Chapter Two

                Detective Roderick; known for short as Rod was invited to the supreme investigation panel. This supreme investigation panel could only be accessed by the rich and is comprised of an international detectives who had outstanding reputations. He was invited; not because he had that high-status quo or something like that. To be precise,  he was a local detective, a victim of harsh economic weather, and still struggling to put bread on the table. He was invited because of the recent kidnapping case which left the law enforcement agency in a state of hopelessness. Everyone thought that the person in question is gone but it was his zeal and wits that put the criminals to shame. That situation gave him an edge over his counterparts. The clerk pushed the door open as he walked inside. He met a sea of strange faces except of course Moses. From his distinction, he perceived that everyone here was all detectives. Some had smiling faces, while some were neither smiling nor happy. Just a simple and organized look. The rest squeezed their faces as if something was up. He ignored it as that was part of what one must face in life and nothing could be done about that.

" Evening Moses, I'm Detective Roderick Saulinus, I wouldn't mind if you all introduce yourselves" he stated, his voice audible for all to hear. That was a bold approach to attain respect. The critics meanwhile, examined his composure to be sure if he was mentally okay. How could one be burdened about the loss of his wife and he is here talking about a formal introduction. Is such a person okay?

" I'm Lin. From Hong Kong" a man started. He was a bit jovial.

" I'm Jacques. From France" Like that it continued till everyone introduced themselves to him. He nodded at them proudly and walked towards his chair. A detective stood up and began to address them. From his accent, he seemed to be an Arabic figure who recently attended English classes. Rod listened carefully to the speech. It was a summary of how Winnie was kidnapped and the possible reasons she may be kidnapped. To Moses, it was just like skimming around the bush. He is looking for his wife and these people are here talking about the reasons she may have been kidnapped. It turned out more to be a discussion class which pained him much. Rod studied Moses's facial expression. He wasn't getting the most out of this discussion group and he knew it. Rod speculated that if there is any such thing as emotional muscles; Moses possessed it in abundance. In such circumstances, one would break down easily.

" Whoa wait!" his voice audible enough to gain ultimate attention. A pin-drop silence reigned in the room.

" This isn't what I had earlier expected from you guys" he started. Moses looked at him with an expression like thank you for saying my mind

" Then what do you expect. We are debating on chances of us finding her" someone added.

" Just listen to yourself. You're debating instead of doing the real work."

" Rod, we're in uncharted waters. So the best thing to do at this point is to map out an outline" a muscular dude cautioned. At this, he sighed.

" Mapping out an outline at this point will give the kidnappers a chance to clear clues that we may come across."

" So.."

" We don't have much time. We have to be fast about our decisions" Everyone was silenced. Rod had a point.

" So what do you suggest we do, since you seem more knowledgeable" This was a fatal blow to check his mental processing skills. But he loved challenges like this. Instead of admitting defeat, he turned his seat to face Moses. They all looked at him expectantly. Because they want to see him disgraced.

"A few weeks ago your wife had a misunderstanding with Professor Robert and that scene went viral."

" You're not wrong" Moses replied. He shook his head in understanding.

" I believe you know what caused that misunderstanding?" Rod asked again. Lin stamped his feet in his anger.

" Wasn't that the same thing we were just doing?!"

" I'm in the middle of something please" was his abrupt response. He faced Moses, his facial expression warm and calm, not minding the people behind him.

" Tell me please"

" Winnie told me that she sold her vaccines at cheaper prices and . other financial stuff that caused the misunderstanding". Instead, Rod stared at him. The eye contact was deadly and it seemed more like a laser that pierced his inner being.

" If your wife was messing with their profits as supposed;.."

"Then they kidnapped her" Moses gasped. What did he just say that? He tried to use logic to reason that and it made sense. But, couldn't they just fire her? Must they follow the violent path by kidnapping her?

" Wait but can't they just sack her?" he queried. At this Rod got up. He seemed to be leaving. Other detectives looked at him as if he was nuts. How could he create a mystery scene when investigating someone?

" Moses; first thoughts are always correct. And I'll hope you'll stick to it" he said and walked out. As he left, he also pondered on what Moses said. He may be right after all. But there must be a reason behind her kidnapping. And he needed to find that fast.

....

First night in Mecury High. Behind the refectory was a vast multipurpose hall. The music was loud and could be heard from any place you were. Nick walked in; looking confused. Was this an educational institution? The led disco light shone brilliantly as it changed colors. To him, this place looked more like a nightclub than a school.

" Don't be fazed!" someone said tapping his jacket. It was Sonia. He heaved a sigh in relief. At least it's good to see someone you know at a party when you aren't getting the vibes. Wait, but on a closer glance at her; she looked elegant.

" Wow" escaped from his lips. She was dressed in rugged jeans which a black top and matching sneakers that boosted her appearance, while he dressed in something that made him look more like a student.

" Thank you for coming"

" My pleasure" was his short response. Silence reigned again. He walked around the place looking for guys to chat with. The annoying thing was that each person was attached to a girl and they were lost in the vibes.

"Can't you watch where you're going?" someone said, pushing him. If his guess was right, the person's voice was Anthony's. And he wasn't wrong.

" Ooh, so sorry" he apologized immediately. Laura and one other girl stood beside him. He stared at the girl for a while before he got himself.

" No need to apologize. Do you know how much this costs?" This Anthony was annoying and he must admit it.

" I'm curious, how much?" he asked, his tone betraying his anger. He hated when people insult him because of money. This attracted crowd as everyone around Anthony became surprised. Surprised because he was the richest guy and rumors have it that his father had some underground connections to the most dangerous people on earth. They all feared his father, and; they also feared him. Anthony smiled as he took a step towards Nick.

"These sneakers, worth over one million naira" No one was surprised. It was a normal thing for him. All they waited for was Nick's reaction. Instead, he sighed and looked at Anthony from head to toe. His expression was that of what does one million naira means to him. To him, it is an overstatement to consider that amount of money as a peanut.

" I can stock a huge warehouse with sneakers more expensive better than yours"

" No no no, spare me the favor"

" Why?"

" I wouldn't love your parents to go broke". At this everyone laughed. It was too much for Nick to bear as he tried to punch him. But someone held his hands. It was the girl besides Anthony.  Wait he couldn't understand. Like how did she come behind her? So quickly. And he was surprised because he wondered why she would risk herself to end a fight that didn't concern her.

"Enough" she murmured. It seemed to have a magical effect on him as he let go.

" You want a fight? I can give you one". But instead, he just walked out of the scene. People booed him and called him a loser as he left. All he needed was just a glance at the girl who told him to let go. With that, he left the club.

,,....-..., ....

Entering his room was another hell that surfaced. He knew his bunkmates must talk about what happened at the party. He didn't understand. On the first day in school, he had entered trouble with one of the big guys. He imagined what would've happened if he didn't come. Things would've turned out better.

"Yo, what the heck happened there?" someone asked. His name was Gad.

"I'm not in the talking mood" he murmured coldly. Gad understood his mood and kept quiet. Nick turned on his laptop and connected himself to the WiFi. Their wifi was always on. It was connected. But there was a problem. He couldn't log into his account. He tried multiple ways but to no avail.

"Um, Gad?" he called out. He removed the headset to be able to hear Nick out.

"Are you good at computers?"

"Yeah. The technical aspect"

"But you know a little of the software aspect"

"A little as you say" he replied and they chuckled.

"Okay, I don't know what's wrong because I can't log into my account" he explained as he put his laptop towards his view.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah" Gad laughed a little and Nick thought of what he said that was absurd.

"You could've told me. The school operates on a closed intranet system which has control over all devices in here"

"Wait, so I can't browse with my phone or.."

"Your phone is useless here. You can browse, but only based on the range of information the intranet provides you with"

"Then what of calling?"

"The same thing too. You can only call people within this area. And beware, your calls are always recorded". Nick heaved a sigh in defeat as he heard this. This place was just so boring. No internet access, no games, just act what is within the intranet range to avoid trouble.

" Here is more like a prison" he gasped.

" What are you saying Nicholas; if this place was a prison, the crime rate would increase because everyone would love to come here"

"Anyhow" he yawned, stretching himself on the bed.

          He wasn't in the mood for arguments, considering the humiliation he had been through earlier. As he relaxed, he began to fathom what would've actually if he stood his ground to fight back. Or give that stupid Anthony a scar.

" What's up man, you fucked yourself out there" Mason's voice boomed.

" Yeah, you should've fought back, not snuggle under that sheet like a wimp" Sam added. These were his roommates. Gad, Mason, and Sam. And not to forget, they were troublesome.

" Don't shout at me please" Nick fired in a defeated tone. It was funny as they all laughed.

" Come on, we shouldn't be laughing at him" Gad advised

" Yeah. I had such experience on my first day here" Sam replied.

" Just take you a couple of days to recover. Emotionally speaking". He heaved a sigh of relief as the incident flashed vividly before him. The girl who held his hand. Their stare at each other. It was kind of magnetic.

" So how did you get over it?" He sat on the seat next to the window and faced them. This night was emitting a special aura. And he could feel it.

" For me, I had an elder sister who was a final year student." Gad started. " So, dudes went after her, like I mean powerful dudes were falling for her beauty and that was to my advantage"

" You must be really lucky then"

" Of course. But my luck ran out when she left" Nick giggled in excitement. It was funny.

"  So how did you cope?"

" Um, I found something that I can do, that no one else can."

" And what is that?"

" Writing. People loved me for my novels and that was how I made a way for myself"

" Wait, so you're a writer?" Nick asked.

" Yeah. Haven't you heard of 'Well in Hell'?" Sam asked. Nick was bewildered. So that bestselling book was written by this dude?

" You're kidding me" Nick replied, getting up.

" I'm not. The original copy is here on my phone" Sam protested. He still didn't believe it.

" So you're that Samuel Ricardo"

" That's my full name" He looked at his Gad and Mason who just smiled at him.

" Dude you must be kidding me" he gasped. "Then why are you here?"

" Where else am I supposed to be?"

" You're meant to be out there, chilling and.."

" Nicolas, me being in school is to fulfill all righteousness" He nodded his head and faced Gad to say his experiences, but they were interrupted. The door was forced open as Anthony walked in. Nick was shocked. His eyes met Anthony's and they stared at each other.

" You!" Anthony ordered his voice like that of a beast.

.........................

The alarm clock woke him up. He jumped from the bed remembering that he had urgent tasks undone. But on a closer look, this wasn't his room. This place looked more like a hotel. He looked everywhere. The blue glowing bulbs, the mirror beside him, how vast the room was, and how everywhere was furnished. No, this must be a dream. Like when did he upgrade to such a level? It was when he read the letter on the table that he remembered. His deal with Robert.

" Wow!!" he exclaimed as he rushed into the bathroom. Within a few minutes, he came out looking refreshed. A knock was heard on the door. His mind raced with thoughts. He didn't remember inviting anyone to his house.

" Come in," he said, his voice, barely audible. But the person opened the door still. It was an elderly man in a suit. He recognized him as the man from yesterday who was part of the people that brought him.

" Boss said that he need you ready by nine"

" So..?"

" Your car is ready. I trust your sense of punctuality". That last phrase caught him off-guard. It sounded more like a threat than a statement. The man left in the same manner he came. Without wasting much time, he changed from a bathrobe to a suit. He hurried downstairs only to meet a pleasant surprise. The latest car in town was before him.

" Don't act bewildered, lest they use it against you" the man warned as he opened the door. It happened to be that the same man was his driver. The gate opened and the jeep shot forward with such a speed. There was a weird silence in the car.

" So what's your name?" Humphrey asked, trying to break the silence.

" My name is not as important as your mission" he replied. He looked at the man with an expression like 'not again'. He hated dealing with super strict people. He took a deep breath and watched as the man drove at an insane speed.

" Fine. Can you slow down! At least a bit!?"

" I'm right next to you, no need yelling." he cautioned. By now Humphrey was scared. He didn't know what else to do. " And besides, I'm the person driving, not you" The speed of the car was much that he thought they would die at any slightest mistake. But at an optimistic look at it, this guy was skilled. His sense of timing was perfect. It showed how he overtook cars, enter sharp bends, and controlled the steering while, all under a high speed. Soon he parked the car under a tree shade as Humphrey jumped out. He ran towards one end and emptied his stomach.

" I'm sorry" he apologized, handing him a tissue pack.

" My life was better before I met you" he replied.

" You will get used to it soon". He looked at the man. This was the only comforting word he said since they met each other.

" Be fast, and don't keep the boss waiting" he added walking out of the tree shade. Humphrey just looked in the direction he was going. This time it wasn't Robert's house. It was the majestic Meds Org. Walking inside, the first thing that greeted him was the cold wave of air from the air conditioners. Everyone seemed to be involved in one kind of activity or the other. This place was majestic.

" Remember, don't act bewildered, lest they use it against you" the man's voice echoed. Before he could process the information, the man was already beside him.

" Can't you act like a human, not a ghost?". At this, the man paused. He stood right in front of Humphrey and stared at him. The silence was like two seconds, but it looked more like a horror situation to him.

" Lust for material wealth had robbed many of their consciences. I hope you won't fall a victim". The elevator door opened as he walked inside still pondering on what the man told him.

" But I haven't done anything" he murmured. He didn't understand what the man meant as he tried to read meaning into it. But time wasn't on his side. The door slid open which revealed Robert, who stood there expectantly.

" Welcome to Meds Org" he greeted, extending his hands for a shake. He responded positively to the gesture as they walked towards the grand laboratory. Robert placed his palm on the wall and it split open. The duo walked inside, courtesy to the amazement of Humphrey. He didn't know when Robert went to another end to get something. It was when he looked around that he realized that he was the only person in the room.

" It seems you're fond of being taken unawares" Robert's voice reminded. He brought a sample containing a crystalline sample.

" What's up with the fancy?

" You need to be very this okay" he warned.

" What is this that I have to be very careful with it?"

" This is a pelvic inflammatory virus; that targets pregnant women and its work is to explode their stomach"

" Sounds sick"

" I know. That is why I called you to find the anti-toxin" Humphrey was taken back. Doesn't this man know what he can't do or??

" I hope you're well aware that I'm a herbalist, not a scientist?"

" An associate of mine told me that the anti-toxin can be found only through traditional herbs, not modified vaccines" he explained

" Fine. Then meet that associate of yours". At this, Robert got annoyed.

" My friend, would you do as I've ordered?!" he yelled, losing his temper. Humphrey shook a bit from the effect as he collected the sample from him.

Both men looked at each other.

" Study the virus, find the characteristics, how it reacts in certain conditions, and most importantly, the antitoxin!"

" That sounds like a hell of a job, and besides, none of my herbs are here!". Robert paused. This Humphrey of a guy was pissing him off.

" Inside that room is a garden, furnished with herbs, both common and rare from all over the world. Use it and give me positive results"

" Hey hey hey wait my friend" he called out as Robert was about to leave.

" I hope you know the difference between weeds and herbs, and that's why I'm hoping that you didn't pile up stacks of weeds for me to sort"

" You know the difference" he murmured coldly, typing something on the wall.

" And I need not remind you that the virus is airborne"

" Thank you for reminding me" Humphrey thanked. The wall began to close.

" Whoa bro what's happening?"

" I'll check up on you by six pm. Hope by then the antitoxin would be ready"

" But you can't just lock me in here!"

" So sorry that's what is happening now". The wall which was spilt closed back, amidst shoutings from Humphrey

........................…..

Lectures were over for the day. Dr. Stanley, as usually referred to entered his sports car and drove home. As he was driving, his thoughts were based on how fast time flies and his family who were in Canada enjoying themselves. He reached the simple bungalow he erected in the countryside and walked inside the house. Just as he walked in, his reflexes saved him. He turned quickly and deflected a knife that was aimed for his head. No. From the aiming, it wasn't Okoh. Okoh's weapons were usually fast and fluid. So the person throwing this was just a random assassin. And to crown it all, it was a woman. She wore a mask that concealed her identity. Also, he was in a hood that concealed his face. They exchanged a couple of tai-chi stunts, with her having the upper hand until Okoh came. He gave her a downward leg-spin and she fell. She was about to launch another attack at him until she recognized Okoh.

" Okoh?" I called out removing my mask. Stanley too did the same.

" Stanley?" I also gasped. This was one hell of a reunion for me.

" So why the attack?" Stanley asked. Instead of answering him, I walked towards Okoh who was happy on seeing me.

" I need your help". He nodded in the positive to my appeal.

.........….

Investigations had become tighter. Rod knew he didn't have much time so he had been acting quickly. He considered the reason why Robert would kidnap Winnie. That's if he was the culprit. But all hands were turning towards him because the kidnapping was a few days after their misunderstanding sparked online. The scene where she yelled at him and put him to disgrace in public. And secondly, he asked himself.

' If I were Robert, where would I hide her?' That question could not be answered because there were chances where he might kill her. Okay, that is a fifty percent possibility. What of the other fifty percent? Perhaps a remote village? Hmm. The chances for that to happen are neutral. He considered the new rule kidnappers follow. ' The truth is amongst us, only that we're blind'. This means, kidnappers no longer hide their victims in bushes, or people commit crimes in the dark. They do it in our very presence, just that we're not sensible enough to detect. He parked his car as directed by the valets. They wanted to take his keys to hold it for him, but he refused with a simple nod. Entering the complex building, he was stopped at one end where a receptionist's desk was.

" Good morning, how may I help you," she asked her tone that of alto.

" I need to see your CEO, it is urgent" Rod replied. He studied her face for a while. Usually, people like this were trained to mask their emotions, but he had this special ability to see behind the mask.

" I'm sorry, but he's in a conference meeting"

" That's if the urgency is not at its peak" he replied as he passed her a photocopied paper. She looked at the paper in shock but was sensible enough to mask her emotions. Sorry, it was too late. Rod has seen her expression already.

" I'll make some calls" she replied as she got up from the seat. He recalled the incidents of the last night. When he came here by eleven pm. He didn't expect anyone to be here, except, of course, the hospital team and the paramedics. He made a pretense of going to the hospital branch, but all of a sudden, everyone came out at the same time. It was a suspicious scene seeing the CEO and the whole board of directors, walkout at the same time, each holding a brochure. He watched as they all entered their car and drove out. But one old man dropped his while he entered the car. Detective Rod took this ample opportunity and picked the brochure. Opening it, he read its contents. It talks more about a virus known as the Alfa Virus and its DNA restructuring.

" Follow me," a muscular guard said as he tapped him. He simply obeyed. But at this point, he got suspicious. Why would they place so much emphasis on such a sheet of paper? So it means that this Alfa Virus of a thing was really serious. But he kept his questions to himself as he entered the elevator. After some time, the door opened and he was inside Robert's office. The muscular guard had left. This time it was him and Robert, and he decided to make the most out of it.

" Detective Roderick" he called out stating his full name. It felt awkward.

" Professor Robert" he replied in the same gesture. He took a seat and so did Robert.

" You know, I would give you a special kind of honor because both our names begin with the same letter"

" The letter R"

" Ooh yeah," There was silence again. And it was piercing. He wasn't a man used to running around the bush. He just went straight to the point.

" Would you mind explaining how you got this?" he asked holding out the photocopied paper. He took a deep breath. He didn't expect the confidentiality to get to this extent.

" I'll do that under one condition" he replied. Robert nodded his head as a gesture for him to continue.

" Tell me, where is Moses' wife?"

" You mean Winnie Maurice?"

" Yeah, Who else do you think I'm referring to?". At this, he scoffed a little. Local detectives could be so annoying when given the chance.

" I thought you're a detective?"

" Yes I am"

" Then why are you coming to me. Listen you've got the wrong guy"

" No. I don't make such mistakes"

" Prove it." Rod took a deep breath as he organized his thoughts. And in the manner how he would say it.

" That paper talks about one Alfa Virus, which no one has heard of except this company"

" And that's why I'm asking you how did you get it?"

" This Alfa Virus, from my understanding is more of bursting the belly of pregnant women. And since I was born, I've never heard of this event happening"

"It's coming soon. The virus is as a result of environmental and climatic change"

" Or perhaps you guys are creating it?" he chirped. Robert held his head in frustration. He didn't know where these guts come from.

" You know, that misunderstanding with Winnie went viral. And backstories say that it was about the cost of production and efficiency of the vaccines" he continued. Robert removed his hand from his face and gave Rod a cold glance. How did this low-class punk know things that the higher-ups hadn't heard of?

" And I think this Alfa Virus is connected to the misunderstanding somehow. All I just need is some clues to connect the dots"

" Keep thinking," he said mockingly.

" Your confidence betrays you. All I need are clues, and don't be surprised if you get sued in the court." With that, he stood and walked towards the door. At this door, he paused. As if he forgot something.

" The best thing for you to do is to return her wherever you have chained her and your charges would be dropped." He left his office but not without achieving his sole aim. He implanted a bug on the seat he sat, and a camera, on the table, and the wall. Descending the stairs, a thought ruled in his mind.

" It's just a matter of time"