Hard Man

8

"Are you trying to put me in trouble by revealing your faces to the clients? Do you want to ruin my establishment? I built this place with my blood, sweat, and tears!"
— Eruku

xXx

"You're reopening the case?"

"Was it ever closed?"

"I thought you forgot about it?"

"You thought wrong."

"Let it go, Baba," M.G. Dan stressed. "It did you enough damage the first time, look at everything you lost. Forget about it."

"Does a man forget that kind of wrong?" The General fired angrily, and his friend jumped slightly in his seat.
"I remember everything I've lost, and I've been bidding my time until this moment. I will never let this go. If it's going to take me twenty years to get vengeance, then so be it!"

"Baba," The M.G. shook his head. "It's been how many years, hm?"
Everyone knew the gravity of the situation at hand, and even though Mohammed was trying to act like he wasn't paying attention to their conversation, he was hoping M.G. Dan would be able to get through to the General.

"How many?" M.G. Dan stressed. "Even the presidency took their hands off the case. If you go into this, you'd be doing it alone. Why would you want to continue? Is that why you took the sabbatical? To pursue this case?"

"You're catching up," the General smiled, but Mohammed already knew it was a ruse.
"I don't need your permission, Daniel," he said. "It's either you're with me or out."

"Really?"

"Yes." The General shrugged. "I can do it alone, I don't need you."

"Wow." M.G. Dan nodded, obviously offended. The General had returned to skimming the document on the table, casually dismissing his friend.
Mohammed watched coyly as M.G. Dan stood to his feet, his gaze still resting on the General.

"I hope you don't regret this decision that you're making," he said tersely. "I'll see you tomorrow, I'm going off to Safari to cool my head. I assume you're not interested in a visit?"

"No."

M.G. Dan turned to leave the office, remembering to wave at Mohammed as he left. Immediately the door shut, the General raised his head, and Mohammed suddenly wished he could disappear with the M.G.

"Get up." The General commanded and he immediately shot to his feet. "Go to Kubwa, and get that girl. Take her to my apartment in Jabi, then wait for further instructions."

"Okay sir." As Mohammed turned to leave, he remembered the previous instructions the General had given him on the matter.

"But Sir, just to remind you," he half-turned towards the General. "You said you won't be getting her until next month. I—"

The man slowly looked up from the document he was working on, and Mohammed swallowed. He prepared himself for a belt of curse words and anger, but instead the General nodded.
"I know, but just do as I say."

Mohammed nodded and started to walk towards the door.

"Use a tinted vehicle," the General called after him. "And go alone."

He saluted, then disappeared through the doors. As soon as it shut behind him, Mohammed almost did a jig dance of relief.
It was clear that the little exchange the General had with his friend had already put him in a bad mood, and Mohammed didn't want to be around him at the moment.

As he jogged down to the garage, his mind started to drift towards the lady he was sent to retrieve. It was strange, seeing as he had no idea what business they both had with each other.
It wasn't like the General outrightly told him stuff, but as the ADC, he just knew all there was to know.