‘Ekene? Oh my God, you kidnapped me?’ Her
mouth fell wide open as she recognized him.
‘Yes but the men I worked with spoilt my plans’
he winked and gripped her hand firmly. He
had called his old cult brothers to help him
kidnap Narissa, they had agreed to work with
him yet they tried to outsmart him.
He had arranged the text message she had
received, the one that had lured her to the
lonely road and dilapidated building. He had
left the boys for a while to fetch more guns for
their security; he returned to see that one of
them was gone and the other two expressed
disinterest in the matter.
‘You either work with me or you die’ that’s what
he had told them and they had fetched their
guns to attack him but they had not been fast
enough.
‘Why are you doing this?’ Narissa swallowed. She
couldn’t believe her eyes.
‘Ife is a billionaire, he will pay’ Ekene replied.
He was actually repaying Ife for humiliating
him and sacking him from Methocorp. No one
dealt Ekenechukwu a blow and walked away.
‘Please, you don’t have to do this’ she cried.
‘Well, we need to hurry out of here; I expect
the police to show up sooner or later. I thought
Ife would be here by now, I texted him the
address too’ Ekene prodded her forward.
‘Are you sure you can do this, Ife?’ Iman was
scared for him.
‘I will. If anything happens to me in there, tell
her that I love her; tell the world about my love
for Narissa’ he clutched the gun tightly and
hurried away from the van.
‘Remember we are right behind you’ Dokubo and
some officers trailed behind.
He nodded and kept walking. The road was
lonely and there was a thick bush by the side.
‘Daisywheel’ he muttered as he spotted the
large building with an old rusty signpost in
front. The building was covered with wild
weeds; some of its windows had been removed,
so were some doors.
He took a deep breath, he didn’t know what
awaited him inside but he was willing to lay
down his life for the woman he loved.
He increased his steps and walked into the
building; the floors were cracked, reptiles ran
around freely and it had a muddy scent.
‘Is anybody here?’ Narissa’ he called, then
quickly hid his gun.
‘Hello?’ He waited.
There was no sign of life, was he in the wrong
place? He fetched his phone and ran his eyes
over the text message Narissa’s captives had
sent him.
‘Raise your hands and turn around else I shoot
her’ heavy footsteps were the only sounds that
he heard.
He knew the owner of that voice; even in
death, he would recognize it. He felt a sharp
pain as he realized Ekene had been the
kidnapper and not Lavender.
‘Ife’ Narissa’s eyes grew wide as she stared at
him. Why had he come for her? Her heart
raced as she imagined Ekene hurting him. No,
she didn’t want that. Ife was many things, he
was the devil that had broken her heart, but
she didn’t want him to die. She had forgiven
him completely when she realized he had
nothing to do with her kidnapping.
‘Ekene, you don’t have to do this, please
release her to me. Name your price, I will pay
you whatever you want’ he fell on his knees and
pleaded.
‘That’s right, you are talking but we have a
little problem’ he dragged Narissa along with
him and peered out the window.
‘What is it?’ Ife followed his gaze.
‘Why didn’t you drive? Where is your car?’
Ekene asked. He wasn’t a fool.
‘It developed a fault on my way here, I can
take you to the place I parked it’ Ife replied.
‘Really?’ Ekene eyed him suspiciously.
‘Yes. I swear’ Ife replied.
‘I have a better plan now’ Ekene smiled. He
had planned to kill Ife, then extort money
from Narissa’s family. Ife’s death would serve
as a revenge for the things he had done to him
but he had a better idea.
‘I need a hundred million dollars before I
release her to you; I need the international
passport and checkbooks you seized. Once you
have all I have asked for, I shall release her to
you unharmed’ he made a list of what she
needed.
He planned to flee Nigeria, once this was
arranged. He knew Ife had come alone, he had
sent him a text to make it look like Narissa had
wanted to meet with him.
‘Is that all?’ Ife asked.
‘Yes’ Ekene nodded.
‘Can I just kiss her before I go?’ Ife requested.
‘You have one minute. Meanwhile, if you involve
the police, I will know and I will kill her
immediately’ he released and pushed her
forward.
‘I am so sorry baby, it’s all my fault. I promise
you won’t die, I will do all he has asked’ Ife
hugged her tightly. Her eyes were scared and
she had bloodstains on her dress. Fear gripped
him and he wondered if she had been
assaulted.
‘I am so sorry for pushing you away. I love you
Ife’ she cried hard against him.
‘You love me?’ His heart fluttered at her
confession.
‘Yes and I have forgiven you for everything’
she pulled away from him and stared into his
eyes.
‘You have forgiven me?’ Tears welled up in his
eyes as she stared at him with kindness and
sincere love. How could she forgive after all he
had done to her?
‘Time up lovers! I need my money’ Ekene
yelled.
‘Okay, be strong. We’ll get out of this’ Ife
pressed a soft kiss on her bruised lips.
‘Not too fast’ Dokubo and the other men rushed
in.
‘What is this? I warned you Ife, I will kill her’
Ekene was taken by surprise.
‘Put your gun down, your life will be spared’
Dokubo and his men neared him.
He took a deep breath and swallowed; Ife had
deceived him. Ife had played tricks on him;
now he was outnumbered.
‘Put the gun down, I’m saying that for the last
time’ Dokubo warned.
‘You betrayed me’ his hands shook as he stared
at Ife, what fate awaited him once the police
arrested him?
‘Just put the gun down, you have lost the battle
Ekene’ Ife replied and stared at Narissa who
was still in his arms.
‘I will kill you both’ his hands went to the
trigger and a shot was released. It ran into the
walls of the abandoned hospital, his hands were
too shaky for a successful shot. Dokubo’s men
had responded, as soon they saw him go for his
gun; one of them shot him in the arm.
‘Ah!’ He screamed and fell to the ground as
pain shot through him.
‘Take the criminal away and search the
building’ Dokubo instructed the guards.
‘Are you okay baby? Did they do anything to
hurt you?’ Ife asked.
‘No. They almost did but God saved me’ she
replied.
‘I love you Narissa, I am so happy you are
okay’ he hugged her again.
‘How did you know I was here?’ She swallowed.
‘I received a text from you that we should meet
here. Iman thought it suspicious as your boss
whom you were to meet was looking for you. So
we went to the police’ he explained briefly.
‘Oh, thank God’ she sighed.
She had never dreamt she would have an
experience like this. She had heard stories about
people getting kidnapped and she never quite
understood the trauma they encountered until
now.
‘Narissa!’ Iman rushed towards them as they
neared the van that was parked miles away
from the hospital.
‘Iman’ she smiled weakly and leaned against
Ife’s chest. She had been too weak to walk the
distance, so he carried her.
‘How are you?’ Iman smiled and caressed her
face. She was happy her friend was alright.
‘Ife showed up for me’ Narissa smiled and
looked into his eyes. She found love buried in
there.
To be Continued….
