The Last Insurgent

Abducted

Beeba Bukar closed the door gently behind her, aware that the GM was starring after her; she walked briskly to her office which she shared with her colleague.

She was twenty-nine years old, tall and chubby. Her round face was attractive with sharp features but it was her voluptuous body, with a round broad hips that made men go bunkers.

She was always properly dressed, using veils and avoiding skimpy clothes but somehow, those feminine features would accentuate.

She grimaced, heaved a sigh and dropped her balk on the swivel chair behind her desk and buried her face in her palms.

Her colleague looked at her, frowned and dropped his ballpoint.

“What is wrong? Did he let hell loose again?”

She said nothing, still trying to compose herself.

“ He hates me.” She said. “And he would never fail to find the chance of humiliating me, frustrating me and make life a living hell for me. Can you imagine what he said? He says I am worthless. I am nothing but an exacerbating factor to the firm. I don’t know what to do. I feel like resigning. He knows I need the job so he does whatever he wants!”

Her colleague, Moore Leader was twenty-five years old. He was a tall, brawny, sturdy and handsome man with very dark hair and eyebrow. His conk was hooked, sitting above firm lips amid an aggressive jaw. He had sleepy eyes which was too white for a man of his age with very dark iris.

Dressed in a fawn blue stripped shirt which he tucked into cream coloured chinos pants which black leather Calvin Klein belt held.

His beards were well carved and it seemed he cut his hair daily because no one could tell if he had a new hair cut or not. It was always looking the same. He was a man who took a great care about his looks.

He had been working for the company for three years while she had been with them for five years.

 “He does not like my face either but it seems he hates you more. What the hell is his problem?” He said.

She took in a deep breath, with her face still buried in her palms, she said hesitantly, “he hates you because he hates me.”

Moore frowned.

“How?”

“I never told you this but…he has been flirting with me.”

“What?”

 She raised her face, showed an imaginary ring, “I told him I was happily married and have never thought of cheating on my husband. I can never do that. He began to say things like ‘what the hell am I talking about? He did not ask me out, blab, blab, blab. That was the day the hate game started. He said I was trying to tarnish his image. I was glad he got the message so he stopped but he is bent on making this place a hell for me.”

“ Oh my God! I mean, he knew you were married. Why on earth should someone think of dating a married woman? Okay, what is my crime?”

She drew her laptop closer, pushed it back a bit and heaved. She was obviously flummoxed.

“ He thinks there is something between us. Can you imagine that?”

“Subahanallah! Does he think everyone is like him? Why should he think of such a thing?”

She knew why. Moore was someone she trusted. She always confided in him. She told him things she never told her female friends because she was sure he would keep her secrets.

He had always advised her positively even when it had to do with her marital affairs. She was four years older than him and she saw him as a younger brother.

He was always there for her during work. He would cover for her, help her do some of her assignments and put her through some things she did not comprehend. This association made the GM thought there was something more to it. Now he hated Moore out of jealousy.

“ Maybe he feels you cover for me.” She said. She did not want to talk about the suspicion. It was repulsive and did not want to even talk about it.

“ Okay, I am going to his office right now and give him a piece of my mind. I don’t take bullshit!” He said and got up angrily. “ Why would I not cover for a sister? What the hell is his business with that? Excuse me…..”

“Stop it Moore! You will do nothing of such. That man is vindictive and savage. Let him be.”

“ No.” He left angrily. She tried to stop him, almost held him by his shirt before she remembered that he was her non-muharam and then stopped. “ Moore ! Moore! Don’t be stupid.”

He left and banged the door.

What got into him? He was a calm man full of perseverance. Why the sudden outburst? Why did she tell him?

She sat on the desk. She could not go after him. They may lose their jobs and they both needed the jobs.

“ Did you really think I had the guts to go to him?” Moore said as he peeped. “ If I had gone to his office, it would have been to go and greet him again.”

She felt a big relieve.

“You are crazy Moore” She chuckled. “You got me on that one.”

“I thought I was not going to play any prank on anyone today.” He said and walked in.

“Oh my God! Today is 1st of April.” She used her palm to dab her forehead. “You got me on that one. I was scared dude.”

“But we need to pray over this guy. Maybe we will just wake up and find him transferred to somewhere else.”

“I have been doing that. I told my husband about him. He said I should do the right thing and never let him get to me.”

“ Your husband is right but when someone hates you, he looks for just a slight mistake you make, and unfortunately, we not impeccable. We would always make mistakes. Did you tell your husband why he hates you?”

She nodded.

“I did. I had to tell someone and he was the best person to tell. He trusts me though but I wanted him to confront him.”

“He would not do that. He did not ask you out directly. He was only flirting, trying his luck while seeing what your reaction would be like. When you told him that you were married, he said he was not asking you out. If he could tell you that, what would he tell your husband? He has been fixed. He won’t flirt with you again but the problem is the hate. We have got no choice other than to commit it to prayers and play safe. This job is all I have.”

“I know right. How is Mama doing?”

He shrugged.

“Praise be to God.” He said. “I am moving her to Noorul-Izzah Hospital, Sharada later.”

“ Ya Allah! May Allah recuperate her sooner than anticipated?”

“ Ameen.” He said and felt his eyes going wet. “ I just pray she dies as a monotheist, forgiven soul and one who is going to a better place.”

“ Ameen.” She said and frowned. “ You sound like…..”

“ She has a cancer.” He said.

“ Oh my God!”

“ But I will never give up on her.”

“ You can’t give up on her. It’s not a death sentence. I am sorry about what you are going through.”

“Thank you.”

It was at that point the door burst open without a knock. A short, fat man with a very thick neck came in.

He saw the look of affection on her face, as if she wanted to hold Moore. Maybe they were about to make out. This stupid boy was having what he wanted. He knew what he was going to do.

“I am sorry, I barged in to disrupt. I did not know you were having an unofficial time.”

“Excuse me Sir.” Beeba said, “His mother is on the sickbed……”

“You don’t owe me an explanation. I need you to get this to our external auditor. You must wait for the rectification because we have a board meeting tomorrow and I must present this. I told him to expect you.” He dropped a file on her desk. “I will be glad if you leave now, and postpone whatever is going on here for another time. This is very important. As you can see, I brought this personally and that shows how important it is.”

“Okay Sir.” She said, realising there was no need to explain further. “Who exactly am I going to meet?”

“Have you forgotten who the external auditor is?” He vituperated. “The chattered accountant, Musa Rano.”

“Okay Sir.”

“I wonder if you are good at anything.” He said and walked out angrily.

Moore’s face crinkled.

“Was he trying to insinuate that we were in a kind of debauchery mood?”

She shook her head.

“I never told you that because it feels so repulsive. He thinks we are dating.”

“It is established. He is sick. You better leave now.”

She grimaced, looked at her wristwatch.

It is 3:05 PM already. We are talking about auditing corrections here. That would take at least three hours. I may not get back home until around 7:00 PM. I am a married woman with two kids for crying out loud.”

“Call your husband.” Moore said. “Implore with him to meet you there.”

She thought about it and nodded. She called him and he picked before she told him.

“I don’t think that will be a big deal.” The husband said. “I will leave office immediately after 4:00 PM but would have to see my mechanic. I think you will be okay. Just bear with him until I get you another job. I talked to Hameed about you ever since you told me about your boss. If things had not gone so bad, you would have just established your business.”

“It is qadr. I pray you will bounce back, stronger and bigger insha Allah.”

“Ameen.”

“I will tell Sadiya to boil rice. There is sauce in the freezer.”

“Okay, dear. Take care of yourself for me.”

“Sure, My Love.”

The call ended. Moore saw her blushing.

“ He has to fix his car.” She said. “ And my car is also faulty.”

 “I wonder why we are not given official cars.”

“In this firm, only the top officers are given official cars.” She said. “ Buy your car or you are on your own.”

“ So what are you going to do?”

“ Public transport is the only means and Sharada is a distance from here.”

“But you can’t use your personal money for this. They should make arrangement. The driver should take you there.”

“I don’t want him to shout at me.”

“We would not allow fear make him step on us just the way he likes. What you are doing is tantamount to over time as they call it. He is not thanking you and no extra pay. You can’t do that at your expense. If you can’t talk to him, I swear I will.”

She looked at him and saw the seriousness in his eyes.

“I will talk to him. Let me do that via phone.”

“Please do.”

She used the landline phone on her desk.

“Sir, my car is bad and I am finding it hard to get myself there. I would also need to go home from there and it may be late. As a woman….”

“Do not bother me with complains. The driver is not around. Okay, let your man drive you there but he must return the car today, no matter how late it is and park it before he goes home.”

“My man?”

“Your colleague. Moore.”

“With all due respect, Sir, I do not appreciate you calling him my man. I am a respected married woman…..”

“Tell him to come for the key.” He cut in and dropped the call.

She pressed the mouthpiece in anger.

“I can’t wait to get another job.” She said. “I am sorry…”

“Sorry about what?”

“It did not go as planned. The driver is not around and he wants you to go with me, and you must bring back the car today before you leave.”

“Damn! That should be around 8:00PM.”

“I got you into this.”

“No. I asked you to call him. I am just worried about my mother, plus, Hafsat says she wants to see me.”

“I think I should just go.”

“No. Let me get the key.”

Fifteen minutes later, they were on their way. It was while they got close to junction it happened. It was so fast and surreal. The car had slowed down, and out of nowhere someone appeared and showed Moore a gun. Another one came out of another car and opened the back door of the car and got in. The two men got inside the car and said, “If you shout, I will shoot you. Now, be a good boy and follow that red car.”