CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Chidi was speechless, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. This man he had been answering 'yes sir' to a couple of minutes ago was now addressing someone as 'Sir.’ It was not just the address that surprised Chidi but the fact that he was crying and begging the police man. How the wheels have turned. Indeed nothing lasts forever. 

Whatever good moments comes your way, just enjoy it while it lasts. The tall stranger wouldn’t have thought his bubbles would burst this soon. He had looked forward to making good use of the thousands that would come his way. Maybe five thousand dollars share, maybe three, but now, not even a dime would come his way. He knew it and had even stopped thinking about what he had planned to do with the money. All he had to care about right now was how to preserve his life. 

Moreover, realising that the policeman who had jumped out of the tree meant what he had said, that he wouldn’t hesitate to shoot the other knee, he knew the way out for him was to provide answers to the questions this wicked man would ask. If he could shoot him in the knee without blinking an eye, what was there to stop him from killing him? He knew the police, he had had dealings with them. They would just say he was killed in a shootout with the police and there would be no inquiry.  So when the questions started coming, he let the answers come too.

“How many others are out there?”  The policeman disguised as the farmer asked. 

“Officer we are five ooh,”we are five!” crying and groaning in between. “please sir, im bleeding, take me to hospital, Im already loosing so much blood, please help me, im ready to cooperate with you guys.”

“Where is the chief you kidnapped right now?” The wicked police man asked him. 

“He’s with Disaster, our boss. But they are not here right now. Im the only one here because I came all this way to collect the ransom money. Im supposed to meet them after collecting the money.” Still crying, “officer please help me get to hospital.”

Chidi wanted to laugh. Was this really the same man who brandished his gun at him a couple of minutes ago? 

“oh, so you want to get treated so you can continue your criminality?'

The disguised policeman had begun calling his back up colleagues telling them what was happening and their next course of action. 

He was then ordered to call his gang members and tell them he is in possession of the ransom money and that the kidnapped Chief would be released. He was also to find out where he would meet them. Thirty minutes later, they were on their way to the rendezvous point. Chidi was called and informed that the kidnapped Chief had been released or perhaps dropped at a T-junction leading to a popular location around that neighborhood.

The policemen who had arrested the tall stranger hurried to the rendezvous point, for the rendezvous point was a guest inn, just few kilometers away. The arrested kidnapper would meet his friends there, they would share the money and everyone would go his way. No one was to begin spending his share of the loot anytime soon, at least until three months after now. No need drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. 

The disguised policeman who was heading the operation informed their colleagues to be battle ready. Luckily for the police, they arrived before the other gang members did. They took vantage positions again and waited for 'Disaster' and his gang to arrive. Disaster and his friends arrived fifteen minutes after the police had taken their positions. 

Their car was a painted taxi, a good disguise. Two sat in the back while Disaster sat beside the driver. As the driver took the turn that led to the guest inn, two policemen who had either gotten tired or cocky decided to step out from their hiding post not knowing the bad guys had arrived. Disaster spotted them and felt something was off, he was a criminal but he wasn’t stupid. He realised something was wrong. He put his hand on the driver’s right hand. The driver understood and stopped moving, looking around for an escape route. 

The officer in charge realised that they had blown their cover and the bad guys knew they had walk into a trap. Their brother in arms had led them into a trap, why didn’t he try to warn them? The officer in charge knew he had to end this here. They were slightly caged in already, his men had the upper hand, and they had already taken vantage positions. The order was given to apprehend them. 

Disaster, who is the gang leader had already scanned the place and knew there was no way out of this. The road to the inn was a narrow road with cars parked by the sides. The lorry for fetching sand from the river that was parked a few metres away from the guest inn was no ordinary lorry. He realised it was intentionally put there to block their path should they opt for the stream up ahead. He now began to see men with guns in the lorry peeping. The only way out of this was to either surrender or engage in a shootout which will ultimately lead to their demise. He was certain of it, they were at a disadvantage here, they were outnumbered, they were in the open and they were caged in. One of the men in the back seat brought out his gun and uttered the words “anyway no way for me,” and  opened the door. Before Disaster had finished shouting “nooooo,” the short ugly guy didn’t even release his weapon before he was bathed with bullets,  and blood all over him as he fell. Disaster and the two others docked for safety in their taxi.

“I don’t wanna die oh, boss I don’t wanna die.” It was the man in the back seat crying.

“Not today guys, we are not dying today guys, it obvious we are outnumbered, no body shoot, make no body shoot.” Disaster managed to say. Disaster opened his door and put his hands on his head, the two others did so too gently. The police swarmed them and they were handcuffed. The police laughed and shook hands with one another for a damn good job. This was a successful operation, the bad guys were caught, no police man lost his life, no police man was injured,  indeed by all standards this operation was a success. 

 The police confiscated the car the kidnappers had brought, went to their various houses and searched thoroughly. Most of their belongings were seized. They were taken to the divisional police department for proper profiling. The officer in charge gave orders that they should be placed in different cells and investigations into their criminal activities should be strict to determine the level of complicity with other group groups.