B
Segun downed the sixth shot of gin and gently placed the shot glass on the bar. He signalled to the bartender to pour another shot for him and looked around Oshe’s. Not many people were privy to how things got to the point they were. BC had always been an ambitious person, and before he rose to the ranks of kingpin, he was often called Serpent. He never liked the name, but took it in stride. With perseverance and dedication BC managed to rise to the top rank and change things completely. The Black Cards went from being a rowdy cult gang to a profitable enterprise in organized crime and legitimized fronts.
His secret had always been to find a way to fight rival gangs by first cutting off their flow of resources. No one really knew how he managed to do it, but he always found a way. And afterwards he would swallow up the gang and bring it into the fold. He became Constrictor for his ‘constricting’ manoeuvres when taking over rival territory. He would later let Segun and a few others know that he let the Constrictor name stick because of his favourite serpent; the boa constrictor.
And the Boa Constrictor, or BC for short, was walking down the stairs and coming towards Segun.
“I thought you said I should come meet you with my decision?” Segun said, calm with the warmth of the liquor.
“Changed my mind. Decided to meet you. Let’s go have that window seat,” BC pointed to a corner. “Bring us rum and Coke,” he said to the bartender. When he and Segun were seated, BC regarded Segun with a perceptive eye. Segun returned the stare without flinching. He was one of the few people that could do that.
“I won’t confess to know what you’re going through,” BC started, “But I will confess to know the possible lengths you’re willing to go to.” The rum and Coke arrived in two glasses, and BC took a sip of his. “There’s a reason you left. Are you willing to get back in?”
“If it means I find my daughter…” Segun spoke softly, “Yes. I am… She’s the reason I left. Without her…” Segun looked at his glass and swallowed before he continued. “Without her there is nothing for me.”
“Calm down, guy… Your wife is still—”
“Don’t mention my wife, Boa. She’s the cause of all this,” Segun seethed. “If… if she hadn’t been freaking drinking… someone wouldn’t just waltz into the house and take my daughter!”
“Wait… Omolara was in the house!?”
“Yes… and she was passed out when this happened.” Segun’s eyes met BC’s. “She drinks, BC. She’s an alcoholic. It has more or less wrecked the marriage. And now this has happened.” Segun took his rum and Coke and drank half of it down in one gulp. He tried to fight the alcohol’s hold, but secretly yearned for the dulling effect to take over. So many thoughts ran through his mind, but he couldn’t summon them into order.
BC, on the other hand, could think clearly. “If they took her today, then they can’t be too far away. She’s a little child, which means that she was either forced into unconsciousness… or she was carried by someone she’s familiar with.”
“She’s smart…” Segun slurred slightly. “She knows not to go anywhere with strangers… The person entered the house…”
“And carried her out. So we can assume the person knows your house?” Segun gave a small nod. “It’s not easy handling a little girl. I suspect several drugs can make her go unconscious, but continuous usage can be bad for her system… I want to assume the person knows your daughter. So that would mean they would need to provide her. Food, drinks, sweets, things like that.” BC thought for a moment. “Give me a picture of your daughter. I’ll get some of the boys checking a few places… Also, a list of your own suspects.”
“Okay… thanks…” Segun sipped his drink. “What will I owe you for this?”
“The bill will come after. First comes the service.”
Segun nodded as he took another sip, and then finally noticed the music playing. It was smooth jazz. He chuckled as he shook his head.
“Jazz? Really?”
BC chuckled back. “It gives a nice feel to the place, don’t you think? Like a nice setting for a good movie.” He smiled as he took a sip. “Sometimes I like to pretend I’m not in this country.”
Segun concurred and raised his glass. Then the mood went back to being sombre. With frightened eyes he looked at BC.
“Please… help me find my daughter.”
==
A
It felt like a struggle to get up, and then suddenly there was an explosion. But the explosion didn’t rock her body, it just reverberated in her head. Ever so slowly, her eyes creaked open. The physical effort required to fully open them made the tremors in her head multiply, so she settled for squinting while she got her bearings. She noticed she was on the floor, and lumped together were two bodies. With her slowly focusing eyesight, she recognized Abike snoozing away on top of Mercy. She turned her stiff neck and sighted empty glasses and bottles.
They had drunk again. And they had all blacked out.
Her phone lay on the table, and with a swipe the screen came alive. Her heart sank when she saw there were 5 missed calls. And then it froze when all the calls were from ‘Unknown Caller’.
Lara physically groaned as she remembered what the caller had told her to do. Surely it was taunt. There was no way she was expected to do something ridiculous.
Right?
Her hands trembled as the thoughts trailed through her mind. Then her phone began ringing again. She froze, the ‘Unknown Caller’ ID sending terror through her muscles. Gingerly, she carried the phone and answered the call.
The robotic voice began to speak. “Second mistake, Lara. Disobeying a direct order. You don’t know how penance works do you?” Lara strained her mouth to form words, but none came. She begged her brain to tackle her throat, but nothing worked. “It seems having your daughter is not enough. I will send you a little… something from her person. As payment for your failure.”
“No…” Lara whispered, tears flowing down her eyes. “Please… no…”
“Expect it before the day ends,” there was no emotion, just a voice making a statement.
The line went dead, and the only sounds that gave Lara company were her sobs and the soft snores of her sleeping friends.
Did you hear the one about the couch potato? Me neither. I was too lazy to listen.
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