Elvis

Episode 12

Ben entered the room hoping to see someone with weird square-shaped spectacle glaring back at him from behind a large desk but was shocked to be in a large spacious room, a large desk sat before a chair directly opposite the door he just entered through, a mini-version of a boardroom table and chairs are on the left, cushion chairs about four in all surrounds a glass table with a flower vase on it on the right. A shelf stands on the left of the desk and a refrigerator on the right. Large pictures of the president of the country, governor of the state and that of Honourable Titus adorns the wall. With the superfluous design of the office and arrangement, Ben sensed he must be in the office of a top official of the firm.

He heard the door knob been turned and he dived into the back of the sofa close to the wall on his right. He heard footsteps of people entering the office; he raised his head a bit, for his eyes to be able to see above the sofa, he could see well-built men holding varieties of guns, about four of them standing at different locations in the room. He switched off all the connections on him to avoid undesired noises which might give up his location. A man in overflowing agbada was in the other side of the room, standing at the side of the room discussing silently with two more men. The man has an aura of authority oozing from him, he must be a big man and a big man indeed. The man turned in his direction, the man’s Honourable Titus. Ben now knows he had mistakenly entered the ex-vice Governor’s office. But why was the security so low.

Ben strained his ears to listen but couldn’t get a grip on their line of discussion. Occasional words seeped into his earing range but not enough to have an understanding of what they are saying. Words like “CIO” “Elvis” “Ben” “Dauda” “Package” “factory” filtered into his ears. He didn’t understand what they are saying but he’s more surprised how this people knows about them. The people discussing are so engrossed in their discussion that they didn’t know how time flies. They’ve been talking for hours and they don’t look tired of standing.
Ben took out his phone silently as his hands went to work behind the sofa, furiously and quickly punching the keypads as fast as he could. His heart thumped furiously, loud enough to give rhythm to a song. The room suddenly became quiet.
He noticed the sudden graveness of the room; he stopped punching his keypad and raised his head as he has done before. He saw that the attention of the members of the room is turned towards the door. He listened carefully and he could here sound of people searching furiously for something outside the office, they got to the door of the office and knocked. The men in arms cocked their guns and pointed it at the door.
They lowered it when the people entered and realized they are their men.
“What is going on here” Honourable Titus asked obviously furious
“I’m very sorry sir, but we think we have been infiltrated” the security man who ushered Ben to the elevator said looking around conspicuously.

Ben lowered his head instantly, his heart skipped a beat.
“What do you mean by that young man” Titus asked again, his voice echoing around the office. A deep baritone voice.

“I think the ICO has a man in this floor”
“This floor, what do you mean by that?”
“A man came in the guise of an A/C engineer, he said he’s going to the 18th floor to repair a faulty air conditioner” the man said looking down, in fear.

“What makes you think it’s a guise” Titus asked surprisingly coolly
“I met another man of the A/C company, who denied their sending another man to replace him, saying they aren’t supposed to come today if not for an impromptu call from the 10th floor, he said he’s hale and healthy and further denied their company sending another man to replace him, he called his supervisor and I confirmed his story” the man replied
“What makes you think he’s on this floor?” Titus replied, obviously disappointed with his security personnels but also trying to hold back his anger.

“We’ve searched the other floors but he isn’t there, this is the last sir and he hasn’t exited the building” the man replied recoiling in fear.

Titus clenched his fist in anger, his face getting stony, he walked towards the man who just reported the information and gave him a thumping blow to his face. He turned furiously at the other security guards who cowered under his glare.

“What do I pay you for you fools, get me the b—–d that made a fool of my dumb security guards.” He shouted spitting furiously, fighting space.

Ben raised his head to see the situation of the room but he froze when he saw a pair of eyes glaring furiously at him. Ben looked at the phone and managed to press the send key before dropping his phone under the sofa behind which he had been hiding. The guard waved his gun menacingly as he walked towards Ben and dragged him into the center the room. The looks on face of the guy that led him to the elevator earlier and who was lucky to be on the receiving end of a fist could kill an elephant, full of rage, as he glared wickedly at Ben.

Writing will belittle the shock on the face of Titus as the guard dragged ben to the center of the room.

“So you have been in this room all this while” Titus asked walking towards Ben.
“It seems your security ‘gourds’ prefers your money to their job” Ben replied sarcastically, earning him a wicked growl from the fisted-faced guy and a punch from Titus who’s now towering in the glory of his regalia above him.

“I’m amazed by the ease with which you slid through them, but you came earlier than expected”
“Expected?” Ben asked, his eyes lightening up.
“Yea, we were just planning about you guys, never knew you will act so fast” Titus replied chuckling lightly.

“You have nothing to hide, why planning?” Ben asked, trying to meet Titus’ comical mental state.
“You know I’m a politician and a philanthropist, people would never believe your words against mine” Titus replied.
“Not if I have the evidences” Ben said lying again, something he doesn’t have.
“It seems you don’t understand your position here, dead men don’t speak or better still don’t tender evidences, the fun of it is killing you will be as self-defence, you broke into my office remember?” Titus said raising Ben’s jaw, with a smirk on his face.
“Enough of this, get this twerp out of here” Titus barked at the bystanding ‘gourds’
Ben shoulder slumped as he saw the wry evil smile that seeped into the face of the guy who’s face was punched, the guy grinned with evil pleasure as he advanced towards Ben. Ben knows he’s up for hell tonight, starting from now as he felt something hitting him hard on his temple and he passed out.
…………………………………………………………………….
Elvis has been walking around, head bent, he is the team leader so he has to get a grip on his emotions.

He got a grip on himself and walked around with a faked cool face, he ordered a glass of water to help improve his calmness. He succeeded after a trip to the rest room where he poured cold water over his head and washed his face. He felt better but still at loss on what to do. His emotions are at war, he can’t think straight, Ben’s fate is unknown, his current situation is unknown too.

The other team members looked up to him for answers and instructions he doesn’t have, they couldn’t talk but the awkward silence in the room speaks volume. Timileyin glared at the computer screen before him obviously lost too, elderly Dauda kept a straight face deep in thought. The silence was broken by the message tone of a phone. Its Elvis.

He glared at the message before him, his jaw dropped.

I’VE BEEN CAPTURED. THERE’S A SPY AMONG US