Charles wanted to address the workers in the office and when he stepped in they all stood up in the hall to welcome him. He then asked them to sit and with both hands in his pocket picked a marker and faced the white board. After a brief introduction to what he had for them that morning he then spoke to at length on the issue bothering the growth of the company. Some wondered why he was the one teaching on that when they already had Veronica. Most wondered why she wasn't in the company that morning. Charles had to lie.
"I sent her to negotiate business with our client in Lagos. He will be back in few days time. Focus on building the company in your respective positions and together we will take this company to the next level" When he was done he walked into his office and sat down. He was not happy and he could not continue to hide it hence why he ended the meeting. Shortly he dialed a number and spoke few words and ended with, "Find her"
******
Anita was in the hospital and the doctor was attending to her.
"You will be fine shortly" he said.
"The wounds?" asked Anita.
"They aren't too deep, they will heal with time. They aren't infected either" he walked towards the door but stopped before he added, "Ken called, he is on his way to this place" He walked out. Anita sighed and her mind went back to when Charles had to invade the hideout of Mr Golden with Ken and how one man was able to bring down a whole team comprising of twenty armed men. When he was done with the men he was able to apprehend Mr Golden who was on his way to the spot where she was held and bound. Charles had disarmed him too and forced him to lead him to where she was tied. The one positioned to monitor Anita was shot in the eye while he was confused on whether to listen to his boss Mr Golden and drop his weapon or try to save him from Charles who was holding by the next from his back. The man fell heavily before Anita and Charles shot Mr Golden on the leg and he fell to the ground. Ken then walked in armed and untied Anita.
"You came for me yourself boss?" Anita was shocked.
"Yes, you are valuable to me Anita" Just then Mr White entered and shook hands with Charles.
"Your Intel was right and Mr Golden is going to pay with his life for putting his finger into my eye" said Charles before he walked away, leaving the rest for Mr White and Ken.
Anita adjusted herself on the bed and just then Ken walked in and seeing she was fine nodded with a smile playing on his lips.
"You are well now" he said.
"I'm getting well. How are you?" she asked.
"Everything is fine Anita. Boss is glad you survived the abduction" said Ken.
"Mr Golden was going to kill me" said Anita.
"He did not" said Ken.
"How is the company and the organization?" asked Anita.
"Everything is fine except that your friend is out" said Ken.
"My friend; Veronica?" Anita wanted to know and Ken nodded in response. Anita was not pleased with this development.
******
"What did you expect me to do; to stay back in the village and keep roaming about?" Veronica was asking Edu after they were done eating and the mother excused herself.
"So now I'm a roamer? Are you indirectly insulting me or what?" Edu was asking.
"You know what, you are being too proud this time I have to leave you now" she walked outside, mounted her car and drove off.
When she got to her father's compound she saw that her uncle was now living in the compound with his family. When they saw her alight from her car they were shocked and the man looked careful to ensure his eyes weren't deceiving him. That was Veronica and his child, the last born confirmed it.
"Veronica" he called and she didn't respond until she was with them. The uncle stood up and looked at her carefully and seeing she was the one jumped and embraced her tightly. Veronica did not say a word until the more was done with his excitement then she spoke.
"Good day Uncle"
"Good day my daughter and you are welcome to your father's house. You look bigger now and you must be very rich by now my daughter" he showed excitement.
"Yes Uncle" she looked at the house again and asked, "Uncle what happened to your own house? Why are you now living in my father's compound?"
"My daughter I only thought it wise to keep an eye on it until you come back. Now that you are back there is nothing else that will take my eyes away from you. I have so much confidence that your coming back will reunite our families. You are welcome to your father's house" said the man.
"Very well Uncle" she said and kept looking at him. The man appeared unstable but knowing that his days in the house of Veronica's father's house was over he told his children to begin to pack their things to their house. Before evening the Uncle and his children had packed out and the house was empty. Veronica who was waiting in her car all the while they packed their things stepped out after they were done and the Uncle had to tell her.
"We are done Veronica" he had said and Veronica forced a smile after she had climbed down from the car.
"Thank you Uncle. I will visit you later" she said and he smiled before leaving, following his sons back to his own house. After he left Veronica entered the house and kept her bag aside. She sighed heavily and sat down on one of the dusty wooden chairs and began to sob vehemently.
*****
"So you finish humans?" asked Shanty when she returned from a trip with Jude. He did not answer her. "Why are you mute?" she asked further.
"Shanty" he called while opening the door to his room. Shanty entered and turned to answer him. "Could you please ask less questions?"
"Why?" she asked. He sighed and stared into her eye balls and said, "You keep asking me so many questions I will put you out"
"You are being too mean to me" she complained and he walked passed her and headed to the bathroom, having removed his cloths. She watched him go to his bathroom and she followed him.
That night Shanty kept troubling him with questions. At a point he began to explain some of the things she asked him. While he explained those things she paid enough attention and was nodding like a lizard.
*****
Veronica had just finished sharing some money to some of the villagers that came to welcome her back home. As they left she sat while knowing that some of them would be questioning the source of her sudden wealth. She did know this would be the order of the day and most of the times and even while she kept sharing money to them she knew some of them would wish her death.
On the third night she shared funds to the widows in the village in her father's compound she was sleeping and suddenly she heard the door of the house opened from the outside. It was at that moment that she discovered how careless and stupid she had been; not thinking it right to get herself some security while in the village. She got up and hid under the bed. The thieve entered the room where she was and kept searching the room. She could see his moving feet from the light of the candle which she lit before she slept. She looked at his shadow and saw he was holding a pistol. it was that moment that she felt this could be an assassin sent to kill her by either her Uncle or some other person in the village who felt envious of her wealth. She decided that if she was going to die it would be better she fought for her life. She was about to make up her mind to dash from the under the bed and face the killer when she began to hear a knock on the door. It was passed ten in the night and she wondered who could be at her door by that time yet she thanked God for the distraction. She waited and saw the feet of the killer as they moved to the door where the knock was coming from and a moment later she could hear a conversation of two men and then a gun shot. She panicked, having heard the gunshot and the screaming of a man. She waited. shortly she heard the footsteps of a man entering and she felt the killer had shot the visitor and had come back for her but when she saw the leg of this person it was different from the feet of the one had entered before. She remained where she was and waited.
"Veronica" she heard her name being called and she waited to make sure it was her name that was called. "Veronica" the male voice repeated and it was then she confirmed the person was calling her. "If you are here reveal yourself and don't be scared. I'm here to help" It took Veronica time before she sneaked out from where she was hiding and the man brought out a tiny object from his pocket and when he flashed the light from it the whole room radiated with light. She was shocked to recognize the person. It was Ken. She did not know what to do or say.
"I'm sorry I had to come this way but boss sent me to you" Ken said.
"How did you locate my place in this village?" she asked.
"We know things and that's why we are successfully running a secret organisation for years without being discovered by the government. Boss sent me to find you. I'm only glad I arrived early enough to get rid of the one that had been sent to eliminate you"
"You shot him?" asked Veronica.
"Yes I did, and I'm sorry to say this, you will follow me back to the city or I will have to shoot you too" He said and adjusted the gun in his hand. Veronica stared at the pistol in his hand and swallowed hard before nodding.
That same night Veronica was led out of the house and both of them mounted her car.
"What, you did not come with a car?" asked Veronica.
"If I'm on a mission such as this, I don't go with a car. There are many other things you will need to know but for now let's get you back to the boss" Ken said and Veronica drove off the compound with the lifeless body of the killer stuffed inside the boot of the car.
The next day and in the morning Edu paid a visit to the compound and was shocked to see that Veronica was gone.
******
Ken was standing before Charles and Veronica was standing by his side also. Charles who was leaning on his desk looked at Ken and nodded, signifying that Ken should excuse them. Ken excused himself and went outside.
"You had to do that?" Charles asked as he lit the pipe in his hand.
"I beg your pardon?" Veronica was saying.
"Don't beg for it because you won't get any. Come to think of it; you went to a village? You should know better than to run off to a village. There is nowhere in this world that I cannot find you if I want to" Said Charles.
"What do you want from me Charles?" She asked frustratingly.
"That" he said while pointing towards the door and just then Anita walked in to the shock of Veronica.