At Gun Point

~12~

"How did you get yourself involved in the first place Mr Mallazamba?" Asked the commander.

"I left my home in Greencroft Estates early morning yesterday,headed for my new farms some two kilometers in the east from here. I have just bought those farms from a white man who is migrating to Australia. My involvement came when I decided to detach and drove towards here with aim of buying breakfast. That's when I became one of Bastion's hostage."I told him.
He proceeded to ask Melinda the same question. She summarily answered him with a disoriented gesture. He quickly turned his attention to me,seeing Melinda's disdained attitude.

He then asked me to relate the whole story to them with Brian jotting down some notes. He then asked why didn't I called the local police to come and attend the scene. I told him Bastion had told us that the town Sheriff was one of the people on his payroll. So I didn't trust them. I feared they would come and killed us all so that it would look like we have killed each other. Then burned the boxes of cocaine and ammunition together with us,burying every evidence that they were involved. He thoughtfully took in my words,and then nodded in agreement. He seemed satisfied by my explanation.

They then informed us that they have tried to call the Sheriff's mobile phone but he was unreachable. They also called the officers at the station and they told them he wasn't there too. His wife also told them he didn't return from work,she was also worried. We all then figured he had run away fearing imprisonment. Though we were not sure as yet as there was no tangible evidence to base on. No one was sure if he was implicated in this. His sudden disappearance was a hint though.

Brian then told us he had instructed those at the local police station to come with two lorries and a police hearse to come and collect the impounded drugs and ammunition and dead bodies respectively.

As we all walked back to the gathering people. The commander took me aside and asked if I had Bastion's laptop or phone. I told him I have both in safe keeping and I was going to hand him over after everything was loaded and everyone was dispersing. There was a disturbed look in his eyes. He looked unsettled about something he wasn't ready to share. I left him with his problems. Whatever he was worried about was his business. As we walked to join the others, a thought came into my mind. Is he one of them?Maybe!Why did he took me aside to ask about Bastion's gadgets? There was only one way to find out: the info I have copied. I then remembered, I had to copy the contents of Bastion's phone using a software in my laptop,as soon as my wife reached here.

A pat on my right shoulder startled me from my thoughts. I turned around and came face to face with a slightly tall blonde holding a mike in her hands. I looked her in the eyes and she smiled,shyly. At her rear,was an ebony stout man holding a big digital camera on his shoulders. We stood opposite the man with his camera. She then told me they wanted me to tell the nation how I and the other hostages managed to conquer the wanted fugitive. Before I could answer her,Melinda was already beside me,her eyes fixed to the camera's face. The man the counted one to three and the blonde started a reporting speech facing directly onto the camera's lenses.

After mentioning my name,she brought the mike to my mouth and I started to expound our horrible experience and how we managed to succeed in stopping Bastion from ferrying ammunition and illegal drugs to Buntuland. Behind us was the gutted shopping mall with smoke billowing to the atmosphere above.
Melinda also chipped in a small speech of our ordeal and the reporter said the closing remarks and the camera was turned off. She thanked us with a smile on her face and said we were being watched live on television by the whole nation. They moved towards the choppers,leaving us with our gazes fixed on their backs.

The medical aid choppers were already on the ground and the local nurses were helping the guys from Medicare to put the injured in the choppers. The police then instructed that Bastion was to remain for he was now in police custody. The police choppers were going to ferry him to the capital later. His two existing guards were rendered an exception case. So they were to be carried by the Medicare choppers. The injured were eleven with myself, Bastion and Melinda not included. The choppers were able to carry two injured people in each,so only six injured people were to be ferried first and the remaining were to be taken later. I told them to include Rambo,Jasper,the old man, the female guard and Longface in the company of those who were going first.

The local nurses had done a wonderful job on the injured. They have put some bandages on bullet induced wounds stopping the flow of blood. Also respiratory enhancing equipment was put on some injured people. Some were even on drip, the likes of Rambo and others who had sustained serious bullet wounds. My prayer was that no one was going to die. I promised the head nurse that I was going to throw a party for her and her team soon after this was over. She happily appreciated my offer.

We were all startled by the sound of an oncoming line of vehicles. My wife's navy blue BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe was leading the procession. The town's mayor truck,a Toyota Hilux ,was trailing behind her. Followed by police cars with blurring sirens. Everyone's eyes were glued to the line of cars approaching.

Brian and the commander moved towards the mayor's vehicle which had parked opposite my red Nisan Navara. The mayor,a short and stout man,who is well known for his eloquence in public speaking, jumped off his car to greet the two police chiefs who had now stand outside the driver's door.

The local police vehicles parked beside the mayor's. Just as Brian had informed us earlier. Two lorries and a big van that was turned into a hearse,normally used to ferry the dead during an accident such as this one. The local cops,together with those that came with Brian were busy emptying the hearse of its stainless steel coffins, making themselves ready to move in the building to collect all the dead bodies and the impounded goods inside.

My wife parked hers beside mine. I started to walk towards her car with Melinda trailing behind me.

FROM THE AUTHOR: Thank you for reading!If you have enjoyed the story,please remember to vote and feel free to comment below. Note: All comments,good/bad,are also very welcome. I'd really like to know what you think. It would mean a lot to me as a budding writer, and may help my career.

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