KIBAHA, 2020
Leo took each step carefully to make sure that he wasn’t followed. His heart was too heavy, his hands were vacillating and his stomach was in pain. He had to save her mother, he had no choice.
He pulled off the hat of his long pullover jacket as he approached the door of an empty warehouse. The old man with a cane told him that the company went bankrupt five years ago and so the building hadn’t been renovated for five years. The cracks dominated the walls, and the roofs were about to collapse. The building was really isolated in that remote area.
Leo pulled the door and entered. “Shit!” he mumbled, removing the spider web on his face. His nose was disturbed by the dust in the warehouse. He took a vigilant look, there was no one around. He peeked over his watch. It was 10:00 hrs, he was on time.
Cold sweat seeped over his body as he heard the footsteps coming behind him. His heartbeat rate increased and his stomach growled more.
“Have you brought the cards?” The man with a cane stick said, the other man behind him.
“Will my mother get the treatment?” Leo said.
“Every minute you spend worrying about things in life, you lose a precious minute of your life.”
“She’s the only one I’m left with, she can’t die.”
“I'd prefer 'be strong' than 'don't worry'.”
Leo held his breath.
The man with a cane extended his hand. “The cards…”
Leo gasped.
“The more time you waste, the less time we have for saving your mother.”
Leo took out the cards and handed them over to the man with a cane. The man handed the cards to his partner. His partner took a deep look at the cards.
“They are the ones.” The man without a cane said.
The man with a cane nodded giving off a smile. His right hand dived into his suit jacket, digging deep into his trouser. Leo’s eyes widened. He made an impulsive slow backward movement.
“CHRISTOS!” SJ shouted as she surged into the warehouse, Patrice behind her. Pistols on their hands.
The man with a cane took out his pistol and as Leo was still in a dilemma, he found himself in a chokehold. Leo’s hands tried to pull himself out of the old man’s arm but it was impossible. A pistol was touching his head.
“Looks like you brought some friends. The long, lost friends.” A man with a cane said, his pistol moving around Leo’s face.
“The kid isn’t a part of this, Christos. Let him go.” SJ said.
Christos laughed loudly. “Hello Latricia, or should I call you Sonia? How about you Saleem? Anha you are now Patrice. Our friend Rayhan is missing, what grief-stricken news. I really wish he was here. But we have his son, what a relief?”
“Let the kid go, Christos.” Patrice shouted.
“Zander…” Christos turned to the man without a cane. “It's pretty scary to know how quickly time flies.”
“Christos, God remembers those who suffer. He doesn’t forget their cry and he punishes those who wronged them.” SJ said.
“I saved this country. This country has survived all these years because of me.”
“There are no secrets that time doesn’t reveal, Christos.” SJ said.
“People will thank me in the future.”
“We got independence to live and not to survive.” Patrice said.
“Independence? Freedom is never free… someone has to pay the price.”
“The world is not fair, and often fools, cowards, liars, and the selfish hide in high places.” Patrice said.
“What’s going on?” Leo mumbled, out of strength to pull himself out of Christos’s arm.
Christos smiled. “There's a war going on outside no man is safe from. You can run but you can't hide forever.”
“Let the kid go.” SJ shouted, focusing on her pistol.
“This is a war no man is safe from.”
“He doesn’t know anything.” SJ said
“That’s not the reality, it’s your perception.”
“What are you guys talking about?” Leo mumbled.
Christos cocked his pistol. “You wanna know what happened then, kid? Watch what happens now.”