MEETING MR. POTTER

I checked my phone, and the time was four forty-two. 

Where is Eric and Tolu? I thought. Has the target arrived? Or has he changed his mind about coming? Did he turn around and scam us?

I stared across the road dividing the parking lot and the route leading into the airport. People moved in droves, like migrating ants, but Eric and Tolu weren't among them. Maria stood beside me, disturbing her phone and glancing across the road occasionally. She looked as unperturbed as a fed lioness walking among zebras. 

Four mobile policemen stood beside an armored vehicle parked adjacent to our position and they stood with their guns at the ready. If anything goes wrong, I don't see how we will be able to escape from them. I returned my eyes to the airport's entrance and tried to keep them at the back of my mind. 

What's keeping them? I thought again. It's five P.M. They have stayed for an hour; has something gone wrong?

'What's keeping them so long?' I said out loud. 'Do you think everything is okay?'

Maria raised her head from the screen of the phone and looked at me. 

'Relax,' she said, her voice admonishing. 'I am sure they are on the way. It's the delay at the immigration unit.' Her eyes returned to the phone. 'Relax.' 

I returned my eyes to the gate. More cars streamed in and out of the gate in a Lagos hurry, bringing and taking away the passengers. I saw that the security lights at the airport had come on, giving the building an instant bright look. Few cars passed through the gates now, an indication that most of the arriving passengers had been picked up and had left.

 Where are they?

A black Cherokee Jeep passed through the gate and then I saw the pink face before I saw Tolu and Eric. My heart leaped and ran with the energy of ten horses while my throat got drier. The trio crossed the road and walked toward us with Eric and Tolu speaking excitedly to the white man sandwiched between them like a president between his counsels.

'I told you they will be here,' Maria said, her eyes following the approaching men. A wide smile lit up her face. 

'The plan is working,' she said. 'It's working. America, here I come.'

Tolu carried a brown backpack in his left hand while Eric held the white man's hand. I looked at the man again and noticed he walked slowly, almost aimlessly. He looked like a man in his middle age, medium height and his midsection showed he needed to start exercising if he wanted a longer lifespan. He had dark brown tuft of hair covering his head and he wore a brown khaki trouser and a sky-blue T-shirt. I noticed the sides of his armpits were soaked with sweat. 

'Freedom at last,' Maria said, her voice trembled with excitement. 'Thank you, God. Oh, thank you.'

I could make out the shape of their faces as they drew nearer, and I saw that Eric kept turning to look at the white man. He did it two more times before they reached us.

'Mr. Potter, please meet my friends, Mr. Joshua and Miss. Abigail.' Eric said. 'They came to welcome you.'

Mr. Potter stretched out his pink hand and held Maria's hand. 'Please to meet you,' he said. His voice was low pitched, and the British accent was there. 

Maria murmured something in a British accent she conjured at that moment and Mr. Potter smiled and nodded. Then he turned his eyes on me and caught my attention. His eyes were droopy, even sleepy, but behind that look I saw a spark of intelligence. I felt an immediate discomfort; these eyes were in need of sleep, but they weren't the eyes of a fool. They had something in them that warned me to be careful while dealing with him. 

I took his extended hand and squeezed it gently, remembering that a white man's hand could be fragile. His hand was soft and sweaty, and I got the eerie feeling I was touching the back of a freshly caught eel. Then his grip tightened, and I felt like my hand was inside a vice. 

'Hello,' he said. 'Pleased to meet you.'

His eyes searched my face in that instant and the discomfort I felt grew higher. The eyes didn't just look at my face, they searched my soul.

'Welcome to Nigeria,' I said, loosening my grip. 'I hope you will have a pleasant stay.'

'Thank you,' he said, and release my hand. 'Thank you so much.'

'These are members of our staff,' Eric said. 'They are all here to welcome you.'

Mr. Potter smiled. 'Oh, thank you for coming. It's an honor to be in your country. I have heard so much about Nigeria and had looked forward to visiting. Well, it has happened today.'

'You are welcome,' I said again. 'Enjoy your stay in our country.'

Mr. Potter considered me. I felt the discomfort rising again at the back of my mind.

'I intend to,' he said, smiling. 'I intend to, indeed.'

'Can we move to the car, please?' Eric said, leading the way, still holding Mr. Potter's hand. I looked at Tolu, wondering why Eric was holding the man, but Tolu was looking at the mobile policemen. Eric and Mr. Potter walked in front, and we followed them. 

I pulled Tolu's arm. 'What kept you so long?'

'The man is having a health challenge,' Tolu said. 'I think he is sick.'

'What's wrong with him?' Maria whispered. 'His eyes seem dreamy—as if he will go to sleep at any moment.'

Tolu turned to her. 'We don't know what's wrong, but he was the last person to leave the plane and the last to leave the immigration unit.'

'What happened?' I asked. 'What kept him back?'

'Believe it or not, its sleep,' Tolu said. 'We leant that he slept throughout the flight and then he slept at the immigration unit. He came out of the Arrival gate supported by one of the air hostesses. It's as if he has sleeping sickness or something.'

I looked at Mr. Potter walking in front of us. His gait was unsteady and crooked.

'I hope his condition is not serious,' Tolu said. 'I don't want us to have a corpse in our hands before we go far.'

'Did you ask him if he was sick?' Maria said. 

Tolu sighed. 'That was the first thing Eric asked him after the greetings, but he said he was just tired. Jet-lagged was the word he used. But I think it's more than jet lag.'

Eric and Mr. Potter had gotten to the car by this time, and I gave Tolu the car's keys. He hurried and unlocked the car. Eric opened the back door for Mr. Potter. I moved to the back of the car.

'Tolu, the trunk,' I called out.

He came to the back of the car and opened the trunk. By the time I returned to the side of the car, Mr. Potter was seated in the back, directly behind the driver's seat. Eric sat beside him, and Maria joined them. Tolu took the driver's seat, and I sat in the passenger's seat. Tolu started the car.

'Are we going to the hotel?' Mr. Potter asked.

'Yes, to the hotel,' Eric said. 'Mr. Dominic will get us there in a moment.' 

I smiled. So, Tolu is now Mr. Dominic; Maria Miss. Abigail and I am Mr. Joshua. It's a good thing Eric thought fast to give us aliases. The target will give these names to the police at the end of the day, but it wouldn't help their investigations. 

We came out of the last gate, going pass the security men and I began to relax. Tolu followed the growing traffic and we headed toward Oshodi. 

'You have a beautiful city,' Mr. Potter said in the midst of a yawn. 'A very beautiful city indeed.'

'Thank you,' Eric said. 'Thank you very much.'

Mr. Potter yawned again and looked through the window. I wondered what he would say by the time he discovers he had become a hostage in "our beautiful city."

Tolu-alias Mr. Dominic- turned the car onto the Oshodi Expressway and stepped on the pedal. The car surged forward, riding into our plan, into our future, while taking Mr. Potter into bondage.