18/19
LOVE AND JUSTICE
EPISODE 18
Ackim…
I l@ydown hopelessly awaiting my fate. Be it p@rt of the punishment or simply the fact that Mr. Benson was working on something to pin me down was not the matter anymore, since whatever the case, I was losing my patience and each minute I spend there tied up made me feel like I was going insane.
“Are you re-ady to face the boss?” a voice snapped me out of my boredom I shook to face who had come.
“Yes” I responded am sure I was fas-ter than he expected as he shook his head walking closer to me. I watched as he untied my legs and he moved to my hands his keys re-ady to unlock the padlock on the chains.
“Now, I nee-d you to behave man, there are three guys standing outside and they will kill you, should you do anything funny” he warned before unlocking me and I looked at the door to confirm his word.
“Good you gave me a hint you idiot just re-move this chain and see what I will do to you” I thought in my head looking at him and nodding silently.
“Am all yours Sir” I tea-sed as he went to my left arm. I watched him carefully seeing a gun shoved in his p@n-ts I calculated how fast I could gr-ab it before the guys by the door could snap out of the trance and realise what was going on. He slowly unlocked the lock with a cli-ck sound and moved to the other arm. The moment he was done I jumped on him gr-abbing the gun and shooting him in an instant. The guy from the door pu-ll-ed his own gun and before he could shoot, I fired in his skull followed by two more sh0ts landing in the guys next to him. quic-kly I rushed out and stood behind the door waiting for any activities, it was silence so I run out and there was a narrow pas-sage out the door.
I looked both ways in a second to see who would be there and decided to take the left side. Running out without minding my ba-re feet, charging forward as two guys approached me engaging in hand fighting. I had to strategize beating the two of them at once though it was not easy as they proved ha-rder to defeat. I was just getting my victory finishing off one the last guy with a right punch and before I could give him the last punch, I heard a voice scream behind me.
“Don’t even think about it! I will shoot her” Mr. Benson smiled pointing a gun at my mother`s head.
“wha…” I couldn’t finish the s£ntence and he shoot in the room ma-king my mother scream,
“Put it down Ackim!” he yelled and I dropped the gun pushing it to his side as he instructed.
“Let her go she has nothing to do with this!” I shouted my hands on my head as one of his guys tied my hands and pushed me forward to follow Mr. Benson back to the room they had me held up.
“When will you learn to keep it down man, you are too much, and how many people are you going to kill for what? “He smiled pushing my mother aside I almost stood up in anger at the way he was disgracing my old woman.
“Don’t you hurt her or you will regret it” I looked at the guy who was holding my mother close.
“Okey, like I said, we nee-d to discuss business, here is the phone call Steve and tell him to meet you tomorrow evening” he handed me a phone. I tried to refuse but a gun pointed to my mother`s head made me agree with his terms. To keep the story short, he made me call Steve and ask for a meeting with him. I couldn’t find another way to save my mother but to do what he wanted.
“you will be okey mother, as long as I do what this fool wants I will get you out of here I promise” I wiped her face before I was led out of the room.
“God guard and protect you my son, you will be alright” she smiled with tears in her eyes.
“You know what? Am not doing a damn thing till I see to it my mother is out of here” I turned to look at Benson. He argued but I stood my ground. I thought I had enough of his foolishness and decided not to let him have his way with the woman I loved and respected so much.
“well, you got it, she will be taken back home and since I know where to get her, I should warn you, any stupid act will cost her life” he warned and as we drove to Lusaka that day, we had my mother dropped at her farm and proceeded, I knew Benson wouldn’t let her without watch so I whispered for mom to stay safe.
I looked outside the window of the ranger I was driven In with two guys guarding me holding their guns steady. I looked at each of them and shook my head.
“You are idiots you have no idea what is going on huh? All you want is to pl@ygoons for the man who is about to destroy your country and take away the future of your kids and family” I spat and they all looked at me without any response.
“You have no idea about this huh?” I went on wanting to have any sort of response from them.
“Shut up!” the guy in the front seat looked back at me and pointed the gun at me.
“I shut up! “ I sighed with a laugh.
“Well, I will tell you what is going on” I sighed again and went on explaining the details of what was going on to them. I knew somehow the guy next to me got concerned as he looked at me I could see his face doubting.
“Say what you told us is true. What the hell do you want us to do?” he asked finally.
“You tell me” is shrugged my tied hands moving a little bit.
“Are you mad? You think this guy is saying the truth, didn’t you hear what the boss told us about him and his friends?” the other guy responded sharply.
“So you want to go ahead and help destroy this country just for a few bucks huh?” I shook my head.
“I said shut up man, shut the hell up or I will shut you up myself “the front guy screamed and I shook my head and kept quiet.
The rest of the journey was silent and I could see the vehicle in which Benson was driving ahead of us. I tried to plan something that would give Steve and hint of what was going on as I met him that day. Unfortunately all my thought out plans seemed stuck somewhere.
The moment we arrived in Lusaka my face was covered and I could feel us driving around till we halted. I was pu-ll-ed out and led in some kind of building and the uncovered my face.
I waited for them to come back. Standing abruptly as the door opened I noticed it was the guy from the car who walked in his gun at me.
“Tell me the truth man, what you said In the car was it true?” he asked looked back to ensure he was not heard.
“I have no reason to fight a man like Benson my man, he is my father in law and I once saved him. The man is trying to sale this country. If you let me out of her I can show you the evidence. Am a former soldier and I fight to save my country nothing else” I spoke convincingly and he sighed,
“I saw something being planned and I wondered it was for, the guys have seen that something big is up with these guys but people are too scared to do anything about it.” He whispered close to me.
“What do you mean?” I asked him.
“Listen, I cannot tell you anything here and I can’t let you go either, it’s too dangerous I might get killed if discovered to be talking to you or helping you in any way.”
“What are you suggesting?” I asked him seeing him panicking.
“Okey, listen in a few hours I will be made to meet with my man. Try to get in t©uçh with him and tell him am here. Give him the location and he will handle all, then we both can move out of here safe and alive” I told him and he stood there thinking for a minute.
“Come on man, plea-se we are running out of time” I pleaded and he nodded his head.
“Give me his line I call him” he finally answered and I quic-kly told him the number he rushed outside.
“Oh God, let this work” I prayed in my mind.
An hour later Mr. Bensons c@m£ with new instructions telling me I was to go meet Steve with guys who will hide somewhere close to make sure I did as instructed, his idea was I get Steve to tell me where the recordings where. I knew that was the plan to get us both killed in one place. He wanted the information and kill us both, retrieve the recordings and it would be game over for us.
“Then what?” I asked him, when he was done explaining himself.
“Then we all go home safe” he smiled
“You lying bas***d! you want to have us both killed at that meeting” I spat angrily.
“Yeah, I mighty or mighty not, but whatever the case you have to rely on my word. Do as I say Ackim am so sick and tired of this your games. I have no time to waste, big projects l@yahead of us you know” he shrugged before leaving.
“By that you mean those lands you want to start mining for the new minerals discovered in the northwestern p@rts of the country?” I asked him and he turned to look at me.
“Who told you that?” he asked I knew my guess was right.
“I know more than you think and I can as-sure you, before the end of this day one of us will be paying for our sins” I muttered and he shook his head.
“I like your confidence you know that” he laughed and walked out indicating for his men to lock me back.
I could feel my skin getting cold, and I knew it was night time, I looked around the room but the heavy curtains mad it ha-rd for me to see anything outside.
I was lost trying to figure out the way out when I heard some footsteps approaching from the back yard. I tried to move my chair to get access to the window but the guys had done a good job securing me. A few minutes later, I heard running footsteps followed by gun sh0ts I knew it was time.
“Good, come on Steve” I talked to myself hoping for them to find me sooner.
As I narrated all this Paula kept looking at me like I was a stranger, her face we-t with tears she seemed to be in a dilemma of either believing my story or continuing to trust her father was a good man that she had always known to be.
“So that is why you killed him cause he had lands for minerals, he made some bad deals and whatever it is you are explaining?” he responded coldly.
“Will you let me finish my love?” I sighed sitting next to her she looked in my eyes without responding.
EPISODE 19
Ackim…
I waited for a few more seconds and Steve emerged from the blasted door looking at me his face sweaty.
“What the hell are you doing man?” he screamed coming to untie me.
“I was on break, glad you c@m£” I yelled removing the rope tied around my leg with a knife Steve had handed me.
“A lot of them are on their way here!” a guy I couldn’t recognize shouted and we run outside getting into a fierce fire way. I could not even tell which ones were our guys so I let Steve fire so I could tell who belonged to my side.
“The back has our men “Steve shouted looking at me and I got into the fight pushing back the men from the other side so ha-rd with firing. The sound of the gunsh0ts ma-king it impossible to hear anything else.
“I nee-d to get Benson!” I shouted, covering one of my ears.
“Where is he? We don’t have enough time other shooters are arriving man” Steve shook his head.
“I cannot leave this place without him caught.” I shouted and run back searching around the rooms fighting a few men I found along the pas-sages. I was about to enter a room when I saw him running towards the vehicle on the east side of the house his men covering him. Besides him was a tall guy I could not tell who he was but it seemed he was as important as the guys covered his back as the two rushed out?
Without wasting any second I ran to them and fired the tires to avoid them getting away. The other guy pu-ll-ed out a gun and when he turned to shoot at me I fired one in his hand he fall down but still alive. Mr. Benson started running fas-ter across the yard to the bushy areas ahead.
“Dammit” I screamed as I tried to dodge the bullets coming my way to get to him. Turning back sharply I took out the guy getting after me and run forward to get to Benson. He continued running away and I sh0t him in the leg to st©p him not knowing he had reached some cliff. He staggered backwards looking at me as I approached and I shouted to st©p him seeing he was heading for the fall.
“St©p don’t move” I shouted but he moved back trying to escape from me. I run to get to him but I was a second late as he went down with a fall that landed his head on some tree and he was motionless. I took the other way running down to try save him but the time I got to him he was wheezing for his breath.
“Benson, stay with me, am going to get you help” I held his head but he looked at me shaking hisl-ips as he tried to speak I noticed he had a de-ep cut throu-gh his head bleeding heavily,
“You got me you son of a b***h, I have always known you were a deadly killer.” he spat.
“Am going to get you to the hospital” I responded instead lifting him up just as Steve approached us.
“Call a vehicle man he is hurt” I shouted at Steve and right that moment Benson developed a seizure and he died before I could save him. Steve c@m£ close as I watched him close in my arms his eyes shut.
“I dint want him dead man, I wanted to st©p him that is why I fired to scratch his leg to st©p him from running” I looked at Steve my heart heavy I felt bad more than I had thought I would feel for him.
“You tried to save him man, it is not your fault, he was running away I saw him. This bas***d deserves this” Steve shook his head standing up.
“We have to go now Ackim” he added
“No, am not leaving his b©dy here man, he was my father in law, I love his daughter and there is no way am leaving him here after killing him” I shook my head still seated next to his b©dy.
“I don’t believe this man, this j£rk…”
“St©p it Steve, just help me get him out of here” I looked at him my forehead sweating I could feel myself shaking. Of all the people I had killed in battle or anywhere else I never felt that shaken. I didn’t know whether it was the love I had for his daughter or the fact that I had come to love the man as much as I hated what he was doing before he died. He had helped me a lot in life and I was not one to forget favors, all I wanted was to see to it he c@m£ to his s-en-ses and do the right thing or probably get jailed for his crimes that would save his punishment and not death, unfortunate dying in my arms made things even ha-rder.
“What will I tell my wife, that I killed her father?” I kept asking myself and Steve as we drove out of the place the b©dy of Benson left at the house so someone could pick him. The other guy who was running away with him was taken by Steve`s men in the back of the truck and our hope was that he would lead us to the end of the game.
“Who is this?” I looked at the guy seated in the back seat smoking heavily his scar slightly hidden in the black shades he had on, I wondered why he was wearing them when it was dark.
“His the guy helping me with his men’” Steve responded
“ Scar, this is Ackim” Steve explained as he drove us.
“Hm. the General” he stated more of a question than statement.
“Yeah” Steve sighed with a smile.
“Hey” I lifted my head greeting him and he lifted his hand to hit me a five. I greeted him back and looked ahead as Steve increa-sed the speed.
“That night I drun!kso heavily to get my mind off the death of my father in law. I never wanted him dead Paula, I swear all I wanted was to st©p him from running away. I nee-ded to st©p him so he was see the evil in what he was trying to do and realise what was important in his life ap@rt from his ambition to get richer and powerful. I know I have hurt you so badly and you are right to hate me but I want you to know that am not proud of what I did” I held her hand as she sobbe-d loudly.
“I don’t know when my father turned from being a good man, a patriot for this country into that villain you have just describe-d, what happened to him Ackim?” she cried looking at my face I could see how disappointed and hurt she was feeling at the moment.
“I pu-ll-ed her close into a hvg and let her cry out on my shoulder.
“I love you baby and am so sorry for this. Am as much hurt as well and don’t know how to forget that look on his face before he died. I bet he was right to call me a killer. I have killed my father in law and I will live with it my entire life, sometimes I wonder if I deserve you and my kids my love, I have done so horrible things in my life that am not proud of, every time I try to start over, something pu-lls me in to the guns and killing” I lamented my eyes now crying too she looked at me with pity and instead held me closer ru-bbing my back.
“Its okey Ackim, I know he is dead and he was wrong, but we cannot turn back the hands of time, you tried to st©p him and help me but what can I say? Maybe this was the end of the line for him. I loved my father and will forever miss him but I love you too. I love you so much I don’t want you to live your life feeling broken and cursed, I know if you fought him it’s because something serious was going on”
“Where is he?” she asked after some moments of silence.
“I mean where his b©dy is, I nee-d to go see him and arrange for his funeral” she wiped her tears standing up.
“I have to find out, I saw on news last night they found his b©dy and was put in the mortuary, the state will obviously run his funeral. They have nothing on us so far and am afraid I can’t go out there till we finish this thing up” I explained.
“I will talk to my aunty she must have something, I only wonder why she never called to tell me a thing. what are you and your friends up to now?” she asked wra-pping a towel around her b©dy I could see she was trying so ha-rd to be okey in front of me but the sadness in his eyes was so evident.
“We have one final move to make. I got something from your father, including a list of names for those involved and my prayer is that this is the last of my activeness in such kind of life” I sighed leaning on the door to the bathroom as she took her bath inside.
“You better finish this off Ackim, you and me are going away from this country and we are never returning. If we have to start afresh we cannot do it here, there is a lot of corruption and staff going on and I don’t want either of us nor our kids to be p@rt of it” she sighed walking out the tab with water dripping down her b©dy she st©pped to look at me as she reached the door.
“Yeah you are right” I nodded my head without looking at her.
“Ackim” she called my name standing in front of me.
“Am serious, you promised last time and yet you broke the promise going back to this. Am not going to take light any broken promises in the future” she shook her head seriously.
“I know baby, am sorry” I held her shoulder.
“Am so sorry I will never do this again after tomorrow, let me just see this to the end and we move on” I held my palms together to plead with her.
“am going out to see what is going on with my father`s funeral, my aunty should have something and I will keep in t©uçh, stay safe will you?” she brushed herl-ips on mine and walked away to clothe herself.
I watched her in silence as she went on dressing up and i couldn’t help admire her, not only was she so beautiful, she was so un-derstanding and supportive I couldn’t have asked for anything more in a wife. She looked at me when she was done. I walked her to the door holding her in an embr@ce before she could leave.
“Thanks for un-derstanding my baby, I love you” I whispered honestly
“I love you too, will see you later. I will call you when I get there” she added. I k!$$£d her for a minute and watched her walk away.
“Any progress with the American?” I asked Steve on the phone after closing the door.
“Yeah, good news, we are going for the grand move tomorrow man” he responded.
“Good” I sighed looking out the window seeing Paula getting a taxi outside the yard to the h0tel. I could see clearly from the t©p floor we had booked in.
“How did it go?” Steve asked snapping me from my watch
“Better than I thought, she is broken but forgiving” I responded
“Yeah, that is expected, she will get over it, just give her time” he added.
“Am coming over man. Let me shower up” I told him before hanging up.
“My man will come for you, you are not to move about in the streets yet in case of anything” he responded and cut the line. I sighed de-eply and moved to the bath room.
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