City Of Dust And Flames - Episode 2

 

In a storey building located at st. Victoria avenue was the Oni Daily Times, ODT. ODT newspaper company occupied one flat out of the two flat storey building. At the editor department, there lies a man who is never for ones relentless. He is known as the heart of ODT.His desk were always piled with articles he must sort out before going home.
Mr Adeoti, the chief editor of ODT. He have to cross check every article before been publish out to the public . The work as taken a large part of his life that he doesn't even have time for his family.
A lady in her mid twenties knocked at the chief editor's door.
"Come in" Mr Adeoti said after hearing a heavy knock at his door
"Good evening sir" she said with a voice as cool as a dove and took her seat.
"Evening?" Mr Adeoti said absentminded. He was so engross in the article he was correcting. "Are we really in the evening?"
"Yes, Mr Adeoti" the sweet voice replied "I think it is high time you go for a break. Health is wealth sir"
Sure! Health is wealth! But that wasn't applicable in this city. In this particular city before an average person can make it, you have to struggle, strive and hopefully pray. The market is a very competitive one, nobody can afford to be retrenched, getting a job in the city is worst than hell

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/city-of-dust-and-flames

. The rate of crime as increased bountifully. Kidnapping as become a day to day activity. Articles published on crimes daily was beyond reasonable measure and the government couldn't do anything to stop it. Whereas they prefer looting the government funds to a foreign country. Enjoying life without discord, saving money for their fifth generation to come. The city is really a disaster. It takes a lot of blood shedding before it can be clean.
"The president asked me to call you" she said "he had been buzzing your intercom but you weren't picking"
"Ohhhhhhh, guess I was so lost in this articles" Mr Adeoti said and lowered his spectacle "president? Or Daddy?"
There was silence for a while, guess she was thinking about the suitable answer to his question. After minutes of thought, she resulted to a conclusion.
"You know he is both but I don't want to be sentimental, we are at work. So here, he is the president and at home, a loving and caring dad"
Mr Adeoti was so amazed at the way she broke it down. Everyone in the company loves her. She work with diligent and not minding that her father was the owner of the company.
Adesewa graduated from the university three years ago. She has since then being an employee under her dad.
"Hope tomorrow's articles won't be about crime because am getting so sick of everyday crime" Adesewa said but Mr Adeoti gave an awkward smile.
"Can crime rate reduce in this nation?" He asked but he wasn't waiting for an answer. "Now look at what caught my attention the most"
He tossed over a paper to her. Adesewa eye was wide opened as she read it.
"A 15years old girl machete her father??? What reason could she have?" Adesewa screamed with disbelief
"Well, it says here that her father has threatened her young lover. So she confessed that she machete him when he was asleep"
Adesewa was so short of words, it was like the end of the world was already near. How could a small girl kill her father? This world has already turned upside down and the city has gone haywire.
"Who caught her?"
"Their neighbour" Mr Adeoti said with a smile but Adesewa wasn't smiling. She was shocked and still didn't believe it but this was nothing compared to the articles Mr Adeoti reviews everyday. "A neighbour claimed he saw blood dripped in front of his room. And as a sensitive man,  the trace of the blood came from his neighbour room. So he traced it to a nearby bush, guess the young girl wasn't aware of the blood. She was too immature that all she was after was disposing the body. So the neighbour named Mr Chukwu something apprehended her in the act."
Adesewa couldn't hear it anymore, so she stood up to leave. The violence in the city is growing day in day out. It was like there was no righteous anymore.
"Kindly check the president in his office when you are done with what you are doing" she said and aimed for the exit.

Few minutes later, Mr Adeoti went to the president office. Mr festus Oni was in his late fifties, of an average height and obviously over weight. His fat face had a beard that ran in a 'U' shape from ear to ear. People of such caliber are known to have a pot belly in the city. His native attire shows he is a big shot and one of the respectable man in the city.
The president of ODT was in a sad mood. He also had a lot bothering his mind, a lot of challenges to overcome. As Mr Adeoti entered his office, he could see the look on his face, a displeasing one.  Mr Adeoti stood at the door for a while expecting a change in his boss mood but No! There wasn't any changes.
"You sent for me sir" Mr Adeoti finally uttered after starring massively at his boss who was lost in his thoughts and wasn't aware of his presence.
"Ah, yes" The president said trying to adjust his mood "I have been calling your intercom for a while now but there was no response. I even called your personal line, it was still the same. That was why I asked Adesewa to call you"
"Am so sorry Sir, I was very busy"
"I understand how busy you could be. I hope everything is fine with your family?" Mr Oni asked
"Everything is fine sir" he retorted
Whereas he knew everything was not fine, in fact nothing was okay in his home. His wife had been his major problem. She was always nagging and screaming that he comes home late at night. She was already questioning his Fidelity, she thought he was cheating and every time he tries to explain to her that it was work, she wouldn't believe it. She had thought he was cheating on her but he wasn't. She would complain bitterly that he hasn't done his duties. He hadn't paid his children school fees, their house rent was already due, living in the house was hell for there was no foodstuff, nothing! His wife had thought he had a woman somewhere outside in the city that is collecting his money. He had tried explaining to her many times that he was yet to be paid but she didn't believe him. That was something about marriage, even a perfect marriage could be filled with misunderstanding and argument if there was no money. He understood his wife sudden change,  she was not like that guess circumstances made her turn that way. His children had always being his main concern, they have been lagging and the thought of that always brings tears to his eyes. But what could he do? Nothing!. He knew his boss wasn't like that either, circumstance have made market so slow.
"Is Felix and Tayo back?" Mr Oni said snapping him out of his thought
"I don't think so cause if they were back they would have report to me" he said
"Alright, go back to work and sorry for the disturbance" Mr Oni said looking genuinely sorry "and if they are back kindly tell them to report to my office"
"Alright sir" Mr Adeoti said as he left the president office and head for his office when he saw Tayo and Felix entering the reception.
"What took you so long?" Mr Adeoti asked
"We were stuck in traffic for more than two hours because of that CPP rally" Felix replied looking so furious and hungry
"Anyhow, your presences is needed in the president office and when you done with him. I also need the outcome of the rally" Mr Adeoti said as he walked away.
Felix temper grew and he was choking in anger
"No rest!" He protested "we just came back from a strenuous work and the next thing I would be doing is hopping from one office to the other"
"I think we should go and meet the president now. It might just be a brief meeting, so we are going to rest later" Tayo said but Felix stared hard at him and hissed.
They went to the president office and met him eating rice with fried chicken.
"Ah, Felix" Mr Oni said welcoming them into his office "I just asked of you from Mr Adeoti"
"He told us Sir. That is why we are here"
"Okay, but what took you so long?" Mr Oni asked
"Traffic Sir. The traffic from liberty park to Wellington road was so jammed" Tayo who have being silence said
"Oh I see" Mr Oni nodded his head. He knew how it could be at times. People walking on the road and making the cars move slow. It is a very bad experience. If an interview was scheduled to began at 10am and one left home by 9am, by 2pm one might still be stuck in the traffic. It is a bad experience that one wouldn't pray to encounter.
"Pardon my manners" he continued "come and join me" he said after pulling the chicken lap.
"We are okay, sir" They both answered harmoniously. Felix knew deep down in him that he was starving. His throat were moving up and down, his mouth had began to salivate and his stomach had start to rumble.
"Okay, I just wanted to know whether there was no problem or any mechanical fault with any of the instrument" Mr Oni said
"There was no problem, everything went on smoothly" Felix said sharply. He was not ready to stress the issue. All he could think of right now is food. So any other thing will have to wait.
"Alright, you can both have your seat" Mr Oni said and Felix heart sank. That was exactly what he was trying to avoid but guess he couldn't Dodge it.
They both sat opposite him with their hand folded
"I want to give you two an assignment, you can call it a mission" he continued but they were both puzzled. Felix heart was filled with disgust, he worked so hard and at the end, the pay wasn't so good. He had tried so many times to look for a better job but all to no avail. Felix hasn't had such a thought before, he loved his boss but he love  his life and future more. He sees no future in ODT. Guess that is the thought of a hungry man. So he immediately adjust his mood.
"And what mission is that?" Tayo asked
"I want you two to do a secret investigation on CPP, the fund they looted in the last four years in the state" he said and saw worries in their eyes. He knew it was a difficult task, a deadly one "you know if we can find a concrete evidence enough to crucify them. The people will reason with us and not criticize us"
ODT had been on CPP achilles heel since the last two years. They had got one of their members killed in the act. He had investigated the insurgency in city and all his investigation had led to CPP regional party chairman. He  published several articles showing his impact in the city revolt and how he tend to use it for his advantage. The regional chairman had liaise with the governor and had created a group acting like a militant, causing disrupt in the city. The federal government would give them fund to fight this, but they really have nothing to fight since they were the master planner. They generate funds through this method but the secret got leaked to an ODT lead field journalist.
Nobody knows more or less, he was found dead the next day with a bullet drilled into his skull. Mr Oni had compensated his family but that wasn't enough. Felix assumed office as the lead field journalist after his death. That man, Mr Taiwo Edun was an icon in ODT and will always be remembered.  Well that actually became the downfall of ODT, the people turned their back on them. 90% of the people in the city has being brainwashed by CPP, so CPP was their Messiah. They had labelled ODT with libel, claiming they publish false news and that has really affected the sales of their market.
"But how are we going to get the information?" Tayo asked
"That was why it us called a mission. You solve the missing puzzles yourself. Remember, we need an actual and genuine facts" Mr Oni replied "but I have a leak for you, it is from a reliable source. That should aid the investigation"
Felix eye opened wide, it better be a reliable source! Because he wasn't ready to embark on a mission of no return. A lot of people count on him for survival, so a harm to him affects all.
"Come closer" Mr Oni said and explained the leak to them. They both sat attentive and listened to every bit of what the president said.

Read " My Messiah :Love in Damascus " by the same author ( olasupo isaac )

. "So you must be prepared for this..... Friday night at the city most renowned club, Classic Pub!"
"Classic Pub!" Tayo retorted but Mr Oni nodded
"I thought only the rich and influential goes there? It will be difficult for someone like us" Felix pointed out
"Yes, very difficult" Tayo supported him "especially with things they sell coming at a very high Price"
"Not to worry, i am going to give to some Money to get some few stuff at the pub" Mr Oni said "and don't forget to dress well and attractive"
"Okay sir," they both said
"Friday is in two days, so you should both be prepared" Mr Oni said with a belch. He was already done with his sumptuous meal. "Come and get the money on Friday morning" he added.
Felix and Tayo stood up to leave. The paused hunger of Felix had resumed, his stomach had began to rumble again. So he quickly aim for the door.
"Don't forget, she must not know who you are" Mr Oni called from behind them and they both nodded and stumbled their way out of his office.
Instead of obeying Mr Adeoti call, they both ran outside and head to the canteen. That day was a very stressful one for Felix. Adesewa had drove him home. The two had been courting for almost two years now and they love each other. Felix switched on the television and watched the Nickelodeon TV series 'Grachi' before he finally fell asleep. He had never felt this stressed out before, today was hell of a day.