Chapter 22

It felt like a long-awaited moment had finally come. The smell of war was in the air, the breeze of anger and rage blew across the whole village. Even though all the people of Okippa couldn't see it, they could feel it. Death was awake, and it was surely going to take people with it, back to its sleep. Baba Sege and Joe with Baba Sege's men and two of Joe's men, Scorpion and Tiger stood in front of King's house. King's men were also standing in front of his house too, just before the other men. King comes out with T, D and J behind him, then King walks up to where Baba Sege is standing.

"ọba ti dé (the King has arrived). Make everybody bow na?" Baba Sege said.

"Baba Sege" King said.

"King" Baba Sege said.

"I see you brought your baby to the party" King said referring to Joe. Joe resists the urge to flare up and just smiles.

"I'm not here for any action, I just came to watch someone fall" Joe said.

"how you won take dey fall and still dey watch yourself?" King said as he looks between his boys and some laugh while some snicker. Still Joe pretended that it was not him, Kign was making a joke off.

"persin go comot this place today and their head no go follow body. So, Baba Sege what brings you here, to my humble abode" King asked.

"you get wetin I dey find" Baba Sege replied.

"I don't speak in parables. That's for wise people and you are not one of them, that would explain why I can't understand what you are saying" King said and Baba Sege scoffed.

"I want the girl" Baba Sege said.

"sorry, request denied" King said and Baba Sege snickered.

"na me this small boy dey talk to like this. I dey your naming ceremony, I dey there when you still dey shit for pant and na me you dey follow yarn dust. Me, Baba Sege. Who you be?"

"I am King".

"you be nobody!" Baba Sege shouts and laughs. "you see this is what happens when you leave kingdoms to babies. They go con dey feel like say na the own dey world, con dey reason people wey old pass them"

"Baba Sege the thing be say, even in one million years to come, you no go fit get wetin I go get. Even your generations no fit seat for my throne. Now pack your babies and go home. King said. Baba Sege laughs and as he brings out his gun and points at King, his men do same and then King and his men bring out their guns and point at Baba Sege and his men. Baba Sge laughs again.

"I like what I see. Blood go shed today. Give me the girl!" Baba Sege demanded.

"what part of your fragmented brain does not understand no. Go home, pet your babies and throw your dogs a bone".

"where is she huh, where? Come out, come out. You dey knack am abi? Na why you dey do all this show. I see you, so na so you dey operate. But bible talk say there is love in sharing. Make I just see the babe for sometime and then later you go come round up. Be the hero as always" Baba Sege said. Leah comes out of the house and Baba Sege sees her.

"oh, see the babe, so she even dey sef. Aunty how far? Tell your boyfriend here, that he should not interfere in our business".

"what stupid business?".

"King, this thing no concern you. I just want to know what she knows and from there, we go waka".

"what are you talking about?"

"oh, she never tell you. Okay, so she been see something. Apparently, I shot somebody and she saw it. I just won discuss wetin sup that day" Baba Sege said. King looks at her from the corner of his eyes. So she did lie to me! He thought.

"oh, you were not informed too? Okay" Baba Sege said as he wiggles his gun in King's face.

As they are talking Jude arrives at the scene and sees what's happening. He is on the phone with Leah's parents and friends. He tells them he has arrived, then come down and puts the phone in his pocket and rushes hurriedly to the scene.

"the girl, now! You think say I come here play!" Baba Sege shouts. On saying that, as though it was a que for King's men, at the same time they T, D and J shoot. T shoots Tiger, one of Joe's in the head. D shoots Bora, one of baba Sege's men in the head. J shoots another of Baba Sege's man in the head, completely shocking Baba Sege and Joe by their actions. It was safe to say that it was unexpected and that they never saw it coming.

"neither did I" King said, after his men had shot their men.

With that, they start shooting at each other and start fighting, while Joe and Scorpion quickly rush to the side. As they are fighting, Leah moves back a bit, trying to stay away from the whole scene. One of Baba Sege's men is making his way to her and she stands frozen as she sees him coming. But King comes up behind him and cocks him in the head with his gun. Her and King share a look, then Jude jumps into the scene.

"Leah, Leah!" Jude called with his voice laced with worry that anyone who heard would believe that he was truly worried. He had obviously brought his A game to the party and was ready to act.

"Jude?" Leah asked, confused and surprised as to how he got here.

"ah, Leah, thank God I found you. I've been searching for you for months" Jude said as he hugged Leah, already getting an A in this acting course. As they are hugging one of Baba Sege's men is running towards them, shouting, causing them to be released from the hug. As he gets to them, King hits him with his back turned to him, the man passes out. Leah and Jude are taken aback then Jude recollects himself. Part of his acting skills did not involve self-defence or any sort of fighting at that.

"Leah look, I have your parents and friends on the line. We have to go, now. Before this fight escalates, more than this" he said resuming his role as he brings his phone out of his pocket.

"I'm not leaving" Leah said as she looks back at King who is looking at her then shifts his focus back to the people attacking him.

"Leah are you insane? I don't even want to know what is happening there, it sounds dangerous. I want you to leave with Jude and get out of that place!" Victoria shouts over the phone. Jude takes her hand and she draws it back.

"I'm sorry I'm not leaving. I said I wouldn't" Leah said.

"what? Kini o n sọ ni bayi, nitori Ọlọrun! (What is she saying for God's sake!)" Victoria said and she starts crying and lamenting.

"Leah!" Jude called.

"young lady I don't know what has possessed you, but you will leave that place this instant. se nkan lol dede pelu e? (are you okay?). Do as your mother as instructed and leave that place now!" Mark shouted, then paused. Leah still refuses to leave and is still looking at King.

"Jude, take her way from there, if need be drag her!" Mark demands. Jude begins to drag Leah and she still refuses to go. Seeing as the fight is becoming heated she then begins to leave with Jude, but keeps turning back to look at King. King turns around and sees as she is leaving. They lock eyes and they just keep staring at each other. Some of Baba Sege's men are heading towards Leah's direction but then King and T stop them. King and Leah are still looking at each other, till Leah looks way and follows Jude. This causes king to look away and then continue fighting. As Leah gets into the car, Jude is speaking to her but she doesn't hear him. He proceeds to starting the car hurriedly. As the car starts to move, she speaks.

"stop. I have to go back. We have to go back, I must go back!" Leah said.

"are you insane? Can't you see that place is seconds away from being a blood bath with that gun fight going on there? And you want to go back? What's wrong with you!" Jude said. Though he was not having any feelings for her whatsoever, he did fear for her as he wondered maybe her mental health had been tampered with. Because why would she want to go back?

"Jude stop this car".

"I will not".

"Jude stop this car. Jude I said stop this car. Jude!".

"Leah! No! I will rather die than be responsible for your death!... I'm taking you home and that's final".

As they drive off, the fight continues. As Joe and Scorpion are sneaking out of the scene from the corner they hid at, a stray bullet hits Scorpion. Joe is talking to him but as he hears no response then he turns around and sees that Scorpion is dead. Baba Sege sees T shoot Goro causing him to be alarmed. He looks around and sees that they are getting over powered by King's men and wants to run away but then he gets shot in the leg. He falls to the ground as he grunts. He turns around and sees' that it is King who shot him.

"stop! I have your oga on the ground. Stop or I blow his brains out" King said.

"stop! Stop!" Baba Sege shouts in fear, re-enforcing what King said. All of Baba Sege's men stop fighting, so King's men too.

"una dey wait till him beg una to drop you weapons before una go drop am!" Baba Sege says and his men drop their guns. "kneel down na!" he added after his men drop their guns, they all kneel down and all of King's men point their guns at them. As Joe is about crawling away, J comes up behind him and points his gun at him.

"not so fast" J said. Joe stops and turns around and gives him a shaking smile. J drags him up and brings him to where Baba Sege is. King walks up to Baba Sege and Joe. As he is approaching them, they both start shifting back but stop as their backs met some pair of legs, causing them to look up and see D and J looking down at them. King makes it up to them with T behind him. As he gets to them, he looks at both of them, then shoots Joe on his leg, causing him to scream.

"that's for trying to mess with me" King said.

"close your mouth jor!" D said as Joe kept screaming, then he hits Joe's head with his gun. King looks at Baba Sege's men.

"so Joe and baba Sege, I give una chance to share my kingdom with me. I let una handle some area say, make I no be greedy person. I con let una dey run your own package and na me una dey challenge" King started. he looks at both of them.

"I do bad na, na me be fool" King continued. They shake their heads in a no. King squats, making him reach their level and he shoots Joe and Baba Sege on their second legs. They scream out in pain. King gets up, looking down at them. Baba Sege starts to talk as he looks at Joe in between his speech then back at King.

"wait, wait, bros K, make we talk this thing out na. Make we reach agreement".

"time for conversation is over" King says, then shoots the ground, just beside Baba Sege.

As Leah gets home, her parents immediately embrace her and then her friends. Akin is behind them, giving different gesticulations as to being grateful for her safe return. When her parents are done hugging her, they proceed to thank Jude, just what he wanted. Leah ignores everyone and just walks blankly to her room.