Crystal night of anarchy

CHAPTER ONE (COERCION)

The crescent moon hovered above the dark clouds, accompanied by stars that glittered and blessed the night with its serenading bliss. Flight birds are flapping their wings as they roam the sky, retiring to their abode in troops. The crickets have begun their night songs. Frogs croak and distant dogs bark. He could hear the bleating sounds of goats and children chasing after them. He could hear mother voices, calling out to their children to return home. He was tired and hungry, he wished he was at the comfort of his home. He recalled what Agidi told him a fortnight ago "don't you think of coming back here for her if you fail your mission". He could hear his stomach rumbling, he perceived an aroma of roasted bush meat and could almost taste it. He could feel his heart beating fast. He is a fugitive wanted for manslaughter and would be arrested or killed at worst if apprehended.

"It must be specific and clean, no one is to suspect us, they must believed it was done by someone within" Agidi words echoed in his ears. He is approaching the Baale's house. It is a large building furnished to modern taste, it had a huge fence with a rod attached to the top at every four inch, some live wire was attached to these little rod. The compound was crowded, there was a lot of activity going on there; well wishers and supporters were trooping in and out of the vicinity. Delicacies and refreshments were being prepared. The aroma made him feel a sharp pain in his stomach, hunger pangs, he held it and tried not to show his pains. It’s been two days since he last ate anything decent.

He was lost in thoughts, he saw her, Ifemi, sitting in front of him, there were three bowls in front of him, one with soup, one with drinking water and another with washing water. He was in his sitting room, a normal rural posh house. His daughter came in and brought four fufu wrapped in a transparent nylon. She was beautiful and dark, the sun reflected her dark eyes, she had braided her hair, her slender statue and tallness attributed to her beauty. She had the gentleness of her mother and the temper of her father. She has a gentle smile on her face as she placed the items in front of him, he looked at her and smiled and wasted no time in devouring it. She is an excellent cook like her mother. At sixteen, she is an expert at dish making, Ifemi never had to worry about getting home early to prepare dinner, she trusted her daughter, she would have prepared a suitable dish.

She was their only surviving child. She had suffered years of infertility and when she finally conceived and bore, the triplet died, she almost committed suicide, but Agya has been there, he was her strength. Eventually, she was blessed again and this time the baby survived. She pampers and adorned her, she was her exact replica.

He hit his leg against a stone and jolted back to reality. He was standing before the Olopo, the local caterers. "You've missed your way" An elderly woman said inquisitively,

"Give him some food he looks hungry" another woman said after taking a glance at him, “bring those plates, let me scoop some rice in there for him” she added pitifully, instructing a young girl beside her.

“My prayers has been answered” he thought to himself,

"Give him some water" the old woman added,

"These women must be God sent", he thought, this was exactly what he needed. He collected the food, and thanked them profusely and went towards a tree opposite the building. He sat down and began to devour the food voraciously, just then he saw a black mercedes benz pulling into the compound. There, he saw him as he came out of the car majestically, dressed in a white agbada and a blue cap to match like a man about to be wedded. The women rushed to him, kneeling and congratulating him on his new position. He had beads on both wrist and two big ones that signified chieftaincy on his neck, he wore a broad smile, his teeth could be seen in that dark night. "Thank you, thank you" he said wholeheartedly, dipping his left hand into his pocket. He brought out some bundle of notes and shared them amongst the women. Out of joy, they sang him an eulogy.

Olowo-okere Omo Ajetelu - Olowo-okere son of Ajetelu,

Olowo ti o fi wo sha wu - The privilege one who isn't stingy with his money,

Ako okunrin ti okunrin beri fun - the brave one who men bow for,

Okunrin meta ti o se yepere - Three in one man that can't be ridiculed.

He simply smiled and waved his hands at them and hurried inside.

He saw his bodyguard, he had the cross tattoo on his arm, instantly, he knew he's the one Agidi told him about. The schemer he was sent to. He was now certain he hadn't missed his way. "It must be done tonight" he thought. He began to eat and smiled, the gods are merciful tonight. In a twinkle of an eye he had consumed the food. His wife knew he was a beast at table, he chunks large quantities of food into his mouth and swallows without or just chewing a little bit. It doesn't matter if the food was extremely hot or cold. He wiped his hands on his ragged trouser and stood up, holding the water bowl with one hand, he noticed more people were trooping into the compound with exotic cars. He drank the water in the bowl, and hurried into the house. He saw him standing upstairs laughing as he hugged Inkani. He moved towards the entrance, with the intent of approaching him, but he was stopped by two muscular men, they were private guards employed for the night party. They were mean looking and a glare from them could make you pee on yourself.

"Where do you think you're going?" they asked him,

"I have to see him" he said pointing towards Olowo okere,

"Who are you?" they questioned him, looking at him with disgust. At that moment, Agya discovered his dressing was odd, dirty and smelling but he didn't care, what crossed his mind was how he could reach Olowo okere.

"Are you deaf, or you didn't hear my question, who are you? and what do you want here" one of the men asked again, now visibly angry. He saw how visibly vexed they were, but he wouldn't lose this opportunity. He thought of what to do, then all of a sudden he shouted…

"Olowo okere, Olowo okere, his night is full of joy, but his morning will not come" this caught the attention of Olowo okere. He was startled, everyone was staring at Agya, they wondered "Who is this mad man”, "Tonight will be full of terrors" he added. Now, Olowo okere was convinced he's the one Agidi sent to him, "but why was he late, they should have met days ago".

"Escort this mad man outside" Olowo okere said, he then whispered into the ear of his personal aide. Agya was bundled outside, they mistook him for a mad man."But he should have understood" Agya thought. He told him exactly what Agidi instructed him to tell. He wasn't going to give up that easily.

Meanwhile, inside the building, people were astonished by the bravery of the dirty looking man. "All sorts of people living in this village, imagine that one too" Inkani said chuckling as he and Olowo okere went inside the sitting room, “he looks familiar though” he added,

"When did you start moving with mad men, by just looking at his appearance, you would know he is suffering from some sort of mental ailment, people like him should be in the mental asylum" Olowo okere said laughing. He looked out through the window beside him, he could see Agya outside but his aide was no where beside him. "Where the heck is this boy?" he thought to himself. This was his chance, but he mustn't be seen with him. He understood the utterances Agya made. He can't just acknowledge him seeing how dirty and tattered he was. The mission sensitivity is too grave that he couldn't risk his identity. He understood Agya is impatient and would do anything to save his daughter, but he isn't unreasonable to do anything stupid that could jeopardize his chance of seeing his daughter alive.

“Congratulations Baale” Inkani said laughing,

“Yes, that's me”

“Are you still going to contest in the upcoming election” Inkani asked him, while pouring himself a drink,

“Of course, we all know I should be the governor of this state by now, I have paid my dues, now it is time I reap” he said, then he noticed Inkani didn't pour him a drink “haba, you poured yourself a drink what about me”

“You are going to meet a lot of people tonight, do you want them to smell alcohol on your breath” he said jokingly “you won't stop at a glass, is it not you”

“Just a glass, you're here, aren't you, you wouldn't let me have another glass even if I wanted to, that your stubbornness is on another level” olowo said mockingly. Inkani glared at him and hissed “It's not just any stubbornness, I call it business stubbornness”

“That's your problem, just pour me a drink” he said and looked out through the window, just then he saw his aide approaching Agya, he saw him exchanging words with him, then he saw Agya moving towards a nearby bush. His aide followed closely.

"Wait here" Cobra, Olowo okere aide said, as he examined the surroundings.

He gave Agya a pair of gloves to wear, then from nowhere he brought out a pistol and gave it to Agya.

"No one told me I'm to use a g*n, I've been very careful in taking out my targets" Agya said,

Cobra looked at him disgustfully and chuckled,

"That's why you've been given a g*n, shoot him when he's within your reach and avoid getting caught, and remember any mistake will cost you, your daughter’s life" this sent shivers down Agya spines, he has never been afraid of anything, but his daughter's life was at stake here, he fears he would make a mistake and fail. Cobra left him there and returned to the building. He kept the g*n by his side and used his cloth to cover it. He ponders on what will become of him if he fails. He could hear his heart beat fast, and his hands were shaking. A thought came to him "No" he said out loud "I wouldn't get out alive even if I succeed in killing Agidi, Inkani must fall tonight". He realizes he can't get in looking dirty and smelling. He thought of what to do, his eyes scanned round the vicinity and he sighted a building behind the bush. There is a line on which some clothes were spread, he smiled, his mission was coming close to being successful, “Indeed the gods are merciful tonight”, he thought.