Story: I WANT A HOME- Episode 5

Vivian walked into the crowded office hastily after opening the entrance door and walked directly to her desk without minding the full stares from the staffs, she responded to some greetings from those who cares to greet and ignored those who didn’t in annoyance. She made a quick glance at Steve desk position and saw he wasn’t on seat as she walked into her office.

She proceeded directly into the inner office that led to the crowded one after the glass door paved way.
“Hey Vivian” Margaret greeted as she walked inside hurriedly.
“HI Margaret” she greeted back and walked straight to her desk.

“What took you so late this morning?” Margaret asked.
“Nothing Margaret, I had to take care of something urgently this morning and prepare food for my parent before I could leave for work”

“And is everything alright with you? you looked disturbed this morning?”
“Yeah. I’m fine, I think I have a slight headache”
“A slight headache !!” Margaret rephrased.

“Don’t tell me this is all about Steve Jones Vivian”
“Yeah Margaret. This is definitely all about Steve and I don’t quite know what to do anymore”

“What’s happening to you darling friend?” Margaret stood up immediately with concern and walked up to her worriedly.

×××××

And where is the package?” Lord Nathaniel asked in anger. He looked extremely furious and his men knew the rate of his seriousness at once, his mean face could pierced the sky as he gazes angrily at Sunny.

“The package was in the vehicle when he got away” Sunny answered.
“And why the hell are you here instead of looking for him and getting me my property” the drug lord shouted with rage as Sunny had to move backwards a bit.

“I have the whole boys on the look for him already but he hasn’t been found in any of his houses or at work”
“No Sunny, No… why have you become this stupid and senseless? Your hatred for Steve has just consumed your sense of reasoning and you’ve acted very foolish against my orders” Lord Nathaniel flared up with rage and walked back to have his seat in annoyance.

“And who are the two that attacked you?” he asked.
“That is what we don’t know lord Nathaniel, they just started shooting all of a sudden”

“Alex” Lord Nathaniel called out for one of the boys standing in the room as he was sitting.
“Yes my lord” Alex answered and stepped forward instantly.
“You are one of Steve trusted Allie and I think you are in the best position to help us locate him, I want you to found out wherever my drive is and wherever Steve maybe and get me back my stuff” the drug lord ordered and closed his eyes briefly, still trying to calm himself from the uproar he was feeling.

“Sunny, you must make sure that drive get to me before 24 hours from now. Failure to do that will result to your death” he warned and got up to walk away with anger.

××××

Alex and Sunny were seated in the computer room with two other boys standing behind them as they began to work on a laptop. Alex fingers was working extremely fast on the keyboard but stopped when he saw the live stream he was looking for.

“I got it” he announced to Sunny and the other boys in the room who turned their gaze to him at once. A live stream footage was displayed on the laptop and he viewed it straight away. He paused it at a point where the street cameras caught a glimpse of the shooters but their face was blur and unclear due to the long distance.

“Make their face more clearer” Sunny said to him as Alex obeyed and input some keys on the keyboard before their faces were clearly displayed.

“Who are this men?” Sunny asked loudly after he finally saw their faces.
“This men are detectives” one of the boys standing behind them answered.
“What”
“Yes boss, I’ve come across this two men two years ago and I can recognize the one by the left as Detective Cougar and Detective Louis by the right side”

“Detective !!” Sunny repeated.
“Yes boss, this men are detectives”
He answered as Sunny stared at him for a minute before Alex interrupted what he was about to say.

“I found Steve too” Alex announced and played the footage where Steve was shot when he managed to enter the car and escaped. He fast forward the live stream for about few minutes and they all saw the direction and the route Steve took with the car.

They saw him clearly entered a car wash building with the vehicle but he didn’t come out at all in the footage.

“He must have walked out disguise among the people who came out on foot or by a different car. There is no way we can recognize him even if we try harder. I know Steve very well” Sunny announced.

“Yes I think Steve is smarter than that but we can still search for his appearance anywhere else he went to” Alex added.
“No Alex, I think it’s more preferable not to waste your efforts, just pick up your phone and call him, he might tell you where he is” Sunny instructed.

××××

“Steve phone began to ring out the fifth time as he work on a laptop, he had two laptops with him in the hotel room he had lodged and he was working on the one he connected Abdul Rauf tablet and drive. He finally decided to check the phone after several minutes of not taking it and saw Alex was displayed as the new caller.

He dropped back the phone when a notification pop up the laptop screen and he quickly inserted the password before “Wait A Seconds” was displayed on the screen. He quickly used the opportunity to check out his missed calls before Alex call came through again. He dropped off the laptop on the bed and answered the call almost instantly there was a knock on the door.

“Hey Alex” He said into the phone and walked to open the door.

“Hey Steve, I’m coming over to your house, are you home?” Alex asked, trying to ask where he is indirectly.
“I think I’ll call you back Alex, I need to attend to something now” Steve said without answering him as he allowed the detectives inside and end the call.

“Welcome detectives” he greeted.
“Steve thank you for agreeing and helping us on this. I really cannot thank you less” Detective Cougar said immediately his partner entered behind him”

“Detectives I think we have a little problem here” Steve said immediately they both walk inside.
“Problem !! What’s the problem?”

“The drive Abdul Rauf gave me is not the original drive” Steve answered with a disappointment tone as he shut the door.
“Not the Original !! What do you mean?”

“Yes Detective, I think Abdul Rauf was only trying to deceive Mishra, he has something else in mind apart from this”

“But accordingly to your explanation, Abdul Rauf gave you the content and the bag you confirmed accurately before he was shot”
“Yes, this is the bag he gave me and that is the tablet I connected with the laptop on the bed. I just worked on it and saw the drive is empty, there’s absolutely nothing in it”

Steve answered and watched the two Detectives look at the themselves in disbelief.

“Officers I’m telling you the truth here, you can check the laptop and the whole thing yourself. I would have had things my own way if not that I want a complete bad end for Nathaniel and I see no need why I should deceive both of you” He said and walked forward to have them take a look at the laptop.

×××××

“Yes there are gossips around the whole staffs but do you actually believed Steve is a gay?” Margaret asked Vivian.
“Margaret, pictures cannot lie. I mean I can’t believe he..”

“Have you confront him?”
“Uh”
“Yeah. Have you confront Steve about this? Have you asked him?” Margaret asked repeatedly.
“Yeah. I did, I called but he didn’t answered before I texted him and you know…. He didn’t reply my text nor did he talked about it when we went to pick my foster parent at the airport or after he dropped us off to my place”

“Vivian, listen up okay. I know how you feel about this and I know you definitely do not like this situation but I think you should confront Steve about it, you’ve turned him down most of all times and sometimes you take him for granted whenever he offers to help you but he still clearly cares for you and I do not see the need for you to be disturb about it. This is a groundless gossip that shouldn’t hold you down for anything darling” Margaret said to comfort her before the door suddenly opened startling them and Charles peep inside before stepping into the office.

“I’ve been knocking for quite some minutes but you weren’t paying attention, I’m sorry i barged in like that”
“It’s okay Charles. We didn’t notice you at the door, sorry. Are you through with the documents?” Margaret answered him.

“No, I just uh want to ask you if you’ve seen Steve recently” he said instead and majorly turned to Vivian.
“Seen Steve !!” Vivian widened her brow.
“Yeah he actually told me he was at your place when I contacted him the day before and since then I am unable to reach him till now”

“Yes he helped me pick my parent at the airport and he left couple of minutes later”
“Yes I know Vivian, I just had to meet you if you may know where he went afterwards because I’ve gone to his house but the whole place is locked and his car isn’t in the compound”

“Not at all Charles, I don’t know where he went afterwards, Steve never told me if he was going anywhere. But I think you should know, aren’t you best friends?”
“But I think he was employed as a part time staff in another company, have you inquire from them?” Margaret asked as they fully turned to face Charles.

“Yes, I contacted them already and Mary said it’s been more than five days he came to work under proclamation that he was sick and she hadn’t been chanced to visit him at home” Charles said and widened his brow with more confusion, his phone was on his left hand as he redialed Steve phone which was still unreachable.

“Mary !! Who is Mary?” Vivian glanced a look at her friend and turned back to Charles for an answer.

“She’s… she’s a friend of he’s”
“Friend of he’s?”
“Yeah. I gotta go now, I’ve got some work to do on my desk” Charles said without replying her and walked towards the door.

×××××

“Where did he say he is?” Sunny asked Alex as he dropped the call Steve finally answered.
“Funbos Hotel”
“Where is Funbos located?” Sunny asked again and turned backwards when they heard a sound from the door. The door gave way and Lord Nathaniel walked inside, he still looked angered and very furious they all stand as he walked in, wondering what he came for.

“Have you found him?” he asked Alex after taking a brief look at Sunny.
“Yes Lord Nathaniel, he is at Funbos Hotel”
“And why are you all here instead of going to get me my property now?” He flared up and stared at Sunny.

“I want all of you out there now and i want my drive back before 24 hours. You all get out, let me discuss with Sunny” he ordered them and began to talk after the last man walked out and closed the door behind him.

“Sunny I never felt the need to hide anything from you neither to deceive you but please do all you can to get me Steve. I need that drive at any cost or Steve will destroy my life and my drug business, I won’t lie to you and I won’t ask you to do this for my self interest but please try to understand and do all you can to get me that drive from Steve” he said almost pleading and touched Sunny’s shoulder.
“My lord, whatever I have done till today has always been for you alone, consider this done and I’ll get you the drive at all cost” Sunny said and looked at his promising face with assurance.

×××××

“The drive is truly empty, nothing is inside. I think Abdul Rauf only wanted to deceive Mishra with the deal” Detective Cougar pointed out thoughtfully and heaved a sigh in frustration after dropping the tablet device with the drive on the bed.

“That’s a bulls***.. We can only get to arrest Lord Nathaniel with that drive because it’s contains all the evidence we can use against him. What do we do now that it’s empty?” Detective Louis asked and made to sit on the bed.

Steve heaved a sigh too where he stood watching the detectives discuss as he redialed Charles number for the uptenth time but it still wasn’t reachable. He had decide to contact back all his callers but didn’t dialed Mary’s and one of his senior colleague in the company he works as a part time staff even though he had presented a medical report that he was sick and won’t be around for few days before taking the job with Lord Nathaniel. He knew most of them only want to ask him about the gay thing but he wasn’t ready to explain anything especially in his current situation with a dangerous and deadly drug lord he knew very well.

He was still emphasizing on who to call next since Charles phone wasn’t connecting when the phone began to ring and an unsaved contact was displayed as the caller. He looked at the mobile line for some seconds without answering it and waited for his true caller application to analyze before Kruger Jacob was displayed.
“Kruger Jacob !!” he whispered as the name displayed.

He tried to think fast and recall where he had seen the familiar name recently despite his perplex state but its wasn’t coming, he stared a look at it the more and whispered it to himself the second time as the call already ended before he suddenly remembered that was Vivian foster father’s name, he had forgotten totally he gave the man his mobile line when he dropped them off at Vivian’s place. He wanted to redialed the contact immediately before the phone began to ring almost in seconds and he answered it straight forward.

“Good day sir” He greeted and turned back to make a glance at the two detectives in the room from the window side he stood.

“How are you Steve?” Mr. Kruger voice came through the phone.
“I’m very good sir.. Good day and how is your vacation going?”
“OH very good Son. My wife and I are on the way to the address you gave us and I’m calling to tell you about it incase we miss our way”

“Address !! What address sir?” Steve asked and made a face in confusion.
“The same address you gave us to come if we want to visit you, I meant to your house”

“OH to my place” Steve exclaimed.
“That’s correct son”
“But I’m not in the house right now sir, I am presently somewhere far away and I don’t think I’ll be coming over the house today” Steve answered and widened his brow.

“Uhh” the man exclaimed..
“What do you mean you won’t be coming home? Are you also going to the club like Vivian? We actually just need some company and we tried to stop Vivian from going to the club today but she seemed to be stubborn and lied to us that it’s a get together party with her college friends she wouldn’t ever miss. We agreed after few considerations and seeing it’s a chance to finally know you and come over to your place if we may spend the night with you at least before we could leave when the vacation is over”

“Huh sir I’m presently very far away busy with work too and I don’t think I’ll come too sooner.. I am…”

“Uh.. But I think we are already at the street address, we are in the taxi and we are very much close to the address already” the man countered.

××××

“Vivian What about your foster parent?” Margaret asked as she arranged the books and some documents on her desk after shutting down the computer on the office desk.
“They are cool and they gave their consent about it” Vivian answered as she grabbed her phone and a small purse.

“Really?”
“Yeah. They are gonna be fine”
“I thought they hated night parties and clubbing particularly, I thought they’ll never allowed you now that they’re with you” Margaret said and also grabbed her phone as she stands.

“I told them it’s a get-together party with my college friends and I have to go even if they doesn’t give their consent”
“Huh”
“Yeah. You know I really need to clear my head girlfriend”
“What about your aunt?”
“well Margaret you ask too much of a question, let’s just be on our way. The whole staffs has gone home already” Vivian said and began to walk towards the door.
×××××
Sunny dropped the call and returned the phone back into his pocket after giving instructions to his boys. He was in the front seat of the car with Alex who was driving and some of his boys driving behind their car and they were on the way to the hotel Steve claimed he was, when his phone began to ring.

“Boss we noticed two old couple in front of Steve’s house some minutes ago and they just entered the compound now with a young man who took them inside”

“Who are they?” Sunny questioned.
“We have no idea who they are sir”
“What about the young man, were you able to see him well he’s not the same Steve we are looking for?”

“Yes sir, we would surely know even if Steve is disguised. This is another man, not him”
“NO. You would not know if Steve is disguise, he’s smarter than you think you know and he might even be the one that entered”

“Then what should we do?”
“Go into the building with your boys through the secret entrance and find out who they are, shoot them if they are irrelevant and if there’s need to, and call me any moment you see any other strange thing” Sunny ordered notably.

“Okay boss”

××××

“Please do have a seat and make yourself comfortable sir/ma” Charles said and smiled immediately they entered through the main door as the couple walked inside.

“Wow what a beautiful place Steve has here” Mrs. Kruger commented and smiled as Charles walked away from the entrance to get them a drink first”

EPISODE 4