Ex Gratia (#1 EX TRILOGY)

Chapter 36

Akoma clenched her fists and remained seated. She did not know what to say. She finally pieced everything Ender had told her about him as Derrick together and understood why he as Nii had sounded hostile to Rich the day they met at her place. It was not their first meeting. She remembered seeing Nii whisper something to Rich before exiting that evening and how the night had led to sex with Rich, which was confirmed to be an act of manipulation under manipulation. It was certain to Akoma that the photographs and the obsession were nothing but Derrick merely playing his role as the mole in her life.

She spat on his face and slapped him. Ender stepped closer, but Derrick stopped her with a hand. He took out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the spittle off. Akoma spat into his face again, and he wiped it off the second time. When she tried to spit the third time, he seized her throat in a vice-like grip and narrowed his eyes menacingly at her. Akoma gripped his thick arm and squeaked. Ender placed a hand on Derrick’s shoulder and squeezed it gently, and then he let go. He straightened up and smoothened the front of his jacket. Akoma coughed and glared at him as she massaged her throat.

“I know you are angry with me,” Derrick began to say, but Akoma shook her head in disagreement. “Please listen to me.”

“They said you were dead! I mourned you! I felt bad knowing you had died because we had not made peace with each other before that! Why? Huh? I thought you were my – “

“Friend?” Derrick smirked. “That word. Hmm. I’d like you to know that everything between us was an act. The zoning complaint, the kiss, the jealousy – all part of the plan. Having obtained enough information about you for Ex Gratia for the assignment, I had to retire, so Ender visited me and we faked my death. I am sure everyone is looking forward to my funeral now, but there will be no family to contact. But you should thank me for your appointment, because I was the one who recommended you to them.”

Akoma clenched her jaw. “You were the one who sold me out to the syndicate to be used as the pawn to pay back your rogue agent? Nii – “

“It’s Derrick.”

“Whatever, you – “, Akoma flung a curse word at him before continuing. “Despite all that went wrong between us, I still – I don’t know – I still cared.” She tried to say more but found it hard because of tears.

Derrick shook his head, leaned closer and gripped the armrests such that their faces were only few inches apart. “It’s OK. It’s all not important. The only relationship we have now is work. No hard feelings. Don’t cry.”

“Listen to yourself,” Akoma croaked. “I am hurt right now because of what nonsense you are saying with no remorse. What is that? You – “. She would have gone on and on with this, but she remembered why she had agreed to be with them and pursed her lips. Derrick blinked and straightened up. “It’s OK,” Akoma said and averted her eyes. “What should I do?”

Ender tapped the form on the table with her fingers. “We need your thumbprint on this form,” she said, and then picked up the sharp instrument before adding, “but you will prick yourself with this. Your blood will be your ink.”

“OK.”

Derrick beckoned to Akoma and she rose, and Ender took her hand and steered her to the table. Akoma picked up the form and skimmed through it. Her personal details had already been provided and the terms and conditions were very detailed and promised some immunity to the Ex Agent, including enticing privileges, but all were tied to death for the person who would violate the code of secrecy and loyalty. She eyed the space provided for her thumbprint and wondered the gravity of any implications the blood thumbprint would carry beyond the naked eye.  Supposing she signed it and the initiation went through, and somehow she was able to escape and get rid of them all, would the syndicate cease to exist, meaning the restoration of her freedom from their manipulation -  or would some other entity hidden in the darker shadows show up and kill her?

She shut her eyes as Ender pricked her thumb with the instrument, and she felt the warmth of her blood oozing from the cut. Ender guided her to press her finger onto the space and a clear thumbprint was left on the paper. Ender grinned.

“Now, you will kneel before us,” Ender said. Akoma stared at her for moment and slowly went on her knees. “Do you swear to submit – to be taught the arts and ways of the syndicate and to discard your morality in any instance where you ought to act foully for a good cause? If you do, please say ‘Aye’”

Akoma sighed. “Aye”, she muttered.

“Louder,” Ender bellowed, startling Akoma.

“Aye!”

“Good. Do you swear to forsake every current romantic, familial or religious involvement with anyone in your normal life to be absorbed by this call?”

Akoma bowed her head and blinked. Derrick cleared his throat and stepped closer, unbuttoning his jacket and crouching before her. “It’s OK, Akoma,” he whispered assuringly. “It’s necessary. Once you have sealed the contract, you cannot say ‘Nay’. It’s a one way trip, but you will get through this. I’ll protect you.”

Akoma looked up slowly, and thankfully she glimpsed a pistol in a holster under his jacket. She glanced at the exit beyond Derrick’s shoulder, bowed her head and shut her eyes, and then she thought of the most available escape plan that occurred to her.

Suddenly, the three members saw Akoma shaking violently and exchanged looks. Derrick touched Akoma’s shoulder but let go when she jerked it off. He rose to his feet and frowned. Akoma fell on all fours and started to retch. Ender stepped back and frowned. Jake looked utterly puzzled. Derrick was frightened.

“What’s wrong with her?” Jake asked. “Derrick, what did you do to her?”

Derrick scowled at him. “I didn’t do anything. No! I just – “

“You just what?” Ender asked harshly.

“I only asked her not to be afraid.”

Ender stared down at Akoma and run her fingers through her hair restlessly. “Settle her down.”

Derrick looked up at her. “You mean you want me to lock her mind?”

Ender shrugged. Akoma had curled herself and had found a way of pushing her hand underneath her dress with her head at an angle that kept them from seeing what was happening beneath. Derrick crouched before her and leaned over to whisper into her ear.

Akoma opened her eyes, pulled out the pepper spray and fired it into Derrick’s eyes. Derrick cried out and rubbed them. He fell backwards, and quickly, Akoma pulled out the pistol, rose to her feet and held Ender at gunpoint before she could move. She backed away from them and leaned her back against the wall. Jake and Ender stared at her.

“Akoma, what is the meaning of this?” Ender asked. She sounded more disappointed than cornered.  “Put it away. You’re making a big mistake.”

Akoma shook her head. “I don’t care. Nobody moves,” she shouted. She glanced at Derrick groaning and trembling on the floor with his eyes burning and his palms stuck to them. “I will shoot anyone who attempts to use that witchcraft on me. I tell you.”

Ender chuckled. “Dear Akoma, don’t do this,” she said in a sly voice in the manner of a teacher speaking to a kindergarten kid. “You know that gun is not loaded, don't you? Whatever you are doing is not your own will. You are being manipulated. We already know how it ends. You will not get out here alive. I will kill you just the way Derrick killed Rich.”

“I don’t believe you!” Akoma cried and held the gun firmly. Her heart was beating fast. She badly wanted to escape, but she feared she did not have the guts to murder. She had sworn to put away her morality in the face of anything foul she had to do for the good cause of the syndicate, and ending Ex Gratia by paying them theirs for messing with her life felt reasonable to her.

“Oh really?” Ender said and took a step closer, and Akoma jerked the gun to make her back off, but she did not comply. She took one more step. “I dare you to try. Shoot, Akoma. You are not yet there. Whatever you are doing is because I said so. You are still Ender's slave.”