Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 248926 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1245(@200wpm)___ 996(@250wpm)___ 830(@300wpm)
David analyzed each shoe.
“Do I have people in the sky, ready to parachute down and destroy the lion's mouse?” Fela raised his view up to the clouds and then put it on the ocean. “Or maybe there are armed assassins hiding among the waves, deep within the sand, breathing with oxygen tanks.”
David faced me. “He is clear, but I can stay.”
Fela scowled. “That was not the deal. Only the mouse and me, but I will allow this one with the blue hair to remain.”
David's frown deepened.
Fela laughed. “What more can any man ask for when he dies, but two beautiful women witnessing his life withering away?”
“Thank you, David.” I nodded. “We're good.”
Still holding Fela's shoes, David walked off.
“Such a petty king.” Fela shook his head. “They always take from us.”
I raised my eyebrows. “They?”
Fela put his view back on me. “The Russians.”
His phone rang.
“There we go.” Fela grinned. “I was expecting a call and now it is here.”
“Call from who?”
“I will put it on speaker since you all are so much on edge.” Fela shook his head and pressed the screen. “One would think that more than me will be dying on this beach today, yet I am the only one who volunteered for death.”
I tensed.
A male's voice sounded from Fela's phone. “Papa, the nuke's coordinates were changed. All international news outlets have reported. They are dancing in Abuja's streets.”
Fela smiled, and this time his cheeks curved upward. It was as if I was finally seeing a genuine smile from him.
Fela's voice went thick with anticipation. “And whose name are they singing about?”
“Yours papa. They chant, 'Fela! Fela! Fela!'“
He closed his eyes. “Make sure someone is recording their chanting and then put that footage at the beginning of my resting ceremony.”
The man's voice cracked at the end. “Yes. . .papa.”
“I will miss you. . .very much.” Fela hung up, but didn't open his eyes. “It appears your lion is truly going to obey the deal.”
“He is.”
Fela opened his eyes. “He could have killed me before landing.”
I nodded.
“And you could have just shot me right now without changing the nuke's coordinates.”
“That wasn't the deal.”
He bobbed his head. “I was told that a yacht appeared in my daughter's port. They said her name was written on it. Does this mean that my wife and daughter will be free of the Brotherhood?”
“My brother, Max waits with them for this to end.”
“I know a lot about Max from Darryl. My understanding is that he is an upstanding man.”
“He is. Harlem Crew and Max will escort them back home to bury your body.”
“It will be a grand celebration.”
“Probably.”
Fela sighed. “Something is going to happen, but I want you to signal to the Brotherhood to stand down.”
“What are you saying?”
“I had an emergency plan in place just in case you or the lion prematurely killed me.”
“What was it?”
“Can I show you? No one will harm you or anyone else, but it is time to release them from their service to me and finally give them permission to go home.”
I pointed to Blue. “Get on the phone with Kaz and keep him on the line.”
She obeyed, taking her phone out, dialing him, and placing the device next to her ear. “Fela will be releasing some people who were on standby to attack if anyone reneged. Yes. I understand. No. I do not know.”
Fela studied Blue. “Poor Kazimir. How is his heart these days?”
I gritted my teeth.
Blue kept the phone against her ear. “Kazimir said to release them, but make sure no one lifts a weapon in his mouse's direction.”
“Understood.” Then, Fela unleashed a piercing whistle that cut through the air like a sharp blade.
Off in the distance, an echoing chime came, vibrating around us.
Sweat began to bead on my forehead.
I quirked my brows and scanned the space wondering what was going to happen.
The waves suddenly began to violently crash, whipping into an angry frenzy and pummeling against the shoreline.
Fela pointed at the water. “Do not be alarmed. They will not hurt you. I gave them the signal to leave.”
“What?” I squinted through the salty foamed waves and noticed movement in the sand beneath the surface. My heart raced as I spotted silhouettes stirring in the water.
“Shit.” With her free hand, Blue raised her gun, pointing with a steady aim at the waves. “There are people in there.”
I slowly raised my hand, knowing full well that any wrong move by me would be answered with immediate fire from the Brotherhood.
Seconds later, over a hundred men pushed themselves up through the waves, looking like a beach military unit of assassin deep sea divers. They wore greyish-beige wetsuits that matched the sand. Full face scuba masks covered their faces. Long oxygen tanks rode their backs. Each one had a gun in their hand.
I stayed still with my arm up in the air, as fear churned in my stomach.