Chapter 14: The Open Eye

When I asked Ogechi if she had attended the AU55 meeting and the bottle fell of her grip, I looked into her eyes to see how she would react facially, I expected to see surprise or recollection.

Instead, her entire body went rigid, the smile on her face disappeared, and her expression turned cold.

Her glare made me shrink

back.

The others stopped what they were doing and stared me down. It felt as if oxygen had been used up in the room and the Earth's rotation had stilled.

Yinka spoke first. "Who in the hell are you? What has Dogonyaro been telling you?"

"Director? He's got nothing to do with it." I defended.

"Bullshit, how else would you know about Ethiopia then?"

Before I could respond, Ibrahim got in my face.

"That story about you losing your mother and your home. Is it true, or is it just part of your legend?"

"My Legend?"

"Tell us everything, from the beginning. How is it that you have come to live in this apartment with us!"

I glanced at Ogechi, hoping that she would rescue me from this interrogations. She had been the friendliest. But she appeared to be in a state of shock, lost in thought at the moment.

Instead, Christiana was the one who offered me some hope. "His story have been checked out about his mother and the fire, I

researched that myself"

Yinka ran a hand through his hair.

"Then I dont get it. What game is Director playing with us concerning this guy because I'm beginning to become pizzed."

"It might not be a game," Christiana went on. "We all

know how important that young man, Ebube, is for our future. He and Phood apparently are a real package deal as far as I can see."

They continued talking among themselves while I sat there. From their conversation I concluded that they knew a whole lot more than I did. I also knew better than to ask, so I sat there and kept my mouth shut.

Eventually, Yinka turned his attention back to me.

He looked ready to kill. "I still want to know about Ethiopia and the AU55. How could you possibly know about that?"

I held up my hands in surrender. "Nothing. I know nothing about Ethiopia. I swear"

"Too late to deny it, boy. You're the one who brought it up." He insisted.

"More importantly," Yinka added, "how much does he know about what we did there?"

He leaned closer to me and shouted in my ear. "Answer me!"

Yinka scared me so badly I almost peed on myself.

Ogechi suddenly snapped out of her funky trance. "Stand down Yinka. Let me handle this my way."

He backed away. Ogechi stepped toward me, a smile on her face. I didn't trust her smile if it's genuine or not.

"Phood, It appears, " she paused, "that you hold some secrets."

"Look, I don't know anything." I said, sounding lame.Even to me.

A hand clamped down on my shoulder, a heavy hand. Yinka glared at me. "Whatever it is that you think you know could get people killed if the Wrong people were to find out. Maybe even you."

"Stop it," Ogechi said. "You're scaring him."

Yinka released me.

"I think all of you should leave," Ogechi said. "Let me talk to Phood, alone."

After a brief hesitation, Yinka and Ibrahim picked up the cooler and marched out. Christiana followed them and shut the door behind her.

Trying to lighten the mood a bit, I said, "Do they always follow your orders? I thought Yinka was the boss."

"Sometimes Yinka needs a kick on his pompous butt," Ogechi said.

She looked at me. Neither of us spoke. I didn't know what to say. Ogechi took my hand, led me to the sofa, made me sit beside her.

"You are a smart young man," she said, "so I'm not going to insult your intelligence. You probably figured out some things about us."

"I don't know anything"

Ogechi raised an eyebrow. "Now you're insulting my intelligence."

I said nothing. Time for me to listen and shut up.

"I like you, Phood, and you and I seem to have hit it off well. Given the little scene you just witnessed, I know you're a little intimidated right now."

Intimidated? Suspecting that all of these TheNews were killers, I was way more than just intimidated.

Ogechi was right, though. Out of all of them, I felt most comfortable with her. Of course, that was mostly because she was such a hot babe.

"Asking that question about Ethiopia set us on edge." Ogechi continued. "The truth is you have intimidated us. I can also tell you that right now I am really freaked out about

how much you know"

Should I show her the name badge? I thought for a nano second.

"I just picked up on something and let my imagination run wild.

I'm probably way off the actual."

"What exactly did you pick up on? Has anybody said anything to you specifically about Ethiopia?"

I had to think of something quick to dodge the brewing questions.

"Actually, yes." I said. From her expression, It's not what Ogechi expected to hear. She winced. I continued. "In Africa Issues class we discussed the recent AU55 summit."

That wasn't a lie, so I was able to easily convince her. "It took place in Ethiopia, right? That's why it was the first thing to come to mind when I asked you my question."

Weak, but I tried to sound

Sincere.

Ogechi cocked her head. "We are friends, right? You like me, don't you?"

My cheeks grew warm.

"Yeah."

"And you wouldn't want to see me get hurt, would you?"

"of course not."

"What Yinka said earlier is true. If the wrong people were to make the connection between the AU55 and TheNews it would put all of us in grave danger"

"I'll never mention it again. That's a promise" I said.

She rewarded me with a dazzling smile. "The others are going to be very relieved to hear that."

Had I really gotten myself off the hook that easily?

This wasn't going to blow back on me some day? I reasoned.

My street sense told me that I should give her more assurances.

"Im sorry if I caused you guys

heartburn."

She sighed. "I'm sure this was all a misunderstanding. Right?"

"Right."

She squeezed my hand. "We really did just want to get to know you better. Instead we ruined your

birthday."

"You made it count I won't forget. That's for sure"

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Mom once told me that problems always seemed easiest to bear during the light of day after a good

night sleep. This was usually true, but the morning after my birthday, I wasn't able to put the events of the previous day behind me. I woke up trembling, scared about how alone I felt without Mom, scared of my neighbors, and

mostly scared for my little brother.

How would Ayo survive in foster care facility?

Before math class, Mr. Akpan handed me a note from Director Dogonyaro. He wanted me to stop by his office to see him. Oh no, did one of TheNews say something to him about the whole Ethiopia

thing?

I had a huge lump in my throat when I knocked on his door.

He told me to enter and directed me to the familiar leather visitor chair. The chair and I by now had developed an uneasy relationship.

He took his seat behind his desk and consulted his computer display.

"As I've mentioned to you before, I'm both surprised and delighted at how you've been able to handle Ebube, you bring him online." Director Dogonyaro said.

"Thank you Sir."

"You've adapted well and have managed to earn decent grades."

"I tried my best, sir"

"But you don't earn great grades. You aren't exactly a straight student, a booky type I mean"

I didn't realize that a few Bs and Cs would get him all bent out of shape.

"Sir, Ive been doing the best I can."

He patted the air with his hand. "Relax, Phood. You're not in trouble. I'm just brewing up to something. When you first arrived here you told me that you wanted to become a surgeon. You

remember that conversation?"

"Vividly Sir."

"Now that the school year is almost done, you're at the time in your life between your junior and senior year where you need to start applying for admission to higher institution."

"I know that Sir."

"I'm sure you would do well in many disciplines, but I'm going to be straight with you. With your grades and inability to afford such an education, the chances of you realizing your ambition to become a surgeon are remote. Not impossible, but highly improbable. You could major in some field

having to do with medicine, but a doctor, I don't think so?"

He shook his head. "I don't think so."

I started the day feeling bad. Now I felt worse.

"I'm not telling you this to depress you," Dogonyaro went on. "If being a doctor isn't in the cards, then my job is to advise you of an alternatives."

"What alternatives Sir?"

"Suppose I know of a way where you could still do a lot of good for a lot of people and you'd make more money than a doctor could only dream of. And you wouldn't even have to finish your higher institution before Earnings such. What would you say to that?"

"Is it legal Sir?"

Director grinned. "As I said, it would do a lot of good for a lot of people."

Was he kidding me? "How Sir?"

Director leaned forward and rested his arms on his desk. "The mission of the ROYGBIV X ACADEMY is to discover our students' hidden talents and

encourage their developments."

I scoffed. "I have no talents."

"Oh yes, you have a gift. One that if properly developed could make a real difference in the world."

I touched my chest. "Are you talking about the dollar bill catching thing sir?"

He smiled again. It's the most I ever saw the short man smile at one time. "Will you trust me when I say that I have your best interest at heart?"

I wasn't sure but I said "Yeah, I trust you sir."

Dogonyaro opened his top desk drawer and pulled out a sheet of paper. He laid it on top of his desk and smoothed it out. "As soon as final exams are over, I want to send you on a mission."

Gan-gan-gan. A mission? TheNews went on missions. Would I be going somewhere with them? The thoughts hammered me instantly.

He continued, "I Consider it summer school to assist you in developing your gift."

"Summer school in Nigeria? Doing what there Sir?"

He slid the piece of paper over to me. I picked it up and found it full of dates and times and city names. "What is this Sir?"

"An airline itinerary," Dogonyaro said. "Over the summer, I'm flying you to Somalia to learn how to apply your gift. You'll be taking instruction from a very special Mentor, an Agent, he's one of us"

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