Silhouette

II

Stefo holds the black bag wide open as Sani dumps the ballot papers into it. The sound of ruffling papers is very loud.

Stefo feels goosebumps rising on his skin and his heart is running in overdrive. There is no one in the whole building but he cant help but feel the sense of foreboding he has had for the past six months.

"Cool down, guy," says Sani. The red butt of his cigarette is dancing on his lips. He slides the last batch of ballot papers off the shelf and into the open bag.

Stefo breathes a small sigh of relief as he zips up the bag and heaves it onto his shoulder. Stealing ballot papers from the headquarters of the country's electoral office is the least of his worries. He is meeting the boss in a few minutes. The whole point of the past six months of his life. All he needs is a glimpse. Just a glimpse.

Sani follows him with his own bag on his shoulder. They both step out into the cold dark night. Sani drops his bag and takes the yellow keg by the door. It is filled with kerosene. He uncovers it and goes in.

Stefo can hear the sloshing sounds as Sani dumps it all over the room.

Sani comes back out. He takes a long drag of his cigarette and puffs it into the night air. He throws the cigarette into the room. "Oya," he says.

Stefo is on the stairs with Sani behind him when he hears a loud whoosh followed by sounds of glass breaking. The room is burning.

The security guard is tightly bound at the base of the stairs. He writhes and twists his head as he sees them. A small moan escapes beneath the duct tape. Sani kicks him in the gut and he moans again.

The cry of fire alarms pierce the night air. "Lets go," says Stefo as he runs to their car parked at the gate. He opens the door gets into the front passenger seat.

Sani opens the drivers side and slides in. He tosses his bag onto the back seat.

Sani starts the car and puts it in gear. There is a smell of burning wood in the air and the faint roar of fire.

Stefo turns his head and looks at the second floor of the building. It is alight with fire as the flames lick the walls.

"We don do am," says Sani into a cellphone. He turns to Stefo and smiles. His teeth are yellow, cigarette stained. "Okay," he says and pockets the cellphone.

"Who was that?" asks Stefo. He knows the answer but he asks anyway.

"Oga say he wan see you."

"You sure?"

"Yes. My guy, you don lucky."

"How?"

"Oga wan give you something be that na," says Sani. He lightly punches Stefo's arm. "It mean say make you no forget the boys."

Stefo chuckles. He thinks of the three tickets in his room. First class flights to Dubai. He smiles. "How I go forget?"

Three minutes later, Sani pulls up in the parking garage of a hotel. He walks out and carries his bag with him. Stefo does the same. He follows him to a white Limo with black tinted windows.

Sani raps the door and it opens. There are two men in it. One is Razor, frail looking, with a liking to using the razor blade and the boss' second in command. The other man is fat. Potbelly, agbada and red chieftain cap. Chief Koko.

Stefo almost laughs out loud when he sees him. Now all it makes sense.

Razor gestures them in. Stefo closes the door behind him when he enters. The seats are plush and the air is air conditioned cool. There is a bucket of chilled champagne on the small centre table.