To all my readers

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You bring meaning to these mere words of mine and that is simply amazing. I love you all♥️😍
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"I work at Pace construction companies sir" Onyedikachi sounded authoritatively not minding the foul smelling man beside him who kept using his gun as a play thing.

"My card is here, my ID everything is here"

The leader of the men hesitantly looked through documents presented before him and tossed them back into the car. The harassment of youths from vastly corrupt officers from the SARS (Special anti robbery squad) had been a continuous occurrence in the country though harsher in some regions and lesser in others.

"Do you want to see my license? Name it.. everything is correct and up to date" Onyedikachi continued while Chijioke maintained silence. It felt odd to Onyedikachi that he hadn't uttered a word since the harsh altercation between him and the officers began,considering how quickly he vibrated when it had to do with Obanma.

Chijioke was so silent that Onyedikachi had to stare occasionally at him just to affirm his presence.

"You think say we dey joke here abi?" One of the miscreants in a casual dress opined drawing Onyedikachi's attention back to him.

"what if it was a set up?" Onyedikachi's mind whispered to him and he fearfully resulted to reasoning with the men. Chijioke might have deliberately lured out those men with the purpose of scaring him away or worse killing him.

It seemed odd that the man who had been quick to dish out punches was suddenly cowering in his vehicle.

Onyedikachi had meant to speak as they ordered him out of his car throwing abuses around still not a word came from Chijioke.

"You dey go station, you be criminal! Which kind work you dey do wey you go dey drive car like this! Your fake ID! Criminal! " The official in a casual wear spat angrily.

"Criminal? I just showed you my documents and Identification card right now!"

"You there! You dey crase? Get out of the car this instant!" With the gun pointed straight at Chijioke he quickly unbuckled his seat belt.

Chijioke hesitantly stepped out of the vehicle locking eyes with the yelling officer.

"I know my rig.." the words had barely left Onyedikachi's lips before a heavy punch to the gut silenced him.

"We're not playing here. What nonsense rights are you talking about? You too!, you geh rights?" The officer asked Chijioke who shook his head violently.

"How much?" Came Chijioke's gruffy voice. Onyedikachi had again proven that Arinze was not the only idiot in their family. He was talking about rights in a country where the leaders  valued money more than life.

Onyedikachi could see the taunting smirk come up the officer's face as his grip on Onyedikachi's collar lessened. Chijioke on the other hand suddenly developed a sudden boldness which Onyedikachi hated. His approach was paying the officers for no crime.

"This your brother geh sense" The officer beside Onyedikachi patted the back of Onyedikachi's head as he grinned from ear to ear.

Onyedikachi swallowed hard, holding his tongue from landing both he and Chijioke in more trouble.

"50k" The thug like looking officer declared waving his gun around. It was appalling how they could bargain when it was clear they were forcefully  extorting money from people. There was certainly no clear difference between them and the criminals they hunted.

Onyedikachi couldn't help but stare at the rough appearance and colored hairs. Each reeked of cigarette and alcohol combined with a stomach clenching body odour.

Chijioke managed to draw the leader aside while they kept haggling prices till an agreement was reached.

A signal was made to the other officers who stood behind and they quickly tossed Onyedikachi aside then hopped into their vehicles and zoomed away.

A sigh of relief left Chijioke's lips and he gently boarded Onyedikachi's car.

The two men didn't speak to each other as Onyedikachi navigated his vehicle from the area to a much more open space where he felt would be devoid of thugs in uniforms.

"Ndo" Chijioke managed to mutter as he parked his vehicle. Onyedikachi couldn't help the scowl that appeared on his face.

Chijioke had done more than those men earlier and he was suddenly empathetic?

"I'll pay you, just send me your account number" Onyedikachi spat angrily in a tone that even Chijioke couldn't help but find offensive.

"Does it look like I want your money? They would have taken us to that awful station and trust me you'd be beaten to stupor there"

"I had everything under control" Onyedikachi opined releasing his seat belt which had been tugging at his abdomen. The pain from the punch had receded but the guttural punch to his pride only seemed inflated.

"Speaking grammar is not having everything under control. The Nigeria of today is all about what you have to give or you can call to your aid.

I used to think stupidity was limited to Arinze" Chijioke opined restraining the smile that threatened to commute on his face.

"I am not a coward, Bribery is corruption and we did absolutely nothing wrong"

"Scorpion is not a man you joke with.. The bastard doesn't care about your ID's and grammar. He'd eliminate you in the quickest way possible and trust me he'd definitely get away with it. I've had run ins with these fellows in the past and it wasn't pleasant. If it were up to me,these would be the men fighting the bandits destroying the north. I believe their guns would be put to good use there and innocent lives would be saved.

I've watched young innocent boys being shot to death before all in the guise of you look like a fraudster. Except you really want to make an addition, I suggest you comply to their demands. The only people these guys listen to are soldiers or heavily connected fellows.  The only good thing is that they've affirmed that your car is of great quality, shows you have good taste"

Onyedikachi couldn't help but reflect on all his friends, including the politicians, soldiers and policemen he had been opportune to make acquaintances with. He also appreciated the strange compliment Chijioke had bestowed on him.

"Too high of a taste, if I am to be honest with you"

Onyedikachi stared at Chijioke for a while then sighed. Deep down he knew Chijioke was right. Corruption had truly eaten deep into the police force and it got worse by the day. The ones who claim to fight crimes became the core perpetrators of the crime.

He was somewhat relieved that Chijioke had not been in cohorts with the corrupt officers because the thought had not strayed from his mind. He also knew his last comment was somehow in line with his proposal to marry Obanma. Too high of a taste indeed.

"What did you want to tell me?" Onyedikachi spoke reaching for his ID which scorpion had tossed into the car.

"You can't marry Obanma" Chijioke declared

"It's not the first time I've heard it from you, we're you hoping it would change my mind this time " Onyedikachi replied with a harder scowl. His teeth clasped angrily together, a way to keep the reigns on his anger. The fool had jumped into his vehicle only to tell him what he had been hearing all along from him?

Chijioke was even dumber than he had imagined him to be. Onyedikachi tried as much as possible to count his words in an attempt to respond, with Nnamdi.

"You've never liked us... The instant your father died you and that your brother turned on us. So what changed? Till eternity Obanma is still going to remain the daughter of the man who murdered your father"

Onyedikachi resulted to grabbing the wheel of his car to calm himself. He had been on edge the whole day with worry, had gone through assault by SARS and was being reminded by Chijioke again why he couldn't be with the woman he was in love with.

"It doesn't matter.. It's all in the past and I'm moving ahead"

"Does Arinze think so? Does your mother think so?"

"I love my sister..."

"I love her too Chijioke, more than you can imagine which is why I've been able to put up with all of your punches today"

"If you truly love Obama then you'd understand that you have to save her from your madness. The marriage between the two of you won't work not with all these baggage our families are carrying about.
Not long ago I almost died and the perpetrator is your family member "

" Arinze never made any attempt on your life Chijioke "Onyedikachi spat angrily

" I did not call any body's name, now did I? "

" And yet you propagate lies about Arinze stabbing you. The land in question even belongs to my father "

" Onyedikachi it seems you haven't really been in touch with your family. You sound so ignorant of all that is going on. I'm not the type to gossip but if I were you, I would really keep an eye on those you vouch for"

Chijioke exhaled deeply, rubbed his face furiously as though he meant to expel the right words out of his pores.

"I wish things were that easy... Honestly I would have told you everything but how can I trust you enough to disclose something as delicate as what I know without you using it against the people I love"

"Chijioke what on earth are you babbling about?"

"There was one reason I was very angry today and it wasn't just because of what happened but because of what it might imply. You have to understand that you might have just ruined my sister's life by being with her and now you need to let me salvage what remains of it "

Onyedikachi couldn't quite decipher what Chijioke went on about but the concern laced in his eyes was something he couldn't overlook. Was Chijioke that good of an actor or was he really bothered about something?

" What exactly are you talking about? Listen I have been courteous enough haven't I? I have swallowed so much insults today including a glaring accusation of my family being murderers which I'm certainly going to overlook just this time. But one thing that would get me really pissed is if you're just here to waste my time "

" Obanma is your sister "Chijioke declared with a deep sigh

" Yes of course I know she's your sister "Onyedikachi opined to correct the mistake he had heard Chijioke make.

" She is your sister too" Chijioke continued with a blank expression and Onyedikachi couldn't help but laugh.

He broke into a deep throaty laughter which resonated in the vehicle. Chijioke's seriousness only triggered it the more as his laughter rescinded into chortles then reverberated back to  more spasms of laughter.

"Chai iji m egwu egwu. You're just playing with me Chai. I mean Chijioke do I really look stupid to you? To think I was beginning to feel like you weren't a complete asshole. It's good to know that you never really disappoint"

"Did you see me laughing? Ihuru eze m? The two of you share the same father "

"Does it look like I care. Come on! Chijioke you are bigger than this. I mean you can actually come up with better lies to push your agenda. I think the biggest mistake I made today was actually listening to your uncle and thinking for once that you would reason like a human being for once "

" Onyedikachi... It seems you probably didn't understand my words. If things were that easy, I would have told Obanma but I can't. I can't make her go through so much pain again. She was affected most by everything.. She lost Obinna and now it is better you leave before you cause more harm. "

" Are you even listening to yourself Chijioke? You're asking me to leave her.. What do you think is going to happen to her then? She is going to be devastated. I love Mma and I think you've said all there is to say and I would like for you to leave. You've insulted me enough, you have insulted my brother but I will not let you insult my father's memory. Get the hell out of my car right now! " The slap that landed on the wheel startled Chijioke and he quickly unbuckled his seat belt.

" I will prove it to you, but for now you are clearly to stay away from my sister. "

" Chijioke.... Do stop me if you can " Onyedikachi threatened angrily while Chijioke left his vehicle with a little shake of his head.

The drive down to his hotel had been tiresome as his thoughts drifted to many things

He arrived his room, more exhausted than he had expected. His lids were heavy, and he practically dragged his feet to the elevator.

A call from Obanma came in almost immediately and he was overwhelmed by the soothing nature of her voice. She was the only thing he needed. The calm to the raging storm in his life

Their conversation ended on a pleasant note and he drifted off to sleep immediately only to be interrupted by a call from his mother.

Onyedikachi sleepily answered and his eyelids struggled to stay apart. He barely heard the words his mother spoke but a change in her tone gave him a quick assertiveness.

"So why on earth am I hearing that you went to your father's home town with that ogbanje girl?"

Hello Everyone!

How are we? Sorry for the late update. We're gradually coming to the end of this story.

Keep lending your voices against injustice