I can't believe it! Episode 100! Finally! After nearly 2 years.

Thanks guys for the kind words of encouragement. As a lazy writer I don't think that I would have made it this far without you.

Woohoo!!!

Thanks I really enjoy visiting your site and adrenaline I get when I open the site is mad and when I see new update I get to smile till I finish reading the story..thanks once more boss,am ur number one fan and if you have any new stories just mention me

WOW!

I HAVE A NO. 1 FAN!!!

WOOHOO!!! ����

Thank you so much boss. I will definitely mention my number 1 fan!

Thanks for the update. More please

Pls share a link to ur site pls am a big fan.

Wow! I'm having big fans today. Awesome.

Unfortunately, nairaland is destroying all my links so you will have to just search for adeabdulsblog infinite love

Thank you so much, boss. I appreciate your effort.

mokoh:
Thanks I really enjoy visiting your site and adrenaline I get when I open the site is mad and when I see new update I get to smile till I finish reading the story..thanks once more boss,am ur number one fan and if you have any new stories just mention me

How can you take my position from me just like that,I need an apology in 3 major newspapers.

You can take the number 2 position .

If you think am lying ask Mr Abdul.

#crossfm is actually my No. 1 Fan, No Question about it!

I've missed you boss. Hope you're well?

adeabdul2:
#crossfm is actually my No. 1 Fan, No Question about it!

I've missed you boss. Hope you're well?

Am good bro.
I don't know how you do it,but am addicted to Infinite Love.
I can see the story is coming to an end,but will surely miss this story.

I am actually feeling sad that it is about to end but all things must end except our creator. If Infinite Love doesn't end I can't move on to another story.

At least I know that by the time I compile it into a Novel the stories will become longer and with more depth.

So there's that.

Thank you so much, sir.

Infinite Love 98

The Plan

“And I will like to introduce, The Ejakpa IV of Jakpa from Warri, his Royal Highness Prince Atesanmi Uduaghan.” the host, a robust man, dressed in a bowler hat,

a long-sleeved traditional shirt with beads around his neck and wrists with a large purple skirt lightly reaching his, adorned with a walking stick said and a young man dressed in even more colourful attire got and approached him.
“King Tessy is a very dear friend of mine. You can just see how agile and youthful he is…” he continued addressing the crowd to gaze upon the young king who was a delightful sight of brown lines, blue triangles and red wavy lines, topped with a wine slim cap equalled adorned with golden star pendants.
“He doesn’t even need a walking stick, even me that we are the same age need a walking stick but not his royal highness.” And the young king got up to him and gave him in the traditional salutation in the form of slapping the back of their wrists, the Kings wrists, as well as his neck and ankles, were adorned with gold beads having a star pendant attached to them.
“Yes, your highness. Thank you very much, please have your seat. He came all the way from Warri, my people. So give him a round of applause.” And the guests clapped leaving the king to wave them as he sat down amidst a group of equally colourful chiefs, politicians and royalties on the high table with, of course, Otobo himself.
“Wow, Chief Irikefe is not taking any chances with his new title. He even invited that handsome new king from Warri. He is very young and I hear he was even based in Dubai.” Onos said peaking out into the hall, watching where everyone and most importantly Otobo was.
“Is that what we asked you to do?” Onos said irritably “Will you tell us if everything is calm out there?”
“Oh…sorry yeah…everything’s calm now. It’s just that when we Niger Deltas bring out their attires, there is nothing in the world more colourful and beautiful.” He said adoringly, joining his friends at a corner in the kitchen.
“Wow! Congratulations, I didn’t know that there is nothing more beautiful in the world than grown men wearing oversized colourful skirts!” Dayo said snarkily.
“Look! Onos, we get it, you love your tribe but this really isn’t the time for tribal glorification. Dayo is about to do something that could get himself killed.”
“Hey! You haven’t even heard it!” he protested.
“I know it will involve doing something that will make that Otobo guy angry with you. Seriously, did you not see the guns those guys were carrying? How do they even manage to hide a gun that big on their person?”
“How should I know? I am a Niger Deltan, not a militant.” Onos said shrugging.
“Anyway, my plan is not dangerous at all because Otobo and his band of gun-hiding goons are not going to find out.”
“I don’t know about this,” Onos said nervously.
“Yeah, me too! That guy is the real deal, he was ready to shoot you back there.”
“That will not happen.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Calm down.”
“I agree with Onos, let’s just go. We can find another way to get the money.”
“What? What other way? And when? When you’re forty or fifty or a hundred years old? We have a shot, right here, right now. And we’re taking it! Now, here’s the plan. I go out to talk to Gerry quickly…”
“I don’t know…”
“…I said quickly and it is for the last time, for the money. I think I may have gotten to her good side after Otobo, her exfiance nearly killed me. And you guys, all you have to do is just make sure that Otobo and his men are occupied.”
“Occupied? How?”
“Just…create a diversion!”
“What…?”
“Just think of something!”
“What do you want us to do, dress in skirts and go out dancing?” Michael said completely clueless.
“Oh, God!” Dayo sighed, “I’m stuck with a bunch of monkeys,” he said shaking his head.
…
“And finally, without further ado, I will on the great Odessaringin, our chief priest to start the coronation of Chief Irikefe, in his fourth…” the host was saying but Chief Irikefe indicated by holding out his five fingers on his right hand “…sorry his fifth chieftaincy title but his first title as the Obasirinmi III…” the host paused to look at Chief Irikefe for confirmation who nodded in affirmation at which he continued “…which means the third member of the King’s Court. Alright, now everyone, please get up as our Odessaringin, gets up to begin the coronation.”
And as the guests stood up along with coronator, Dayo took the opportunity to slip back into their midst dressed in Michael’s waiter jacket, he was holding a tray of drinks and bottles which he held up to his shoulder level to cover his head and face as he headed straight for Gerry’s table by the door.
“What are you still doing here? And why are still coming around me are you suicidal?” She said looking over his shoulder glad to find out that everyone was still standing up and focusing on the coronator, including Otobo and his men.
“I need to talk to you.” He said bending down over her pretending to put serve her drinks.
“About what? Hurry up!”
“About the money.” She gazed at him blankly
“Are you serious? You’re still on about money? You can get yourself killed if he sees you, you know?”
“I know but my friend Michael, the one I told you helped rescued me from getting caught by policemen and soldiers? He really needs the money. He and his father had been planning on sending him to flight school to become a pilot for years and all their plans got dashed away when his father died and he had to cater for everyone else in his family including his sick mom. Finally, the time is right for him to chase his dreams and he needs about fifty million, and I know you have that. You’re not using it for now. How about you invest in my friend, listen this guy was an honour student. He got straight A’s while we were in secondary school a time most of us were joking with our education and he got near distinction in his Mechanical Engineering course at the university, of which I’m sure, if not for the pressures at home he would have surely made distinction. Please, invest in this guy. Michael is trustworthy, he doesn’t let down his friends or family. He would surely come out in flying colours from flight school and he is bound to repay your money with a full return on investment as soon as he is done.”
Gerry didn’t know what to say at first. He had said so many things and maybe on a different day where she had not been publicly embarrassed, she would have said ‘No.’ Or maybe if had not come back to her table risking his life, to ask for the money that she thought he was trying to scam out of her initially, she would have said ‘No’. Or maybe if she hadn’t respected after he gave her the account of how he had risked his job to give that old lady and many others their money from the bank she would have said ‘No’. Or maybe if she didn’t like him in the least and had not been thinking about him for the past few hours after Otobo attacked him she would have said ‘No.’
But she had been embarrassed and he had risked his life and she did respect him and she had liked him, very much because he was all she had been thinking about ever since he left and she was sad not because she was drenched and embarrassed but because she thought she would never get to see him again. So, she said;
“Okay…”
“Really?”
“Erm, yeah sure.”
“YES!” he smiled his best smiled and she found herself thinking about him again.
“Alright…but wait. The thing is…I don’t have the money.”
“WHAT!” Dayo nearly collapsed and the bottles he had been serving and reserving for the past few minutes nearly dropped from his hands. “Sorry, sorry…what do you mean you don’t have the money?”
“The thing is…” she gazed across his shoulder and saw that the coronation had nearly ended “…we can’t talk here, right now.”
“Okay, but we don’t really have time to talk because there is a window to apply for admission into the flight school and also… there is a psychopath behind me. And I prefer not to die tod…”
“Do you really want the money for your friend?” she asked him point blanked.
“Yes! Of course!”
“Then do as I say!”
…
Otobo then noticed that the waiter wearing the green jacket had been with Gerry for a few long minutes now. Something was wrong about that, he was about to send one of his men over there to investigate when he heard…
“You incompetent slowpoke!” Gerry snapped at the waiter as he had somehow managed to pour the wine bottle all over her dress instead of her cup.
“HAHA!” he laughed amidst his fellow guests of honour. The Deltan King looked over at him to see the cause of humour and Otobo impressed by him, moved closer to him and said.
“That girl I curse. I make de Odesshen for my creek curse am wen she no wan marry me. She an her papa took my money and den refuse to marry me. But nah, my curse will folow her die. See? She no even fit get drink from service boi.” He was smiling broadly watching her but King Tessy was amazed at how an obviously more educated and in fact pretty girl would ever agree to marry him and calmly returned his gaze to the coronation ceremony.
Otobo, saw her try to get the wine stain off her dress and laugh, and when she went to the ladies room to go clean her dress, he laughed again too. But, after he had returned his gaze to the coronation, he never noticed that the waiter who had drenched her in wine also went to the same ladies room instead of going back to the kitchen with the wine bottles.

Infinite Love 99

The Headline

His phone was ringing. It was his old Nokia 5310 had been a loyal assistant for many years even though he got it then already Uk used and Nigerian used, he still got to run his business with it as well as other activities. But the old thing was clearly on its final lap, the network reception was drifting in and out and the battery was no longer able to carry more than five minutes at a time of calling.

He had already told his mom and Johnny that they shouldn't bother trying to reach him, his phone was bad so he instead will call them through their neighbor Mrs. Ebenezer, whenever there was any update. He had not called as much as he had wanted to but everything that has happened ever since they  left Lagos had been crazy and a lot to process, with the only advantage being that it kept his mind from thinking about...her, even though his mind would often get the better of him and wander back to that night at the party and also he kept having disturbing dreams about all the times in their lives that he himself could have popped the question.

He constantly kept brushing it all aside because dwelling on it and the pain it brought would inevitably weaken him and he would not be able to concentrate on fulfilling his father's dream. But here she was, displayed on his old phone was the caller id; "Angel", his finger froze on top of the green call button that would connect the call, so it just kept on ringing and ringing, until he saw Onos glancing his way and he simply cut the call and switched off the phone.

...

He looked at the sign on the local government council board that said ‘Registry’ for the umpteenth time and it shook him to the core. He had never wanted to get married, he was not interested in being anybody's husband, just like he was not interested in having kids.

"Are you sure, we have to do this?" he asked again and she grumped at his question again.

"Ugh, for the last time, this is how we solve our problems. I have already explained everything to you."
"I know but it just seems, desperate."

"Yeah, well desperate times, desperate measures."
"And, you're sure nobody will find out about this?"

"No! Of course not, so just relax! What are you, a man or a mouse?"
"Honestly, I would rather be a mouse right now."
"Ugh," she grumbled again "...let's just go inside."
...

"Who was that?"

"Nobody." he said flatly and put the phone back into his pocket.“Are you sure?” he asked, skeptical but Michael ignored him and focused on the ceremony.

Onos wondered how he would react when he finally let his emotions about Angela loose. He feared for him. He had hoped that Michael would process his feelings properly here, where he was surrounded by friends and get closure and proper time to heal. But he was being closed off, and Onos feared for him. Emotions bottled up always resurface and often violently. He doubted Michael could ever forget Angela, none could ever forget about her. Michael mostly was never going to forget her no matter how long time passes. He felt so bad for him but he was clearly not in a listening mood, so he simply stood beside him and silently watched the coronation ceremony.

“And now, everyone hail, the new Obasirinmi IV of Bayelsa, Chief Eriteri Iritri Irikefe!” said the aged old coronator, placing the chief beads on Chief Irikefe’s shoulders.

“Ise! (Ameen!)” said the crowd in gathering.

“You shall give wise counsel!” he said placing the bowler hat on top of his head.

“Ise!” they chorused again.

“And you shall grow old in wisdom!” he pinned the royal emblem a golden mackerel on the hat.

“Ise!” and the people clapped and sang, some danced the traditional waist tapping dance of the land while the fellow chiefs and King of Jakpa hugged him with glee.

Michael tried to get in the mood “Congratulations, bro. You have a new chief!”

“Ah, we have too many chiefs. I’ll be excited when we get a new king. They have yet to chose one after the last one passed away.”

“Why not?” he asked but Onos only shrugged his shoulders, so he continued “Well, maybe this new chief will be the one to finally help usher in a new king.”

“Maybe.” He simply but then added “Michael, don’t you feel that you need to process your feelings about the whole Angela situation?” he pressed.

“Oh God! Onos, not now, abeg.” He pleaded and his friend looked at him pitifully. “If I get into that right now, I may never close it, and this is not the place for that. So, let’s concentrate on getting on making sure Dayo doesn’t get killed. How long has it been?”

“I don’t know, over thirty, maybe?” Onos said checking his watch.

“Na wa o! Where did they even go?”

“I don’t know…hey, maybe he managed to convince her and they went to the bank to get the money?” Onos said hopefully but Michael looked at him with a right eyebrow raised in heavy skepticism.

“That’s a very big leap of hope there, bro. Dayo is not usually the one to charm a lady, remember how much the girls hated him in school?”

“Yeah, they used to call him ‘viper’ and ‘Mr Rat Mouth’.” They both sniggered.

“Hey, do you remember that time that he yabbed Ronke in our class when she wore an ugly hairstyle to school?” Michael asked.

“Yeah, it was in senior class one and all the girls were trying to become more stylish with their hair. Ronke, plaited her hair with extra-large extensions and when Dayo saw her, he went right over to ask her why was wearing a dead cat on her head.” The two boys nearly doubled over in laughter at the memory.

“The whole school laughed about it for weeks! And…” laughs “…and the next day, she brought Raid insecticide and sprayed him in the face with it.”

“Serves him right. He was never nice to girls.”

“No, no he wasn’t. And it is that same Dayo that you believe will convince a girl to give us money?”

“You’re right. He probably would only…”

“They’re back!” Michael said tapping Onos

“They are? Where?” and the two looked saw them. First, it was Gerry who came alone, from the direction of the restroom and sat down at her table. A few moments later, trying to walk as casually as possible was Dayo, he was wearing a different jacket than the one Michael gave him. It almost looked like a suit even. He was coming from the same direction and walking towards his friends before he seemed to change his mind and went back to Gerry. Luckily, under the cover of the jubilation of the crowd over the coronation of their new chief nobody else seemed notice. The others new that it was best to wait for Dayo, to come over to them by himself but they were just too much on edge and quietly went to them instead.

“HEY!” they said.

“Oh, hey guys. What’s up?” Dayo asked uncharacteristically casual and sweet.

“What’s up?” they asked perplexed. “What do you mean, what’s up?”

“We have been so worried here for you two since you left without a warning, and you say what’s up?” Michael asked annoyed but Dayo and Gerry just seemed to be smiling and giggling like a couple of drunks.

“What’s going on?” Onos asked

“Oh, nothing, we were just…tied up!” Gerry said before breaking into another giggling and Dayo said “Oh, that was a good one, sweetie.”

“Thank you, pumpkin.” She retorted giggling again.

“Sweetie?” Michael said.

“Pumpkin?” Onos gasped.

“Dayo! We need to get out of here, remember, Otobo is over there?”

“Oh, yeah! Sure!” and he composed and asked her “How long till the account is ready again?”

“They said after five working days.”

“Five working days, great!” he said and began moving away with his friends.

“Oh, hey…remember, tell no one.”

“Oh, yeah, of course. I promise. Dear.” He said and she giggled making his friends believe that something was definitely going on. They left her sitting down at her table all alone but in the nick of time too, because as soon as they left, the cheering of the crowd had died down and they could see Otobo moving away from the rest of the chiefs and going over to Gerry. The boys noticed this and Dayo instantly froze and gazed at Gerry in apprehension. She noticed this too and gave him a slight wave of her hand to calm down and not worry.

“Hey, shey your craze neva die?” Otobo asked her gruffly sitting down at her table.

“What do you want again, Otobo?”

“You no go dey kol me my usband?”

“Ugh…no thanks.”

“You dis gel, I don tell you. You no go see anybody marri apart from me. So, just use ya brain and do well. You hear?”

“If ya say so.”

“All you ajebota gels, jus dey preten like say you beta pass person bot even you go follow any man wey get moni.”

"I didn't take your money! I never accepted anything from you. I never even accepted your proposal in the first place!"

"I be tradishonal man, I go to de sorce darect; your papa. And im say you gree for de maraige. Das why I send am every ting, monie, car, even boat!"

"We went on a date once. And you never told me any of that. How can you give all of that without ever telling the girl you want to marry?"

"I be man! Korret tradishonal man! Na so we dey do!" He said thumping his chest.

"Okay, Mr Correct Traditional Man. I went out with you that one time because my father practically forced it on me. Everything else that happened besides that is between you and him. So, go and meet him for another girl to marry because I never agreed to anything."

"Na craze dey worry you. Wish kain gel no wan marry me: Atobatele Timothy Otobo!" He said thumping his chest again and she groaned "Oh God!" out of exasperation of him.
...

From afar, Dayo was watching them keenly, looking for signs of anything out place while his friends watched him carefully.

"Erm...Dayo, are you going to tell what happened?" Michael asked but he just kept on staring at Gerry and Otobo talking.

"DAYO!" Onos snapped his fingers at him to draw his attention "What's going on? Why are you acting so strange?"

"What do you mean by strange?"

"Sweetie?"

"Pumpkin?"

"What's all that?"

"Oh, we're just kidding." He said lightly looking back to Gerry while his friends exchanged looks. "Oh, yeah. GUYS? I GOT THE MONEY!" he said seriously.

"WHAT!?"

"YOU DID!?"

"Yes!" And the three of them hugged tightly.

Michael couldn't believe it! He was finally getting at chance at fulfilling his father’s dream.  After so long. After all the hardships and setbacks. After all the sacrifices and hopelessness. It was finally happening. He was so happy. The first time in a long time. He was so grateful for it too.

"Dayo, thank you so much! But wait, where...or how...did you get it?" Michael asked.

"Oh, Gerry is giving it to me."

"Really? When?"

"In about a week or so due to banking formalities."

"Really? I can't believe this! How did you manage to convince her?" Onos asked.

" I just used my...special charm." He said proudly.

"But...you don't have charms? You only have insults for girls." Onos said

"Hey, you didn't...insult her, did you?" Michael asked and Dayo looked at them puzzled.

"What? What are you talking about? Of course, I didn't insult her! I stopped yabbing girls after one sprayed me with insecticides."

The two nearly collapsed with laughter; "We remember, you coughed so hard and kept saying 'oxygen'. I need oxygen."

"That's wasn't funny." he said smiling.

"Yeah, it was and serves you right. Next time you see a Lagos Island girl wearing an ugly weave, you will hold your tongue and mind your own business." Onos said and the three laughed and they hugged once again happily.

It was during this that they heard a commotion and disengaged. They saw a crowd gathering outside. Some of them were holding microphones and others were carrying video cameras. They were apparently, reporters try to get in the hall to witness the coronation of the new chief but the hotel security were preventing their entrance. In that moment, Gerry seemed to tense up and Dayo, who had been keeping an eye on her, noticed and the guys seemed to notice this about him.

"Dayo, is something wrong?" Michael asked and when he didn't answer Onos snapped at him again.

"Hey, why do you keep staring at her like that? Why do you care so much?"

He shrugged " I'm just a little...worried, that's all." And he continued staring at Gerry who seemed continually disturbed by the reporters trying to get in. The guys exchanged.

"Dayo, is there something we should know?"

"Umm...no, nothing." He said never taking his eyes off Gerry.

Onos was always the best one out of the three, when it came to reading people, and even though it seemed impossible, he felt he had to ask.

"Dayo...?" He said slowly.

"Yeah...?"

"... are you guys...dating?"

"Ha!" Michael guffawed initially but when Dayo answered casually.

"...erm...no... we’re not dating."

Michael stopped laughing immediately, his eyes grew wide. Dayo had answered way too casually to that question. He did not answer sarcastically or with a snide remark as the question was so ridiculous, it deserved a special level of curtness in an answer. It was downright suspicious. So, there had to be some truth in Onos' question afterall.

"Dayo, is that true? Are you really dating ...Gerry?"

He slowly stopped gazing at Gerry and turned to look his friends.

"Guys..." he began "...we are NOT dating!"

Gerry was praying against all odds that the hotel security would get rid of the reporters before they ruined everything. But no such luck because the new Chief Irikefe said loudly.

"LET THEM IN! Let the reporters come inside. They are all here to cover my coronation, so please let them in.

And so the doors were opened for the reporters who instead of going to the newly coordinated chief, went straight to the table where Otobo and Gerry, who was trying to hide her face were. The reporters began their barrage of questions.

"MISS ODAFE! MISS ODAFE!"

"THERE WERE SIGHTINGS OF YOU AND AN UNKNOWN MAN AT THE MARRIAGE REGISTRY TODAY!"

"MISS ODAFE, DID YOU GET MARRIED?"

"WHO WAS THAT MAN?" One said, shoving a newspaper with a photograph of Gerry and the unidentified man, at her face it had the headline; “RUNAWAY FIANCE FINALLY GET’S MARRIED IN SECRET” and Otobo took the photograph.

"WAS IT OTOBO? DID YOU MARRY OTOBO TODAY?"

"MISS ODAFE! TELL US!"

"ANSWER US PLEASE!"

In that split-second many things happened.

Chief Irikefe felt both stupid and embarrassed to be overshadowed at his own ceremony. "WHAT THE HELL?"

Looking at the picture of their daughter tying the knot, Chief and Mrs Etareri got the shock of their lives, on realising that their daughter eloped under their noses without even telling them. "ABASSINMI!"

Otobo realised that his local shaman was a fraud since his sure-fire curse did nothing to her groom. As the curse was supposed to kill any man besides him, whoever married Gerry. "EEBAABUU!!"

Gerry realised that no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't sink into the floor and hide. "This CANNOT be happening!" She said hiding.

Onos and Michael realised that the unidentified man, dressed in an obviously incorrectly fitted suit, was none other than their very saucy, very naughty, best friend; Dayo. "YOU GOT MARRIED?!"

"Ay, reporters are the worst!" He groaned and that's when sh*t hit the fan!

Three posts in one day?

I have never posted three times a day on my blog before. Wow! Me sef, praise myself.

New update available right now.

thanks man

Thanks boss

xaviercasmir:
thanks man

Thanks for the update. Dayo is in hot soup. otobo will definitely have his head

Infinite Love 100

FEAR A WOMAN WITH CONNECTIONS!

5 HOURS EARLIER!

When Dayo agreed to follow Gerry out of the Eternal Ruby that morning he assumed he was getting the money as she promised. However, there was a caveat…

“Listen…”

“I don’t even like women. I mean I like you…but I don’t even like people in general…”

“Listen, we…”

“All I want; is to live happily ever after with my computer, my PlayStation 2 and food; something with beans. I love beans…”

“LISTEN TO ME!” she snapped.

“Okay!” he became alert in the taxi and faced her squarely even though she had on dark glasses and a baseball, which made him wonder if she may be hiding from someone.

“I never collected money from any of my fiancés, my father did. He managed to cajole hefty bride price sums out of each one of them and many times, assets as well.”

“Assets? Like boats and cars and stuff?”

“Yes, that’s what I meant my assets. Listen, the only guy I ever wanted to marry was Femi but after I saw how controlling my family was of my sisters’ lives, I knew I couldn’t marry him.”

“Why?”

“Because my father is a chief and a politician, if he arranged any marriage for me. My husband and I would spend the rest of our lives working for him and his political agendas. And I have spent the last few years disengaging from my father’s political agendas. I just want a life that was not so controlled anymore. I want to live my life freely for me without answering questions from anyone.”

“Okay, that sounds cool but what does that have to do with marrying me?” he asked not understanding the clear picture.

“You!” she smiled “Are going to be my freedom. You see after breaking up with Femi, my realized that I was probable never going to marry anyone he chose for me. So, he seized my passport so I couldn’t travel. He knows how much I have wanted to be an international journalist.”

“That’s terrible!”

“Yeah, but it gets better. See, he opened an account with some of the bride price money for me. It is his own way of motivating me to marry a suitor of his choosing.”

“Okay. So, go get that money then!”

“I can’t.”

“…and why not?” Dayo said tiredly.

“…because the only way I can access the cash is if I get married, that was my father’s only condition for accessing the money.”

“Oh, I see. That sucks! So, what are you going to do now?”

“Well, that’s where you come in!” she said still smiling mischievously.

“What..?” he said looking frightened as she was looking at him strangely, smiling. One of those smiles you would see when someone in a movie was about to do something naughty or something crazy. “…will you stop looking at me that way?” he asked but she was still smiling at him.

“My father, stipulated that I can only access the money if I was married but he never said who, I should be married to!”

Dayo’s eyes widened in shock at the realization. She wanted him to marry her so that they could get the money.

“Oh, no. NO WAY!” he said to her “STOP THE CAR!” he yelled to the taxi driver as he fumbled for the car door handle.

“DON’T STOP THE CAR!” she told the driver and pulled him back. “LISTEN TO ME! It’s a foolproof plan…”

“Yeah, and you want me to be the fool!” he tried to grab the handle again.

“No one would ever find out! Anybody who’s anybody is at the chieftain ceremony at The Eternal Ruby.”

“Yeah, including your militant ex-fiance Otobo, who is a highly paid psychopath. NO, THANK YOU! STOP THIS CAR RIGHT NOW!”

“Listen, with every fiancé that came and went the money kept getting bigger. It has become a huge amount!”

“I don’t care about money, I care about MY LIFE!” the car had stopped and he was trying to disengage himself from her and exit.

“Okay, then…what about Michael?” she said just as he had opened the door and was about to alight and he froze with his one right leg out the door “I thought you cared about him!”

“I…I...”

“I thought the only reason you came to talk to me or even the only reason you came to Bayelsa was to help Michael fulfill his dream of becoming a pilot?” she said and Dayo was mute, he was thinking, he really hated the idea of being married but he hated the idea of them leaving Bayelsa without that money. It was probably Michael’s only shot at success and Michael’s success was his success.

“Do you want to help your friend or not?” she asked not even bothering to hold him back anymore, she knew she had gotten him.

“I…I do.”

“Good.” She smiled “Then just repeat that same sentence to the minister and we will head out to the bank and before closing hour the money is as good as yours.”

“Oh, God!” he thought “…why always me?” that was how he followed her to the marriage registry despite his every instinct telling him to flee. She was highly connected. She used to work at the Eternal Ruby during her school years and organizing wedding events were her department so a lot of the people at the registry knew her. So, in a matter of minutes they had bribed their way to the front of the waiting line, they had rented a little gown and a wedding suit for the occasion, next thing Dayo knew he said “I do!” to a bestacled minister in a equaled oversized suit. They had their wedding kiss, which was their only kiss. They took their wedding photos in front of the “Marriage Registry Sign Board” for authenticity and five minutes after that they collected their wedding certificate and wedding photos and Dayo was officially a married man, after only about an hour and a half! He was shocked.

“Fear a woman with connections.” He mumbled and she smiled mischieviously as they headed to the bank for the money. Totally, unaware that their wedding photography had made extra copies of their wedding photos and he was headed to the nearest newspaper stations to make money on the news of the Gerry Odafe, the elusive seventh times fiancée finally getting married in secret.

Wow what an update. Thanks and more please

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Infinite Love 101

The Accused

“SO, YOU MEAN…The one thing I had going for me is gone? After, suffering all of your nonsense for over twenty years, the only thing I had going for me was that I would someday be your best man. And I would make a toast, and give a big speech about how incredibly… annoying you can be. AND now, you have even managed to screw that up! WHO WAS THE BEST MAN AT YOUR WEDDING?” Michael asked grabbing him by his shirt collar.

“Erm...maybe we shouldn’t dwell on that right now?”

“WHO WAS IT!” he asked with his hand dangerously close to Dayo’s neck.

“It was one of the council gateman.”

“WHAT!?” Michael shrieked fully trying to strangle him with his hands on his throat while Onos added.

“JUST KILL HIM NOW! HE’S A VERY STUPID BOY!”

“You’re not …*KOFF* …helping,” Dayo said choking “…how many of us were… *KOFF* at your wedding?”

“Erm…” Onos paused remembering that his wedding was just as much a secret to the guys like Dayo’s was and so he suggested “… maybe we should just forgive him.”

“Michael? *KOFF*...Michael... you’re choking me! *KOFF* *KOFF*”

“You are the singularly the biggest annoyance in my life! After killing you I will start to enjoy life again!”

“But if you kill me...*KOFF* then I what will I do with your 50 million *KOFF*” hearing this, Michael’s hand grew weak and he released Dayo.

“Wait! Is... that why you married her...for the money…for me?”

“No! Of course not! Don’t talk nonsense. *KOFF*… I married her because I am madly in with love her and I want her to have my babies. And grow old together and eventually push her around in a wheel chair. And scatter her ashes when she dies.” he said.

“Love…?” Michael asked.

“Babies..?” Onos said.

“You can’t fall in love, you’re not normal!”

“And you don’t like babies because you’re not human!”

Dayo snapped “Of course, I don’t! I was being sarcastic.” He said.

“You are so annoying!” Michael said shaking his head. “And that girl married you? HAI! Poor thing!”

And in that moment, they all gazed towards Gerry’s table and heard Otobo shouting again.

“I WILL KIE DIS GIEL!” and brought out his pistol but her mother threw herself at her daughter, shielding her from harm.

“HEE O! Otobo, please! Otobo, please!”

“OTOBO, what are you doing? said Chief Irikefe in shock.

“OTOBO! PUT THAT GUN AWAY! YOU ARE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE CHIEFS OF THE LAND…” came a voice from behind Chief Irikefe and Otobo gazed to view the voice that dared to command him.

“…AND A KING!” the voice belonged to none other than King Tessy from Delta State.

“Dis matta no CONSINE YOU OUTSIDA! Ya betta GERRAOUT!” he snapped and Tessy eyes grew bold at the rebuff.

“OTOBO!!” said Chief Etareri “Don’t talk to King Tessy that way! HE HIS RIGHT! Comport yourself at once! The chiefs are here and Gerry is the daughter of a chief. We can resolve this amicably!”

“AI DON CARE! CHIEFS AR NOTING TO ME!” he growled “AND DIS IS A BOY KING WHO NO FIT EVEN MARRY A FROM IM OWN TRIBE! Im wife no be Deltan, she no be Niger Deltan, she no even be Delta-Ibo. Just a common YORUBA woman.” he said with so much vemon that King Tessy was infuriated.

“How dare you, speak to me that way!” and he moved to strike him but Chief Etareri held him back, just in time.

A warning came from behind yet again “Otobo! You have crossed a line today. A big line!” it was from the shrill voice of the old coronator coming towards them being assisted by his assistants making a complete standoff of chiefs against Otobo and his men.

“Put that gun away at once! Remember it is taboo to soil the land!” The coronator’s words hit a chord with him and finally, he slowly lowered the gun.

“E kollet money from me.” He said stressing every syllable in his sentences “Sure me, say im dota go marry me, and now e do me like dis an you all keep quiet?! BECOS UNA NO CARE! Una neva eva dey care! Everybody dey hossle, everybody dey work, na only de chiefs dey sit down chop moni! You tink say monie eazi to find?  Dis criminal take my monie, take my boat, take even oil from me on top say I wan marry him daughter wish im promise me MAN TO MAN. Now e con cast me an you all no dey talk anyting, ROBISH!” he spat.

“Otobo! I said comport yourself.”

“Don komport me, jor! No dey komport me with ya nonsense kriminal english. All of you na de same una be. Greedy old men with ya big belle dat is full of sh*t.

“Keep quiet!” Chief Etareri yelled

“No, I no go quiet! Na true I dey talk!”

“The voices of the chiefs are the voice of God!” The old coronator admonished.

“LIE! Dat na BIG LIE!” Otobo refuted. “Devils! Winches! All de chiefs for dis our time na dem de the WORST! Who go tell goferment say money no dey? Who still chop monie wey goferment bring? Who tell goferment say make dem do commision for we? Who stil chop de monie for de commision?”

The chiefs of the land, who were so-called voices of God became nervous at this brazen open-aired declaration of their many political tactics that couldn’t help eyeing each other suspiciously.

“Ah!” one of them said in an unconvincing claim at innocence.

“AH WHAT? AH WHAT? Who tell me say make I join kreek boys dey burst pipeline for monie?” he said further throwing caution to the wind and confessing shocking the chiefs entirely from the very tips of their feathered hat to the pointed ends of their designer shoes even King Tessy was moved by this.

“What is he saying? Is that true?” he asked Chief Etareri who couldn’t answer as he had become a deaf mute and Otobo laughed sardonically.

“Who run go gofernment say na militancy be de problem for we land? Who still run go the same goferment for monie to remove militancy?” he said bursting with righteous indignation thoroughly humiliating the chiefs.

But the reporters were having a field day. They had only gotten a tip that Gerry Odafe, who had snubbed off or left most eligible bachelors of the land, was marrying in secret to a nobody and hoped to get a good story out of it. But instead they were having not just a story but also an expose into a conspiracy involving the Niger Delta militants and the chiefs. Including valuable undeniable insights into their various nefarious dealings between them. They had only asked Miss Odafe one question, to which they got so much answers and confessions that it was undeniably, the best day any reporter could ever hope for. They did not dare say one word to disturb the parties but instead, quietly kept taking notes and recording their conversations.

“Erm, that’s okay. That’s okay.” One chief said putting a hand to his mouth in trying to signal to Otobo to stop spilling the beans any further but he was beyond caring.

“You chop de money wey goferment give you to defelop we land. Again, you collect monie from me from de oil bunkering wey I do. You still collekt monie from goferment to stop de militancy and the oil bunkering. You start de wahala con de chop monie for de wahala. You chop money here, you chop money dere. Chop, chop, chop. Ya go con dey form say you holi, like say you beta pass we on top. Why e no gree give me im dota if no be say im dey feel say im beta pass me?”

“It’s okay!” Chief Etareri said finally remembering that all the reporters around recording them could spell trouble for them. “We can talk about all of this later at the chiefs council meeting.”

“Wetin we dey talk later? Shey ya go give wetin I want for later?”

“Yes, whatever you want. I promise you that.”

“Wetin I want na to marri dis girl!”

“Well, erm...see...we can talk about that later too.”

“There is nothing to talk about uncle. I am not marrying him! I am already married!” Gerry cried from behind her mother who thereafter grabbed her mouth to shut her up.

“Listen Otobo, don’t you worry about her. We will give another girl to marry, a fine one, from a good family, another chief’s daughter.”

“Na lie! Na so dis goat talk before he con give im dota to anoda peson.” he spat.

“Hey, hey, hey. Don’t you dare talk to me like that. I am a chief!” said Chief Irikefe regaining his confidence now that Otobo had lowered his weapon.

“Chief ko! Thief ni!” mocked Otobo.

“Watch your mouth! Don’t forget that you were nothing until we picked you! You were just a common creek boy, a primary school dropout, who was begging for work as a shrimp fisherman’s assistant.”

“Oh, ho! Tank yo. Common kreek boy abi? I know. I know dat is why ya no wan give me your dota marri, no be so? You people no respet me hat all! You go just dey hail me, dey kollect my monie! No be say I even like de girl like dat sef! I just want for de respect, for de level wey I go get if you chiefs no respect me who go con respect me? After all de monie wey I spend? You still go dash am to anoda person marri.”

“But why did even do such a thing, Chief Irikefe?” asked the age-old coronator

“Papa, its not true! I didn’t get my daughter married to anyone, she...she got married all by herself. I wasn’t even aware of it, papa!” Chief Irikefe protested.

“Na lie! You know! No be ya dota? No be ya house she dey live?”

“Papa please believe me. I was never ever aware. I don’t even know the man she married, none of know him. You can ask her this yourself!” and with that the old coronator signalled for Mrs Irikefe to step aside and asked her.

“Young woman. Who was the young man you married?” and despite herself Gerri unintentionally looked at Dayo, not because she wanted to rat him out but mostly because she wanted to see if he was still around as she was feeling vulnerable and needed someone on her side. She saw standing there, in the middle of his friends, looking as uncomfortable as a cat in a dog cage and trying to seem casual but he was there. In that singular moment, being there for her was the best thing in the world despite the obvious danger, and she smiled.

“Who is that?” her mother asked following her gaze.

“Is that…him?” father asked perplexed “That’s a nobody!” and all the other chiefs felt sorry for their fellow chief whose daughter wasted a perfect opportunity to double his wealth by marrying into a wealthier family.

“I no dat guy!” Otobo said. “No be de service boy be dat?”

“I will see you guys later!” Onos said disengaging himself from his friends and disappearing into the crowd.

“Hey…wait!” Michael tried to call him back but he was already long gone.

“You rejekt me for dis…dis service boy?” he asked her very shocked “Dis insult don too much!” he said and brought out his gun once again.

“HEEII!” Gerri’s mom shrieked and the reporters took cover.

Otobo want to kill somebody. Dayo and Gerry must not die. Thanks for the update.

Infinite Love 102

Pandemonium!

"GUN!" a reporter shrieked and left the building while the rest of them stepped backwards in fear but nonetheless, remained.

The story they were covering was too sensational to be left unreported. And it seemed that the really juicy part was just starting.
So they stayed. Like goats that found juicy cocoyams in a basket and were willing to die there.

"YEE! YE! YE!" Mrs Odafe was shouting at the sight of the gun that Otobo was wielding. And as he directed his gaze at a Dayo...

"EGBA MI O!!!" Dayo and Michael took off! Their previous encounters with  policemen and soldiers had paid off and they ran like seasoned athletes!"

"POW!" the gun went off and they both galloped. Dayo jumped tables and Michael pushed chairs away till they ran around the corner and disappeared from sight, never for once bothering to check for gun shot wounds.

"Leeve ma hand jor!" Said Otobo as he shook himself away from King Tessy, who had disrupted his aim by grabbing his hand and directed it upwards, towards the ceiling and out of danger of hurting anyone.

"What do you think you're doing? You are being recorded you idiot!" Tessy yelled trying to make him see reason but Otobo did not appreciate that.

"If ya wan make ya reign long, ya beta now wetin ya go say for me!" And he slapped Tessy across the face.

Chief Etareri and Papa the old coronator intervened. Chief Etareri got in front of Tessy and pushed him backwards shouting at Otobo.

"Remember, Otobo. We don't soil our land. But to harm a King, is to doom yourself!"

"It is The Way of Every Bayelsan, Slave Born or Free. We Never Soil the Sea, Water or Land, nor Tear our Tree!" Chanted Papa the grand coronator as he got in front of Otobo to help douse the tension.

“That is our way! Every Niger delta blood is sacred and never to be spilled by a Bayelsan. It is taboo!"

“NONSENSE!”

“AHHH!!!” everyone present gasped including the reporteEvery.

“We no dey soil de land. We no dey soil de land. YA CHIEFS DON DO PASS ALL DAT ONE FOR SECRET! Dey don do pass am for secret. Na you no know. Ya no fit kantrol ya chiefs again. No power. Old age don sapa ya enagy and na only dry bonga fish ya be!” Otobo snapped.

“WHAT? ME!!!” Papa shrieked and slapped Otobo with an impressive amount of energy packed in his dry bony fingers. Otobo stumbled and nearly fell, he could hear his brains swishing in his head from the force and had to admit that Papa had that old and strong Bayelsan blood that is enriched with a deep-sea diet with ginger and garlic. But despite his fury, he couldn't bring himself to slap the septugenarian out of his deep rooted  upbringing. So, instead he punched Chief Irikefe.

"YEE!" who doubled down and fell on top of Otobo not out of retaliation. But out of pure bodily reaction to the pain and Otobo fell down and his men started beating the chiefs thinking they attacked him. So the security men of the chiefs joined the fray creating an all pandemonium. Tables were tumbled, chairs were smashed,  bottles were broken and the women  dashed out.

It was during all these commotion that Gerry felt someone pull her from behind.

"Hey! Who is...?" It was Dayo. "You're still here?" She asked incredulously.

"Shhh! Come on!" And he took away to a safe corner where Michael was.

"I can't believe you're still here! And you came back for me!"

"Of course! As the newest reluctant member of the Young Husbands Association I have to take care of my wife!" He said beaming and she melted.

"Gerry, are you alright?" Michael asked.

"Yes I'm fine. Thanks."

"Good. Let's just wait here a bit." And they watched in anxiety the brawl from their corner.

...

"As you can see, what started as a regular coronation of Chief Etareri Odafe, as the new Abassinrinmi the fourth of Bayelsa, has now become a full on battle between the Chiefs council and the militancy by person of Etabello Timothy Otobo. And his men who has been wanted for many months now by the federal government but has always managed to escape capture due to reasons we now know, to involve the chiefs council." One news reporter was announcing into the camera as she stood in front of the brawl.

The reporters had their full story now and were recording and reporting everything directly from the scene. Another cameraman was getting a good view of one of the chiefs who was running towards the door, he had  bruises all over his body and he had been stripped off of his expensive clothing to near unclothedness remaining only his boxer shorts, his chieftain beads on his neck and wrist and few pieces of clothes still attached to him.

"Charlie video that one too! He has fainted!" One reporter said directing  her cameraman, but as he tried to do so, a chair from nowhere few across the room and smashed the camera. Someone then grabbed Charlie the cameraman, and he himself began fighting for his dear life. That was how some of the reporters also joined the brawl.

Michael, Dayo and Gerry saw an opening at the door and got to escape when Hotel security showed up. They  were alerted to the incident after someone reported a gunshot and they too charged into the hall, starting a scuffle with some of Otobo's men. This effectively blocked the entrance and Dayo, Gerry and Michael were now trapped with nowhere to run.

"What are we going to do?" she asked frightened.

"We need to get out of here, immediately!" MIchael said.

"How? The entrance is blocked right now." Dayo pointed out. "And where the hell is Onos?"

"I don't know." Michael said sadly remembering how their friend bolted even before the fighting started. But even worse, Otobo who had been looking for them had spotted them again.

"NA DIS BE DE SERVICE BOYS YA REJEKT ME FOR ABI?" he said shouting with anger as he came towards them from across the room. Without thinking for his safety, Dayo  blocked Gerry from his view and his aim.

"Dis boys no be from dis town. So e no be taboo TO KIE DEM!" he said grinning with pleasure and coming towards them.

Thank you, sir. Keep it up.

This fight is getting interesting. More update pls.

Infinite Love 103

The Escape

"Dis boys no be from dis town. So e no be taboo TO KIE DEM!" Otobo said coming for them.

"RUN!" Michael yelled pushing Dayo forward to make him run faster.


"FOLLOW ME" Gerry said grabbing Dayo and he instinctively followed her into the toilet and after they had entered, Micheal quickly locked the door behind them. Effectively blocking Otobo when he got to the door, from chasing them.

"GADDEMIT!" he cursed "Razor! Markus! Go dat side and find dem. Titus, fallow me!" And he went to look  for them through another way. As she took them through yet another corridor, the boys were thanking God that Gerry knew the hotel better than anyone. She had worked there in the past during her school years and later in her youth service days. She knew it better than anyone. She navigated as they went through the maze of kitchens, laundry, rooms and bars until they were close to the main gate, from where they could see a lot of people running out from the hall and to the gate.

That was their way out. The rush of people out the gate, some beaten, others had their clothes in shambles, a few chiefs who were unable to bring  their personal security for the occasion got the worst of it and a few of them had to cling to their torn trousers which is what was left of their chieftain robes after Otobos boys  banged them up. Michael saw a chance for join and motioned to the others.

"Okay, get ready. Now! Come on, come on!"
But as soon as they got out into the open, and moved to join the crowd, someone else ran into the three of them.

"Hey..?"

"NO! NO! NO!" It was Onos and he forcefully crashed into the three of them and pushed them roughly back into a corner.

"Get back! GET BACK. He's out there waiting for you!

"What?" Dayo asked.

Otobo is outside the gate with a few of his men and they are searching for you three. I heard him telling them to catch the service boys at all costs.

"Really?"
"Yes!"
"What is that guy's problem now?" Dayo said annoyed.
"Well, you did marry the girl he had spent all his money on and was planning to marry." Michael responded pointing to Gerry.
"That's it? That's all I did? He needs to chill out abeg!"
Michael shook his head and changed the subject.
"Hey, Where did you go before?" Michael asked.
"I had to get my wife and kid out of there!"
"Okay, cool! Are there safe now?" "Yeah, sure. They took the car and are safely on their way home including your parents too, Gerry."
"Oh, thank God!" she sighed in relief. "So, what do we do now?" Dayo asked thinking about how the hotel had scarce amount of people they could hide among since most of them had ran away, they had no coverage from discovery whatsoever and if Otobo decided to come look for them now, he would surely find them all.
"Do we go back into the hotel and  hide?" Onos asked thinking about how the place was quiet with only a few cars left in the vicinity. "Yes, lets go back inside." Michael said but as he made to move he saw one of Otobos men coming towards them from inside the hotel.

"ONE OF THE THUGS ARE COMING, HIDE!"

"WHAT? WHERE?"

"I DONT KNOW ANYWHERE! JUST HIDE!"

"I have an idea." Gerry said and she crouched down and went straight towards a jeep parked not so far off in a shade close to a foutain, it was a nice car with a plate number DELTA D1. The car door was locked but she took her hairpin and unlocked the back and entered while the guys quickly followed her in and hid in the back seat staring at her in amazement for breaking into a locked car.

"What?" She said "I have interviewed some professional car thieves before." she shrugged answering their gaze

The car was a good choice as the back seat was spacious. It also had some clothing items inside of it. Expensive clothes though. It was obviously a wealthy mans car. Michael feared it might be Otobos car or one of his mens car when they heard some footsteps close by.

"I will deal with that boy! I swear to God!" the first voice said angrilly.

"Calm down ehn? I don dey beg you since." the second voice said.

"You know see as he do me for dere? Na me e dey talk to like that ehn? E wan know the kain mouth wey I get for this town abi? I go show am!"  He snapped his finger and the four stowaways ducked out of eyesight of the voices to prevent detection. Something about the car smelled of power like the kind Chiefs or even Otobo has. Onos seemed to recognise one of the voices and feared the worst  judging from the tone of the first voice. It was terribly vexed. So he tried to hear more.

"Your highness, let me advise you to exercise caution d restraints in these matters. It is a delicate one."

"A delicate what..? If it was my father who was here during his reign, that Otobo would have been turned upside down and a cement brick would be place between his legs!"

"Ouch, that would hurt." Onos said and the others "Shssh!" shushed him.

"Erm! Please your highness let's not go back to those bygone days. Let us be more modern and pragmatic in our dealings with issues. Otobo's issue require a certain level of pragmatism in handling it so please let us be delicate."

"You mean I have to be pragmatic with that...that hooligan?"

"Erm...yes your highness. Everything requires pragmatism these days."

"You people! You people created this mess with your greed and your craftiness."

"Now, now your majesty lets not listen to rumours."

"Okay. That rumour were you people armed an uneducated fisherman's assistant, a nobody and turned him into the Federal Government's number seven most wanted criminal, was true and it was all your fault! Imagine that one talking to me and hitting a whole me like that. If this was Delta State his entire body would be covered in koboko by now."

"Please, your highness. Remember the alliance that we planned. Let us focus on that for now."

"What? Listen to me. This is the last time that I would ever come here again until you have handled that...that buffoon!"

"Ah...but, your highness!"

And they felt someone open the car door from the passenger seat and the all froze in fear. The angry entered because he was now talking from inside the car and seated in the driver seat.

"Imagine! Nowadays, every monkey with a gun starts thinking he's a king! Let him come to Delta State now, by the time we use his head as a bottle opener and light a candle on it, he will get sense! Abraka, no get time o!"

The slotted in the car keys and started it. "VROOM!" It came alive and the driver began to reverse maneuvering it into a better position for exit.

"Your highness, please don't forget what we planned ehn? It is very important, please." The other voice was still talking beside the car.

"Nothing will happen unless you get rid of that boy!"

"Ah, your highness! Don't do that please."

"Leave me alone! Out of my way please! I don't have time for this."

"Okay we will talk when calmer heads prevail."

"I will talk when I see better heads to talk to." And he began to drive off and the guys felt relieved that they were going to escape detection by both Otobo and the driver when the car suddenly stopped and they heard:

"Has everyone gone crazy in this town today? Who are you and what are you doing my car?" He said and  all the four of them hiding in the back seat looked up into the eyes of a very angry man.

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Thank you boss

Otobo and his men must not get them. Thanks for the update.

You can always get DATA from me guys

Infinite Love 104

THE BLUFF

Slowly one by one they raised up their heads to face the angry glare staring up at them from the front seat.

"Has everyone gone mad today? What are you four doing in my car?"

At first they were all dumbfounded. Their hope was to remain hidden in the back seat undetected by the owner, Otobo and his men and generally everyone else until they were safely out of sight of the hotel. But now that this particularly already angry car owner had spotted them, they all thought they were done for. They had half expected him to scream and shout and kick them out of his car but instead he waited, patiently for an answer.

"Yes? Cant you talk?"

Onos was the first person to recognise him. It was King Tessy from Delta State, his king and tribesman. He summoned the courage to speak.

"Erm...swallows...your highness, first of all let me say...as a fellow Deltan it is my esteemed honour to be here with your distinguished self. Your presence alone is an illumination to us all. Your charisma and poise is a testament to your praised family legacy. As a Delta I feel so much pride standing in your eminent presence, knowing fully well that I am in the presence of a great man and my beloved king. One who is..."

"Are you a trained psychophant or do you normally talk like this?" King

SILHOUETTES A POETY COLLECTION COMING SOON!

Tessy asked exasperated.

"Onos, just get to the point man!" Dayo snapped tired of his verbosity already.

"But I want to let him know how much I value him. Don't you know it is an honour to be here?"

"You mean it is an honour to be stowed away in my car?" Tessy asked with eyebrows still narrowed and Dayo instantly noticed the guy. He seemed to have an smart edge about him.

"No, your highness. I mean...erm yes, I mean..."Onos was stumbling upon himself in adoration of the guy and even though Dayo had always been a rebel against leadership and authority, he couldn't help being impressed with the guy. He wasn't what anyone would expect a king in Nigeria to be. He was young not old. He wasn't some outdated rich boy he was educated judging from his UT Alumni badge sticker displayed proudly on his cars dashboard. And something about him felt sophisticated as well, he had the eyes of someone who had seen the world. Dayo hated to admit it but the guy really was impressive and he was handsome too, his dark stallion skin and neatly trimmed beard, thick eyebrows and piercing eyes no doubt would make royalty easier for him as they would make it easier for him to charm his subjects. Well, he Dayo was no subject of King pretty boy, so he refused to be charmed by any king no matter how impressive.

"Onos, will you get over your mancrush and tell him why we are stuck here?" he snapped.

"Calm down, now. He's a king! There are protocols for talking to a king. You can't just be talking anyhow..."Onos said still feeling shy and unable to face his fellow statesman.

"Oh, God!" Dayo muttered.

Michael noticed that from experience they could end up being stuck with a long back and forth between Dayo and Onos and so he intervened.

"Your majesty! We are so sorry. We honestly didn't know that this was your car, we were only trying to get away from Otobo and his men who are chasing us sir. That's why we are all back here."

"Oh? But how did you even get into my car?"

"Erm...well that would be my fault sir. I picked your cars lock." said Gerry emerging from under the pile of clothes into the full view of King Tessy.

"You?" he asked surprised that the only woman amongst them was the one with the criminal skills.

"Yes, sir."

"Oh! Hey aren't you Gerry Odafe? The one Otobo had wanted to marry and the cause of all these commotion?"

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, I remember you guys now. You are the ones who eloped with her."

"Not me, your highness. It was Dayo. I am a law abiding and honourable subject of our great kingdom!" said Onos quickly and distancing himself from any wrongdoing in the presence of his king.

"Calm down, Onos. Nobody cares." Dayo said irked with him.

"Your highness. Thank you so much for your help earlier. If not you stopping Otobo before, Dayo would have been killed."

"What? Dayo gasped surprised. I don't understand."

"Yeah, It was King Tessy that saved you. He stopped Otobo from shooting you after he pulled the gun out."

"He did?"

"Yeah, Otobo had you dead to rights it was all because KIng Tessy tried to grab the gun away from him that he missed killing you."

"He missed? I thought he was just firing warning shots at the roof!"

"Men like Otobo don't do warning shots, Dayo." Onos said condescendingly as if to say everybody knows that men like Otobo don't do warning shots.

"Don't be silly. He was trying to kill you and King Tessy saved your life." Gerry informed him and Dayo felt scared all over again and she added..."How come you don’t know this? Didn’t you see the bullets flying over your head? I thought he was aiming at the roof.”

“Then why were you running?” she asked.

BUY DATA HERE!

“I saw a gun. If I see a gun I will run. It’s as simple as that.”

Gerry and Michael both shook their heads. Dayo was a smart guy but for some things he was just slow to grasp.

“I owe you my life dude. Thank you so much!”

Onos elbowed him in the ribs “NOT DUDE! YOUR HIGHNESS!”

“Ow! Oh yeah! Sorry sir. Thank you, your highness.”

“Yes, your highness. We are in your debt but please. Could we hide back here for a while? Its only…erm just until we are out of the hotel and away from Otobo because he is still on the hunt for us.” Michael pleaded.

Tessy paused for a bit. He had come to Bayelsa to improve ties with his fellow Niger Deltans after his own coronation. Ideally, improving ties with the king of the land would have been more appropriate but there was no king in the land. Now, he realizes that it was because the chiefs had been delaying the crowning of a new king in a bid to overinflate their own importance. After the outburst of Otobo in the hall, he now knew the chiefs well enough to know what they were capable of. He should just walk away from the town and all of its drama but no king should shy away from helping lady in distress, a fellow townsman, another gentleman and their fourth friend with the big mouth. So, he said.


“My fellow townsman is here…what is your name sir?” his asked Onos and Onos’ eyes widened with delight and his smile beamed all around the car.

“Onos, your highness. Onos Obriba Ejiremi, your highness!”

“Mr Onos, I will surely help you to the best of my ability. Please remain hidden and be as quiet as possible.” And with that Tessy readjusted himself in the driver’s seat and proceeded to drive out of the hotel.

“Did you hear that? He asked for my name! He is helping us because of me, his fellow townsman!”

“Whatever!” Dayo said dryly but Onos replied him with another elbow to the ribs.

“Hey! Ow, I only have a few ribs you know!”

“Shhh!” Michael shush  ed them yet again.

“Are both of them always like this?” Gerry asked.

“You don’t know the half of it. My entire high school was all about stopping them or whenever I was too tired, watching them banter back and forth. They was no peace with them until Angela came and…” he remembered her again and became quiet as the memories of their time in school and reunion and now her engagement came flooding back to him yet again. The pain of watching her get engaged was still fresh and tried to suppress it yet again.

“Who’s Angela?”

“WILL YOU STOP ELBOWING ME?”

“0NLY IF YOU BEHAVE YOURSELF IN THE PRESENCE OF MY KING!”

“Please be quiet back there. We are about to leave the security of the Ruby Hotel.” Tessy said, he had many reasons to help them. For one, he was already involved because he was the one who prevented Otobo from killing one of them earlier. But he wanted to make Onos, his fellow town’s man proud in the sight of the others, especially the loud mouthed one that he saved earlier. But most especially because when he told Saki about the day’s events, and he tells her everything, she would be happy to hear that he tried valiantly to help them all to safety. She would be cross with him otherwise and he always avoided that by any means necessary.

“Yes, your highness. Sorry sir.”

As Tessy pulled his car out of the Ruby’s gate, no sooner did Otobo’s men with Otobo in tow accosted them forcing them to stop the car.

“Hey, stop there. Open the car!” one of the men said. Tessy rolled down the window a bit.

“I beg your pardon?” he asked calmly but obviously irritated.

“I said stop there and open up your car!”

“Are you blind? Don’t you see the royal family sign on the car?” he said pointing to the insignia, a miniature golden elephant standing up on two feet stuck at the front of the car and on the plate number at the back. The thug saw it clearly and hesitated he obviously didn’t want to bother Tessy but he had orders so he looked back towards Otobo for direction.

“So, open rup your f**king car!” Otobo said roughly but still Tessy remained unflustered.

“Otobo, I think you should come closer to see who it is that you are talking to like that. Come closer please.”

“Eh hen? An so wat? I know dat you ar a  king. But you know say hia no be Jakpa for Delta state. Hia na Yenagua, Bayelsa and no be you be king for hia.”

“I may not be the King of this land but I am still a king. And you must address me with the proper respect that a king deserves!” he said proudly.

“Me?” Otobo said beating his chest.

“Yes, you!” Tessy replied courageously and unfazed.

“Me! Do you even know who I am?”

“Who are you?” he asked with snide.

“I AM ATOBATELE TIMOTHY OTOBO! DE LYON OF DE CREEK! DE COLOSSAL MOUNTAIN! DE IMPENETRABLE RHINO! JUGANAUT OF JINGALAND. NO BULLET CAN PENETRAET AND NO WEAPON KAN FATHOM ME!”

Tessy yawned and even some of Otobo’s men sniggered; “SHARRAP!” he snapped at them and they kept quiet and even Onos hiding in the back of the car jumped a little out of fear. Thank God the glass windows of the car were tinted or else they definitely would have seen his reaction. He hid back under the clothes there and remained as calm as possible.

“Oya, one of you. Open dis car door for me, jor!” he barked and Tessy got out of the car in fury.

“They will do no such thing!” he said looking Otobo squarely in the eyes.

“Iz at so?” he asked grinning

“Yes and do you know why?”

“Wai?”

“BECAUSE I AM DA MODAF**KING KING OF DELTA STATE! I AM THE UNCHALLENGEABLE ELEPHANT IN THE FOREST! I AM THE CHAMPION! I AM DA NUMBER SON OF DA SOIL IT EVEN SAYS SO ON MY F**KING STICKER AND I LEAD THIS LAND! I AM DA KING, MY FATHER AND MY FATHER’S FATHER WAS A KING, MY SON AND MY SON’S SON WILL BE ALL BE KINGS! I AM THE BRANCH DAT WILL NEVER BE CUT AND MY ROOTS WILL SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE LAND AND ABROAD. GENERATIONS TO COME WILL KNOW MY NAME AND HISTORY WILL RECORD MY REIGN! UNFORGETTABLE! I WAS BORN TO BE REMEMBERED!" Tessy said gaining their attention and respect.

"Well, I hear say you disobeyed your own fada and married an outsider so I don't fear you." Otobo said to his face squarely "TINCAN!"

"YES, GENERAL!"

"OPEN DIS CAR DOOR FOR ME!" Otobo said pointing directly to the rear car door the one Onos was shaking behind and ready to piss himself.

Thank you so much.