ALIYA

Chapter 14 - Bilal

After returning back to Aliya's office, I kept her "Replacement Girl" back for her exactly where I found it, although it was originally mine like I had explained earlier. By the way, where was she running to? Home? I wondered as I walked out of the office and slammed the door behind me. I shouldn't have chased her, I shouldn't have also violated her privacy. I remorsed as I walked towards the elevator.

And just as I walked past Jibril's office, I scoffed recalling the conversation we had earlier. He was curious to know what exactly was happening between me and Aliya, but I told him nothing. You know, his dream was to nail me in order to snatch away my wife from me and take over my position but that wouldn't be easy for him because of the unshakable feelings Rahina had for me.

Anyways, even if he succeed in ending our marriage would she marry him? The last time she talked about him with me she made it clear that she didn't love him and that the "whatever" they shared in the past was just a "childhood something" that shouldn't be taking serious, and by the way she disliked the idea of marrying her relatives the fact that it could lead to bifurcation in the event of serious misunderstanding between them.

I walked into the elevator and as soon as I arrived at the top floor I stepped out and headed straight to my office. Bismillah, I huffed as I sat in my swivel chair and began thinking about Aliya. She seemed very angry, I really hoped that she wasn't heading home. What if she told her mother what happened between us? The woman would definitely think I was trying to seduce her daughter, every mother would harbour that thought!

*******

I kept thinking until my phone rang, it was Sufyan. "Sir, there is a big problem" He said the moment I picked the call. "Wallahi the people of Galma are trying to attack us, telling us to pack and leave their river the way it is" He said panting vigorously, I had left him in charge since I wasn't going there today.

"Aren't our securities around?" I asked.

"They are here, trying their best to quench the fire. How I wish you are here, sir!" He hesitated and continued. "I am really scared"

"Scared? Sai kace mace? (As if you are a girl?), I really don't expect you to downgrade yourself to this level, sufyan!" I muttered.

"Sorry sir, I also don't know why I am this scared. I think it's because they may soon overpower us" He said as I quickly cut in.

"Nonsense, they won't overpower you. Just allow our securities to do their job, we have more than five armed joint task forces or have some of them left for today already?" I said.

"No, they... they are still around" He stuttered.

"Okay, tell them to maintain a good public relation. They shouldn't shoot any civilian there, and if they must pull their trigger then it should be in the sky as warning shot(s), okay?" I bespoke.

"Okay, sir" He said.

"Good!" I ended the call with a sigh.

He had really disappointed me, I expected him to be courageous. No matter what will happen there, the people around Galma River can never overpower us. And if not because of their illiteracy, our hydropower project was for their own benefit but if only they understand. Sometimes I used to wonder the kind of people we are here in Nigeria, when the government wants to help us by building something for our own importance we would end up calling it exploitation. How then can we progress? There is absolutely no way we can progress in such a way, never and ever.

Knock!

Knock!!

Knock!!!

"Yes, who's there?" I queried.