Chapter Ten

Timi and Jane jolted awake at the sound of shouting and the splintering of wood as the door was axed down. Now, the unmistakable exchange of gunfire between Abdul, Evans, and his men left no doubt: something terrible was unfolding. They just couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"Could the police have found this place?" Jane whispered, her voice laced with trepidation.

"I wouldn't know," Timi replied, pressing his ear against the door, straining to catch the frantic shouts and rapid gunfire.

"He has the bunch of keys and the rifle!" Roja's voice cut through the commotion.

"Go to the left, beside the jeep; you should be able to get him down from there!" Evans barked, his instructions sharp and urgent.

Abdul remained crouched behind the drum, ceasing fire to conserve his limited ammunition. He carefully

peeped out,

studying his enemies' positions. He couldn't risk

wasting a single bullet, unsure how many rounds were left in either weapon.

Then, as if a conductor had abruptly silenced an orchestra, the gunfire ceased from both sides.

Abdul, still shielded by the metal drum he'd dragged with him, continued to observe his abductors from behind the fence. If only I could climb this fence fast and jump over, I'd be free, he thought. The barbed wire looked menacing, possibly electrified, but he knew jumping was his only shot at escaping the kidnappers' compound alive.

From inside, Timi caught snippets of the yelling and understood. It was the boy from the other room; he'd engaged the kidnappers in a fight.

"It's the boy. He escaped," Timi informed Jane, his voice a hushed urgency.

Stepping backward from the door, Timi's foot brushed against something. He looked down. It was a piece of paper, stained with blood. He stared at it for a moment.

"What is this?" he murmured, picking it up. A key fell from inside the folded paper.

"It's a note, written in blood!" Timi exclaimed, walking back to the bed and reading aloud, "Danger! Rape loading. Run if you can!" He looked at Jane. "It's from the boy."

Jane's heart began to pound, the words of the bloody note echoing ominously in her mind.

Abdul remained resolute, muttering to himself, building his courage.

"Red Eagle! No mercy for the enemy! Red Eagle! No mercy for the enemy!" he chanted, preparing himself for sudden action.

"If any of you moves closer, I will gun him down! I am ready to die here, but before I do, one or two of you must go down first!" he bellowed, his voice echoing towards the men who had stopped shooting, each scrambling for cover. Luke-the-Dude had crawled to the SUV, and just as Evans had predicted, he had a clear view of the metal barrel. Abdul, still stooping, could see Luke-the-Dude's legs exposed beneath the SUV's tires. He decided to aim for him, hoping to create an opening to quickly climb the barrel.

He fired a shot at Luke-the-Dude, and with a stroke of luck, the bullet struck Luke-the-Dude in the ankle.

"Aaaaarrrh!" Luke screamed in agony.

He crumpled but swiftly pushed himself up, dragging his injured leg back. The pain was excruciating, but he managed to pull himself behind the tire rims.

Abdul quickly scaled the barrel, flung the bag of money over the fence, and prepared to jump. Despite his pain, Luke-the-Dude struggled to aim his gun.

Fortuitously, Abdul moved at the precise moment Luke-the-Dude pulled the trigger. The bullet missed Abdul's back but grazed his shoulder. Even so, he vaulted over the fence, landing hard on his already wounded shoulder.

"Aaargh!" He let out a primal groan, like a wounded lion, and fought desperately to stand.

Crawling and groaning, he frantically scooped the four bundles of money that had spilled out back into the bag, grabbed it, and bolted into the field.

Like a pack of hunting dogs chasing a rabbit, Roja and Evans sprinted after him.

"No! Stay behind; we'll go after him," Evans instructed Luke-the-Dude.

Without a moment to lose, Roja and Evans climbed the wall using the barrel, just as Abdul had, and leaped over the fence. They spotted him nearing the hills. They fired a few warning shots, saving their remaining bullets for the inevitable confrontation, and resumed their relentless chase.

The town was six kilometers away, and they were confident Abdul wouldn't make it that far.

Timi and Jane could no longer hear gunshots, leaving them guessing about the compound's current situation. They were sure the key they held, labeled "VIP," belonged to their room, but they had to be certain.

Timi quietly approached the door, pressing his ear against it, listening for any sign of the kidnappers. Hearing nothing, he inserted the key into the keyhole and turned it to the right. Like magic, the door unlocked. He immediately locked it back.

Luke-the-Dude, near the main entrance just a short distance from the VIP room, thought he heard a click from their door when Timi tried the key. Despite his pain, he limped over and tried to open it, only to find it locked.

The pain in his ankle was agonizing; he suspected the bones were shattered. He was bleeding heavily and gasping for breath, yet he needed to confirm the hostages were still inside. Between groans, he tapped on the door and called out, "Hello, guys."

"Hello, sir, good morning," Timi replied, standing at the edge of the bed beside a worried Jane.

"Hope nothing is wrong?" Timi ventured.

"Nothing serious. Everything's under control; I'm just checking on you," Luke-the-Dude replied, his voice clearly betraying his discomfort.

Afterward, he dragged himself to the Executive room, which Evans used as an office and bedroom, searching for painkillers and something to tie his bleeding leg with.

He knew a drawer held a variety of medications. He limped into the room adjacent to the VIP room, and Timi and Jane could hear his groans, confirming the man outside was wounded.

Luke-the-Dude found the Paracetamol bottle in the drawer. He took four tablets instead of the usual two and gulped them down with water from Evans's desk. Continuing his search, he found a bottle labeled "Iodine." He uncapped it and poured the contents onto his bullet wound. He groaned loudly and cursed Abdul as the liquid hit his raw flesh. He then limped back outside the building and sat on the ground beside the main entrance. He remained there.

About ten minutes later, his phone vibrated and began to ring. He pulled it from his pocket; it was Evans.

"Hello!" he answered.

Timi, who was contemplating how he and Jane could escape, quickly moved to the door when he heard the phone. He pressed his ear against it, trying to make out the conversation.

"Okay, ammunition, as much as possible. I'll bring the box then," Luke-the-Dude replied.

"What about the girl and the nurse?" Luke-the-Dude quickly added before Evans ended the call.

"Are they not still locked in the room? The stupid boy has the bunch of keys with him here. Come quickly with the car," Evans instructed.

"Which side of the field are you on?" Luke-the-Dude asked.

"Okay! In between the two hills? Alright! I'm coming right away," he said. Timi, eavesdropping, heard every word loud and clear.

"Jane! Grab your credit card and the earphone. We're leaving soon!" Timi informed her.

Jane sprang up instantly and did as instructed.

They both slipped on their sneakers, ready to bolt at any moment. Jane glanced at her wristwatch; it was 4:15 AM. She never imagined she'd face a battle like this on her trip and felt a surge of pity for herself. She'd never been violent in her life, except during martial arts training. This might be the first time I'll truly need my knowledge of Judo and Karate, the thought crossed her mind as she tried to remain calm and confident.

Sitting on the floor and chanting softly, Timi watched her in amazement. It was the first time he'd seen her do anything like this. She was murmuring something inaudible, like the buzz of honeybees. It must be yoga, Timi thought.

He walked back to the door and listened for any sounds or footsteps within the compound, remaining there, still eavesdropping. Jane, her meditation brief and sharp, was now standing right behind him.

Surprised to feel Jane's hand on his shoulder so soon, Timi asked, "Are you set already?" She nodded.

Luke-the-Dude started the Mercedes Benz engine. The ammunition box lay on the back seat. Forgetting that the gate was still closed and the key was with their escaped captive, he drove to it only to find it locked.

"Ah! The bastard has the key!" he cursed, hastily getting out. He limped back for the axe, then used it to break the gate's lock. After that, he scrambled into the car and drove out of the compound.

When Timi heard the car pull away, he summoned his courage and inserted the key into the keyhole. He turned it, and the door unlocked. He cautiously poked his head out, seeing only the broken main entrance door. He looked left and right, then motioned for Jane to follow. They both bolted out. Seeing the open sky for the first time since her abduction, Jane felt an overwhelming wave of gratitude. She slid into the taxi after Timi and watched him start the engine.

Surprised that the battery worked perfectly, Timi smiled. He'd been wrong to think the car wouldn't start immediately.

Hurriedly, he put the car in reverse and drove out of the compound.

Being new to this wilderness area of the city, he didn't know how far it was to town or which way to go. But he spotted a stony, sloping road a few meters away, cutting through the area. He drove down the rocky terrain to join it.

Jane sat beside him, her own heartbeats almost audibly pounding in her ears. The situation was unpredictable and precarious.

As he drove down the sloping road, Timi remembered Luke-the-Dude mentioning "in between the two hills." Upon reaching the main stony road, he scanned for closely grouped hills. Far to the left, two hills stood like twins. The other three nearby hills were solitary, their silhouettes stark against the dark gray, moonlit sky. Mindful of not alerting the kidnappers to his car's movement, he engaged neutral gear, allowing the engine to remain quiet as the car descended the slope. He could see Luke-the-Dude's Mercedes Benz in the distance, its headlights blazing. A truck was approaching from behind his taxi, its headlights threatening to expose them. For this reason, he slowed down, letting the truck pass. Then, he put the car in gear, tailing closely behind the truck with his headlights off.

Abdul was hidden on one of the twin hills, concealed beneath a pile of rocks. Evans and Roja had chased him there. It was clear they didn't want him alive, judging by the barrage of bullets aimed at him whenever there was movement in the bushes. They continued to scour the rocks and bushes for him.

He refrained from firing without a clear target, suspecting his pistol's ammunition might run out before he could take down one of his pursuers. If only he could use the rifle he possessed, he could have eliminated both men. But, after trying it without success, he stuck with the pistol for now—the only firearm he knew how to use. Holding his fire for the moment was about conserving ammunition, ensuring he had enough to confront his enemies when it mattered most.

He heard the approach of a vehicle and felt a surge of relief. Vehicles rarely frequented this wilderness route; this was the first sound of one since his battle with his abductors began. He emerged from his hiding spot to see which side of the road the vehicle was coming from. Taking a few steps between the piles of rocks, he poked his head out and watched the vehicle approach the hill from the direction of the kidnappers' den. Its headlights illuminated the sloping road as it neared the foot of the hill, and the sound of its tires on the rough terrain was like corn kernels cracking in a mill. He noticed the car wasn't alone; another vehicle, a truck judging by its large headlights and engine sound, was following some meters behind it.

Abdul quickly decided to flag down either vehicle for a lift. This meant he had to run down the hill to succeed. Pain shot through his left leg and shoulder, hindering his movement slightly. He limped as he walked. The bullet wound on his shoulder had bled for a while before clotting, and the pit bull's bite on his right leg still throbbed. But as the Capone of the Red Eagle Confraternity always said—"impossibilities are made possible by the will to survive in the face of danger"—he hadn't given up and wouldn't. That quote was playing out in his life as he fought his abductors to stay alive.

Ready to approach the upcoming vehicles, he suddenly sprinted down the hill, stumbling twice. Roja and Evans, still searching for him on the other side of the hill, heard the vehicle. Roja looked down from the hilltop and recognized Luke-the-Dude. He called out to let him know their location:

"Hey! Luke! This way! This way!" Roja shouted, his voice echoing through the valley.

Abdul was almost at the base of the hill when he heard the shout. Seeing the car pull up at the foot of the hill, he thanked his lucky stars; he had almost walked right into the hands of his enemies. If he had known it was the kidnappers' car, he probably wouldn't have left his hiding place.

For safety, he decided to run farther ahead, opposite the direction the car had come from, deeper into the rocks and bushes. He ran until he found a rock large enough to shield him from his enemies at the base of the hill, waiting for the truck approaching him.

Luke-the-Dude had stopped the car where he heard Roja's shout. He drove five meters off the road onto the stony field, waiting for Roja and Evans to join him.

Timi and Jane saw the kidnappers' car pull up by the roadside in the distance. The car's headlights illuminated the area, and as Timi's car drew closer, they could see the kidnapper holding a wooden box beside the car. Timi's car continued to tail the truck without its headlights on, remaining unnoticed in the dark valley.

Putting their heads together, Jane and Timi agreed to overtake the truck when it got really close to Luke-the-Dude. Then, Timi flicked on the headlights and changed gears.

Luke-the-Dude saw the truck pass by and noticed a car following behind it. He shifted his attention to the approaching vehicles, leaning against the Mercedes Benz's hood.

He couldn't have suspected it was their captives' car approaching, as the only key to the VIP room, where they were locked, was supposedly on Abdul's keychain. He turned his attention back to Roja and Evans, who had emerged from the bushes a few meters away.

Abdul had run almost thirty-five meters from where Luke-the-Dude parked the car and saw the truck nearly upon him. As the truck approached his hiding spot, he prepared to emerge and wave it down. He also noticed a car coming behind it.

The car had its high beams on, had already overtaken the truck, and sped past Luke-the-Dude's position, now nearing Abdul.

The moment the car passed Luke-the-Dude, he spotted the Bob Marley sticker on its rear. The realization hit him: it was the taxi of the hostage in the VIP room. Like a town crier, he screamed at the top of his voice to alert Roja and Evans.

"The Nurse! And the girl have escaped! Come quickly! Come quickly!" he yelled, and the surrounding hills and valleys amplified his voice.

His voice echoed through the valleys. In no time, Evans and Roja reached him. He was already behind the wheel, the car engine started, ready for the chase of his life.

Before emerging from hiding, Abdul had found a cluster of rocks not far from his position. He'd thrown the bag of money he carried into its midst, then rolled a rock over it to conceal it.

"I will come back for you later," he muttered.

After this, like a child playing hide-and-seek, suddenly jumping out to say, "Here I am," he sprang from the bush onto the roadside and flagged down the car. The car's headlights illuminated him, and Timi recognized him. He slammed on the brakes, and the car screeched to a halt for Abdul to get in.

Now, the truck was between Timi's car and their abductors'. Luke-the-Dude began searching for a way to overtake the truck, and after a while, he succeeded. The car he drove was now twenty meters behind the taxi in front of them.

Timi and Jane were overjoyed to see Abdul alive, and he, in turn, was pleased they had seized the opportunity to escape. He was glad they were the ones who rescued him.

"They're coming after us! I have two weapons here, but I only know how to use one. The rifle here is loaded, but I don't know how to use it!" Abdul announced urgently.

Panicked that their enemies were closing in, he flinched as bullets whizzed past. Timi, however, drove in a zigzag pattern, expertly dodging the shots.

"Bring it, let me see," Jane said, and Abdul quickly unslung the rifle from his shoulder, handing it to her.

Timi pressed on, driving as fast as the rocky road allowed. The rough terrain hindered both them and their pursuers.

"Do you still have the strength to engage these idiots in a shootout?" Jane asked, turning to Abdul.

"Yes, of course," he replied, watching Jane expertly cock the rifle and fire a shot into the air.

Timi and Abdul stared, astonished by her actions.

"Where did you learn to use that?" Timi asked.

"You'll know after the end of this movie!" Jane replied with a hint of sarcasm.

A faint smile touched Timi's lips as he continued driving. He realized there was much he still didn't know about the woman beside him, and he eagerly anticipated uncovering every facet of her.

"After you navigate that bend, beyond those piles of rocks, Timi, slow down for me and Abdul to get down, then drive off," Jane instructed Timi, and he nodded.

"Please be careful," Timi said, his voice laced with fear and concern.

"Abdul! Take the left side, and I'll take the right! When that car gets close, we both aim for the driver!" she commanded Abdul like a seasoned team leader. Indeed, she had already become a superwoman figure to Abdul in the way she handled the rifle. Abdul heard her and nodded in agreement.

Luke-the-Dude kept his eyes fixed on the car ahead, driving as if in a race, trying to close the gap. Roja and Evans reloaded their guns, ready for the final showdown. If the captives reached town, it would mean the end of their cartel, as their hideout would be exposed. They had to be stopped at all costs.

A bend lay not far ahead. The taxi rounded the curve and vanished from sight, only to reappear almost three minutes later. It was 6 AM by Jane's watch. The sky was brightening, improving visibility.

Luke-the-Dude and his colleagues reached the bend and had driven only two meters further, still firing at the zigzagging car in front of them, when suddenly, like a torrential storm, bullets rained down on them from both left and right. Roja and Evans ducked to avoid being hit, but Luke-the-Dude took bullets to the chest and neck, rendering him unconscious. He lost control of the steering wheel, causing the car to veer off the road and crash into a cluster of rocks. A sudden silence fell over the scene.

Timi heard the gunshots and the crash and immediately pulled over. He quickly got out and watched the scene from a distance.

"Throw out your weapons by the left side of the car and come out by the right with your hands clasped behind your heads," Jane yelled from behind a group of rocks.

Abdul watched keenly from behind the pile of rocks where the kidnappers' car had crashed, keeping a close eye on the men inside the wrecked vehicle.

A tense silence hung in the air for several seconds. The truck that had been following the kidnappers' car had pulled over at the sound of the gunfire, its occupants watching the unfolding events from afar.

When Evans and Roja showed no signs of movement, Jane unleashed another volley of gunshots onto the vehicle. The windscreen shattered like cymbals, showering the two remaining occupants with glass. Evans and Roja remained frozen, uncertain what to do.

"Throw out your weapons! And come out with your hands behind your heads!" Jane repeated, enunciating each word slowly.

"If you don't come out by the count of three, consider yourselves dead!" Abdul threatened.

"One! Two!..." Jane counted. At the mention of "two," Evans and Roja tossed out their guns. Slowly, they opened the car doors, emerging with their hands raised above their heads, standing beside the wrecked vehicle.

"Walk out to the roadside," Jane commanded.

"Every one of your steps and actions is being watched. Any attempt to play a trick will send you to hell. Trust me!" Jane threatened.

Evans and Roja walked helplessly to the roadside. As Roja walked, he limped, his trousers soaked in blood from a bullet wound in his thigh from Jane's rifle.

Jane signaled to Abdul to retrieve the weapons Roja and Evans had discarded, and he complied.

Watching from afar, and seeing that his team had everything under control, Timi reversed the car and pulled up near the crash site. Abdul removed his shirt, tore the remaining sleeve into shreds, and used it to bind their abductors. Evans's and Roja's hands were tied behind their backs, and they were made to share the front seat beside Timi, who was driving the taxi. In the back seat, Jane and Abdul held guns, keeping their former captors—now captives—subdued.

Like helpless animals awaiting slaughter, Roja and Evans sat resignedly.

Evans couldn't believe this wasn't a dream. How did I end up here? He'd always envisioned ending his life in luxury, after investing his kidnapping profits into legitimate businesses. He was introduced to the oil and gas industry and intended to venture into it, leaving crime behind completely. But now, it seemed he would spend the rest of his life behind bars. He twisted his neck and looked back, catching Abdul's gaze. Abdul, in turn, nudged his head forward with the barrel of his pistol.

"Face the front!" Abdul grinned.

Evans dropped his head in regret. If only he had known, he would have released the stubborn boy and his friend and closed that chapter then and there. The boy had looked dangerous from the very first day he was abducted, and now he had proven it.

Roja stared straight ahead, unblinking. He was furious with Evans, convinced Evans was the sole cause of their misfortune. Evans never listened to advice, always doing as he pleased without considering the team. If only he had listened and released Abdul with his friend, this calamity wouldn't have befallen them. Because of his stubbornness, two members of their team had lost their lives. He quickly glanced at Evans and also dropped his head in regret.

Jane plugged her earphones into her wristwatch and called her father.

"Hello, Papa," she began the call. Evans looked back, What is she calling with? he wondered, remembering her phone was still in his office drawer. When he saw her using her wristwatch, he felt an even deeper sense of his own stupidity.

"Papa! Have you paid the money?" Jane asked.

"Oh! That's good. Please don't pay it anymore. We've escaped from captivity, and we are safe and sound. I'll call you back to explain in detail. Love you, Papa," she ended the call and immediately resumed her duty of ensuring the two criminals sharing the front seat remained captive.

Evans realized Jane had deceived him when she claimed her dad couldn't speak English. He admitted he had been foolish in how he handled her and the Uber driver. His abduction style had never failed in the seven years he'd been in the crime business, until this last one.

It took them 40 minutes to reach town and another 30 minutes to drive to the state headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force. Timi drove into the police station, parked, and instructed everyone to get out.

After stepping out, Abdul ordered Evans and Roja to sit on the ground. Evans hesitated at first, but a brutal punch from Abdul sent him to his knees, where he remained. The side of his mouth began to bleed, and a painful, involuntary smile flickered across his face. He felt a profound sense of self-pity, seeing someone he should have killed dealing with him in such a manner.