Chapter 14

Salifya

Ama and I took a path through a thicket of trees.

“I need your help.” I said as I unzipped my hoodie. “Xo and Alumbengi will handle the break in but I need your help finding where they are.”

“How long have they had Shasha’s family for?” Ama asked.

“Six months now.”

“I’m in.” she said. I told her all I knew. I felt ashamed joining Ama for her morning walk just to ask her for a favour. We were half way through the forest path. I could see why she used it for her walks. On the other side of the trees was the lake. The sun was rising at its horizon. We hurried down till we made it to the beach. For sometime, we stood just watching the sun rise.

“I’ve really enjoyed your company today. You are there only early riser among my children,” she said with a smile.

“I enjoyed your company too,” I smiled.

“This is Sundiata,” a man called Orton Chirwa said pointing at Xo. “This is Nzinga.” He pointed at me.

We all said hello. The men and women seated in the conference room waved hello back.

“Nzinga will be teaching us about tactical skills.” Orton said. “While Sundiata will take us through hacking secure buildings.”

Orton sent the hackers into other room. There was something familiar about Orton but I could not put my finger on it. I stayed with the tactical specialists: the lieutenants. The first session lasted four hours with a thirty break in between. The next day we trained the handlers.

During tea break, I walked upto Chirwa who was standing alone chewing a samosa.

“You are my sister’s handler.” I said. “Her alias is Rose Chibambo.”

“Oh her, bright girl.” Chirwa smiled.

“If anything happens to her; I am holding you responsible.” I stared into her eyes.

“I take care of all my infantries.” She starred back for a second then walked away. She was tough. Ipyana was in good hands.

Ama and I had spent the week in Mzuzu. We stayed at Aunty Tasokwa’s.

Aunty Tasokwa removed her optical microscope glasses and pulled away from Shasha’s face. “This is some old tech,” Aunty Tasokwa said. “It was designed for prisoners in the late 2000s to keep tabs on them. If they tried to escape a high voltage would surge into their body and they would die.”

Shasha pushed her elbows onto the lab’s table and leaned back. “Can it be removed?”

Aunty Tasokwa shook her head. “I know a procedure that can remove it but it’s risky. I’d rather do it once you have got your family to safety.”

Shasha got up from the stool and shook Aunty Tasokwa’s hand. “Thanks for you help.”

She also shook my Mother’s hand, thanking her. I escorted her out of the lab.

Ama had pinpointed the house that Shasha’s family were being held at.

I led Mbengi into Xo’s work room. Xo and Ama turned around from their seats.

“This is Alumbengi.” I said to Xo. Xo stood up.

“We know each other.” Mbengi said as she stepped forward and hugged Xo. “How have you been?”

“Okay. You?” Xo said pulling away from the embrace.

I could tell there was more they wanted to say to each other but did not. Who was she to him? An ex girlfriend perhaps? Xo and I never spoke of our romantic interests. I replayed the scene in my mind trying to read their body language. I could find no satisfactory answers. It was 930pm. I should be asleep for the raid next day. Why did I care so much if Mbengi and Xo had a romantic history??

“How did the two best hackers in the country miss the fact that this place has more than ten captives?” I grunted, scanning the many cells holding captives.

Mbengi’s voice came through the earbud. “The security on this building is like nothing I have ever seen.”

“We are doing our best,” Xo said through my earbud.

“Let’s go.” Shasha called, running ahead with her brother, mother and step-father.

“I can’t leave the rest of the prisoners behind.” I said. “Take your family to safety. I will come behind you.”

Shasha starred for a moment, then run down the corridor with her family. Xo opened the cells while Mbengi focused on getting Shasha out. I had made it to lounge and was heading for an exit.

“There are five guards heading your way.” Xo said.

In seconds we were completely encircled by the guards. They were ex-ZUA I could tell. I could handle two agents but not five. I was going down with a fight. I shot two, I saw the other three fall. Behind them was Shasha.

Xo arranged for the captives we found inside to be taken to the police. Back at the Xo’s house, Ama told me that the captives that we found in the house were all relations or lovers of top officials in government, businessmen, criminals and law enforcement officials. When Xo and Mbengi returned to the house to collect any evidence they found the house was blown up.

“Thank you.” Shasha said. “All of you.”

“Where will you go?” I asked her when we were outside Xo’s house.

“I am sending my family to Tanzania where they will be safe.” She said. “But I am staying.”

“Why?”

“I want to find who did this to me and bring them down.”

“Me too.” I threw my palm into hers. We clasped our hands together for a second then let go.

“So while the rest of you were in the field, I have been trying to siphon data from where they were being held.” Ama said. “The H.M facilities that Aka-rebel has hit are officially listed as Q refineries. The code used to disguise these companies from government surveillance is the same as there ones used at the building you went to.”

“They are connected.” I said.

“It would seem so. But I will have to keep digging to confirm.” She retorted.

“I will continue working on it too, I will keep you appraised if I find anything.” Mbengi said. “I should get going. Xo, walk me out.”

Xo nodded with a smile. I watched Xo escort her out. Who was she to him?

“We should start packing.” Ama said. I nodded my head and began packing my things.

Ama wanted to visit a few friends and relations in Mzuzu before we headed back. After church I went with Xo, he had invited me for lunch. Xo had his two nephews with him. They had spent the night with him because Khetiwe and Penjani had travelled to Lilongwe for a wedding. It was after lunch they came to collect them. From how Khetiwe and Penjani looked at me, I could tell they thought me and Xo were building something towards a relationship. I don’t blame them for that conclusion. We spend a lot of time together.

“So what’s the story between you and Alumbengi?” I asked after his sister had left.

Xo sat down next to me on his black leather couch. He did not turn his head to face me, instead he focused his eyes on his feet. “Her close friend was my ex-girlfriend Tijenge. Jenge and I met in college. I was not a Christian then so we were sleeping together. She got pregnant. She was scared of shame and what her family would say. She aborted. She lied to me that she had a miscarriage. I believed her until her sister told me the truth. I broke up with her.”

“How come you never told me all this?”

“It’s painful to talk about.” He choked. “Some days I think about our child what she could have been. It was a girl. Jenge robbed me of all of that.” He leaned back on his couch. “After Jenge told me she was pregnant. I started to prepare myelf for it. I started saving money. I wanted to give my child what I never had with my father. I was even going to propose.” Getting married just because you are having a child together is stupid, I thought to myself. “I still grieve the loss of my daughter.”

“I am sorry Xo.”

He smiled a sad smile. I opened my arms and placed him in my embrace. He buried his head in my shoulder for sometime. “Her life was over before it even began.” He croaked. I ran my hands over his back. I had never seen him this vulnerable.

He pulled away.

“I had started the locs around the time she told me she was pregnant. I meant to keep them for a short time. I keep them as rememberance of my daughter.”

I glanced up at him. Oh Xo. I think he read the pity in my face because he said.

“Shasha is that her real name?”

“No,” I replied.

“What is her real name?”

“Tamanda.”

“It doesn’t suit her. Why Shasha?”

“You know how ten year old male residents are kicked out of Kaulimi. Shasha’s brother was about to hit ten when she got this hacker to change Tikondane’s birth certificate and all other records to make him a year younger. She had made him lie about his age too since he hit eight. He lasted nine months more than he should have then the hacker got caught. Shasha had contacted and paid the hacker anonymously so the police couldn’t prove that Shasha was involved. Long story short, they knew it was her. A 15 year old who had deceived Kaulimi to make her brother stay. KUA hired her and the hacker. That’s how she got the nickname that means ‘trickstar’ in Chichewa.”

“That’s an interesting story.” The sadness in his raven eyes had not left. What could I say to comfort this grieving father? He always knew how to make me feel better.

I knew that the mission went bad from the way Ipy looked. I heard Ama talking to her and I ventured into her room. I sat down at the edge of her bed. She stopped talking. Should I leave?

“I did not want to shoot him again. So I walked towards him so I could take him out with my fists. He was typing away. It all happened so fast.” Ipy sobbed. “He activated a killswitch. They all died. They all died.” Her chest heaved back and forward. “All the captives, two infantries and a hundred prisoners. They all died. And it’s my fault.”

“No its not,”Ama said gently. She had her arm wrapped around Ipy.

“I knew that they put a killswitch in the device they found in me. I should have guessed that’s what he was doing.”

“You are not a telepath.” I said. “I know that your mind will go over what happened from different angles and try to think what you could have done. Let it go. Learn what you can and move on.”

“Sali is right. Carrying this guilt will crush your spirit.” Ama wiped her tears. I knew our words were solar beams bouncing back the solar beam proof glass of her heart. My sweet Ipy did not deserve this. “Not all missions are successes. That’s how it is.”

“A hundred and two people died.” Ipyana whimpered.

There a knock at the door. It opened. “Anga is in labour!” Chikondano said.

Creator’s Note:

Again thanks for reading my book.

If you liked this chapter, please give me a vote.

If you have not read or heard of Sundiata and Nzinga please search them. They were both powerful monarchs. Sundiata is known for his strength. Nzinga is known for her brilliance.

What did you think was going on between Mbengi and Xo?

Why do you think Salifya was so concerned with what was going on between Xo and Mbengi?

What do you make Xo history with Mbengi?

What do you think of Shasha so far?

Who do you think is behind the HM? Any guesses on their motive?

From reading so far, what sort of person would behind the HM?

How do you think Anganile's birth giving will go?

Do you think Anganile will have a baby boy or girl?

The next Chapter is one of my favourite chapters. It reveals a little more about Salifya's past (yes including her parents). We also learn how Xo and Sali met. Have a good week lovelies!