The bomb blast

It was a Monday morning in the city of Calabar. People could be seen walking to and fro. Every young and old folk were walking briskly to their destination.

The city of Calabar is always a beehive of activities. People going to their various workplace could be seen rushing to avoid getting late to work. Some stood on the road flagging down vehicles that would convey them to their destination. There was a sonorous noise in the whole city which was incessant and clamorous.

The noise which came from the fast moving vehicles accumulated with the noise of the hawkers who were displaying their wares.

All moving vehicles suddenly came to a halt. It seemed as though, there was a gigantic traffic congestion that hindered them from moving. All drivers peered outside through their window with a puzzled look on their face, wondering what was happening. All the cars queued up within a short while causing a heavy traffic jam. Different car honks blared loudly as the drivers tried to create a way but all efforts were futile. The hawkers were elated and gratified at the traffic jam, as they saw it as an opportunity to sell their wares. They moved from vehicle to vehicle propelling passengers to patronize them.

Detective Cole sat in his black BMW car and was behind the wheel. He was extremely infuriated at the traffic jam as he checked his golden wristwatch persistently, which was a gift from his newly wedded wife. He was running out of time and he disdain getting late to work. He angrily hit the honk of the car with a clenched fist.

"Holy sh*t!",he cursed under his breath as he removed his seatbelt.

He decided to go have a look of what caused the traffic. He adjusted his suit tie properly and alighted from the car. He hadn't taken more than three steps when he heard an explosion which came far away from where he stood. Before he could comprehend what was happening another sounded and swept everyone away from their feet. The second explosion reverberated and flung him far away.

Just like flash, everything happened within a second. The cloud of debris and pieces of cars fragment with a huge puff of smoke was all one could see. In no minutes, the police came rushing to the scene with their sirens blaring loudly accompanied with tons of Ambulance vehicles. Some officers jumped down from the van and hastily walked closer to the victims while the other officers made way for other Ambulance vans.

They rushed out and carried the remains of dead bodies on stretchers into the waiting vans and immediately sped off.

***

The light stung her eyes as she opened them. Nelson Nora shielded her eyes with her right hand and pulled herself up from

the sofa with her left. She rubbed her forehead, as they banged in a way she had never experienced before. She had just dismissed Cole her heart throb for work an hour ago before she slumped on the chair and slept off. It was the headache that woke her up and the pain she felt at that moment was unbearable, as they threatened to split her head. She reached for the television remote control which laid on a low stool in front of her and turned on the Tv set. She never wanted to do so, but something she couldn't attest to, propelled her to do so. The sound coming from the television was going straight into her head and she decided to switch it off but something caught her attention. It was the news flash. She restrained and squinted her blurry eyes to read the headline.

'A bomb blast in calabar city.'Was the breaking news headline and a video footage of the explosion was shown afterwards. She readjusted her sitting position to have a clear view of the footage.

She saw dead bodies and fleshy part being carried away into the vans in haste, then the reporter was shown. It was a female reporter which one could guess was in her mid- twenties.

"This is the first bomb blast of this kind that this city has seen and experienced. Seven hundred and three people were confirmed dead who were victims of the unfortunate incident and fifty five (55) were found injured including our beloved Detective Cole who was unfortunately trapped in the traffic jam before the explosion"

Nora suddenly sprung up as though, she was being electrocuted. She was shocked and petrified that Cole was also a victim. Beads of sweat immediately began to form on her forehead and her legs started to vibrate. The bangs in her head doubled from worse to worst. She tried to catch up with the last details as she concentrated on the Tv screen.

"The police are yet to comment on the bomb blast. We will be back with an official police statement. Its lance Precious reporting. Thanks for watching, stay with us."The reporter said and her pretty face gave way for a bank advertisement. She switched off the television and began to pace up and down with worry. She touched her forehead and the pain was severe. She became dizzy and her legs began to twitch. She couldn't hang on any longer, it gave way and she slumped on the tiled floor.

***

Nora felt her back rested on a soft bed which she presumed not to be hers since her bed was rock hard and stiff. She slowly opened her eyelids and saw a white ceiling instead of a brownish customized ceiling she had in her room. She was surprised and She swiftly turned her head sideways to be sure of where she was. She realized she was on a hospital bed but how she got there was a mystery to her. She recalled back what happened earlier few hours ago and realization hit her. The bangs throbbing her head was gone and she felt much more better. A big thanks to the nurses who quickly took charge of the situation immediately she was brought in. She remembered Cole and her face turned pale and worried stiff. She thought

about what might have happened to him. The more she thought about him, the more she got herself worried about him. She was too engrossed in her thoughts that she never knew when the door to her ward was opened, not until she felt a hand tapped her and she jerked back to reality. She looked up and saw Emily's smiling face.

"Emily?",she heard her own voice say in a muffled tone.

Emily smiled. She knew the questions throbbing her mind but its just a matter of time before she let her know how she saved her ass. Emily and Nora were bosom friends right from childhood till their adulthood. They were the ideal meaning of real and true friends. They were always there for each other in times of needs and wants. Back in the day, Emily used to be a hard headed person. A naughty-girl as Nora would describe her but then time has passed and both are a grown women now.

"Hey doctor, I'm okay. Am I not good to go?",Nora asked as she couldn't figure out why she was still held captive on the hospital bed since she was very much okay.

"Sorry ma'am, you'll be discharged soon but you really need to rest a little bit more, only then will you be good to go",Doctor Okon said with a smile while Nora shrugged. He wrote somethings into his notepad and left afterwards with the nurse. Nora looked at Emily with a questioned look who was now seated on a harmless white plastic chair beside her.

"How did I get here?",She asked her waiting for an explanation.

"Nora! So you're so curious to know?"Emily asked surprised at her curiosity demeanor.

"Yeah! Sure, why won't I be?". She said in affirmation with a raised brow.

"But you know curiosity kills the cat. Don't you?"

"I sure do but not this one",she replied while Emily laughed.

"Was that funny?"she asked laughing herself.

"Oh! If it wasn't, then why did you laugh?"

"I don't know but your laugh compelled me to."She replied and winked at her.

"How is Cole? Did you hear the news?"Emily asked with a serious tone while Nora's expression changed immediately to a sober one.

"Yeah I did. I heard the tragic news."Nora replied with a teary face.

"C'mon Nora. He isn't dead, he was only injured"Emily said consoling her friend.

"But do you know how worse it is? Tell me, do you?"Nora asked trying to fight back the tears.

"No, I don't but be rest assured that he will be fine"Emily replied feeling defeated.

"Please, lets go see him" Nora said and sat upright .

"Actually, that was why I came but unfortunately i saw you sprawled on the floor almost dead and I had to rush you here"Emily said and stood up.

She paced the room up and down.

"You came for us to go see him together? "Nora asked with a raised brow. She found it hard to believe that.

Emily stopped in her tracks and gazed at Nora. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Not really, but the truth is; I came to ask few questions about his part of the incident and from other survivors for a News publication. You know my job could be ludicrous at times", Emily said and quickly let out a smile.

"So because you're a journalist, you came to question Cole who we don't know his fate yet huh?"Nora said agitated obviously in a raised tone. She rose up from the bed and walked to the door. She turned the door knob opened and paused. She sighed and turned back to Emily whose head was bent down in remorse.

"Emily, I'm sorry and thanks for the other time. I need to go see the doctor. Will you come with me?"Nora asked still standing waiting for her response.

Emily raised her head up, smiled and got up. She took her handbag which she kept on the table and walked closer to Nora.

"Sure",She said and smiled broadly.

"Thanks",Nora said and smiled too.

She opened the door and they both went to the doctor to append the discharge file.

***

Detective Cole opened his eyelids slowly. The rays of the sun which pierced through the open louvre penetrated into his eyes and he quickly shot them back. He blinked his eyes repeatedly so his pupil could adjust to its surroundings. He eventually opened them and looked up straight. He felt some pains on his forehead and he closed his eyes abruptly and opened them back.

"You're awake"a familiar voice said.

Cole turned his head sideways to look at the person whose voice he heard. It was Agent bola; his assistant at work. He stared at her with a surprised look on his face.

"What're you doing here?". He found himself asking and tried to get up but the pains that surge through him sent him back on the soft bed.

"Don't hurt yourself detective".Agent bola said.

Her eyes imploring.

Cole groaned in pains. Squeezing his face like someone who find it hard to defecate. He scrutinized his surroundings and then realization hit him.

He was in a hospital and not his house as he had thought .

"How're you feeling?", she asked touching his forehead while Cole yelped in pains. His head was stitched due to the crummy falling. The reverberation of the explosion made him fell facedown hitting the ground with his head.

"Ouch! That hurts"Cole whimpered.

"Yeah sorry for that. The doctor would soon be here to administer you some pain killers" Agent Bola said.

Just then the door creaked open and a doctor walked in, accompanied with a nurse who carried a small tray in her hands containing different type of syringes.

"Welcome doctor"Agent bola said while the doctor only nodded his head in reply.

"Detective, we've not gotten any useful lead yet, no traces, no video footage. The bomber got his tracks covered."Agent bola said and paused when Cole's facial expression changed to a sad one and the effect of the news made him sit uprightly.

"I wish you quick recovery so we can nab the perpetrator together"she said. Sighed and adjusted her curly blonde hair as she walked out of the room with her high heels shoe clumping, attracting stares to herself from the trio in the room.

Detective Cole fell back on the bed immediately she was out of sight and exhaled deeply. He was worried and panicked-stricken. His fears were not finding the bomber to apprehend him. He had no idea, if the bomber was a he or she but one thing he was sure of is that, he would dig in deep to fetch the culprit .

"Detective Cole"The doctor called out for the umpteenth time obviously bringing him back from his reverie of thoughts as he jolted back to reality. He sighed heavily and looked up at the doctor with an apologetic look.

"You don't have to jeopardize yourself thinking. Remember you are still a patient and you need to rest so you can recover fast"

"No thanks doc, I'm very much okay sir" Cole said now sitting uprightly removing the syringe on his wrist which was connected to a drip.

The doctors eyes popped open when he saw him removing the drip and putting them on the bed. He quickly rushed to him and held him back.

"You can't go like this detective. You are .. "

"No, I have to go. Please discharge me now"Cole said in a commanding tone.

"No, you can't.. "The doctor objected.

"Your wounds are still fresh and you .."the word hung in his mouth as Cole cast him a deadly glare which he immediately adhere to.

"You - you are free, you can go"The doctor stuttered.

Cole rose up and walked past the doctor to the door. He turned the door knob and paused. He looked back at the doctor and mumbled the word

'Thanks'.

With that, he left the room and off to the CIB building.

***

"Do you know the hospital Cole was taken to?" Nora asked Emily as they both hopped into a creamy Camry car.

"Not really but it should be the General Hospital". Emily replied, ignited the car engine and drove off.

Minutes later, they arrived at the hospital and pulled into the carport . They walked in, and both went to the receptionist.

"Hi Cora" Emily greeted with a wave of hand. The receptionist stopped what she was doing and looked up at her surprised wondering how she got to know her name.

"Good afternoon ma'am"she greeted with curtsey bowing her head a little.

"Yeah, is Detective Cole admitted in here?" Nora impatiently asked. The receptionist quickly navigated through the record book of the admitted patients with her pen checking names. She abruptly stopped and looked back at Nora.

"Yes, he was admitted here ma'am", she said and looked back at the book to be sure.

"But …."they were gone already. She saw them afar walking along the hallway on the lookout for the emergency ward. She immediately ran after them.

"Excuse me ma'am"she started, gaining their attention.

"He is discharged already"

"Discharged?" Both Emily and Nora asked surprised.

"Yes, I saw him walk out not too long ago"

"Why would he be discharged so soon?" Emily asked.

"I don't know"

"Alright , thanks Cora"Emily said and they made to leave but Cora stopped them.

"Sorry ma'am, am just wondering how you got to know my name. Do you know me before?.

"No, I don't. Your name tag is ….."Emily couldn't finish her statement as she was dragged by Nora who couldn't wait any longer.

The duo walked out of the hospital and off to the parking lot .

***

Mr Akinola, the Director General of the CIB was seated on a swivel chair and piles of document graced the desk at his front with two laptops. His office was exquisitely furnished with different paintings and sculptures. Large frame of the president was hung up above his head and beside it was the picture of the governor of River's State.

He had the picture of himself dressed in the CIB uniform hung up on the wall adjacent to other pictures. All the pictures were arranged accordingly but a picture stood outstandingly elegant. The designs were different from the rest, though it was performed professionally by the same sculptor. The image was his late wife; she was grinning in the picture displaying her sparkling white teeth. The grin never left the face for once. Even when she died, she was grinning, grinning at no one in particular.

Akinola took a file; it was the case file of a notorious serial killer who was just apprehended. The whole of the CIB did a great job on the case and they were credited for it. It was their best and arduous case they ever solved but yet another serial killer emerged which was more ruthless and inexorable. The serial killer had caused more than enough havoc to the state. The insidious effect was a deterrent to the CIB due to the loss of lives but Akinola was always dauntless and as a valiant, he would encourage the team to be courageous and should always believe in the impossible and they must show infinite loyalty to their job which would always lead to success.

Mr Akinola flipped through the pages of the file, though it was a closed case but he had other things to do with the case. He was looking for similarities between the newly infamous serial killer and the convicted one. He smiled satisfactorily having found What he was looking for. He pushed the file aside and drew his personal laptop to himself. He pressed the startup button and the system came on but it was locked with a password. He punched in his password and was about to press the enter key when he saw Cole approaching his office. He quickly cleared it and closed the system.

Cole pushed the door open and stepped into the office. He bolted the door behind him and walked towards him. He saluted him immediately he got to his front. Mr Akinola couldn't reciprocate the gesture but rather showed his bewilderment on seeing him. "Cole, why are you here?" He asked standing up. "You should be in the hospital"

"No sir, I ought to be here, besides am okay now."

"No you're not, you are bleeding" Akinola said pointing at his forehead. Cole touched his stitched head and blood trickled down his face. He looked at his worried boss and shook his head.

"I'll be fine"

"But you …."Akinola was saying but was interrupted by a loud noise emitting from his phone which was on the table. Cole's phone also rang out loud at the same moment. He brought it out out from his pocket and saw the word 'PLAY' boldly inscribed on the

phones screen. He looked up and met his boss gaze. Both wondering what's 'PLAY' Cole and Akinola communicated with their eyes.

Akinola nodded his head in affirmation to go ahead and they both tapped PLAY.