The road of life has many detours.

She has been talking for half an hour now and the women seemed engrossed by what they were hearing. They focused on the elegant five feet eight inches chocolate colored lady in her mid-thirties. To those who knew her, her appearance would not be much of a surprise but those who knew little or nothing of her would applaud her dress sense. She appeared dashing in her coffee brown suit which she wore on a black smart skirt and finished with a black four inched hilled Dolce and Gabani shoe. She looked in control as she always appeared during talks; she was speaking about poverty eradication and women empowerment.

"Fifty nine percent of the women in Nigeria are house wives while the remaining forty one percent is shared among the employed and self-employed categories of the working class women." She elaborated by pointing at the board which revealed the chart.

A little smile escaped her lips, this is her mandate from God, she thought. She was made by God to elevate this beautiful but poor faces around her and around Nigeria at large. But in doing so, she needs to get into their heads that this is not a 'Santa spree'. It is a life transforming scheme and a movement to empower financial incapable women, to take care of themselves and their children on a little investment. Her foundation, The Women Empowerment Foundation (WEF) through the Devon Micro-Finance Bank (DMFB) would provide the meager capitals which will kick-start these women into the new world of financial independence.

"We were fortunate to have gotten this chart from the National Population Commission (NPC). What we are all looking at right now is the most recent statistics, showing the level of poverty among the women in the northern part of Nigeria." She broke off and turned to face the women who seemed a bit turned off by the remark.

"I don't mean to be gross I beg your pardon ladies, but there is no other way to explain this better. As we can see right here, this is a valid estimate of the number of women in the whole of Nigeria and the percentages of their livelihood or what they do for a living. Going by this fact as revealed by NPC, it's quit alarming to note that the rate of the unemployed among women in this country has its majority, saturated in the northern part of the Federal Republic."

She paused to take in the effect of the words; it was obvious they didn't know this truth. Their faces suddenly revealed interest and enthusiasm to her exposé. A log has just been removed from their eyes; some still appeared uninterested, like they were in the wrong room, which was expected. They were the Judas.

"Give me your maximum attention ladies, as I reveal this to you. Forty three percent of the total unemployed women in Nigeria are the northern women and this is why we are having this discussion. It is important that we educate and orientate ourselves on the relevance of being useful as women and being helpful as wives to our hardworking husbands, our ever pestering children and our loving country." She paused to let that sink in a little.

"What would you do if your husband does not come home as usual? Would you wait on him to pay the bills? Would you stay hungry while you hope he comes home from work with your best meal? Or would you prefer to watch your kids cry themselves to illness or even die of starvation because your husband holds the key to the family's financial door?"

"We need to stand up for ourselves, our children, our country and this is the greatest opportunity knocking. That which you are good at, be it hair dressing, cooking, sewing etc kick start it with the fund that we will make available for you. But first, you have to meet the requirements and attest that you will pay up your stipulated fractions at the end of every week, till you complete the loan scheme and become a sole owner of your own investment."

She noticed the tension reduced a little as a clap came from somewhere in the middle then it spread like a plague as the rest joined in the applause.

She knew she had just told a lie, "hard working husbands?" She would be the last person to believe that lie. The people in this part live in centuries behind the present century. The lack of good education and social amenities has left them revolving round old fashioned practices.

The wife of the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria took a deep breath and flashed her most charming smile as she graced her eyes on the 349 impoverish house wives who just listened to her 3rd Seminar on Financial Empowerment in Kebbi State.

"Thank you very much for your effort in keeping up with the translation, Rabi." She told her translator with smiles all over her face.

"You are welcome Zina." The translator replied in perfect English.

"Tomorrow's gathering would be to scrutinize, register and disburse the funds to successful candidates. We will just guide the exercise but it would be handled by the staffs of DFMB. Only those who prove they have a form of skill and took part in the three days exercise will make it to the pay desk. Please make this clear to them." Zina told Rabi as she was accompanied off the podium.

Zina looked around for her assistant but could not find her and on a second sweep of the wide hotel hall she noticed Angela on the phone beside the exit. She didn't look too good and her remarks were sharp; Zina made a mental note to ask Angela if everything was okay.

*********************

Sam did not know what woke him up, the pains emanating from his bum definitely contributed too. Richard sat in-between Sam and O'Brien his partner. The three had being looking into the screens for anything unusual for hours now and Sam had drifted to sleep in the tiring process. The watch had been a long one and up till now nothing changed.

The equipments in the van beep without missing its sequence. There were several monitors revealing the house under surveillance and gargets with lots of wires that only Richard could understand. He was the man to call when you need to trace, track or electronically do anything. He was called the wizard.

Sam had called his wife last night, to say he will not be coming home to their three bed room apartment in Bende Road and that triggered their most popular argument.

"It's a matter of national security not dumb reasons..." He had tried to correct her but he got the usual follow up as he expected.

"Coming home to your wife and kids should be your matter of national security, Sam!" She hanged up.

She is always right about one thing; he barely gets the opportunity to be with her and the kids. He had not apologizing for what happen at the amusement park last Saturday, yet. He knew she was still mad at him for leaving her with the kids and running off like a wolf who heard the howling of the leader of its pack.

He had tried to spend the weekend with his wife and two kids far away from his job last Saturday, away from his house which had quarrel and arguments spelt on its walls and environ. He had driven his family to the Amusement Park; his wife had prepared fried ripe plantain and pork, which were his favorite chops. It was meant to be a fun Saturday for the Samuel's.

He had gotten his Bailey's Irish Cream from his bar and Hollandia yoghurt for the kids. Mary, his wife prepared fried rice just the way he liked it. Everything was moving just the way she wanted, and it was obvious from the way she hummed a song which he was sure does not exist, recklessly, with smiles on her face as they drove to the park.

His son Marvel, ten, was all over him and his daughter Bridget seemed happy too but as usual she acted too mature for her fourteen years of age. She kept to herself as she got busy arranging the corner for the picnic. She was placing the things they brought with them neatly on the wide cloth which she took great care to spread on the soft grasses. The whole event seemed like a dream to him, he had never had this sort of liberty to spend time with his family and to prove his thoughts right his cell phone rang and everything changed.

"Sam, how is the picnic going?" The Chief of Criminal Investigation Department asked with great concern in his tone.

"It going well, Chief" Sam replied with irritation in his tone. "But am sure you didn't call to ask me that Chief."

"Yeah, you are right. I need you here ASAP Son." He pause then spoke with concern. "If it wasn't important Sam I won't call you in."

"I understand Sir, maybe you need to tell Mary how important it is, Sir." Sam replied not knowing what else to say as he watched his wife returning from her little walk from the car to get the remaining things for the about-to-crash picnic, still humming.

"Sam, don't make me pull ranks. It's a clarion call." The line died.

It wasn't surprising that Ray Onu the CCID called him back to duty, but the file given to him and his partner O'Brien was what was surprising.

Sam could not believe his eyes as he stared at the file. This is the type of files agents get to hear about in Sheri Hills Jos or in the Nigerian Police Academy in Kano or the famous Nigerian Defense Academy at Kaduna during courses or special op training. But he had it in his hands; this is no dumb reason to stay away from home like his wife put it. If he caught The Ghost or if he happens to be part of the team that caught The Ghost that's a boost to his career. Sam pushed the thoughts away from his aching head and adjusted lightly to see if O'Brien noticed that he had dozed off.

"You are finally up, scout." O'Brien spoke from the passenger's side of the Mazda van they used for reconnaissance. They had their orders to keep watch on the building two blocks from where they parked. Abdul Farouk had not committed a crime, at least not yet. It has been observed with no solid prove to nail him yet anyway, that where ever he appeared something destructive abounds. So, as a precautionary measure he was being watched like a time bomb by the CID and every time he disappears into thin air just like a ghost, hence his file name changed from Abdul Farouk to the Ghost.

"Am I?" Sam replied.

"You have been off the radar for…" O'Brien checked his watch to be certain of the length of time Sam had dozed. "10 solid minutes, its 2:05pm right now, Sam."

"Nope, OB it can't be." Sam said as he watched O'Brien smiling.

O'Brien was born and raised in Port-Harcourt, his home town, Calabari to be specific. He was once married, but lost his wife during the birth of his first child. It was a sad experience for him and for anybody it couldn't be worse. He had been broken in many places not just his heart.

"I feel like my ass was stroked with a horse wipe a dozen times or more." Sam replied while trying to readjust his sitting position for the hundredth time since 6am.

"Yeah, I know that feeling; do you care for a massage?" O'Brien asked him as he burst out with laughter. The radio buzzed with the usual clatter.

"This is Zee 302, can you read me?"

O'Brien went for the receiver because it was obvious Sam was more interested about getting his ass into a better position.

"Zee 302, I read you loud and clear go ahead." O'Brien said.

"We saw movements in the second window on the left side. A shadow of what looks like a man is standing behind the curtains. Over." Obinna said sitting with his partner Luke in a Honda Accord not far from the back of the building they watched.

Zee 202, Gabriel and Cindy was in another building opposite the back of the building on the same road B. It could be possible that the officers coded Zee 302 saw something, but all this while the house from the front view has been like a cemetery, quiet and cold.

"Copy that Zee 302. Keep your eyes open while we check your info." O'Brien said and ended the connection.

There were nine monitors and just three pair of eyes to look at each at a time. It was possible that they had omitted something.

'Richie lets rewind the recording of camera six. We need to know if he is still there." O'Brien said.

"On it Boss." Richard said and went to work.

"He should be there; I mean we have the whole place surrounded." Sam said as to take of his suit.

'What if he had sneaked out while you were having your Disney world dream?" O'Brien said as he mocked his partner.

"We have an image standing by the window, affirmative he is still there." Richard said.

He took a second look to be quiet sure of what he had just said and second later he was sure he had seen the image because it disappeared.

"Subject is still in the building, please keep your eyes open. Over and out." O'Brien said into the radio to everyone on the mission. Richard in his expertise made it very difficult for anyone to tap into their connection. In his words, 'no one will, except an extension of my own self.'

"You see the image here? This is the guy here but, look at this other video, he moved away from the window. You see?" Richard was saying, but O'Brien wasn't listening to him anymore. Both partners where focus on the monitor that showed the front entrance of the house. They both gazed at the 5ft 8inches tall figure coming out of the building. From where they sat, both of stared the Nigerian's third most dangerous man, the ghost.