a.s.sistant stepped into the office.

'Fine sir. The call was from Canada but we've not

been able to verify the user's details'

'When would that be done?'

'We should get the report by next tomorrow'

Debo answered.

'Are you sure?'

'Yes, very sure sir'

'Good…' The man paused and focused on his

laptop for a minute before he returned his gaze

back to Debo. 'Do you know what is happening

next tomorrow?'

'Yes sir.' Debo smiled sheepishly.

Jubril Lawal smiled back. 'I want you to organize

a banquet for me. The venue would be my villa.

Send invitations to every friend on my contact

list'

'Okay sir'

'Invite Evelyn Alex also.' The man paused and

cleared his throat. 'I'll like her to meet with some

of our other business partners that would be

involved in our partners.h.i.+p. Make sure you also

mobilize for proper security'

'Okay sir.' Debo bowed and proceeded out of the

office, trying to come up with ideas on how to

organize for the birthday celebration Tarasha eyes began to search around for Henry

in the reception as she came out of the elevator.

She took out her phone from the jacket and

dialed his number.

'Where are you?' She spoke into the phone.

'Outside the gate' a gruff voice which was not

Henry's answered, Tarasha noticed.

'Okay, I'm coming' she replied and ended the

call. She dropped the phone back into the

jacket's pocket and proceeded out of the

building.

She spotted Henry's blue Honda car parked

behind a police sonata as soon as she stepped

out of the gate. She noticed that three

uniformed police officers were at their car with a

non uniformed person. The officer at the front

seat beside the driver's came out looking at her

direction. She took out her phone and placed

another call to Henry as she proceeded slowly

towards his car.

'Hey Madam' the police officer accosted her.

'h.e.l.lo, what can I do for you?' Tarasha ended the

call she was trying to make and turned to attend

to the officer.

'Are you Miss Evelyn Alex?' The officer asked.

'Yes, I…' Tarasha was cut short by what she saw.

The "non uniformed officer" which appeared to

be Henry was motioned out of the car by

another officer which was huge in size.

'Do you know that man?' The officer continued,

looking towards Henry.

Tarasha paused for a while before answering.

'Yes' She stared at Henry as the huge officer

motioned him towards their direction.

'You were with him yesterday?' He asked again.

'Yes' Tarasha answered.

'Your attention is needed in our office' he said.

'For what?' She inquired.

'Just to answer some few questions' the officer

replied with a brief smile.

Tarasha stared at Henry's face for an explanation

but he just stared back until she spoke. 'What's

all these Henry?'

'I'm sorry, I don't understand too' Henry replied.

'I asked them to leave you out of this but they

said that we must go together. I believe that

Dare must have told huge lies about us to the

police'

'May we leave now?' The huge officer

interrupted, eyeing Tarasha wickedly.

'Can I have my phone to make a call now?' Henry

demanded, stretching out his hand to the slim

officer.

'Of course, it's in the car. Let's proceed first,

then you can make your calls on the way' the

officer made way to return to the car.

'You go with her in the Honda' the huge officer,

Afo , said in a commanding tone.

'Okay' the other officer obliged and led Tarasha

who followed silently to the Honda.

The officer in the driver's seat of the Honda

already started the car engine before they

entered into it. They drove away from the hotel

fence in few seconds.

Tarasha kept a searching gaze on the officer

accompanying her. He stared back

intimidatingly into her eyes when hers met with

his. 'Is this how you pick up people in this

country?' She asked a question which made the

officer look stunned. 'I wouldn't have followed

you if I didn't see Henry with you'

'You have no choice madam.' He gave a wicked

smile as he answered. 'You don't defy police

orders here'

'I have a right to know why I'm going with you'

she snapped at him.

'I'm only inviting you for interrogation' he

snapped back. 'Madam business from Canada,

don't provoke me'

Tarasha looked away from him and carefully

examined his words. He just qualified her as

"Madam Business from Canada". Whatever he

meant by the phrase, it revealed that he had

found out from somewhere that she was from

Canada and was doing a business. She glanced

at him again with suspicion in her eyes. She

began to search around his uniform again,

searching for something to confirm her

suspicion.

Henry had also become suspicious too when he

asked from his phone from the huge officer and

he replied him coldly. 'It's with my colleague in

the other car, you'll get it when we get to the

station, we can't pause our journey just because

of you'

At this time they had driven for about fifteen

minutes.

'Officer' Tarasha called softly. She placed a hand

on his chest seductively covering the pocket on

the s.h.i.+rt.

'Yes…' He answered, his body s.h.i.+vered as her

fingers proceeded behind the b.u.t.tons.

'What's your name?' She asked.

'Erm…' He stammered and looked towards his

chest to check the name inscribed on the tip of

the pocket. He flung her hand away from him

suddenly as he figured out what she was doing.

'What that flip' he cursed and brought out a

gun, pointing it at her immediately.

'I know you're fake, you don't own the uniform'

Tarasha said bluntly and sat back properly,

ignoring the gun pointed at her. 'Who sent you?'

'Shut the h.e.l.l up' he shouted at her, still

threatening with the gun. He searched his pants

pocket with the left hand and brought out his

phone.

'h.e.l.lo, this girl don burst me o' he informed his

colleague that he has been busted by the girl in

pidgin English.

'No problem, just keep her there. We would be at

the workshop in the next two minutes' the huge

man answered through his phone in the police

car. He brought out his gun also and pointed it

at Henry.

'Boy, it's better you cooperate with us without

making noise or I'll burst your brains' He said in a

harsh manner, terrifying Henry.

'Who sent you?' Tarasha asked the slim officer

again as they drove into a large compound. He

replied her with a wicked look.

'But this is not a police station' Henry protested

as he looked around the bushy compound.

'Shut up and get out of the car' Afo ordered and

pushed Henry out angrily.

Tarasha was also escorted out of the car with a

gun by the other guy. The drivers of the cars

came out of the car two with their guns, making

it four armed men against Henry and Tarasha.

'Get into the house' Afo commanded, motioning

them with his gun. Henry and Tarasha began to

walk slowly into the brick walled building

covered with corrugated iron sheets at the front

section. The door was opened by one of the

drivers and they were led into the poorly lit

room, the windows were not opened and it made

it hot. Three other guys appeared from another

section of the building and hailed their Boss Afo.

'Kneel down there' Afo commanded the two,

pointing his gun at them as he lit a cigarette

with his other hand. 'Raise up your hands' Afo

added after they obeyed his first instruction. He

brought out his phone and dialed a number.

Tarasha carefully dipped her right hand into her

jacket's pocket and made sure n.o.body noticed

as she took out an item and attached it into her

sleeve before slowly raising up her hands.

He puffed out some quant.i.ty of smoke before

placing the phone on his ear. 'h.e.l.lo… We've got

them here' he said through the phone to his call

receiver, staring deeply into Tarasha and Henry's

faces. 'My boy told me that you called and said

you wanted to see them before we finish them

off'

Afo inhaled another quant.i.ty of smoke before he

continued. 'That means your money has

increased, you'll add twenty percent… Ok, we're

expecting you by evening time'

'Who sent you to kidnap us?' Tarasha asked in a

calm voice.

Afo chuckled mockingly and hissed as he stared

at her face. He turned to Kalu, the guy who was

with Tarasha in the Honda car. 'Where are those

chairs?' He asked searching round the room. 'Get

the chairs and tie them up' Afo ordered and

walked out of the building hurriedly.

++++++++++

'Good' Dare stamped his feet on the floor in joy

as he ended the call. He rejoiced with himself in

his office. He would finally put to rest his past

which just resurfaced and was trying to haunt

him. The only painful part of it was that Evelyn

had to go with it.

He remembered the look on Henry's face when

they met again after several years. Henry's gaze

had sent s.h.i.+vers down his spine. What his guilt

made him see was thirst for revenge in Henry's

eyes. Then he decided that there was a need to

totally wipe out the past of which Henry is a part

of.

His phone beeped. He quickly picked it up and

checked the screen. He smiled. It was a

reminder for his Dad's sixtieth birthday which

was coming up in two days time. He began to

think of what gift was best to present to his

father.

What could his money buy that his father

couldn't get? His father was a hundred times

richer than he was. The only gift he knew his

father would be impressed by was a profitable

business idea. 'D--n!' He sighed. His father was

so business and money minded that it was

possible for him not to remember his birthday on

the day. He was sure there was going to be no

party, his father barely attends social functions

nowadays for the fun of it. He only did it if he

was going to meet his business partners there.

Or should he organize a surprise birthday bash

for his dad? He thought.

No, the man would not appreciate that. Instead

of getting pleased with the action, his father

would probably be disappointed.

Dare shook his head thoughtfully and dropped

his phone on the table. Then he returned his

focus back to the files on his table.