CHAPTER THIRTYFIVE

The Obudu Mountain Resort is an excellent mountainous resort located in the highland of Cross River State, South-south Nigeria, sharing a 45 miles distance from the border of Cameroon and has a temperate climate due to its high attitude. Obudu is rated as one of the finest and most magnificent tourist destinations in the world. Deep in the tropical rain forest of Cross River, it provides topography of quite tranquility and captivating scenery. One remarkable feature of the popular resort is its long kilometers of winding road made up of 22 bends and its famous Devil’s Elbow halfway. With over 160 accommodation categories, made up of standard and executive rooms, huts, chalets and a presidential apartment; coupled with eco-tourism sites and ample wide space for other activities.
A glaring fact is that Obudu is indeed a tourist heaven with its enchanting natural endowment and has become popular among tourists, adventurers and event planners from all around Nigeria, Africa and other part of the world. A trendy site is the 11 kilometers winded road Hilltop Cattle Ranch, accessed either by an efficient Cable car or by road.
The ranch has numerous pleasant mountain-area and countryside views. Apart from these, the resort has a Helipad for easy access by air and at the base of the hills on which the ranch is located. Also within the rich resort lays a World-class water park with a state of the art swimming facilities and water slides for children and adults. A popular event at this exquisite resort is the famed annual Obudu Mountain Race and its colourful celebration. The sight of excited passengers always captivates most visitors as they rode on the Cable auto built with 34 cars, each carrying eight people and covering a distance of four kilometers through the clouds, offering an inspiring and dramatic panorama of green captivating rolling hills.
Among the various visitors, riding joyfully inside one of the cable cars that Friday afternoon were Elizabeth and Skinny. They had arrived earlier at the resort, booked a room as two married couple and had a quick meeting between them. Skinny had explained part of his plan to her. He told her that his idea was to defraud Fingers Consultants and their client to the tune of one hundred and fifty million dollars as fake shares in Naij- Phones. The deal he explained would be carry out in a smart wire-fraud. He further explained how she should present herself and gave her some document to present the concocted scheme to Fingers Consultants.

‘’ So how do I get my share?’’ Lizzy had asked suspiciously, half glancing at the file in her hand.

‘’ I will credit your account with thirty million dollars immediately I received an alert about the payment.’’ Skinny explained with a wide grin.

‘’ Thirty million dollars is not worth the risk of facing Smoke if he finds out about this deal.’’ Lizzy voiced out calmly, her mind already visualizing the big money.

Skinny stared quietly at her and then smiled wolfishly.’’ Then what amount is worth your trouble?’’ He asked lighting a cigarette as he sipped his bottled water.

‘’ Fifty million dollars will be reasonable. You can keep the hundred, I think that is fear enough.’’ She told him, smiled and re-crossed her slim legs.

Skinny thought this over and finally nodded. ‘’ Okay, Fifty million for you, but you must earn it, and this is the time.’’ He told her.

They then left their room and headed outside to explore the environment and find a place for their rendezvous with their expected visitors. So taking a ride on the cable-car provided them an opportunity to see the Hilltop Ranch and Skinny had instantly fall in love with the setting.

‘’ I think this place should be the right place for the meeting. You just play your part smartly, I will be at the background.’’ He told her excitedly as they explore the ranch.


********
Mai-Coins and his team landed Obudu Ranch few hours later. They all booked themselves into separate rooms and arranged to meet at the restaurant in thirty minutes. Agent Diza looking smart and trendy in a black suit and high heels walked into the restaurant amid the few eyes at the exquisite eating place few minutes after Mai-Coins and Etim came in. They both booked different tables and pretended to be strangers to each other. The plan was for Etim to always stay behind the scene and prudently observe events as they roll by. Diza aware of the eyes on her sauntered confidently into the restaurant her sharp eyes observing the tables from her white rimless glasses. She sighted Etim as he nursed a drink from his table and took a spoonful from a plate of jollof rice. He half glanced at her and continued eating. She passed his table and headed towards Mai-Coins who on sighting her pushed back his chair and made room for her to seat.

She studied the menu and gave her order. Few minutes later, now relaxed and ready to work. They made some notes and stratergizes on their next move. They agreed that they should go on with their plan of presenting themselves while Etim stays back at the background. However, they had made all the necessary arrangement with their counterparts in the state, including the police after intimating them of their emergency mission, but all the same this was still their operation and the directive is to apprehend any one with collection with the Free-Hands. Moreover, this was an opportunity to arrest one of the gang most wanted female figure, an opportunity the Operation Water team was not ready to jeopardize for anything. Therefore, they discussed their plans and secretly observed the environment for their prey.