THE LAST INSURGENT

Four

Mufty waited patiently, knowing the sheikh was about to come out, probably after a few handshakes with followers . He caressed the gun slowly. His position was perfect and he knew there was no way he could miss his target. People had begun to leave the mosque, mostly making comments on the day’s lecture. The video CD was already on sale. It was easy for them. They filmed while the lecture went on, there was no editing, all they did was  duplicate and sell.

A man dressed in suit was first to come out through the Imam’s door.
Mufty frowned. He needed not to be told he was a DSS officer and the bulge on his side told him it was a gun.Well,that should not come as a surprise because the Sheikh knew his life was in danger.He had been openly speaking against them and that was a dangerous thing to do.Next to come out was a tall,lanky middle aged man dressed in white caftan whom Mufty recognised to be Alaramma Sadiq,the sheikh’s reciter.

Then the Sheikh came out ,flanked by guards and followed by his students.Mufty did not waste time.He raised his gun,looked through the target glass,made sure he was set,looked at the sheikhs happy looking face then pulled the trigger twice.

The Sheikh went down at once,two brave guards covered him,the DSS had removed his pistol,registered the point he suspected the shot came from then shot back.Sadiq was on the floor,panting ,crawling to safety ,while the sheikh was dragged inside the mosque.

Pandemonium broke and the place became obstreperous .People began to run randomly,leaving their shoes behind,jumping over fence and scampering .

Mufty was sure he got his target,he jumped down and moved into the darkness.He was hoping to join the confused crowd and escape but a shot that barely missed him made him jumpe on the ground and automatically fired back.There were police men around.He shot again,got up and broke into a run. Ricocheting bullets  went after him.He was used to this type of chase.He turned,shot back,then sprang up ,vaulted over a fence,ran and crawled under a van,came out of the other side and moved into a murky part where he could see people still running and shouting.His phone vibrated.He picked it and heard Gali say, “where are you?"

Mufty could see Gali among the crowd.It was the man in white jallabiya who was the humint in the mosque.
“ I can see you,”Mufty said,sneaking into the crowd, “I am behind that water tank …”
“ I get it.Stand up,we have to leave.I got you covered….” But he could not complete the sentence as Mufty came behind him.It happened with an incredible speed.Mufty held his neck,ran a knife across and allowed the lifeless body drop,bleeding like a slaughtered ram.
“ Subahanllah!”A man shouted. “He killed him!He killed him.He is one of them.” 
Mufty quickly wore his mask,sent bullets into the sky and the people who had thought of apprehending him changed their minds.

Instead,they ran for their lives.The police had called for backup but it was too late.Mufty had ran to their Hilux,got in and the man behind the wheel swung the car away.Twenty minutes later,making sure they were not tailed,they were on the dusty road to their camp.The man behind the wheel,Shehu,glanced at Mufty.
“ How far ?”He asked.
“ I got him.”Mufty replied without looking at him.He put the gun on his lap while he squeezed the mask with his hand.He was tensed up,his mind tumultuous and Shehu noticed this.Mufty was usually calm and satisfied after a kill but there was something different about this operation.Knowing how dangerous Mufty was,Shehu decided not to ask any further question.The powerful headlights sent strong beam which fell on the dust road ,bordered by tall tress,shrubs and grasses.
“I called Gali,”Shehu began , “his phone was switched off.”
“ I have the phone with me.It must not be found on him even though it is a mission phone with no implicating data.”
Shehu felt a bang in his heart.Gali had fallen;killed by Mufty.It was not long ago that he took Jamil Kamil,Umar Daud,and Mallam Lawal.Clean up,it was called but Gali was in no position to be wiped out.He was not the sniper.There was something unusual about it.
“May his soul rest in peace.” Shehu prayed.
“Ameen.”
Mufty’s phone rang.
“ Assalamu alaikum.”He said.
“Where are you” A thick,hard voice said from the other end.Shehu recognised Jahl’s voice.
“ On our way back.” Mufty replied.
“ You missed the target.”Jahl said coldly.
“What?”
“You did not kill him.”
“I shot him.I got him.”
“I said you did not kill him and shut up!You failed.The only kill you made was Gali.Why?”
“You know why?”
“ What do you mean?”
“ There were police and I was chased.Gali was going to clean up:wipe me out.I knew I was not going to be caught so why let him kill me.And you know better than I do that it was not a point for explanations. I had no choice.”
“I am not bothered about him.He is on his way to paradise.I am worried about you not killing Sheikh. You failed the mission……for the first time and that is your grace.You have never failed.”
The line went dead.
I did not fail,Mufty thought,I hit the target……the Sheikh’s cap.He knew he could have taken him out with a single shot,left him with a shattered heart that no surgeon could fix.