Chapter Twenty Four

After I stepped out of the hospital I decided to call Barak to know how far he got.

"Hello, Alexa!" He answers in the second ring.

"Hello Barak, how are you?" I greeted

"Am fine Alexa, I hope you are too," he answers

"Did you get anything at all from the school?" I ask while my heart started beating frantically.

"If you are not busy right now we can meet then I brief you in person. Its an interesting one." He answers

"Sure am not busy right now, so where do we meet?"I ask

"Pick a restaurant please am starving, we can have something while we discuss this theory," he says.

"Aberdares will be okay, do you know the place?" I enquired

"That's what Google maps are for right? I will be there in twenty minutes," he replies and hang up.

I called a taxi and headed to the aberdares. He was already there and I stepped in to join him.

Barak stood to hug me. How we got here from strangers to this kind of friends... I don't want to think about it much. Besides there was a time people were offering free hugs sometimes back. So maybe am in a free hugs spree too.

Oh wow! He smells great, I find myself inhaling the scent in bliss. He should leave his coat for me. He is in a pink coat, white shirt and white trouser.

"You smell divine," I complimented as we pull out of the embrace.

"Thank you, you looking good," he says too

"Now that am here I feel hungry. Have you ordered yet?" I ask

"Not yet, let me call the attendant," he signals a young man who was standing at the far end of the counter and he comes running.

"I will have beef stew and chapatti," I declared

"Well, wet fry and ugali for me," Barak says and the waiter takes off.

In twenty minutes we are done eating, just drowning our thirst with delmonte.

"So tell me everything," I started the conversation.

"Well, can you believe that Mercy was set to graduate? Like everything academic was great. She had never missed any session and moreover she was to receive an award for being the best student of the year? But she never came to clear nor pay for graduation. She just disappeared into thin air. The school head said he tried to reach her parents several times but they told him that their daughter never returned home from the last semester."

At this point I was clutching my glass tightly and anger was building up inside me. I had to do something to calm down.

"Excuse me for a minute Barak I need to use the bathroom," I faked a smile as I rose from my seat when he gives me the go ahead.

At the washroom I drained my tears in the sink for a whole five minutes. If I don't do this I will cause a big mess. So crying helps me calm down. When I lift my head to look at myself in the mirror,my eyes are bloodshot. Damn! Barak will suspect I had been crying so I wet my face and wiped the water. I will find an excuse if he asks.

"You took so long I almost came for you. Are you okay Alexa?" He asks concern written all over his face.

"Am okay Barak, kindly continue," I gave him an assuring smile.

Okay he said that according to other students she was last seen going to her hostel with a bunch of friends and roommates. The rest were known to be party people but mercy was reserved. She was purely academic oriented. The interesting part is that all of those friends seen with her graduated but Mercy just disappeared. They searched for her everywhere but never found any signs of her. So its not clear if she is still alive or she died coz there was no evidence of a body. It took toll on her mum because aparrently she had a stroke and since then she has never uttered a single word."

Damn! So mi mum is mute? This is so heart wrenching and I will destroy this bitches to pay for this. They should rot in jail. I need an appointment with Damon today. I should get prepared for this legal battle and by all means I have to get justice.

"Alexa are you sure you are not related to mercy in any way?" Barak brings me back from my zoning.

"Didn't they give you a picture of Mercy? She looks exactly like me and learning so much about her from you has just gotten me angry," I explained.

"Well, I can see that. Your hand is fisted and you look like you gonna hurt someone," he points out.

I look at my fisted hand my knuckles have turned red and for a moment I feels pain surge through me.

"So, I suppose you will go to her home next. But then her mother is mute, who will help you?" I ask calmly.

"I hope she has brothers and sisters who can assist at all. We need to find a closure for the family and the school as well. That way I will have done my job well." He says with a kind of passion that he actually loves his job.

"You know you should have been a CID officer," I told him on a lighter note

"Well, I double up as a private investigator that should be enough. I just find fulfilment in unravelling mysteries and bringing closure to things that need closure," he smiles.

"All the best with everything. Kindly keep me posted. Do you do live recordings with the witnesses?" I asked.

"That's part of my job. You know if I just quote them it might backfire on me so I let them speak for themselves so that it would be easier to refer to that in case they refuse in future which would be illegal for me. It will be their word against mine which complicates things most of the time with luck of evidence."

"That's great. Keep me posted. Got to go now I need to see someone before I go to work," I tell him rising and reached for my purse to pay fr the food and he is quick to stop me.

"Honey, I don't let a lady take care of my bills you should know that by now," he says with a serious face.

"Is it part of being a gentleman or to just satisfy your ego?" I raised my brows at him

"Well, its a little bit of both. It will make me comfortable knowing I took care of the bill," he pouts

''Well, me too honey I don't let people take care of my bills more than twice . so you are lucky this is the second time we are Dining together. Just know the next time which will be the third time, I will pay. So prepare your ego very well for that," I attack him.

He seemed to be shaken a little bit and am tempted to laugh but I should look serious just to intimidate him.

"Anyway thanks for the lunch just don't forget about what I said,".. He is kinda still in shock so I round the table and give him a peck before I catwalked out of the restaurant.

Am seated across the table from Damon. I called him immediately I got out of the restaurant where I left Barak.

"Alexa! I thought you lost my number, am glad you proved me wrong," he grins

"I told you, your time will come,you are so impatient," I told him.

"By the look of things though, this doesn't look like an old friends chitchat, so to what do I owe this pleasure?" He now looks serious. This man knows how to camouflage faster than a chameleon.

"You told me you are lawyer. So I need your legal advice on a case that is yet to be presented to a court of law." I went straight to the point too.

"Well am all ears. Did you commit a crime and you want to get away scot free?" He asks me with raised brows.

"Oh please, you know I can't even hurt a fly." I grin thinking at the back of my mind I can hurt more than just a fly.

"Okay, spit it out." He commands

"Its a case of a medical practitioner who messed up someone's life using drugs. Is it possible to revoke their license?"

"What? That's a very serious offense, if there is enough evidence it will be more than just revoking their license they will face a jail term of not less than 10 years," he explained with expertise.

"Well, that's so much but its worth it considering that they maybe doing other illegal activities all in the name of being a medic," I air out my thoughts.

"What did they do with the drugs exactly?" He asks

"They drugged someone and made them loose their memory completely. They don't even remember their name," I respond sadly

"Don't worry just get the evidence and all, I might be able to help," he tells me and I give him the most awesome smile I own.

"Thanks Damon, I have to go now am supposed to be at work in the next half an hour and I haven't gotten ready yet. Thanks for your time," I told him as rose from my seat.

"You owe me a complete date next time. I would like to know more about you. Honestly speaking, you interest me a lot," he says rising up too.

"Well, be careful what you wish for, it might come true," I told him patting his shoulder and turned towards the exit while he pays for his cup of coffee.

Today has been an amazing day and am quite happy things are looking so promising.

# #############

Am just coming back from the gym when my phone buzzes

"Barak!" I called out the moment I pick the call.

"Hello Alexa! Are you free right now we meet for the updates?" He asks

"Of course am free where do you want to meet?" I respond.

"Same place as last time won't be bad if its okay with you," says Barak.

"I can't complain, see you in a bit then," I hang up as I hurriedly rushed to the shower. This will be the shortest shower I will ever take but who cares anyway. Within minutes am ready. Am dressed in a pink floral dress with matching heels and a denim jacket. I look younger than my age someone might mistake me for a teenager but that's not my concern right now. I pick a random sling bag and made sure I carried whatever I will need there.

I sport my burner phone and reminds me that only mike used it to communicate and since his services are no longer of importance then the phone should also be kept so far away from reach.

I sport Barak as soon as I entered the restaurant. The guy really knows how to dress he should be a male model since he has a body to kill for too. He is in a khaki navy blue trouser and a denim long sleeved shirt that hugs his well built model body like it was specifically meant for it.

"Wow! You look gorgeous Alexa!" He exclaims as pulls me into a hug. If I said I hate hugs earlier then scratch that. I love hugs especially this one hug.

I don't realize that I clung to him until he clears his throat and I pull back completely embarrassed at what just happened.

"Sorry..." We both chorused at the same time and it makes us chuckle.

"You go first," he gestures as we take our seats.

"Sorry, I clung to you so much, I kind of enjoyed the hug maybe a little too much than appropriate maybe," I managed to say it in the most honest way possible.

"Its okay, for me, am sorry for cutting your moment a little bit too short," he says and adds a little chuckle.

"Okay now that both our sorries have been aired out we can get straight to the updates as we await for our orders to be taken," I declared.

Great, so I went to Mercy's home and at the mention of her name people became emotional I had to wait for a while for them to cool down before I could engage them in any conversation. One thing I noted though was that her siblings had very fond memories of her. Most was Noted she was the role model in her family and so they looked up to her in most things. You know like a kind of a saviour," he pauses.

"How is her mother?" I was dying to know her progress.

"According to the people who live there she has never improved since the disappearance of mercy its like she lost all hope. In fact they say she has lost a lot of weight since all she does all day is think. She can't move an inch without support. Her speech therapist gave up on her since by the look of things she doesn't want to accept the situation," this breaks my heart to pieces.

That woman was so cheerful she was my support system now I can't imagine her in such a situation. This thoughts brought tears to my eyes but I didn't allow the man in front of me to realize I was greatly affected by all these.

"That is so sad . I feel bad for that woman I hope things will get better for her soon," I cross my fingers hoping for the best.

"So your next move Barak is probably her roommates right?" I ask and he looks at me shocked.

"Are you a mind reader now or you are a private investigator wannabe," he narrows eyes cheekily at me.

"You should have me for keeps I might help you join some dots in a crucial case someday," I wink at him and cleared my plate of pilau.

I haven't seen the bad girls since the incident. They haven't been to the club and I wonder what they are up to. I have a feeling that it may be something bad that they are planning to do to me. Looks like am not done with Mark's services after all.

So after the chitchat with Barak I almost gave him the flash disk just to cut the long story short. I don't know if the girls will comply with whatever he wants but anyway its worth a try.

The club nowadays is kinda boring. Lee has been absent too since that time and I wonder what his problem is. Thinking of which I wonder how Carl is doing. He must be frustrated somewhere. I have been a bad friend of late I should go see Lee even if we weren't really in the greatest terms last time. I know he apologized but...he judged me and it kinda hurt more than it should have.

Maybe I should just give him a call. Its better that way he won't read any emotions.

"Hello Alexa!" He picked on the second ring.

"Lee, how are you?" I asked relieved that he sounded fine. I don't know what I would do if he wasn't.

"Am fine Alexa. How are you?" He asks

"Am okay too. Where did you go? I haven't seen you in a while," I enquire.

"I have just been around I have a lot of critical thinking to do lately," he says

"Does that include avoiding me somehow?" I asked.

"Hell no! Not at all Alexa. I can't afford to do that to you. I was just taking a breather. I know I should have called am sorry for that," he apologized.

"Its okay, how is Carl?" I asked

"He is not doing okay, he even took a leave from work and is trying to clear his head. The revelation took a toll on him. You know he had to cancel the engagement after planning everything. He is really not in a great shape," he explains and it breaks my heart more.

"Can I see him?" I asked.

"I was actually on my way to his place so you can tag along," he says that and I jump up in excitement.

"So where do I find you?" I ask

"Am waiting at the office parking lot. I was almost driving off when you called," he responds.

"Okay am on my way there. See you in a few,"I hang up and headed out immediately.

I waved a taxi and it sped to the hospital as per my instructions.

In less than twenty minutes I hopped out of the taxi, paid and I walked to Lee's car. He was leaning on his car deep in thought such that he didn't see me.

"Lee!" I startled him.

"Alexa!" It came out as a terrible whisper as he engulfed me in a needful hug that took so long I had to pull back.

"Are you sure you are okay Lee?" I had to ask.

Well, I am now that you are here," he gives me a small smile that couldn't reflect in his eyes.

He was sadder than I imagined. He looks more broken I wonder how Carl himself looks like.

"Shall we?" He opens the shotgun door for me and I hopped in. He closes my door and goes to the drivers side to open his door while I buckled up.

"Are you in a perfect condition to drive or you will zone out in the steering wheel?" I eyed him with concern

"Do you know how to drive?" He asks

"I do but I didn't go to any driving school so I don't have a license. I used to drive our supply van sometimes," I respond

"I will be careful," he says as he ignites the engine. I nod and off we hit the road. It took us approximately half an hour to reach his home. Carl's house was beautiful. One storey building with a nice and well kept garden. He was mowing the lawn when we drove in and Lee looked at him confused. He called one of the workers and instructed him to assist Carl take a break.

We watched as the worker walked up to him and asked to assist since hi had visitors that's when he turned to look at us. His eyes lightened up when he saw me and that was enough to make me sigh in relief. All along I had been wondering how he would react to my presence.

"Hey guys I need to freshen up before any greetings just give me a moment," Truly he was all sweaty he says as he bypassed us.

We walked to sit in the shed outside the house in a very green lawn it was breath taking. I walked a little further and picked a red rose. One of the many that was planted there.

I know Miriam wanted such. She was always obsessed with gardens that were well kept. Now she will have to miss all this.

Carl comes back looking fresh and all smiley. He was followed by a middle aged lady carrying drinks and snacks towards us.

"Now I smell better guys come on," He goes to Lee and gives him a brotherly hug while the lady lays the table for us and gives me a smile before she walks away.

"Alexa! Welcome to my humble home," he comes to hug me. A very very longing hug and I just didn't complain until Lee decides to clear his throat.

"Sorry I must have clung a little bit too tight," he pulls back and that a when I noticed tears in his eyes.

"Damn! Carl you are crying. What is going on?" I asked confused

I turn to look at Lee who is more confused than I am.

"Am sorry guys I kind of needed such a hug so badly and Alexa is only the other female I can hug comfortably aside from my mum and well..now my ex fiancé," he says the last part with a lot of difficulty and emotions.

"Am sorry you had to find out this late. But trust me you dodged a bullet. You deserve better, so take it easy," I pat him on the shoulder as we resumed our sitting.

Lee is just following what's going on without uttering a single word,

"Well am grateful that you finally thought about me," he says with a small smile.

"Can you believe that Lee here has been avoiding me since that day at his office?" I try to lighten the mood.

"What?" He gasps.

"Trust me if I didn't give him a call today he wouldn't still have talked to me," I glare at Lee

"And here I thought he was madly in love with you," he says and I almost choke on the glass of pineapple juice that was brought by the lady.

"I wouldn't call that love if I were you," I say after composing myself.

"Guys have you realized you are talking as if I was not present at this table?" Lee finally talks.

"You are here physically dude but mentally you might be in China otherwise you wouldn't be sitting there quietly and not saying anything at all," Carl attacks him.

"Still that's called gossip and its a bad thing," he defends himself.

"Damn! When did they change the meaning of gossip? I need to Update my dictionary Soon," I tease him and we all laugh.

''But seriously dude what's going on? You look like you were the one heartbroken and not me what's been on your mind lately?" Carl asks on a serious note

"Trust me I have no idea. I just developed trust issues since the discovery and its eating me up," he says blankly and I admit it hurts a little bit that he doesn't trust me.

"So is that the reason you have been avoiding me?" I asked and I could see guilt in his eyes before he looked away.

"Am sorry," he says as a tear rolled in his eyes before he quickly wiped it.

"Dude, you just made us a family of cry babies come on now," Carl begged and we all ended up laughing.

''Its okay Lee I don't blame you for being cautious I understand coz I have been there before. It just don't mean you should avoid people like that," I aired my thoughts.

The rest of the day passes well and we leave a happy Carl as we travelled back to our destinations.

Am at the club looking at myself at the mirror on the wall. Am set to perform any time from now. I have a feeling that its not going to be a great night tonight. I don't ignore my guts nowadays. I just became extra cautious.

"Is the queen ready?" Ryan startled me and I almost fell after jumping up in fright.

Damn I thought I had this. If he was the enemy I would be long dead.

"You scared the hell out of me," I remarked

"Oops! It's written all over your face. Is someone after you?" He asks concern written all over his face.

"Not really, why?" I throw a query back

"For a minute there I saw a scared Alexa, are you sure you are safe?" He asks and I get more scared. Maybe I should just take precaution just in case someone came here to attack me.

"Okay I have a feeling that someone might try to harm me tonight, can you kindly beef up security or scrutinize everyone coming here tonight? Especially suspicious faces?" I requested.

He wants to ask something but someone signals that its about time I get to the stage. So he decides to call in the head security for instructions.

"Mike be on the lookout for any suspicious looking goons tonight and inform all your boys. In case of anything make silent arrests don't make a scene. Might also not be one person so keep your eyes open for anything," he instructs and that calms me down for a moment.

"Thank you," I tell him as I put on my mask.

"Are you ready to do this?" He asks and I nod.

"Don't worry about anything, we got your back here okay? Just go do your best." He adds.

I confidently walk to the stage and took the mic. Two seconds of inhaling and releasing the tension then hit the notes so hard like my life depended on it.

Three hours later am done and as usual I left the audience thirsty for more. Its been my signature that keeps them coming for more.

As I head towards the back of the podium, the first person I meet is definately Ryan. He has this unreadable expression in his face that says everything is not okay. He gently pulls me to walk beside him. We walk straight to his office and he closes the door behind us before he could speak.

"Is everything okay Ryan?" I could no longer hide my curiosity.

"You were right," he blurts out

"Right about what exactly?" I asked confused

"Your life was in danger tonight, we caught two goons who were after you," he says this and I gasp loudly.

I slowly sunk to a nearby couch.

"You must have really pissed off someone to send goons with knives to stab you and a silencer to finish you off," he stresses the last part and I jump up in fright.

"Did you just say silencer?" I paced up and down his office in pure fear.

"Where are they? Did you arrest them? Did they say who sent them? How do they look like? Did they....?" Countless questions were flowing from my mouth i couldn't control it.

"Calm down Alexa you are safe already," Ryan comes and holds my hands then slowly led me back to the couch and sat me down.

"They are being held at the bunker and mike is questioning them, we need to know who sent them but you can tell me your side of the story while we await their confessions," he looks at me expectantly.

"I only have one suspect. Remember the girls who have been attacking me often here at the club? They must be the ones. If there is someone else then I have no idea about that. We have to find out soon,"I stood up and started heading for the door.

"You have to change your clothes here, I asked Lyn to bring your work clothes here for safety reasons," Ryan says

I looked at him blankly before he understood my nonverbal question. He gestured me to a different room and I headed there without a second thought and within a minute I was done.

We went to the bunker together. A place I never knew existed till today. We found three people guarding the entrance and Ryan requested to talk to Mike who was in charge of the criminal.

"Anything?" Ryan asked as soon as mike emerged from a closed room.

"We got a name Miriam, and aside from the killer tools we found this," he displays a picture of me at the counter serving

Damn! This definately means the person looking for You has been following you around enough to take your pictures. And who the hell is Miriam?" Ryan asked.

"She is the gang leader of the girls I told you about." I respond clenching my fist.

" I didn't know your grudge ran this deep. Why are they after you anyway?" He asks

"Am yet to find out but none the less am tired of those sets they will face the wrath of their ghost," I answered as I headed back to the club so pissed I felt like killing someone.

"Girl you look like crap. Aren't you supposed to be shining after performance as usual?" Trini accosts me.

"Not now Trini, I have a lot in my mind," I respond.

"Speaking of a lot, someone was here about an hour ago asking for you," she says and I get alarmed.

"Someone I know?" I ask

"I don't know if you actually know him. I have never seen him before. He kinda looked scary. He even had to fake a smile in order to ask me about you," she rolls her eyes

"What does he look like?" I was alarmed

"Skinny and rough were his outstanding features like he was from the ghetto," she says cringing.

I removed my phone and made a call to Ryan to send me the picture of the guys in the bunker.

A second later my phone dings with photos of people I had never seen before.

"Is he the one?" I showed Trini and she was shocked at the state he was in.

"What's happening girl? Why is he tied and bleeding like that? Did he do something wrong?" Her hands automatically flies to her mouth.

"Well, Trini, that guy was sent here to kill me. You know I don't do such scary friends. So what did you tell him?" I ask her giving her the no nonsense look.

"I told him that you were busy somewhere else and you will see him after you are done," she says and I feel relieved.

"I thought you rat me out. Nobody should know about the performance. It should be a top secret until I decide to let it out okay?" I pleaded with her.

"You can always count on me girl. I gatchew," she squeezed my arm.

"Thanks Trini, and where are the rest anyway?" I ask

"They went to the casino they should be back in a few," she responds and we get busy arranging drinks and wiping glasses.

##############

"Good morning Alexa, what should we do with the prisoners?"comes a text from Ryan.

"Keep them somewhere am opening a case on them." I text back.

I have just finished working out at the gym. My punches are more specific now. I don't miss a target.

"Hey Jim, do you know any place that offers training with guns and how to shoot?" I ask Jim my gym instructor.

"Whoa girl! Is your life in danger or something?" He answers back.

"Jim come on, you don't answer a question with another question you know?" I respond

"I may know someone,you want me to ask about it if you are interested?" He asks

"Yeah, it would be great if you do me that favour," I give him a signature smile

"Okay I will have the information tomorrow when you come back," he says before I disappeared.

I decide to call Mark to check on the whereabouts of Miriam.

"Mark, where are you?" He picks up immediately.

"Good morning to you too Alexa, you haven't learnt greetings yet I see huh,"he responds.

"Pardon my manners dearest Mark, my life is kinda in danger and you won't receive a call from me when am dead now don't you think?" I ask with sarcasm and he gets alarmed.

"Am sorry, how can I be of help?" He asks and I smile at that.

"My enemies are at work and I won't let them win. How about you keep an eye on Miriam for me? She is a pain in my ass now. She sent goons after me last night with a gun." I explain

"Okay am on my was to her workplace now" he says with a tone i in between angry and concerned.

"Thanks Mark keep me updated," I said and hung up.

I made another call, "hello Damon, I need your help. Can you make it to the club right now?"

"I suppose its an emergency if it doesn't begin wit greetings," he responds

"Yes it is, kindly come, I will explain later," I persuaded

"Okay I will be there in twenty minutes," we both hang up as I raced to take a shower and change of clothes.

Twenty minutes later we are at he club.

"What do we have here?" Damon asks as he looks at the crappy looking assailants.

"These are goons who were sent here to finish me off." I tell him an his jaw drops.

"This really was an emergency. Any names of the mastermind?" He asks

"Aparrently its the same medic I talked to you about earlier." I confidently said

"This case should be treated with immediate effect. Let me call my team to take care of this before we Take them to custody." He says as he moved to make calls.

Soon his team came got the necessary information and the Ryan called the police to take the criminals.