LONDON BRIDGE

I dragged Mr. Potter backward and we staggered to the middle of the sitting room. Eric followed us into the house. Sweat dripped down my armpits and Mr. Potter's pink skin felt damped in my hands. 

'Tolu, pull him up,' I shouted. 'He'll fall.'

But Tolu eyes were on Dracula and Joseph, and he couldn't move. I staggered with Mr. Potter toward the closest chair. 

'Blimey,' Mr. Potter said all of a sudden, and held the chair.

'Sit!' I said, panting.

'I'm alright,' he said, 'Let me go; I can sit by myself.'

'Nice...nice...house,' Dracula said, his eyes moving round the walls. He strutted around the room, walking like he owned the house. 'The...the…owner must be…must be…rich.'

Nobody doubted or agreed with his statement. He walked on, stopping to look at frames and other memorabilia pasted on the wall. Eric and Joseph watched me with unfriendly eyes.

'How did you get in?' Tolu asked at last. He stood close to the corridor leading to the kitchen.

Joseph laughed. 'Oh, you will be surprised how many gates money can open.'

Eric turned to me. 'Where were you taking Mr. Potter?'

I shrugged. 

'What are you up to, Paul?' he asked. 'Are you trying to get him away from me?'

'No,' I said. 'We wanted to change location.'

Joseph uttered a short laugh. He had nothing in his hand, but I could see the bulge on his waist and knew the gun was within his reach.

'You want to change location,' Eric said, tapping his hand on the side of his thigh. 'And you will let me know when you get there, right?' 

'Tolu's uncle could come back anytime,' I said. 'We didn't want him to meet him here. So, Tolu suggested we move him to another house his uncle has at the outskirt of Ajah. I thought it will make a better hideout for Mr. Potter.'

Eric smiled, but the smile did not get to his eyes. 'A better hideout, wow! And you wanted to get there before I know about it, right?'

'That's the intention,' I said simply. I looked at Dracula and Joseph and turned to Eric. 'Why are they here?'

Eric took a couple of steps forward. ''Never mind why they are here,' he said. He kicked Mr. Potter's bag that had fallen off my shoulder from his path. The bag flew across the room and stopped at the bottom of one of the chairs. 'I should kill you for trying to double cross me.'

'It's not a double cross,' I shouted. 'Why would I double cross you? I don't want the money.'

'Wh...at?' Dracula said. 'You...don't want ...the...the...money? Why...why...why...are you here?'

'Paul had a change of mind,' Eric said. 'He has a conscience problem, and he wants out. I told him to wait until the deal is done but he seemed to have a problem with that.' Eric took another step forward. 'You are trying to set Mr. Potter free, aren't you?'

Mr. Potter's gentle snores rose and fell with the dull sounds of the horns from the express way—the only sounds disturbing the silence that overcame the room. 

Dracula stood in front of me. 'Where...where...is...is...the place?' He stood so close to me I could see the center of his head covered by sparse, graying hair.

 He is in his late forties, I thought. Or early fifties; it's getting late for him.

'Where...where...are you...you... taking him?' he asked.

'It's in Ajah,' I said. 'Tolu knows the place.'

'Did... did...you say it's iso...iso...isolated?' he asked.

'Tolu is here,' I said, 'ask him?'

Joseph stepped toward me then and his hand rose up. 'Answer the question!'

'Stop,' Dracula shouted.

Joseph palm stopped a few inches away from my cheek.

 'Leave...leave him,' Dracula said.

Joseph nodded and retraced his steps. 

Dracula shook his finger at me. 'Be care...ful. Be very care...care...ful.' He turned to Joseph. 'We...we will go there,' he added. 'The uncle must not...not re...re...return and...and find us here. '

'It's all a lie,' Eric said. 'Tolu's uncle is not coming back this week. They are lying.' 

Dracula said: 'It...it...doesn't matter; we will...go...go to the new place ins... instead.'

I turned to Eric. 'What do you want to do with Mr. Potter?'

'It's none of your business,' Eric said. 'You have chickened out and you are out of the deal. I work with Dracula now and we will get the ransom and start our lives while you go back to your mom and remain under her tutelage for as long as you want.'

Joseph laughed. 'You stay with your mama? That's awesome boy; that's awesome. Okay, you heard the boss; everybody, get moving.'

'Let Tolu stay,' I said. 'You have Mr. Potter and I, what do you need him for?'

Dracula stopped by the door and turned. 'Every...one is coming; or Jo...Joseph will spill his...his brain on...on...on the floor.'

Joseph came forward and stood in front of Tolu. He pulled the gun from his waist and pointed the nozzle on his forehead. 'You heard the boss,' he said. 'Move or I will turn you into a jelly.' 

Tolu nodded and moved toward the door. 

'Come back,' Joseph said to Tolu. Then he turned to me. 'The two of you, help Mr. Potter up and take him outside. Move!'

Tolu and I moved to the settee. 

I woke Mr. Potter. 

He opened his eyes and stared at me. 

'Get up,' I said and held his arm.

'Where are we going?' he asked.

'To the London Bridge,' Joseph said in a mocked British accent. 'You know the London Bridge, don't you? That's where we are going to. I hope it will still be standing by the time we get to it. After all it was built with iron bars, wasn't it?'

Mr. Potter stood up. 'Hold him Tolu; let me get his bag.'

Tolu guided Mr. Potter toward the door, and I picked the bag. We walked out of the door with Joseph trailing behind. I saw their jeep parked in the compound and was surprised at how they came into the compound without any of us hearing them.

We got to the jeep and stopped.

Joseph dragged Mr. Potter from Tolu and I and pushed him toward the back of the jeep. 

'You are staying here,' he said and lifted the boot. He shoved Mr. Potter inside and closed the boot. He ushered Tolu and I to the back of the jeep. The third member of the gang, Bayo, sat behind the wheel. Dracula sat in the front while Eric and Joseph squeezed Tolu and I in the middle. 

'Let's...let's go,' Dracula said. 

Bayo started the car and the guard appeared out of nowhere and opened the gate. As we drove away, I wondered again how they brought the jeep into the compound without a sound. Then I remembered Joseph said they gave the guard a tip. I looked at the guard now and he was smiling as if his test result just came in and it showed he was Covid-19 negative.