You will be back to die
2272 Words
“How did he find you guys?” Layla asked, looking at Zina who lay on the sofa, eating pop-corn.
“He tailed us after we alighted. How could I have being so careless? Though it turned put to an extricating factor, but it sucks that I did not know. He said he was curious. The way we were dressed, and the place and time he dropped us. Maybe I underestimated his intelligence.”
“He is our hero.”
Zina smirked.
“And also a witness. Mark that. A witness is a weakness.”
Layla stiffened.
“So?”
Zina shrugged.
“I am afraid…..he has to die.”
“No!” Layla flinched. “ You can’t do that. He saved us. What could have happened if he had not done what he did? He risked his life for you- for us!”
“Now my baby is getting sentimental. He did save us but we have to face facts. The guy talks too much. He is just a crazy n****r who never takes anything serious. He might just pass it on as a joke. We have come so far to let any loophole now.”
Layla heaved a sigh. No, Zina was becoming too benumbed and cruel for her liking. She could not just kill that innocent man. He was harmless, handsome….was she really getting sentimental? Was she falling for him? She could not tell what it was but she did not want him to die.
“Don’t take it personally. Leave emotion out of this. It’s not like he offended me. But I don’t want him to do that. I know I don’t really like him but that is not the reason. He knows too much. We were chased, and I shot two military men. The news will leak and he would add things up. Can’t you understand?”
Layla looked straight into her eyes.
“Then the DM has to go too. He saw you.”
“That may not be imperative. I let my hair sprawl freely and he may not recognise me. Besides, he will never see me again. But this Devon knows me, and where I live. He does not know my name but that is not a cover. I will get him. I will pretend to fall for him. I know he won’t resist me. Once he falls for me…”she shrugged, put some pop-corn in her mouth, “it’s a go. You seems to like him. With the money we will make, you will get yourself just any f**k*ing man. You like him and he does not even recognise your existence. Better caution your heart before it fails you. That dirty word called love stinks. It’s nothing but a means to destruction. An emotional imprisonment, torture and slavery.”
Layla could imagine his happy looking face, the carefree attitude and sturdiness. She wished there was a way she could help him.
Layla nodded in defeat.
“It’s okay.” She said, finding it hard to admit that she was smugly afraid of Zina. They may have been friends but Zina was dangerous and cold. She wondered if she really cared for anyone. She had never known her to fall in love with any man. “I am cool with it.”
“No, you are not.” Zina smiled, “you will only bear with it and I hope your emotions will not give you away.”
Layla gave her a sharp glance and saw the dangerous note in her eyes. That was a threat. No, she was scared of this girl. She could kill her.
“I won’t.”
“That is my girl. You are the closest girl to me on Earth. I respect that. I trust you and I want to keep doing that. It will pass. It’s as temporary as the rainbow.”
“But rainbow goes and comes back.”
“And who told you it is the same one that comes back?”
“Can we just skip this part. You can go ahead. I understand you. I was just emotional but it’s off.”
“Good. Now, let’s talk about the main deal. Jibril is going to pay today. I told Rabi…”
Her phone rang.
Zina picked but said nothing.
“Zee.” Rabi said from the other end.
“Rabs, what’s up?”
“He just paid. It worked. He has been given the ticket
And his goods are specially considered for diplomatic reasons. There is a high tension here. They said two strange girls bust in yesterday. Two soldiers were shot and badly injured. Two others have broken heads. The DM is really mad about this because he was bamboozled and helped them escape. He has been talking with the security agents. A lot investigation going on. But nothing was found missing. They found a window with cut glass which was glued back. The Dm has been describing the girl he saw. About twenty people have been arrested and are being interrogated. They were mostly marketers who were around at the time of the incidence. But there is a new theory that they may not be girls. They said two girls could not have done this. So far, so good. We are still in the clear. They have got nothing substantial to hold on to. But there is a big problem now…”
“What is that?”
“Jibril is planning a deal with Alhaji Mua’zu.. As I speak to you right now, the hitman, Boro is waitng outside.”
“Where are you?”
“In the hotel. I just went out to a safe place to make this call.”
“Delay him. Tell him Mu’azu will kill him. Tell him that you know. Make him understand that you can make him escape. I will get back to you.”
“Alright.”
Zina felt her hand tightening round the phone after the call.
“That drum belly is trying to fuc* with us.” She said coldly. “ He is lucky I cannot go close top that place. It would have been settled at once.”
“What do we do? We don’t seem to have much time.”
“I talked to Devon. I said we had something to discuss. I still need him. He is gullible……… I will use him today. He will know much but it won’t matter because he will only have today to live.”
Layla said nothing but felt a sharp pain in her heart.
“It’s 9:00 AM” She said.
“I know.” Zina said. “ He should be here any moment from now.”
“Where is Sharon?”
Zina giggled.
“Sleeping. She needs it after last night. She had a full bottle of wine.”
“Hustling aint easy.”
“And it’s more difficult when it comes the hard way like ours.”
“How was her performance?”
“She tired. She was nervous and almost lost it but I kept pushing her. We pulled through. This is not like being brave on the basketball court, you know. You got real soldiers with guns after you.”
“Do you really intend to pay her forty million?”
“Let’s get the money first.”
Layla was beginning to lose trust in her. She could not trust someone as heartless as her.
“Zina, this is personal. Why do you hate men? I have being with you for years and have never known you to take a guy serious. Not even a fake date. Did you have a terrible experience while in secondary school that made you vow never to engage in a relationship?”
“No.”
“Do you ever plan to fall in love with a man?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know why I hate them. It is not deliberate. In my first year, I tired to fall in love with Dawoud. I guess you remember. I used to crave to be with him, talk to him, hang out with him but that was in his absence. Whenever he appears, I feel nothing to repulsion. I had top give him the brushoff . I just want to make money now. I feel love is a game for fools. It is a dicey game. I feel you are safer when not in love.”
“Every woman needs a man. A man has no substitute. It’s either a man or nothing.”
“I don’t do dildo if that is what you mean.”
“I never said that.” Layla chuckled.
“Then cut the crab and don’t preach love to me.” She flicked a finger with a sneer. “Let’s talk about money. Money is love.”
Layla shrugged.
“It’s your call baby.”
The door bell rang.
“I think he is around.” Zina whispered. She got up and walked to the door, peeped and opened it. Devon came in. He wore Calvin Klein Blue faded jeans over brown Timberlands boots which he wore carelessly. Underneath his leopard leather jacket was a white T-shirt. His eyes were behind Gucci sunshades while a big, silver wristwatch sat round his wrist. His cologne did something to Layla and she felt like melting.
This man set on fire. She could feel a sensation burning inside of her as she smugly admired him. She was crazy over him. Why should Zina think of killing this guy. What could she do to avert this?
“Good morning neighbours, once again…..”
“You are Devon. You don’t need to introduce yourself again.” Zina said with a smile. “You are Devon. ..”
“Thank you for saving us yesterday.”
“I am sorry for…tailing you or is it trailing?”
“I understand. I just thought I owe you an explanation…..”
“Hey, no. Save the explanation. It may be confidential. I don’t want to know.”
“But I need you to know. I insist please. I will consider your attention as another gesture of great hospitality.”
He shrugged.
“If you insist.”
“Thank you. There are some guys trying to dupe us. They hid our documents in their office. We had to get out of our ways to get it. We admit putting the law into our hands but we had no choice. That was what we went to do last night. Now, he is with Rabi, our friend. He plans to sell it to a man called Mu’azu…” She kept lying to him for the next ten minutes. “ I need your help. I am sory for bringing you into this but after what you did for us, I realise you are a darling and…someone that can be trusted. I need you to go to refinery right now. Rabi will expect you. You will pick her and the man up….” She gave him the escape plan and warned him to avoid a trail.
Zina had planned it in her own way but gave it to him in another way. She was not honest with him.
She intended to take Jibril to a place he would be drugged and sent to days of sleep. He would be smuggled to a hideout. She knew Boro would be at their trail. Shaking him off will be left to her.
“It’s no big deal. I am in.” He said.
She gave him a coquettish smile.
“I will like to watch you play after all of this.” She said. “ I like to see how you move these muscles of yours, and your wide palms cupping the ball.”
“Really?”
“Sure baby. You sure look like a good baller with perfect shots.”
“I will let you figure that out yourself.”
Layla felt like shouting, and tell her to stop. She hated this. She knew Zina was just toying with him but she felt jealous already.
“This is Rabi’s number.” Zina said and gave the number to him.
“I grab. I think I should start moving.” He got up at once and the agility in him was palpable. As he went out, Zina went after him.
“Devon.” She called softly.
He turned to see the paragon of beauty, seductively standing, with a smile that made him quiver.
“Don’t forget. I will like to watch you play.”
He smiled.
“I will set up a one man tournament for you. I will be looser at the same time the winner. You are a very pretty girl, neighbor.”
She moved closer ass if she wanted to hug him but stopped.
“Please play safe.”
“I will. I will be back” He said and walked away without turning back.
As she watched him drive away, an evil smile lit up her face.
“You will be back to die.” She said.
- Writer
