chapter 4

"You can't fight in this state" he said referring to my injured hand.

"The hand is healed, I'm taking off the stupid cast in 4days but I can make exception of two days earlier" I said already fed up with the injury but It was true though, I didn't feel the pain anymore and I could even remove it today, if I wanted.

"Still, I can't be too sure if you would be fully disposed to use it effectively"

"Sir I need to go on this mission" I said in desperation.

"What if something goes wrong, it could put the whole operation at risk"

"We have a code, the operation comes first before team mates. If anything happens, it's on me and they have the right to leave me hanging" I said trying to assure him and after some time of consideration he nodded finally.

"I would visit a doctor first thing after I leave here and if he gives me the green light to go ahead, I'll forward it to you" I added while the man still rolled his chin in thoughts again.

"Okay, fine then" he said agreeing to my request.

"But I hope you know what you're doing, Goodluck" he added and then I saluted and walked out the door.

...

I was in my car with my driver behind the wheels, still contemplating visiting my family when I got a call from Emeka.

We hadn't talked after that night he had mentioned something that wasn't supposed to be at all. I had been wondering about what he had said since that day and how he had gotten an information that no one knew about or was supposed to.

"Whatsup" he said casually like everything was fine and we hadn't been avoiding each other since two days ago.

"I'm good"

"So, I'm at your apartment but you're not around, did you just step out?" He said and I heard the sound of a door closing on the other end of the line.

"Yeah I drove down to Surulere, this morning" I replied

"Why?" He asked sounding surprised at the news.

"I'm paying my family a visit, I haven't seen them in a while" I said vaguely explaining myself

The line went silent for a few seconds before he spoke up. I knew he didn't buy that I would just pack up my bags and go to see a family I haven't seen in a life time. It didn't add up but I guess he wouldn't want to start prying, he was already on ice with our last conversation.

"Okay when you get back give me a call, we need to talk" he said and I nodded to myself forgetting he couldn't see me. The thought of when I would eventually get back seemed to be in a decade or centuries to come.

"I will"

"Err before you go, I uh- I'm sorry about the other night. I was drunk and took a wrong approach to address things. It was rude and I acted like an-"

"Asshole" I said completing it for him and he laughed slightly before ending the call.

Our impending discussion must be on the slipped topic, the HS, I didn't know how much he knew but I did know he would want some answers and I was having forebodings about it silently.

At the next turn we entered the street of the Central Hospital in Surulere. It wasn't highly rated but it was pretty decent for me to run a scan and get the results I needed.

I hated the scent that came with hospitals, it was weirdly tiring and upsetting to me. I marveled at how people could sit here for hours, not minding the smell. It wasn't always like this though I guess I got too used to it.

There were three nurses wearing white attending to patients as they came. They all had the same similar bored and strict look on their faces and I wondered who ever said nurses where nice, Nigerian nurses were a bundle of evil dispositions in disguise. I was thinking a bit hyperbolically actually but they weren't the warmest people to be around.

I remembered one time I accompanied Crystal for a health check and we were met with the sight of an unpleasant scene. A little child was screaming in the hands of a nurse as she absently and uncaringly punctured his skin with the needle multiple times. The childs cries were getting to us but the nurse looked unfazed and I guessed things like that happened on a normale over here.

I didn't blame then though, how would they behave like they were happy and cared about their jobs when the situations the government put them through is the birth of all their frustration. Sometimes these people work extra hours and yet at the end of each month, their salaries are held back by those in power. It was discouraging and almost apologetic on the part of the leaders that they would deny their workers of their wages and still manage to satisfy their own selfish needs with the money in question.

'Enough of the political dilemmic thoughts' I mumbled to myself because I knew if I continued to dwell on the actions of those in the corridors of power in our nation, I would only effectively achieve nothing while rendering myself in an incensed state.

"I need to see an orthopedist" I said to the nurse at the far end who seemed less busier than the rest

"Do you have a set appointment" she said looking disinterested, acting as though I wasn't even standing in front of her.

"No, I just needed to see if It's due to take off this cast"

"Well he's not on sit now" she said now laughing at something her coworker that just joined the group said.

"When will he be on sit then" I said and I stood for a full three minutes as she continued discussing with the new nurse. I was not a very patient person and I was getting annoyed at every delayed second.

"Nurse, I asked a question"

"See, Oga I don't know, you can just get a sit and wait for him to return" she said looking as though I was the one annoying her with my attitude.

I knew very well that it would be a long wait, but then, if I kept on talking to the bad mannered nurse, it would not be productive. So, reluctantly I went an sat down on one of the sits in the waiting room with the rest of the queue.

A flat screen TV was directly facing me at the front and at least I used it as the necessary distraction for my wait. It was showing news reports on the popular AIT channel and the first headline read out caught my interest immediately.

They were talking about us, the ICS and apparently a new Commander was to be sworn In today but the identity of the person was unknown.

I understood the urgency to replace the now defunct and deceased Commander. They couldn't leave the organisation without a head as it would portray us as weak to the rest of the society, our enemies included.

The news caster had moved on to other headlines regarding the whereabouts of the terrorists group and the situation the country was in. My full attention was on the screen and that was why the next thing that happened shocked the life out of me

I felt strong arms grasp me, sharp nails digging deeply into my skin and when I looked to see what was going on I'm horror struck. I'm met with red veins bulging out from a mans eyes, like a crazy person.

The action caused those around me to scream in fear as the man brought forth a knife. I quickly intercepted it and threw the man off me but he pranced back almost immediately looking unaffected by the push.

Now the man had begun shouting profanities at me as I struggled to pull the lunatic away from me and to think, it would be harder to combat with a mad man, than a skilled opponent. I heard the frantic steps of patients as they scrambled away in fear.

"You! I hate you, you're an evil bastard! You ruined everything! When I get out of here, I would kill you and rid the world of your evilness. They think you're not crazy like me? They are in for a big surprise then"

The man kept on shouting for some seconds before some guards came up and pulled him away, dragging him down the hallway. It took about 5 of them but yet he still resisted their holds and his words didn't stop ringing till the the sight of them disappeared at the next turn.

I had to blink a few times to adjust into the reality of what had just occurred. Must every day bring forth spiralling surprises, but unlike others today's events were more disturbing than ever.

I remembered my mom's voice saying during one of her many night lectures of when we were about 7 years, that a series of bad events can be a sign or premonition of something forth coming.

"We are sincerely sorry sir" a voice said and I assumed it was that of a doctor's or hospital staff but I didn't bother to look, my mind still dwelt on the harsh words of the man. It was sickening and puzzling because somewhere deep down recognition set in.