He turned to the Vice-President and told her the head of MI wanted to see him in connection with Rex Yamoah and Kruger. Gertrude Mensah did not see the need for the interruption from Brigadier Addy and the fact that Lt. Clottey had to leave for his office immediately in the rainstorm.
“You are going to go out in this weather? And with that injury on your shoulder?” She said, disapprovingly. Why don’t you call the Brigadier and tell him it is impossible for you to come in this weather and that you would do so immediately when the rain subsides” she asked.
“I cannot disobey his order, Madam. And since the matter concerns Rex and Kruger, let me go hear what it is as it surely affects us. Don’t forget the two men are in his custody”, Lt. Clottey explained,
Gertrude Mensah was not happy with the call from Brigadier Addy. Just when she was in the middle of a lifetime’s pursuit, something she considers much more important than even being a President, the MI boss came calling, disrupting everything. There was nothing she wanted more that night than sleeping in Lt. Clottey’s arms. And, she was dying to introduce her son to the man, who, as far as she was concerned, was going to be his father. However, she decided not to attempt stopping Lt. Clottey from obeying the Brigadier’s instruction.
“Never try to control your man as a mother would control her son. Give him space to be the man he wants to be and he would always value you and want you by his side. The quickest way to lose your man is by trying to behave as though you were his mother”, her mother often tells her.
Gertrude Mensah helped Lt. Victor Clottey to put on his military uniform. He winced in pain as he got into it. When he was ready to leave, he hugged her and planted a kiss on her forehead before walking out of the room.
He went to wake Lt. Badoo up and told him about the call from Brigadier Addy. Lt. Badoo scrambled out of bed and dressed up... The two soldiers, a few minutes later, drove out of the President’s residence.
“It has not rained like this for a very long time”, Lt. Badoo observed as they drove through the barrier mounted by soldiers about fifty metres from the President’s residence. Again, they were let through without any question. A minute later, they went through the main gate guarded by private security men. The fellow who confessed telling the Speaker that the Vice-President was at the President’s residence was the same person who opened the gate to let them through.
“Bloody Civilian!” Lt. Badoo said again.
“He needs shaping up”, Lt. Clottey said
“I wish I was the one shaping him up…like he would smell pepper,” Lt. Badoo said. His colleague smiled.
Soon, they were on the main road heading towards the Tetteh Quarshie Circle. Visibility was still poor as the rain continued to pour down heavily. The wipers of the car worked furiously, desperately trying to ensure the windscreen was free of the rain but its effort was futile. The vehicle, however, laboured on. The two soldiers were surprised at the number of times they came across soldiers in the rain searching for Rt. Hon. Kwesi Adu-Tutu. The soldiers, on seeing the two lieutenants, saluted, waving the duo on, wherever they recognized them.
Finally, they arrived at the headquarters of the MI. Two soldiers, both wearing rain coats and carrying umbrellas, emerged from the security post to open the gate for Lt. Badoo. They saluted as he drove through. The lieutenant drove to the parking lot reserved for officers and parked. Three soldiers, all Privates, came through the rain with umbrellas and escorted them indoors. Then the two took the elevator to the eighth floor where the office of Brigadier Addy was. At his door, they knocked and waited. They heard a voice from within telling them to come in. They opened the door, stepped into the office and closed it behind. Then they saluted.
Brigadier Addy was seated behind his oak panelled desk. A cleanly-shaven man of medium height, he looked more like a medical doctor than a soldier. One would think he is not the kind of person who can enforce military discipline. But he was in every sense a military man, disciplined to the core who would accept no excuse for failure. He was also known to be very meticulous. He was often described by his peers as a perfectionist.
He got up from behind his desk and told the two to follow him. They did, wondering where he was taking them. He walked down the corridor to a door, stopped behind it and knocked sharply. A guard behind the door opened it and held it open for him, saluting in the process. The Brigadier walked in. The two behind followed, finally realizing where he was taking them to; the guardroom. They followed in silence to another door. Here too, after two sharp knocks, the door opened. A Lance Corporal held the door open, saluting as the Brigadier and the two Lieutenants passed him. Finally, Brigadier Addy came to another door. He took a key from his pocket and opened it. Then he stepped in. The two Lieutenants stepped in too. Inside what looked like a cage in the room was Rex Yamoah, the Deputy National Security Coordinator sat. He looked worn out and subdued.