Chaos and painkillers

14. The apple doesn't fall far away from the tree.

The apple doesn't fall far away from the tree.

Sudais knew as much.

There had to be something they missed or weren't thinking about.

He wasn't some intelligent agent. But, he was intelligent.

And, he was desperate to meet this particular deep brown skin girl that has managed to keep over 10 people on their toes for over 96 hours.

How did she do it?

When Sudais was 16, he got into a fight with his elder brother right after his external exams results were released and decided to spend the night at Tahir's place. They were in Kaduna for summer break, which was Tahir's hometown. Sudais changed his mind at midnight and came home to find the gate locked. He kept banging on the door and he never got an answer-he was going to find out his dad had instructed everyone to not open it the next day- with no other choice, he spent the night at his Dad's masjid that was outside the house.

The next morning, just before subh, he was woken up with a barbarous belt whipping by his Dad. Men had to hold Baba Alhaji off him as he seemed too livid to consider that Sudais had enough bruises to carry on for the rest of his life.

The next day, he found himself in military school.

To that day, despite all his jerkiness and anger issues, deep down, he would think twice before doing something deep to upset his dad.

Just like him, his dad could be impulsive and irrational. Just like Laila's dad. The big difference though, Sudais and his dad come down from their highs to acknowledge their damage. They always did. Well, except if they weren't wrong.

Sultan El-Amin Sunusi didn't look sorry. In fact, he looked more pissed off and insulted as he breathed deep.

Reporting that Laila had yet again bolted the address they tracked her in, he was finding it harder to hold unto the last string of sanity he had left. He had yelled and yelled, then went quiet and did it all over again.

Sudais could understand the man's emotions. Anger and helplessness were never a good match. If not treated well, cold and impetuous decisions could be made and they would be no going back.

Take Sudais and Laila's marriage for an instant.

A total cold and an impetuous decision that was made less than 100 hours ago but it had already turned so many things upside down. Lives-if Sudais might add.

With the family now sitting with Baba Alhaji and his men absent again, Mami reasoned. "Maybe she'll co—"

"No. No more maybe's," Daddy cut her off, raising his palm. "There is no way zata mayar damu abokan wasanta. We find her, we bring her home..."

"And then what?"

The old man flashed his cold constricted eyes at his second wife. "Then i beat that imbecile child of yours to my fill and send her to her home where she is supposed to be right now!" His fingers were shaking in fury by the time he was done.

Mami dropped her eyes to her now intertwined fingers and bit the insides of her cheeks.

When he had glared at the woman enough, he sighed and returned to his pre-outburts position, but not without muttering, "Sorry. I'm sorry..."

Sudais twisted to Muri who was already peering at him. Muri rose his brows and shoulders in a shrug before looking away.

Daddy's palms slowly rose but did nothing to explain his dilemma. "She's going to try and run far. Like she did when she had that chance a month ago..." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Ina wancan wawan yaron Nurain nata? I want information on him."