EFE (Book 1 in The N. A Series)

Chapter Twenty

Twenty

"I like you" she looked up at him while He sat upright "I was looking forward to our date"

"I love...".  

"Sleep" she couldn't let him complete it. She wouldn't be able to do what she had to if he did.

Efe tucked Ayo in.

Then left...

That was the last time he saw her. 

Three Weeks Later...

6:30am Saturday

Chika's Event Center

Meet me at the field, I'll be on the third bench in front of the river jong.

You should know where that is..

Come alone if you want answers concerning the dreams.

- from you know who. 

David read the letter he found in his jacket pocket. 

'She knew about the dreams...That means they are really false memories she planted.' He now had a second chance to kill her and end these memories, he wasn't going to mess it up again. No matter what she said this time.

  Early that morning, he threw on a gray sweatsuit and left the Agency's HQ under the pretense of going for a jog. The Event center was on the outskirts of Nibwe, the city where the Agency was located so it was no hassle getting there. Fog hung in the air that morning, being that it was the beginning of Harmattan and he was headed towards a river. The river was called 'Jong' because of its view from above, it was shaped like an asian eye so Chika, the owner of the land and center decided to be racist and call it 'Jong'. To everyone's surprise, it became a tourist attraction, drawing in people to experience its exceptional view from above.

Long story short, Chika made money. 

When he arrived at the park, he found it covered in fog. He pulled out the note, reread it and then went straight up to the third bench. 

Only, she wasn't there. 

Instead, he found a woman in her early fifties who sat staring at the river before her. Not like she could see anything due to the fog. David looked around, maybe he could spot the enemy lurking in the corners, he surveyed but didn't find her. 'It was safe to sit' he thought. "Good morning ma" he greeted the lady. She stiffened. "I have to warn you this place won't be safe in a couple of minutes time oh. So I think you should go home ma" he continued, discarding her odd behavior. She looked at him. 'Those eyes... Are so familiar...'  He thought.

"David?" Her voice shook. "You've come back to me" her hands covered her mouth as she cried. David didn't move a muscle. 

Why is she so familiar? 

Everything from her chocolate skin to her big round eyes to her black relaxed long hair to even the black dot on the side of her head.

It's freaking me out. Everything about her is like a memory from a dream. Like the way the corners of her eyes crinkle, the way she's sitting and smiling. Is this false? It's too good to be true but this feeling is too warm to be fake. He drank in her appearance, she looked different from his memories. She looked tired. What is she getting worked up about? I'm here now. I'll help you. Suddenly, the memory he saw in the shower, popped up again. 

It was New year's Eve and strangely enough, it was raining heavily and thundering like never before. His dad was out working a night shift in the milk factory so his mother let him and his big sister stay in her bed. They hid under a big maroon colored blanket because it felt like with each rumble it got colder. Their mom was reading 'Shadows' to them when lightning struck the field over the fence. Startled by the noise, they all screamed and covered their heads at the same time, making them hit their heads against each other. After yelling at each other for no reason, they started laughing. That was his favorite memory of his mom and sister.

"Mommy?" David felt a jab in his chest. This pain filled happiness.

"Yes.. Yesss! You remember" His mother cried. "I thought you wouldn't. She said that you wouldn't for a while". His mother wrapped her big arms around him and he rested into them before slowly wrapping his arms around her too. 

'This is real'

"Efe?" He remembered her name, now it was familiar. Come to think of it, Agu never told him the name of his new enemy. Maybe she thought it would've triggered a memory.

"Where is she? I need to apologize. I almost killed her and I.. I killed her friend. I need to find her please" he broke the hug, desperately pleading with his mother. 'I hope she doesn't think of me as a killer' For the first time, he wasn't proud of his profession.

"I'm right here" David's head snapped around to stare at his sister who stood a few feet behind him. He remembered everything about her from when they were little to when they got sold, when Agu bought them and when Efe tried to escape with him. To think he almost killed her.

That was it! That was the bridge between the two lives he had in his head. David had always had dreams about people he didn't know and things he'd never done and it felt so real but then he'd wake up and see an entirely different life in front of him. He always felt incomplete and broken in a way. There was a big black question mark in his memory but not anymore. It was now filled with the memory of their Father's betrayal and his mother's love and sister's protection. 

David recalled the promise she made to him, the one she had been trying to remind him while they fought.

'David, I'll never harm you- I'll always take care of you. You hear?' Little Efe swore to her junior brother. 

"Hmm.. Me too. I will take care of you more than you wee take care of me" 

"I pray oh! Smallie" Efe shoved a spoon full of pap and milk into his mouth.

"Efe?" He immediately felt small under the eyes of his big sis. "I'm soo sorry" his chest tightened at a thought. "I didn't remember you. I knew something was up but I couldn't tell. Please" he rambled on gesturing and staring at his hands. 

In four steps, Efe closed the distance and hugged her brother. Tears spilled from his eyes at the realization of what he was about to do to her earlier. "Something was controlling me" he choked out and tightened his embrace.

"It is okay" Efe soothed. "I'm here now. We're both here" Just then, his mother put a hand on his shoulder in a comforting way.

"Let's go home" she said.

******Agency's HQ: HOURS LATER******

The Iphone on the spotless and organized black glass table rang for the fifth time. 

Agu Nwadike who had been watching it ring all along finally picked up the phone. Her fingers trembled.

"You've been ignoring my calls" a deep dark voice spoke with authority.

"No sir. I've been busy..." 

"I heard you lost my asset" The calmness in this man's voice had Agu clenching onto the stress ball she owned.

"I've been working hard to fin..."

"Do you have a death wish, Agu?" 

"No sir" she gulped air.

"Good! Find my asset! I don't want him tomorrow or this evening. Get him right now. Do you understand me?" He questioned.

"Yes sir" she nodded vehemently even though he couldn't see her.

"If you don't, you will  be hunted down next. Keep in mind that I own you, one day your gold to me and the other, your less than shit. Don't ever ignore my calls again or I won't be so gracious. Find the kid and bring him to me. Phase two of my plan is in motion. I can't have him running around right now. Do I make myself clear?"

Before she could say 'Yes sir', the call ended. Agu slammed her fist down on the table and screamed.

Things were getting out of her hand. She pressed a button on the telephone which sat on her table "Take who you can and find David!!" Agu gritted her teeth.

"Yes ma'am" Okafor smiled.