Timi had just wrapped up all he had to do at work. He was
about to head home when he was cornered in the car pack by an unexpected
visitor. It was Mba. Timi attempted to ignore him and get into the car but Mba
cut him off by the door. "He
knows, he knows everything, and he wants to see you," Mba said, referring
to Senate President Mike Aghedo. Timi was stunned, though deep down, he knew he
had been expecting this. "What
if I don't want to see him?" Timi asked in defiance. "We
both know what he is capable of," Mba answered, inching a step closer to
Timi.
"I'm
not afraid of him," Timi retorted. "If
that's true, then you would have no reason to want to avoid him, especially now
that he knows everything." Timi hesitated but eventually
decided that facing the Senate President might drive home the message that he
feared no one. Perhaps if he showed his defiance to the Senate President, he
might eventually give up trying to harm Bridget. Timi got into his car, looked
out the window and told Mba, "Lead the way." *** *** ***
As Timi made his way to the Senate President's office,
millions of thoughts crowded his mind. To be honest, he didn't know what to
expect. He wondered what exactly the Senate President had to say to him. Mba
walked ahead of Timi. On getting to the door, Mba gave it a gentle knock,
before pushing it open and walking in. Mba gulped as he saw the Senate
President, seated calmly in his arm chair, his dark rimmed glasses on, writing
something on some sheets of paper. Mba should have been used to this sight by
now, but every time he entered this office, he always felt uneasy. As Timi
stepped in, Senate President Mike Aghedo did something Mba had never seen him
do before. The Senate President raised his head from what he was writing,
smiled and even stood to welcome Timi. Timi wasn't sold. He knew better than to
let his guard down because of Mike's courtesy. "Please Mr Timi Andrews,
have a seat," The Senate President continued with the niceties. "I'm
quite thrilled to have you here. You see, I'm a fan. I've heard so much about
you." Timi's face was as hard as rock. There was
not a single hint of a smile, only revolt seethed deep inside him. Noticing
that Timi was in no mood for such chivalry, Mike Aghedo adjusted himself. "Very
well then," Mike said, "Let's get down to business." "You
have skills I require. Your driving skills, your experience as a former DSS
agent can be put to good use in my circle." At this point, Timi
chuckled slightly. "You want me to work for you?" He asked
incredulous. "Yes," came the blunt
reply. "Like I said, you have managed to keep Governor Abayomi Abejide's
daughter safe all this while, right under my nose. You have indeed served the
Governor of Lagos well. I admire your loyalty to him. But now, it's time to
graduate. Come work for Timi, and you will never need another cent in your
life." This time Timi replied in a more
serious tone. "No, like you said, I'm loyal to the Governor and my loyalty
cannot be bought" The Senator nodded slowly in his seat. He
pressed his lips together in an attempt to show his understanding. Then he
continued. "Right, maybe money will not by your loyalty, but perhaps, love
will. If you switch you allegiance to me Timi-" The Senator looked
intently at Timi, before completing, "I'll let Bridget be."
Timi's eyes widened, his ears stretched.
The Senator had just pledged to leave Bridget alone, if he would agree to work
for the Senator. Timi's heart immediately began to race. He had come here with
a little hope that he would be able to reason and reach some sort of agreement
with the Senate President to let Bridget be. Now the Senator was offering that.
The Senate President saw the confusion on Timi's face and spoke. "My offer
stands for a week. How about you go and talk it over with Bridget
herself?"
Timi stood without saying a word. He walked
out the door. The Senator said behind me, "Mba will bring you back in a
week. The answer you bring had better be a yes." Timi got to his car ready to start the engine
when Mba suddenly opened his passenger door and got in beside him. Mba looked
very worried. There were sweat beats clouding all over his face and his body
shook as breathed. "You can't trust the Senator
to make good on his promise even if you decide to work for him," Mba said. Timi snorted. "And why are you
telling me this?" He asked.
"Because we need each other
Timi." "What are you talking
about?" Timi asked, eager to hear an explanation for Mba's strange
behaviour. Mba gulped before he started speaking.
"I've done something, something very stupid, and the Senatre President is
going to want to have my head when he finds out. I stole from him...a lot of
money...an entire room of money-literally." "What?"
Timi asked bewildered. "The
Senate President has many free rooms in his house, rooms filled to the brim
with stacks of cash. I cleared out one of them." "Why
would you do that?" Timi asked, quite shocked that Mba knowing his boss
would dare such a thing. "My
mother was recently diagnosed of cancer. The doctors said she needs
chemotherapy. I asked the Senator for help but he declined. I had no choice.
The man controls an enormous amount of wealth along with the rest of the
cabal..." "The
cabal?" "Yes,
there's a cabal. A group of highly influential people in the country involved
in a conspiracy. They control money, power and influence in this country. The
Senate President heads this cabal." "And
now that you've stolen from one of them Mba, you fear the repercussions." Mba
nodded repeatedly in agreement. "And that's why I need your help Timi.
Together, with my knowledge of the innings of this cabal and your experience as
agent, we can come up with a plan to take down the Senate President and the
rest of this cabal. Then both of us will have nothing to fear from them." Timi took a deep breath.
"Interesting," he murmured. "But how do I know you are telling
the truth?" "Are
you willing to come with me? I can prove
it," Mba replied. "Fine,
let's go," Timi said. Timi drove while Mba directed where
they should go. After like thirty minutes of travelling, they got to a small
bungalow in middle of a currently developing housing estate. They got out of
the car.
"Is
this your house?" Timi asked Mba.
"No,
this is sort of my bank. It's where I stash the cash." Mba opened the door
and let Timi come in. Then he locked the door behind them. "Where
is the money?" Timi asked, expecting Mba to point to a safe somewhere in
the sitting room. Instead though, Mba took in into the room. Timi was weary.
Was there a game Mba was playing? They got into the first room and Timi noticed
a big bed with a bed sheet covering it all the way down that not one inch of
the bed's supporting wood was visible. Mba walked to this bed and forcefully
pulled away the bed sheet and then pulled the bed away, revealing carefully
arranged stacks and stacks of cash. Timi let out an unknowing gasp as he
starred at the mound of money in front of him. "There are four rooms in this house,
and under each bed is something like this. The last room even has two beds," Mba said.
Timi was silent for minutes and Mba let him adjust to the reality in front of
him. Eventually, Timi replied. "If we are
going to be taking out a cabal, we'll need capital and I see we've got lots of
it. The other thing we'll need is a team, and I know just who to call..."
Timi trailed off.
*** ***
***
The room was silent. Timi, Mba and Bridget watched Idris' and
Aisha's reactions closely. Timi had just finished narrating the story of how
Governor Abejide, realising his daughter's life was in danger, had Timi drive
Bridget to the airport. Timi however had other plans. He convinced Bridget to
move with him to Abuja. Everyone else assumed Bridget had got on the plane,
including the man who had put her life in danger in the first place-The Senate
President. "Wow, so you mean Bridget here is the Lagos State Governor's daughter?
Who's supposed to be abroad?" Aisha said incredulous. Bridget herself
nodded. "And you need our help to take down the Senate President, and in extension
his cabal?" Idris asked, still processing everything he had just
heard. "That's correct," Mba replied.
Idris
sighed. "Wow, all this is a little breathtaking." "I understand," Timi answered. "I know everything Mba and I have
said is quite unbelievable."
Idris
nodded. "But how exactly do you want to take down this...this
cabal?"
Mba and Timi exchanged nervous looks. Timi
cocked his head, urging Mba to
answer. Mba cleared his throat. "Yes, Timi and I
have come up with a plan. The Senate President has got documents that not only
prove the existence of this cabal, but also their crimes. We get that document,
we nail the cabal. And to do this, we need some er...equipment. We'll be
needing a truck, a pickup van, bikes, cars and a
helicopter."
Idris chuckled and smiled widely. "What kind of plan requires
trucks, pickups and helicopters?" He asked
jokingly. "A plan that involves robbing the Senate President's home," Timi
replied bluntly. The statement wiped all the smiles and grins from Idris' face.
Idris looked like someone had just dropped a bomb into his stomach. Rob the
Senate President? Nigerian politicians were very paranoid people who believed
albeit not wrongly, that someone always wanted to harm/kill/steal from them. As
such, the security around them and their homes was impossible to break through.
"Well," Idris finally said, coming back to the life, "Big Joe
can fly a chopper..."
