Joshua almost laughed when he entered the family room of the home. The idiot had not changed a thing. The chair where Conteh sat was in the same location, near the window where anyone with a decent aim could take him out.
“The one and only Absolute.” Bayo had a cigar hanging from his lips as he clapped when Joshua entered. “You are a sight to behold.”
Joshua bowed. “I accept your compliment.” He said nothing more. Years of lessons in the field had taught him the best weapon in a situation of this nature was patience. Patience would eventually give the reason for his capture, the intent of the capturer and the way out of this inconvenient situation. But he must not leave until he discovered how much this man knew about Teddi and where his information was obtained.
“Your presence here is as you Americans say, a feather in my cap.”
Joshua frowned, as he shook his head. “Try again. That’s not one of ours.”
“You dare to contradict me? In your situation most reasonable men would be aiming to please.”
“As you indicated, I am the one and only, there is no other like me. See, I’m contemplating how many different ways I can kill you.”
Bayo laughed. “You should be wondering how many ways you will die.”
Joshua shrugged. “Seems like a waste of time to me. But you feel free to think on that.”
“Enough talking. You are here for a reason.”
“Pray tell,” Joshua hesitated. “I did not get your name.”
Bayo nodded to one of the four men in the room. The man walked away, and another took his place.
So there are reserves, Joshua thought as he assessed the men and the room. He could escape through the window behind but that would not leave much hope for the agent below. He would have to get back there to ensure the man’s safety.
“Knowing will do you no good. But if you insist I am Adebayo Conteh. Naftali was my cousin. More of a brother and you are here because you took his life.”
“Hmm, I have killed many,” Joshua nodded, then shrugged. “If he is dead, it is because he was not a good person or he could have just been weak.”
Bayo pushed up from the chair. “Conteh was not weak. He ran this operation like a well-oiled machine. He controlled all underground operations from one end of Nigeria to the other. You will not speak ill of him.”
“Uncle Bayo you asked to see me?”
Joshua looked over to see a girl of no more than sixteen or seventeen, with an older woman next to her. The resemblance made him think she was the girl’s mother.
“Yes, my dear Jamila,” he held his hand out. “Come to me child. I have brought you a gift.”
The girl walked over to his side and took his hand. “What is it Uncle?”
Joshua could see that the girl’s question confused him.
“I have captured the man who killed your father.”
The girl’s expression grew excited. “You have. Where is he? Have you killed him already? You promised I could be there. You promised.”
Bayo stood as he glanced from Joshua to Jamila, then frowned. “Is this not the man you said killed Conteh?”
“No,” the girl shook her head as she looked at Joshua. “This is not the American who brought me home. This is not the man who killed my father.”
“You stated he was an agent from the United States.” Bayo pushed the questions.
“Yes, he was, but this is not him, Uncle Bayo. You have the wrong man.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, Uncle Bayo. This is not the man.”
Bayo pushed her away. “Go from my sight. I must think.”
The girl walked into her mother’s embrace then disappeared from the room.
“Tsk..tsk…tsk.. You are in a shit storm now.” Joshua smirked.
Bayo walked over to face Joshua. “Are you not Absolute?”
“That’s who you said I was. Hey you are the one with the gun. If you say I’m this Absolute fellow, then that’s who I’m going to be.”
“Are you Joshua Lassiter?”
Now that question punched Joshua in the gut. This man knew his government name. Topped with his knowledge of Teddi, that…was a concern.
“If you want me to be him, hey, I can be him too. Just let me know which of those names you want me to go by and I’m your man.”
He could see Bayo was in a bind, but he did not understand why.
“Bayo, if this is not the man what will we tell Koboo?”
That’s a new name, Joshua thought.
“We will tell her nothing. Take him back to the cave until I sort this out in my mind.” Bayo glared at him. “You may not be the man who killed Conteh but you know who it was. Before your last breath you will give me his name.”
“Okay,” Joshua shrugged. “Don’t be surprised if I give you the names you have given me.”
Bayo punched Joshua in the stomach. When Joshua bent over as if in pain, Bayo kicked him in the face with his knee. It took everything in him not block the kick, or simply take everyone in the room down. However, now was not the time. He would take this one. Joshua fell to the ground on his knees.
“The jokes will end and you will die.” Bayo waved his hand and two guards pushed Joshua in the back with their weapons.
When Joshua returned to the cave as Bayo called it, he immediately pressed the top button on his coat. He knew the sensor under his skin had alerted Adam of his location. He was certain someone was in the area. The button would indicate they could proceed with whatever rescue they had planned.
“You made it back alive,” the heavily accented man stated.
Joshua glanced at the other American as he waited for the guards to return upstairs. “They ran into a little glitch,” Joshua replied.
“What would that be?” the accented man asked.
“I’m not the man they are looking for.” He looked at the American. “Which makes one of us is expendable. We have to get out of here.”
“I have checked every corner of this cave,” the American said. “There is no way out.”
Joshua smiled. “Then we will make a way. As soon as I receive a signal.”
A red dot appeared on Joshua’s coat. He smiled then turned and pressed a small button down the heavy accented man’s throat. The other two men in the cell jumped away from the confrontation. The other American glared at Joshua.
“He asked too many questions,” Joshua looked at the man then shrugged. “Get to the back of the cave,” he told the American. He looked at the other two men. “It’s up to you if you wish to come. But they are going to kill you if you decide to stay.”
The men spoke, but Joshua did not understand them.
“They will come with us,” the American translated.
Joshua placed two buttons from his shirt on the small window the red dot came from. “Get to the back of the cave.” He ordered. The men did as he said. Seconds later a hole large enough to walk through was beneath the window. Joshua ran back to the area and pushed the men through. He then stepped out to see Monique and Grayson with weapons aimed at the opening.
“You are a sight for sore eyes.” Joshua smiled.
“Hey, don’t be grinning at my wife like that,” Grayson frowned.
“I wouldn’t stand around too long if I were you. They are looking for you.”
“So I understand.”
“I told you not to leave her alive.” Monique shook her head.
“Um, you two can have that discussion later.” The American stated. “Can we get out of here?”
“The chopper will take you all to safety,” Monique stated. “We have to stay.”
The American looked at Joshua. “Thank you. My wife and my children thank you as well.”
“Good luck to you.” Joshua said as he, Monique and Grayson climbed back into the building.
“Where are they taking them?” Joshua asked.
“To Emure and from there the U.S.” Monique replied. “How many are we dealing with?”
“Unknown,” Joshua replied. “But we need to take Bayo alive. We need to know who he is working with.”
Monique nodded in agreement. She pushed her earbud. “Luke we need Bayo’s location.”
“He is in the room Joshua just vacated. He has three men with him.”
“How did you get eyes in?”
“We tapped into the internal network in the house,” Phire replied.
Joshua smiled. “Don’t you just love family?”
“We love you enough to say you are about to have company,” Luke advised. “Three men coming down the stairs in your direction.”
They moved to the side as the door opened. The three men walked into the area and the door closed behind them. Monique, kicked one man in the balls from behind, swung around and knocked him out with the butt of her gun, threw a knife from her waist into the other man’s chest, then snapped her whip around the third man’s throat and yanked. The man fell to the floor. Monique collected her weapons, as Joshua and Grayson stood back and smiled.
“You taught her well,” Grayson patted Joshua on the shoulder.
“Let’s get Bayo,” Monique said as she opened the door.
As soon as they reached the room, Joshua walked in.
Bayo looked up, then away then quickly back up. “Where are…?”
“Your men,” Joshua said. “They could not make it.”
Monique’s whip wrapped around Bayo’s mouth before he could call out. Joshua walked over and stuck a button down the man’s throat then held his mouth so he could not spit it out.
“How do you keep those buttons straight?” Grayson asked.
“I don’t. I just use which ever one I get to first,” Joshua said as Grayson, picked up Bayo and carried him out of the room.
They took the exit Joshua had created, disappeared into the woods, then climbed onto the chopper when it returned.
“Oh look it was the right button,” Joshua pointed to Bayo as his eyes opened.
Monique laughed as the pilot flew them out of the complex.
“We are in position,” Grayson announced
Joshua pulled a button from the inside of his coat. He looked out and saw men running, pointing guns at the chopper.
“You have to wait for them to fire at us before you drop it,” Grayson stated.
“Why?” Joshua asked.
“He likes to be on the right side of the law in situations like this,” Monique explained.
“There is no law out here,” Joshua frowned.
Monique shrugged. “I tried to tell him the same thing, but no, he has to do things by the book.”
Bullets shot up at them.
“You can drop it now.” Grayson smiled.
“No, no,” Bayo cried out.
“Yes, yes,” Joshua replied. Then dropped the button down. “We are not making that mistake again.”
The pilot pivoted the chopper in the opposite direction to clear any debris from the explosion.
Bayo yelled out. “You are the secret weapon, Absolute.”
“I am,” Joshua stated, then kicked Bayo in the gut. Bayo fell backwards groaning. “I owe you that one. But you have not met the secret weapon yet, but you will. Sooner than you think.”