CHAPTER 25

       Everything was going as planned, they had arrived at the place, the grand white baker hotel, the bugs were all fixed, and the fake data had already been sent to alert the CSS, all they had to do now was wait.

       Susan sat beside Sunday in the passenger seat of the car, she studied the surrounding with a telescope, taking in the most minute details, but so far nothing appeared suspicious,  only pedestrians, hawkers, and flashy cars that kept on driving in and out through the hotel's gate.

       Neither Fasting nor his client had arrived yet, that would give them some time to go over the plan again, or so she thought.

     " Any sign of them  ? " Sunday questioned

     " Nothing yet, " Susan responded.

     " You do remember the plate number David had given us right ? " Reuben questioned.

     " Of course I remember the plate number, what else will i use to identify the car otherwise ? "  Susan replied with a tone that suggested just how irritated she had been by the question.

     " Okay... sorry, just wanted to make sure " Reuben replied, retreating into a corner after noticing her frown.

     " Really ? how more annoying can you get ? Susan replied and then looked through the telescope one more time, but again she found nothing.

     " Any sign of the CSS ? " Sunday questioned.

     " No, but with the data we sent they should be arriving any time soon "  Susan replied without turning or taking her eyes off the telescope. 

       While she looked out for them from her side, Sunday equally kept his own side in check, but as Susan had said earlier, nothing looked suspicious.

       His eyes scanned the area one more time, through his rear mirror.

       From a group of school children who chatted as they walked down, to a couple of miniature kiosks by the side of the road, until they stopped on a pair of lean, hungry looking children, who both sat on the sidewalk.

        The boy who was obviously the older of the two had stretched both his hands to everyone that passed by, while he mumbled repeatedly.

        Sunday couldn't make out what he was saying, but he had a pretty good idea what it was.

       These ones were probably orphans, with begging as their only means of survival.

        This wasn't his first time seeing children beg, in all his years living in Lagos and his travels around the country, he had probably seen them over a thousand times, yet seeing these little ones again now did something to him.

         They unearthed memories and feelings he hadn't wanted to feel or remember, and the more he tried to keep those feelings are bay, the stronger and clearer they appeared before him.

         The little boy who looked no older than ten years had been so busy trying to get a stranger to help them, he had trotted down the road with the man, in hopes of getting a token, even though the gentleman wouldn't give him the time of day.

         In the process he had left his little sister, poor thing who  didn't look a day older than four years, now sat alone clearly clueless, confused and scared. 

         Something about the way the child sat there, helpless and alone got to Sunday.

         He thought about just for how long his sister must've had to feel lost and alone, he couldn't do anything then, his operations had taken him away from her for so long, his obsession to capture Fasting had been the only thing that mattered at that point, that he never realized just how much it had affected the one person he cared most about in the world.

         He couldn't do anything then, but he'd be damned if he didn't do anything now, he knew they had to stay undercover, that was more important, but even with that he wouldn't take his eyes off her.

         He watched as worry slowly began to creep into the little girl's heart, her small lips soon curved into a pout, and her eyes slowly darted from left to right in search of her brother.

         But the young boy wasn't anywhere close by, and it hadn't taken much time before the little girl realized this.

         In no time her sobs increased, her petite head fell back, she cried out loud, both from the hunger she had probably woken up with earlier that morning, and the fear of being abandoned by her only sibling, but the tears didn't stop her from fixing her eyes on the road again the next minute.

        Still trying to find her brother, she wiped her eyes with the back of her ragged sleeve, but again the tears welled up when she looked around and didn't find him anywhere, instead met with the faces of strangers, all having no interest or pity for her.

          Everyone walked past, unhinged by the baby's cries, times were hard indeed, and in turn it had hardened their hearts, all the talk of road side beggers that used alms they received for rituals had gotten to the public.

          They had started as rumours, might have even been made up stories, but those were the kind of stories that the average Nigerian didn't wait to investigate, instead of helping and falling prey, they'd rather not be the ones to prove the rumours true, and this did many believe, except for a few.

          Sunday pressed his palm against the steering wheel, trying to ignore the child's sadness, but the more he battled, the more he couldn't resist it, her wet eyes and pitiful situation taunted him.

          However, just when he thought his chest would explode from the guilt pounding against it, he finally saw a lean figure approaching from a distance, and the closer the figure got, the better Sunday could get a proper view of him, it was undoubtedly the little girl's brother.

          As he got even closer, he called out her name, and without hesitation she darted her eyes towards the direction of her brother's voice. 

          A smile so genuine instantly formed on her lips, right before she rushed towards him, until she finally fell into his arms, chuckling, snorting and exposing multiple spaces in her teeth, trying to wriggle from his hold as he tickled her.

         Sunday could tell there was something different about the boy already, his demeanor appeared much better than before, he knelt on one knee, croutching to her level, and with so much enthusiasm signaled that the little girl close her eyes.

           She obeyed without objection, and as soon as the boy was certain she was'nt peaking, he dipped his hand into his shirt pocket, but wouldn't expose what was in it as he pulled it out, and fixed his closed fist in front of her.

            This part got to Sunday, and immediately he found himself relieving a memory.

          " Brother I cannot believe you forgot my birthday, " a female voice sprang up in his head, followed by a flash, a young girl thundered down the stairs taking furious steps, her expression no softer than her angry strides.

          " No na,  it's not like that, it's just I have been busy, you know how demanding my work is, "Sunday responded, trying to make worthy pleas to his sister who now had her hands folded across her chest, he looked a few years younger, despite this happening not that long ago.

          " Brother but you always do this, " she protested, " letting her hands fall in disappointment, as her tone remained sad and hurt, " ever since you started that work, we haven't done anything together, you are hardly around these days, it's not fair na, " she replied throwing her hands in the air before folding it across her chest again" all you think about is your work, every time, brother am not happy oh " she protested, again tightening her arms across her chest, avoiding eye contact with him.

          " I'm sorry na, please, pleasseee angel, forgive me " he pleaded moving closer to her,  but she pulled away from his touch, and frowned at him.

          " Ok, i promise you that this will never happen again, " Sunday replied sounding serious this time " and you know I never break my promises"  he concluded

          " Promise ? " She questioned again, as if expecting him to change his mind.

          " Promise" Sunday responded, making an invisible x sign on the left side of his chest,, " Now can I get a hug ? " he asked, spreading both hands to the side to receive her.

            Hesitantly but surely she entered his embrace, and he hugged her warmly, but then broke out into a soft laugh that confused her even more.

          " Why are you laughing ? " she questioned, not hiding the confusion that was beginning to morph into an annoyed look. " What's so funny ? "

          " You are, did you actually think I forgot your birthday ? " he replied smiling.

         " You didn't ? wait... were you just playing with me all this time ? " she questioned, squinting angrily, but he only nodded while still smiling, and groaned after she landed a painful punch to his stomach.

         " I hate you, how dare you... deceive me like that ? and on my birthday too, " she yelled hitting his chest repeatedly with both hands,  until he grabbed hold of them.

         " You hate me ? does that mean you don't want your birthday gift ? " Sunday questioned, still holding her hands.

         " I never said that, " she responded as she pulled her hands away from his and frowned, then turned away from him.

         " Where... is it? " she questioned, 

         " Hmmm, you're right, " Sunday questioned feigning confused, while holding his chin with his fingers as if trying to remember where he had kept her gift. " where could it be ? 

         " Brother stop na, did you get me a gift or not ? " She asked in a tone that sounded more like a plea.

         " I'm thinking" Sunday replied, ignoring the fact that she was already angry.

         " Brother !!!" she finally screamed, having had enough of his drama.

         " Fine, fine, not so loud or I might just go deaf " he responded with a soft laugh, while rubbing a finger at the inside of his ear.

         " Here's your gift birthday girl, it's right here " Sunday gestured for her to look at his closed fist, but the moment she tried to open his fist, he pulled away from her.

         " Do I have to pry it out of your hand now ? " She responded giving him an even angrier look.

         " No... but first I need you... to close your eyes, and then I'll show you " Sunday replied, taunting her.

         " Sunday !! Sunday !!  " another voice called inside his head, right before he saw himself being shaken back to reality by Susan, who looked at him with concern.

           He looked at her and then back at the side mirror, but he couldn't find the children on the sidewalk, they had left while the thoughts of his sister flooded his mind yet again. 

          Quickly he composed himself before anyone could realize he had been temporarily distracted, and cleared his throat, wanting to say something, when he felt Susan drop her hand on his, her face still laced with concern.

          " Is everything okay ? "  she questioned.

          " Yes... never better " he responded, pulling his hand from under hers, before continuing to change the topic.

          " Anything ? " he questioned.

           She hesitated for a second before putting the telescope back on her eye, and after a few seconds more, she steadied her sights on something.

         " Twelve o clock, black huma, that's our guy " she responded, referring to the Jeep that was now driving inside the hotel, and then dropping the telescope she turned to Sunday,  as if waiting for the next instruction, but there was no sudden reaction from him, only hate and an anger he tried to surpress, he started the car and all too swiftly drove inside the hotel, trailing behind their target.