MARRED

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE- HAUNT II

Ahmad

The phone rang again for the umpteenth time.

"Are you not going to get that?" Zayyad asked.

I shook my head, turning to the blank minitor. "What is the current status?"

He flipped the mouse and the screen came on. Several CCTV cameras displayed from various locations.

"Thay are approaching their 'warehouse with Musta'eenah Sir.' "

"And our men?"

He flipped the screen again. "Right on their trail"

"And the undercovers outside the van?"

"They await our instructions."

The phone began to ring again.

"It is not Sa'ad and the men that I worry about Sir. It is you. I told you already that you do not need to be here in the first place."

"I sent you all on a dangerous mission. I cant let you be here while I stay back comfortably at home." I admitted. It wasn't that I did not want to answer Amma's calls. It was that I feared I would have to lie to her. I did not ever want to lie to her.

"We have been on more dangerous missions, besides this is our job. Yours was to inform us, which you already did." He reasoned, but I was already turned back to the monitor.

"Call your men..."

"At least answer her calls, or permit me to." He interrupted me.

"And tell her that?"

"You are in a meeting. It is technically true."

I nodded. I wanted anything that would ease her mind too.

Zayyad did exactly that and turned back to me. "She wants you to call as soon as you can. She would be awake till your return, In shaa Allah."

My heart sank. I wanted to return home immediately, but I nodded curtly instead.

"They are on the move." I noted.

"And so are we." Zayyad maximized the screen where Oloye's goons were propelling their victims into a van.

"She is not alone." I noted.

"No. She isn't. Another new victim. This is good." They'd us directly to their cohorts. At least, one of them will tell us who their Big Boss or Bosses are" Zayyad said.

"At least One ."

"Do you see that man behind the shield in grey? He is Pa Pato."

"Pause."

Zayyad did and zoomed in on the screen. It was an elderly man in his mid-fifties.

"The man from Idi-aro?"

"Yes. The Idi-aro family believes him dead, though. He is here in Abuja with his real family." He played back and zoomed back out.

"Why Idi-aro?" I asked, knowing Zayyad would understand my question.

"The town is only thirty minuites from Oloye's Crib. It is easier to work from a place where the worry of the people is their daily Hussle. And acting like a useless drunk in such a place was indeed a good cover. His Ten-years undercover period was over and he needed to return, but he needed to do that completely. Mrs Amanah was just the perfect sabab."

I noded. "Dead men shouldn't be walking the streets Zayyad. They should just remain... dead."

Zayyad's eyes widened. "Are you suggesting..."