Senior Year [Project Nigeria]

Chapter Nineteen

I woke up late the next morning, Mr Douglas was already in the room and Richard had packed some clothes into a small bag.

"We're heading to Red Viper's hideout now." Mr Douglas said.
"I don't want to go." I replied firmly and looked at Richard, he also turned to look at me.
"Toni, we've talked about this, it's best if we just go, we're secured there".
"No, we're secured with the police." I replied.

"Do you think I'm here to play? We have to leave now." Mr Douglas said and held my hands. I kicked him and made my way to the door but it was locked.
"You idiot." He muttered as he staggered trying to stand up. "Richard, do something." He ordered and Richard walked up to me.

"Richard, don't answer him, he's a monster, let's find a way to escape, I'm sure we can escape." I said.
"Are you crazy? I told you that it's pointless escaping, it's best if we go with Mr Douglas."
"What has he fed you with?" I asked angrily.
"I'm sorry Toni." Richard said and slammed a fist into my stomach and I passed out.

************************************

When I woke up, I felt like a train hit me, I tried to get up but heavy cold metal chains held me to the ground. My school uniform was already saturated.
The light bulb flickered and buzzed occasionally making me a little but scared. I rolled my eyes and scoffed as I pressed my head against the wall.

The room was silent beside my heavy pants of breath as I struggled to inhale the thick heat of the air. My throat was intensively dry, aching for liquid.

Richard came in and it dawned on me how he slammed a fist into my stomach before I passed out.
"How could you?" I asked.
"I'm sorry." He answered.

"You're a betrayal, it doesn't matter if you're sorry or not, I'm sure you've sworn your allegiance to the Red Viper." I said and he laughed.
"You're very brilliant and that's why I like you. Yes, I'm now her personal bodyguard." He replied.
"Good for you."
"Toni." He called me and smiled. "That's the only way to survive." He added.

"I'm not interested in hearing what you have to say."
"She wants to see you." Richard said and I looked at him with hatred. I couldn't even believe that I had a conversation with him.

"I don't want to see her."
"You're really foolish, I thought you were intelligent."
"I'm intelligent, you're the foolish one, how are you comfortable working for the person who caused the death of your father?" I asked.
"She's killed Aunt Lillian and Mr Douglas, you might be the next on the list." He answered and my heart raced.

"How did that happen?" I asked concerned, I thought they worked for her.

"They did their job wrongly and almost put her in trouble, she has a spy in the police station who has informed her that the police are aware of this hideout and that they're coming here, they'll be here tomorrow afternoon." He answered.
"Red Viper can't win a fight with the police." I said and she walked in with her red long gown.

She was indeed beautiful and had a white skin, she was a white woman like I had expected, it only meant both white and black men worked for her.
"Foolish girl." She said. "And who said I'll fight the police, if I had fought the police, I would have been in jail, a plane is waiting for me outside, I'll be long gone before they even arrive." She added.

"Give up and let me go, I'm not a threat to you in anyway." I replied.
"You're a threat in many ways, I'm surprised how a sixteen year old girl is good at fighting, you know this place so if I let you go, I would be foolish."
"I don't know how to fight." I lied and she laughed.
"And you're also a smart girl, I don't like smart people." She replied.

"What do you want from me?"
"I want you to join me, we can make a lot of money together, Richard has joined me already, he's free and he would enjoy the benefits of being my bodyguard." She said.
"I'm not joining you to cause evil in the society."
"I love you because you're brave." She said and walked to the door with a smile. She looked at me and smirked.
"Let me out of here, I'm not a threat to you." I screamed in pain.

She turned to look at the guards. "Guard her with your life, if she escapes, I'll kill you." She said and left.

Richard coughed and looked at me as he hunched forward and propped his face on his upturned hands. His eyes filled with curiosity. "Why don't you want to accept her proposal?." He asked.

"You can still leave her before it's too late." I advised and he chuckled.
"Too late, she dominates everyone, she can get herself freed from prison." He said and knelt down. "The only way to end her is to kill her, that's the only way she can't escape." He whispered to me and stood up.

"Just wait till I escape." I said.
"Don't try anything funny, this could be the worst senior year for you and you've not written your waec exam, I'm sure you don't want to die not graduating from high school." Richard said in a steady voice. My gaze drifted leisurely over my face before returning to his eyes. I felt my resolve weaken as he continued to persuade me but I knew I couldn't join her.
"Okay, okay." I put up both hands in surrender.  I was even angry with myself to have liked Richard, was it merely infatuation.

He released a breath and rubbed the tense muscles in the back of his neck. His face turning bright as he picked the gun from the table and pointed it at me. "I just learnt how to use a gun, maybe I should try it on you first." He suggested and my heart beat increased rapidly.

To be continued
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