SIXTY-TWO

EVANGELISTA'S POV

When they brought me to stand before Zuri, I could tell that she was seriously angry, or irritated, or both.

"Listen carefully, Leah. My source tells me that Israel is in the ICU of the hospital, here in Southrain"

I remained silent, for I wasn't sure how to respond.

"You're going to go there." She gave the command.

"Me? Why would I go there?"

"Well isn't he your friend's brother? You're going to visit him there, and while you're at it, you will do me a favour."

"What kind of favour?" I was beginning to get really scared of where Zuri was going with her story. Sure to my suspicions, she confirmed my fears when she said in a cold tone, "you are going to administer a drug. You will inject him, making sure that no one sees that, and…"

"I will not do such a thing!"

"Leah!! I'm still talking!"

I cringed in fear, and when I lifted my head to face Zuri, she looked back at me sternly, showing that there was no way she was going to negotiate with me. I felt tears coming, and for a moment I saw darkness before I blinked many times, allowed the tears to fall, and then started to see the light,

"You don't talk while I am talking! Do you hear me?"

"Yes. I ..I am sorry"

"You are going to go there, and you are going to inject Israel. And once you do that, you will leave."

"I..I..u..I understand"

"The hospital has cameras. Troy will give you a map showing where all the cameras are; and you must do your best to avoid them all. Do not use the elevators. You will use stairs. Do you get that?"

"I get it."

"Can you do it?"

"I…I can try." I stammered.

"You don't have to try, Leah! You have to do it, and do it without any mistakes! You are going to walk in there, and you will say you are Israel's sister. His ward is heavily guarded, and they are allowing only family to visit him. An ID will be prepared for you, you use the sister's name. Isn't his sister is called Evangelista Bassard?"

"Y..yes"

"OK. So you shall act as Evangelista Bassard, and since you two are friends, you tell us what she looks like. We'll get you to look as much as her as possible! Do you understand?"

"I ….I und….understand!"

"Can you just stop with the stammering!! If you can't talk, how then will you be able to accomplish the simple task!?"

"I'm sorry."

"Go to the room with her. Let her describe to you how Evangelista looks like. Let's just try to make her look like Evangelista.", Zuri spoke to the woman who was standing behind me.

"Yes boss", the woman nodded and hauled me up, pushed me forward and then literally dragged me towards the room where the makeup was supposed to be done.

"Excuse me…." I gathered courage and spoke.

"What!", came Zuri's cold sneer.

"May I ask…what….what is the…the injection for?"

"What did you say?"

"The injection. The one that I must go with. What will it do to Israel?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she said in a mocking tone.

"I...I'm sorry but to me it's not obvious."

"Because you're thick headed!! It's to kill him, of course!"

"Oh no. I won't kill him! Why would you…."

Immediately the girl who had been pulling me covered my mouth saying, "too many questions!"

Silently I was taken to the makeup room, and I sat in front of the mirror.

There was a man and a woman who sat there. The man, whom I had seen several times before, seemed much more friendly compared to the woman.

"We'll do the makeup today, for the picture. First they will get you a fake ID, and then you have to study the hospital map, then do the job."

"When will I go to the hospital?"

"It has to be soon; before Israel says anything that may incriminate us. According to the news, he is still unconscious. The sooner you master that hospital map, the better".

I sighed.

"OK Leah, so tell us, how does Evangelista look like?"

I pretended to think a bit and then said, "she is a bit taller than me. Her hair is almost like mine, but a darker shade, and its way longer than mine."

"Her eyes?"

"Umm, just like mine."

"Do you guys look alike?"

"Many people say we do."

"OK. So we also need to make an ID. Tell me about her. When and where was she born. The ID has to be as close to reality as can be."

"She was born in Pamuti." I lied, for I was born in Yellowleaf.

"OK and her birthday?"

"August the 23rd." I lied again, I just picked a random date which came to my mind.

"I think we must be able to come up with a decent ID. Oh and names? How many names does she have?"

"Evangelista. Just one name."

"Ok, so it's Evangelista Bassard. Just that?"

"Just that," I nodded.

"You'll really have to be extra careful when you go there. No staring into cameras. The ward is heavily guarded, Leah. When you get there, you will say you are his sister and you just saw on the news that he is in hospital. You can even shed some tears, can you do that?"

"I'll try."

"Yes, shed some tears, go in there with the injection in your sleeve. And you hug him. Hug him and cry a lot. So as you hug him, you inject him at the back of his neck. As for the injection, once you are done, try your best to tuck it back into your sleeve and leave the hospital with it."

"So I am going to kill my own brother?" I spoke as tears welled up my eyes. The man froze and stared at me hard.

"Your own brother? Is he your brother?"

"No no no", I quickly corrected. "It's just that, Evangelista and I are close friends, so to me, her brother is also like a brother to me."

"Ohh ok! Oh, Leah, you almost gave me a heart attack. I thought you were his sister!"

"I am not", I wiped off a tear.