THE AFTERMATH

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

KAEM

After dealing with Alina's issues last night, I honestly and desperately craved for a goodnight sleep. Sadly, life has a way of denying us the wishes of our hearts I guess. I had barely slept around 11 pm when I received a call at the hospital.

Some stupid boys somehow got themselves involved in a machete fight and unfortunately one of them succumbed to the injuries and passed a few minutes after he arrived at the ER. The other one is still fighting for his dear life in ICU after a team of specialists and I operated on him for 4 good hours last night.

I of course plan to check on Alina and that kid she is hosting a bit later. After I rest that is. With this level of tiredness, a cold shower like old times always chills through the muscle aches and release the good feel hormones for me to sleep properly. I fall into a deep slumber for three hours. My precious resting time only to be cut short by repetitive calls from Chad. It must be important.

1100 HOURS

Sounding grumpy and sleepy

Me: My man!

Chad: Are you sleeping man?

Me: I am awake now! I thought I am speaking with you or maybe I am dreaming?

We both laugh briefly and Chad clears his throat and sounds more focused this time

Chad: On a more serious note, I have pulled some information on Roselyn and Michael. Can you come to the office?

Me: Can you send me on email? I need to rest a bit. I had a hectic night

Chad: No! It's classified man. You need to come. Besides, Boss needs to brief you. Your territory is compromised.

Me: What the hell? Are you kidding me Chad? Ryan is locked up. I cleaned the place man.

I am putting on my jeans and t-shirt as we continue speaking. I grab my wallet and ID. I engage my alarm and lock the door. My automated garage door slides up clearing the way for my reverse parked BMW. I am counting on its speed and take off. As I start the car, I hang up Chad's call and make my way towards the office.

My work is complicated.

It goes way beyond being a trauma surgeon. I have been an agent for a secret subdivision of Southern African Region Central Intelligence. We are always chasing on drug cartels and drug dealers. I signed up for this after I retired from military fifteen years ago. This was after my crew except Chad and I perished in Afghanistan.

We were set up by a spy whom we thought was on our side only to realise that we were being ambushed when it was too late. We were trapped and people were slaughtered like animals that day. My best friend Raymond was shot right in front of my eyes.

Raymond was rushing to pull me aside and then somehow in the process, a bullet penetrated his chest just below his right nipple piercing through his lungs shattering his life away. I tried dragging him with me as we retreated to our safe camp but his life chose to slip away before I could do anything to help.

I wailed and cried to the extent of not feeling my own pains and bruises in that moment. My leg had been shot drenching with blood soaking through the bandage I had temporarily patched on the gunshot wound. I tripped over another body and fell face down.

That is how I met Chad.

He was bleeding from the mouth and his eyes were bloodshot indicating the excruciating pain he was feeling and expressing the level of agony he was enduring. Between Raymond's dead corpse and Chad's failing injured body, I ended up grabbing him by the collar as I kept crawling towards the underground tunnel which was our escape route to the safe camp.

The gunshot sounds kept deafening our ears and I watched the blazing fire creeping closer to us. That compelled me to move faster and ignore the pain in that instance. I reminded myself the importance of life there and then. Watching Raymond's life bail out on him made me think about a lot of things.

Things I hadn't enjoyed in life. I hadn't even been in a relationship with anyone for crying out loud. I denied to die without bearing off springs into this wickedly beautiful world.

Another glance on powerless Chad whose entire hope was depending on me, I finally found my strength to hang on and hold on to this dear life even if it meant doing so with a very weak and faint grip. That kick ass hope reserve and faith for a better tomorrow had me stand up tall, limping with a terribly shot leg and carrying badly hurt Chad on my back. We finally made it to safe zone.

Retiring was inevitable after the injuries we sustained. I remember the relief we felt when we landed in South Africa, it tasted like freedom. Seeing my parents and brother was the highlight of the day. In no time, we were all celebrating my wedding to a beautiful girl I had met when I came back. It was love at first sight.

Chad became my inseparable friend. I decided to practice medicine full time and I joined the hospital as I had expertise in trauma surgery. Chad had specialised in computers and IT. That is how he came to me one of the days with a proposition. It was a job offer so to speak and that is how I signed up as a secret agent.