THE LAST INSURGENT

Eight

The man he was stalking was tall, broad shouldered with very bushy moustache. He was walking hurriedly down a narrow footpath, moving away from the cluster of cabins, and down the bushy part with trees he went.
He had no idea that Mufty was coming after him. Satisfied that he was far away, he put on his flashlight and sat on a stone which he usually sat on.
Mufty watched him bring out a wrap of cannabis from his pocket, with shaky hands, he lit it; dragged smoke with a force and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
"Masha Allah." He said with satisfaction. Life was good here.
He had free meals, ate a lot of meat, married a girl with ease, and got paid after each operation. This was far better than his humdrum life in Patiskum.

Marriage was very expensive in Borno State and he could not afford one. Now, he got his first wife after they invaded an all-girls secondary school. He got his second wife after they invaded a village close to Bama.
Now he had two wives. This insurgency must not stop. There was much to gain.
He was enjoying the herb. He felt as if he was flying, and he could feel an imaginary sound of music, and voices from above. This was good.
"Kacha." He heard a voice from behind. He turned swiftly to see Mufty standing behind him. There was something about Mufty that sent a chill through nerves. He was not just taciturn, but mean. His expertise in killing ,which earned him the rank of the best sniper in the house, made them fear him. No one knew much about him.

"You almost scared me. I just want to chase bad spirits away."
"How?"
"Bad spirits do not like ganja.I also need to clear my head so I can worship Allah better. Plus, I have two wives and it helps me perform better."
"Hmmm....you have two wives. I had one."
It now dawned on Kacha that Mufty was brooding and that was not good. But he could not see any weapon on him. He was not sure Mufty could match him in a bare-hand fight.
"I am sorry about that. It was the Air's decision. You know that, right. He never liked the knot. We feel he wanted her for himself......"

"You are part of those who transported them."
Kacha was shocked to hear that.
"Who told you that?"
"I found out."
"I don't think that is true."
"What you think does not matter. Where did you drop them?"
"Mufty......who told you that?"
"Kacha, talk to me now. Where did you drop them?"
"You know we don't let that out. You know the rules better than me. You are a high ranking jihadist."

"Licking my boots?"
"Amir will kill me."
"How can he kill a dead person?You will be dead if you don't tell me."
"You will kill me if I tell you."
"Not today. I cannot kill you here. If you don't tell anyone, nothing will happen to you....." But kacha had plans. H swung his hand which had a knife. Mufty was expecting a move from him.

When Kacha realised that he had missed, he knew there was going to be trouble. He had only one choice: Shout .
He had barely opened his mouth when he felt an impact on his throat. For a spilt second, he thought it was a knife that was used to slit his throat.
That was a professional move from Mufty who was also a martial artiste. Kacha saw a gun pointed at him.
"Talk." Mufty said. "I swear, if you raise your voice, I will kill you and vanish."
"You can't kill me here...."

"Do you want to try me?" Mufty showed him the knife that dropped from Kach's hand. "It would be fun to kill you with your knife."
"We dropped them at Kamtun Bwalla."
"I am given you the last chance. You know you cannot lie to me."
"Okay, promise that you will say I told you."
"Now that is childish. Who needs more secrecy more than me? I want to get my wife back. Do not take it personally."

"Okay. We dropped them at Darul HaQ station. They are to be taken to Nurul-Madina barracks before being dispatched to various husbands."
Mufty felt more disgusted. What a barbaric sect he had been with. Did anyone ever imagine what these girls felt? Could anyone imagine the constant pain their family members felt?
"Who did you hand them to?"
"Commander Sha'aban."
"Have you ever thought of the evil we are committing?"
"Mufty! We are on a jihad. Do not blaspheme. We are cleansing the world. The world needs us. Please do not let the love for your wife make you derail."