BLOOD AND MONEY

BLOOD AND MONEY EPISODE TWENTY EIGHT

BLOOD AND MONEY

Debby Jenn

Episode 28

Sankara wanted to finish makaveli off completely and he was thrilled by the fact that he could not express himself or move. Why was Sankara so eager to kill him yet he couldn't even speak a word? Makaveli wanted out so why was it so difficult for Sankara to let him go?... See the thing about this brotherhood gangster "situationship" was that once you joined there was no turning back. They always believe that you would go out there and talk about the secrets of the group or even sell them out..

Sankara looked around and there was no one so he took out a pocket knife and just as he was about to stub Makaveli he got a had slap across his face and the knife dropped. This time he saw who slapped him so he got a blow in the stomach and was pushed down.

Sankara: stop!....you don't exist...

And makaveli lay there watching in shock. What was happening to him. Sankara looked like he was in some sort of a wrestle as he grabbed the knife on the floor and fought the air because no one else could see what he was seeing.

Makaveli pressed a button beside his bed to alert the nurses that he needed help and a few minutes later a nurse came rushing in. She stood abruptly when she saw Sankara waving the knife in the air and she shouted for help going back to where she had been coming from...

I heard screams from Rhoda's hospital room so I quickly left to check what was really going on. I met Dr. Robert along the corridors and we both rushed to Makaveli's room.

Sankara: don't come close to me!

He shouted and we both stood abruptly looking at how dangerously he was waving the knife...

Dr. Richard: what's going on with him?

Nurse Jane: I don't know, could he be insane?

Makaveli was still looking at me like he knew what was really going on. He had to be on the know I mean why was the guy in his room?

Me: we need that get him out of here.

I signalled Dr Richard to help me grab him but he turned on us..

Sankara: he is here and I must deal with him.

Me: deal with who?

He came at me and I took a few steps back and when he was close to the door, he opened it and took off.

Richard and I tried to follow him but he had disappeared along the corridors and what we picked was a jacket he was wearing. He must have dropped it so that no one recognized him as he ran out.

Robert followed up on the issue as I went back to check on makaveli.

Me: what was that about?

I asked pulling a chair and sitting next to him.

Makaveli did not respond instead he struggled to get out of bed looking at the other direction like he was trying to stop someone from getting close. I held him still when the movement became vigorous then I asked the nurse who was in the room to sedate him so that he could calm down. The nurse prepared an injection and did as I had asked then I watched him get to normal again and a few minutes later. He had his eyes closed.

Me: watch him closely, no one should enter this room for whatever reason. Give me a call once he is up.

Nurse: yes Doctor.

Being addressed as doctor was as weird as carrying the CEO title.

I got out of the room and went to Dr. Richards office. I asked if he had found the guy but he escaped. I asked Richard to have fadhili assign Makaveli's room a guard and have no one visit until I was able to speak to him.

Richard: do you think you can fix the problem with him?

Me: I don't know man. You are the biggest doctor here and you couldn't do it I'm just a....

Richard: doctor.... You are just a doctor. The first step to being a good Doctor is having the confidence in yourself. You are supposed to give second chances at life and if you don't trust yourself then you will not help anyone at all. You are good just as I'm but we've got different brains and we could have different opinions.

Me: thank you for that.... I don't think what's going on with that guy is medically related but I will recommend a CT scan. I need to detect if he has any bone or joint problems, maybe fracture or even tumor.

Dr. Richard: We had carried out the CT scan when he got here and he had some internal bleeding which we dealt with immediately. We have not seen much change since then. He took a while before being brought here.

Me: okay. Let's just confirm one more time if he has bone or joint problems because I can't explain why else he is not able to get up and walk or talk like the normal patients.

Richard nodded and gave me the go a head. The CT scan takes about 15-30 minutes but I had to prepare the patient first. I finished up with Richard and left him calling fadhili for a guard as I went to the nurse station to ask them to prepare the patient for a CT scan that afternoon and she said she would. I went back to see Rhoda and she was not awake so I decided to leave for a few minutes and see Mark. The board meeting was less had 42 hours away meaning it was going to be the following day on a Tuesday morning...

I drove myself home first to freshen up and change clothes before seeing Mark and while on my way I got a call from Robert. He had unblocked me or undid whatever he had done that made him not reachable to me. I receive the call and put it on speaker as I was driving and didn't feel like parking to talk to him. I had a lot a birds to beat with one stone.

Me: what do you want?

Robert: I killed Della for a reason. I know you are mad but meet me up. We need to talk.

Me: and I'm supposed to trust you?

Robert: I saved your ass so you owe me a thank you. Show up Owen, I need to tell you something you are not aware of.

Me: where?

Robert: sending you an address. Come alone Owen... Don't tag anyone along.

Me: so that you can kill me and have no one to trace my whereabouts?

Robert: we have gotten to that, if I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead by now..

I checked the address and I knew where Robert wanted me to meet him. It was at his grand parents house which was like thirty minutes from my home. Robert was raised by his grand parents after his parents separated then his father died two years later. His father never remarried and his mother never came back for him and he didn't know whether or not she was even alive.

His grand parents bought the land and built a home there. That's how we came to know each other since childhood. Before he moved in with his grand parents, he would come and go but then we met in school and that's where the friendship really developed.

I would have never suspected that Robert was at his grand parent's house because he hated going there, he said it gave him bad memories especially now that both the grand parents died as well...

I got off the phone with Robert then drove home and while at it I called Mark. I needed his advice and its not like I could not think on my own but my brotherhood to Robert could over cloud my judgment of how real or fake he was especially now that I couldn't understand him....

Mark: hey,

Me: hey. Are you busy?

Mark: family time... Changing Trisha's diapers.

Me: oh, okay!

Mark: hahaha, what do you you mean by 'oh okay', you should know how to do these things but hey, what do you know about babies.

Me: I haven't even thought of having one.

Mark: why?

Me: I don't know really. Being a father is a huge responsibility besides, I thought Della was going to be the mother of my kids but thank God she wasn't. My babies would have ended up just like her.

Mark: you dont regret that she's dead.

Me: I honestly don't know how I feel about her death.

Mark: did you love her?

Me: I did.

Mark: I don't think you loved her enough. If you did you wouldn't be eating or sleeping. You would be dead drunk.

Me: and who has made you a relationship coach?..

Mark: you should come around and fix Trisha's diapers sometimes.

Me: uhm! Okay... I could actually learn to do that.

Lilly: and get yourself a baby too.

I was definitely on speaker as Lilly shouted over the phone.

Me: yeah Lilly I already have a baby.

Lilly: I meant a small baby not a big baby. Can you guys come for dinner sometime, Mark told me what happened to her is she okay?

Me: she should be. She is out of danger and yes once she gets well we will come for dinner.

Lilly: alright...

Mark: okay babe, can I talk to Owen real quick in my study, I will be back to play with Trisha.

Lilly: sure.

Unbelievable. I was seated listening to Mark babe his babe and ask for permission. Marriage was weird but if you found the one, you are indeed lucky. I loved Rhoda and I wanted to have a family with her. A little baby girl with Rhoda's, dimples and my smile.... Yeah i have a cute smile..

Mark: I'm here what's up?

Me: I got a call from Robert. He wants to meet up.

Mark: okay, what are the terms?

Me: don't tag any one along. What do you think is it safe to walk up there like a ninja?

Mark laughed. Maybe the question was funny I don't know but I needed to know what to expect from Robert. He had been a lot of things lately.

Mark: go meet him. I don't think he will harm you after he saved you and Rhoda's lives however you need to carry your gun with you in case s**t gets ugly.

Me: you think he can want to kill me?

Mark: we don't know his agenda do we, we don't even know why he has been acting weird. You cannot assume. You can wear the earpiece and alert me once you get there. I will listen in, I could detect if he is lying.

Me: how are you able to do that?

Mark: I got in this game way before he did. I know Robert so well I've investigated him before when your father was about to make him manage one branch of the company. He was clean then.

Me: does he know you?

Mark: as a cleaner. Like I said, my job was to stay out of sight. I don't think he knows I worked undercover...

Me: okay then, I'm just freshening up then I will be headed his way shortly...

Mark: keep me posted I need you alive. We need to discuss Willis and his team.

Me: what about them?

Mark: they've got plans. Let's meet up for beer in the evening, I will update you. We need to prepare for Tuesday's meeting...

Me: fine, I will let you know once I meet up with Robert.

I ended the call then hit the shower and cleaned up real fast. I was a man but yeah I loved taking a shower, I don't know why but it was in the way water fell all over my body it is just refreshing especially after a long day. Why don't men like to shower anyway?

I got dressed and left the house again this time headed Roberts way. I was nervous as I didn't know what Robert had in store for me. I had my gun though and should the worst come to the worst, someone was going to end up dead.......

Serena left home to go meet up with her father and talk to him about the job he had offered her. She had a difficult time adjusting and now it was more difficult because her mother had her mind focused on other things. She thought she could call Owen to show her around like he promised but after Owen visited her at the hospital, they did not get in touch again. She thought he was a busy body and thought if he really wanted to see her, he would look for her.

Maggy: going somewhere?

Maggy asked standing by Serena's door and watching her struggle to zip her dress.

Serena did not respond and maggy got in to help her with her dress. They stared at each other through the mirror and it was awkward..

Maggy: I'm sorry for slapping you earlier.

Serena was still quiet and after Maggy zipped her dress, she stepped away from her, took her lipstick applied it then took her purse.

Maggy: Serena please,...

She said grabbing her arm and she turned to look at her.

Serena: you are my mum and I get that, but it doesn't give you the right to slap me a cross the face, I'm not your two year old anymore. You don't want to be corrected when you make a mistake, you think cheating on dad will make things any better?

She did not say a word. Serena pushed her out of her way and walked away leaving her there.

Maggy

Hey...are you busy?

She texted Jabali as she walked out of Serena's room.

Jabali

With willis. Talk later.

She got to the living room, threw her phone on the couch then switched on the TV and walked to the kitchen....

Sankara knew no one in Nairobi so he found himself at one of the parks resting under a tree after having lunch in one of the hotels. Sankara had no proper means of getting money apart from stealing from people or forcing Agrippina to ask for money from willis. Now Agrippina was dead and he had no one.. He had to think of the way forward...

Before I got to Robert's grand patents house I got another call from the police officers and they needed me at the station so as to give me an updates on what was going on regarding the guy they had arrested. I had quite a bit on my plate so I asked the officer to brief me over the phone as I was a bit far away, like not in town. I had to lie because after seeing Robert I had to see Mark then go back to the hospital and run tests on Makaveli then attend to my girlfriend. I needed to know if I could take Rhoda home and have myself take care of her from there. She was safer with me at home than at the hospital.

Officer: the guy took us to the home of the person he claimed sold her the phone. It was a woman.

Me: she has a name?

Officer: yes, Agrippina...

Me: you said Agrippina?

Officer: yes. You know her?

Me: yes, I know Agrippina. She is the mother of the guy my father worked with. A family friend.

Officer: you mean was?.... We didn't find Agrippina. She is dead!

Me: Agrippina is dead!...

Officer: we are carrying out more investigation. We will let you know if we need you down at the station.

The officer ended the call then I took a deep breath as I took a turn that led to Roberts grandparent's home. I put the listening device in my ear. It was tiny invisible and just about the colour of my skin.. Agrippina is dead, why hadn't Willis mentioned it and what was she doing with my father's phone?

I parked the car and just as I was about to get out I heard a knock on the window. I looked out and it was Robert with a gun in his hand.. i didn't lower the window immediately but decided to alert mark of what i had seen just incase there turned out to be a problem. Robert had never come at me In a manner that suggested he would attack me but seeing him with a gun sent cold chills down my spine. he did not plan to kill me did he?

Me: ( in low tone) Mark can you hear me?

There was silence like he was not on yet.

Me: damn it. Mark are you there?

Mark: yeah sorry. I was setting up. What's going on?

Me: Just got here and Robert is here too. i am not sure of what to expect..

Mark: just go about your business..I'm listening..

I opened the door to the car and got out. Robert pointed the gun to my face and I surrendered.

Me: nice to see you too i***t, get that thing off my face!

Robert: you really think I'm kidding? Get out of the car and surrender your gun. I know you have one..

Mark: do it.

I got my gun and gave it to him then he pushed me a head of him leading me inside. I tried to talk but he asked me to shut up. This was the side of Robert that I never saw before, he seemed to be so in control and very tough too...

When I got in, there was someone else. A woman. She was young and pretty. Just about Roberts taste. Yeah I knew the type of girls he loved hanging around.

Me: aaah, so this is what's keeping you busy huh, she your new fuckmate?

i asked trying to ease up the tension within me. Robert on a normal day was very playful and we could practically joke around about anything.

Robert: shut up bro..

He pushed me to a chair and I sat..

Robert: take off your shirt.

Me: what, come on man.. font tell me you have joined the club of the dudes who like to see other dudes naked...

Robert: can you stop joking...do it!

He said with a gun pointed at me again and I had to obey his command. The threats with guns couldn't be taken lightly. You would think someone is joking then boom! Your head is blown off your neck..

Me: you think I'm gay man, or did you call me here for a threesome.

Mark laughed in my ear and I almost reached for that thing and threw it away. It was loud and uncomfortable.

I got off my shirt just like Robert asked me to then the lady checked if I was wearing a wire.

Her: he's clean.

She walked back to where Robert was standing.

Me: why would you even think I'm wearing a wire?

Robert: I don't know but I can't trust anyone. not even you Owen..

he walked up to me and stared at me for a second and I wasn't sure of why he would not trust me yet he was the one who had been running around with and camping in the camps of the enemy..

Me: I should be saying that about you.

He picked my gun from the little table besides where I was sitting and gave it back to me. Okay at least that showed that we were not really going to kill each other.

Robert: I'm not the enemy Owen.

Me: you keep telling me that yet you act the complete opposite. If you are not the enemy then what are you?

Robert: I am your friend....

I looked at the lady then looked at him.

Robert: her name is Rose. She is my friend too...

I didn't want to get ideas in my head but to most men, a female friend is always a "friend". if you know what i mean.. who would really keep chicken for a pet, in Africa, that would never happen. the chicken would end up making soup.

Me: you confessed to killing my mother but the results showed otherwise why?..

Robert: I had a gun to my head Owen. Oscar Dangote, the guy I was telling you about. He wanted you to be the one to kill me then he would send you to jail and claim your fathers property. He said he was the rightful owner and not you or anybody else.

Me: he had a gun to your head....

Robert: he told me to confess to killing your mother, he knew that would get you mad and kill me. He didn't know about the three of us having a DNA test and had he known, he would have screwed everything up to match the results he wanted. When you didn't kill me, I took off and I have been hiding from him since. He is mad and he will be coming after me because I killed Della.

I narrowed my eyes at him.

Me: what has Dangote got to do with Della.

Robert: no. The question should be, what does Dangote have on your family. He claims that Della was his daughter. I know she's not and 8 still can't really figure out what the relationship between them was really..

Mark: he has been working for Dangote for a while, what is Dangote's main interest and why now that your father is dead? Ask him that?

Robert: Dangote is a twisted old man. His main interest is the company. I don't know why but he badly wanted to get into your father's office after he died. I came to learn that he is the one who had your fathers two thumbs cut out.

Me: and you knew about it but you didn't tell me?

Robert: I didn't know until he mentioned that the fingers could not access the office. All these talks they were having after the plan had failed.

Mark: apart from what he told you on how Dangote approached him. What does he know about Dangote, family, work?

Robert: I have never met Dangote's family. He is very reserved and old. Say in his seventy's or late sixty's he does not work.

Mark: does he have a photo of how Dangote looks like?

Robert: no photo. Dangote is very alert and he has no photos of him or family members lying around.

Mark: ask him why he wanted you to meet.

Me: you could have just called me over the phone and told me all this. Why am I here?

Robert: like I said before, I want to help you out. We need to did and uncover what Dangote is all about. I asked you to come here to help me fight.

Me: what do you mean by that?

Robert: I asked Dangote to meet up with me he swore to put a bullet in my head. I thought I could use backup.

Mark: wrong move. You don't know Dangote and you don't know his game plan. Stay off that one Owen. This could be a set up.

Me: you brought me here to get me killed?

Robert: no. I brought you here to meet Dangote as for killing we will do it together.

Me: wait, how did you know I was at Della's place and how did you come right in time when Della was holding a gun at us?

He turned and looked at rose who sat there listening to us go back and forth. She never said a word.

Robert: while working for Robert I realized he was playing me and wanted me to get him closer to you then kill me once he had access to you. He asked me to do stuff I couldn't do for instance killing your mother. That was supposed to be the test for my loyalty but I failed. After that I knew any other mission he was sending me on was a set up for failure so that he could find a reason to kill me or have his men do.

Rose here helped me put a wire on dangotes chair. It transmits everything him and his guys talk about. I heard his discussion with Della. He wanted her to kill you for 8.5 million. It was an offer he told her if she refused he would kill her.

Mark: so Della was not really dangote's daughter but a weapon he was using against you. Owen, how sure are you that Della was genuine from the start. What if she worked with Dangote long before everything that unfolded?

I couldn't answer mark but he could have had a point. What if Della had been playing me all along?

Me: Della was sent to kill me?

He nodded.

Me: it has to be the wine she kept asking me to take. Damn! The glass went missing after that. We went back there to clear the mess but Della's body was missing and so was the glass. Was it you?

Robert: no. After I killed Della I went into hiding. I have been trying so hard to stay out of dangote's way.

Me: why is dangote after you now, does he know you killed Della?

Robert: he does. I screwed up his plans for you. Owen, if that glass is missing then it has to be Dangote. We have to find it lest you go down for murder.

Mark: how did Rhoda find out where you were?

Robert: I realized I couldn't contact you directly so I went through Rhoda. Dangote tapped my phone and he was aware of every time I was taking to you. That's how he was a head of me the entire time.. I told Rhoda what plans Della had and I drove her there to stop whatever was going on as I watched for any surprises from Dangote's guys. I didn't know Della was going to drive a knife in her stomach. why did you even agree yo go yo Della's place in the first place. you knew just how twisted she could get.

Me: she needed go talk okay, I didn't know she was going to screw me over..

Robert: I've always told you that Della was bad news but you couldn't listen..

Me: well, she is dead, can we not talk about the dead and especially right now?..

The confrontation between you and Della was loud and it was only a matter of time before neighbours got interested in whatever was going on. If I had not killed Della, she was going to kill you. That was her mission... I told Dangote I killed Della and I was going for him. He was mad.

As we were still talking we heard screeching sound of roughly driven vehicles outside.

I look at Robert who was just as worried as I was.

Me: what was that?

I got up and peeped outside and saw three guys making their way from the car towards the house.

Me:oh s**t!

Mark: what is it, what did you see?..

Me: did you tell Dangote to meet us here?

i asked innocently because i was damn sure that the person i saw out there was Oscar Dangote.

Robert: hell no, I wouldn't invite war into my grandfather's home. what do you take me for?..

He said fetching his gun and putting some bullets in it. We were surrounded.

Mark: I am thinking he is telling the truth but if I were you I wouldn't trust the woman, what's her name again.. Rose?

I looked at Rose and she looked scared. I could have thought it was because of the gun men outside but it was more than that.

Mark: I think Rose played Robert. Think of it, she could access Dangote and who knows what they did or discuss away from Robert or maybe Rose has been helping Robert but just to trap both of you. She found a way of getting Dangote to kill you both at once.....

When I heard that I moved close to rose and she dropped her phone after windows shattered in the living room.

Me: you, you told them where we are didn't you?

She shook her head in fear. Robert looked at us and watched me pick her phone.

Robert: back off her man, she would never set us up.

he said quite defensive that I would have gotten a blow if I did not back off like he had asked.

Me: are you sure about that?

Robert c****d his gun and walked up to us. I didn't know how far the guys were from us and we didn't even know how many they were.

Mark: you need backup?

Me: I don't know man, its crazy out here.

Robert: you don't know what?

Me: how you could trust this b***h. She set us up damn it! can't you see!

I gave Robert the phone then shot Rose in the head and she dropped then someone shot at the door to the room we were in. It was not wooden so we were still safe.

Me: how do we get the hell out of here?

i was now nervous and not sure of what to expect. see the truth is mark told me someday he would not really be there to defend me and i would have to defend myself. this was the day..

Robert: i don't see any other possible way. we will have to kill our way out.

I looked at him suspiciously.

Robert: what, you have another way?

I didn't.