Lost But Satisfied - Episode 22

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Jerry wished he could escape from Chief immediately but he knew that might cost him his life. So, he took in a deep breathe, smiled and rose from the seat. Then, he hurried to Chief and prostrated.

‘Ahhh! The boy is well-mannered. Stand Akanni. Let’s wine and dine.’

 Jerry followed Chief, knowing he was done for. The room suddenly became choky.

 Then, a lanky man entered the room . His moustache was straightened to compliment his slim statures. Closely following him was Grace and a small boy. She wore a yellow gown, which was dotted with blue. Bidemi wished the ground would swallow him at that instance. Most of the ladies in the room adjusted themselves as they saw this woman.

 Jerry swallowed hard and turned quickly.

‘Anomi, hope all is well?’ Chief asked as he placed his hand on Jerry’s back.

‘Yes, sir… I want to use the toilet’.

 ‘Peter, take Anomi to the toilet’.

‘I know the way, sir. I’ve been there before’, he said as he went towards the door. He looked around and didn’t see the lady on blue anywhere in the room. As he moved out of the parlour, he wondered if he wanted to bear the name Chief was calling him ‘Ano mi’ (my in-law) especially with what he had heard about Chief.

 He expelled some carbon dioxide

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. He held his breath. Why the irrational decision? Jessica that would help him out of that place was in the parlour with her father. There was no way he could escape without her help.

 Knowing that he had to escape everyone in the room, he went towards the male toilet and was about to open the door when someone whispered to him from the lady’s toilet. He pulled back to see another lady, a familiar lady: the old haggard beggar, Martha.

‘Come here’, she said, whispering. He ran to her. And they entered the toilet. She had removed the burglary in the toilet and that aided their exit from the house.

‘Follow me’, she said as she squeezed herself through the toilet window. Jerry did that also, not minding that the wall tore a part of his shirt.

 They landed on a tiled part of the house. They were at the back of the house.

‘What took you so long?’

‘Chief is in the parlour’.

‘Come on. Let’s go’.

‘Wait! The woman that came that day and was crying that she is my wife. I saw her entering here. Please, make sure she is safe’.

‘What did they tell you I am? Your personal slave? I’m helping you because Jessy wants me to. Now, let’s go’.

 They squatted and crawled. Meanwhile, the music from the house still came out loudly and clearly. The scent of small chops and drinks still held the air captive. The house was fenced high and the fence was wired, therefore, the thought of climbing the wall wasn't part of the option. When they got near the gate, they hid behind the generator house.

'What are you looking at?' Martha asked repulsively. 'The only way is through the door. We are building something for Nigeria here. It's not a child’s play'.

He grunted his response.

‘Wait here’, Martha ordered and limped out of the darkness. As quiet as a breeze, she hobbled towards the gate and spoke to the gateman, bringing out something from her cloth and giving it to him.

‘I no fit take am. Chief talk say if anybody leave here, im go kill me. Abeg aunty Martha, go and come back when Chief don permit me to open the door’, the gateman said loudly.

 The lady kept talking in low tones and gestured hurriedly.

‘I no fit’, the gateman said. ‘Come see. I go need to enter code before I open gate. So, if Chief hear say I be dey sleep when you enter im go talk say na lie’.

 She talked again, gesturing.

‘Abeg… Come dey go… Come dey go’.

  Suddenly, two men came towards them, running.

‘Kasali, you see anybody for here. You see Leech’.

‘I no see anybody, na only Aunty Martha I see’.

‘Mat, you see Leech’.

‘No…’

‘No let anybody go outside, remember say na die ooo and Martha what are you doing here? Chief wants every hand on deck’.

Martha stylishly looked at where Bidemi was hiding and rubbed her hair as she followed the two men.

Bidemi sat on the ground. He wondered how he would escape. He couldn’t sit there expecting a miracle. He had to do something and whatever he would do must be done very fast. He turned and rested his back against the wall of the place he was hiding, wondering why he had agreed with Pastor Matthew and had followed Rita down there. He should have listened to his inner voice.

Noises began to erupt from different parts of the house as men trooped out, holding lamps and walking stealthily. The feel of the night made him cringe more into the corner. He had to escape this haven and must leave Fortune City, if possible. But first, he had to leave this hiding place and look for another place because as close as the place was, it was easy to find.

 ‘Bidemi’, Once called,’ it’s me, Once. I know you are around here and I’m going to be the one to find you, to redeem myself’.

 Jerry swallowed hard as he waited for the light to come upon him. He knew he had no other option than to run for it. However, he still squatted there and peeked from time to time.

‘Chief will not kill you. Come out… come out… Rita is becoming worried’.

 Jerry shifted forward. The interlocked tiles under him made a crunching sound. He put his hand on it hurriedly to stop it from giving him away and discovered that the tile was becoming loose. He removed it without making any noise. Watching the torch lights roamed from time to time, he held the tile in his hand firmly.

 Once was holding a gun and was limping, quietly. The others had gone towards the other part of the house but Once refused to leave that part of the house as he continued searching the garage.

 Seeing his big opportunity, Jerry decided not to waste it. He sneaked behind Once and hit him hard on the head. His heart lurched as Once screamed and tried to turn. Jerry hit him again with full force, bringing Once to his knee and making him fall flat on the floor.

 The night was a good cover for him. Jerry took the gun and headed for the gate.

‘You…’ He said in a low tone as he pointed the gun to the gateman’s chest. ‘Open this door before I use this gun to open your chest’.

‘Oga abeg... no vex’.

 The gateman entered. Jerry followed him with the gun and watched as the gateman began to press buttons. Then, the door opened.

 ‘Good! Stay down there… Lie down my friend’ Jerry said as his hand shook.

 Jerry ran outside and headed for the gate, not minding the ray of light that was moving towards the gateman’s room.

‘Bidemi’, a voice boomed over a megaphone as he came out of the gate and started running.’ I have your wife here and your son’.

 The new information rattled him that he had to stop in his path. He didn’t know his wife brought his son. He quickly rested on the wall and moved slowly to the gate.

‘I will count to five. If you don’t come out. I’ll kill them now’.

 Jerry wondered if he should escape or allow the men to shoot them. No matter what, he wasn't ready to allow anybody to die for him. Not to imagine what would happen if they killed his son.

‘One…’

 He took two deep breaths, entered the compound, angry at his wife for coming to this party with their son. He raised the gun to a vantage point as he moved nearer. The men with the torchlight moved towards him. The gun was still in his hands.

‘Move back....’ He said, snarling. He didn’t know how he knew how to use a gun but he had a clear shot and could shoot Chief but he couldn’t bring himself to take the shot. He shook his head.

‘Let her go… And I will give myself up… Let the boy also go’.

‘Drop the weapon before I agree to do that…. ‘

‘No… I will come to you gently…and you would allow me to come to you. When they cross the gate, I will drop the gun. If you are in doubt, your men are behind me, they will catch me before I do anything’.

 Chief looked at him for some minutes and allowed them to go. Grace ran towards him.

‘Bidemi’, she said and hugged him, 'I will call the police for this son of many fathers’.

‘Daddy’, Ademola said running towards them.

‘Leave here now…’ Jerry said as he warded them off. He didn't remember much about his son and he was angry that his memory was wiped.

 Grace and Ademola left him, looking back from time. He was at a vantage position and was sure he could get at anybody that tried to intercept them. Grace ran to the parking space and drove away.

When he was sure their car had zoomed off, Jerry turned his gun to Chief, and the other men took some steps forward.

‘Okay, what do you want from me?’

‘I know you Bidemi, you are a man of your word. You won’t go back on your word. Oya, drop that gun and let us face business’.

‘Where do I know you? What do you want from me?’ He said moving towards Chief.

 ‘I want you to build a car for me.’.

 Jerry stopped and laughed. He pointed at the house. ‘You that have this house can’t you just talk to any car producer to build a car for you, why me that do not have the knowledge?’

‘A car that runs on water. Water car’.

 Jerry stared at Chief. As he stood there, the desire to build the car came to him again. It had been his dream ever since he woke without memory. If chief knew about it that means he had been working on it before and he loved to continue.

‘Leave me alone….’ Rita shouted as she ran outside pursued by Jessica and Martha. ‘Jerry, leave now…’ She turned to Chief and spat on his face, making Chief shift back.

 ‘Abomi...’ Chief shouted shortening the word ‘abomination’. He charged towards her like a wounded lion and slapped her. She missed her steps and fell.

‘I could never imagine in this world that you, my father, would be the cruel demon he was running from. Jerry didn’t do anything for you and you want to kill him’. She said as she struggled to her feet.

‘Me… You spit on me… Your father?’

‘Rita, calm down... Everything is in control. Chief, if you promise to leave my family’, he said, wondering if he should still consider them as his family.’ If you promise me that no harm will come to them, I will see what I can do’.

 A big smile came on Chief’s face.

‘Ahba.What does it do to people? I will even help you to guard them… Nothing will happen to them’.

Jerry dropped his gun and some of the men ran to take the gun. Once came out of the side of the garage, rubbing the back of his head.

 The men rushed to Jerry and held him.

‘Fools, leave him’, chief shouted, jumping.’ Is something wrong with your mothers? If any of you touch him, I will kill you. That’s Ibu owo. Source of money’. Chief turned to Rita whose mouth was widely agape.’ You, I disown you. You are useless to me. Kill you cannot kill, be useful you can’t be’.

 ‘You will pay for this. You will rot in prison’.

Chief glanced at his men and burst into laughter.

‘Leave my house. Fool! Get out. I gave birth to a fool. She has eaten the intestine of her imbecile mother. Get out’.

‘Chineye’, he shouted.

 One of his men went to call his secretary as they knew that was whom he was referring to. The lady on blue rushed out

‘Take this boy to the underground room…’

‘Okay. Chief. Has he agreed to build the car?’

' Yes o'.

Chioma smiled. 'That's what he always wanted before someone hacked my laptop and put a kill order on you. Now, we can transition from being a nuisance to legal assassins. Nigerian CIA'.

‘Ehn… You're talking too much'.

'Whatever! So Chief?'

'Yes? Chineye’

‘It’s Chioma. What about Once? You said anybody that caught Bidemi would kill Once’.

 Chief smiled as the light reflected on his face.

‘I like this girl. She don’t forget something’, Chief said.’ No. Once will not die now. The death that wanted to kill him had left him for another purpose.

Read " Don't! Look Closer " by the same author ( Akíntayo Akinjide )

. Tell those Aboki it’s time to start’.

 The lady on blue smirked and came towards Jerry, her perfume, Mountain flower, overshadowed his sense of smell as she came closer and said, ‘follow me…’

 Rita ran to him and hugged him tightly.  'He will pay. To God who made me, he will pay for everything he has done to you’.

 Jerry sighed and followed the lady in blue, Chioma. Now, he had been placed within the devil and the sea. He trudged on and she led him through the house into the room and from there she opened a trap door.

 She led the way on graciously and Jerry wished he hadn't chosen to give up. He changed his mind. He knew that he wasn't wanted dead and even if he were wanted dead, it would still take time.

 She locked the door behind him. He turned to face her and to ask questions but she came to him like a hungry bear and ran his back against the wall. She kissed him and began to c*ress him. Kissing him as if she had been starved of kisses. He tried to push her away but she was adamant and wouldn’t give up on him; instead, she kept pulling his cloth. After a long fight with her fierceness, after a thorough struggle with the urge to continue, he succumbed and they ended on the bed, a very soft bed.