The institution episode 39
****
Rex stood in front of the hostel gate while Blessing from history department came out in a pink singlet and a jean bum short. She had a silver piercing on the left side of her nose.
"What do you want Rex? If you want sex, I'm way past that now"
"I don't want sex. I just have questions"
"Like?" She folded her hands, "Why would you have sex with me when you know you're HIV positive?" He asked and she shook her head.
"What? No, I'm not HIV positive"
"Let's not pretend"
"Well I'm not pretending. I left school before the break because I was sick, I had tests conducted. I can even go for another one if you want."
"People say you have it"
"They say it out of spite, I'm not exactly everyone's favorite girl. So the rumors about you being positive is true"
Rex shut his eyes in despair then he walked away.
"Rex;" she called out feeling bad for him.
****
Faruq stormed Into Club Babylon with three other policemen in order to arrest Bisi, a request specifically from Racheal.
Bisi walked up to him, she had a short black gown that stopped at her knees but had slit that left her thighs exposed.
"What's the disturbance about?" She asked, "We're looking for one Bisi"
"This is she, why do you want to see her?" She asked, "You're needed at the police station as soon as possible"
"Well officer" she placed her hands on Faruq's chest. "I'm in the middle of something but we can work something out" she whispered into his ears.
"What do you think about going three rounds? My girls will treat you right" he added and Faruq pushed her hands disgusted by her guts. He turned her backwards cuffing her hands and she groaned in pain.
"You're under arrest"
"For what?"
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say will be used against you in the court of law"
Police Station
****
Ivie and Liam who had some office file in his right hand watched the police bring the Governor into the police station as they stood by the desk.
His gaze met with Ivie's.
He didn't take his eyes off her until he was taken into the second Interrogating room.
Meanwhile the IGP was in Interrogating room 1 with Babylon.
"I'm nervous" she confessed to Liam.
"It totally normal"
"I can't believe this is happening for real"
"All we have to do is stick to the plan"
****
"What do you know about the murder of Israel Momoh?" The IGP asked Babylon who gave a non challant shrug.
"He got sick and died"
"So you had nothing to do with it right?"
"Are you going to believe the words of that girl that Masterminded an attempt on the governor's life over mine? I wish to leave now, I was on an important assignment when you stopped me"
"I told you I was going to ask questions alone."
"Why does it feel like I've been arrested?"
"What do you know about Ben Oscar's death?"
"He was robbed, it was a robbery that took his life, it was a shame. Did I mention he was a party member? So I had nothing to do with it. Where are these questions coming from?"
"Where were you at the hour of the robbery?"
"I refused to answer anymore question in the absence of my lawyer. Besides, I feel like I've been fooled. You told me you were bringing me in for questioning" he concluded and the IGP exhaled then he left the room only for Liam to enter with the file still in in his hands. .
Babylon scoffed on seeing him.
"I thought we reached an agreement"
"I said I'll think of it, I don't recall saying yes"
"Why are you doing this? I've never wronged for all I know. Except those times I sent thugs after you. But I clearly don't remember doing you any wrong"
"I'm a man of the law and I derive peace and joy in doing the right things. That's how I'm able to sleep at night but everyday I wonder how you're able to sleep at night when your hands are covered in blood"
"What are you talking about?"
"Where should I start from, i really don't know where to start from; For every wicked act you've committed. The law will make you pay for it"
"There's no politician that hasn't done wicked things. Even your father did so what are you trying to prove?"
"I'm not trying to prove anything Babylon, cause I already know the truth. I know everything"
"What is it you think you know?"
"For starters, you had Ivie's father wrapped in that rape incidence, then you had him poisoned , after which you had her arrested as though you haven't done enough damages in her life already"
"How does it concern you? I already told you, everything she said were lies. We didn't have anything to do with the father's fate. I told you I had proof about her Innocence"
"Yes Babylon, it's only convenient to deny the fact you had her imprisoned from false testimonies?"
"Will I fake the testimony personally given by her own best friend?"
"You mean the one whose husband you tortured" Liam revealed and he noticed Babylon raised his brow in surprise for a moment.
"Yes I've been informed"
Babylon nodded, it made sense since Ziko was on his side. He didn't know why he kept on forgetting about it.
"And you believe Ziko"
"He was there when she was tortured. You made an innocent woman go to prison for a crime she didn't commit"
"I know what you're doing, you're trying to make me confess to things I didn't do." He scoffed, "Nice try but you've failed." He added laughing.
"One question, why are you worried about her? Why are you fighting her fight?"
"She's my fiance and as long as I breathe I'll keep on sticking up for her" he answered and Babylon scoffed.
"So I guess coming forward to raise the white flag was all a plan after all. I never entirely bought the whole peace-offering bullshit."
"I know my father didn't die from a robbery." Liam continued and Babylon hissed, "He died by your hands, you shot him dead"
"Where's your proof?"
"I have a witness"
"A made up witness, I'm certain"
Liam scoffed.
"Sorry, that's your style not mine"
"I know what you're trying to do, you want to get a confession from me so you can pin it against me. It won't work"
"I'm not trying to do anything of such. You know why? I have enough proof to take you to prison, having another recording of you owing to your crimes is like an extra icing on the icing I already have on my cake. It's not really necessary, I have enough already." He answered throwing the files on the table and Babylon opened it.
"Feel free to flip through it or tears it when you get angry cause I have enough from where that came from and I have that information going national already. If I want to give you what you deserve I'll give you the same fate you all gave my fiance; a sentence without trial but" Liam dipped his hands in his pocket.
"Like I said, I'm a man of the law. I'm going to let you go through a normal trial" he added and Babylon flipped through the documents in the file; from call logs to assassination text messages. Every damn mission he sent Ziko to execute; even proof of his cult activity.
"That's not all, I have recordings of every conversation, like when you sent your thugs after me. Your name was mentioned" he exaggerated to scare him.
"What about the other day at the Port? Or your visit at the office. See I don't walk around without a recorder. I try to be smart"
"Do you think telling me your moves is smart?"
"Yes cause I know there's nothing you can do about it. You can send your thugs to kill me but to what end?"
"At least I know when I go down, you'll go down with me" he answered then Liam scoffed.
He tried to brush his thoughts off his vain threats.
"See I have a very long list of witnesses even more than you had against Ivie. Turns out you're not people's favorite person, from the bad deals that goes on in your club, to every innocent kill. Everything will come out in the open very soon"
"You call those prostitutes innocent? You see them as innocent, I see them exactly for who they are. Filthy souls, they deserve to be treated as filths"
"That's why you're still not married"
"People like us don't keep that kind of relationship. But you, you have a long list of them, non blood related. I know they're all in hiding and you're doing well hiding them well but think of what we'll do when we find them. You won't want my boys to end up torturing your future wife and your pregnant child, I heard you announced you'll be having a child too"
Liam scoffed.
"You think I'll fall for your cheap threats, the earlier you start to get used to it, the better for your cause it's game over Babylon, it's game over!"
"Do you really think I'll stay for long here? People like us don't stay long in jail."
"Let me tell something you don't know, things are changing for good. There's going to be a little, call it reshuffling in the system and you're either going to get the death sentence or you'll rot in jail"
"No everyone is incorruptible. Do you think you can pluck out corruption from the system? Or you can make everything better? Even that your Morris Osagie is not perfect"
"We can't do it overnight but all we have to do is try"
"You're making a big mistake William, your father made the same mistake; don't go down that path. It's not going to end well for you"
"This is your third threat?"
"You know something William, if there's something I regret everyday it's the fact i kept you and your stupid mother alive. Maybe I should put a bullet through your head just like I did to your father that night. It was an enjoyable kill" he confessed and Liam charged towards him holding his shirt.
"You're going to pay for it you hear?" He punched him on the face and the IGP walked in pulling him back.
"Control yourself William!" He snapped and Liam gritted him teeth glaring at Babylon who grinned at him.
The IGP pushed Liam out and he groaned angrily.
"Urgh! The idiot still had the guts to...." He sighed trying hard to control his anger.
"Control yourself, I heard everything and you just recorded him saying it. That's enough evidence more the ones you've gathered over the years. Babylon will be spending a lifetime in jail. That I promise you."
The Governor nervously sat in Interrogating room while Ivie walked in. "What are you doing here?" He asked and she folded her hands.
"It's an interrogation"
"This is insulting! I deserve respect"
"The IGP has proof already so, you've lost your respect more or less." She snapped and he sighed.
"This is unlawful, what they're doing"
"Wow... It's amazing to hear you say that. You speak like you're better Sir but you're not! You're not even close! You're a wolf in sheep's clothing, an animal in human skin and now everyone in Edo state will know who you truly are." She snapped.
"You don't have proof"
"Do you think the IGP will still be here if we don't have proof?" Ivie scoffed.
"We have enough proof to send you all to prison"
"Over what? Cause as long as I'm aware, I am not guilty of any charges. I know what you're trying to do. I'm a senior Advocate of Nigeria, you can't play upon my intelligence. I wasn't born yesterday"
"I'm not here to get words out of your mouth cause I know the truth already. Dad died out of poisoning, and you sent me to prison for a crime I didn't commit"
"You tried to kill me"
"You've been telling yourself that lie until you've finally believed it's true. I was going to have the police get some answers out of Dr. Emmanuel but you all thwarted my plans and you tortured Shade's husband to get a false testimony out of her to use against me."
"She wasn't supposed to say anything"
"Oh I didn't find out from her, no. I found out from my fiancee" she answered and Governor Samuel shut his eyes.
He could already guess who the fiancee was.
"I guess I don't need to announce who he is, you already know"
"Whatever, you and that Oscar boy has plannee out"
"You're going to jail Samuel" Ivie snapped, "Sorry, I meant your excellency and you'll be going for a very very long time"
Governor Samuel's heart suddenly started beating fast in fear on being imprisoned.
"I wasn't the one who suggested it, I was scared that your father would win but when he started digging into Babylon's mess, and when he confronted Babylon. Him and Delilah decided to take him out of the picture completely"
"And my imprisonment? So you're saying you didn't have a hand In it"
"You were bent on ruining our ambition and plans. We had to do the needful, I didn't do anything serious, I only gave orders"
"How did you feel when your son was locked up?" She asked and he looked away facing the wall.
"You locked me up without considering my family or the fact that I was pregnant. Well i'm just happy we're ridding the world of one more corrupt leader. It's the end for you Governor Samuel Godwin. Finally I have a good story to tell my children about a war I thought was impossible to fight; a war against corruption. I fought that war and I won"
Ivie walked out of the room smiling at Liam and he chuckled.
"I guess he spilled too" he assumed and she nodded.
"What about Dr. Emmanuel and those who helped administer the poison?" Ivie muttered, "Dr. Emmanuel has stroke, as for your former maid, there's no word on her"
"There's no happiness for the wicked. We should be expecting retaliation from the gang anytime soon." He guessed again, and the IGP promised to increase security.
"The anti-cultist squad can help out, if you don't mind Sir" Liam suggested and he smiled.
"I'll think of it"
"There are still moles in here"
"That'll be police business. Just try to be safe first. I'll like to hear the recording now if you Don mind" The IGP advised.
****
Liam held Ivie's hand out of the police station and reporters came rushing towards them with their camera lights flashing on their face.
"Has the Governor been arrested or is he being detained?" Rita asked and Ivie looked at Liam.
She suddenly felt queasy.
"The Governor has been arrested alongside his Chief adviser on political matters and hopefully after the court proceedings they'll be locked away for a very long time" he answered.
Before they could throw more questions, Liam pulled Ivie away and they both entered into the car.
Ivie sighed in relief and Liam drove away.
"Are you okay?"
"I was feeling dizzy, but I'm fine"
"You need a rest"
That evening, Delilah sat in Senator Humphrey's sitting room along with a female politician, Loveth gossiping about people's misfortune while a saleswoman held out lace materials up, trying to market the clothing.
"This one Ma is one in Nigeria. There's no kind like it in the whole if Nigeria"
Delilah quickly grabbed it putting the lace above her hand to compare it with her skin color.
"I heard her husband was accused of fraud" Delilah continued with her gossip, "It's not a matter of I heard, it's all over the news" Hannah answered and Delilah scoffed.
"Well she's stupid for not making plans. I mean she obviously knew her husband was siphoning money so.."
"Well sometimes, we don't expect these things, like did you expect all these news springing up about your husband?" Loveth asked and Delilah feigned oblivion.
"What news?"
"The news about your husband that everyone's talking about now. I mean the recent one is the one that Ivie Momoh called out for the president's intervention, remember she once accused your husband of killing her father and also rigging election."
Delilah sent the the saleswoman out.
" We all know the election was rigged but... That killing side" Loveth chipped in.
"What are you trying to say?" Delilah snapped and Hannah scratched her hair.
"We are your friends and we are worried"
"Worried? Or you're looking for the next gossip to jump into. I am certainly not going to sit and listen to this rubbish"
"We're just concerned cause we heard the IGP is around. It's becoming a national issue and if this gets investigated, I might be arrested for helping you guys with that whole scheme to have Ivie shot as a warning" Hannah continued and Delilah hissed.
"There's nothing going on. Everything is under control."
"I'm curious oh, did Samuel kill him?" Loveth asked, "My husband will never do that. We all know the man died of natural causes. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. This will blow over soon before we know it, it's nothing to worry your head over"
Her phone rang, it was one of the President's P.A. "What's it Thomas?" She snapped as a result of her annoying discussion with her friends.
"The Governor has been taken away by the police Sir"
"What?"
"So also your brother Ma"
31st January, 2019
The headline for the day read; "independent national electoral commission (INEC) postpone collection of PVC to February 10."
"Governor charged with the Murder of Isreal Momoh"
"IGP suspends DPO, Gregory Williams"
"IGP employs special anti-cultist group to assist the Edo state Command"
Delilah almost got sick at the thought of going to the police station to visit both her husband and her brother.
As she approached the DPO's office which the IGP was currently occupying. She knocked then she entered to find the IGP seated.
"Good morning to you" she greeted and the IGP nodded.
"Please have your seat"
Delilah took her seat then she crossed her leg over the other.
"Something really shameful happened yesterday. My husband amd my brother was arrested, I really don't understand what's going on?"
"Do you want some form of explanation?"
"How do you expect the state to be run"
"There's a reason why every state had a deputy governor"
"This is a plan by the enemies, my husband and my brother are incapable of murder. They are innocent of these allegations"
"There's no point trying to convince me, I know what I heard. I should have you arrested for being an accomplice to these crimes. Your husband confessed to you being one of the people who wanted Isreal Momoh dead."
"That idiot snitched on me?" She snapped slamming her hands on the desk.
"Okay... We can sort this out. Name your price"
"Don't insult me"
"No one is a saint, even you can't be that a saint. We can sort this out through cash. Name your price, we'll give you anything you want"
"Don't make me angry Madam. You don't want to see me when I am. I don't indulge in bribery and corrupt practices. You better do your research well, I don't need your money. Your husband and your brother will be spending a very long time in prison, you'll be lucky to leave with a few years and I'll make sure of it."
Rex made way into Fatima's office and she smiled at him.
"There is he." She rose up on seeing him.
"I was actually thinking about you" she answered scattering the table in search for a poster.
"Really?"
"Yes I was but not in the way you think. There's this awareness for AIDS programme coming soon. It left the poster on this table a while ago." She grunted in disappointment.
"Well, how are you doing today Rex?" She picked up a textbook looking into it.
"Well I went to see the girl I thought gave me the virus."
Fatima looked up at him, "Oh. What happened?"
"She said she doesn't have it and she conducted a test weeks ago. The last time I had sex with her was about five months ago. I still don't know who did this to me"
"Does it matter? You already have it, the only thing that matters now is talking to the girls you've had sex with recently in order to curb the spread of the virus"
"I spoke to a few and they all slapped me." He confessed and she chuckled.
"That's expected"
"How are you doing too Dr. Fatima?" He asked and Fatima sighed.
"Same as usual, I'm still doing my multiple jobs and worrying about some patients"
"I'm not your patient"
"Well not to me" she answered.
There was a knock on the door and a man dressed in a black suit and a black trousers walked into the office.
"Good day Fatima" he greeted and Fatima smiled.
"Hey Matthew, good timing' she paused pointing at Rex. "This is the guy I was telling you about. The one who"
"Was tested positive," he completed and Rex raised his brow at her.
"What happened to doctor's secrecy code? I thought all doctor's were supposed to uphold that rule"
"Okay Rex, I've been kinda talking to people I know about you and I needed you to talk to people of same status, people that have gone past this phase and are doing well"
"Same status?" Rex turned towards Matthew in surprise and he chuckled.
"Wait... He's..." He trailed off.
"Matthew is a very good friend of mine and I believe he can talk to you better than I can so I'll leave the two of you together. I'll be stretching my legs" she went out and Matthew smiled at him.
Rex stood up, "My name is Matthew, you can call me De'matte, CEO of"
"De'matte Photography where Mutey works" Rex concluded, "Wow"
"Someone knows me"
"Who doesn't know you? I haven't seen your face but I've heard a lot about you. I can't believe you're"
"HIV positive? Were you expecting me to be all dried up and looking scaly? With drugs you can live longer. Don't let people scare you. I was scared at first too"
"How long now have you been?"
"Five years"
"I have questions Sir"
"Oh please feel free! Call me Matthew"
"Is there ever a time you forget you have this virus? How do you get to b be successful with the virus with people looking at you like.. How do you cope without sex because you're scared of infecting your sexual partner. And I love sex, I mean that was what brought me into this mess at first"
"I've been where you are and I'm going to answer every one of yours questions and I'm not going to start this by giving the whole, HIV is not the end of the road speech cause it can be the end of the road if you make it the end. Rex, if you wanna be as successful as I am, you gotta step up your game. White collar jobs are going to fail you with the whole HIV test stigma limit. You gotta take good care of yourself, find a passion and pursue it so well"