A Dread in the Spine - Episode 23

 

 'Leave them to me', someone that had the same voice as Segun said with pride and strutted towards her. Shayla swallowed and hoped she could talk but the gag held her mouth in place. She should have known that Segun was double-faced. 
Another lady entered with a mask over her face. Her body structure was really killing, and Shayla knew only one lady that always made her emotion about women rise in such way . She moaned the name of Rachael. The one that spoke like Segun peeped outside and soon looked in and removed his masks. Water welled in her eyes as she realized it was Segun. If she wanted to accuse him or beg him, she didn't have the chance. The other person removed her own mask too to show her face, and hurriedly crouched near Shayla.
'Segun had been spying for me on the Gragus Team. He had killed and done things for me. Your call made me know we had to act fast'.
Shayla nodded as Rachael began to remove her gag. Then, she loosened the rope used in tying her down.
'Segun, my bag', Rachael whispered to Segun, who was at the door, watching out for people.
As it was typical of Rachael, she hurriedly removed her bottle of coffee and gulped it. She always had a lot of that at hand

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/a-dread-in-the-spine

. She was good without the bottle of coffee, but whenever she took one, not even ten men could stand her in a physical combat or any other feat.
'These are.'
'With Nosa. They are his people. You know Nosa, my'
'Lover', Rachael said disgustedly. 'Can any of them be of help?' 
'Yes. The lady. The man hasn't been tested with a gun'.
'He is useless? Let him use the chair to defend himself. Take your gun and give Moriah the gun. She is the Moriah, right?'
Shayla nodded. Rachael always knew everything about her. Shayla's mind reveled as she touched her gun. She kissed it. The first person to die would definitely be Chloe. Her death should soon teach the Gragus men that one doesn't play with F.A.L.T.
Rachael picked the locks of the chain on Moriah and Raphael's chain. Immediately it came off, she gently dropped them.
'In-coming', Segun hissed. 
'To the corner'.
Everybody ran to a corner. However, Raphael's leg hit the chair.
'Why are you like this?' Moriah mumbled. Rachael frowned and glanced at her in awe. Shayla knew she would love Moriah because Rachael also loved neat jobs.
The person coming heard the chair and ran inside. However, Segun was waiting for him. Soon, he was strangling the man. 
'Third mask', Segun groaned as soon the man dropped dead. Shayla ran to his side and helped him carry the dead man to a corner. 
'Good', Rachael said when they were all ready. She distributed knives among them, and soon they were ready to fight. She gave Moriah a gun. And with a nod from her, the members of F.A.L.T wore their masks.
'You two, stay back until we tell you', Rachael said and raised her hands. The F.A.L.T members understood. They entered the holding room one after the other with their weapons hidden. They walked as if they were surveying the room. The Gragus Team kept moving up and down from different directions. Rachael brought out a small pad. Shayla knew that plan. It means some people were outside. Suddenly, there was a loud bang from outside the torture room. The women inside kept quiet for a while. The three F.A.L.T members in the house stood near other Gragus men. Rachael did her flashing fingers countdown. Immediately, she got to zero, they attacked the nearest Gragus men. Since they had the element of surprise, they were soon killing all the Gragus men as more members of F.A.L.T trouped in. Some of her favorites were among them- Once, who was known to kill once-and-for-all; Jasper; even Jennifer, Chief Suberu's daughter, whom he mustn't know left home on such expedition. They all fought valiantly, and soon the only persons remaining were the doctor and Chloe in the room. 
By this time, Moriah and Raphael had come out of hiding. Raphael was hiding behind the screaming women; while, Moriah helped out in the shooting. Some men had gone to bring out Chloe and the Doctor. Shayla couldn't wait to be sure Nosa was alright. She ran after Rachael to the room. When they got to the room, Chloe and the doctor were already kneeling down. Within a twinkle of an eye, Rachael shot the doctor in the head.
'That's my kill', Shayla shouted as Rachael pointed the gun at Chloe's head as Moriah ran to Nosa's side. Hurriedly, she removed the belt used to tie him down. He moaned.
Rachael nodded and moved back. Shayla rushed to the other room, grabbed the whip and returned to face the downcasted Chloe. Shayla, panting hard, spun the whip vigorously, then lashed Chloe, who yelled. A tinge of delight passed Shayla's heart.
'That's for flogging me'.
She flogged her again. 'That's for disappointing us. For disappointing Nosa'.
She flogged her again, and Chloe cried out in pain. 'That's for flogging the mother of everybody's baby'.
Then, she flogged her repeatedly. As she flogged her, she remembered that if Chloe had not kidnapped those women, Lila would still be alive. And she too wouldn't have killed her. Things wouldn't have been bad. Innocent men, pretending to be strong like her, wouldn't lose their lives because they were helping her. 'For AllThe GoodPeople In ThisWorld'.
Suddenly, someone ran into the room and shouted that the Police were on their way.
'How come?' Shayla shouted at Rachael.
Rachael looked bemused too. She looked about. 'Police? Probably your P.I boyfriend'.
'NoI ' Nosa said weakly as he stood with the help of Moriah. 'Oh! Mr. Johnson. He always returned to the police'.
'We would leave you to the women', Rachael said and pulled Shayla away. Shayla felt cheated and stupid. She should have killed Chloe, but she still felt bad that Nosa would be sad if she killed Chloe, and probably hate her. However, to her amazement and joy, Nosa collected Moriah's gun and pointed it at Chloe.
'I'll destroy you'
Raphael held his hand. 'Nosa, you dont want to. For the sake of her She is insane. She needs medical attention. She has suffered enough with you'.
'I don't bloody care', he yelled with such anger that she rarely saw in him.
Rachael pulled her away towards the noise of the women that had been released. Many of them were screaming incoherently and running about. Rachael always had a plan for things like this. So, when she saw most of F.A.L.T running towards a bush path and Rachael dragging there, she knew she had no other option than to leave with them.
'So, Segun'Shayla started to say.
'Has been fooling you? I know. He was working for me to penetrate the Gragus Team. They were becoming a nuisance', Rachael replied.
'That means Katrina was truly arrested'.
'No. She just had to go to the prison to get some information for us as regarding them. She would be released tonight'.
Shayla nodded as she realized all that had happened behind her back.
'I must really commend Segun, he really tried'.
'Yes. He did a good job until he was to visit those that had the other woman. He made a mess there. It took us a lot of effort to lose Gragus Team from our scent'. 
When they were out of the possible reach of the Police, Rachael dragged to stay back. The others kept rushing away, she dragged Shayla into the bush and pushed her. She stumbled and hurriedly jumped up. Shayla was surprised, but she understood the meaning. Someone had paid for her life. She tried to raise her gun.
'No. Don't do anything stupid. Let's salvage the matter with all senses'.
Then, she remembered Lila. Maybe she was getting the punishment from God for killing a mother. However, she wouldn't be heady as Lila. Since death was staring at her in the face, she would gently welcome it and go with it. Tears gathered in her eyes and found their way down her cheeks.
'Yell and I'm sorry about this', Rachael said and shot at her hand. She made sure the bullet grazed her hand. Shayla yelled and understood what Rachael was trying to do. Rachael shot a tree around her three times. Shayla fell on her knees and knew she had just been redeemed. 
'Now, you're dead. Leave Fortunecity. Take those fake ladies with you. Give them new identities. The Commissioner wants you all dead. He has paid for your lives. You're dead'.
Shayla, with tears in the eyes, rushed to Rachael, who was always reluctant to take a hug and covered her with her hands and tears.

Read " Grabbing The Hot Gate " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. She might be younger than she was, but she had a larger and wiser heart than she. As the pain in her heart increased, so did the pain in her hand.
'Leave and treat that hand', Rachael said and left.
Shayla watched her leave and she sat on the thorny grass without minding the pain. She had just been saved by the one she always wanted to be better. Her life had received its own redemption. In her new life, she wanted to taste a form of religion too. Even if she might not find all the answers to life there, she would find a reason to live. Birds sang over her, she looked up as she watched the sun coming out of the cloud over her. She had finally being saved. Her mind went back tonight and the cloud, she burst into tears and hoped the emptiness of the place they were would envelop her voice, and her tears. She wailed, and yelled and shouted for joy. Then, she brought her phone and threw it away with a second glance.