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Here is an Easter gift. A chapter posted early. Happy Easter y’all!

Chapter 12

Ipyana

I wake up the pain is much less. I see white sheets, white room and my white dress.

“I saw the video before Xo erased it from the system.” I turned to face Sali who was seating on a chair beside my bed. “You could have easily taken out that guy but you hesitated. He walked in there and you just start walking towards where he is.”

I pulled myself upright, “What would you have preferred I do?”

“You could have shot him.”

“And killed him like you did.”

“I only did that because he was going to kill you. A situation that could have been easily avoided if you had shot him. I don’t think you are ready to go in the field.”

“Because I made one mistake?”

“A mistake that almost got you killed.”

“I guess you can’t relate to imperfection. You the girl who won many trophies in boxing and martial arts. You the girl who took all four variants of Bembe and excelled at them.”

“This has nothing to do with that.”

“It has everything to do with that. You didn’t want to go to the HM because you think I am weak.”

“This is not what this is about.”

“I’m too weak to go on raids with you and Xo. But not too weak to be abandoned!”

Sali was speechless. Like a wounded animal she retreated out of the room.

Sali got up from the clinic’s chairs as soon as she saw me walking down the clinic’s corridor. “She discharged you?” She asked. I nodded. She gestured to take my bag.

I let her. “You’ve been here all night?”

She nodded her head.

“I’m sorry about yesterday. I don’t mean to rub it in you face that you abandoned me.”

“You were right though I have no right to stop you from coming to raids because you have been in worse danger.” She said gently. “I know that I am trying to make up for my mistakes by being overprotective.”

We exited Watanja’s clinic and walked towards the pod park. “Salifya, whether you make up for your mistake or not, I will forgive you.”

“Thank you,” she smiled. “I am sorry for being overprotective and giving you a hard time. I was scared I could have lost you. I’ve certainly made mistakes in my past missions in Kaulimi Police.”

“I accept your apology.”

We both got into her pod.

When I told Ama I had joined Aka-rebel, she asked me why.

“I want to make Zamania safe for pygmies.” I said. “Not doing anything is more dangerous than doing something.”

“I worry, but I understand why you are doing this.” After this I told her what my trip to Mzuzu was really about. She chided gently for lying. During me and Sali’s silent flight back to Nkhatabay I found myself wondering if this was all worth the pain and almost dying? I could return to Kaulimi and continue my applications to University as I waited for our visas to be approved. The answer, despite all the remnant pain I had in my chest and legs, was yes.

I had sent Chirwa a message saying I was not well. The next day I rested. The day afterwards, I felt stronger. I ventured out for a short jog not to lose my rhythm. My legs were heavier than usual.

“You’ve been missing.” Chiumya said.

I turned to face him. “I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Are you better now?”

“Yes much better.”

“I wish that my infantry was as dedicated as you are.”

“Is he lazy?”

“Yes very. It’s frustrating working with him.”

“So what will you do?”

“I will have to give him a stern warning.” He replied. “Heading this way?” His finger pointed left.

“Yes.” We jogged together. I don’t know why he jogs with me I clearly slow him down.

My team started running simulations of the upcoming mission. After every five simulations, Chirwa would make us discuss areas we could improve. Even in the sims, I’d hesitate to shoot the guards. “I am too soft for this kind of work,” I told Ama when I showed her the bruising from my attack. “We all started out that way.” She said. “Some of us develop fight instincts over time. Your caution is not weakness.” I tried to remember that when I died in a sim. Chirwa told me to shoot the guards’ legs. But I could not get myself to do it as fast as the boys or Chirwa did. I think we went over the sims twenty times. She wanted us to learn how to move as a team. We were exhausted and waiting for the mission to be over. Our mission was that Saturday. Chirwa grew edgier and edgier; snapping at the littlest mistakes. Kabwila told me that this was the first mission she had ever led. That it was hard to get work as a handler for a normate.

“Here.” Kapito said distributing gum among us. “Gum always helps my nerves before exams.”

I thanked him and placed it in my mouth.

“Spit it out.” Chirwa said.

Kabwila glared at her,“Why?”

“Because I said so.” Chirwa retorted. Kabwila was about to answer when Kapito motioned her to keep quiet. Kabwila’s nostrils flared as she inhaled sharply.

I think Chirwa saw the scowls on our face because she said. “If you go in there with the gum and you spit it out in combat or an accident. There will use that to trace you.”

Neither of us responded. We were all fed up with her headmistress act. We prayed holding hands as the bus pod descended.

“Stick to the plan.” Chirwa reminded us. The cold air stung my face. The paint they had put on my face left me exposed. I wished we had used ski- masks but apparently this was more effective at hiding our faces. I was less nervous than when I did this with Sali.

“Alarm disabled.” Kabwila announced.

“Leggo Leggo.” Kamlepo said like a song raising his rifle blaster in the air. We all made our way into the building slowly and cautiously.

I knocked out the guard in the computer room easily because I had the element of surprise. I had the data and was making my way back to the bus pods. Chirwa kept asking Kapito to check in.

“I think he has been captured.” Kabwila said.

“Why didn’t he use the code?!” Chirwa fumed.

Chirwa asked me to go where she was, so I could lead the escapees out of the building while she went to look for Kapito. Kamlepo offered to go with her but she refused.

“I need you to guard the escapees back to the pods.” She told him. We took them to bus pods we brought, without much resistance. I could see that though Kamlepo did not hesitate like I did, his skill was inferior to mine. I guess it’s because he hadn’t known martial arts for long. We had gotten all the escapees to safety.

“Chirwa where are you?” Kabwila asked. No response.

Creator’s Note

So what do you think of Chirwa?

What did you think of Salifya and Ipyana’s fight at the beginning? Who was in the wrong and who was in the right?

What did you think of Ipyana’s first raid with the Aka-rebel team?

What do you think happened to Kamlepo and Chirwa?

Thanks for reading this chapter. If you enjoyed it, please give me some love through comments,stars and shares.

I am sorry this chapter is shorter than usual. The next chapter will make up for it. And remember my patreon account is a few chapters ahead. And you can find the completed book on amazon for only 2.99$ 

Something major will happen to Ipyana in the next chapter. Any guesses what it might be?