The b©dyguard – Episode 11
By Tisa Phiri
I woke up the following morning and before I could open my eyes I felt my head pounding loudly. I had a serious headache. I sat up my eyes still closed, opening them, I saw a small note besides my pillow.
“I had a good time.. you are so sweet Ackim.. later.”
I shook my head and peeped in my sheets then I realised what I just did the previous night. I was so disapointed with myself.
“how stupid Ackim” I hit the wall.
“I was so wasted I couldn’t control myself? Damn ..! ”
I really felt disgusted I had S-x with a woman I didn’t even know and the fact that I allowed a woman to come after me, instead of me hunting her pissed me off.
I quic-kly took a bath. It was almost 7 hours in the morning and I had an appointment with Mr Benson. I had to finish the night’s job and interrogate the guy I kidnapped. I was supposed to go earlier but now it was evident that wasnt possible. i was alre-ady late.
I wore the last pair of clothes Paula had bought me, a grey cargo p@n-t and a muscle t-shi-t. I didn’t like the way it outlined my upper features like I was in some kind of beauty contest but I had no time to worry about looks. I pu-ll-ed on the black sneakers I had worn the previous day, took some water from the small fridge and headed out immediately.
I met one of the female workers coming to my room with a try of breakfast..
” i will pas-s that” I told her pointing at the food..
“maybe some other time.. ”
“But sir” she almost said something but i cut her short..
“not now dear, am running late” i told her without looking back..
Upon reaching Puala’s door, i stood to knock but dropped back my hand right back..
“maybe she’s still asleep” I thought to myself.
“I gues I will see her when I come back” I sighed walking ahead in the lit pas-sage.
As I pas-sed the reception I saw Shila talk with another worker. she wasn’t in her uniform and was holding a small hand bag. I guesed she had knocked off without paying attention to her I went outside and got in the car I was given the previous night.
Before I could start the ignition, Shila knocked on the window wearing a big stupid smile. Irritated, I pu-ll-ed down the window..
“hey handsome!” She smiled..
“how is your morning? ”
“Am fine and I don’t have time to waste” I scolded without looking at her. I saw her frown from the corner of my eye.
“Oh so you are ignoring me after slee-ping with me?” She asked in a low voice..
“you know what? whatever your name is am not pla-ying your games. what happened last night was a mistake and it won’t happen again. I was drun!kand you just had to take advantage of that so let me warn you, stay away from me and find a toy to pl@ywith..” i snapped.
She opened her mouth to say something but I started the car and drove out. I saw her hold her w@!st and watched the car as I drove away. I just had to put an end to the nons-en-se. knew such women were a danger to a man and I wasn’t re-ady to be caught up in silly issues. I looked at the wi-de road ahead of me and accelerated the car.
In 10 minutes I was at the unfinished building the guys I left guarding were no where to be seen as I got out of the vehicle. I rushed inside and my heart skipped when I found 2 dead bodies on the concer floor. looking around the place I tied the guy and it was empty only a rope placed on t©p of the chair I tied him too.
“What the hell is going on here?” I shouted loudly my echo going round the big house i was in. I hit the wall twice and blood come out of my left knuckles, adding to the frustration I alre-ady had that morning.
I heard some winning from outside and when I ran out the back yard I found Simon laying down the ground his legs with some de-ep cuts and a bullet wound in his right shoulder. He was so weak I feared he might die in my face.
I quic-kly lifted him and took him in the front.
“what happened here? ” I asked him.
“The guy manged somehow to get loose when all had dozed off. he sh0t at us, the two guys died instantly, but I somehow survived. i tried to escape but couldn’t. Before he left he cut me up in the legs and left me to bleed to death” he explained crying in agonising pain.
“How long was that Simon?” I asked him looking at my watch.
“About 30 minutes ago ”
“dammt ! that fool !” I screamed hitting the small stones on the ground.
“how could 3 men fail to handle a that guy ?” I shouted forgetting he was injured.
“you are all useless!” I addrd frustrated.
“Call Mr Benson and tell him what happened. let him s£nd someone immediately to take you to the hospital” I instructed as i started the car engine .
I took off at a high speed leaving some tire prints on the we-t ground. I had to get to that thvg’s house before he escaped.
I parked in front of his gate with screeching tires my mind racing, everything seemed to be slow like time had st©pped.
With a kick I opened the door and ran inside my gun pointed. searching all the rooms I found the house empty, he was gone and he took his entire family.
“uuuuhhhhuhuhuhh!” I scremed looking up the roof my blood raising causing me to sweat.
“sh*t ! Where could he be?..”
In an instant I remebered Paula back at the lodge. she was unguarded..
“oh no.. !” i said running back to the car like a mad man.
In less than 10 minutes I was running inside the lodge screaming..
“Paula! Paula! Paula!” I shouted as all the people watched me, some guests c@m£ out of their rooms and looked out as i pas-sed them they looked surprised. with A ban-g I opened her door and it flew wi-de open.
“Paula! Where are you?” I called heading to the bathroom when I noticed her be-d as empty and un made. The bathroom was empty and I felt so weak.
“oh no!” I whispered holding my head with my gun still in my hand.
I felt a sharp pain in my heart. I had just failed my job. In fact I felt useless feeling disapointed with myself for getting so wasted the previous night and to t©p it l@ywith a strange woman I had no idea exactly who she was.
“Ackim What have you done?” I scolded myself hopelessly.
The b©dyguard – Episode 12
By Tisa Phiri
I walked slowly to the door way the people watching me in silence. I didn’t know whether to call Mr Benson and tell him they got his daughter again or go after them searching all directions.
Then I heard a car park outside and the door ban-ged. I was still in the same sp©t when Mr Benson walk towards me and I knew the moment of judgement had come, before he could reach me I saw Paula behind him with a running outfit, headsets in her ears and she was sweaty.
“Oh God” I sighed in relief.
” she had just gone for her morning run.” I heard my inner voice calm. I ran to her and asked her if she was okay ignoring her father who stood aside watching me.
Paula looked at her father and back at me..
“am fine Ackim ” she spoke her eyes wi-de open surprised that some people were watching and my facial expression showed worry.
” what’s going on here ? ” She asked me..
“Um.. um am sorry I was just thinking that maybe they got you” i explained looking at her and her father..
“What are you talking about Ackim?” Mr Benson asked me also shocked.
I indicated we sat in my room
” let me explain sir” I told him realising that Simon had not called him. If he had I thought, he was going to un-derstand me.
So I led them both to my room and people started withdrawing, those in the rooms went back in and the workers went on with their business..
I explained what I found at the unfinished building and how I told Simon to call Mr Benson.
“I don’t receive any calls” he told me
” and I c@m£ here to see my daughter first before coming that side to see what was with that guy you caught yersterday.”
“Am sorry Sir.” I apologised..
” it’s just that I secured the guy and I didn’t think he would outsmart 3 guys, now we nee-d to move Paula out of here” I suggested before he could say a thing.
” am thinking the enemy might not be politically involved, otherwise they would go direct for you and not your daughter or probably they could have made some demands for you to drop a position or something.
Mr Benson shook his head and stood..
“what do you think is going on Acki?” he asked me wiping his forehead
“all this while I thought it was my political enemies, now you say otherwise?”
Paula was quite and just looked at me as we spoke her headsets now hanging around her n£¢k .
“If I may Sir” I suggested..
“let me try give you my theory.”
“sure go ahead” he insisted sitting down again..
“I think this was engeneered by some local people who are sort of jealousy of you and your success. They feel inti-mated that their fellow African can acquire so much wealthy and controlling their economy. if it were A white person they would gladly accept but they are kind of jeaslousy for you a fellow black man.” I went on giving him details of my theory. I even told him how I was now suspecting Simon.
“It’s kind of Akward that he was left alive and the two guys killed. I told him to ask for your help before leaving the building but he didn’t. If my suspicions are correct we won’t find him at the building. I have to go and check sir ” I told him..
Mr Benson told me to go ahead and investigate more and give him an upd@t£. he told me to move with Paula to his house
“it’s safer that side because there are a lot of guards. If you are right it is Simon who is the mole, then it should be safe but still I nee-d you close to Paula and protect her” he told me before leaving my room.
“I have to go and check on the building for Simon” I told Paula.. “just get your things and go with your father for now, I will join you later” I told her..
she walked close to me and smiled,
” I heard you screamed your lungs out for me.” she tea-sed with a smile, i smiled back..
“I agree I was so scared” I told her honestly. she held my shoulder and ru-bbe-d it gently
” take it easy soldier” she whispered..
“will meet at home” she added before leaving my room..
I watched her go and went out as well. I had to confirm my suspicions of Simon. I was almost certain he was a betrayer, otherwise he could have called in for help.
Upon reaching the sp©t I left him I found he had disappeared. some blood stains drying on the ground..
“I knew it” I whispered to myself wishing I had carried him with me. Now I was back to square one.
I drove back to the Benson’s house as I was directed i stood in front of a mansion. it was true the man had money. I could bet it was the biggest house in Solwezi.
I was led inside by one of the workers, Paula welcomed me. she had changed into black shorts and a sleeveless b©dy t©p, her flat tummy properly outlined, her long hair let loose. she looked good but I couldn’t get to think of her past the fact of her just being the person I had to protect anything else was to be ignored..
******
4 Months later… The situation had calm down it seemed the danger wasn’t that much. I had gone several times to the forest guy’s residence but I didn’t find him nor his family. He had put someone on rent in the house.
One day I went back to the Krall to go and have a talk with the fat woman and ask her something about the gang but she declined seeing the guys gather there for some time. she however told me the name of the guy I was looking for that he was called Kakoma ..
she was quic-k to mention that i was not to tell a soul about our discussion after I handed her some cash.
I had no luck finding Simon, I looked and asked around the lodge for him but all was in vain. I however never asked Shila a thing. The time I tried she went on her mission to s£dûç£me, but I turned her down and couldn’t finish asking her further questions.
I went to Paula’s house, After talking to the lady at the bar..that was of course my new home Mr Benson’s mansion. I was working several other jobs for him especially to do with investigations of some mine workers in cases of disputes.. he also s£nt me out to deliver and collect some equipments for the mine and I was plea-sed with the pay..
Since everything was provided for me I saved most of my income. Mr Benson told me he was still trying to find my family but I didn’t want to rely on his word, so i hired my own investigator. The time i had pas-sed throu-gh Ndola I was told my father had moved out of the barracks after retiring but I couldn’t risk going inside to ask more. I wasnt re-ady to face the commander and explain my case just yet. so I had the idea of hiring a pri-vate investigator to help find my family….
Walking inside the house I found Paula watching TV her legs lifted on the arm of the couch.
” hey Soldier” she called out.
“come here” she said patting the couch near her. I looked at her swallowing ha-rd .
” let me put this in my room” I told her showing her a small file i was holding.
I stood behind my be-droom door and closed my eyes my heart raced. lately I was avoinding Paula cause i didnt like the strange emotions i was having around her and to stay focused, i had found myself a lady i was d@t!ngfor the past month. She was the Secretary to Paula.
To be continued