Share
Chapter 58: the Ice storm III
LADE:
The Jama'tu soldiers left us alone upon Shugaba's command. The pain in my chest grew as if something was being drilled into my skin. My lungs weren't strong. I felt weaker than before. It was only a matter of time.
"Agent Lade Adenuga of the ICS, we meet again," Shugaba said, wearing a striking snarl.
He sent his gaze to my wounded arm and flitted it back to my face.
Raising the arm some minutes ago had been tasking but I had no other choice. My weapons were on the ground. His soldiers had dislodged the bullets from inside them.
"I have waited for you."
His brows tipped. "Really?"
"You owe me, soldier. I hate loosing." I flashed a charming smile.
Shugaba eyeballed me and wet his lips. His next action had caught me off guard. He had thrown his weapon to the ground and opened his arms.
"I'm all yours. If you w
Related chapters
La Requiem Part I — Chapter 1: the first wave
A year earlier... A live broadcast of the President addressing the country was about to hold. In exactly three minutes, he would be on air and I was highly expectant of what he was going to say. I was sure I wasn’t the only one waiting. Executives, governmental staff, civil workers, and even youths, waited. In short, the entire country expected the nine o’clock news on this fateful day, as we would mark it on the shelves of our history. Suited for work, I whipped up a cup of coffee and settled myself on the large office chair in my home. The morning sun’s ray slapped me in the face and I grumbled. It had robbed me of the last bits of drowsiness in my eye. I was fully awake. Annoyed, I stood to pull the blinds closed, then I reached for my radio on the table and drew it closer. I ran through channels, listening in and searching for 92.8fm, the most popular radio station. I preferred a radio. Like every other millennial, this was what we had grown up with. Here, most people associa
La Requiem Chapter 2: the current
It was abnormal to see the streets of Ikeja, Lagos, free of cars and idle on a weekday. I had thought that I was in the wrong place, and I was hesitant to gas the Avalon. An hour’s journey had turned into a fifteen-minute drive but I took it as the heavens, giving me a chance. It was a windy morning, and the weather was reaching meat-locker standard. It also wasn’t a good day to get on Commander Young’s bad side. Driving through a highway, my eyes wandered about. I embarked on this route to work every day, but today, I was feeling nostalgic. It didn’t happen all the time. I had buried the truth about where I came from at the back of my mind. But at every point and part of the landscapes I crossed, there was a story waiting to be told. I knew the drill. I was born and bred on these streets; It was my home as a proud Lagosian. Yellow Danfo buses struggled for passengers at the curb. A ride in one of those could be the craziest thing a person experienced in their entire
La Requiem Chapter 3: the current II
"You should have seen their faces," he said while laughing. He actually laughed, Unbelievable!"It's not a joke, Emeka," I replied, not sparing him a glance as we walked down the halls. He had always had this nonchalant attitude to him and it was nerve racking sometimes.My mind was even still hovering on the fact that I might have issues with the Commander because of this guy beside me. Richard Young was strict in his dealings, never failing to spare any of his boys that defaulted and broke rules. I had a fall out with him last month for some personal reasons and another one following it up in line would just be destructive.It was unbecoming of me to keep disappointing Richard, I still had so much to pay for.
La Requiem Chapter 4: the swell
I had caught the attention of a few eyes with the show I had just displayed. The almost audible gasp of the now drenched woman had not gone unheard but thankfully the large spaces drowned out the sound –– such that, people from afar could not hear or realize what had just happened."I'm so sorry," I apologised immediately, just as she struggled to find something to clean off the drink spill on her clothes before it became permanent.My voice came out in a whisper so as not to drag back the eyes to us again but she wasn't even listening, she looked more concerned about the damp patch on the upper part of her clothes.It was the only distraction I could think of, it wasn't all that smart but at least it worked."What the hell is wrong with you!" She bawled in a harsh whisper before making an attempt to push past me. It was successful, but only because I had decided to move my body the exact same time she rudely
La Requiem Chapter 5: the swell II
My breath came in pants as I crouched forward, hiding away from the now shattered glass above me. Reflexively, I shielded the lady with my body as more of its pieces began to fall unto us.A frenzied disarray of actions, building up the chaos by the minute. It was unexpected, the turnout of events that had violently jerked my attention towards the outburst. In one minute everything changed, and at this point, we could lose everything. It was almost impossible how a minute of resolute peace erupted in a series of pandemoniums, heightening swiftly by the clock. I had to buckle up and be prepared, and at the fall of the last glass piece, I expertly reached out for my gun, awaiting the next masked face.The woman behind me was trembling and the muffled
La Requiem Chapter 6: the tide
It had been ten days since the tragic event that remained packed up in our hearts and minds, refusing to let go, happened. Almost the whole of my lifetime was built upon this career path and truly, it was never even my decision from the start. I loved my job but if anyone had asked me on that fateful day ten years ago, where I saw myself in the future, the most honest answer I could have given was a thin line between dead and hopeless.He had vouchsafed me a choice when I had had none and he had stuck by me throughout, fulfilling every promise he had made to me when I was twenty-two. The countdown had started because no one was safe anymore...all our lives were in danger. There was a very slim chance that it hadn't been the Jama'atu who had manned the attack at the barracks but currently, we were running low on possible suspects.
La Requiem Chapter 7: the tide II
Kings International Church, Ikeja was filled with mixed circles of people from across the country and overseas too. Military officials in their uniforms and their various medals pinned to their clothes, stood in an angular row, saluting at the altar where his body lay.I felt an excruciating pang of agony overwhelm me as I took in the sight of his widow and only daughter. They were sitting at the front, using each other as a support for their tears.It was relieving though, at least they had shoulders to cry on, they had each other unlike Tayo and me."How is the hand," Emeka said while slapping me lightly on the back. He was referring to my now cast up hand that I felt like tearing off every minute. It was really impairing my movements and I almost felt useless without the complete full use of my hands."I can't wait to take it off," I replied as we both walked down the aisle, heading towards the altar"I heard it's a lady charmer," he said and that made me look at him with my eyebrow
La Requiem Chapter 8: the tide III
"How are you doing?" She asked once we reached outside the church building.
Latest chapter
- La Requiem Chapter 58: the Ice storm III
- La Requiem Chapter 57: the Ice storm II
- La Requiem Chapter 56: the Ice storm
- La Requiem Chapter 55: the whitecap III
- La Requiem Chapter 54: the whitecap II
- La Requiem Chapter 53: the whitecap
- La Requiem Chapter 52: the monsoon II
- La Requiem Chapter 51: the monsoon
- La Requiem Chapter 50: the roller IV
