Happy new year my people. May God keep us throughout this year and bless the works of our hands.

Thanks for your votes. Someone just brought it to my notice. I'm really grateful. The story has really gone cold. For your supports, I'll drop something this night, and bring it back to life no matter how busy I am. Thanks again guys.

Oscar gently went to Kate and pretentiously stood with his back on her bed pushing it slowly with his buttocks while his countenance remained expressionless looking at the commotion outside. Then the sound of Mayor's gunshot startled him, he spontaneously jumped on Kate and shielded her with his body. He waited with his eyes closed to hear more gunfire but heard nothing, he slowly looked behind and saw the argument between Abdul Hafiz and Mayor.

"what have you done!". Abdul yelled at Mayor.

Mayor seemed less concerned with Abdul's annoyance, his eyes looking though the hole. This provoked Abdul to push him hard against the wall and was about using the butt of his gun on Mayors' face but was stopped by the timely intervention of Hafiz who held Abduls' hand in the air.

" stop that! What are you doing!". Hafiz scolded. " don't you know he's an elder?".

Abdul pulled his hand off Hafiz's grip and turned back to the window biting back anger.

Mayor adjusted his shirt looking ominously at Abdul with a smile at the side of his mouth.

" you think they will fire? With all these patients here? I thought you're wise!". Mayor said to Abdul standing behind him in the same facial expression.

Abdul wasn't listening, he was busy looking at the cops that were taking cover and whispering between themselves behind their cars trying to catch an idea of their retaliation.

" and who put you in charge bloody soldier?". Mayor asked moving to look at Abduls' face.

Abdul spotted a cop with a sniper gun behind a car, quickly pushed Mayor off his way and duck with his back on the wall. Hafiz impulsively pulled Mayor out of the window to a corner.

"what? What was that for?". Mayor asked Abdul annoyingly.

Abdul ignored him and peeped, the sniper man wasn't there anymore. He looked around the hall and noticed that nobody was watching the back exit. Immediately he sprang out of where he was shouting at his men. " cover the back door! the back door!".

The agitated men looking for what to shoot at wasted no time to rush towards the direction. They were just leaving when gunshots were fired at them, immediately returned the fire retreating while few got knocked down.

Mayor rushed towards some of the young ladies amongst the hostages and used two to shield himself with a gun pointed at ones back. He moved them beside the door leading to the hall way so he could gain leverage for escape when the heat gets intense.

Abdul moved quickly to the other side of the hall way entrance where his men stood waiting for their attackers to come through and he stood in front of them with his back on the wall, sweat dripping from his face and hands. Hafiz suddenly disappeared and was no where to be found. Abdul turned to Mayor who nodded and hid his head behind the terrified girls.

Abdul's men remaining were five, he knew this was a lost battle and his only chance of survival was to escape. He turned and peeped, the way was dry; he wiped the sweat blinding him and turned to the window. Immediately, his eyes caught some police men moving in on them. Abdul turned again to the hallway, let out a gunshot and took cover, but no gunshot was replied. He peeped once more, the place remained empty.

Mayor fired at the window drawing Abduls' attention to him. The police had gotten to entrance of the hospital and was taking cover with their backs on the wall.

Mayor held one of the girls by the neck close to himself shooting at the window. " what are you waiting for? Attack!!". He yelled at Abdul's men as he kept shooting.

The men turned to Abdul for approval, Abdul nodded and ran across to the other side of the hallway entrance. He was looking for how to get away, he wasn't ready to die because of Susan nor be caught, he would rather die than be caught alive. Now it was a difficult decision for him because he cant die, neither could he be caught alive, he has to escape.

The men had joined Mayor shooting and soon they chased the police men back to their cars. Mayor laughed heartily and pushed the girl away. He turned to get Oscar, but Oscar was nowhere in view. He spun like a mad man searching for Oscar, neither Oscar nor Kate was found.

Abdul turned to the girls and some few hostages in their custody and motion them up with his gun while Mayor was still looking for Oscar.

" go get me that man!". Mayor yelled like a mad at Abdul's men when he couldn't find any trace of Oscar nor Kate.

" nobody moves!". Abdul commanded in a low cold tone with his eyes on the hostages but his men obeyed and stood their grounds.

Mayor felt transfixed looking at Abdul whose countenance was murderous. He wanted to say something but couldn't find the courage to.

" get everyone up!". Abdul said to the men.

They pointed thier guns at the hostages dragging the weak ones up, kicking and hitting some with the butt of their guns until everyone was standing.

Abdul moved to the hallway entrance and peeped, still there was no sign of anyone. He then returned and stood in front of the petrified faces with his gun hitting his thigh. Then he stopped, corked the gun and said in a low cruel tone pointing it in their faces. "the last person I find here after counting five is dead! One! Two!"

Mayor stood wondering what Abdul was up to. The hostages looked confused, they didn't know whether to run or stand but when Abdul got to three, a man took courage and ran off, others immediately followed. Abdul swiftly took of his jalamia and ran after them with a black t-shirt and gray trouser.

The police men hiding at the other side came out of their hidings and opened fire but stopped when they noticed they were civilians but four were already dead and two injured. The rest squatted in fear screaming on top of their voices.

Abdul men ran out with their guns and began shooting thinking that's what Abduls' plan was, the police immediately retaliated and killed the remaining five.

The hostages remained on the floor shaking while the police men quickly moved past them to the hall. The hostages then stood up and ran off as the police men went to check on the bodies of Abdul's men.

Mayor moved about in confusion in the hall looking for where to escape through. He went under the table and squatted there looking like a scared dog.

The police men came into the hall and when Mayor saw their feet's, he pushed his gun away from him and rushed out with his hands in the car shouting like a feeble old man in English. "I'm a patient, please don't shoot! I'm a patient!"

The police men came closer to Mayor and searched him, then left him to look around the hall thinking he was a foreigner entangled in the bomb fiasco.

Mayor smiled with his face hidden and was walking out of the hallway when he met face-to-face with Oscar walking with two police men. Everything suddenly felt like slow motion as Mayor grabbed a gun from the waist of an officer walking past him and fired. Oscar was fast to dodge jumping into a ward by his right. Before the two police men could shoot Mayor had gotten them down.

Mayor lost all of his right senses when he saw Oscar, he was blinded by revenge. He rushed at the ward and opened the door; a 24" TV hit him on the face and Oscar almost simultaneously picked him on the waist and hit his back against a bed, both of them ended on the floor.

Oscar got on top of Mayor hitting him with the side of his fist severely in the face before Mayor held Oscar's hand and bit him so hard with the intention of cutting off his thumb. Oscar screamed hitting Mayor with his left hand but Mayor refused to let go. He then forced his left thumb into Mayor's right eye, Mayor screamed but his jaw closed even more harder and his head shook aggressively trying to rip off the hand. Oscar's hand dug deeper into Mayor's eye, then burst it and Mayor ripped off Oscar's thumb in the pain, spat it off. Both men fell on different directions, Mayor held on to his eye and Oscar his hand.

The door opened and some cops came in and saw the two men on the floor screaming with blood on ones eye and the others hand.

Abdul walked faster with the hostages and took a different direction with his head low, without looking back as he walked far away from the premises.

welcome back brotherman!

happy new year topher052, abeg go and claim your prize.

Lordshola:



Topher052 please I want to send you a pm and it's urgent, can I send it??

please do brother.

jenifer007:
Topher congratulations for winning the monetary award.....Well done topher....contact divepen1 to claim your goodies

Here's the link to see list of winners

https://www.nairaland.com/5606502/winners-2019-nairaland-writers-award

Thank You dear

greatme2good:
Topher, so there's no Christmas update for us

sorry about that. Got limited time

Ultimategeneral:
I would be an ingrate if i don't appreciate your work bro.
This is a master piece !

thanks general. Much love bro.

Matherson:
Following this story back to back... God bless your efforts. Nice one.

Amen oh! And yours too.

daddio:
Welcome back Topher and thanks for the update.

thank you bro.

extremelygolden:
Masterpiece!

You are the man with the pen!

Welldone Topher. You never disappoint.

ese'!

BankyGee:

I've missed this action! Welcome back topher052

---

pu7pl3, Nayo08, gly, greatme2good - Update

thanks my mannest man!

Ann2012:
Thanks for the wonderful update, merry Christmas in advance

thanks. Happy new year my person.

statistics1:
Compliments Of the Season...

May I take this opportunity on behalf of my family, & myself to wish you & your family a Merry Christmas & a Prosperous New Year ahead. May your Christmas be filled with joy & happiness so that it leaves you with special unforgotable memories. And as the New Year unfolds, may it bring everything that you could ever hope for.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

God Bless You Always

. Thanks Happy new year

jadeliyi:
happy new year topher052, abeg go and claim your prize.

. Thanks bro. We don flex the chicken! Thanks all of ya that made it possible. At least make person chop small from this work.

topher052:
. Thanks bro. We don flex the chicken! Thanks all of ya that made it possible. At least make person chop small from this work.

Hard work pays my brother but it doesn't come like yahoo money, it pays gradually. We your fans are ready to stand by you anytime, anyday. God bless you bro.

topher052:
Happy new year my people. May God keep us throughout this year and bless the works of our hands.

Thanks for your votes. Someone just brought it to my notice. I'm really grateful. The story has really gone cold. For your supports, I'll drop something this night, and bring it back to life no matter how busy I am. Thanks again guys.

You are welcome, Sir.
Wishing you a successful and great year ahead.

topher052:
thanks. Happy new year my person.

Same to you boss

Congrats on your winnings my man. Don't forget, my offer to help proofread is still on the table if you ever decide to publish.

Happy New Year.

greatme2good:

Hard work pays my brother but it doesn't come like yahoo money, it pays gradually. We your fans are ready to stand by you anytime, anyday. God bless you bro.

thanks dear

Wow.


Nice work OP

Well done Topher. Happy new year

NICE WRITEUP!

CANT WAIT FOR MORE TO COME!

Chapter Fifty one

Digging Up Corpse

Andrew sat outside of Abdul's tent far in thought without noticing Smart standing behind him.

"come back to earth". Smart said and Andrew jerked around startled, Smart placed a hand around Andrew's neck seating beside him. "where did you go to?". Jokingly asked.

Andrew heaved and shook his head. "my wife, I wonder where she is". Then he turned to Smart with fear in his eyes. " what if she's dead? What will I tell her family". He placed his hands on his head in frustration looking around like he was searching for a spec of dust in the air.

Smart squeezed Andrew's shoulder hard. " get yourself together bro! You're too strong to be feeble minded. She's fine, I promise you.."".

Andrew turned to Smart and slowly dropped his hands to pay attention to what Smart was saying.

" ...after I leave here, I'm going to our embassy. I'll use my office as a journalist to help you find her. Don't worry. I owe my life to you". Smart said and squeezed on Andrew's shoulder.

Andrew nodded and turned to a police officer walking towards him. He stood up wondering if he had something for him.

" heard anything?". Andrew asked the officer hopefully.

The officer walked closer to Andrew and said. " we want go. You, him, everybody here go office. Us police stay here look look and us police come again to follow us police here look look".

Andrew was tired of trying to understand everything the local cops tries to communicate. He turned to Smart who was standing to his feet and saying. "I'm eager to get the hell out of here!" .

Then Both Smart and Andrew's attention turned to two cops in nose masks dragging a big sack bag. When the cops came closer the stench from the bag reeked of decay flesh. Andrew immediately covered his nose with his hand and asked the officer who also covered his and was moving away. " what's that?".

" that is Zazi". Smart replied without showing any sign that the stench was getting to him. "he attempted escape last week. They beat him half dead with a stick in that bag and left him to suffer the pain and discomfort before he died hours later". looking pitifully at the bag being dragged away.

Andrew turned to smart astonishingly. " and they still left him there?".

" yes! He was hung at a position where we can see him dying and then decaying, to send a message across to us". Smart said and smiled wearily. " I have seen worse! Lets go please". Pulling Andrew by the hand towards the cars where others were moving to.


The hospital frenzy died down 22 hours later and things were gradually normalizing with armed cops everywhere.

Abdul was looking different with his hair cut low and his precious beards removed. He wore a gray t-shirt and faded blue jean with a black face cap. No one could recognize him even his mother wouldn't at first glance.

He passed the cops without raising any suspicion and walked straight to Susan's ward. As he opened the door he felt his stomach rumbling and his heart beating with excitement and worries. He couldn't understand why.

A female doctor and two nurses where examining a patient. Abdul saw them and wanted to turn around but stopped himself from acting suspicious.

The doctor and the nurses turned to him. " can we help you?". The doctor asked.

Abdul was conscious of himself shuddering and immediately concealed it in a pretentious boastful demeanor that made him look awkward. " I'm looking for my girlfriend".

The doctor and the nurses exchanged glances wondering who could the girlfriend be. The doctor then turned to Abdul who was now normalizing his excessive show of confidence.

" who is your girlfriend if I may ask?". The doctor asked looking suspiciously at him.

" she is over there. The African". Abdul said pointing at Susan's direction .

There was this sudden eerie feeling in the room that made Abdul uncomfortable. The nurses whispering to the doctor and she was not fast enough to hide the shock on her face. Abdul caught it in time and immediately moved towards Susan's direction.

" hey! Stop!". The doctor said.

But Abdul ignored her and the nurses rushed to stop him from he pushed aside moving . He got to Susan's bed and it was empty. His violent nature ignited, his eyes were bloodshot and his face that was once gentle turned ominous. He spun abruptly and grabbed the two nurses trying to stop him by the neck and suspended them on the wall. " what's going on here! Where's she?!".

" stop it! Stop it mister!". The doctor shouted.

" talk to me now!". Abdul bellowed at the nurses in his grip.

" she...she...is missing!". One of the nurses said shielding her face.

Abdul paused and released his grip slowly. " what?".

" yes. The police are on it. Please let the ladies go you're hurting them". The doctor cautiously said standing behind Abdul.

Abdul then slowly let go of his grip and turned to the doctor. " missing? How?".

" yes! After the incident, we discovered she was the only person not here. Mr. Oscar has been on it. He is actually with the police on the issue".

Abdul looked at the bed again and turned to the doctor. " any note or anything?".

" no sir".

Abdul nodded and slowly walked away feeling crestfallen.

Outside of the hospital, he looked at the armed vigilant cops and wondered how useless they were, a whole human got missing in their watch. He turned to leave and a voice called on his right.

" The lover man!".

Abdul turned and saw Hafiz seating in the front passenger side in a black Audi smoking. He then suspected Hafiz had a hand in it and slowly went to him.

" I knew you would come. Have been waiting for hours here. You look different, I hardly even recognized you if not for your unmistakable stature and step!". Hafiz said smiling.

Abdul looked inside the car at the two mean looking men whose eyes were covered in dark sunshades; one in the driver seat and the other at the back, both glaring at him.

" what are you doing here?". Abdul asked.

" waiting for you!". Hafiz replied, enjoying the drama.

" why?".

" because I know you would come". Hafiz said screening Abdul's face mockingly.

" cut to the chase! Why're you here!". Abdul suddenly became aggressive hitting on the roof of the car.

Hafiz nodded smiling. The men with him sat up getting ready for action. Hafiz turned to them and nodded, then returned to Abdul. " you have a job yet unfinished. So get in the car!".

Abdul hissed and turned to leave. Hafiz said behind him. " they must have delivered the news about your African girlfriend".

Abdul turned to Hafiz's smiling face, came closer and said in a low malicious tone. " if anything happens to her, you know me! I'll come for everything you love".

Hafiz smiled and said. " the clock is ticking".

Abdul opened the backseat and sat in. Hafiz exploded in an hysterical laughter and said. " you're a smart guy". Then turned to the driver. " get us out of here before I kill a cop".

Action film

Susan just dey enter one wahala after another

Thanks for the update

Thank you for the update, Topher.
You are indeed a man of your word.

I must confess, topher is doing a great job, more ink to your pen � � and I pray 2020 favour us all ..

[right][/right]eskitit

thanks topher052, BankyGee the police compliments o.

Chapter fifty two

The old way


The car drove through a dark tunnel, Abdul was vigilantly ready to retaliate hard if they tried anything funny. Then the car came out and took a bend towards a narrow path down hill that led a sawmill fenced with a barbwires and a huge hate with a security house beside it where a man stricken with age in yellow overall sat with a radio pressed to his ear .

The car stopped at the gate for the old man to open. The man looked as though he was surprised to see the car and then struggled to his feet, walked slowly to the gate bent.

Abdul wondered what they were doing there but decided to see as he watched the old man struggling with the keys. Hafiz and other men with him were patiently waiting. And when the gate was eventually opened, they drove in and the driver gave a tip to the old man who was very happy thanking, exposing his scanty front teeth.


They drove passed some group of workers milling wood at a huge factory by their left, non of the worker took notice of them as they seem engrossed with work. After driving for a minute, they arrived a storey glass furniture house with beautiful furniture works on displayed up and downstairs. They drove behind it to pack.

Abdul looked at the glass furniture house and couldn't make sense of it as why they were there, but he was still silently vigilant.

" we are home". Hafiz said and opened the door.

" is this where the elders are?". Abdul asked.

Hafiz turned behind him to face Abdul. " do you think I'll take you to the elders place? We're here to collect a clue on how to attack the government".

Abdul's face changed in an ominous frown that made Hafiz uncomfortable. " where's Susan?". Abdul asked coldly.

Hafiz suddenly scoffed and asked. " is that her name?"

Abdul could not contain his rage anymore, all his will to fight it had worn out so he wanted to punch Hafiz on his face, but a voice called and he stopped even before he made a move and turned to a short fat man dragging his feet like his protruded tummy was weighing him down.

" you people are late!". The fat man said walking to the car.

Hafiz said to Abdul. " get out of the car".

Then opened the front door and hurried to meet up with the approaching man. Abdul slowly came down and joined the men.

The fat man's face was suddenly laden with surprise when he saw Abdul. Abdul looked at him wondering why he was that way towards him.

" Abdul! We finally meet!". The man said in an admirable tone.

Abdul nodded not knowing what to say and looked past the him to the glass house where people were busy going to-fro, some talking to each other, others seem to be admiring the works or pricing with some persons attending to them. And he returned to the fat man who was now handling with a piece of paper and when he was done, handed it to Hafiz.

"that's the address. You know what to do. I have to attend to business". The fat man said and turned to Abdul. " nice meeting you. I hope you make us proud".

Abdul smiled wearily. The man smiled back and walked back to the glass house.

" we have to go now!". Hafiz said walking to the car.

Outside of the sawmill, Abdul couldn't bear what was eating him up any further, he doesn't care about the elder's fight with the government nor want to have anything to do with it nor interested anymore in his revenge with the elders. All he cared about was to get Susan to safety.

So he said in a low tone. " stop me!".

The man beside Abdul turned to him and kept the stare.

" I said stop me!". Abdul bellowed angrily.

Hafiz turned casually to Abdul and said with a smirk on his face. " you have a job to do not to place demands".

In the anger, Abdul hit the man beside him hard in the throat with the side of his hand and followed immediately with two strong punches at the side of the man's head that knocked him out. He abruptly gave a strong punch in the driver's ear and the car swerved off the road but the driver was able to struggle and normalize the steering. Before Hafiz could point his gun at Abdul, Abdul had already grabbed his hand, elbowed him in the throat and nose, grabbed the gun from him and pointed it on his head.

" stop the car!". Abdul said to Hafiz who bent over with his hands on his neck and bleeding nose.

Hafiz nodded to the confused driver who then pulled over.

Abdul turned to Hafiz. " take me to her!".

Hafiz tried to speak but couldn't, his throat was still hurting. The driver slowly grabbed his gun by his side and made to swing it at Abdul but got a bullet in the back of his head even before he turned over startling Hafiz to death, as he sat wide eyes looking at the driver who bent over the steering with blood oozing out from the back of his head.

Abdul came down from the car and moved to the backseat, pulled the unconscious man out and to the front seat, dragged down the driver then took driver's seat and turned to Hafiz who was still in shock pointing his gun at him. " where is she?"

Hafiz swallowed hard, wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand and said in a strained voice. " she's...". Paused to clear his throat and continued. " she's with the elders!".

" now take me to the elders!". Abdul said.

Hafiz's eyes widened in shock. Before he could protest Abdul hit him with the butt of the gun on his mouth.

" don't make me mess you up here!". Abdul said in an ominous whisper.

Hafiz nodded with his hand on his mouth and pointed in front. Abdul nodded, engaged the engine and drove off.