STORY: FRANCIS IS ALIVE - EPISODE 14 [BY LORD EBAY]

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Majeed ate lightly. Olawunmi had no appetite to touch anything. The boat moved on; they anticipated; their fear mounded. Could Michael truly be Francis Whyte, the criminal who had abducted the Bade Adebanjo guy? How could the criminal be Michael? No, it can’t be him. Michael is a nice person, a businessman, not some rogue.

Michael being Francis Whyte wasn’t their fear; they were sure Michael was Michael, not Francis. Their fear was what the Francis Whyte was going to do to them when they get to him.

When the door opened and Sonican Dale appeared, chill swept through them, they knew it was time.

“Come upstairs,” she said. “His boat is near.”

So, diffidently, they followed her, climbed a ladder-like step to another level on the boat and there was a hairy man with his buttons completely loose to expose a thickly hairy chest, sun goggles, white hat, yellow shorts, yellow sneakers, silver wristwatch and partially grown beard sitting at what seemed to be where the boat was being controlled.

They halted measuredly and another boat was in view then, slowly emerging closer. Majeed’s leg ached but he wouldn’t complain to anyone, the anticipation of who they were going to meet had overwhelmed him.
“Hi,” greeted the man who was introduced as Aleksandr, riding the boat.

They only nodded detachedly and focused on the man in complete white Brazilian attire with hat and goggles on the other boat, awaiting their approach with a smoldering cigar clasped in-between his fingers.

It was Michael, there was no mistaking it, and when the two boats touched bodies and he crossed onto their deck, smiling at them, Olawunmi wouldn’t know whether to smile or brood. What they had heard the police say about the Francis Whyte being looked for; an assassin, someone who has killed hundreds of human beings, huh... But… someone claimed to be Francis Whyte while Michael was being held or… could Michael had made that video before he was arrested? And, Michael is a nice person! How could he be a criminal?

He stood in front of Olawunmi now, and started, “I don’t know what this lady has—”
“I told them everything, Francis, no pretense,” interpolated Sonican.
“Sonia, how could—all right then, Olawunmi, I don’t know what anybody might have told you, or you Majeed, I’m still a nice person you know? It’s true that I had killed a lot of people, even more than they have in record or aware of, but I did all those killings for good reasons, I’m just being honest to my nature, I’m a predator, I’m trained to kill.”

Olawunmi flinched as if she suddenly found the devil in front of her. Was he teasing them or was he serious?
“Whether Francis or Michael,” he continued. “Call me anything you like. But for the record, I prefer Francis.”

Some men were emerging from beneath the hatch of the newcomer boat then, looking vividly unfriendly.
“Meet my sailing crew. You’ll get to know them better later.”
“Now that’s enough, Francis,” said Sonican. “You damn broke my heart. It’s high time we addressed that. So if I haven’t come with these friends of yours, you would have avoided me forever?”
“No sweetheart, you know it’s not like that. I love you! I’ll always—”

The slap was quite loud on Francis’s cheek and as Majeed was scared these men would react in defense of their boss or… friend, or… whatever, they only laughed.
“I’m sorry,” Francis said more quietly now.
“You fucking left me alone on a foreign land where if you do not cover your head, you’re an infidel. A country of philistines!”
“But they couldn’t have—”
“Shut up!” she slapped him again and turned her back to him, folded her arms on her chest. “Since you so much find me useless now, I’ll just go.”

Francis wrapped his hands around her from behind. “Always and forever, do we still have that?” he asked enticingly.
“You’re gonna have to do better than that if my forgiveness is to be earned.”

He turned her around in his arms and kissed her tenderly; he winked at Olawunmi as he did and she couldn’t be more gobsmacked.

When they let go of each other, Sonican jumped at him again and kissed him. “I’ve missed you!” she whispered.
“I’m right here.” He held onto her bums as they kissed.

Eventually, when everyone began to look shyly away, she let go of him and asked sternly, “By the way, why the hell did you let everybody know you’re alive and in Nigeria?”

“I did that on purpose, Sonia. I was always in Nigeria until I left on boat, this very boat and then I decided to use the airport again, from Gambia. I wanted to know if I’m still remembered. Well, it appears I am.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Well, that’s it.”
“That’s it? Just testing your popularity you mean?”
“Not exactly but yes, you’re close.”
“So, what are you gonna do with them?” referring to Majeed and Olawunmi.

They turned to the Nigerians, the great Francis Whyte’s hosts, unmistakably still choking on the shocker of their lives.
“Majeed,” addressed Francis. “Huh, how do I start? Okay, let me be blunt now. I knew you were always the one chatting with me, okay? You know, poising to be her.” He pointed at Olawunmi. “I know what you do, who you are. I know everything, I mean, everything. But I like you. I sent all that money because I do. Whatever I did with your girlfriend, find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Olawunmi and Majeed spontaneously settled their gazes on each other. What the…
“Olawunmi, I’m so sorry,” Francis was still speaking. “I don’t really know how to apologize because I rarely do. What can I say? Welcome to my world, both of you. I’ll protect you from now on. You’ll be whoever you truly want to be. I’ll fund you even if it’s the cyber racket you chose. Welcome… to my world.”
“When you’re this nice to people Francis, I suspect there’s more to it than what you’re telling us. What’s the catch?” joshed Sonican.
“No, I’m just being a better person, that’s all. Remember, I came back from the dead.”
“How awkward! Did you come back or did I drag your ass back before you jumped me?”
“I said sorry like a thousand times already.”
“A million times will never be enough.”
“If you’ll be half as nice as I’ve become, you’ll let me talk to my friends now. Majeed, Olawunmi, what do you have to say?”

At that point, Olawunmi would’ve slapped him but the part where he said he knew she wasn’t the one chatting with him got them kind of on the guilt side and speechlessly flabbergasted.

“Seriously, Olawunmi, Majeed, you’re not going to say anything? You’re talking to the richest assassin in the world!”
“Are you… are you really an assassin?” Majeed asked reluctantly.
Francis nodded,
“Someone who kills people for money?”
“We can’t all be saints, can we?” giggled Francis, finally drawing from the cigar and puffing. “Some of us have to play more… spectacular roles. And being an assassin isn’t a bad thing to me, look around you, these boats, how much do you think each of them cost and you see, I can blow them up right now and not feel a wee bit bad about it. We’re rich. We’re celebrated assassins. We get the dirty works of the rich done for them. And… huh, well, I don’t usually see myself as an assassin though, I mean the way people define that personality, but if that’s what you’d like to consistently call it, I’ll cope. Anatoly, what do you prefer to call us?”

One of the men behind him smiled and said, “Regulators.”

“That’s it Majeed,” puffed Francis. “We regulate the balance in world population. We cause decorum in government… in politics, thereby making the world a politically balanced place. If we don’t kill people, people die anyways. Poisons kill them, accidents kill them, cancer kills them, lesser men with guns, petty thieves and most especially the government kills them. It’s either we do it or nature itself does it, people have to die, time to time.”

“But only evil people kill people!” exploded Olawunmi for the first time.

“Hmmm… welcome to the debate, love,” giggled Francis. “I’m glad to hear your voice again. I sense how surprised you are at this revelation of who I really am, a man who kills people, a bad man… arghh, but this is what you’re not looking at, when bad people need to die to save the good people, who kills them? You heard the story of Adolf Hitler, didn’t you? If someone like me had killed him before he started killing the Jews, probably when he was just a young boy, to you, would I have been a good person or bad then? Of course you wouldn’t know because you wouldn’t know he would grow up to be the holocaust guy he grew up to be, would you? I understand how you feel Olawunmi, starting from how surprised you must be that I’m truly the Francis Whyte they have suspected me to be. What can I say? I was on my way coming to get you when I heard that Sonia got you. I stopped here and here you are, I have to prove to you that being a hit man or a regulator like Anatoly likes to call us doesn’t make us bad persons, it only makes us the regulators that we are and nothing more.”
“They said you’re… yo—you’re… going to… kill the president,” cried Olawunmi,
“President David is a good person… not that I can’t kill… well, I’m not here to kill anyone. I’m here for you and Majeed. I want you two to come live with me.”

They looked at each other slowly, brows arched in fright.

“What did that man you kidnapped do to you? Have you killed him?” asked Majeed worriedly.
“By that man you meant Bade Adebanjo, am I right? I didn’t know him until I saw him on TV, and he does look like an old friend with a troubling resemblance but no, I didn’t kidnap him. That man whose video the police showed you is only an impersonator, I’m not him.”
“Who’s that copycat by the way?” asked Sonican.
“I’m not sure,” Francis shook his head thoughtfully, “but he does sound like a foe I’m hoping to kill. James Bond… that’s what they call him. He was there when I was shot and cast into the sea to be fed on by sharks. He made that video to get me released from the police and he took Bade Adebanjo to bring me back to him. He must have thought I have something to do with him. One thing deductable about him though, he knows I am Francis, one of the few who can identify me.”

Silence…

“So, are we gonna head overseas now or go to him? I don’t think he’s a threat to you.”
“He’s not a threat to me for sure but like he has guessed, I do care about Bade Adebanjo. He’s wanted, I want to know why and why anyone would think I have anything to do with him. I want him. My interest is piqued now.”
“Since we got your friends back, and you said they were the ones you were coming for, I don’t think that can’t wait. A lot of people are in Nigeria for you, isn’t it best that we leave ASAP?”
“What do you say, Anatoly?”
“We don’t run, boss. The James Bond guy wants us, he sees us.”
“Yes, what Anatoly said, plus, isn’t there an info you’ve not relayed to me?”
“What?”
“Majeed,” he faced Majeed now. “Your neighbours, how much do you care about them?”

Silence…

“Majeed?”
“They’re my neighbours and are… friendly enough. I care.”
“Good. They were abducted right after you were. Do you want me to rescue them for you?”
“Oh my God!” That was Olawunmi.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He turned to Sonican then. “Sonia, when was the last time you shot someone?”
“The last time we were together, in Iraq.”
“Do you miss it?”
“More than I miss you.”
“Oh—oh, that’s the spirit! Let’s go into Lagos in style and find a club. When we make everybody aware Michael Livingstone entered the city with his allegedly kidnapped friends and are going to celebrate someone’s birthday at a club, all the people we need to see will come looking for us, then you can have the chance to shoot again, Sonia.”
“I like that,” giggled Sonican. “Instead of looking for them, we just bring them all together in one place and shoot them.”
“Yes, that. Bring them all together in one place and shoot the hell outta them. Anatoly, when is your birthday?”
“Anytime you say it is, boss.”
“Olawunmi, if I rescued your neighbours, would I be a good person in your books then?”
“Everything happened because of you. Majeed got shot because of you. Our neighbours too…”
“Ouch! It’s all right. We’ll rescue them anyway. But please, you do understand, Majeed, Olawunmi, that if I’m to bring them back home, I’d still need to be Michael Livingstone, right? Or do I have to keep you on this boat till after everything is done?”
“No, we’ll go. You’re Michael Livingstone,” snapped Majeed.
“That’s the smart man!” chuckled Francis. “A cyber Osama bin Laden can’t be any smarter.”

Majeed nodded and looked at Olawunmi to have a certain gesture, he got it and Francis understood they had agreed to play game.

“Anatoly,” Francis called.
“Boss,” he answered.
“Let’s go celebrate your birthday. Come here Sonia, I’ve missed you!”

The kissing continued.

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Boris handed the phone back to Xia after scrolling through the pictures. Xia had been busy. When she heard that Michael Livingstone came back to town, she had gone out to take pictures of him. And what could ever be more surprising than seeing Majeed Akintola and Olawunmi Oni who were reported missing with him, in company of, the lady who had fallen to the description of the person who was said to have been suspected of abducting them.

All these things were supposed to be clandestine. They were supposed to come to Nigeria, grab Francis stealthily and leave within a day or at worst, two. But there they were, the League had already proposed withdrawing them back home to be replaced by other assassins but some top masters had defended them, saying they were trained to kill, not transport, and that transporting could be more difficult and they should be indulged further. And apart from the fact that they were having more than they had bargained for, they were the four best in the League; none of them had ever been recorded to have failed on a mission. They weren’t just accurate at shooting, they were also swift at running; battle skills, excellent.

“Holy shit, I know that girl!” exclaimed Ivan after he collected the phone from Xia and everyone, except Abram gathered around him to look.
“You do?” asked Xia.
“Yes, she’s… I forgot her name, but…”
“Her name’s Sonican Dale,” said Xia.
“Yes! That’s it! Holy ass, Sonican Dale! She ambushed us once, on a mission in fucking Amsterdam. I kind of liked the girl, so I found her out after the mission. She didn’t know me though, and I let my guards down, but the bitch robbed me, ran with my gold.”
“Are you sure?” asked Boris.
“Are you fucking doubting me now?”
“But what would someone like her be doing around Michael Livingstone?” surmised Boris. “Unless… Michael Livingstone isn’t who he claims to be.”
“Unless… Michael Livingstone is Francis Whyte.”
“Or… unless he’s being protected by Francis Whyte or… being used?”
“I would take that he’s being used.”
“Whatever… Xia, have you located the club where the birthday party is happening?”
“Yes, Lekki Estate, in two days.”
“I know what he’s doing,” said Boris, pacing towards the window. “Abram, what do you think?”

Indifference…

“Abram, he’s talking to you!” hollered Xia. “Why are you just sitting there fiddling with your fingers?”
“What I do with my fingers is none of your business,” Abram barked back.
“It’s our business,” said Ivan. “If you’ve gone mentally ill, I’ll volunteer to put a bullet in your brain right now.”
“Fuck you, asshole, not before I put a bullet in your mother’s pussy.”
“Enough, Abram!” howled Boris. “What do you fucking think? You contribute or you’re removed.”
“I’m thinking… nothing. I just want to shoot anyone man. Get me to the club and let me shoot the man who shot me.”
“You know who shot you now?”
“No.”
“So, how are you gonna shoot him?”
“It’s none of your business.”

They looked at one another, watched him for a moment and resumed to their deliberations.

“How are our guests doing?” asked Xia.
“Ivan is taking care of them. They’ll live.”
“Hope he’s not threatening them.”
“You should’ve just faced me and ask. You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?”
“Fuck you, Ivan. I’m afraid of only one person in this world and that’s Xia, me.”
“Not even God?”
“God? If I see God right now, I’m gonna shoot him.”

“Blasphemous bastard,” Abram murmured from the couch and they heard, looked at him and sniggered.

“Assassin turned priest,” snickered Xia.
“Let’s focus,” Boris muttered. “What’s our goal everyone? I want the answer chorused.”
“Get Francis, get out of here,” they said in unison.
“I didn’t hear you, what’s the goal?” Boris asked again.
“Get Francis, get out of here,” so Ivan and Xia answered.

“I’ll kill James Bond before I get out of here,” murmured Abram indifferently
“Sure you will,” Boris sneered at him and individual went back to business.

...to be continued!

Written by: Lord eBay (and his action series, 2017)

Twitter & Instagram: @lordebay

Email: dearlordebay@gmail.com

ABOUT AUTHOR:

Lord eBay is an Author with a taste for Romantic, Political and Paranormal Fictions. His goal is to join other writers in resurrecting Reading/Writing culture in Nigeria. 

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