The ORION Project | ✔

chapter 27

The Daily Messenger, written by Sena Gowon, 1998, May.

Remilekun Phillips wins Lagos senatorial election by landslide. This news come as a double celebration for the young politician as he recently welcomed his first child with the beautiful Nigerian actress, Dinah Adewale a few days ago. According to a source close to the family, the first child is a healthy baby girl.

Despite the good news, the Phillips have had their fair share of bad news, at the beginning of the year, Remilekun Phillips lost his billionaire father and became sole heir of the Phillips estate. The now senator's campaign was the focus of several scandals — many proved wrong and some left unanswered.

While the politician has found himself at the top among many of the most famous, the public distrust has also grown with many noting the scandal six months ago that exposed the politician's illegitimate son he fathered and abandoned in his teens.

Many have dubbed his campaign as a truck of lies, but the politician shows no sign of slowing down, both financially and in popularity.

Remilekun Phillips is scheduled for a television interview with AIT tonight at eight and with the way all mentions of his name draws viewership, it is safe to say that he has support where it matters.

***

"I need to call my mother."

This time when Amina looked up from her phone, there was surprise in her wide eyes. Victoria looked frustrated, muttering words under her breath. Kendrick didn't care, his heart was racing fast.

"You can't do that." Amina said slowly, pocketing her phone in the pockets of her jeans. "I don't know if you were told, but your phone networks don't work in here."

Kendrick resisted the urge to stomp his foot like a petulant child. "Then find one that works, I have her number memorized."

Victoria marched to where he stood near the monitor. She jabbed a finger at his chest, her lips firmly pursed. "You want to call your mother, does the Dome look like a fucking daycare?"

"Don't be silly, Kendrick." Amina rebuked harshly, her stare was piercing, she had a stare that could make one feel like the most stupid person ever. Kendrick didn't let himself be intimidated.

"I'm going no where until I speak to her." He snapped. He wanted to laugh at the incredulity that parted Victoria's lips, good, they thought he was a child, not someone on the brink of discovering something.

"Please, Kendrick, let's go on with the tour and then your physical examination." Although the glance she shared with Amina told Kendrick that she was regretting suggesting a tour in the first place.

"Do I have to spell it out for the both of you? I. Want. My. Mother."

Amina gave a sharp exhale of irritation but there was also suspicion in her eyes when he met them. She knew him, and she knew that acting this way was out of character for him, Kendrick gave her the most childish stare he could muster.

"Use my phone," Amina snapped. She walked to him to push her phone into his hands, to his surprise, it wasn't a iPhone or any expensive looking android phones, it was a smartphone with no label on it, it was sleek and black and when he touched the screen it lit up.

He looked back at her face, asking silently for an explanation.

"Our engineers designed it, it doesn't work outside the dome — safety purposes." She said flatly.

Kendrick turned the phone over, thinking that it looked more like a Japanese brand he had seen once.

"Does this have internet connection?" He asked.