John had just decyprted the message, but still he was far from finding the package. There are three government secretariat within five kilometer radius, there is maidiguri south,north LGA and then the state government's. The number is subjected to geometric progression if he includes the other local government secretariat out side his three kilometer perimeter from the capital. He had no way of knowing for sure which secretariat Garba was refering to.

John attempts to reconstructing Garba's involvement with politics and Government secretarial, although government secretariat are open to the public but one need have some form of familirization to hide thing in one. During the earlier days of his correspondence with Garba, John had done some research to determine Garba's crediblity. He had found out Garba had no political connection other than him working at Kas consultancy firm, owned by Ali Kabiru a special adviser to Governor musa Lamido. He could only rationalise the plausiblity of Garba access to government house to his link with the governor's SA. In addition to the fact that Garba knew him to be the government house reporter for Thisday newspaper. But still he was far from finding the package as there are atleast one state emblem for every room in the government house. John could not come up with a idea on how he will carry out his searh.but he knew deep down he had to. 'driver take me to the state government house' he called out to the driver.

With the course changed the taxi head down the road that leads to the government house. Unknown to John the application on his facebook was given his location to his unknown enemy through his blackberry phone.

*****************************

The driver of the SUV did a quick manuver in an attempt to miss the pot-hole ahead. From the mirrow inside the car he stole a glance at the sole passenger in the back-sit of the tinted glass of the government issued SUV. his boss,whose whole attention was fully glue to his laptop. Ali ignoring his driver that double as his security detail, he tries making sense of the GPS condinates of John's current location, 'the Bornu state Government house' he bluted out. Why would John be in the Government house? 'Unless there is something of importance that he would willing take the risk. Or is there another possiblity?.

Ali had fast play-out scenerios in his mind. And none of them seem positive to his advantage, picking his phone he calls Emiku and updates him on Johns location. 'The secretrait and be fast about it' he order to his driver who is now fifteen minutes away from the state government secretrait.

*****************************

having highlighted from the taxi, John made his way into the state government secretariat, simply refered as government house. Getting to the security post, John produce his identity card from his chest pocket, and signs the visitor register. Walking into the general receptive area, his sight was focus on the wall in search for embel, hanging on wall was the framed photograph of the president of Nigeria and,that of Governor Musa lamido of Bornu state. But no embel. His mind was narrowly focus on finding the package that he never notice the dust and dirt spot from the explosion on him, nor did he notice the stare it attracted from those sitting in the lobby as moves. Walking through a passage and then into the confrence hall of the government house, used for official press breifing. The room was empty. On the wall behind the podium hung the president photo frame and that governor, in-between the frames hung two other frame, one with the picture of two horse with a shield dividing the horses, which was the Nigeria coat of arm, the other a picture of some old huts with the home of peice boldly highlighted on it, he had found the state embel. John silently prays it's the one with Garba's package,

John's pulse above 180 as he race to the podium knocking down one the chair in the room, with andreline pumping he felt no pain as the chair looked like the one in need of some medical attention, even though he had been the one who crashed into the chair. Climbing the stairs to the poduim, John streches himself as he remove the thick wooden frame from it place on the wall. The frame was made of wood and weigh heavier than it look. He Turns the frame. the back of the frame reveal a brown envelope attached to the back of to it by a tape. It was as though someone had used the tape to hold the envelope from falling off. instantly John undid the tape that held the envelope. 'who are you and, what are you doing ? Came a voice from below the podium that statued John as he suddenly was stoned at the sound of the voice, and more at the sight of a man wearing a dark blue blazer jacket on a denim jean trouser. The man was one of security detail at the government house,

The impact of the explosion had sent John to the ground, it was like he was reliving hollywood action movie only that the images where faster than the frame by frame slow motion in movies. From the ground he saw the car leap up in the air at the defeaning sound before it destruction into different pieces airboure. john instantly takes cover from the debris of his car flying like some alien space shuttle in the famous sci-friction STAR-TREK. picking himself up just as the dust of the explosion begins to settle, he manage to leave the packing lot without been spotted.

having walked away from the scene, John stops a taxi, he had no destination in mind, but insisted that the driver just drive after giving him a one thousand naira note from his wallet.

*****************************

Emiku had watched closely as the honda civic exploded. His minivan had been parked far enough from the impact of the explosion but close enough for observation. He had seen no one entered the car before it exploded, and his man on the inside had missed the target. Emiku had never never had such difficulty with a target before, but this one just seem to have nine life. He felt personal about the development as he vows to himself that he must kill John before the day runs by. he wasn't going to let John slip him again.

*****************************

in the past 8 hours John had seen enough violence that makes him wonder if he was not living in the heat of world war II . He had seen three murders, two proffessional attempts on his life. Cars exploding like it were watermelon. He was shocked, shocked was not enough to describe what he felt right now. heaven know what might have been if i had waited to get to the car before starting the igination. He thought, weighing his option he comtemplate going to the police, but he wasn't sure that will be a good idea, as he doesn't know who he is up against and the moment he goes to the police his whereabout will be publicise making him a sitting duck, and beside he must see the package for himself that is worth lives it had so far claim. he also knew that who ever wants him dead would not just stop. the fact that he was been targeted meant they are powerful. In his shock he had forgot he had the papers with him. Feeling the paper with his touch,he brings out two sheets of paper from his pocket one containing his rewritten pen version of the blood inscription, and other the prototype. Using the parthern outline from the prototype he substituted the lines from the inscription into their alphabetic equivelent one after another with the aid of his pen. As he finish decyrpting the cipher the word reads......

'THE. .. PACKAGE....IS....INSIDE....THE..
GOVERNMENT.....SECRETARIAT.....
..BEHIND.....THE.....STATE.....EMBEL.

The story so far.
John was suppose to meet a source who had a package. a package with secret so powerful it would bring the country on her knees. his source was shot before he had the chance to give him the package. However the source with his last moment left john cue to finding the package. But john must figure the clue and find the package, even as he is chase by a vicious killing team on his tail.

boladex1:
welcome back st okolie, hope you are here to stay because am following your story

thank you, am back for good

Cashio:
hmm..welcome back..hope u been good all this while

yeah, thank you very much.

latbas:
After all dis years,i don almost forget d storyline self,i think a summary of d previous chapter will put your former readers back on track.nice to av u back

i tthink that's what i am going to do, thank you.

one of the two stranger picks the lock as the other had his eyes scanning the area incase someone was comming, the clicking sound told meant he had unlock the door, as he signers to his parthner. They immedaitly went Inside the house, and moved with quietness that would make the pharase as quiet as a dove sound like a joke. They had missed John, but will lay wait in the Apartment for John return. Each taking a spot so as to maximise damage, with the pistol sound suppressor attached they both aimed at the door. They could envision John coming in, and the hole either or both 9Mm pistol would make in John's heart.

*****************************

John pulls the car over to a stop beside the roadside, away from the tared portion. He couldn't shake of the thought of the mssing DVR. Wondering maybe it's the reason the bike had returned. He so wish his assumptions were wrong, as that would mean a possiblity of him been identified.

John Search the car for the paper with the cipher, but his search was fruitless. he tries remember his movement that night Garba had given it to him. He remember putting the peice of paper inside one of his writting pad, that was in his office. The rush of andreline flowing at this realisation as He Start the ignation and speed off, his destination the Thisday newspaper office complex.

Though the parking lot was relatively empty, John parks his car in the farther-most spot, away from the regular spot, he turns off the ignation, taking his wallet he walked out. in his haste he didn't notice the figure, who had just recieved John's current location. the figure well hidden inside the tinted glass mishibushi mini bus parked beside where he had just parked, with his eyes trailing every John's move. neither did he hear the conversation, between the man and his accomplice inside Thisday newspaper building.

As John enters the office complex building, John not wanting to be seen, decides to take the old lartrine passage to his office only known by few who work in the building. As he hopes to avoiding the lobby area that double up as the general reception, where most of his colleagues usually gather for early morning gossip. unknown to him waiting in the lobby was a highly trained assasin, well disguise that he would pass for a perfect gentleman,fooling even the finest FBI agent. John navigate his way to the office without been spotted.

*****************************

mean-while, outside in the parking lot, the figure from the minivan opens the door, the man carrying a tool box like kit, slides under John's Honda civic. From under the car he remove the content of the box an improvised explosive device. Attaching the charge to the fuel tank of the car to maximixse it effect, he proceeds to connect the cable for the Command wire-improvised explosive devices (CWIED) to the electrical box of the alternator fan. This is his contigency plan incase his parthner fails to exterminate the target the C-4's won't. Crawlling out from underneath John's Honda Civic, he returns to the mini van unseen. reversing the mini bus away from John's car, as he wouldn't want to be too close when tyhe fire-works starts. The man smiles to himself for a job well done,After-all he was that why he is called Emiku (the Angel of death).

*****************************

inside his office John, had gone through every square of his desk. And procceded to the locker, the first two locker had reveal nothing. He wonders if he was ever going to find that paper. But inside the last locker he found the jotting pad. he flip through it pages, just as a sheet of paper droped from it. it was the prototype Garba had given him.

John tearing off a sheet of paper from the writting pad immediately transcribed the shapes from the blood inscription into it. Suddenly He had heard the footsteps of someone, it was like someone was trying had to tiptoe, But the ceramics tiles on the floor could not concel sound. With His experience last night, John had learnt that tiny decision made in split second could determine if one lived or died. it better to be safe and second guest later. he tore out the sheets of paper into his pocket. Scanning for a safe place he hid himself behind the door. Just then the door handle was being turned from outside...........

As the door opens, the light from outside made the shadow length protrude inside john office.from behind the door John could see the shadow holding an object in it hand that looks like a gun. He could feel his strenght departing from him and was at Lost on what to do,it feltas though his brain was been replaced. With all his strenght John slams the door at the figure now by the door. the force of the door knocks his assilant off balance as the gun he was holding flew in air. Revealing a pistol. John immedaitly runs out of the office before his attacker will regain composture, taking the exit door at the back of the building incase more attackers were waiting at the entrance. Once outside, he pressed the ingination button on his car remote controller so he wouldn't waste time starting the engine when he gets to the car. Immidaitely the engine came to live, the electric cable attached to the alternator supplies alternate energy to the charge of the IED, Kaboom!!! Came an earth rocking and deafening sound as the car explodes in a huge ball of fire, as john hit the ground.

John opens the door, but it was still dark outside, even though the time says 5;15am. He couldn't sit and wait any-longer, he needs answers to all the puzzle around the package, the sooner he get some the better. Shutting the door behind him, John walks out. Getting a bus at that time of the moring appear to be more difficult than John had anticipated. he been waiting for a bus at the bustop for forty five minutes,now. Immidaitly one came John hops in before anyone else does. The bus had made it to John's stop after an enlongated ride caused by the subsequent stops for passenger. on Abu street, john could see the police barricade two blocks around the Larang store. his car sitting right inside the barricaded area. sighting a uniformed police man inside the baricaded perimeter. He signars with his hand in an effort get attention the uniformed man. 'Excuse me, i need to get to my car' John said, pointing to the black honda civic inside the baricade. 'Is that yours? Retorted the police man. John nods his head in affirmation, as the police man made a little space so John could come into the perimeter. Once inside the policeman introduces john to the superior officer as the owner of the car, with a smile as though he deserve a medal for this act. The superior police officer looking at John asked 'Can i see some identification'. at that point John remembers he left it in the car last night,'Oh! It in the car let me get it', producing the key to his car. He Opens the car-door, he brings his identity card giving it to the officer. After a long stare at the i.d card, the officer enquiried ' how come your vehicle is parked here?' John couldn't think of what to say,telling the truth that will be place himself in the middle of the murders, with all the unanswered question he had he wonder if he could explain himself without looking guity before the police. Beside he needs to find the package first. 'It developed headlamp fault, and it was dangerous driving without the light at night so i parked it here to pick it today' he lied. The officer made a face that left John confused. 'Did you see notice anything unusual or out of place last night when you parked?' the officer further inquired, 'no', john lied again 'why do you ask?'. 'Three people were murdered last night at that store,pointing to larang food store, and some missing propertys manager who claim the CCTV digital video recorder (DVR) was missing too, so we you see we need to know if you saw anything last night' John was taken aback by the information about a cctv in the store. 'No' He manage to say, as he trys hard at suppressing his suprise. 'Let me have your contact incase we need further statement from you mr....John oki' the officer said as he looked at the I.d card to pronounce the name written on it, handing back the I.D to John.John retrieves his I.D card puts it in the chest pocket of his shirt. 'Thats no-problem', john replied, giving the police officer a copy of his complimentary card.

As he drove off from Abu street John thought was preoccupied with the news of the missing CCTV decoder.

*****************************

Tommorrow would make it exaltly two years and two months snce my last update of this story. I want to apologies to all readers, I know the long wait is inexcuseable. However I would be posting the rest of the story. And I would love to have u guys on the rest of the ride.

Thamk
St.okolie

purpinkx: i laugh you in shehu shanghai ... Last 2 replies are sept. Last year

words cant express hw sorry i am, the story is 99% complete. But i have been dealing with some stuff that i can even go into it's detail nw. I also fear that the gap is quite too long to sustain reader's anticipation that would have been lost somewhere in that long break.

senbonzakura_kageyoshi:

Lolz, you're not the first to ask! It's Japanese, and means "a dazzling display of a thousand cherry blossoms".......or something like that!

nw i knw a japanese word lol. Btw u re good. Still waiting 4 ur 1st full novel.

Yet another wonderful piece. curiousity has gotten the beta part of muo as to ur moniker. What does it mean?

Larry-Sun:

Viewer's slip? Lost! Lost!! Lost!!!

what do u mean, not when it my old woman's turn that 'akara' would turn 2 stone.

kudos to all those whose submission i have read on the story page. to all the writers you all deserve alomo to replenish all the mental and physical fuel employed on this task. larry abeg tear me my own viewer's slip to avoid harassment.

the appeal by john grisham

i dont have links to download the ebook of my best, but i go ahead and name my favourites.
The broker, chamber, and the appeal all by john grisham. Then
the Lincoln lawyer by micheal connelly.