STORY: FRANCIS IS ALIVE - EPISODE 16 [BY LORD EBAY]

Did you miss the previous episodes? Do Not Panic....Read ---> HERE.

ENJOY THE CONTINUATION 👇

*********************************

“I know some of these guys,” Samuel told Mustapha. They were sitting at an inconspicuous corner of the club.
“Who are they?” Mustapha asked.
“What does your mind tells you?”
“They’re criminals.”
“They’re not just criminals. They’re professional hit men.”
“But if they are, and they are here because of this Francis of a guy, hit men, shouldn’t they have hit him already?”
“They wouldn’t so early, the night is still young, and I’m starting to think anyways, they’re here to take him alive or engage him in deals, so, I bet Francis already knows that, so, he feels confident and free. We’re the aliens in here. We do not belong to their realm.”
“So, who is Francis among them exactly? And why do we think this Francis would be interested in attending this party?”
“What does your mind tells you?”
“I don’t know what to think. But if that Francis is one of these guys, hmmm… the dancing man looks terrifying enough to qualify.”
“Dancing man?”
“Yeah, the man occupying the table next to Michael Livingstone’s.”
“Yes, I can wager on him. He’s Francis Whyte—like, same build as the man in the video.”
“Let’s keep our eyes on him.”

* * *

Finally, James Bond came back with Olawunmi who was then smiling. “It’s an honor to have danced with you,” he told her, bowing.

Francis and Anatoly gazed at him as he went back to his lone table without a little as hello to them.

“Excuse me,” Francis mumbled after gulping his fill from the glass, standing and speechlessly warning Sonican not to stop him, and then he went over to the lone man and took a seat opposite of him.

For almost a minute they only stared and a certain silence was loud in the club, like even though the people pretended to not be concerned, everybody’s attention was on them.

“I know who you are,” Francis finally scowled.
“You do?” said James Bond in a smug smile, sipped from his glass, extended a pack of cigarette to Francis who didn’t accept it, and then lit one for himself.
“I know who you are, James Bond,” reemphasized Francis.
“Well, how could you not know who I am? I killed you once.”
“Oh—oh, that’s the acknowledgment I was hoping you would not be afraid to give. Sad news man, here I am, alive.”
“Yes, unfortunately, here you still are. Regale me, I’m curious, Francis, how did you do it? How did you survive it or… am I only looking at an impressionist?”
“Maybe you are, or maybe I am just being myself, always invincible, always immortal.”
“Invincible? Immortal? Some others could still be hoodwinked into believing that, but you see, Francis, you don’t look that in my lenses. I’ve seen it. You bleed when cut. I’ve done it and seen it. There’s always someone who can beat a generally considered unbeatable man.”
“And… let me guess, that would be you, the one who can beat a generally considered unbeatable man?”
“Yes, me, I’m the only man that can, for example, right here, right now, beat you to a… pulp? And put you in… chains.”

Francis snickered then and sat back. They looked at each other quietly for another long while before Francis finally spoke, “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “But if you would indulge me, may I be graced to at least know what you’d put me in chains for? I haven’t killed anyone… yet? I wasn’t the one who have Bade Adebanjo kept somewhere after blowing some people’s brains on the table?”
“Hmmm…” smirked James Bond. “Bade Adebanjo… such a gentle man and everybody thinks… the man in the video is Francis Whyte.”
“Not everybody. I don’t think it’s me.”
James Bond sniggered. “Of course you wouldn’t, you’re Francis! Tell me Francis though, why do you think I made that video?”
“To give yourself a false impression that you’re a great man like me certainly, since mentioning your name, James Bond wouldn’t have registered any fear in your audience as craved, but saying you’re Francis Whyte, you were clever on that, I applaud you, you chose the right shadow to stand in while building your fan base.”
“I’m dumbfounded!” James Bond clapped briefly. “You’re quite intelligent, aren’t you? But what you said though… you are wrong. How can I build fear in your shadow? You damn know I’m fearsome on my own and in fact, personally, you’re afraid of me, aren’t you now, Francis?”
“You’re so full of crap!”
“I am? Okay, this is the point where you thanked me for freeing you. I made the video to free you. You just wouldn’t admit someone was nice towards you, that’s it. But you could as well acknowledge it for friendship’s sake, c’mon!”
“Thank you, Jesus Christ the savior. Are you happy now? So, what can I do for you? Why are you here? What do you want from me, a photograph to boast to your British friends that you met Francis Whyte? Or is it an autograph you pine for?”
James Bond smiled. “No,” he said. “Someone wants to have a cuppa with you somewhere in Germany. We won’t need to bleed ourselves to achieve this if you simply oblige. You can just follow me right now and we’ll be there in few hours.”
“Few hours,” Francis scoffed. “But I don’t speak German, what am I supposed to do in Germany? Pay tribute to Anne Frank?”
“You’re such a humorous guy and I like you already I must confess. You can pay tribute to anybody you like after the cuppa, you won’t be stopped.”
“And who, pray, would my host be?”
“An old admirer of yours.”
“I have too many admirers around the world, James Bond. Look around you! All these people are here because they admire me. At your seven o’ clock sits an FBI Agent with a local police officer, Mustapha Shuaib, the man handling the case involving the Nigerian you’re keeping prisoner. And then—”
“No, he’s not my prisoner. I’m not keeping him behind locked doors. In fact, I wanted to bring him here but… I thought it might turn out a night with a lot of ambitions to kill.”
“So, who sent you?”
“An old friend of yours like I’ve said, I can’t tell you her name but you’ll know her when you meet her.”
“Her! Interesting! A woman sent you.”
“Yes, a woman.”
“And if I say I’m too busy to honour the invitation?”
“Huh… I’d persuade you and pray you honour it, but if it becomes certain you’re not gonna come willingly, forcefully would make it happen.”
Francis scoffed. “Take me forcefully? I wish you can just attempt it right now, right here like you’ve boasted.”
“I’m indeed… tempted but… no, I’ll follow my instinct, and that tells me not yet. We’re just getting to know each other here and I wouldn’t ruin that. Francis,” he sat back, “let’s talk politics, you know, randomly, if you don’t mind.”

Francis did not respond.

“Say, President David Imoukhuede for example supports China in the current crisis,” James Bond began. “All the African countries except Nigeria support the mighty United States. And you do know America is British spawned, so, that’s where I’ll stand. Although Nigeria is a force to reckon with lately, with their nuclear programmes and a magical boost in their economy, but… I would still say, Nigeria is foolish to have joined on the defensive instead of being part of the offensive, don’t you think?”
“I don’t think,” scoffed Francis. “Whoever pays the highest cash hires my gun and my gun doesn’t miss.”
“Only America can afford your gun.”
“Who knows, Russia could too. North Korea, China and the Middle East who aren’t on America’s side could easily merge forces to raise fund to hire my gun, who knows, but I don’t give a damn about the crisis, you see?”
“What would it take you to drop David Imoukhuede?”
“Microsoft.”
“Microsoft?”
“Yes, take Microsoft from Gates and gimme.”

At first, only James Bond laughed, but then Francis joined the laughter.

“You’re joking right?” James Bond later asked frankly.
“Of course I am, James Bond. I know what you’re trying to find out but the truth is, I’m not here to kill anyone. You defended me in the video yourself, remember? I’m not here to kill the Nigerian president but America is, rings a bell now?”
“Yes, because I wanted CIA’s touch reduced on this, so that I—I can dominate it. It’s not because I trust you or something. I don’t.”
“You’re entitled to your right to trust or distrust Mr. Bond but you’ve got the wrong man, I’m not gonna kill anyone for you.”
“I believe you now.”
“You would be if you’re smart enough.”
“How much do you want Bade Adebanjo?”
“Bade Adebanjo? Why would I want him?”
“The men I took him from, aren’t they your men? It occurred to me you must have come down to Nigeria for him. But I’m not keeping him from you of course, you see, I got you freed from the CIA so that we can sit like this to discuss and strike a deal, then I’d happily deliver him back to you.”
“What deal?”
“Follow me to Germany. After that, you can have him.”
“I don’t want him.”
“You don’t? What do you want?”
“For a start, you can release the Ibo family you took.”
“That’s not me.”
“What do you mean that’s not you? Who then?”
“One of the white folks here certainly did. Look around you, there are a hundred of them. Right now they’re trying to read our lips to know what we’re saying, hands on the holsters, maybe you should just grab the microphone and ask them.”
“You’re so full of crap.”
“I doubt that.”

Silence…

“So, where are we on my deal?”
“What deal?”
“The deal we’re discussing.”
“Hmmm… let me consider it for a second, Germany—Germany—Germany… by this time of the year? No, I’m not going, too cold.”
“You do understand I’ll have to drag you there if you won’t oblige?”
“God help you. And be prepared to bypass all these curious faces that are certainly also here for me. I toured the world pissing people off here and there, so, I’ve made these lots of friends. That’s where the threat comes for you. You should watch your back. If I bring a gun out right now just to assess it alone, in the following fifty seconds, a lot of people are gonna be lying dead in this space, which I fear, could include you.”
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“You are? Well, bingo! After all, we finally agreed on something, to look forward to things. I can’t wait.” Francis stood then.
“Me too,” said James Bond who drew from his cigarette and puffed confidently.

Francis returned to his table. “Sonia,” he said. “I’m sorry, you’re not going to shoot just yet, not today.”
“What? Why?” Sonican was looking disappointed and askance then.
“I need you to take Majeed and Olawunmi out of here, you know, without giving anyone the hint that you’re leaving. Can you do that?”
“But I want to shoot somebody!”
“That can wait, please. You have to return to the boat with them.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now, Sonia?”
“How I hate this! Didn’t I ask you not to bring them in the first place?”
“I said I’m sorry, okay? I’m going to take the hall’s attention all to myself presently. That will be your window of stealthy departure. Take them out immediately. Anatoly, come with me, time to sing.”

...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. 

Click HERE to join the Whatsapp Group specially created for all Lovers of LORD EBAY's Stories.

*********************************

CLICK HERE TO READ EPISODE 17

*********************************

BE KIND ENOUGH TO INTRODUCE SOMEONE OR MORE TO MY BLOG  TODAY. Don't be the only one enjoying the FUN here.

Like my Facebook Page - The CHNG Blog

Ff on Twitter - @TheCHNGBlog

BBM Pin - D627AC86

Thanks and God bless.