ELVIS: EPISODE 5-6

 EPISODE FIVE

He stood before the building housing the CIO, braced himself for the first day at work and walked into it. The CIO occupies two floors the 19th and 20th of a 20-storeyed building situated along marina Lagos state. He walked towards the lift’s end, pressed the button and waited patiently for the elevator to descend. A lady joined him but attracted his attention when she almost knock a basket flowers over him in her haste.
“I’m sorry sir, I’m late for work, meeting my new boss today, first impression eh” she managed to say while arranging her stuffs back in the basket, shaking all through.
“It’s okay” Elvis replied arranging his disheveled clothing.
“I’m Emily” she said with an outstretched hand after arranging her basket.
“I’m Elvis” he replied taking the hand.
The lift came down just then and they filed into it having been joined by two older ladies and a man likely to be in his mid-thirties. They clicked their floor of destination. Elvis clicked the 19th.
“Oops, we are going to the same floor” Emily interjected again.
Elvis kept silent, he doesn’t speak to strangers especially those who talk a lot especially ladies. He hummed to himself accordance to the hum of the lift as the elevator travels up. The other passengers had gotten off before the 15th floor, now left with Emily in the elevator.
“Are you here to meet someone or work” she asked turning to face him with a funny inquisitive lady’s look on her face.
He continued his humming, realizing he’s in no mood to talk, she left him be, the elevator dings and she rushed off to her post of duty. He walked in surveying the floor as he did; the entrance stretches for a few meters before opening to a large circular room surrounded with a make-shift wall made of plywood to about a meter and raised to eye level with a transparent glass like material.
The large room contained cubicles which ran along the circumference and a four of the cubicles situated in the middle perpendicularly to each other. Behind large room has for directions leading out of it, one the elevator, one straight ahead to the office of the Inspector General, the one to the right leads to the gents and ladies and the one to the left leads to the offices of the team leaders.
“Welcome, you must be Mr. Elvis, the new intake” a stout man with a pot belly said with hands wide stretched like he’s expecting a hug.
“Yea, I am” he replied trying to adjust to the tense atmosphere created by increasing stares from some technicians.
“I’m Esiogu, the chief lieutenant, let’s talk in my office” he said leading the way, Elvis followed like a lamb been led to slaughter.
Elvis would have been made a chief inspector due to his grade but wasn’t due to lack of experience. He’s cloud above others so he’ll rise speedily to the post; however he’s made the team leader of a group of four.
After several minutes of discussion, the two men came out of the office with Esiogu leading the way and showing him around. He was later shown his team members.
The first member was a skinny young man with a pair of round grotesque glasses worn over his pair of effervescent eyes. He’s the computer geek. Esiogu was particularly ecstatic when introducing him, “if possible that life can be hacked, we will all be doing his wishes” he had said. The second member is a Yoruba guy, he would have been accepted for a bouncer without a look at his credentials at any club he applies, “I’m Timileyin, you can call me Timi” Timi said taking his hands. The last member is an experienced man, maybe in his 50s, he ought to have been promoted but it has always been delayed for God knows why. He’s name is Dauda.
He greeted them all and hoped for a long working period with them. He’s not too young to notice the quizzical look and trust-bereft look on their face.
A young guy been their leader because of academic knowledge not field experience. He has to win this lot over to make his work easier.
He excused them to talk to the Inspector General
“Sir, there’s something I want to ask you sir” he said
“Go ahead my friend” Esiogu replied with a friendly candor.
Are pot-bellied people this friendly and humble?
“It’s about the incident that occurred in Hallmark University, about 8 years ago, I want to know if the case has been solved and the bomber found?”
Hope I’m not deranged to this man.
Esiogu’s face twitched a bit but he recovered on time.
“I heard of the case over the television and it has been solved, the Belinger Construction Company has been punished for the poor infrastructure they built”
“But that’s not what happened sir” seeing the anger seeping into Esiogu’s face quickly added
“no offense sir”
“No offence taken, the last IG solved it before he stepped down” losing his anger tensed face.
“Sir…”
“Can you please let’s celebrate today” he said standing up and grabbing a cup of coffee, leaving the office.
Elvis followed abruptly, he felt someone bumping into him, his clothes wet with coffee. He looked up with anger brewing in him to discover that it’s Ellie again. The bump made Esiogu turn back.
“I’m sorry, very sorry” Ellie said trying to dry up his wet clothes with a napkin.
“Elvis, meet Ellie your secretary” Esiogu said sipping from his cup
“What? My secretary?” he replied stunned.

EPISODE SIX
The place is in ruins, broken blocks, twisted irons, and boulders of buildings chipped off lies everywhere, dust fume fills the air, wails pierce the air, muffled cries of agony and pain spice up the already saturated atmosphere, anguished grunts and stifled groans rent the air.
Dead students are seen littering the ground, some have their head bashed in, some with hands or legs torn off or both, some students are trying to help themselves from under broken fallen walls, some tries to stand but shouted in despair as broken bones pierce their skin, breaking bones can be heard as some try too hard to pull themselves from under debris.
This is disaster.
There is a man with sunshades standing over a student, then bending down to examine a student; the student is a young boy, his hair are in disarray, he face is down, hands stretched beside him, legs together at the thighs but spread out a bit with each lying on its side in opposite directions, a triangle comes to mind with the legs position, there’s no telling that he’s unconscious.
The man turned the boy over, and examined him as if he’s checking for broken bones but he’s not checking out for that, he’s piercing look has a tinge of anger and awe. Evil oozes out of him. He raised the boy’s head up and tossed it right and left like a precious stone one’s admiring.
That face, I know that boy, that boy is me……….....................................................................
He woke with a start, he let his eyes stray around his room, and he arose from bed, went to the toilet for his morning urine, he went ahead to take his bath and brush his teeth. While toweling his body, he stood before the huge mirror to examine himself.
Now a full grown man, he stood at 175cm with a fit muscular body. He had a broad chest; his stomach has been hidden with a pack of 6 that remains in shape even after he had taken a full meal. A scar ran across his chest; the scar he won when he flew in the air and sharpened a rod with his chest during the bombing. In all, he has the muscular frame that ladies die for. He smiled on thinking of all the ladies trying to get his attention.
He rushed a breakfast of toasted bread and egg before rushing off to work.
……………………………………………………………
“What’s going on?” he asked on getting to work, meeting them in an excited state.
Timileyin walked up to him, “sir, a call just came in about a matter that needs investigation”
“What’s it about?” he asked, his attention piqued
“I know very little about it sir, the IG has been waiting for you, he’s in better position to explain to you sir” Timi said.
“Ok, thank you” he replied dismissing Timi.
He walked briskly into the IG’s office, the man is busy looking thoroughly at some files.
“Morning sir” he greeted
“Morning Elvis, something came up, gather the other team leaders and meet me in the board room by 1200” Esiogu replied looking up and down at intervals.
This must be deadly serious, Esiogu has never been serious.
He walked out of the IG’s office, delivered the message to the other team leaders, four in all and strutted to his office.
His secretary sat at her desk at the entrance to his office. She’s putting on a blue velvet gown that adorns her like emerald, her weave-on hairstyle danced on her back as she typed furiously on the keyboard of the computer before her, and her earrings jingles at each turn her head makes.
“Good morning sir” her voice piercing his thoughts, flashing those white, even, well arranged set of teeth.
“Good morning” he replied smugly, his bad night hanging over him like a cloud.
“Bad night?” she replied with a selfless candor.
“Something like that” he replied before he could stop himself.
She’s also sensitive.
“Is that why you have a face of someone who just saw a ghost?” she replied with the same candidness.
“Is it that obvious?” he replied, at least someone cared about him.
“I’m sure you don’t want to talk about it, I understand, but worry clouds the mind, laughter eases it, a touch of smile can heal a lot of things.”
“Is that why you always smile?” he replied feeling relieved, to see someone to talk with.
“Doctors said it take more muscles to frown, sixty something…..”
“Sixty four” he said correcting her.
“….thanks sixty four than that needed to smile, so I guess I don’t want to stress my muscles unduly” she said now smiling broadly
“Your spouse must be a doctor” he replied increasing the level of humor
“Wrong guess” she replied now with her teeth showing with a broad smile “and a saying says ‘laughing makes someone older’, maybe I don’t want to get old” now laughing freely.
“He must be a philosophy expert then” he said now laughing mildly.
It’s been long he felt this way, he felt lighter and she’s also a nice lady apart from the bumpings, He lingered with her for a few more minutes, telling her of the meeting he’s having by noon. He went to his office to get some sleep if he has the resources to afford it before the meeting.
He had not slept for up to fifteen minutes when someone barged into his office. A painful shriek followed which brought all thoughts of sleep to a halt. He stood up to see who it is; his shoulders slumped as he saw Ellie again.
“I’m sorry, I think I twisted my ankle” she replied with a suckling face.
A gentleman is meant to care.
Masking his annoyance, he walked towards her, picked her up and checked the ankle she allege to twist to discover she only lost the heel of her shoe.
“I’m sorry” “Thank you, I came to give you the file about the Hallmark BTU hall collapse” she said with apology written over her.
His anger didn’t let him listen to her; he collected the file, threw it at the table and walked out of the office.
Seems sleep has a way of pestering and then eluding him.
11:55
He picked himself up from the metal chair for guests he had been sitting on and walked towards the boardroom.