He continued to sit on the table, puffing on his cigar but he was sweating. Moreover, if there was something he would have wanted at that movement, he needed a glass of iced-water. He desperately searched his mind for a way to get out of the situation he put himself in. He reckoned that if he could get to his gun, which he strapped to his leg, hidden in his socks, he could shoot his way out, flee from the Presidency and go into hiding. Then as soon as he made contact with the Deputy National Security capo, Rex Yamoah and took the balance of his money, he would leave the country for good and then make his wife and only son join him later.
How to reach for it and shoot his way out became his headache. Bracing himself, he suddenly moved with lightning speed for the gun but Lt. Clottey was faster like lightning. The Lieutenant jumped on Corporal Attinka and pinned him to the ground.
“Frisked him” the senior military officer ordered the National Security operatives to move and search Cpl Attinka. They found the pistol strapped to his foot in the boot. They pulled it out. Then they hauled up the would-be assassin.
“Now, Corporal, I will not hesitate to put a bullet in your head if you try to be smart or clever. Now, get going” Lt. Clottey ordered after pulling out his own pistol and pointing it at the junior soldier’s head.
Cpl. Attinka was not ready to surrender. As far as he was concerned, there was no way out of this situation; the only fate that awaits him was a possible death sentence for attempting to assassinate the Vice-President. Also for being part of a gang that had killed many already; there was no way he could disassociate himself from the massacre of neither the people at the police station by Kruger and co nor the murders at the beach. He could see in his mind’s eye pictures of himself on the front-page of the nation’s leading newspapers as he was being dragged to court. He decided he would not allow that he would prefer dying in action than being tied at the stake and shot after being sentenced to death by a court.
He began to think of how to escape, confident that once he was able to flee from the Presidency and get in touch with the Deputy National Security Coordinator, he would receive help to go into hiding and later help to leave the shores of the country after taking the balance of what was due him.
However, how was he going to escape with a gun pointed at his head? His mind began to work like a whirlwind as he searched for the best possible trick to escape. Then an idea occurred to him.
“Why have you come here to arrest me? What is my crime?” he asked Lt. Clottey, as he tried to buy time.
“Shut up and move. I said the Vice-President wants to see you now,” Lt. Clottey said.
“James! Shoot them!” Cpl Attinka suddenly screamed to somebody, who, from his gaze, was behind Lt. Clottey. All present whirled around to face whoever it was. In that split second, Cpl. Attinka jumped at Baba and snatched the pistol. Lt. Clottey whirled back to face him after he found out nobody was behind him, he realized he had been tricked only to find the junior soldier pointing his gun at Baba.
“Drop your gun or I shoot him,” Cpl. Attinka said. Baba had been outsmarted and sweating as the Corporal threatened to shoot him.
“You drop your gun,” Lt. Clottey reiterated, kicking him for falling to an old trick in the books.
“I am counting up to three. If you do not drop your gun, I will shoot him before I shoot myself,” Cpl. Attinka threatened. In spite of himself, Baba began to plead with the lieutenant to drop his gun.
“ONE!” Cpl. Attinka said as he started to count. Baba began to wonder if this was the end of his life since Lt. Clottey was showing no sign of dropping his gun.
“TWO!” Cpl. Attinka said very loudly as he held his gun firmly pointed at the National Security Operative. Tension hung in the atmosphere like an armed robber waiting to spring on his victim. Baba turned to face Lt. Clottey with pleading eyes.
“Lieutenant, please save my life. Drop the gun before he mentions three. I have a six-year-old son. Consider him, I beg you. He needs me. I beg you in the name of God,” the Security Operative pleaded as the tears began to flow down his cheeks.
“THREE!” Cpl. Attinka said loudly, mentioning the last figure, Baba immediately closed his eyes. Then there was a gunshot!