Chapter 8

Heavy rain has now started falling. But Pisces remains in the car as he is lost in his elusive thoughts. A lot is going through his mind, and it's because of his car which he got as a gift from his late Uncle who contested for a senatorial position in Nigeria's general election over a decade ago. His Uncle was a rich businessman and a charismatic politician, who was deeply loved by his people because of his generosity and charitable endeavours.

He loved the people as much as they loved him. He was loved by the elderly and revered by the youth. He chairs and sponsors every social occasion— weddings, cultural days, beauty pageants, football competitions, and high school inter-house sports. The children would entertain him with their unique folk dance, and showcase their special talent in debate, singing, dancing and poetry recitation.

The crowd would cheer and eulogize him by rendering his panegyric.

Everyone loved him and sang his praise. His political rallies and campaign pulled the biggest crowds because of his popularity as a result of his immense impact and contribution to the society.

The building of schools, health care centres, housing and community development projects, employment, social equality and youth empowerment.

Those were his vision and political objectives. He has the experience and potential having served as a commissioner in the previous administration, and he did excellently well.

His money was the people's money, his house belonged to everyone, and the masses' problems were his to solve. He dined with the rich and feasted with the poor. He was the choice of the people and was communally voted for. Because the Kings endorsed him and the elders prayed for him. When the result of the poll was declared after the election, it didn't come as a surprise for those who understood Nigeria politics, that when the people love and support you, and wholeheartedly campaign and vote en mass for you.

You may not still win in a Nigeria election, as the electorate does not determine the outcome of the election they participated in, but the power that be.

This was exactly what happened when his Uncle lost the election to an octogenarian who didn't campaign, invest in people, contribute anything to society or visit his constituency while he served as a Senator. And has been in the government for over two decades, without any achievement and initiative the people largely benefitted from.

But he did buy a Volvo Car for his longtime friend. I wonder where the car is today, and who has inherited it. Even though the car may still be functional, it probably must have been sold for transportation, and that's if it has not been damaged or wrecked and the chassis salvaged by scrap collectors. Nobody likes to enter an old car anyway, especially in Nigeria. But I don't know about anywhere else in the world.

Because, what if it broke down like Pisces's car in the middle of nowhere, with its antique interior, nonfunctioning stereo, nonaligned body, damaged handles, broken windshield and expired tires?

And that is exactly why nobody likes an old car.

But thank God Pisce's car is not like that. At least his car has a functioning stereo, wipers, and handlers. Although the AC doesn't work, and the broken windshield has been replaced but not properly fixed.

So now that rain is heavily falling, he would not only have to deal with the consistent droplet that usually penetrates through the windshield, but also endure being suffocated.

That would have been his dilemma.

Unfortunately, today is not his lucky day, as the front windows have been lowered because the AC was not working, and couldn't be winded up as the car refused to start after shutting down unexpectedly.

As the rainstorm became massive, Pisce's temperament deepened, and his asperity and crabbiness took the best of him.

He accelerated to the firmament and lamented bitterly to the heavens, his shrill voice was the perfect ad-lib the thunder needs for his short melodramatic feature to the trappy pitter-patter of the rain.

He vociferated his exasperation uncontrollably as spits spluttered in legion, and branched out of his mouth to perch in the air while awaiting the submersion of his Car.

But then he remembered that God had promised not to flood the Earth again, and he can't remember being given a message by God to deliver to the people that he refused, and will now have to face the consequence of his disobedience like Jonah, who was gobbled by a giant fish and regurgitated to where God had initially sent him.

He has had enough. But as the lightning was smiling at him, the thunder was mocking him with its malicious ear-splitting cracklings. He became agitated and vented his outrage rhetorically for Eledumare to hear.

"Where have I gone wrong, what have I left undone, where should I journey to that I've not? Whose help do I need now?

I'm lost beyond outreach. And nothing seems to be working.

I've tried and tried, and do no longer have any strength in me to forge on.

But I continued to hope for a divine intervention.

Will a divine intervention find me, since I don't know where to find it?

Where should I seek forth help?

To the sanctuary or the altar of Orunmila?

Or could it be just a fantasy, that none of these is real?"

"My hope is convulsing. And my soul is a fire burning out, and as each day fleet by, I am burning less.

I go to bed with optimism and wake up with sadness and responsibilities.

No solution to my problems, just additional problems to my existing troubles.

I've prayed and fasted, all to no avail.

Or is it because I'm a sinner, that my request is not heard in heaven?

Then who's the god in hell that my prevarication goes to?

My thoughts are in disarray, my faith is in decline and I'm losing my mind.

I wish the storm could just waltz away my affliction, and if only the rain could wash away my sin".

He lamented profusely and bitterly, and just at the climaxing of his voice, the intensity of the rain abruptly declined, he pulled out his drooling iPhone from his rear pocket and did what he had been reluctant about.

As his emotion dismounts the pinnacle of Chappal Waddi and is about to surrender to the denouement of predestination and call Black Elizabeth, a police patrol van momentarily arrives. They asked him what was the problem and if they could help him.

Pisces who doesn't really like the police was reluctant to talk to them, If it wasn't that he had no help and it was getting late, he wouldn't have considered their assistance.

But he's helpless, and had no choice, so he told them his car broke down.

They offered to drop him off somewhere safe, as much as they wanted to drop him at his house, he lived far away in the inner city, actually, the slum, or trenches as it is being popularised in hip-hop culture.

They told him they could drop him at a safe place around Yaba.

"Yaba?! He exclaimed.

That is where Black Elizabeth lives, Even though he would have loved to lodge at a Hotel, he doesn't even have the money.

He had no choice but to finally call Black Elizabeth. But Black Elizabeth was not at home and didn't pick up her call as she was with her Sugar Daddy enjoying her weekend. Pisces' only choice is now to ride with the Police to Yaba, as he couldn't stay behind with the hope that another help would come.

He decided to ride with the Police to Yaba. "But what about my car? He thought

"What is the worst thing that could happen?

He locked it with the front windows hanging between heaven and hell.

The heaven of the blissful breeze that evaporates heat, and the hell of the torrential downpours that dampen his warmth. He got into the Police Van and eventually left his car behind.

He was assured nothing would happen to his car, but he should make sure that he was here as early as he could in the morning to repair it or have it tolled.

Pisces agreed with them but agreed more to having it tolled, the possibility of repairing it is impossible to him, besides, where is he going to get the money from?

When Pisces communicated his decision to cut off ties with Black Elizabeth by disassociating and avoiding her, it was because he feared she might be able to influence him negatively into becoming something he dreaded.

If there's anything Pisces is ever good at, it's his ability to reason logically.

And this is what Black Elizabeth has learnt from him. His wisdom, intelligence, philosophy, principles, theories and fundamental belief systems.

But she didn't just learn all of this from Pisces just for anything else, but to use them against him.

She has now become a master at them, which is what she uses to influence and control Pisces.

She has now become a master of manipulation, who conveniently uses Pisce's logic and philosophy against him by quoting him, as it would be impossible for him to contradict himself.

Those aren't just thoughts and quotations, those were his principles, ideas, theories, and philosophy. And it always works every time, and these are what is honestly driving him crazy, and the reason why he's trying to stay away from Black Elizabeth.

And if that fails to work, there's always an alternative which never fails to achieve the desired result. And this is why Women are greatly feared anywhere in the world and considered dangerous.

Because of their innate ability to use their biological weapon of parturition.

By using what they have to get what they want. And this barely ever fails, it works every damn time.

Pisces' acknowledgement of Black Elizabeth's capability to manipulate him into doing what he had never done before is not because of his fear or cowardice to carry out the assignment or was it because of his incapability to execute it.

But because he knew he was the devil, and the devil doesn't do evil, neither can anyone influence him to. That is why he feels people only perpetrate evil and blame it on the Devil to absolve themselves of accountability in other to be forgiven as they fear the consequence of their actions.

But that is not Pisces, if he's ever going to do evil, there's no way the devil is going to take the credit for it. He would take responsibility for doing it out of his own will and volition, and not because he allowed himself to be used by anyone.

To Pisces, the devil doesn't lie, and as evil as he is, he does not do evil, he is the evil that people do.

So there wasn't much to think about in Black Elizabeth's assignment. It is one thing to carry out evil, and not be able to execute it. Pisces is neither of the two, which is why Black Elizabeth trusted him to carry out the assignment because she believed that only Pisces could execute it without a mistake.

But these are manipulations.

So did Pisces do Black Elizabeth's bidding?

Did he eventually succumb to the feminine charm and chicanery of Eve and Delilah?

Like the first-ever man who couldn't resist the compelling tongue at the Garden of Eden. Or like the super-strong Nazirite, who fell to the wit and shrewdness of the scheming femme fatale, and was conquered by the foxy temptress while pandering bewitchingly to the Philistine enchantress.

Recalled that Pisces had gone to the Gusty Bar in Chapter 1 where he requested a drink. But Kyrios turned him down because of his previous debt, and told him a real man doesn't owe without paying, and neither does he buy what he can't afford twice, and urged Pisces to clear his debt and desist from accumulating it.

And Pisces told him that having immense wealth and the liberty to do anything isn't what makes someone a real man.

And further emphasised that there isn't any real man out there because everybody owes. As they are either indebted to banks or stolen from people, government and private organizations. So the availability of resources, social status, influence and economic privileges are what empower a man and not what makes a person a real man.

Initially, Pisces had gone to confide in Kyrios as he was deeply troubled, but unfortunately, Kyrios was not in a good mood because of his inadvertence regarding his wife's birthday and their anniversary, and for failing to pick her up from the airport.

So Pisces chooses not to disclose his worries to Kyrios but is ready to help Kyrios solve his. And shortly after his brief exchange with Kyrios, Theodore stood up to take his leave and signalled Kyrios who accompanied him outside, before the four hefty men momentarily arrived in an SUV, but was immediately turned away by Kyrios.

So the question is, who were those men? What was their purpose at the Gusty Bar?

Was there any correlation between their arrival and Pisce's presence?

No one knows for sure. But why exactly did Kyrios turn them away by refusing to grant them entry into the Gusty Bar? What does Kyrios know that we don't? What did he not tell us and perhaps kept to himself since he seems to know these men or have a personal relationship with them?

This could be why their motive for visiting the Gusty Bar was never revealed.

And nothing was said about them even after they left.

But how come Pisces never asks Kyrios about the unidentified men when he sees them being denied entrance? As observant and intuitive as he is, how come he never inquires about the identities of these men from Kyrios, but is quick to launch an inquiry about Theodore, by accosting Kyrios to ask who his mysterious friend is?

Let us solve some puzzles to demystify the enigma of these men in order to connect the dots in the knotty story.

Maybe this can also help us to understand why Pisces refuses to call Black Elizabeth when he realises she was his only hope, as Bolu has slept and was not picking up his call. And Kyrios and Lore were out of options because it would be thoughtless and insensitive to bother the couple who just reconciled, and celebrated their anniversary after being away from each other for a while.

But Pisces still chooses not to call Black Elizabeth when he could have immediately after his car broke down.

But who are these unidentified hefty men and what was their purpose?

And why did Kyrios never grant them entry?

Here's a rundown, Kyrios has a lot of people who are working for him, and also has informants in the police, army, navy and customs, and that is how he runs his drug business, and these unidentified men are one of them.

They are his gunmen who occasionally work as his personal security, and are also for hires and mostly work for the politicians and are protected by them.

They are legally backed and financed by the government to organize and carry out illegal activities such as assassinations and kidnappings.

And their arrival at the Gusty has nothing to do with Pisce's trouble. Their motive and purpose for visiting the Gusty is only known to one man, and that is Kyrios.

And no, Pisces hasn't done Black Elizabeth's bidding, and the unidentified gunman that came in the SUV has nothing to do with the impending theft Black Elizabeth and Pisces are planning and are about to execute.

Lastly, the theft hasn't been carried out yet, the story is just about to begin.

When Black Elizabeth saw Pisces' missed calls, she called him back but he had already taken a ride with the Police and was now at Yaba, he told her he was stranded, and his car had broken down at the third mainland bridge, where the rain started and ceased on his head.

Black Elizabeth felt bad for him and asked where his is now, He told her his at Yaba.

She immediately suggested that he should spend the night at her place.

Although she was not at home. But even though she was outside partying and enjoying her weekend, she couldn't stop thinking about Pisces and how to help him. And now that Pisces had called her, she felt they would finally be able to talk about how to carry out the theft. And as much as she was aware of the risk involved, it's a chance worthy of being taken. Because should they succeed, their life would change forever.

Black Elizabeth loves Pisces, and she would do anything for him, She loves and adores him, but she fears Pisces may not be able to marry her because she is a hookup girl.

And this is the beginning of the story of Pisces and Black Elizabeth, and the actual story of the making of a man. And how women make themselves by making a man.

Black Elizabeth decided to help Pisces to get his car tolled and secured. It was the easiest thing for her to do.

As a beautiful girl whose professional service is well sought after, she has lots of contacts and clients at her beck and call.

People who would simp for her and do anything for her whenever she asked.

So in order to get Pisce's car tolled, all she had to do was make a call or two.

Even if she is with her Sugar Daddy, whom she's planning to rob, she is still able to get him help and tells her Sugar Daddy Pisces is his elder brother when her Sugar Daddy asks her who she is talking to at such an hour in the night.

As much as she would have loved to come to pick Pisces up by herself, it is impossible to leave her Sugar Daddy, who would not allow her to leave because of her safety. She had to make some calls regarding the safety of his car and promised to see him in the morning. She contacted one of her clients who was a police officer and happens to be on duty.

The policemen had earlier tried everything they could to get his car started but all their effort was futile.

Even though the policemen wanted to drop Pisces off at his house, they realised they wouldn't be able to drop him off because his house was far away. And they were also concerned they might run out of fuel.

So the only thing they could do is drop him at a nearby hotel, where he can lodge, but he doesn't even have the money to lodge.

He was dropped off three streets away from Black Elizabeth, it took him 15 minutes to get to Black Elizabeth House.

Pisces thanked the policemen for their kindness and help.

He remembered what Kyrios told him earlier about some good policemen, he was happy to learn that truly, while some policemen may be bad, there are some who are extremely good.

He called Black Elizabeth that he was at her place. She told him where she kept her key, he opened the door and got inside, he was terrifically famished but there wasn't any food in the house.

He was able to get some cereal from the refrigerator and ransacked her wardrobe afterwards for what to wear, and was only able to get a knicker and a hoody as he was too tired to even bathe, he put them on, wore stockings, covered himself with a duvet and slept off.