Episode 22
Tobi rushes into the house frantically while screaming for Abena. He ran up the stairs and checked every room, slamming doors with anger and frustration.
Listing a lot of colorful words under his
breath, he checked the indoor pool and the
cinema room. She was nowhere to be
found. He screamed out of anger and rested
on the wall wearily, doing what he never
thought he would do.
He cried.
He screamed.
He hit the wall over and over again until his knuckles bled.
But she wasn’t home, and the only sound he could hear was his anger over the silence. He berated himself quickly. Throwing a pity party won’t bring his Abena back.
His Abena.
Shaking his head, he fished out his phone
from his pocket and dialled Joseph’s
number.
“What’s up?” He heard his friend say over the phone.
“She’s gone. She’s not home, I thought her appointment was tomorrow but I think it was moved to today. I’m so screwed right now! What am I supposed to do?” Tobi panted over the phone, wiping the tears that he allowed flow freely on his cheek.
“Calm down man. This-.”
“I can’t bloody calm down! What am I
supposed to do admit!” Tobi roared in
frustration.
“Well I can’t tell you what to do if you don’t shut the hell up and listen to me!” Joseph snapped.
“Sorry. Okay. What would I do? I’m not thinking clearly at all. Everything is just a jumbled mess in my head.” Tobi said quietly. “I know. But if we’re going to find her, you have to chill. First, call the police.” Joseph said.
“The police? They won’t do anything. It’s not even up to twenty four bloody hours, they won’t take the case.” Tobi scratched his head in frustration and stomped his foot. “Oluwatobiloba! Calm the hell down!” Joseph shouted over the phone. “You’re Tobi Ademi. You own half of the police force. Make a call, tell them to bring some guys over, the good ones oh. Not those pussies who are usually afraid. I’ll come with
Francis.”
“Francis. The private investigator guy?” Tobi said more calmly. He was now sitting down on the arm of a couch in the sitting room, checking his other phone for the number of the head of the police force.
“Yes, that Francis. Get the police to come to your house, Francis, his guys and I would start coming right now.” He could hear Joseph stand up and some papers shuffling. “Don’t do anything stupid Tobi.”
“Yes but what if you guys come too late and they’ve already taken her away. If I go now, I would be able to get to her before they leave.”
“Of course, why not? Go into a den of kidnappers by yourself, and unarmed too.” Joseph replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Take a drink and sit the hell down. Wait for me. I’ve already left the hospital.”
“Joseph-”
“I know. I understand. We’ll get her back, I promise. Just stay put and don’t do anything stupid.”
Tobi nodded although his friend couldn’t see him.
“Tell your driver to step on it then.”
…
Abena woke up in a large bus with a
pounding headache. She felt dizzy, and every image in front of her seemed blurry. She rubbed her eyes as the events that happened earlier played in her mind. She suddenly began to panic. She looked around and saw other women just like her.
Pregnant.
They all looked the same way she felt, drowsy and tired. Some were still asleep, but some were struggling to keep their eyes open. The bus wasn’t moving, she looked around, trying to find a way to plan her escape before she was shipped off to God knows where.
She looked behind her, the modeling house was still in sight. She sat up slowly, ignoring the waves of pain that shot through her back. She cracked her neck and knuckles, feeling temporary relief, the craned her neck to get a better look at the door.
She heard some men coming closer to her, so she leaned down on the uncomfortable leather seat and peered at them, being careful while trying to make herself invisble. One of them was holding a notepad and writing things down, the other one, that manager, was telling him something. She strained her ears to listen into their conversations.
“I want them arranged according to how many months pregnant they are. I’ve put the tags on their backs-”
Abena reached for her back and felt a piece of paper plastered to her shirt.
“The nine months pregnant women would be dropped first at the brown warehouse, a doctor would be there to receive them, the couple that wants the child is flying in tomorrow. All the other ones should be taken into the smaller warehouse. Feed them well, so that by the time they’re due, the babies would be healthy enough for sale.”
Her jaw dropped and her breath quickened. “You’re not coming with us to the east sir?”
The smaller man asked.
“No. I have urgent matters to attend to. Don’t make any mistakes or else, he would have my head.” The manager instructed harshly.
“Yes sir.”
“Ahmed would follow you, he’ll be driving. To make sure you don’t mess up. Get going in the next ten minutes.”
The man nodded and scurried away.
Ten minutes.
She tried to stand up, then she noticed the chain fastened on her leg. She swore loudly earning the look of the manager.
He just smirked at her, a smirk that she
hated. A smirk that showed evil things to
come.
“You’re not going anywhere. So sit down,
and enjoy the ride.”
She placed her hand on her stomach, as
though she could protect it.
Protect her baby.
She had heard about them on the evening news, they kidnapped pregnant women, and gave their babies up for adoption, for a price too.
She shook her head in disgust. Why buy a baby when you could just adopt one? Then she looked back, as the bus started to move, and saw Tobi running frantically towards them.
But he wasn’t fast enough.
…
Tobi drove furiously towards the modelling house, two cars occupied by casually dressed police men and some of Francis’ guys followed him in tow, trying desperately to keep up with his speed.
Joseph sat beside him, shouting every time they almost hit a car or a person. He would have drove, but his leg was still bad. He had to wrestle with the doctor, literally, before he was allowed to leave.
“There it is!” Joseph exclaimed as they
pulled up sharply in front of the modelling house. Tobi ran out of his car, slamming the door harshly behind him, while Joseph folded his arms in anger; he would be missing all the action.
TBC…
BARGAIN