BETROTHAL

CHAPTER 20

Femi came back around half past 9p.m. He came along with 3 other officers and a backpack.

He instructed Mrs. Obed to lead Mrs. Balogun to the bedroom to get some sleep. Fola, Femi, Bolu and the three officers were the ones left in the living room.

Femi opened the bag and brought out some instruments Fola didn't know existed.

The only thing she was able to identify was a gun that was shinning due to the dim light of the room.

There were goosebumps all around her as Femi instructed her to take a hold of it. She took it with a shaky hand and it fell down.

Femi picked it up and gave it back to her. "Fola be calm. This isn't a real gun."

"Don't you think we should give her a real gun so she can use it to defend herself?", one of the officers asked.

"This isn't a real gun and she is this shaky. Who knows what would happen when she sees a real one", Femi said back.

"Fola, you need to do this for the man you love. I'm sure you don't want his mother to lose him nor do you want to lose him. This is the least you can do only if you will cooperate with us. I assure you that I won't allow anything to happen to you."

There were sweats all over her as she answered in a low tone "Ok."

"Good, so this is the plan. Bolu and I will go to the bank to get the money first thing tomorrow morning. A tracking device will placed on your body and also we will give you something we can use to communicate with you. When things are about to get out of hands, you will use it to notify us so we can strike. To give us a signal, you will have to use a language that is unknown to the criminals."

"Idris here is from Ivory coast so he will put you through some little words and sentences you can use to give us a signal", he said pointing at the officer opposite him.

"I will go with you to the place as your brother. You should tell them you are coming with your brother. If she agrees fine but if she doesn't, we will look for an alternative. We don't know whether they are in Kaduna, Zaria or Jaji but we have informed the police officers in Jaji and they are ready to give a helping hand. The distance will determine whether my colleagues from here will go with us or not. If it is here in Kaduna, the other police officers will follow us some minutes after our departure. Also, you will be given this gun for protection and a pepperspray if you can't make use of the gun. It isn't a real gun, but you have to use it the same way a real gun is used. The bullet in here is a poisonous one so when you pull the trigger, the victim will fall to the ground and sleep off", Femi explained in details.

"Won't she hide the gun and the pepperspray?", the other officer said.

"She will", he answered her then turn back to Fola.

"You have to wear a garment that will hide the gun and the pepperspray, and a trouser also. Do you get it?", he asked her and she nodded.

Fola asked all of a sudden, "Where is Biodun?"

Bolu turned back to look at her as she answered, "I went to drop him at my aunt's house before coming here. Why do you ask?"

Fola ignored her question and looked at Femi.

"Femi, what if she tries to escape? What if she isn't really the Rachel we thought? How do we get her?"

"What are you insinuating?", Fola was quiet. "Is it what I am thinking?", he asked and Fola nodded.

Femi studied her quietly and whirled around to look at his fiancee. "Bolu, Biodun has drawing skills. Maybe we should go......."

"Don't even go there. How can you think of such a thing?", Bolu yelled.