes of her own voice promising her mother that they would have enough time to talk when she returned. Her eyes popped open again and with all the strength she could muster, she unfastened the rope around her neck quickly and removed it from her head.

Rex stopped in surprise as he saw her taking off the rope.. He was four metres away from her now. It looked like a dream to him and he couldn’t explain where she got the strength she was using from, he had hit her at the right place on her head to keep her unconscious for several hours. He saw her put the rope on the floor and make an effort to sit up. His anger was kindled the more. He decided that there was no need to use the rope anymore, all he was going to do was to toss her to the ground from that top.

____

Tarasha’s vision was blurry but she could still see that Rex was standing and staring at her. She knew he was waiting for her to get up and be thrashed by him again. She took a slow step forward and turned her back away from the edge of the building where she could easily be pushed off by Rex. Rex also turned with her, he understood what she was trying to avoid and he could see that she hadn’t regained much strength.

He hastened his steps suddenly towards her and increased his pace as she began to step back to avoid him. He finally ran a few steps to catch up with her and grabbed her immediately on the shoulder, he landed a blow on her face and she fell on her right knee. He still held on to her shoulder, preventing her from falling to the ground. He pulled her up and sent another blow to her face. She fell back to the ground, now on both knees. He released her shoulders and left her to sit in her hinds.

‘You’re a f***** disgrace, you’ve failed everyone; your clan, your employer, your mother and yourself.’ Rex began to taunt her again as he walked in an imaginary circle around her.

Every single word he said began to echo in her mind and continued to weaken get physcologicaly. She asked herself if she truly was a failure and a disgrace to herself and her mother. What he said before this new one returned to her head, it reverberated again and again, she felt some pains by those words he said threatening to molest her mother. She agreed with the last one he said, she had failed everyone who he mentioned but she had once had victory for everyone he mentioned at one time or the other except for her mother. She had made only one promise to the woman since she began to call her mother and here she was about to fail that promise.

The cold wind blew across her skin, the rain started to fall heavily. She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath as she heard the sound of Rex’s footsteps coming to her. She realized that she had to live, if not for anything else but to fulfill the promise to her mother and not appear like a failure to the woman in death.

Rex in anger and readiness to finish her directed a heavy kick to her chest to push her to the ground, hoping to get her head to hit the ground but to his utmost surprise, his foot did not touch her chest. She had grabbed his foot with both hands and was slowly trying to rise to her feet with her eyes still closed.

Rex tried to exert more pressure with his foot but he made no progress as she seemed to have gained the sudden energy from somewhere. He stared at her face, wondering why her eyes were still closed when she was up already. He watched what she was about to do but she did nothing. He only saw her lips moving and she seemed to be chanting something, like the African traditional way of making incantations. Rex was confused, he wasn’t hearing anything.

‘My noisy chants made it look like I was invoking some spirits but it’s all a trick of the Nefary clan, a trick to get your opponent busy watching your lips and wondering what you’re doing.’ a brief scene flashed through Tarasha’s mind. She could see the face of her mentor Queen talking to her in low tones and revealing the secret of Darya’s defeat to her.

‘The Tiger clan has got sharp eyes in darkness, they can see your body language even in the dark and predict your next move, they block and attack you even before you make the move.’ she heard the queen say to her again.

She continued to move her lips while holding Rex’s foot without trying to make any attack.

‘I was shouting loud to mislead my opponent, the opponent would unconsciously not fight you silently when there’s a lot of noise, with that you can predict their next move through their noisy steps. Before you can do this successfully, you must have mastered all stages of sounds differentiation techniques.’

Tarasha’s lips continued to move noiselessly, she needed sounds to distract him and make him fight noisily unconsciously but she had the heavy rain and thunderous sounds already making enough noises. She also trusted her mastery of the sounds differentiation techniques.

‘The opponent would get distracted by your lips or unstable movement, unable to predict your next move and then would attempt to strike at you. Your greatest tool would be your ears, you have to pick every sound no matter how silent it is. From this you know the opponent’s move.’

Rex was tired having her hold his leg and move her lips like a mad woman. He had watched her long enough and she wasn’t making any move to attack him, it appeared like she truly had gone insane.

He decided to finish her off. He dragged his leg from her and leaped with the other foot to strike a heavy kick on her head but to his shock, she grabbed his feet again just like she did before but this time she pulled him off the floor and turned around thrice in quick speed and released his leg, flinging his body about three metres to the ground.

‘Keep your eyes closed, if you open your eyes and see your opponent’s moves physically, you may not be able to control your response and your body may react to it. If your opponent is a Tiger, he would use your body movement or language against you.’ Tarasha heard the queen’s voice in her face once again.

Rex felt terrible pains as he landed with his face on the ground but he managed to get back on his feet immediately. He turned to look at Tarasha and saw that she was standing on a spot and hadn’t even turned in his direction yet. He noticed she was now just a meter close to the raised one step brick at the edge of the roof. He charged towards her with full determination to end everything at once.

Tarasha could hear the movement of his legs and then she heard the sound made by his quickraising of his hand and the spread of his fingers. She turned sharply and met his fist with hers, she grabbed his neck and turned within a split second slamming his head on the brick handing edge behind.

‘Only make a move when you’re sure that the only part of your body which your opponent can clearly see is your face and your lips moving.’

Rex was frustrated, he felt helpless as he struggled for breath with her hand tightened on his neck and pressing his head to the floor. The back of his head which Tarasha had made to hit the concrete brick had totally destabilized his thinking and everything. He managed to open his eyes and saw her still closing her eyes and not doing anything different apart from tightening her neck.

He decided to end it all for both of them. He would grab her by the neck and wrap his legs around her and roll off the building with her. He didn’t see her knees rising already, just as he stretched forth his hand she bent her neck and he missed her back. She rose quickly and pushed his body with her foot. He rolled over and fell off the edge of building.

Tarasha could hear his loud screams as he fell off the skyscraper.

The fall was more than something he could control. He couldn’t stop the scream that forced itself out of his mouth as he found himself struggling against the force of gravity. His body hit the window guards from the top most floor and his head also hit one of the opened window glasses and continued downward until it got to the middle floor at the fourth second where it hit another opened glass window, all this slowing down his movement and increasing the pains of his fall. He closed his eyes in anticipation of his death as he continued falling.

He suddenly stopped moving after three more seconds of hitting two more opened windows. He opened his eyes expecting to find himself dead but he was still about twenty feet away from the ground. The thick collar of his cloth had hung one of the window glasses which was now oscillating because of his weight on it. Breathing heavily he managed to look down from that position. He could see people there looking up and pointing at him as his legs flew in the air. He heard a tearing sound and his body dropped a centimetre downward, the collar was giving way. He quickly used his hands to grab the window glass and also supported himself with the legs.

He was panting heavily as he managed to turn his body to the other side. He heard a scream from the room of the window.

TARASHA – Episode 42

HEARTSTRING CHAPTER 73&74

HEARTSTRING CHAPTER 39&40

HEARTSTRING CHAPTER 37&38

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