Chapter 18: Back To Nigeria.

The next day, Jason drove me to the airport. We said our goodbyes, and it surprised me how hard that was. He had been a stern task master but well-intentioned.

I learned discipline and how to be a fast drawer, and in the process, I learned a lot about myself.

In the end, I developed a great deal of respect for the man and sensed that l had earned his respect too.

Jason was the closest person I ever had as a father figure. If it weren't for my urgency in finding Ayo, I would've stayed at the ranch for the remaining day of the month.

When I arrived back in Kaduna, Nigeria, I took the bus to my apartment, cranked up the AC, and flopped onto my bed. I stared at the ceiling.

My senior year wouldn't start until next week. I needed to take advantage of the time remaining in my summer vacation to track down my brother.

I called Justice Bianca, told her I was back and that I would start looking for Ayo.

From her tone over the phone I knew this upset her. Five minutes after I hung up with her, Dr. Dogonyaro called and told me to meet him in his office. Obviously, Justice Bianca had called him immediately after our conversation.

l entered Dogonyaro's office. He greeted me with a handshake and asked me to sit in his leather visitor's chair.

Director sat and leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head. That had become his default pose. Two packages sat on his desk, a small flat one and a larger box. He pointed to the smaller one and told me to open it. A badge of two gold diamonds.

"Well done," Dogonyaro said. "Agent Jason had nothing but good reports about you. You've made me proud."

The award threw me off balance. "Thank you, Director for this," I held up the badge, "and for sending me away this summer. It did me great good."

"Pleased to hear that, Phood. School isn't only about book learning, you know. My job is also to help you.find yourself. I believe we are getting closer to that goal"

He asked me to elaborate on my summer break, so I gave him a short summary but left out details about the final exam of live ammo. I didn't think it would get Jason into trouble but didn't want to risk it.

Dogonyaro seemed pleased and glanced at the large box.

"Open it"

I peeled away the tape and opened the flaps.

Inside were a new leather gun belt, holster,a new S&W500 pistol and a rechargeable Laser sword.

Remembering I once saw him used it and asked him if I can possess one. He told me it's an unclassified rear weapon but he might consider it later if I promise to conceal it well.

"A gift from Agent Jason" Director said. I couldn't help it, the grin that formed on my face.

Pulling the six-shooter from its holster and holding it in my hand made me feel whole. Until then, I hadn't realized how much a part of me that tool had become. Like one of my hands, an extension of

myself.

"For now, you won't be able to keep these weapons in your apartment," he said. "We'll issue you a private locker at the academy's gun range where you can resume daily practice and maintain your skills."

"Gun range? I didn't know the academy had a gun range."

He pointed at the floor. "In the lower level. I haven't told you everything about the ROYGBIV X Academy."

What an understatement. "Take me there, and I'll show you how fast I am." I ventured.

Dogonyaro displayed a brief smile. "Not today, Phood, Something else I need to discuss with you. Your phone conversation with Justice Bianca."

I knew it.

"What about our conversation Sir?"

"She told me you wanted to search for Ayo in your old neighborhood. Give us some credit, Phood. We

figured your brother would return to an area familiar to him. It's the first place we looked. The authorities talked to people there. We didn't find him."

That statement made me laugh. "With all due respect, you need to give me some credit too Sir. Snitches don't survive long in that hood. The authorities have no clue who the players are. I know Ayo's acquaintances. I know who and who to go see."

Dogonyaro didn't get angry or annoyed. "I admit you have native intel which gives you an edge." He unclasped his hands and leaned forward. "Okay, Phood, I'll think about it. Maybe I'll have Ibrahim go with you."

Ibrahim? TheNews? I wouldn't get anywhere having Ibrahim tag along. He would intimidate people. For all they knew he would be a Police. No, Ibrahim would be a liability for what I had to do. I had to go solo. The other problem with Dogonyaro's plan was his wanting to search for Ayo during the daytime. The Owl needed to see only came out late at night.

When I returned to my apartment, I came up with a plan. My search had to take place that night. Ayo might already be in big trouble, and I couldn't afford to wait any longer. The last Abuja bus left the popular bus park around six.

I changed into black jeans and a black hood leather sweater. For no concrete reason, I took the laser-sword that looked like an ordinary jack knife.

The trip went without a hitch.

I got off at my old neighborhood bus stop. The place hadn't changed in the time l'd been away.

The air beside the street hung heavy with Petrol fumes and generator exhaust, the sidewalks littered with trash, and the alleys reeking of urine. The apartment where Ayo and I had lived with Mama still stood in ruin, a burned-out hulk. The adjacent buildings looked as if they would crumble during the next wind storm.

It didn't take long for me to become dejected, because I didn't see a single familiar face.

But I figured Ayo would find comfort in the familiarity. Where could he be?

I looked for hours, talked with street drug dealers, kids playing, night Snooker, and checked around the Salons and bars I knew about. I got the

answers I expected. Either they knew nothing or told me to get lost.

Around twelve midnight, a white Volkswagen Gulf 3 pulled to the lot in front of a bar I've been monitoring.

The driver door opened and unvailed Akpai.

Finally, someone familiar. He wore a silk dress shirt and a loosed necktie and a bandana tied around his head.

Wearing a red bandana wasn't surprising, it was the necktie. That was new.

I straightened and remembered Jason's rule number two, looked around, and assessed the situation.

Sauntering across the street, trying to appear relaxed.

I called out Akpai. Didn't want to sneak up on him so as to avert a punched or worse. I'm not in the mood for the slightest fight.

Akpai faced me and took his time studying me. "Man, are you a ghost?"

"It's me Runso."

He scratched the side of his face. "You've been gone so long I thought you were dead."

The Car door still hung open. I craned my neck to glance inside. "So, you're still in Business?"

His expression grew serious. "Look, man, you don't pop into my life from no where and start asking me questions like that?"

I faced him. "I'm no Police, Akpai."

"Is that you, Phood," I heard someone ask from inside the Car. A woman slid across the seat and into view, a fair girl, I remembered her face, her name was Mary, among the smartest of my classmates then.

She pulled on the person beside her and another face slid into view from the dark recesses of the car.

Another scantily girl wearing a red wig whom I didn't recognize at all popped out her face "he's so cute!" She commented staring at me.

Turning back to face Akpai, I said, "Looks like you have upgraded your game too."

Akpai grabbed my shirt and yanked me away from the car. "What do you want, Phood?"

"My brother, Ayo, Have you seen him?"

"Yeah, I've seen him."

My heart started racing. I raised my voice. "Tell me where he is."

Akpai stood erect and balled his fists. "How 'bout you show me some respect. I don't respond well to

yellings."

I took a calming breath. "Sorry. I meant no disrespect.

Just asking for your help"

He relaxed. "That's better. Look, man, forget about your brother. He's a dead man walking."

My heart began thumping in my chest. "What's that supposed to mean?'"

Akpai scanned the street before continuing. "About a week ago, Ayo showed up looking for his old friend, Bobby. That kid got busted a while back and is serving hard jail term.

Samson then took over your brother. The street gave him the opportunity to run it. As I'm speaking to you now, that fellow runs this neighborhood now.

Everything goes through him. Even, l have to pay him a percentage of my street proceeds monthly According to the rules. Anyway, the point is that Ayo ran a few errands for him around town. But two nights ago, Samson sent him on a bigger job to pickup some huge sale cash from a client."

I squeezed shut my eyes guessing how this story would end.

Akpai went on. "Your brother ghosted with five digit worth of Samson's cash. I pity the fool when Samson finally catches up with him."

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I couldn't remember much about the bus ride back to my apartment. My thoughts were with Ayo. How could my brother be so stupid? Of course, I knew the answer. He was too young, too naive, and he had never seen so much cash in his life. The temptation overwhelmed him.

To Ayo, Seventy thousand naira must've seemed like all the money in the world.

Samson wouldn't be able to let it slide. If he did, he'd lose street respect, and all of his other future runners would get the same idea. Akpai had been right by saying that Ayo was a dead man walking. His only chance would be if I found him first.

My plan was to tell Director Dogonyaro and ask him if TheNews could help me out. When l got back to my apartment around Five in the morning, I found a type-written note taped to my door.

It reads;

Runso, When you return, come to my office immediately.

Dr. Dogonyaro.

I figured he had put the note on my door after I left the evening before, because he wouldn't be in his office this early.

I napped a couple hours of restlessness and took a shower.

Ate cornflakes for breakfast. Showed

up in Directors office just before nine a.m.

He told me to enter and pointed for me to seat.

I sat.

Before I could open my mouth, he stood at my side and launched into me. "Just because you were away from here this summer does not mean your sentence has been commuted. You are still an adjudicated delinquent until you graduate.

The next time you leave campus without permission, you'll serve the rest of your time in a real prison. Do you understand?"

Frankly, I didn't care given the stakes were so much higher for my brother than prison. Then again, I reasoned that I wouldn't be able to help him if l were locked up. "Yes, sir" I responded belatedly.

Dogonyaro walked to his chair and sat. "Despite your impression, I'm disappointed in you, Phood"

"Sorry. It won't happen again. I was worried about Ayo"

He held out a hand for me to stop, interrupting before I could tell him what went down.

"Ayo is the reason why I came looking for you last night. It's why l left you the note."

I felt a twinge of hope. "You found him?"

"Not exactly, but I have something to show you." Dogonyaro swiveled his computer monitor so that I could

see it and started a video clip. He explained, "Security footage from the Gwagwalada Red bus terminal"

The video showed people queued in line at a ticket window. My breath caught as I saw Ayo hand over

some cash and receive a ticket in return.

The police interviewed the ticket attendant,"Dogonyaro said. "The attendant handled so many people that he doesn't remember Ayo's destination. Since it was a

cash transaction, there is no paper trail.

"We have to talk to all the drivers. Maybe one of them could remember."

Dogonyaro sighed. "Already did that. Nobody can recall who's Ayo."

My fear, frustration, and anger produced a teardrop that treked down my left cheek. "What do we do now?"

Dogonyaro shrugged. "I'm sorry, Phood, Right now your brother could be anywhere within Abuja or anywhere within the nation at large, and

it's obvious that he doesn't want to be found."

I sank my face onto the desk.