EFE (Book 1 in The N. A Series)

Chapter Twenty Six

Twenty Six

Black cars.. 

Heat.. 

Efe.. 

Okafor... David frowned,

He succumbed to the darkness.

"Where the hell is David? What's taking him so long?" Efe stormed into the house, down to their room. "We have to leav..." It was empty. Save for a few clothes strewn on the bed. She went to the side drawers in search of David's knives but they were nowhere to be found. "Did he already find them?" Up the staircase, she went next.

"It's okay.. It's okay.. Shhhh" She heard her mother say as she walked down the corridor towards her mother's open room "Baby listen.. It's okay. You don't have to do anything you don't want to" chioma continued.

"I can't stop" Is David crying? Efe stopped  by the door. Not peeking in, she listened.

He can't stop what? Doesn't he want to come with me? Does he want us to stay and fight Agu's assassins? She pondered until she heard,

"Give me the knife" Wait what? She stilled on her spot. What's going on? "I love you baby..." Her sudden heavy legs gradually moved her to stand by the open door. Her heart skipped several beats at the moment she saw her mother with a knife to her throat "...Don't let anything get to you, don't let anyone control you. Do not let them see you weak!" Streaks of tears stained both their cheeks. "You're a king.. Keep your head up! No matter how strong you think you are, you are stronger!! Surpass your limits.. Same goes for you Efe" Chioma made eye contact with her shattered daughter, standing by the door. "I love you both so much" 

Before her legs could move to react, her mother turned around then slit her throat with the razor-sharp metal. She didn't want her kids to see life drain from her face as she let her eye lids fall. In Death.

"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Efe shrieked.

**********

"Efe.. Efe.. Efe...." Efe heard her name being called in her sleep. She jumped, but found herself restricted by confinements holding her wrists, thighs and ankles to a hospital bed. It was placed in a sitting position.

"Efe" She turned sharply to her right where David's eyes were transfixed on her. "Are you okay?" He gulped, not knowing how she would react to his previous behavior.

"Welcome back" she relaxed on her bed. "Why so tense?" She turned her neck to watch him.

"I remember what happened.. I thought you'd hate me. Maybe I'm reading you wrong?" He squinted her way.

"I don't hate you and I'm not angry.. At you" Efe gave a half smile. "I'm angry at THAT BITCH who's controlling my little brother all because of a six year old grudge against a kid" she adjusted herself on the bed. "Honestly, I mean she could have hit it with a new guy and baam!, she'd have a new kid... "

"She's watching" David said. 

"I know" Efe grinned "I hope the cuffs aren't too tight on you" she stared at his confinements.

"No, they're not" He smiled a little.

"Good" Efe stared at the ceiling. "I would have done the exact same thing" she said after a while.

"What?" 

"I would have slit my throat so you would not have to live everyday wishing you stopped yourself" Efe swallowed.

"You think that is what she did?" 

"Yes, I do. Ya mere, enwela obi amamikpe!  You didn't kill her." 

Translation:

"So don't feel guilty!"

"No I didn't! I just handed her the knife to do it herself" David shot sharply. "I deserve to die"

"It was her choice." She sighed when David still said nothing. "The afternoon when you fell asleep with your head on her lap, she told me to tell you something" She paused waiting for a reaction. He fidgeted on the bed. Efe smiled "I named you after King David..." She remembered Chioma's words. 

Her ankara gown flowed down her thick dark legs. David had fallen asleep in her lap while watching The mummy returns, she stroked his head, drawing circles on his temple. "I named you after king David in the bible. He was a very powerful and wealthy king... I want you to be like that too. Fight for what you believe in! Do not give up.. I'll always be with you..  In your heart" she playfully poked his chest, he frowned in his sleep "God is watching. I know you'll get even stronger by his grace." Chioma turned to Efe "Take care of our David for me" 

"Take care of our David for me.." Efe finished. "She doesn't want you to give up just yet.. No matter how strong you think you are?" She waited for him to respond.

"You are stronger" He did. "I'm sorry for being weak" His spirits were lifted and determined.

"You'll get to see me weak too. No problem" Efe winked "Speaking of weak," she sighed "I can't feel rage. So I'm guessing, they pumped me with drugs in my sleep. What about you? Can you move anything?"

"Nope.. But I don't stay down for long. I'll be back to full power soon. Then I'll sever some ties" David turned to the camera hanging on the wall and winked "I'll be coming for you" He smiled sweetly then his mouth set in a hard line. "Mother!"

At the control room, watching through the CCTV feed

"Can he break the hold we have on him?" Agu turned to where Doctor Lillian stood in a lab coat and huge Harry Potter glasses.

"W..well.." She stammered "Not in this state" she swallowed her fear. "He can't use his powers because of the drugs"

"So he can break the hold?" Agu turned on her heels.

"It won't be an easy feat to accomplish but Yes Ma! He can do it if he tries" Lillian said.

"Why am I only finding out about thIS NOW!!?" Agu yelled

"W..we..well, we haven't really had a problem with it until now" Lillian's stutter returned.

"I pay you too much. I do not want complications with our asset" Agu picked up a pen from the security's desk and stabbed the doctor in the throat. "Get me a paper towel and another doctor!"

"Yes Ma!" A guard ran out but came back quickly with a shaky man in baggy blue jeans.

"Come over here" Agu had taken a seat.

The scared man stepped over his dead boss then stopped. "I need you to find out if the asset can destroy the safety measures we installed in his head" she wiped her hands.

"Doctor Lilian..." He pointed to the bleeding corpse "..was in charge of the whole 'Tiger Lily Operation' Ma!"

"I'm asking you not Doctor Lillian, Aren't I?"

He gulped hard "His whole power has everything to do with his head. So Yes he can destroy whatever connection he doesn't want anymore" The doctor thought out loud. 

"Congratulations!" Agu stood with her guards "You've been promoted to Chief Doctor" She unbuttoned her pink suit, showing off her silky white shirt underneath. "Take care of this problem or you're going to be the next one on the floor" she threatened.

"I was her assistant. I don't think I can...." He shook

"Assistants learn don't they? Now get to work!" Agu slapped his shoulder, stepping over the body in the room, her matching palazzo rubbed the doctors face. "Send someone to clean up that mess now!" She commanded.

"Yes Ma"

"Chief doctor! You have two hours!" She called, once she was out of the room. "We're expecting guests!"