Back at home, Vice-President Gertrude Mensah could not bring herself to sleep. She had her house cleaner’s phone by her side. It was that on which Lt. Clottey would call her if something happened.
The seconds turned into minutes and the minutes into hours. Yet, no call came from the soldier. She felt the urge to call him to find out what was happening but she remembered they had agreed she would not call him under any circumstance.
Every now and then, she would wake up and check the time. Soon, it was 2:00 a.m. then, 3:00 a.m. Still no call came from Lt. Clottey. She wished he would call and tell her what was happening.
Lt. Clottey stayed put in the washroom, waiting for the traitor among the Vice President’s associates to come in. He was confident based on what he had heard that this was the night the attempt would be made on the Vice President’s life. However, nothing happened as time ticked by. Soon it was 4:00 a.m. He began to wonder if he had gotten it wrong in his analysis that somebody was bound to sneak into the Vice President’s office and leave some poison somewhere that would find its way into her mouth. Finally, the night passed. It was day and people began to stream into the Presidency to work. Vice-President Gertrude Mensah arrived very early. She made sure she was there before the cleaner. As soon as she entered, she locked the door and then called out to Lt. Clottey. The soldier came out of the washroom, smiling. The Vice-President was surprised to see he did not look dishevelled or tired.
“You must be exhausted,” she said. The soldier smiled, said he was okay and that he had been in worse situations. Quickly, they discussed the way forward.
. The Vice-President continuously apologized for whatever inconvenience she might be causing Lt. Clottey.
“Hiding in the washroom overnight cannot be fun. Perhaps, we have to devise another way of finding out who close to me is part of the plotters” the Vice-President suggested. However, the soldier repeated that he was okay.
“Madam, you don’t have to worry about me. I am doing well. My goal is to find out the truth before the plotters strike. Please remember that their first go at you may likely be through poisoning and it is likely to be at your office.” He said.
The Vice-President smiled and said she had not forgotten. She told the soldier she had done as instructed not eaten or drank anything at home. In addition, she has given her bodyguards the day off, leaving only her ADC on duty; if any of them were part of the assassination plot, it would jeopardise their plans because any of them who is part of the plot on her life has to be by her to execute it.
When the cleaner, Gloria, arrived at work to clean the Vice President’s office, she was surprised to find her already at work. Lt. Clottey retreated to the washroom when she entered the office. The Vice President told her to do the cleaning the next day because she was already at work.
Throughout the day, Lt. Clottey stayed put in the Vice President’s office. Anytime there was a knock on the door, he would retreat to the washroom and stay put there until the visitor leaves. Then he will come back to sit in the main office with the Vice-President.
Finally, it was time to close again for the day. Vice-President Gertrude Mensah left Lt. Clottey locked in the office once more. None of her staffers knew of the soldier’s presence.
Another night and Lt. Clottey settled in the washroom to wait. Sitting on the well-polished floor, he occasionally got up to stretch his limbs. He was glad the washroom was very spacious and squeaky clean.
Meanwhile, far across the city, a meeting was taking place in a serene neighbourhood. Present at the meeting were Kruger, Tiger, Sphinx, and Gloria, the cleaner of the Vice President’s office. Chairing the meeting was the Deputy National Security Coordinator, Rex Yamoah.
Rex, a Russian-trained intelligence officer, had worked his way through the security outfit of the state. Feared by his own colleagues, they knew him to be a man of few words. He had served in Ghana’s missions in Moscow, London, Washington, Istanbul, Johannesburg and Lagos. He was renowned for his ruthlessness, yet, he had the innocent face of a mass servant or a priest. Looking at his face, only few will believe it if told the kind of top class ruthless assignments he had carried out.
“Our Russian friend arrived yesterday with the substance called Polonium-210. As I explained, this poison can be fatal to even those who are going to apply it to others. Therefore, anyone who takes it must handle it with extra care. Gloria, as the person who is going to apply it in the Vice-President’s office, you have to be very careful with it,” he said. Gloria nodded.