EssayStoryJournalBook reviewReflectionResearchLetterPoemMemoir1,135 words6 min readAutosave enabledAs he got closer he noticed that they were both black and wondered why the waiter had just lied to him, but it was too late as there was no one at the counter now. His face was now stamped into a mask of fury; his brown eyes were not of the warmth of its colour, more a deadly tan. Luca Ochieng’ had no fear for the authority, nor God, nor hell, nor his fellow man, leave alone his family. But he had elected, he had chosen to fear and respect Sir Kelvins as he believed he owed him his life after rescuing him from a dangerous cartel he had been working for before they had turned their backs on him. Sir Kelvins was now like his god. He cherished and adored him. As he stood to map what action to take, his master’s image crossed his mind, sending chills down his muscular body. Sir Kelvin’s had a perfect posture to frighten the devil himself; short, squat, massive-skulled with a very authoritative voice. This was his time to prove his allegiance to his master and was not ready to screw it up. He was going to get the girl and savagely kill the waiter with the other lady, he murmured to himself with anger gripping in. A few miles away in an elegant apartment at Lavington, Sir Kelvins’ phone rang and immediately knew it was time. It was Kevin. He had however not received any feedback from Ochieng’ and had been wondering if everything had gone as per planned. ‘It can’t be hard to capture a girl,’ he thought as he swiped the phone’s screen to answer the call. He still could not believe that he was going to get paid a million bucks by some American, with a deep Russian accent, just to kidnap some young girl; something he did all the time without ever getting got, probably due to the ever weak and ignorant security and investigation processes in most African countries especially in Kenya. Kenyan police officers were the most corrupt officials he had ever come across, rendering his job of trafficking both people and drugs very easy. He just had to pay them off with a few coins. What even surprised him further was how far up the corruption went amongst the most senior people in the government. These were the people who had been entrusted into their offices by the common citizens who were now being victimised by their lack of accountability and responsibility. He remembered a few days back in town when he had to stop his car and let a group of angry doctors who were demonstrating to cross the road first, a week after the teachers had also taken to the streets all claiming for a pay rise. It was with deep sorrow that such a country with about forty Percent unemployment rate and those numerous strikes happening could still afford to have its top officials get high allowances and salaries. At that moment he felt really righteous compared to them as he, Sir Kelvin, was only reaping what he had sowed, he justified. “Hello, Kevin,” he held himself stiff with respect for the stranger who could not see him. “Yea my guy should have the girl by now. Give me ten minutes and I will ultimately get back to you,” he added. When the caller on the other side hang up, he gave a sigh of relief, ‘silly impatient Americans’, he thought as he poured himself some dry red wine. He wondered why Ochieng’ was taking longer than he usually did, but knowing how the guy respected him, he knew he would do anything to please him and that meant doing as told. Moreover, he had passed his test by killing his own brother; he just hoped that Ochieng’ would never come to learn that the order was from him and not from their new client as he had purported. Ochieng’, as he had come to learn, was like a natural force, not truly subject to control and thus had to be gingerly held as dynamite. He shrugged. Even dynamite could be exploded harmlessly if need arose. He lifted the grapey, dark red drink to his parched mouth and drank. Back in the washrooms at the Tribeka club, Laurent was shaking in terror besides Martha, who still lay unconscious from the poisoning. What she still could not understand was why the waiter, who was obviously behind the poisoning, was now trying to help them. “Wake her up immediately, do not let the poison settle in yet!” screamed a voice as two people squeezed in through the narrow door; it was the same waiter and Keisha. “What are you doing with him; in case you didn’t get the memo, this is the same guy that tried to kill Martha back there,” Laurent was now shouting, running out of patience, at Keisha. “Here give her this, she should be awake if you are to escape the psycho after you,” the waiter who seemed amused uttered as he handed Laurent a syringe with a dark green substance. “You’re kidding me, right?” Laurent now angrily asked as she avoided the waiter’s outstretched arm holding out the syringe. Four gun shots then boomed over the place with music coming to a stop. There was a moment of deafening silence that lasted about a second too long before loud screams and sounds of people rushing for exit were heard; various sounds that seemed to emanate from everywhere and around them was taking a toll on them. Three more gun shots followed, piercing through the growing noise. In an instant, the waiter was squatting with the syringe on Martha’s left upper arm and before long they were going through the Lazarus effect. “Good Christ!” Keisha exclaimed trying to catch up with the fast-moving happenings, “Are you sure she wouldn’t die of the stuff you just injected her?” Laurent now added, skeptic of whether to actually trust the stranger. “Trust me, if i wanted your friends dead and you kidnapped, we wouldn’t be here talking about it,” the guy finally spoke, “Now, run!” he added, his tone now urgent as he backed away. Not cowardly, just sensible. Laurent now helped Martha to her feet as she looked really shaken by the turn of events but took comfort in knowing that the police would be rushing to the scene if not already there. “Take the back door on your immediate left, and don’t trust any police you come across especially the ones standing at Mojo’s,” he said as he shared a kiss with Keisha. Now, it was the other two ladies’ turn to exchange confused looks. While the three ladies made to the left exit, the waiter took an unexpected initiative of luring the psycho.