Derek, the sleek driver from National Security Rex Yamoah, had been recruited to be part of the assassinate gang! Rex Yamoah had mentioned him as a member of the gang and he, the Speaker, had added him to his budget.
Rex had said he was one of the best drivers one can come across; he had described him as Ghana’s answer to Lewis Hamilton. Derek was the one driving the second vehicle that went after the Vice-President and Lt. Clottey when they left the 37 Military Hospital earlier in the day but were shaken off by Lt. Clottey.
“Hello Derek!” the Speaker of Parliament said, cautiously.
“Hello Sir! Where are you sir? Are you safe? I heard the announcement declaring you a wanted man. I had since then been trying to reach you. Rex and Kruger have been arrested. They have been locked up in different cells at the headquarters of MI.”
“Yes, Derek. I am aware of it. I ordered their release. I cannot tell if it has been affected or not” the Speaker said.
The National Security operative told the Speaker he was in hiding though thankfully, his name has not been mentioned anywhere in connection with the plot to assassinate the Vice-President. He said he would leave the country as soon as things cool off.
“I don’t know where to hide. I don’t even know where to go to”, the Speaker lamented. He was relieved. At least there was one member of the gang he could collaborate with.
“Derek! Yes, I am running but don’t know where I am running to” the speaker said.
“You can join me, sir. I am in a very safe place. They would not dream of looking for me where I am” the operative boasted.
“You can join me, sir”, Derek offered. This got the Speaker excited.
“Thank you very much, boy. When we get out of this mess, I would reward you handsomely. I would make you rich” Adu-Tutu said.
“But I don’t know how I can get to you without being caught. There are soldiers and police men all over the place looking for me. I am sure I would be arrested in less than five minutes if I leave here” he said. Derek asked for his location. When he told him, he said he would come and pick him.
Having finished speaking, Adu-Tutu turned to look around to see if anybody had been eavesdropping on him. He saw nothing that would make him suspicious. Everybody was minding his or her own business. He settled down to wait for Derek.
The rain knew no stopping. It was pouring with vengeance, accompanied by strong winds and the occasional thunder and lightning.
From among the people gathered there, he heard a baby crying. He did not like babies so the cry was irritating him. However, there was nothing he could do about it. His thoughts went back to Akpene. Where was she at the moment? Locked up? Being interrogated? Just then, he saw a vehicle drive up. It was a Land Rover. He waited. His phone rang. It was Derek.
“Boss, I am here, in a black Land Rover,” Derek said.
“Okay. I can see you. I am coming” the Speaker said. Then bracing himself to be lashed by the rain, he took a deep breath and ran into, heading for the Land Rover. One of the men he had been standing with ran after him.
"Chief, make me come make us go?” the man asked.
“No!” he screamed back. The man ignored him and continued the short distance with him to the vehicle. It was a short distance but long enough for the rain to lash him very well. He got to the Land Rover, grabbed the door and opened it. Then heaving himself up, he climbed aboard. The man following him tried to come in with him but he pushed the man back and slammed the door. The man pounded at the side glass of the vehicle as Derek began driving away. Then realizing it was a lost cause, the man turned and ran back to where he had been standing with the Speaker of Parliament.
“Oh Derek! Thank you very….” Adu-Tutu was saying when he froze. The man behind the steering wheel was wearing a military dress. He was a soldier.
“I have walked into a trap”, the Speaker of Parliament said silently to himself. He had come to the end of the road. He had been caught at last. Suddenly, images of him in court being tried, of judgement being given, his being found guilty and sentenced to death as well as being tied to the stake to be executed as the court had ordered ran through his mind.