Tukur Bamai Residence, Abuja.
Rukayya trudged back into her home with shoulders slightly sagged and lips set into a deep frown. She absentmindedly made her way towards the living room—the crease between her brows serving as evidence of something bothering her. Her actions were almost robotic, it continued as such due to her straying mind.
"Oh, she's home already." The sound of a familiar voice snapped back into reality. Her mother's warm voice filling the otherwise stilled surrounding to her. "Rukayya, guess who came to visit us today?"
Blinking out of the trance of thoughts she found herself immersed in, she looked up only to realize she had reached the living room and was subjected to three pair of eyes on her.
Her gaze shifted from her parents to the guest with them—a person she is quite familiar with. Normally, she's almost always happy to see him. In that moment though, her heartbeat accelerated instead; her throat suddenly parched.
Still, she forced her lips to slant into a small, queasy smile. "Uncle Kari." She acknowledged, taking a few steps further into the living room only to settle on the carpet by her mother's feet—facing her father as well as his good friend.
Aadil's father, Inspector General Bashir Kari smiled back—an action that only a few people in the world get to see. It was reserved for people he's keen on only—and it just so happens Rukayya is one of them. "How are you?" He inquired warmly, in a tone that only a few are accustomed to as well.
Certainly, he holds his friend's daughter dear to him; reason being, he can't think of a perfect partner for his son other than her. She is everything he wants in a daughter-in-law. In fact, she is everything his son isn't.
She's perfect. Not to mention, she comes from one of the best families there is out there. How could she not be the best he could think of?
Her smile widened slightly, though her stomach was in knots. "I'm fine, Alhamdullilah." She fiddled with her fingers slightly. "I was actually thinking of paying a visit to you as well."
The man's brows drew in almost instantly. "Toh fa. Lafiya?"
Rukayya's nervous eyes shifted from him, to her parents whom are patiently watching the exchange between the two. They are used to it at this point—those two get along so well; that's why they are little qualms about giving her hand in marriage to Aadil Kari—with her consent as well.
Regardless, they know she will be in safe hands by the will of Allah.
Her smile wavered slightly when she met his gaze. "It's...about work." She added in a low tone.
"That's our cue to give them the room." Her mother teased, shifting her attention to her husband who simply shook his head.
"The last thing I want is to hear about the Forces. I deal with enough at work." Announced Chief Justice Tukur Bamai, as he pushed himself off the sofa and got on his feet—just in time his wife did so as well.
"Dinner will be ready in a short while. I'll be back to let you know when." With that said by Rukayya's mother, the two older couple left them alone to converse about the one thing they are always on about—work.
"You said you wanted to talk to me about something, right?" Inquired Inspector General Kari, offering her a small, warm smile. "Go ahead, feel free to say it." He added in an encouraging tone.
Rukayya darted her tongue to wet her lips, her head downcast. Her mind races at the thought of the exact words to use, and when she eventually picked them out, she lifted her head—her determined eyes clashing with his. "It's Aadil." She chose to start with that, before blowing out a small breath. "He...he doesn't seem like himself these days."
The man's brows instantly drew in, his smile morphing into a frown at the mention of his son. He visibly sat up straight, giving her his undivided attention. "What do you mean exactly?" He had his guess, but he'd rather hear it from her. "Why do you say such?"
She swallowed thickly, and pondered whether to tell him that piece of information or not. It's confidential, and on no ground is she allowed to share Shuri information with someone outside but, this man is the Inspector General of the entire police force and they are under him as well. If anything, he deserves to know this more than anyone.
If they keep it buried as expected, it will eventually turn up. After all, nothing stays buried for life and especially not about work. If it gets out later on, they will all, her included face the consequence of keeping such vital information from him.
So, using that mentality to lessen the growing guilt in her, she swallowed it down bitterly and then spoke. "There's something the Force has been hiding from you." She declared, keeping her tone strong. However, the fiddle of her fingers gave her away.
The man's expression turned grave if possible; all hint of lark and friendliness that was displayed earlier disappearing in the blink of an eye. "Is this possibly about the Farm?" He questioned, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
It has been bothering him for a while now, even more since the dinner they had with Aadil the other day where he didn't give any information away. He had tried to get information from the Force directly, but he wasn't given much.
It was clear there's something Chief Rabiu and the Alpha Team were keeping strictly confidential from everyone—and infiltrating that team to get information is much harder than expected.
You'd think since the leader is his son, and the Chief is his subordinate it would be easy—it's not. Not in the slightest. Those two are so close knit; one could even mistake them as father and son. They have too much alike.
Rukayya folded her lips in, before giving the man a determined nod. Swallowing thickly, she voiced out in a lower voice compared to earlier. "We found the hacker." She stated, before she chuckled bitterly, clicking her tongue and adding in a much bitter tone. "Or more like, she found us."
Inspector General Bashir Kari's brows drew in even more, his expression turning steel. "You found the hacker?" He disregarded the second thing she said because it meant the same thing. The anger in his tone was hard to miss, though he did well to tame it down. He still couldn't believe they dared to keep such information from him though. "You found the person who hacked into the deadliest network in the country?"
He felt he needed to explain it to her in terms she to understand the gravity of the situation well. It's clear they are all taking this lightly when it isn't.
She nodded, her heart hammering behind her ribcage.
"Is she threatening you with it?" He questioned after a few seconds of silence, "Does she show any hint of her releasing it? Because if she does, you all understand what would happen, right?"
"I do."
"No, you don't." She could try to understand, but no one except him and those actually immersed neck deep in the Farm issue would understand. "Rukayya, listen to me." He leaned forward slightly, his tone dropping. "If the information on the Farm gets out, the entire country will be in an uproar."
He doesn't know how many time it needs to be emphasized for everyone to understand the fact. The Farm is more or less a detonating bomb for those higher ups in the country, the actual ones ruling the country in the eyes of the public and behind the curtains.
The country will never be ready for what's contained on it.
You'd wonder why it wasn't just destroyed, right? Reason being, as much as it's sabotaging, they all need it as leverage to keep them all in check. Without it, things would be worse than it already is.
In that moment though, one thing was made certain. The great Inspector General Bashir Kari, the epitome of perfection and grace isn't the perfect man he portrays himself to be. He isn't the most law abiding citizen that lives and breathes the law—he's just another person that holds up a façade in the eye of the public despite having a living skeleton in his closet as well.
"—we can never let that happen, do you understand?"
Rukayya could only nod, her head hung low. She had long realized the man isn't as he portrayed himself to be, and if she is being honest, are they all really are? Well, her parents could pass as an exception but all of them at Shuri...are they as innocent as they portray themselves to be?
After all, they are protecting a corrupt circle when they are supposed to be upholding the law more than anyone. You can call they hypocrites, right? It's sad that they aren't even trying to be otherwise.
Realizing that she has started to understand the gravity of the situation, he then added. "Exactly. That is why I need you to tell me everything, you hear me? Don't leave a thing out. Who is she? What does she want? And how is this related to Aadil?"
"Inaya Sa'id." She looked up to meet his gaze. "That's her name."
"Inaya?" One face came up to his mind, someone he knows from the past though never reached talking terms face to face. He could only hope it isn't the same person he's thinking of, because then he'll regret disregarding her as an unimportant person back then.
Rukayya nodded, to confirm his thoughts much to his dismay. "There isn't much on her, I guess she has something to hide. But, there's a possibility of her being in the army with Aadil before."
Subconsciously, Aadil's father found himself hating himself in that moment. So, she is the one. Well, this is something. "What's Aadil's reaction to all this?"
"He seems to be siding with her." She declared the original fact that brought them there. "That's what I don't understand, Uncle. More than anyone, we both know Aadil doesn't like people like her—why is she an exception? The team is in shambles because of this. And Chief isn't making it any better because he wants her to be part of us." She rushed out, unable to help herself.
The man's eyes narrowed slightly. "She...a criminal, part of the Alpha Team?"
"Yes." She relented, her shoulders slumping. "That's what I can't bring myself to understand. Nothing makes sense since she showed up." She had tried to make it be rational, but it isn't adding. "Something isn't adding up. I'm certain there has to be some sort of connection between those three. Perhaps, she's blackmailing the Chief and deceiving Aadil."
The man slowly sank back in his chair, the wheels in his head turning. "Worry not, Aadil isn't stupid enough to fall for someone like her—none of her tricks would work on him." He stated in a much certain tone, his voice low. "Ease your mind, I will handle this."
"But, Uncle Kari--"
"Leave it to me, Rukayya." His voice came out stern, though reassuring. His expression was calm, almost as if he considers her to be nothing but a dirt he can, and will get out of the way. When he spoke again, his tone was calm—though with an underlying promise enough to make one's blood cold to the core. "She will be out of the picture like she was never there. That much I assure you."