A foolish decision...

"The prince has returned!"

"The prince has returned!"

"The prince has returned!"

'What was going on?' who was their prince? 'They couldn't have mistaken him for a 'real' Nigerian prince, right?'

For a moment a complicated series of events seemed to appear in Amadi's mind.

But it didn't fit with the group of people here wearing Ankara styled clothing in a town square...

"Amadi, what the hell is going on? Where are we? How did we get here?" one of the 'unknown' gunmen wearing a hit mask asked frightened as to where they were.

He started walking closer to the place where Amadi stood with the other men following.

The man with a white circle around his eyes quickly responded, shouting:

"Protect the prince" it was unknown who he was talking to but shortly after five men who were over six feet tall and were wearing only shorts came wielding rifles that didn't seem to fit the theme and surrounded the five masked 'strangers' in a semicircular arc, stopping them from heading in his direction.

They then proceeded to smoothly and swiftly press the butt of their guns to the heads of five of them without fail, using their superior physiques and herding to deter them from shooting.

The five people in masks were then disarmed and made to lie face down on the sandy ground in the presence of onlookers, displaying their obvious lack of combat training.

"Amadi, it's us" the leading one managed to say as the guy pinning him to the ground removed the mask from his face.

The other four quickly did the same causing mixed reactions from the few people who were watching from the side with interest

"Why are you wearing that then?" Amadi asked, with rage creeping into his voice.

Meanwhile the people were quiet, even the middle-aged man seemed to be watching quietly. Their meaning being; you clearly know them, so you, deal with them.

"This getup? ….a prank challenge! We were doing one of those challenges that are trending on social media" The one called Emeka started, clearly unsteadily

"While coming to pick me up on my birthday? With a gun?" he shook my head while smiling bitterly.

Suddenly remembering something he turned to one of them

"Okay, Chisom. 2010, we were selling CD's on the road together, you said that if I was ever in a position where I was about to be betrayed by others you'd pretend to be on their side, then betray them at the last second, saving me with us being brothers forever" he said staring straight into Chisom's eyes without blinking

He cited a random conversation from when they were 9-year olds. The conversation itself was strange, they were young back then, among a group of street kids who had no choice but to seek work under a senior retailer of films and music CD's in exchange for barely any food and a room shared with close to twenty of others like them.

That was before he himself had made it out by gradually climbing the ladder to his current position through his good luck and business sense. As for the others… these five were his employees for a reason.

After hearing the words Amadi said to Chisom, the others turned their head as far as they could while simultaneously being pressed on the back by a guard each.

""You were going to betray us?"" they shouted in unison.

"N-No, I' m the same as you guys. You all wanted him out so you could lead the organization, so did I." the skinny and average Chisom with innocent feature.

"You don't sound very convincing" (Uche) said in a matter of fact tone while directing his beady eyes towards him.

"Enough!" the man standing in front of them, wearing loose traditional garb and having his face painted with a white circle over his eye spoke, interrupting their discussion.

"If you children want to disrespect the presence of Anwu-amafuelo with, even the gods will not be able to save you.

"Sorry" "We're sorry sir" "Sorry sir"

"Good. Now if you continue showing disrespect you will have to make a sacrifice to appease him."

They were all watchers of Nollywood movies. They knew that it was better to show caution towards anything that sounded like a god. And nothing sounded more like a god than a long name in thick native language. They didn't think they'd even be able to pronounce that name!

It was at this moment the middle aged man spoke "These friends of yours seem to have plotted behind your back, my guards will now take orders from you too. What do you choose to do?"

His voice when speaking was calm and clear, bearing signs of wisdom in them, but also firm and bearing enough force to take charge. A single sentence from him caused everyone around him to stop what they were doing and listen attentively, with respect.

'He must be a well-liked chief' Amadi thought to himself.

'I should get on his good side' he already started making plans

His friends of yesterday- no! Just today he had been waiting for them to come and pick him up because they planned a surprise outing for him for his birthday today.

And right now, well to be honest all they wanted was his money, as evidenced from just now it was doubtful if they even knew how to wield those guns they had.

It was just that... money was the only think he could never concede on, apart from his life!

His drive had gotten him this far, even causing him to be on opposing sides of the law, but hey, at least he had money, right?

But besides that, it seemed like this whole thing was a test by their leader, the man.

'He's clearly the one in charge of this place but he told me to decide what to do… ignoring what people have being saying about a 'fifth prince', I guess it was my place to choose their fate?

Okay, I've made my decision' he thought

"I won't have them killed!"

After speaking those words he felt like his raging emotions had calmed down. 'Huff...' Some of those negative feeling from all his money going down the drain so suddenly must have caused him to lose all rationality

Some of the rage combined with the rage from having so-called friends betray him on his own birthday almost caused him to make the wrong choice, but he thinks he chose right.

"Hmm, but look at their weapons," he pointed to the rifles that were scattered over the floor with their owners suppressed "Or do you really believe they came to prank you with loaded guns" he said smilingly while fishing for a reason for Amadi's decision.

'Obviously!' these guys might have never fired a gun before but they were definitely eager for money, his money, the motive was there. Did he "I believe that no matter their questionable life decisions," he looked at them when he said questionable "They should not be given a death penalty."

At this moment there were tears in all of their eyes, looking at him like he was a savior

They were probably expecting for him to give the order to set them free, and he didn't disappoint. He gave them an order, "Men, tie them up. Is there like a prison or something where they can be kept? Take these people who tried to steal from me there." he spoke, losing any traces of angel wings that they may have imagined in their heads and replaced it with demon horns.

"Wait-"

Immediately rope arrived from nowhere, they were bundled up like goats with their hands and legs tied together at their back, and without any semblance of 'humanity' or 'dignity' they were tied in that manner and dragged off.

Just as they were going out the door, one of the men gave Amadi a cold stare.

Unfailingly he returned the stare, not giving any face!

He ignored it and dragged Emeka who was screaming off across the ground, to whereabouts unknown, leaving me and everybody else in the room.

'They really followed through...' He had confirmed that they had really taken him as some fifth prince, also, did his coming here have anything to do with that file he downloaded?

The man with a circle drawn over his eyes took the initiative to clear the people out of the open square. They then went their separate ways but not without stopping to glance at me.

'Why is it that they weren't surprised when we arrived? Were they expecting us?'

It was only now he had the leeway to think about these things, but he wasn't alone.

The man wearing the traditional clothes of a chief was still looking at me but he could tell he wasn't focused on me. He was thinking of something else, just like he was now.

We were both looking at each other but our heads were elsewhere.

Then he suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and asked a question "Ah, do you know where your mother is? It's just looking at you again made me remember some things. Is she doing fine?"

"I don't have parents. They left me in an orphanage" then he watched as his face showed a hint of worry. He didn't worry when he saw a bunch of guys with ski masks, with guns. It made me wonder how he knew my mother

"Who are you?" he asked, in return. Oblivious to his next words.

"I am your father."*

'Noooo' he thought

***

Reference to Star Wars