CHAPTER SEVEN: WHAT CODE?

Roma

She simply watched as the guy looked around the facility in awe. She was still admiring him or so – at least, still stealing stares and glances at him.

He wasn’t all muscles and curves like Uche, but he wasn’t bad either. He was looking around, inspecting the computers and hardwares in the large room. 

It must have surprised him as it did her on her first day.

All these complicated technology in one large room?

It was really large and well lighted, filled with super power computers placed on several desks and some pretty large monitors lined up on the walls. It’s screens showing some coded languages of zeros and ones.

There were glass walls separating the space into different compartments. And the central compartment was just composed of some giant hardware with tiny wires running all over it’s body, and tiny bulbs of electric light attached by the side.

“My goodness! ” Chad let out in awe as he walked around, his gaze fixed on the hardwares and monitors, trying to figure out the idea behind all that.

“Yeah.. I felt the same way the first time..”

“these are super power graphic processing Units... how come no CPUs are here ? Is there some kind of heavy crypto-currency mining going on here?...” he asked perplexed

Damn! He’ s smart!

“how are u guys paying for such huge electricity consumption these devices generate? … my goodness! what’s all these heavy inter connectivities for?”

“We use solar generators..” she replied casually

“… for what exactly?”

“you ask damn too many questions ...you should take a chill pill and at least brush your teeth this morning.”

“Its morning?” 

“Duh … yeah?” Roma replied with a slight smirk on her face.

Chad turned around and walked towards her.

She could see the fresh scratches from the previous night on his chest and arms.

she could smell him because he was so close that he placed his two strong arms on her shoulders inviting her to take a long look at him.

His eyes searched hers with his eyebrows up. She suddenly felt uneasy and nervous inside.

"Hey" he called. His voice so low that one could almost not hear it.

"Mhmm.."

“Wanna know the truth.?” He asked 

That was the nicest he’d been all morning. she could not utter a word, she was too carried.

She couldn’t hold his stare anymore, they were piercing into her soul, as though they'd decrypt her deepest secret.

Her eyes fell against his. She bit her lower lip with her upper set of white dents and nodded her head in agreement like a toddler who was asked if she wanted some ice cream!

"I’m scared...” he paused as her eyes met his again.

He suddenly looked helpless, and cute. Like a puppy who’d been spanked for the first time.

“…I had always intended to come back home to see my family someday. Not for all these hard drama. I'm not even sure what to do.

" I have a life, a fiancé to go back to… I don’t want to loose it all. I don’t even understand all these anymore. I’m not even cut out for all it anymore.

“I’m scared. I'm honestly not as strong or as brave as i look. I barely survived the last experience. You have no idea the magnitude of what is happening here. Its bigger than these computers, this tech, this play y'all and Uche be playing here..”

“Hey..husssshhhhhh…” Roma interrupted placing her index finger on his lips.

“…its okay to be scared. It’s only human"

She moved her palm gently on his cheek and patted them slightly.

“I’m scared too … but, bravery isn’t the absence of fear, it’s your ability to step above it.

"Can you do that? .. step above it?” she asked lovingly as the tips of his fingers trailed her arms gently before they let go of her.

She liked it.

“…yeah.. “ he swallowed.” yeah, I think I can do that”.

Did he just say he has a fiancé?' Roma thought.

'Oh my graces! shoot me' she cussed in her mind.

'Why is every good man taken or having issues' or messed up'? She wondered.

But, he isn’t married yet is he? 

*********   *********** *******      ********

Chad

“Alright, I’ll tell you what I know…” the pretty lady said. 

Finally! Someone to tell him something.

“what do you wanna know?”

“What this place is…” he cut in sharply like he’d been waiting for it forever.

And why does she sound that way by the way'? He wondered.

She was really ebony and pretty. And those eyes, those eyes!  too pretty to be natural.

She must be from somewhere in Ethiopia or all those ancient Ethiopian priests - yes, that’s exactly what she is.

Those people, their beauty is probably their curse.

But, she’s Uche's girl right?

'you idiot, when will you learn?'- he cussed himself!

The bros' code was important and he was supposed to be a 'man of honor', a man who's engaged. He's supposed to keep the code!

After all it happened between Uche and Chinny, but Uche upheld the code despite his deep feeling of affection towards Chinny.

He'd always known it, Uche had always loved Chinny with all his heart. Those days in high school, he’d always buy her chocolates just because she liked them.

Although Uche always hid it, it killed him that she was Ronald's then - the pretty boy. He’d never loved anyone after that. At least not known to Chad. 

Uche, such a lover boy! He never lets go of a feeling towards someone. 

Chad remembered the first day they met. Chad was still 'the new student' and Uche 'the calm old cargo'' who enjoyed solitude. He loved his own company.

But that day, Chad was looking for his new class so he saw some random outlandish looking boy standing with his back resting on the wall of the lobby with earplugs on, hands in his pocket, and looking chill.

His hair was so black, curly and rich in the African way.

“Sorry, excuse me..” he waved as he walked up to him. 

“Yep..” the guy replied sharply still with his earplugs on.

"Excuse me?" Chad said as he gestured at him to unplug the earplugs so they could talk.

“Dude… I can hear you, no music is on this shit..” he smiled mischievously and showed Chad the end of the wire which was in his pocket, there was no music player.

“So why do you have it in your eardrums by the way..?” Chad asked perplexed.

“It’s called SWAG..”

Chad, let out a giggle.. “do you know where the senior science section is? I’m kinda new and I’m looking for my new class because I was just reassigned to a science class after I was mistakenly assigned to an art Class” 

“wow… nice story bruv” uche replied pinching his eyes.. “ I Know the place but it will cost you some money..”

“…how much?” Chad rolled his eyes in his mind thinking he’d met one riffraff in the school

“Come on! I’m kidding bruv…” he said standing erect  with a wide mischievous  grin.

“what class exactly?”

“Gold Star (Yellow)…”

“Ahaa! That’s my class. I basically live there, because my grandmother’s father which is my great grand father..." The boy couldn't stop talking,

"...which is me." He concluded with a wide grin, like he were Albert Einstein. off-point!

" ... It’s confusing right? Yeah, i know, but, you see, it’s easier to understand what I’m saying from my perspective." He ranted on and on trying hard to sound intelligent, geek and reasonable.

"From my perspective I'm saying that there are many pretty, fresh babes in that class and you don’t wanna go in there dressing like that" he grinned, pointing at Chad's awkward looking shoes! 

“whats wrong with my shoe?”

“Dude… you look like you own a church! You don’t wanna look too serious you know, like geek geek, especially on your first day. And your tiny spectacles are not helping the situation!” he added

Chad heaved as he took a good look at the boy who was talking. 

Clean afro hair cut - so black and rich hair, almost intimidating! Clean and well ironed 'turquoise on mauve' school uniform with the shirt neatly tucked into the plain fitted trousers and a well polished black belt which had the medusa symbol of Gianni Versace designers molded on it’s head.

Best of all were his shoes! A well designed ankles size  black air Max canvass with a white sole.

Somehow, the sporty shoes fitted his cooperate uniform and added that bit of class to his dressing

Chad looked at himself, his shirt was too big! His trousers, not fitted like the boy’s which gave the boy a celebrity look - Zach Efron-ish.

And his shoes! Oh his shoes!

His parents told him they were superb!

After all, it was a 1913 Italian black leather design! With a pointed tip which stood up most times like an agama lizard does when basking under the sun.

It almost looked like those old cowboy boots but without the long extended leg length.

His mother liked that shoe!

“…we gotta get rid of these bro” the boy said pointing at his outfit.

“Lucky you, I’ve got some extra in my locker …come on” 

Chad followed sheepishly as usual.

“You’ll have to take cover whenever we see a pretty girl pass though. You don’t wanna spoil your prestige in this school, believe me, it's gonna be a disaster if you do”

“…what?” Chad asked with a duh look on his face

“Welcome to Springfield high bro. I’m Uche” he concluded tapping Chad’s right shoulder like they were both gladiators in the old Roman empire era, preparing for a scary fight in the arena.

Ever since they met that day, they’d bonded and become best of friends.

'That’s how Uche is. He can’t love another.

So, how come this pretty woman'?

 

Well, 'I would definitely take this Egyptian priest as a close substitute for chinny' Chad thought.

But he knew the truth; Chinny was priceless. Especially with her brains and ability with the computers.

Her value to anyone would be way over the roof. 

What possibly did this one have to offer ?

Uche has always ever gone for people with value. It was his luck. He always somehow gets acquainted with special people.

'who knows what attracted him to this lady'– Chad wondered; definitely not the beauty. Chinny was a goddess!

“…our company is a secret company as you can see. it’s underground and all. Sometimes you cannot differentiate between day and night when you’re in this building.

"Mhmm..."

"Its run by only three people in the world; Maggie, Uche and I, as their employee”

“So what do you guys do…?”

“we control all the money laundering activities, especially those going out of the country anonymously.

"These powerful computers have built in codes that detect any transaction that is illegitimate. It blocks it with a powerful firewall program which can only be deactivated by a subtraction of some fixed fine.

"Usually five percent of the intended transaction, and believe me, we’re talking millions of dollars every week. Plus, I’m only telling you this because my boss asked me to.”

“You mean Uche?”

“Yep.”

"Hmmm, is he not your boyfriend?”

The pretty girl burst into a hearty laughter..

“ no no..” she said in between.

“Uche? Nah, he’s not that kind of person”

Chad smiled,” I know”..  

She smiled back. Her smile was killing. A well arranged set of white dentition. Could she get any prettier?

“ so how come y'all are untraceable? Because this is illegal..”

“ …the firewall is so strong and designed in such a way that it makes one think it’s an international financial control tax or VAT protocol.

"Most times they just pay up because they are thieves themselves and wouldn’t want any trouble or complications that would attract the financial authorities”.

“And if any attempt is made towards breaching the firewall?”

“...Immediate alert of the financial authorities, they loose, and we go undiscovered.” she concluded with that smile again.

“Pretty smart.. pretty smarts . Always knew my boy was smart. So, they basically work on their own 24/7?”

“Yeah yeah.” she smiled, AGAIN!

“So, how’s this my business? And why did you guys bring me here?” Chad asked with one hand holding the bedsheets he wrapped around his waist.

“…the Medusa were looking for a woman, Aisha. Because she’s basically the only one who has ever come in contact with 'the fisheye'. And they’re seriously looking for the Fisheye.”

“…whoa whoa.. wait, who’s Fisheye?” Chad interrupted.

“I don’t know, honestly. Maybe Uche knows more, or Maggie, ah that woman, she’ll definitely know. She knows everything! She's a monitoring spirit, you should ask them.”

“Okay, I will. So, how’s Aisha my business?”

“…she was the woman who was with you in your taxi.”

Chad's facial expression changed. “Oh my God.” 

“Yeah… we’ve been looking for her too. Because for some reason, Uche wants to find Fisheye. He says Fisheye has some protocol which could enhance our 'business'. He wants to buy the code”

“What code?”

“ I just told you, I don’t know. I’m just an employee okay?”

Chad's eyes fell, he felt himself blush. First time in forever. He’s probably asking too many questions.

“Sorry.” he apologized meekly. Trying to sound the meekest he could.

“Its okay..” she bit her lower lips again. It’s so cute!

“so you guys were tracking her and mistakenly found me… right?”

“Wait, is that another question or an answer or what?” Roma asked pinching her eyes like a mother would do while asking her children about a missing piece of meat from her pot of soup!

“Um… a suggestion.?” he stammered

They both laughed .

“Funny.” she said

"But um, we knew u were coming home, so we were tracking you - and you're pretty easy to track.

"Uh, I don't think so." Chad scoffed.

"Your name popped up in the computer database. It keeps a record of passenger names , especially of those moving in and out of the country.

" So, your friend Uche set a red alert for your name, Ronald’s, Chinny’s.”

“how do you know all these people?” Chad asked amazed

“He never stops talking about you guys..”  she said amidst her sweet smile,he was really hoping one of you would come back someday. And he never knew where you guys were, hence, he added that program to the algorithm”

He smiled back “ so you were the one in the second truck huh? Wait, how come you disappeared after?”

”I have my ways"

she said and turned around to leave.

”come on, we got to go”. She said.

“Go where?”

“Is that a question?”

“No ma’am”he laughed.

“Got to go see Maggie at her office, and do breakfast too. For your information, she owns a restaurant.”

“whoa! I like breakfast!, It’s my favorite time of day, after lunch and dinner!”

“typical” she muttered under her breath.

“Hold on, did it occur to you that I’m naked? Where are my clothes?”

“In the garbage” she replied on her way out of the door.

“like, Seriously?” Chad asked puzzled, standing still like a statue with his arm stretched a bit and his head tilted to the side like he was so hungry and was begging for bread.

“Yeah.” she said plainly with an ‘as a matter of fact’ look on her face but she couldn't hold it for long, she burst into some cute mischievous laughter.

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Author,s note

This chapter was really meant to highlight the brewing chemistry between Chad and Roma.

Could it be a dead end?

Besides, there's a search for the Fisheye who's key to everything.

Click on the small star below please.

Love y'all.

See y'all the in next chapter as we breakdown all that had happened prior to all this madness!