Tarasha - Chapter Six (Part 1)

*7am

The news of the minister’s death was greeted with great shock and grief throughout the country and the African continent as a whole. Unemployed youths and adults remained indoors that morning, fixing their gazes on the TV screen as circumstances surrounding the minister’s death were being unveiled. Workers who rushed to their offices also had their earphones stuck to their ears, listening to the news reported on the various radio stations.

At first, the country’s news stations reported that the minister was shot by unknown gunmen in his residence and had been taken to the hospital ,immediately many well wishers and patriotic citizens  began to offer emergency prayers to God for the preservation of the man’s life. It was till morning time that it was divulged that the man died immediately after been shot by escorts of the Ghanaian minister. The country’s president also took to his Facebook page to pay tribute to the late minister.

‘Excellent job done!’ Chief Nonso exclaimed, his face beamed with smiles as he gave Chief Gab a high five and took his seat beside the man in the three seater sofa. ‘She delivered at the set time’

‘Yeah’ Chief Gab replied happily, keeping his focus on the TV screen. ‘The job was done neatly’

‘That girl is good, she did it in a way that the street cameras did not capture anything’ Chief Nonso continued.

‘Shhhh!’ Chief Gab hushed, he increased the TV volume with the remote control. The Lagos state commissioner of police was being interviewed by some journalists.

“The tragic loss of the honorable minister came as a shocking news to everyone of us in this nation including the security forces. What is  more painful to us is the fact that he died in the hands of our supposed trained security officials. But we are doing our best to capture all those responsible for this great offence and we promise to arrest the killers as soon as possible”

“How do you intend to find them?” A journalist posed a question. “We are aware that the security cameras failed at the time the murder took place”

“No, the security cameras were perfectly in shape” the commissioner lied. “We only had a little network issue with the transmission but we’re already working towards recovering the files”

“How long will that take sir?” Another question was thrown at the minister.

“I have to go” the commisioner ignored the question, he was being led away hurriedly by the junior officers guarding him.

‘Hahahaha’ Chief Gab laughed loudly, he tuned down the TV volume. ‘The commissioner looks so confused’

‘He is really confused’ Chief Nonso stood up to pick the bottle of wine on the center table, he removed the cover and poured the liquid into two glass cups.

‘Let’s toast to our success’ He handed a cup to  Chief Gab who stood up merrily. Their glasses met and they took a sip before returning to their sitting position.

‘One gone, three more to go’ Chief Gab said as he settled back into the seat. ‘I’ll send Jubril’s details to Tarasha today’

‘No, not Jubril yet’ Chief Nonso opposed, he dropped the glass cup on the table. ‘Let’s take down Kelechi Edwin first’

‘Why Kelechi first? Chief Gab asked with a surprise tone. ‘Don’t you think we should still leave him to enjoy Rivers State money a little before he dies? I don’t even understand why you want him down yet’

‘Come on, he has enjoyed enough already’Chief Nonso retorted. ‘He’s gaining the trust of so many people already, they are beginning to like him for governing Rivers State very well’

‘Well, that shouldn’t be our problem, the people loved you for governing Abia Statements well during your tenure’ Chief Gab argued.

‘It is our problem if he continues to gain so much fans, he’s done ten times of what I did in my right years in just six years of governing’

‘Well…’

‘I should have done better Gab, but remember that I couldn’t abandon you…’.

‘Don’t remind me of all that Nonso’ Chief Gab cut in. ‘I would have done the same, if you were in my position’

‘I know and that’s why I decided to help you, that’s why I saved so much from Abia. I knew we will need it some day’ Chief Nonso replied calmly, trying not to heat up the situation.

‘Okay, what are you saying now? I don’t really understand why Kelechi should be the next’

‘Simple, it is very obvious with the way things are going that he would succeed the president if something is not done’ Chief Nonso explained. ‘I won’t be able to beat him at the Party’s primaries, so if we take him down now, nobody would suspect be like they would if it happens close to the election period’

‘Okay’ Chief Gab prolonged the word as he nodded his head in realization. ‘You should have explained better. We have to take him out first because he’ll definitely step in your way’

‘Yea, that’s what I’m saying ‘

‘Okay, Kelechi is it then’

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

*9pm*

Cole laughed loudly as he read the several comments of the previously grieved Nigerians, who now turned around to insult the late minister after seeing the video of the man, where he connived with the Lagos state commissioner and other organizers of the conference to defraud the federal government.

The video circulated easily and quickly without need for special publicity since the minister’s death news was still trending on the internet that day. It received more than six thousand views in less than one hour after Cole uploaded it with a new YouTube account. Most of the viewers were those redirected from Google search while they surfed to find out more about the minister’s murder.

Now the video has reached over a million views in just five hours. Various social networks and forums like nairaland.com and LindaIkeji Blog also aided in the video spread; several comments on these forums revealed that the people were more shocked to discover that the minister was corrupt than they were at his death. Even the President’s tribute speech on TV that evening was slightly changed to a speech warning other government officials from involving themselves in corrupt deals.

However, the police authorities vowed to track down the person behind the YouTube account, stating that they were positive that the YouTube account had a connection with the killers. They also encouraged that anyone who witnessed the crime or had any useful information should waste no time in releasing the information to the police.

More reports on various news platforms disclosed that the police officers accused of carrying out the assassination were found laying unconscious in a mechanic workshop, tests conducted on them proved that they were drugged. The policeman who drove the Camsol used for the crime was later found dead in the same car, parked at the front of an abandoned guesthouse.

‘Cole’ Benny called, walking into the sitting room with a bottle of beer. ‘How ya doing man?’

‘Hey, you’re back’ He placed his tablet device on the table and sat up. ‘Where have you been?’

‘Around town man, remember Boss says we can flex if we want to. She only warned us to be careful’ Benny replied, he sat on another chair close to Cole and bent to take off his shoes. ‘Where’s Aisha?’

‘She’s gone out, she’ll be back tomorrow morning’ Cole answered, standing up to take the beer. He walked up to the mini bar in the sitting room to pick a cup.

‘She’s gone out?’ Benny asked like he didn’t hear the first time.

‘Don’t worry Benny, your food has been prepared’ Cole laughed as he took a sip. ‘I know that’s what you’re worried about’

‘Better’ Benny’s face brightened up, he stood up and picked his shoes.

‘I’m thinking of hitting the club tonight, are you in?’ Cole inquired.

‘What kind of question is that?’ Benny gave him a funny look, he glanced at Cole’s phone ringing on the table. ‘You know I’m always in’

Cole walked to the table and picked up his phone with his left hand, the cup of beer was in the right hand.

‘It’s Boss’ he whispered to Benny before answering the call. ‘Hello Boss’

‘Hey man, whats up with you?’ Tarasha greeted in a friendly manner.

‘Nothing much Boss, what about you?’ Cole replied

‘Same here, I’m just trying to get used to the country’

‘Oh! Lagos is cool, you’ll find it lovely’

‘Maybe you should have taken me out, instead of staying indoors all day’ she said.

‘Huh? Me? Take you out?’ He was a bit surprised hearing her suggest that he should take her out.

‘Isn’t that better than staying in all day like you’re also new in the country?’ She continued.

‘Ermm…’ Cole stammered, he cleared his throat, trying to gain more confidence. He finally did and asked, ‘would you like clubbing tonight?’

‘Oh! Not tonight, maybe some other time’ she turned down his offer.

‘Okay’ he replied in a low tone, disappointed.

‘Where’s Aisha?’ She demanded, ignoring the note of disappointment heard in his voice.

‘Huh?’ The question met him unprepared, it was her first time of ever asking about Aisha. ‘She went out’

‘Alright’ Tarasha said with a concluding note, ‘rest well, our job continues on Monday. Goodnight’

‘Goodnight Boss’  the call ended.

Cole was lost in deep fantasy for a moment, he wondered what it would have been like clubbing with Tarasha, he wondered how it will feel having her on the same bed with him.

‘What did she say?’ Benny’s voice jolted him to reality.

‘Nothing’ he returned sharply. ‘She only said she’ll like me to take her round town next time’

‘You??’ Benny asked with jealousy showing in his eyes. ‘I’m sure she was joking with you?’

‘No man, she was serious’ Cole laughed, noticing the jealousy in Benny’s voice. He stopped abruptly after something came into his mind, a confused look appeared on his face. ‘How the hell did she know I was indoor all day?’

Benny hissed and walked away, leaving Cole to figure out things for himself.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

**30.11.2030**

*6am

Don got up sluggishly from the bed with a blanket tied round his body and opened the window curtains to have a view of his men working in the compound downstairs. He caught a glimpse of Aisha in his kitchen through the slightly opened door as he slumped back lazily into his bed, she was wearing one of his shirts on her pant.

His eyes met the trousers and boxers he scattered on the floor last night, when he couldn’t control his urge on seeing her, after she had gone away for over a week. He remembered pleading with her to come spend the night with him that weekend, his pleading wasn’t in vain as he had been compensated with several rounds of sex.

‘Hi Don’ Aisha greeted, walking into the room with two cups of hot liquid in her hands.

‘Hi’ he responded, getting up to pick his clothes on the floor, he got into another boxers.

She dropped the cups on a stool and sat on the bed, waiting for Don to join her.

‘I made some… ‘ she was saying when Don gently pushed and laid her on the bed, covering her body with his.

‘No coffee is sweater than you’ he said and dragged up her shirt, revealing the upper region of her body.

‘No Don, it’s okay already’ She resisted and rolled away. ‘I have to leave soon, I didn’t take permission to come here’

‘Do you have to now take permission to come to me? Remember I sent you there’ Don grumbled.

‘Come on, you know I have to work by rules of the job’ Aisha retorted. ‘She has warned us against going out frequently to avoid suspicion from the neighborhood’

‘Oh well! I really have to salute you guys for the Minister’s job, I wouldn’t have believed it wasn’t police officials that gunned down the man if you didn’t tell me’ Don commended as he sat up. ‘It was done neatly’

‘Thanks, but please no one else has to know how we did the job’ Aisha pleaded.

‘Of course, you can trust me’ Don took a sip of the hot coffee and mocked. ‘I’m already overrating you people,It’s not that the job was to hard though’

‘Hehe’ she chuckled. ‘Could you have done the job without leaving any traces behind?’

‘Yes I would have, I have the best team in Nigeria right now’ Don boasted.

‘No you couldn’t have done it. Do you remember that little Doctor’s job we did last?’ She asked as she took her own cup of coffee.

‘That was just an unusual error’ Don defended his team. ‘It doesn’t mean we’re not the best’

‘No, it wasn’t an error’ She argued. ‘You did your best in that job but we couldn’t just cover up our tracks, we had to poison some of our members before the police took them’

‘When are you going to find out where Tarasha lives?’ Don changed the discussion, after a moment of awkward silence.

‘I don’t know yet, no one seems to know. She just appears and disappears’

‘And you can’t try to trail her?’ Don pushed further.

‘I dare not, I won’t even go far before I’m caught’

‘That’s a lie, isn’t she human? She has just succeeded in creating fear into you. All you need to do is watch and monitor her carefully’

‘Don, please I don’t want any trouble’ Aisha said, looking straight into Don’s eyes.

…to be continued