Blood of Innocence

Chapter Three

In a compound adjacent and about fifty metres to the building where the five Principals of the Restoration of Democracy Alliance were having their meeting,stood an abandoned, incomplete two storeyed building. Overgrown trees and shrubs almost covered it. Jojo and Koko were standing on the top floor, almost restless. They had been here for almost three hours waiting for their targets, their sniper rifles already set.

Both of them had been in the armed forces but had been retired on the grounds of insubordination. Finding it difficult to blend with the civilian life,they had been on the verge of forming their own assassination gang when someone approached them on behalf of the government. They had been informed that a special group in the government was desirous of creating a secrete, elite group of soldiers to undertake special projects. They did not care to inquire about the type of projects so long as the pay was attractive. After a short refresher training, they were provided with apparatus and deployed to various assignments. They had realized that most of these projects involved the silencing of anybody opposed to the government of the day.

" I wonder what they have been discussing for the last three hours", whispered Jojo while viewing through his rifle's telescope. Koko glanced at his wrist watch. It was ten forty-five.

" I wonder why these five", responded Koko. " I have somehow become fond of this Jaduong because of what he means to the common man. I can't help imagining how different this country could be if he were given a chance to run it".

"Would that help you put food on the table ? Look at you, sitting here in the cold waiting to kill to be paid to provide for your family, while they are enjoying themselves silly in the warmth of their multi-million bungalow. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely! Whoever takes over will repeat the same vicious cycle".

"You sound like a philosopher, with your quotes. The last time I checked, you were a professional assassin. Enough of your philosophy,am seeing some movement and the main door is open".

" Yea,I see. We wait until all of them come to the open. s**t! There's that guard approaching, and the maids!"

* * * * *

The meeting was successfully over. It was eleven at night. Time to get home and catch up with family. Hon. Roj was leading the way out as two maids approached to say bye, and perhaps get some tips. One of the guards also approached so as to guide them to their vehicles.

Suddenly there was a deafening clinging of the metal on the door just behind Jaduong. Almost simulateneously, Hon. Roj fell down with a thud,a big exit wound at the back of his chest. Reflexively, the guard moved to push the now dumbfounded Principals back into the house. While he managed to put them out of harm's way,he could not help himself as the next round shattered his head, the brains scattering everywhere.

Meanwhile, the other two guards had seen the source of the firing. They started shooting back. However, they were disadvantaged because they could not see beyond the trees. They were therefore shooting blindly. They managed to take cover behind the wall as more bullets whizzed above their heads.

A casual look at Hon. Roj revealed that he was dead beyond redemption. His body lay beside that of the guard whose head was missing in a symphony of destruction.

Bewilderment was written in all the faces of those in the safety of the house. Many questions begging for answers. Time stood still as the shooting in the outside increased to a crescendo. With trembling hands,all of them were on phones trying to contact for help. Jaduong got connected with someone.

"We are under attack by unknown assailants. We are in the West end of the city. Dispatch a group of your men immediately". He finished as Mulamo was trying to get the attention of the local police. There was the West End police division, about three hundred metres away.

" Am sorry we don't have a response team now here,and the nearest patrol is about four kilometres off", the Police officer from the other end was saying. "Where did you say you are? Ok,let me see what we can do".

" You are wasting time with those busybodies", interjected Hon. Na. " What I think is that they might be behind all this. And if they aren't, they are already under instructions to come here as late as possible. This shooting is loud and long enough to be heard miles away, and yet there's no response from the ones thought to provide security".

" Our own men are on their way here", Jaduong informed them.

Meanwhile, the shooting from the outside stopped suddenly. This made them all to hold their breathes. They were wondering whether the perpetrators had compromised the guards outside and were approaching the house, or they had decided to make a run. They were at pains as to why they had not brought their own licensed guns,or even be accompanied by their bodyguards.

* * * * *

Jojo and Koko were contemplating whether to get into the compound to accomplish their mission which, apparently,had been miscarried, or to make a run. The returning fire from the guards had been too loud to alert the neighbours. Suddenly, Jojo's phone vibrated. Their boss was on the other end.

"Am informed there's been a shootout. Report".

"We have a situation. Some unforeseen circumstances have intervened. We are sure we got one, but the other four have managed to lock themselves in the house. Your advice,Sir?"

" Can the house be taken? I mean, with some explosives?"

" Negative,Sir. We hadn't prepared for such a contingency".

"What a mess! Clear off immediately. Am alerted the police are on their way. No telltale prints".

"Yes, Sir!"

They picked up their apparatus,dusted the place and crept out of the building into the darkness.

The private security arrived at the scene twenty minutes later. Together with the remaining two guards, they combed the place for the snipers to no avail. When they finally discovered the point of shooting, they were disappointed to find it vacated. They found some slugs which they took for the forensics.

The medical ambulance arrived twenty minutes earlier than the police who arrived with members of the press behind them. Seemingly, whoever was behind this bizarre incident wanted some issues revealed to the public.

After recording statements with the police, Jaduong addressed the press briefly without answering their preying questions.

" We only die once, and if death be our portion because of what we believe is the only way to rid our country of the stench of corruption and malignant abrogation of the fundamental principles of civilized democracy,so be it. The sanctity of human life cannot be gainsaid. Only cowards and those guilty can resort to such archaic, brutal undertakings, and we know them.

While we are alive due to God's grace,we are really saddened by the deaths of our co-principal,Hon. Roj,and our young, gallant soldier who lost his life while saving ours. In view of this bereavement, ladies and gentlemen,am sorry to say that that's all for now. We will have a full press conference tomorrow in the forenoon".

They left behind the ambulance taking the bodies to the mogue.