 
**PURIFIED TOMMOROW: THE MAD AWAKENING IT'S THE YEAR 4041. THE EARTH HAS ONE LANGUAGE** BOOK1

A Speculative Fiction

Akintayo Akinjide

© Copyright, 2018 **Akintayo Akinjide**

Cover Design by Imasetng

Editor: Glory-Anna Oshafi

Published through

Writertain E-Publishers

Contact: writertain@gmail.com

Other Books Akintayo Akinjide

-A Dread in The Spine

-Grabbing The Hot Gate
Dedication

Dedicated to Mobolaji and my able Boss, Abegunde Adebola
Contents

Opposite Love

The Filthy Micro Card

Deserted in The Quagmire

The Place of No Return

Tests

Poked

Painful Knowledge

Shaky Salvation

Grit

Door

Activating The Key

Selfishness or Safety?

The Missing Keys

What's God?

Law of Power

Zombied

The Oracle's Declaration

Inner Circle

The Truth

Spy

Read First

'It's simple', Ashley Peters said into the microphone in front of her. 'We would simply lie to them that the world was destroyed by the aliens'.

'Yes, their God and gods are all alien', someone suggested from the audience.

'Yes. These gods of their, as well as the various languages of the world, brought factions, religions and this turmoil', someone else agreed with the first speaker.

'World war 3 would see everything go into extinction. Humanity, religion and our language. We just have to do it', Ashley said and looked about. 'We would ensure we save the English language and fresh mind and humanity. Our work now is to make sure that we start removing items that has God or gods off the net. Remove all vocabularies or anything at all. Remove God, remove worship, remove prayer, remove every damn thing. We need humanity in its original form'.

Someone from the back raised his cup and shouted something inaudible. She looked about with the hope of catching the phrase, but didn't until the people around this person took it up and they all began to say, 'For English language, For Peace'

She smiled at the English loyalists, who were also atheists. There was no way they would allow the pure form of English to die. She raised her hands, and there was silence in the underground hall they were using. Her eyes roved over them and she was happy she handpicked them, right.

'We have four years to make everything in this plan. Micah, contact Chioma of Fortunecity, Nigeria. Tell her to initiate her plans on the World war 3. For English Language, For Peace', she said and raised her cup.

'For English, For Peace', they all chorused and raised their cups.

**1** Opposite Love

Fred was stupid. Carl always knew, but he could never believe his stupidity would be heightened to this state. He was ranting about a girl that would never love him. Carl looked around with the hope that he would find anything or anyone that could be stupider that Fred. There was nothing to compare it to. Even those fanatics, Grousters, that had taken it upon themselves to face the world over a crazy existence of something that wasn't there, weren't as stupid as Fred. Many of them had been crying that humans weren't the only things living on earth. They believed the aliens that destroyed the world were back. But, they weren't as stupid as Fred. At least, they were fighting for a cause. Fred was blabbing and scattering Carl's line of thoughts on the surprise gift he would get for his girlfriend, Joyce.

'Can you keep quiet already? That's what you should be doing at this time', Carl said disdainfully as they walked down the usual lonely road towards the mall. Fred had insisted that they get a flash drive for a background check they needed to do about the earth. They had been meeting obstructions while trying to discover something about the world, and it had made Carl tired, but made Fred curious. Carl was a seventeen-year-old guy, whose body and sense of fashion could deceive anyone into believing he was in his late twenties.

'That's being stingy', Fred said nonchalantly as he typed rapidly into his phone. His baggy trousers danced around his fat body. A fly buzzed around him, he slapped it away but missed; instead, he hit his earpiece. He jumped after the rubber protection that fell off as if the earth would swallow it.

At this point, Carl felt like slapping him repeatedly until his numb brain came back to life. 'I'm just saving you from falling into a pond'.

'So you'll say'.

'So it is. You know me. That's what you should know already'.

Fred stopped and faced Carl. 'I've seen the joy that radiates from your face whenever you see Joyce. I want to have that joy also and I won't let you deny me of that'.

Carl stared at his fat friend whose face always looked awkward without his glasses. 'My friend, stop deceiving yourself. Sonia doesn't and would never love you. That's a fact'.

'That's just jealousy. Pure jealousy. Tell me you love her'.

Carl stopped in his track, and burst into laughter, brushing the dust off his trousers. 'Me?'

'Yes. You do. I've seen the way she rallies around you the same way fishes swim around a worm. Well, that was since she returned from... from wherever she was kidnapped to'.

'Can you hear yourself? How many times do I need or have to tell you that no lady can take my eyes off my Joyce? Joyce is the real deal. That's the only thing that should ring in your head'.

Fred gave him a mocking nod. 'Then, you must have forgotten the saying that goes silence means approval'.

'What are you insinuating?'

'When she came to you, teasing you ...and...and doing, you know, doing sexy things to you, why didn't you resist or stop her?'

Fred's phone rang.

'That's because...' Carl began to say but stopped when Fred frowned and placed a finger to his lips to stop him from talking. Carl felt like slapping him for such act. Sometimes, having a friend like Fred was bad in itself. Although there was no doubt he was the best in anything called "Knowledge"; he breathed knowledge; lived on it; knowledge was his food, but still, he was stupid.

'She said she's just around the corner', Fred told Carl excitedly after he had finished talking to whomever he was talking to on the phone. He looked at his oversized striped-shirt and began to dust off imaginary dirt from it. 'How do I look?'

'Hey! Stop, you are raising dust', Carl moaned. He felt like shaking his fat friend to come out his virtual reality into the real world, where the only girls that liked him were the animations in the papers he stuck to his computer.

From all indications, Sonia never loved Fred and there was no way she would ever love him. Some things couldn't just happen. Before her sudden disappearance, he had watched Fred do everything to catch her attention, and he felt sorry for him. But, she didn't care about anyone except Carl, only him. He avoided her like plague. And her disturbance only stopped when she wanted to take the exams into the University. At that time, she was a class ahead of him. Now, he was awaiting his own results. He couldn't stand his mother's nagging if he ever missed going to the University that year. She would lecture him on how she worked herself up to make sure he had the best of everything.

'I said how do I look?'

'You know what I will say'.

Fred nodded. 'Yes, you will spill out the truth without thinking of my feelings'.

'You look like a cow... A goat... No... A Mule. But that's not news'.

'Whatever! I will have my joy'.

'Oh, My! My friend will disgrace himself. He will fall into the mud and roll there like a fat pig. Hope you're not holding that filthy can of yours?' Carl said and tapped down Fred's body.

'What can?'

'Fishing rubbish'.

Fred shook his head, disgusted.

'Wait! Why does she want to see you?' Carl said, biting his fingernail.

'How will I know? But of all the 395 reasons my head is processing, I'm sure it's to give me an answer'.

'An answer to what question?'

'I texted her'.

'You texted...So? What's new about that?' Carl hissed as he sighted a public toilet. He hurriedly hatched a plan. The toilet was the best place to hide from her incessant tease, that accidental touch, that flirty look. He wanted to be away from her by all means. The gate of the toilet had gotten its own share of being defaced. One of the Grousters had scribbled the mumble jumble that "the humans weren't alone". Each man should be with his belief, but trying to force it down people's throat was as disgusting as anything. Yet, he wouldn't blame the Grousters alone. He would also blame the people that agreed with them. The world leaders have sent the aliens away.

'I've told her I love her'.

Carl inhaled a mouthful of cold air, roared with laughter and pointed towards the toilet. 'I'm in the toilet'.

He doubled up, laughing again as he pushed the gate into the toilet's compound, and closed the gate behind him. The reason the toilet had a compound was still unexplainable. And the fascinating part of its awkwardness was that there were flower beds on each side of the compound's walls. Most times, it looked as if one was going into an orchard. The ground was floored with beautiful tiles. The robots cleaning the ground stopped the moment he placed a foot on the first tiles.

When he entered the toilet, he checked his hair in the mirror and patted it. He shouldn't have to worry about Sonia now that Fred assumed he was in love with her. December 2nd was the World's Revamping Celebration, and he ought to buy something that would mean their world of love was being revamped.

He patted the hair again and hope to have a robot brushing his hair too. Nothing must ruin his good looks. That hair cost him a fortune, and he wouldn't want anything to ruin it. He looked around, stared into the mirror and wondered what the creator of the mirror was thinking about before he created such a useful item. It probably was water because when you stare into the water, you are certainly going to see a clear reflection of yourself. The human mind is just too complex. He loved it. He loved to see how many of those beautiful minds existed in the former world.

According to history, aliens invaded the world in the year 2020 and few experts were saved around the world, children were also saved. But he couldn't wrap his mind around the ridiculous history. There was something fishy about it. Even the story about their creation was too ridiculous and he would go to any length to make sure he discovered what happened. All he needed was the right motivation, and Fred was doing that.

'The way I see life is that a man can always love two women equally. According to cultural history, Nigerian men were known for marrying more than one woman', Sonia said behind him. Carl could recognize her cracking voice anywhere, and the effect it always had on him. He couldn't stand for long in the room because her voice always got him on the edge.

Several ladies had boldly thrown themselves at him to no avail, but she was the only one who knew how to make him remain speechless. He stared at her and knew he was staring at one with the qualification of a model. If she was beautiful before being kidnapped, she was now stunning. Yet, he couldn't be her boyfriend as she had wished. His mother had constantly warned him about women. She said his generation had that problem in their blood, that the love of women killed his father and grandfather. So, he had made a promise to himself that he would stick to one woman. He loved Joyce, just Joyce.

'Fred is outside', Carl said as she strode towards him, her eyes fixed on him.

'Okay'.

'Okay, what? That means I'm not doing this today. Sonia, no', Carl said as she blocked the way.

'Tell me you love me'.

'No'.

'It would last me for another year. Your love kept me burning when I was kidnapped', she said as she moved nearer and blew him a kiss. She smelt different, like water, but pleasant.

'You know what? You're insane. This is the last time I'll have this conversation with you', Carl said as he pushed past her, out of the toilet, out of the gate.

'Fred', he called.

Fred wasn't outside. The street was empty. Carl turned towards the toilet just as Sonia came out.

'Where's Fred?' He asked, biting his thumbnail.

'He was right here'.

No matter what happened, Fred would have stayed behind. Even if there was an emergency, nothing could make him leave without Carl. Except, he was angry.

'Did you make him angry?'

'Me? No', she said as she pulled her nose.

'Sad'.

'Erm... I can't say'.

'What do you mean?'

'He told me he loved me. That he wanted to have a relationship with me'.

'He said that?' Carl asked with an amused look. His curiosity overcame his fear of being around her. 'Hope he didn't stutter?'

'No. This time, I think you've really encouraged him'.

'Well, I guess you said no'.

'Of course', Sonia said, rolling her eyes and pulled her nose. 'I mean... Who says yes to a cow?'

'I'll find him'.

'It takes one to know one. Carl love me. We were made for a greater purpose. Greater anything in the world. Me and you'.

_He has gone home_ , Carl thought, disregarding her ramble, and spun towards their house. They were next-door neighbors. The most painful part of it was that Fred had just proven him right: he was stupid. Now, Carl would have to return home to drag him back to the mall. However, the moment he turned, he saw one of the rubber protection on Fred's earpieces, lying on the ground. Fred listened to music regularly, to Carl's chagrin and he wouldn't have left without the protection, even if the world was crumbling. But before he could think much of it, his phone rang.

'J'.

'Carl, I'm in serious trouble'.

**2** The Filthy Micro Card

Carl looked about him to check for any sign of struggle and found none. Maybe Sonia had really made Fred angry. But if it was so then Fred has just confirmed his belief. How would he leave like that? Carl hurried off to Joyce's house.

'Are you leaving me here?', Sonia called after him. He turned his head sideways and hissed.

Joyce rarely called whenever she was in trouble, no matter what might have happened. She always had a way to solve it. That means if she called him, she was indeed in big trouble. The estate she lived in was made specially for people the government decide to sponsor. They got their stay at this estate because the government had brought harm their way, one way or another. The process of getting such house was a grueling one. Yet, he was surprised at the ease with which Joyce got hers.

Just as he got to a street before her estate, someone rushed out of a bush. The man was bald and his skin was wrinkled. He looked pale as if he hadn't eaten for days. The oversized blue, worn polo he wore made him look like a skeleton. And his eyes, big ones, were red as if he hadn't slept in days.

'We're not alone in this world', the man whispered as he firmly held Carl's shoulder. The man glanced around, looking skyward. Carl wriggled out of his filthy touch. The man was panting heavily, and Carl had to cover his nose from the man's foul breath.

'We are not alone', the man said louder this time. From Carl's look, one could fathom that he would give anything in the world to scramble away from this man's presence. He was in trouble with another Grousters. Many of them always looked as if they were searching for the thing that was living with the humans on earth.

The man dug his fingers into his own mouth, and rolled it, making his eyes bulge. Carl looked away hurriedly as the man groaned as if he would pour out vomit anytime. The man groaned irritatingly.

'What's...What's all this?' Carl asked as he retreated from the man. However, the man's firm grip held him in place.

'Leave me, old man', Carl said as he yanked the man's hand off his arm and tried to leave but the lanky man's grip returned to his cloth. Carl yelled as he stained his cloth. The man vomited a micro card.

'Take'.

Upon seeing it, Carl gasped for breath. It was really irritating especially when the man pointed it at him. The micro card was covered with spittle. A security drone flew over their head. The robots were in color and they had a way of flying by without one noticing them, but this one was too conspicuous, as if it was reckless pursuing something.

'Leave me...' Carl shouted as he pulled his arm away from the man's. The security drone honed on them. The man glanced up and back at the Carl.

'Shut up! They will kill you. They will kill us both. Give this chip to Joyce Felix. When the time comes, those that would tutor her on how to use it would get it'.

Carl batted his eyes and took a quick glance at the part of his cloth the man gripped. It was stained already. There was no way he wouldn't unleash his madness on the man. He would beat the man until the only thing people would see would be his grey hair. Suddenly, twigs began to break on the path that led from the bush as heavy feet hurriedly landed on the ground. Carl opened his mouth to shout. But, as if the man had anticipated it, he pushed the micro card into Carl's mouth, covered it and pushed him into the bush.

'Hide', the man whispered. 'Give it to Joyce Felix'.

Carl was angry. His cloth was stained and his body might have been scratched. Whoever the man thought he was, he had no right to push him into such messy place and to ram that filthy chip into his mouth. Carl rose to accost the man, but the man was faster. He pushed Carl further into the bush and covered the part of the bush. 'Stay put'.

The moment was like a dream. That action was definitely insulting. He must show the man what stuff he was made of. As he began to fight his way out of the bush, someone shouted, 'stop'.

Carl froze, but as he looked around, he saw the order wasn't for him. He looked through the thickets of the bush and saw three men pushing the lanky man to the floor. The man tried to rise on his feet, but one of them kicked him in the mouth. The man groaned, and that seemed to aggravate his assailants' anger because the three of them took turns to hit him with their heavy boots. He groaned, and when he tried to scream, the only sound that came out of his mouth was like the croak of a frog. Blood poured from his wounded lips.

'You're an enemy of the land, the world and its leaders', the tallest among them said with a guttural voice said. His hand gripped the gun he was holding as if it was a pillow.

'Your leader is making a grave mistake. We are not alone in this world. All Grousters know this and would prove it'.

The shortest one, who hadn't made any sound since they caught up with the man, cocked his gun, and stood firm, and said, 'It's no longer news but nobody must know because a little knowledge would be the foundation for World war 4 or its equivalent. Even your founder, Groust, is dead and would remain so'.

He shot the old man in the head. It took Carl a great effort to stay sane. He batted his eyes repeatedly. The drone gradually rose into the sky. The world seemed to spin around him as he watched blood splash to the ground and the only thing that kept him from screaming was the filthy micro-card.
**3** _Deserted in the Quagmire_

Carl stumbled out of the bush after he had confirmed that the men were gone and that the drone had gone into hiding. He had never seen that type of Uniform before. The men's uniforms had the pattern of a chameleon's skin. Its color changed to that of anything near it. And these men were not only Nigerians, there were also Europeans among them.

The first thing on Carl's mind was to spit the filthy micro card from his mouth. Even the thought of it being there made him feel like puking. He spat it out, and hurriedly wiped his mouth. That man should have given him the choice of accepting it with something neater. Carl dusted his clothes to rid it of any dust or soot he must have encountered in the bush.

With trepidation, he bent to touch the ground. After the uniformed men shot the old man, they searched his body and were angry that they found nothing. So, they poured a liquid substance on him, which immediately melted his corpse to become dust. The uniformed men scattered the sand with their feet, and scrambled off.

Whatever the man wanted Joyce to know must have been a very vital information or else he wouldn't have been killed for it. And whatever was wrong with Joyce could be worse, so he rose to leave but first he had to hide his micro card. He peeled a small hole from the sole of his shoe and hid the micro card there. Joyce had always wanted to be a detective and one of her goals was to haunt him with security tips. She built that small hole herself, and ensured she did it in all of his shoes.

The moment he knocked on Joyce's door, she rushed to the door, looked both sides and dragged him into the dim room. For some absurd reason, she had all her windows locked and the window blinds pulled down. Joyce wouldn't have raised all the window blinds; yet, she was an advocate of good ventilation.

'What's happening, J?' He asked the moment she locked the door.

'I'm in trouble...'

'Calm down'.

Joyce walked up and down the room as her hand vibrated vigorously. 'No, you don't understand. I was just returning from work, and I saw Mrs. Jefferson who was singing that I didn't belong in this generation because I got support from the government. Was it my fault that I lost my parents at childbirth?'

'So, what happened?' He asked and wished to hold her down, but she explained things better whenever she was in that state, and his imagination was still filled with the dead man's red eyes. He removed the micro card from his shoe, gently placed it on the arm of the chair, and waited for her to finish talking before giving her.

'But I overlooked her rant like a rest on a musical tone, and entered the house, and he knocked, and I opened the door'.

'Who's the 'he'?'

'Matthias... You know him'.

'Matthias, what does he wants from you?'

She had told Carl about Matthias' numerous advances, and she had warned him several times to stay off her, but he was adamant and kept coming again.

'He started by deceiving me into allowing him to enter my house. I saw nothing harmful about it'.

He watched her carefully, and held his breath as he began to deduce what she would say. He was sure Joyce had finally broken her faithfulness, and had slept with Matthias. Carl gritted.

'Then, he made an advance towards me, this time he came right at me. I pushed him away and I think that made him upset...'

'So...?'

'He came towards me and tried to rape me'.

'What?'

'Yes. I fought him. And while we were at the struggling stage, I grabbed my trumpet. You know that new one you gave me on my birthday. I was rehearsing with it before he came. I hit his head with it'.

'That's good. The idiot deserved more than that... How come nobody came to your rescue?'

'In this area? You know how Mrs. Jefferson had poisoned the heart of many after her son was taken to prison because he tried to rob me. So, I didn't cry out'.

'Then, you're good to go. Wherever Matthias would be now, he would learn to never try rubbish with you'.

'Carl, he's dead'.

Carl froze as if he had just been hit on the face with a plank. He blinked several times and swallowed hard.

'The trumpet... I don't know. He just stopped breathing. I tried different methods, but he was dead. I'm in serious trouble'.

'Where's his body?'

She pointed at her room and whispered, 'he's in the wardrobe'.

Carl was perplexed.

***

Joyce stared at Carl as he made the plan as if he was merely eating, as if he was writing another song like Kenny G. He always made plans with such calmness that she always wished to be him, to have the same confidence he had. That would make her one of the best detectives in the world because she had all the tactics needed to be exceptional. She looked at him and nodded after he asked her if she understood him.

'Good, let the plan begin'.

They carried Matthias' corpse into the parlor, laid him roughly on the ground and Carl went out. After about five minutes, she screamed. That was the plan. She screamed again and began to scatter the chairs in the room. Then, she tore the cloth she wore. She screamed for help. Then, someone barged in. It wasn't Carl. It was supposed to be Carl. The plan was that he would pretend to be in the estate when the rape began, and would claim to witness the person being hurt, that he fought with the person and that person whom he would later discover to be Matthias crashed to the floor at a shove from him.

Mrs. Jefferson trailed the steps of the person that entered.

'I didn't want to come but...' Mrs. Jefferson said and looked down. 'You've killed him. Is that not Mr. Paul's son? Is that not Matthias? Help! Joyce Felix has killed Mr. Paul's son'.

Joyce's eyes dashed to the door, and she realized what had happened: Carl ran away. He left her to face the music herself, even with a bad plan.

'Mrs. Jefferson, it was a mistake. He tried to rape me, and I hit him on the head with my trumpet', she cried and knew she sounded like a broken record, but she couldn't do better than that at the moment.

'Shut up! Hey you, what are you waiting for? Call the police. Call them'.

The gentleman that came in first scrambled out of the house and returned almost immediately as he fished out his phone from his pocket and dialed the police. Joyce felt the world crumbling under her feet. Carl had just deceived her and had hung her out to dry. He must be in a corner, laughing at her foolishness. If she had stuck to her own plan, maybe the police wouldn't be involved.

The police came in, took her statement but refused to arrest her despite Mrs. Jefferson's incessant rant that she killed the man. For some unexplainable reason, the police felt bad for her and assured her they wouldn't press charges.

Joyce took her phone and deleted Carl's number. Nothing in the world would ever make her know him again. Whatever love they shared was over that instant and had got to its place of rest. No verse of it would ever be revisited. And from that day, her heart was locked away from every man. No one would ever get the chance to cross that line with her again.

She stormed to the frames that held the picture of the two of them and tore the pictures, and also deleted all his pictures from her phone.

'Carl, we are done', she whispered as she crawled into her bed, tears streaming down her eyes. 'We are so done'.
**4** _The Place of No Return_

Carl opened his eyes sluggishly, and took a long time to understand that he wasn't in Joyce's place. He tried to accustom his eyes with the thick darkness he was in. His eyes fluttered as he rolled his neck, trying to figure out where he was. At least if one was in a dark place, there was no way the darkness would be so thick, but the place seemed impenetrable by any ray of light, making him assume he was finally dead. One of those philosophy teachers in his school once theorized that when they died that everything might be dark and they might remain in the darkness of the abyss, useless and for nothing. But how could he be dead?

All he remembered was that he was coming out of Joyce's house to get ready for his own part of the plan. He was being careful to check if the street was empty, when he saw a head materialize out of the air. He was so stunned that he couldn't shout before the man covered his mouth. The man wore one of those chameleon types of uniform. They had a bit of struggle, but before he could get hold of himself, another head materialized and stabbed him with a syringe. Whatever was in the syringe made him lose consciousness immediately, but not before he saw the other man putting on a sort of cap that made him become invisible. His fear now was that the uniformed men he witnessed the other time later saw him after they killed the old man. If it were so, he had to find a way to escape from the place he was.

With every part of his body blaring an alarm, he decided to stand, but was stopped by something that held him down. The thing was metallic. It held him in place. There was also metal chains holding his hands and legs firmly to the chair. Staring about to check for any ray of light, or anything to help him know what part he was sitting on, he was sure he might finally meet his demise in this place. The thought of being there was infuriating on its own. His eyes roamed in its socket as he hoped his eyes would blend with the darkness. Everything was silent.

He wondered what could have happened, and why they must have wanted him. He wasn't from a wealthy family. He wasn't exceptionally brilliant. He wasn't a geek like Fred. So, he was so sure the person that kidnapped him would see his worthlessness and return him to help Joyce. There was no way she would even believe anything he told her, but he would still give it a trial. She must have been expecting him. No one could tell him how many hours he had been out. If he had been gone for long, then someone other than him must have gone to her rescue, and that meant they would have alerted the police.

Suddenly, someone yelled, 'where am I?'

Carl almost jumped out of his skin, and might have probably jumped out of the metal chair if the metals didn't hold him in place. He never assumed anyone was there with him.

'Who is there?' Another voice yelled.

'Where are we?' Another voice shouted. He would have calmly watched them scream and not flinch, but the darkness was making him falter in his calmness. Everything made him edgy. The noise retrogressed to murmur, then sprung into a full-fledged hysteria. Noises diffused into the dark hole or room or whatever they were in. Carl was very sure the people in the place were insane because they were all getting on his nerve. He held his breathe with a little assurance that the humanity ingrained into them would soon resurface, but none of them seemed to waver. He was so annoyed and vexed now and was sure that the frustration was getting to the 100% of his breaking point. He assumed he would keep his emotions together until a lady began to shriek. That was the crux of the whole matter.

He screamed, 'Shut up! Shut up! Shut your trap! Shut your trap! Shut it!'

Everywhere became silent. He cleared his voice as he tried to stabilize his voice. He still always wondered why humans have to behave like chickens whenever they are in terrible situations. They all kept quiet as if they were expecting an instruction. He wasn't the speech-giver type of guy. He never loved climbing the podium to address people. He was always the background type of guy. There was no way they were getting any word from him again, other than for him to yell, if they mistakenly reverted to their former noise.

Someone got tired of waiting and shouted, 'where are...'

The light came up, making the person's voice fade. Carl closed his eyes, and tried opening it again, slowly this time. His eyes widened in surprise as he glanced about in surprise. Like he suspected, they were in a train-like vessel. The top was rigged with strong black metals that stretched from the place he was to the end. There were several air ducts under every fifth seat. The air ducts looked more like an exhibition than a real thing. Their chair was made from the same type of silver metals held them in place. Everyone in the place wore the same grey silver uniform that had semblance with swimming trunks; and the color stretched down the line until what looked like the end of the train, which looked as if one was staring at a tiny bird in the sky.

He could see the same look on almost everybody in the room. They all looked surprised, and he was sure he wore the same look too. The people that were shouting seemed too shocked to utter a sound. Before anyone could make a comment about where they were and before Carl could try to fathom what that place was, the door beside him slid open. Despite the silence with which the door opened, most people glanced towards the door, and those that didn't see the door open were informed by their neighbors or they noticed what everyone was doing, and did the same.

A young lady strutted in. She was wearing the same uniform as theirs, only that hers was red. She was followed by two people with the yellow uniform. They held guns and looked fierce. The lady was slim and could pass for a model. Her curves weren't too pronounced but she definitely had a shaped that a lot of women would kill for. Only that she had an unusual gait and balance that would make anyone continually scared of her. And despite her beautifully packed blond hair, something was eerie about her. She had a diamond shaped face, which looked like that of a robot's. And her eyes were very tiny, black, lifeless; another reason to be afraid of her. Someone whimpered in front of Carl. He hurriedly glanced at the fearful person, and back at the lady.

'Good morning, my name is Diana, and I welcome you to Etyes, the home of Peacemakers', she said into a public address system.

Then, she pointed a remote control at them. 'Let's start with the first lesson to peacekeeping. We follow the pattern of the ants, not the rowdy ones. But the workers among them. They move in a straight line. Even when an intruder tries to scatter them, they are known to always return to their initial positions. In that regard, you'd follow me orderly. The person at my...' She shook her head as she dangled her hands as if she was weighing the idea. 'Okay. The person on my left should come first'.

She pressed the button, and the chains holding them in place slid off and disappeared into the chairs as if they weren't there initially. Carl sighed and brushed his hair as others murmured and rose. He rolled his wrist, and rose to follow her. He hoped the hair wasn't ruined.

Suddenly, someone screamed from the end row. 'Why are we here? Why did you kidnap us from our place, you nincompoops?'

Diana rolled her eyes as if she was dealing with another insolent little child, and that she knew just the right way to show her power. She turned towards them, and Carl couldn't help but hold his breath. Diana stared at the wall and said. 'Computer, who spoke?'

She stared at a point not visible to any of them and sighed. 'Take the offender to the punishment room'.

Immediately, person shrieked, and her voice faded, but was soon substituted by a brief shout of surprise mingled with fear. Then, the noise transformed into silence.

'Now, let's go', Diana turned and the guards moved sideways, out of reach. The Peacelearners followed her out of the train and kept going. The place that led outside looked just like the place they had just left. The only difference, this time, was that there wasn't any chair there. Diana didn't look back, but nobody dared do anything stupid. Or so did Carl think until someone came out of nowhere, and overtook him. His movement was so silent that it surprised Carl.

'What's this?' Carl whispered. The guy turned and gave him an icy look as if he was daring him to do his worst. Carl gritted and wished to land a heavy punch on his stiff back, but he only stared and hissed. The guy moved on majestically, but didn't get to move far before an alarm blared. Carl hurriedly looked at his feet and brushed the dust that might have stained his silver cloth.

Diana turned and her dark small eyes scanned the room as if she had a laser in them. She raised her hand, and everyone stopped. Carl felt his heart pound so hard that he could feel the warmth of the fear in his mouth.

Diana looked up and said, 'Computer, what happened?'

A robot's voice replied, 'Peacelearner with the code number 7429 swapped places with Peacelearner 7428. Body temp showed that that Peacelearner 7428 was angry, but controlled his anger immediately. Meanwhile, Peacelearner 7429 was ready to fight if 7428 decided to pick one'.

Diana stared at the stern looking guy for a few seconds, then her face cracked into a phony smile. She stroked his chin. 'I like your guts'.

Immediately, her face reverted to the form it was as her eyes roamed to Carl. He was sore afraid the moment she pointed at him. She brought the P.A system to her mouth and said. 'Peacelearners, learn from this and let it be planted in your consciousness because this lesson would be used to punish people till the last days in this place. Young man, what is your name?'

Different television screens shot out of the wall. They made sounds like that of a marching army. Carl glanced at them. The Television screen spread from where he was to the far end, where the Peacelearners might be. One of the screen was also at their side, so Carl could see himself from the corner of his eyes. The screen showed Diana as she placed the P.A system in front of Carl's mouth. Stuttering, Carl said, 'Carl...Carl Cokers.

'People, be like Carl Cokers. He is the epitome of a true Peacemaker. Peacemakers don't fight in the public. They mingle with everyone and are never controlled by their emotions or overzealousness. They are controlled by their need for peace. And as for... What's your name?' She asked with her phony smile and placed the mic in front of 7429.

'Jeremy Jephthah'.

'I want you to remember Jeremy Jephthah, the name. I want you to remember it and this lesson attached to him', she said as she stepped back, and glanced up. 'Computer, dump Jeremy Jephthah in the punishment room'.

Immediately, an iron shoe pierced its way out of the ground and held Jeremy's feet to the ground. A laser drew a square shape around his feet, and the ground under him parted into two. He yelled as he dropped into the hole, while frantically trying to hold on to something. His noise kept reducing as if he was still going to a very far place. Carl swallowed hard as he watched the ground close, and become normal as if nothing had happened there. The lasers brushed over the place Jeremy fell and continually did so, to and fro, until there wasn't a crack on the floor anymore.

For the first time, Carl knew there was someone he was afraid of and a place he wanted to leave at all cost. His eyes batted repeatedly as others gawked at Diana. She winked at him and turned. 'Let's keep moving, Peacelearners'.

If no one was afraid after the first encounter, they became afraid after this one.

***

Joyce kept moving the moment she entered Carl's street. She was supposed to be angry at him, and was supposed to never confront him. But she needed him to be bold enough to present the truth to her that he ran with his tail between his legs. He had left for over three hours, and hadn't returned to check her. She wasn't supposed to demand an explanation from him.

She had lived alone for years, and had lived in different orphanage homes. Or where did he think she got the name Felix from? She could live without him. She would make him know that even the most invisible part of life worth more to her than he.

The crazy paintings made by Grousters, defacing the walls, only aggravated her anger at everything. Why do the people, who were meant to be close to her, always run away from her? The only way she would believe Grousters' claim would be if their invisible thing could find her parents. They kept disturbing her to join their team, but she had a better life to live than to fool herself with the dream of a man, Groust Fleming. The world had turned upside down since the man published a fiction based on his dreams. The world leader had him killed, and banned the book from existence. The world leader's foolish act aggravated some lovers of the book, who saw deeper meaning to the book, and the act.

Joyce turned sharply from going to Carl's house before her emotion took over, but her thought of Carl disappeared immediately because she saw someone scrambling to hide at the back of a house. That was curious. Something was certainly wrong because that was the second time she would be noticing such movement. She wrapped her sweater around her body, and knew it was time to show her evasion skills.

She moved into a corner, and waited patiently to see if the person would come after her. But nothing happened. So, she moved into another part of the road, and made sure no one was following her. She entered another crescent that would make it nearly impossible for the person to move unnoticed.

Just as she turned two streets away from her house, someone came out of the shadows, and pushed something hard into her ribs. She groaned as she noticed that it was a gun.

'If you're cooperative, nothing would happen.' The man growled into her ear. He pulled her back into the shadow. Within a few seconds, a black sedan drove up, and parked five feet away. Someone opened the door, the man pushed her into the car and the car drove off.

'What do you want from me?'

'Someone is watching you, Joyce Felix'.

'Of course. Were you not the one watching me?'

The man raised his gun to show her he didn't plan to harm her, then he slowly dropped it. 'I'm here to help you, but I also need your help'.

'And you expect me to believe you, a man with the Smiths.

'Hey! Look, I'm the good guy here'.

Joyce nodded sarcastically. 'I believe you. A good guy who abducted me at gun point'.

'We don't have time. I'm a P.I'

'Private Investigator?'

Joyce calmed a bit. She should have known. She had always wanted to be a Private Investigator herself, and had only one company in mind, Blanj. They had branches worldwide. Although compared to the map of the previous world, she would call it countrywide. The whole world's population had shrunk to the size of a country. Their teachers had shown them how other places of the world looked like. And they have been taken in planes to sightsee the other parts of the world. It was desolate, and was looking terrible that it would take a very great resource to rebuild it. The only thing that surpassed the former world was their sophisticated level of technology.

'I work for Blanj'.

She held her breathe. His statement piqued her interest. She sat straight and tried to figure out if he was lying. She glanced at his hand and sighted the small signature on the smallest time ticker of his wristwatch. She knew it anywhere. She had always dreamt of having one. Everything in her mind and body was ignited as she watched him with awe.

'What... What do you want from me?' She asked after trying hard to conceal her happiness. 'Just mention it... I mean you could have just asked...'

'We're recruiting you'.

'Me?'

'And you have to start your work immediately'.

She blushed and sat up. That implied they had been watching her for long, and they must have noticed the training and drilling she had subjected herself to.

'We've been following a series of kidnapping around the world and we've discovered a pattern. They take two people from each country'.

She bit her lower lip as she tried to show how excited she was about the case. The case had been included in the numerous unsolved kidnappings. If she could be the one to come out with the real information, Blanj would make the world know she did it. 'So, how does that concern me? I mean I can do it... But why me?'

'We don't know their criteria for picking people, and where they are taking these people to. And we think you're the next from Nigeria'.

'Whoa... Whoa... Me? I'm the next?'

'Yes. A boy that came out of your house today was the first.'

'Carl? Wait... Did Carl send you to plead on his behalf?'

'On what or whose behalf... Who is Carl?' The man stared at her for some seconds. 'The boy... Carl? He was kidnapped by some mysterious uniformed men, one of those watching you. Our investigation made us know they are not in any organization and they are only found at every disappearance. But the problem is that we always meet a dead-end as to where they go'.

'That means you want me to spy on them? Allow myself to be kidnapped', Joyce lamented. Her heartbeat raced faster and she exhaled loudly.

'Yes. We will plant a signal into your body. It has been known to work anywhere. Even in dead ends, the signal is always strong. You will activate it only when you are fully into the system.'

Joyce stared at his black mouth and felt like ramming her fist into it. 'That's callous. Instead of protecting me, you're sending me into their den. No...'

'I thought you always wanted to be a spy, to work with us. Remember. Only when you're into the system'.

'But not without proper training or backup. What if... What if they want to kill me... to kill all the children?'

'Why? Who kills children irrationally? The law of the world, this berserk world, even commands us to be married to populate the world. We have men around the world ready to help you. All I need is your consent'.

'Let me think about it'.

'You don't have that luxury. It is either now or never. If you step outside this car, that's the end for all of us'.

She stared at the dark, well-trimmed P.I. In a case like this, she loved the odds to be in her favor. No matter what, those people might still come for her. She gave him a curt nod with pinched lips.

'This would be painful', he said as he opened a small black case, and injected something into her body. She groaned as the pain surged through her body, and subsided in a little second.

'You're jumping down in 5, 4, 3...'

Joyce was perplexed but braced herself.

'Go'.

The car stopped and she came out of the car, and headed home with trepidation. As she began to climb the staircase towards her the door, her phone rang to show Carl's mum trying to reach her. If that man was right about the disappearances, then it wasn't right for her to pick the call. The moment she inserted her key into its hole, still staring at the ringing phone, the expected pain came and she blacked out.

**5** _Tests_

Carl watched Diana walk away as if she was a robot. He was sure she was a robot because he couldn't understand how she could get such swift, strong, flawless body. They followed her sheepishly as they passed through so many doors that Carl had to rethink his plan. If he got the chance, he might just run away immediately, probably hide anywhere in the train till he got the chance to escape into the real world. Being the first in the queue gave him the utmost advantage of seeing things ahead before anyone else. The last door opened to the most beautiful park Carl had ever seen. He stopped in his track and the person behind him pushed into him and was going to complain, but had to stop when he noticed the reason Carl stopped. The beauty of the place was too much for him to easily comprehend and keep off his mind. The sky was dark but there were various colors of light beautifying the arena.

There were a lot of flying cars dotting the blank sky. They were not the size of any car he had ever seen. They were smaller, slimmer, longer, and swifter. People gasped and murmured as they swirled beautifully, orderly. They dropped gently a few feet away from the place the Peacelearners stood, with a hushed hum.

A big banner was draped in the sky as if it was printed there, created with beautiful calligraphy and various colors, and it read ' _Welcome, Peacelearners to Etyes_ '. The sight of that alone made one of the Peacelearners walk on, with his mouth agape. He didn't notice the others had stopped walking but he kept staring at the sky. Carl was one of the very few to see what was happening to the guy. He smiled. However, what he saw next wiped his smile away. The boy took another step forward, and the ground opened. The fall was extremely noiseless and fast. The only thing that made others aware of his fall was the way Carl screamed for him to stop, which wasn't as loud as the voice of the boy.

Seeing this, many of the Peacelearners' voices rambled as they huddled together, disregarding people's complaint that they were being squeezed and stepped on. Many of them whimpered and screamed as they tried to avoid being pushed forward. People avoided the place at all cost. Their wide eyes and continuous banters were enough to send fear into the mind of anyone there.

Diana brandished her hideous smile, and placed the P.A system in front of her mouth. 'Even when something fascinates you, never lose focus on your surroundings. You would be having more of this exciting experience. Where they have gone is a place no one has ever come out of. Well, no one the system is aware of'.

Carl stood still in the realization that their training had begun. The little seed of fear Diana planted in him had really grown into a huge tree within a few seconds of meeting him. He wouldn't wait to see it bear fruit. There was no way he wouldn't escape from that place. The problem now was how to find the right time to do so. It would be very irrational of him to follow through his plan of staying behind on the train. He would rather bid his time, make a perfect plan, and see that he followed it through. They couldn't be picked like stones, and dumped in an unknown place. They were humans for crying out loud. They ought to have a better means of punishing people, not just this gruesome method of passing instructions to them.

'Now, you know. The ground is a trap, from here to the place you will be dropped. Meanwhile by tomorrow you will not come near this place until after your fifth year here; by the time you would be going on a field trip or killing expedition', Diana said.

Carl loved that part: killing expedition. And the only person he had a desire to kill at the moment was Diana. She whispered into the button in her hand. Immediately, the cars moved towards them and dropped softly in front of them. Someone made a shout of admiration. Carl was also surprised, but he knew he had to keep his emotion in check, especially in a place like this.

'Your journey wouldn't take long. All you need to do is to cross this trap to the other side. But because we want you to have a good time as Peacekeepers, the cars have been made to travel very slowly. In fact, you would have the feeling you weren't moving, and the essence is for you to be acquainted with your mates. Remember, Peacekeepers are orderly'.

The car had no driver, but he had to comply, being the first. He cleared his voice and climbed into the first car, and was followed by another teenage girl. She slouched into the fairly comfortable chair, and stared at him as if he was a wonder of the world as the car rose and moved very gently. When Carl had tried to no avail to understand its movement, he had to assure himself he was hallucinating about its movement. Except the initial lifting, there was no movement of any sort. At least, when one was in a car, one would have the feeling it was moving. He swallowed hard as he tried to get his mind off the reality that looked like a virtual one.

Sensing the opportunity to talk to the girl with the hooded eyes, and extremely skinny body, he rubbed his hands expectantly. Normally his first thought about her would have been how she coped to survive the various wind that had ever passed by her, and he might have blurted it out to her, but they were instructed to discuss, not to castigate each other. He wouldn't want to be another scapegoat, so he flaunted a big smile.

'This will really take a long time', the girl said and glanced at him. 'Don't you think it ought to move faster?'

'I think the first thing we need is an introduction. That should be the first thing. I'm Carl Cokers.

'I caught your name the other time. I'm Regina Matt, and for the record, I detest being flirt with. I hate guys who woo ladies on first meetings. I am not ...'

'Calm down, typewriter. For the record too, I have a girlfriend. I have ladies outside this place, wherever it might be now, that love me. So, I don't have time to dote over any lady'.

'But none of them is here. And you're a guy...Won't you...?'

'Calm down, typewriter Regina. Are you not a bit inquisitive about where we are? That should be the priority at this time'.

'I guess I know'.

'Good! That's what I need at the moment'.

'I guess it's a secret world with highly sophisticated weapons, and cool control system. The train that brought us is sleek, even if it didn't move at the time we woke, and their control system is dope. Who can believe that this thing is automated and can be controlled by people with the authority, of course? But it's still cool. From the way we or should I say I was kidnapped, I guess we would be trained to do something big. I mean, you know something big that the police can't do'.

'Government corruption?'

She stared at him with a big sneer. 'Are you for real? It's something like world-war, or a bigger war. The latest research shows that the world has begun to come to a certain scientific realization that would become more than the power of the world leader. The scientists or philosophers, who are suddenly missing now, claimed that people are beginning to come to a realization to the extent that factions would soon rise. There would be a whole lot of breakouts in the system of things'.

Carl stared at her. He followed the news regularly. Although if it were up to him, nothing like news would have ever existed. However, his overbearing mother always ensured he listened to the news. 'I've never seen that in any news'.

She observed him for a while and said, 'come nearer'.

Carl was skeptical about that, but he saw no reason he shouldn't move nearer. At least, he was stronger than she.

Moving very close to his ears, she whispered, 'I got it off the blacknet. Like the death and evaporation of people'.

Shocked, he withdrew. 'You knew about that?'

'Yes. But no one knows why? I think I was about getting to that when I met myself here'.

'Then, they should have recruited us instead of kidnapping us'.

She shrugged. 'The world doesn't need to know. It would disintegrate the system'.

Regina removed her shoe and fixed it in a hole. 'Just like they don't need to know that I brought my game box'.

'But I thought we...Didn't we all... We blacked out, right?'

'Yes, but I built my game in such a way that... How do I explain this...? I have a fake tooth. It's a remote control. So, the game sort of hovers over me till I call it out. I made it invisible. And both my tooth and my game have passed the cloaking tests of all time'.

Carl stared at her for some seconds and grinned. 'I love your joke. That's really good for this mood'.

He slouched back into the chair as she kept fiddling with her tooth. The information he gave her was too much. He had to make his plan very well. He needed this girl in escaping from this place, but he had to take his time. All he needed was to keep a low profile. She finally removed the front tooth, and dangled it before his eyes.

'I'm not giving you false information'.

He sat up. 'But... That's impossible. They would have made us go through a test, that's even if your claim is true. But... '.

'Not in this world. What are you? Were you born yesterday? Technology is our baby'.

'So, where is it? Where is the game?'

She dipped her hand into her mouth, and croaked as she removed the false tooth. There was no way he would be accosted by another member of that man's gang. Carl rose from his seat as he backed away from her, with his hand in front of him. There was no way he would allow her to put a filthy thing in his hand or mouth like that man.

'Don't try rubbish?'

'Hey, Calm down, Carl. Why are you acting weird? You're freaking me out'.

'Not the way you're freaking me out'.

'The game box is here', she said and pointed to her chest. 'Put your hand here'.

He licked his lower lips, hoping she was joking again. 'You're out of your mind'.

'Seriously'.

Carl stretched his hand slowly and she gave him a reassuring nod. He proceeded. Suddenly, she pulled his hand and slammed it on her breast.

'What?' He yelled as he snatched his hand and jumped back. 'Are you insane? Hope this place is not a mental facility? No wonder that guy was acting weird and Diana...'

Regina fell back, laughing hard as if she would burst from laughing. 'Sorry, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to have a feeling of your hand, that fine hand'.

She winked, sat up and pressed a bulging part of the fake tooth. A small box that had the same size as the battery of a small android phone appeared above her.

Carl hissed. 'What's all these?'

'Watch and see', she muttered as she flipped the grey phone-battery-size box in her hand. Then her eyes brightened as she saw a small button. 'Ah ah'.

Noiselessly, the box unwrapped and expanded. Three screens emerged from it as well as different pads. Carl had to curl up on the small chair in the car to avoid it ramming into him. The games began to hum.

'How did you do this?'

The car began to descend. Regina pressed the button, and the game wrapped itself immediately within the count of five. He glanced up and removed Regina's shoe, that was when he saw a small camera placed there.

'Your shoe. How did you see the camera?

She winked. 'Thanks'.

The car stopped and the door slid open. She sighed loudly as warm air gushed in. 'I love this place'.

Immediately, two of the soldiers rushed into the car to the camera. Regina threw a glance at Carl, who smiled and immediately made a straight face.

The sky was surprisingly dark at that time. He moved back as other cars began to drop with a thud near him. He moved near one of them and checked to see if his hair wasn't ruined, and luckily it was still as perfect as he had left it. He exhaled in relief.

Carl was captivated by Regina and felt like listening to her all day especially as she never ceased to talk, even when they climbed what looked like a hill. Within the few times they had spent together, she had divulged a chunk of information to him, one that he found intriguing.

'Carl'.

Perplexed, he looked sideways to see Fred running towards him. 'Freddy'.

They hugged amidst Fred's heavy pant. For some awkward reasons, Fred's glasses were gone.

'They brought you here. I'm so glad I'm not alone', Fred said as they separated.

'Yes. Me too'.

'Your glasses?'

'I don't know. I think those that brought us here did something to my eyes'.

Carl looked skyward for the first time. They were in a very large field. The road was plastered and was brightened in such glamorous way that still made Carl wish they were recruited into such exquisite arena, and not abducted. A replica of the banner that greeted them at the train landing area was draped in that area of Etyes, also. However, something else caught his attention. An enormous screen indicated: _Peace Learners Gather Here._ Other people looked about and wandered about in the field. Most of them seemed to be strangers to each other, and hadn't really connected with the others as he had connected with Regina. They moved about like zombies with no leader and no focus. Those whose eyes weren't focused on the unmoving train, walked towards the big screen, slowly, cautiously, while a very few others looked about, exploring.

'If I ever died here, and you escaped, help me take care of Weaver'.

'Well, only my mom knows how to take care of fishes'.

'How I wish Sonia was here?'

Carl shut his eyes and gasped. 'Not again. By the way, Freddy, meet Regina. She's good'.

Regina stared at Fred for a while, transfixed. 'I know you'.

'I'm not sure. I've never left our...our side of the world. Okay, except the day we did that dreadful earth tour'.

'I've never left Ghana also', Regina said.

'You never said you were from Ghana', Carl interrupted her, spinning to face her.

'Yes', she said as she lowered her voice to a whisper. 'I sort of hacked into the exam board's website, and I saw the face of the person with the highest score, you?'

'Yes, you scored 499. Who scores 499 out of 520?'

Fred's face was smeared with a big smile. Carl looked at the sky as he tried to avoid laughing at Fred. Maybe later in life, but ever since he met him, Fred didn't know how to handle criticism and praises.

'I'm Fred and it's nice to meet you, despite the ...ridiculous...ridiculous way they brought us with the usage of Xfinus syrup to sedate us, which according to Professor Jones McWidell has caused the memory loss of over 2000 people and the way...'

Carl's mind wandered off again as he marveled at the way the two of them could bond on a level beyond his. He still wondered what he was doing there. Maybe there were others that were like him, but for now, he was the only one that wasn't really a nerd. There must be something else that made him one of the chosen ones. He looked around and at the screen. That was when he saw some very terrifying words on the screen.

'Erm... Geeks'.

The two of them kept discussing nonchalantly.

'Geeks, we have a situation'.

The screen read: 30 SECONDS TO BE WITHIN THE CLOSING WALL.

The seconds began to countdown. Without any logical explanation, a glass wall materialized from the sky, and gradually slid down. Carl ran and heard Fred grunting behind him like a mad pig. Although he wasn't one of the fastest runners, he had an edge over Fred. Despite looking for a way to escape, he preferred to be within the wall and its tyrannous rules than to be outside to know what would happen to those that didn't make it into the wall. Still panting, he ran into the circle, shifted back to avoid those dashing toward him as he fixed his gaze on the two geeks racing into the circle.

Immediately they were within the range of the falling glass, Regina turned to a panting Fred, and they burst into laughter. She held her knees to support herself.

'I told you we would get here within...within the next 12 seconds. We made it'.

'Yea', Regina said excitedly as she stood straight and raised her hand for a high-five. Fred gave her a heavy one that made her stagger and chuckle. People ran in from different directions.

'Where are those ones from?' Carl asked.

'There are other trains or the thing that looked like it. I think the train was continental', Fred said.

'Yes. I noticed we were mostly blacks in the compartment of our train. They seemed to pick people from different countries; I could hear the accent of other countries'.

'Yes. How come I never noticed that? You're good, Regina', Fred stated as if he was thinking.

'You too', she said and blushed.

They exchanged glances. Carl shook his head at them and turned to watch in horror as the wall closed off. People ran into it and hit the wall. When the wall was firmly locked, the people outside kept hitting it, while a few others tried to make sure their noses were pressed against the glass.

***

Diana watched the whole sides alongside other yellow-uniform supervisors. She only smiled when she saw Carl entered the circle. He was extraordinarily attractive, maybe because she always loved calm people. She clicked some buttons and the computer printed the information.

People within the wall:148

People outside the wall:243

Competition rate:91%

Chances of _those to finish the program:15_

Diana smiled. The number of people, who made it to the circle this year was 65 more than last year's, and only 5 of the last ones got to the end. But this year there was an extra person.

'Peacetrackers, who is the extra one and from where?'

The computer printed the information, and she smiled grandly. She had totally forgotten about Joyce Felix, the girl who had several factors that brought her down there.

'Peacetrackers, did she make it to the wall?'

The computer printed her information on the screen. Diana shook her head.

'Okay. Plunge those outside the wall into the trial room, and push those within the wall into the welcome room'.

A rectangular wall cut out of the round wall, and began to close in on those within the walls. A door at the far end opened. The Peacelearners hurriedly filed into the welcome room, some other people of their age range or a bit higher were waiting for them.

Meanwhile, the ground had parted ways under those outside the wall. They were plunged into a soft ground, into a thick darkness. No one had ever returned from that place.

Diana smiled. This was the life she wanted for her protégé, but the naughty girl chose a different company-man-like path. She placed her hand over her mouth and stared at the computer screen. 'Why do I still love her?'

No one needed to tell her that her Protégé was her weakness. She knew. But it was a secret.
**6** _Poked_

Carl was silent throughout their walk through the stampede from the glass box to a big hall labeled 'Conference Room'. Some of the soldiers wearing yellow uniforms opened the door, and stood by the door as if nothing could move them. The Peacelearners spread across the hall. Despite their naivety, and fear, some of them began to pick their seat at different positions in the hall. The hall was so big that it could contain the population of the present world. It was draped with those banners, which he had considered beautiful at the beginning, but now considered one of the instruments of destruction. The hall was a good example of lovely halls and Coliseums used by the Romans, who believed in public executions and battles. He wished he had a better history about the Romans, the Greeks, the Asians, the previous world. All they gave them in history classes were crumbs of these people. The hall was beautifully adorned with theatrical lamps that danced from one end of the hall to the other. Cool air soaked the hall.

Carl carefully walked with Regina and Fred; the two geeks moved towards the beginning of the hall - prepared to grab anything if the ground opened. They kept rambling and whispering. He would have found it amusing or wouldn't have been concerned about them at all, if they didn't keep asking for his opinion on many things such as what formula could possibly help in the creation of the hall. How was he to know such details, when the only thing he cared about was his health, and ability to be an alpha male?

He glanced at them from time to time, wondering what he was chosen for. Many of the people there were more of geeks. He was nothing and would be of no use to this cause, which he was sure he was beginning to hate. He sat and took the details of the room in. Cool air brushed the part of his body that was opened. He rubbed his hands together. The white girl beside him rubbed her hands also, wheezed, and looked ahead like a statue. He wondered what was running in her mind and hoped to have the opportunity to sit like that for months undisturbed. Then, she sniffed.

'Are you alright?' He asked.

She nodded and sniffed again. Despite not knowing her, he rubbed her arm and smiled assuredly at her beautiful face.

'Calm down. It will be fine. That means crying shouldn't be part of our way here'.

The girl nodded severally as tears streamed down her eyes.

'What will happen to our parents? What will happen to those that were thrown into that horrible hole? What if I don't meet their standards? What will happen to me?'

'You are working yourself up. See, our parents are worried about us already. And we will not do them any good by crying or worrying about to them too. And for that hole, I'm also afraid. But I told myself, if I can make it to this hall without any fear then I can make it through anything they might want to bring'.

'You seems so confident', the girl said coyly as she rubbed away her tears.

He winked. 'I'm pretending to be confident. You should see me when we were running. You would think my tail was on fire. That means all these are for show'.

The girl smiled. 'Me too. Oh God! I thought I wouldn't make it'.

'Same here, as I was beside two geeks. By the way, if that fat guy over there could make it, I see no reason a beautiful, slim girl like you shouldn't make it. That means you're swift and beautiful'.

She smiled. 'I'm Iris'.

'I'm Carl'.

'You're the Carl. There's been rumor about you. We heard one of the Instructors or whoever they are took a liking to you'.

'Don't mind her. She just made me an object of attack', Carl said and pointed to the front. 'That's her. She is...'

'She is what, hot?' Iris said and winked.

Carl gave her fake frown. She laughed.

'Please, let silence be a part of this place', Diana said into a microphone. 'Today, we welcome a new set of Peacekeepers into our world, to our home Etyes. At this point, you will have many questions, but they won't be answered just yet. You would only be given such liberty when you would be made to go through a medical test. And by that time, there won't be room for much questions because you won't have need for any question. Some of you would want to run away. Don't try it. This is home now. However, I must tell you that people chosen to this place are those who got the highest in different exams. Some of you got the highest in their normal exams. While some of you got more than five of the hidden questions in your exams. This test required having the best attitude'.

Carl looked around to see curiosity staining the faces of most of the Peacelearners. But nobody dared mumble any question.

'All right then, proceed to the dining room, where you will meet your handlers. Remember, orderliness'.

Iris glanced at him and he shrugged as they rose. Everyone followed the person near the door she pointed to. Although the hall wasn't like the one they just left, it was massive and was fashioned in a way that one would know that it was a dining table. The only peculiar thing about their tables was that they had glass demarcations. Each of them had side demarcations too.

Carl opened his mouth in awe as he saw the large hall. It was very big and would house a great number of people. Light glowed from the big balls of tiny lights that had many colors. Their light raced from one end of the room to the other. Different chandeliers hung from the roof. The room was divided into six parts by barricades, and each section was labelled with different names. Carl could only see three of them- Peacelearners, Troublefinders and Mouths.

They followed Diana into the room labelled 'Peacelearners'.

Diana spoke into the P.A System, 'Find your names and seats. Oh! The last name first. Search for your last name.' Everyone moved about silently as they searched for their names. The hall was wrapped with in the serenity of a musical. A tiny guy ran into him and steadied himself. The boy shouldn't have been there, especially with blind eyes as his. He mumbled, 'Sorry', and ran off.

Carl stared at him as he stumbled away, and at his own silver cloth. The cloth made them look like a sort of experiment. If Carl was given the chance to pay back at the boy for being so stupid, he would have shown him the back of his head with a suitable slap. With the stature of the boy, he might begin to have a great hatred for lanky people; being around them meant trouble. He brushed dirt off his clothe.

'We look like an experiment in these things', he muttered to Iris as they both searched for their names.

'On the brighter side, we look like divers'.

'Drivers?'

'You heard me', she said and hit his shoulders. 'I'm looking for Cole'.

'Oh! That's cool. Coals are always cool. But when set on fire they can be hot like the beauty in front of me'.

Iris looked at him quizzically. Then, her face brightened as she realized he was playing on the words. She laughed. 'You're funny, cow'.

They searched for a few seconds and found their names beside themselves. The table was as wide as a table tennis board. However, it was very long.

'Hey, Carl. I found my seat', Fred shouted from the opposite side. He smiled at Carl. Everyone looked at Carl, some for too long. Regina was beside him. Carl looked at her quickly. The two seemed to get along easily and seemed not to care about what might happen next, as though they had no fear. Their countenances, unlike that of every other person around them, were different and incomprehensible. Carl smiled. They've given him hope, and he would wallow in that. A little hope was surely good for making the best plan in the world.

'Thank you', Iris said, making him come out of his fear.

'For?'

'For making me laugh. With you, I think I have no fear, as though you're a fear trashcan'.

'You shouldn't be afraid. That means that where fear treads, problem gets attracted to such place'.

Iris nodded. 'How do we get food?'

'I've been wondering too except they want us to eat the table'.

'Oh! Why didn't I think of that', Iris said and smiled. She sniffed again and smiled brighter as she shook her head.

'Have you seen your seat?' Diana asked.

Carl looked about and saw the lanky guy, who ran into him the other time, raising his hand. 'Yes, what's your name?'

The boy replied inaudibly.

'I can't hear you. You will have to do better'.

'Jonathan Zane', the boy screamed as if he had been stung by a bee. Fear played in his voice.

'With that name, you should know that your name should be at the end of everything'.

The boy throttled off. Carl watched him and smiled warily. He shouldn't be too hard on the boy. He must still be afraid, they all were. But if anyone could make it into the conference room, he was sure they were brave and strong enough to endure anything.

'Now, press the button in front of your table. It will take you through a tutorial of what to eat. But today, you're lucky. Your handlers have been informed of your arrival and they've been waiting for you', Diana said and pointed to the door.

A large number of young people filed into the room. Many of them would be around eighteen to twenty years old, Carl thought, since he was just 17 years old, and many of those he came with were within the same age bracket. He didn't expect anyone to be younger than that. Their uniforms were different- black, grey, white, and blue. These one had been there before them and he hoped to be with one that also had plans on escaping from that place. No matter how much he would have enjoyed the competition of this place, he wouldn't want to end up where the others ended.

'By the way, I'll like to welcome the youngest, and brightest among them. I would have told you her age but most of you might want to tackle her because of that and she might break your heads. She is in her second year. She was last year's best Peacelearner and had even beaten the ranks of a TroubleFinder. She was involved in the operation that brought many of you from Africa to this place', Diana said beaming. 'Fortunately she has been assigned to be the handler of the freshman, who had proven to be a great Peacekeeper. He also got the highest in our aptitude test. What's that his name again? Carl...Carl Cokers.'

Carl's eyes roamed to Fred, who gave him a thumbs-up with excitement glowing on his fat cheeks. Murmuring crept into the midst of the Peacelearners and it took a bit of cough from Diana to send calm into the hall again. Iris winked and flashed him a bright smile. By this time his heart was thumping. What if this handler decided to be a strict follower of rules? Those best students are mostly always upholding the rules of any organization. His handler might give him a tough time, and he hated the fact that his handler might top the list of those he hated, sending Diana to the second place.

'Her name is Sonia Banks. Please, come up here. Let the Peacelearners see you'.

Carl held his breathe as she walked past him. He glanced at Fred, who seemed to have stopped breathing too. His smile froze, and his mouth agape.

***

Richard checked the pad in his hand again as he fiddled with his pen. That was the third day, and he hadn't gotten a confirmation of Joyce's entry into whatever place they were. Such thing pointed to something: they were killing the children. Joyce was right and he had just led to her death. He bit his lower lips. No one must even hear of it. How would any of his superiors hear that he had done something as reckless as that? None of them gave him the go-ahead to do what he did. He knew what their reply would have been, so he didn't even bother to tell them what had happened because they would disprove it; instead, they would have wanted him to send in someone with enough training, which might take years that weren't available.

From what he could say, the kidnapping was for a big purpose. The problem was that no one could see the links between these kidnapping. They claimed they were random and he was angry at them for their shortsightedness. While they were having their regular secret meeting, some of them claimed that not only students from college were disappearing and that if they were really focused on children, they wouldn't have gone to the extent of kidnapping other people. He claimed that wasn't their Mode of Operation. They were meticulously picking college students from each country. They were being taken for a reason. But the others disproved his theory, saying that blood stains were found on some of the place of disappearance. Moreover, three people were taken out of Nigerian that year. How would he link those together?

Richard wore his glasses and pressed a button on the side. They resorted to using that method for communication after the world government began to tap their messages and calls etc.

'Get me the director', Richard said to the computer.

'The director has refused to see you until you start raking in money by finding missing people for the firm'.

Richard was perplexed. He had never known the director to treat him in such manner.

'Tell him I need his authorization for something'.

'I'm sorry Agent Richard', the computer said. 'I'll have to take you off the system unless you will like to talk to someone else in the organization'.

Richard stood from his seat as he made his conclusion. They needed to use a clog-effect. They would catch one of the kidnappers, then they would surely interrogate him till he gave them the necessary answer. The problem now was that they don't know who these kidnappers were, and what they wanted, and how to catch any of them. He picked his phone and called Tina, the only lady that believed him.

'Thin, I need to talk to the director'.

'You know what you have to do', she said coyly. He removed the phone and stared at it.

'C'mon. Give me something else. Another favor. I'll repay you'.

'That's what you've always promised. I need this favor. If you're ready, meet me at my place'.

Richard stared at the door. What does he have to lose? He was in a make-believe marriage. The law of the world was that everyone must be married and must bear children. But since he wasn't ready to have such lifestyle, he married a woman who didn't really believe in such too. They have lived happily after. And he wouldn't break his celibacy just yet. He dropped the glasses on the table, wore a polo shirt, picked his small car key and got out of the room.

***

There are some things that shouldn't be done or tried if you haven't done your calculations well. An example of that was what Joyce was about to do. She placed her feet down and someone screamed, 'who is that?'

She jumped and hit someone behind her. This person screamed. The whole place was so dark that even the eyes couldn't adjust to it.

'It's okay', Joyce shouted as she ran into someone else.

Someone else was shouting for calm as people began to mumble and fidget. The lady kept shouting for calm until everyone kept quiet. The lady's voice was strong and authoritative like someone that used to be "Senior girl" in her school. Joyce stood her ground. What could she have done better? When she saw the wall, she should have run as if her mind depended on it. And yes, she did. But, she was just too late.

'Is anyone near a wall?' The lady shouted. Nobody answered. 'Are you telling me this place is an open space? Someone must be near something'.

'If it's of any of help, I am holding a sort of rail', a male voice shouted.

'That's good. I think since we are not dead they must have a reason for keeping us. So we need to be calm about what is coming', the lady said.

'But I didn't ask for this', a lady shouted.

'Yes...' Another affirmed.

'They brought us against our will. It should have been voluntary. At least, they would have gotten people dedicated to whatever training they were giving here'.

'Shut up your mouths, you rats, and new comers. You're disturbing us', someone shouted. 'If you need advice on how to endure here, you better come near. No one can ever leave this place, but I can tell you how to survive'.

'If we find our way around this thing, we can find a way out, at least to a place out of the dark', the first girl shouted.

'You will only waste your lives if you believe her. We've been here for how long? You'll all suffer, if you don't come near', the opposing voice said.

'I prefer to die, waiting in the dark than try something that is not real', someone else shouted.

'You're wise. If you don't want to die the same way many have died, stay here. We've been here for long, but it was better than anything you've ever known. It opens the mind to some philosophical truth that men can't fathom'.

'Whoever spoke last should shut up that nasty mouth. Cowards', the girl with the authoritative voice said. 'Now, I am near the rail. Anyone that isn't ready to die down here should follow me by signifying with a loud noise'.

'I', Joyce shouted before she could stop herself. She preferred to die than remain in the darkness. They've been there for long expecting redemption, but it wasn't coming. They had to find it themselves or die trying. She wanted to activate the tracker immediately they got down, but she knew how wise she was for not pressing it. If she died someone else would take the glory. She was the one that made the discovery, and she would be the one to get it. All she needed was to work with the right people and she would get all the access she needed.

'Come towards the rail', the lady said,' towards my voice'.

'I', a male voice came also in reply, and about three other people joined the cause.

Joyce heaved as she hoped she was doing the right thing. A good PI should have a hunger for danger. And that was the reason she agreed to do this in the first place. If not, she would have kept running till someone found out about those kidnapping. She was good at running and would have done anything to avoid them.

People complained and yelped as she tried to find her way to the rail, but she was undeterred. The darkness was comparable to blindness.

'Any other person? The lady shouted near her. 'And if you are not for us, move aside.'

'Where should we move to?' A frail male voice asked.

'You ask my hand when it starts moving. I will count to fifty. Anyone coming should do so and anyone not with us should move away'.

'Why?' Asked the guy with the frail voice again.

'Because I build hope in the heart of those that have fear and I would not allow anyone take that hope from them'.

'I'm here', Joyce said. The lady seemed rattled.

'Oh! Let me start my counting'.

Joyce weighed her option as the lady counted the numbers, slowly and loudly. She wouldn't make any impact by staying back in that place.

'Right now, we want to see how we can get out of this stupid thing', the lady said after she had made sure they were alone. 'I plan to go first'.

'Don't you think we should wait for them', someone asked.

The lady was quiet for some time.

'Why are you here in the first place?' Joyce asked.

'That's the spirit', the lady said.

Joyce beamed. Yet, she wouldn't revel in the little achievement. They still had to leave the place.
**7** _Painful Knowledge_

Carl walked with the others, dazed. He felt like ramming Sonia into the wall when he saw her. She was the reason they were there. Nothing could convince him otherwise. It was one thing to be obsessed with someone but orchestrating or influencing the person's kidnapping was terribly bad. She had just stolen him from his mother and he would fight that with all his might.

After Diana had introduced her to the recruits, she came to his side, looking stern.

'You will press this button', she said as she pressed a green button on the table. Her hand was shaking, but she took a great effort to keep it still.

'I should have known', Fred shouted from his seat. 'You're a filthy betraying, incorrigible, demented idiot', Fred railed from his seat. His handler leered at Sonia. Normally, Carl would have detested that, but then, the enemy of his enemy was his friend. He could sense the enmity between those two, and it felt good to be on the other side. Making Sonia his arch-enemy couldn't be scraped from his top priority, making an escape from the filthy place would go down a second-place on his to-do list.

'I'll kill you', Fred shouted as he began to move out of his seat.

His handler placed a firm grip on his shoulders and whispered something in his ears. Fred sat straight and smiled mischievously as he continually gave her a cold glare.

Carl threw her a quick glance. Her eyes seemed like that of a person without a soul, as if she didn't care what might happen to him. She looked at Carl. He heaved, shook and faced the table as the others were doing. The tables were empty and nothing indicated what he was to do next, but there was no way he would even give her audience. There was a black button sticking from the table as if it was peeping but was failing at doing that. He wondered what pressing it would do, but it would be irrational to press it. What if it led to the underground? He looked about and tried to spy on the way the others were doing, but he got nothing. That was what he meant when he said he wasn't supposed to be there. He was good at virtually nothing. The only thing he had won was while playing a game of chess, and that, according to his mother, was the reason he had the ability to hold his emotion in check until it was time to carry out the real act. So, even if it was his last day in that crazy world, he would ensure that he had his revenge. But it couldn't be in that dining room or in front of the whole lot of their army or the Peacelearners. It had to be something no one would ever expect.

'Press the button', Sonia said and placed her hand on his shoulder.

At that time, it looked as if the time had slowed down on its use. He slowly looked up at her, and said with clenched teeth. 'Don't you dare touch me.'

She withdrew her hand and pointed at the button. Iris threw him a quick glance. Her huge handler pulled her head towards her table.

'What?' Carl said.

'Face your button', Sonia said. 'And press it for crying out loud'.

Carl pressed the button and a large screen appeared on the table.

'Now make your choice of food. And try to pick all the food you might need. The order can only be made once. And you can't make a new one till the next time you are here to eat'.

Carl blinked repeatedly at the layers of food that laid before him. The table listed out a lot of food, one he couldn't imagine would be at his reach. In case they stayed for a longer time, he would ensure he chose one of each before he made his way out of the place. Since he was from Nigeria, they made sure his varieties were there. The food laid bare in front of him, and he felt gluttonous and didn't see anything bad in doing so. At least, if one was to die in a short while, one ought to do so with grace. He started by selecting the deserts, then proceeded to the drinks that comprised of palm wine, fermented millet drink and so much more. Although picking Palm wine was tempting, he didn't see a reason to pick it when he wasn't sure they preserved the freshness that characterized his type of Palm wine.

'Now press "enter"'.

'I can read', he said as he pressed 'enter'.

'I wasn't in charge of picking you', she said, bending to speak to him.

'How does that concern me? You knew', he whispered as he tried to control his anger.

'I didn't', she said, stood straight and shrugged. 'But I wouldn't be surprised'.

'Of course, when you could whisper names'.

'What are you insinuating?'

'It is very convenient to see two of us here- Freddy and me. Very convenient'.

'Even if you know nothing about me, you know I wouldn't have allowed that mule here'.

'That name can only be used by his friends, not some trickster'.

'Handlers', Diana called from the top. 'Now that you have done your job, you can move back till they are done eating'.

The handlers shifted and were on a straight line. Carl was dazzled by the way they did it without any plan. That means they are being trained to be a sort of soldier. Since they were kidnapped by those camouflaging soldiers, he was finding it hard to stop imagining the death of the man that gave him the micro card. The micro card? He hurriedly looked at his feet and saw that they were putting on leather shoe. That means, they had stripped them of all their possession. He did give Joyce before he left home. No, he dropped it on her table. Now, they were being provided for by this people. He would find his way out of the place to find his way home. Whatever that man wanted him to give Joyce was very important, and he was very stupid not to have hidden somewhere else.

'If you look at your table', Diana said.

Carl looked at his table and saw a time reading.

'You would see a time reading', Diana continued. 'It signifies the number of time remaining for you to finish eating'.

Carl eyes almost popped out of its socket. The countdown showed they had 75 seconds to finish eating.

'Are you for real?' Iris shouted and bent over her food.

Carl shook his head to ward off his thoughts about Sonia, Joyce and the old man as he rushed his food. He hated the excitement he saw on Fred's face. Fred was a fan of rushing food, and had won many competitions as regarding that. Most times, Carl would tease him about growing to the size of a hippopotamus but he wouldn't budge about food. According to him, he needed to eat a lot because he read a lot.

Immediately the countdown got to 00:00, the table slid open, and a round magnetic plate dragged their plates off the table-top into the opening. People around exclaimed.

'Are you for real?' Iris shouted.

Carl watched with surprise until he heard a noise. Someone had tried to hold onto the plate, but the machine was too fast that it pulled his hand with it. The person's handler hurriedly ran forward and hit a red button. The person removed his hands pushed back into his seat, sending it screeching as he tended to his hands.

'That's called a panic button', Diana said into the P.A System. 'It will only open if it senses that human's body is stuck in its teeth. So don't expect it to open for any other reason'.

Carl looked down and saw that the panic button was there also, but it was fading like the green one they used to summon the food screen. He stared at Fred, who shrugged. Regina waved at him and gestured at her head. He smiled. She had done something mischievous again. They really needed her to be close to them whenever they planned to escape. However, from what she had been saying, she found it exciting there. All he needed was to make her help him whether she loved to or not.

'Follow your handlers, they will direct you to your rooms', Diana said.

Carl expected them to move through the dining hall to their room, to sleep and prepare for the next day to know what would happen to them. But, they came out of the building and moved in an opposite direction. Carl looked about as he saw that the dining hall covered every other building that was behind it, making it look as if they were purposefully walled in. There were some fanciful buildings on the side of the dining hall. They were huge and were all made of glass, and had light reflecting from around it. Despite being made of glass; they still couldn't see the interior.

They marched on from the colored lights to the plain white light. The place was eerie because not even a single a cricket made any noise right there. The place they were headed had little or no light around it. He guessed that must be one of the training they were meant to have - to never take anything at face level.

'This road is bugged with crazy stuffs. They are not yet activated', Sonia said flippantly. 'By the time you will be coming out tomorrow, you have to be careful of them, they can be deceptive'.

'But why are you not telling me that?' Iris asked her handler from behind him.

'Who should guide who?' Her handler voice rumbled. 'If you don't listen to only what I teach you, you will meet yourself in the trial room. Or you will end up like her. She avoids all the trouble and we face all the trouble that's what we do'.

Carl wondered what the difference between Trial room and Punishment room was.

'So...' Iris said and her voice faded off.

Carl wished to see their faces. It would be a good thing to take his mind off his anger towards Sonia. The ground was unimpressive maybe because everywhere was dark or they kept moving as if they were climbing down from the top of a hill.

'So what?'

'Nothing'.

'Iris Cole, do you see me as a fool? If you are not careful, I will recommend you for the punishment room'.

Carl glanced at Sonia as she snickered.

'Why are you making sound, you Peacelearner?' Iris' handler said and pushed Carl.

Carl was perplexed and took a quick swipe of the hand at whoever she might be. One thing he had never learned to keep his cool around was bullying. He detested bullying and had never cared about its consequences. No one dared harass him because he was new. But Sonia was very fast, she caught his arm.

'You don't want to do that', she said.

'Leave my hand', Carl shouted at Sonia, who hurriedly released his hand. He brushed off the side she held. Others looked at them. One of the handlers said something to another handler up ahead and they sniggered. They continued walking as Iris' handler kept making bad comments about them, the Peacelearners and the old ones.

'And you...What were you about to say?'

Iris's voice pitched higher. 'I wanted to say. So, you want me to be like you?'

'That would be wise. If you really want to go far, you have to take the steps of those ahead'.

'Then, that's impossible. You are an imbecile'.

People around made funny sounds. Sonia inhaled delightedly and shook her tongue.

Iris' handler shouted, 'Shut up! Every one of you. Shut up!'

Carl kept walking towards what was ahead of them, knowing they were in deep trouble from Iris' handler because she seemed to hate Iris and Sonia and him, indirectly.

The house ahead was very tall, but unlike others, it was deep in the woods. There were tall trees around it. Even in the darkness, he could see how horrible the place was, and that really surprised him. How would they use such a place for them when other buildings around were very beautiful? Sonia glanced at him and said, 'out of the ashes'.

Whatever that meant, he didn't want to find out the meaning. Even if he would, it was surely not from her. Everyone in front stopped. Carl also stopped beside Sonia, who had turned towards him as if she was staring at her most priced creation.

'To survive, you have to do what others don't want', Sonia whispered to him. 'Go to the top of the building to get the basic amenities others don't have. We are meant to leave you at this point. Remember, Greater purpose. Me and You. Be prepared'.

She turned towards the dining room and soon disappeared into the multicolored crowd of handlers.

Iris came near while some of the other walked off towards the house. There was something off about the house that made Carl feel there was something else to it. It was like gold, which could only be discovered when it had been made to go through rigorous drills. He would drill the place for things to make them enjoy their temporary stay and also for things that would be essential for escaping from that place.

Up ahead, there was a green light that looked like a laser. Many people were afraid of going into until someone stumbled into and nothing happened to him. Then, the others tool the initiative to cross the light.

Immediately they crossed the line, a mechanical voice congratulated and welcomed them to the home of the Peacelearners, where only the obedient and the wise enjoyed life. Afterwards, the computer went into series of history about the building. He would have loved to listen to how it was built, but it went on ranting about how many people stayed there for a single year and how many people made it out. If it had told him only about last year's result, Carl would rein his anger and hatred but when the computer started calling from 4000, he knew he was in a big problem.

'What do you think?' Iris said as she peered at the place from the top to the bottom of the building. It was so big that Carl had to strain his neck before he saw the top. That reminded him of what Sonia said. Even if he wanted to believe her, there was no way he would make it there that night. Yet, he didn't want to cuddle her idea especially now that he had seen her for the snake she was.

'Your handler didn't tell you anything', Carl asked.

'The girl behind me wants to be like you'.

'Why?'

'I don't know. I heard her say so. I guess it's because of your handler'.

'Then, I'll always trade places with her'.

'You don't want to, especially if you think of the dinosaur I have as a handler. I think she is really good'.

Carl stared up again, Iris tried to do the same, and groaned doing so. 'Sonia, my handler, told me to go to the top. But let me wait for...'

Just at that time, Fred and Regina came towards them. Other Peacelearners were filing into the building acting all weird.

'Did your handler tell you anything?' Carl asked after he had introduced them - one to another.

'She only said I should find joy in any place I find myself, and I must agree with her', Regina said as she took Carl's hand and dropped a wrap of sweet into it.

'From your game box?' Carl asked as he unwrapped it absentmindedly.

'From the dining room. They didn't say we can't take away anything from the room. They only want us to figure it out but not let others know'.

Carl nodded, distracted as he calculated the distance from the bottom to the top. Even if he didn't get the exact time they would get to the top, he was sure that they would be extremely tired when they got to the top.

'You say it as if you are sure', Iris said as she rolled her neck.

'Guys, we can't stay here', Fred said.

'Where do we pick?' Iris ask.

'I'll pick the ground floor to easily get to anywhere I want', Regina said.

'As much as I hate what Sonia did, I still agree with her. The top floor is the best place'.

'Well, she didn't become the youngest handler by just staring at the building', Iris said. She blinked for a while. 'I'm tired, and I don't know why. I really want to rest. But I'll follow you guys. I don't know anyone else here'.

'I'm not sure I'll make it', Fred said, 'but I'll give it a try. My handler said I should copy your strategies. That he hates Sonia because her strategies were always right'.

'I like adventures. We might see things on the way to the top?' Regina said as she took the first step away from them towards the building.

'Then, let's get going', Carl said.

'Can I change you, guys' mind?' Iris said dejectedly. She wheezed as she looked at the top again. 'I don't think I can make it to the top...'

'Then, we will...' Carl said but was interrupted by Iris.

'Alone. I can't make it up there alone'.

'What? You wanted to stay down here. Have you seen the look of those guys on the ground floor? We can't survive around them', Regina said as she stared at Iris in utter disbelief, as if she was considering sleeping in a grave.

'Okay. You will lean on me', Carl said.

'Carl, we will...' Regina said and placed her hand on Carl.

He frowned as he brushed it off. 'We just met today and you've made me touch you at the wrong place and you are about to do something crazy again'.

Regina shrugged. 'Because I know nothing will happen between us. Besides what's the point? Statistically, handsome guys like you rarely ask out geeks like me. So, I'll pretend to be your sister and do what a sister will do to you like this', Regina said and placed her hand on his shoulder. Iris roared with laughter as they entered the house.

***

Richard glanced at the pad again as his car sped, and he wondered what still held him to the belief that he would get what he wanted. He looked at the clock and wondered what would ever happen if Tina could stop doting over him. He had shown her times without number that he wasn't in the act of sleeping his co-workers or married woman or any woman at all. He was a celibate. It helped him think better. Yet, she kept trying to make him fall for her. Several times, she had undressed in front of him, using it as a bait, but he had always overcome her. Nevertheless, he gave her credit for her persistence. Even a guy would have backed down if he was the one asking for such a thing from a woman.

Then, out of nowhere, a woman ran into the road. Richard slammed on the brake of the car. The woman looked haggard, and her eyes were wide with fear. She was being chased by many of those security drones, which had their red laser light trained on her. She ran to the empty side of the car, opened the door, and jumped into it, filling the car with the stench of what smelt like drainage.

'Drive. Drive... Drive this maggot', she screamed and hit the front board with so much aggression that Richard feared it would split into two.

From experience, Richard knew he mustn't stay around for her pursuer to have a clue about who he was or where they went. He switched off the front light of the car, and hurriedly wore his night vision glasses which he picked from under his seat.

'Who are you?' He said as he drove off to the place he reserved for such case as this. He wasn't one of the best in his field because he always followed the rules or always called for backup whenever there was a problem. He was the best because he planned eventualities. With him, there was always a conspiracy and a contingency plan.

'They took him away. They've killed her. They will know it was me'; she said, breathing hard.

'Cool your nerve lady. Cool it. You're not making sense'.

'I know but everything is not making sense to me'.

'What are you talking about? Who are you? Who are they?' He said as he took his time to look at her now. She should be in her early forties, and from the necklace she wore, he was sure she either came from a wealthy home or was involved with someone from a wealthy home. But, if she was from a wealthy home, her hand wouldn't be wrinkled with ages and hard work. She was white. She was a lover of someone important.

'Did anything happen to your lover?'

'Yes... Just get me out of here'.

He nodded. At that period that people were disappearing, he didn't see a reason to help her, but his guts loved what it saw. And he was following it, irrespective of the consequence.

They had just turned a corner when two cars joined the numerous, regular cars on the street. The drones were still following them, and he knew he had to make them stop tracking him. He knew who the people in the cars were, and he smiled. Just what he needed at that time - a bit of fun and some shooting. Richard licked his lips and dragged out a box from the bottom of the other seat. Inhaling the coldness that came with them, he closed his eyes for a brief moment. They smelt good and made him smile. He caressed the pistols, speed-dialed number '4' on his phone, and knew it was time to play games.

***

'Did any of you find anything?' The authoritative lady said as they gathered. Joyce had made the suggestion that they searched through the rail for anything that showed they could move down from whatever they were on or in. While they were doing that, the authoritative lady's job was to keep counting numbers until the last one of them returned.

Amidst the wailing, the stench, and the incessant grumpiness from people, they made their way back.

'I don't know if it's useful, I saw a sort of rope', someone said.

'Where's it?' Joyce asked.

'I can't...I don't remember where it is'.

'That's very wise of you', the authoritative lady said and groaned. 'I wish I could squeeze you right now'.

'Where's the place?'

'I don't know'.

'He doesn't know', the authoritative lady said. She had an accent from a country Joyce didn't know which. Accents were the major things that differentiated everybody in the world. Despite their prowess, they still always had that factor in their speech. In schools, the teachers always deducted marks for accents during tests and exams.

'Then, let's find it. Because I'm so tired of this darkness. The thought of it is killing', Joyce said. 'And, let's hold hands'.

Searching for the way out would take them a tiring long time, but she was happy to search for it. Like Carl would say, that meant there was hope.
**8** _Shaky Salvation_

Richard watched the cars behind him perform their act of deceit as they tried to move in opposite direction. He stopped the car abruptly and reversed with such speed that woman screamed and clutched the sides of the chair.

'Who are you?' The woman yelled as she sat as if the chair was a doorway into a safe haven.

'I should ask you', he said with a big grin on his face. 'You came out of nowhere, pursued by some dangerous people and you didn't come to anybody, you came to the best PI in town'.

'A PI? What's that? Pie chart?'

'Private investigator, woman. Don't you watch movies at all? Those things are meant to teach you things like this'.

'So... I will watch movies in this era if you don't... Please, don't kill me before they do', she yelled as he spun the wheel. 'Drive this thing carefully'.

'So what brought you here?'

'Go. Go. When we are somewhere safe', the woman shouted as she firmly gripped the seat.

'From what I'm seeing', Richard said as he watched other cars join them on the road. 'These people are after something big. Whatever information you have must be very big. They would never make you get to anywhere safe. Well... Unless I do'.

'I don't have any information. It was my Gabriel that did'.

'Gabriel who? Oh God', Richard said as he glanced into the rearview mirror. Whoever was after the woman had a lot of influence. They seemed to know where to go. He drove into the dark and stopped at the edge of a forest.

'Come down', he shouted as he saw the headlights of the numerous cars. He was surprised at the way they had increased within a few minutes. If he was a member of that team, his heart would literally burst from excitement. The funniest part was that they weren't acting like those ones that came after him at first. These ones were daring and didn't seem to care about the consequences. The drones were soon humming above him, and he knew he had been made.

A red light played on the woman's chest. 'Get down', Richard screamed as he flew on her. She yelled as they both crumbled on the floor just as a gunshot hit the tree near them. He had never had such encounter as that. Laying on a woman. It felt... He shook his head. That was it; his claim was just proven right; having sex with a woman would ruin every little chance he had of thinking straight. A gunshot flew past them and struck a tree. Then the gunshots increased.

'Get off me, pervert', the woman shrieked and pushed him off her.

'Shut up! Follow me. I just saved your life', he grumbled as he crawled off into the wood. That place was the only place in Nigeria that was being out-grown by forest. According to the world leaders, they wanted the ecosystem to increase. They said humans need the forest. Richard looked back, and tried to make a mental calculation of the situation on the ground. The shooter's view from where they were positioned would only be able to get to their waists up to their heads. A rock was blocking his view.

'If you want to live, then you have to do as I say and stop seeing perverts. I'm a celibate'

The woman burst into laughter and stopped herself. 'You're deceiving yourself'.

'Shut up and do be fast', he crawled into the bush as fast as he could.

'What have I gotten myself into? Is it a bad thing to be loved by a wealthy man?'

'So, all this is for money'

'Money? Don't you see that these ones have enough money? They can take down the world'.

Her rambling wasn't helping the situation at hand. Richard looked up and saw just what he needed. 'Run...'

They ran into the bush, where Tina was waiting for him. She wore black jeggings and a black sweater, a black hood, black hand-gloves, and black sneakers. She handed over a torchlight to him, and walked off into the bush with another torchlight in her hand. He didn't need to be told that her Glock 17 was in her other hand. She turned to him.

'Now, you owe me', she said and turned back towards the bush. 'Again'.

'Where are we going?' The woman asked as she hobbled to meet up with Tina.

'To know what's wrong with you', Richard said as he walked past her.

'I know what's wrong with me? The second son of the world leader is missing and everyone that I hired to search for him is either disappearing or found dead'.

'But he's on TV'.

'Who is on TV? Are you blind?'

Tina spun and grabbed the woman by the throat. The woman croaked until Richard ran towards them.

'Not now, Thin'.

Tina released her and marched off. 'You were saying?'

'You crazy...'

'Quit talking and keep walking...'

'He is not the one. Maybe he is a clone. I must find him because my friends that searched for him are dead'.

Tina turned again. 'And you want us dead too'.

Richard stopped in his track as he wondered if he was making the right choice.

***

'I think I found something', someone yelled. 'Yes, I found the rope'.

They gathered slowly round it. Since their hands were linked, it didn't take long before they all got to the place the rope was.

'So, who will volunteer to go first?' The authoritative lady said. Joyce was petrified. That wasn't the plan. The lady said she would be first.

'Why are you going back on your word?' Joyce asked.

'On my word?' The lady said, and Joyce could sense the sarcasm in her voice.

'Yes... You said you would go first', someone else said

'I never said such I said would leave here by all means'.

'You...'

'I'll go first', another lady said.

Joyce felt about in the darkness. No one knew who was going and what would happen to the person.

'Are you sure you're ready?' Joyce asked.

'Yes...'

'All the best. Just know that whatever happens down there, I'll be the next after you and I'll keep to my word'.

'But wait...' One of them said. 'What if the light comes on?'

'If you are thinking well', the authoritative lady said. 'You will know that we have been here for hours. It's either we die of hunger or any other thing. But I prefer dying while trying'.

'I'm ready', the lady said.

Joyce heaved a sigh and wished she could see her, but the darkness was too thick.

The lady slid down.

'What do you feel?'

'Space... It looks as if we are on a mountain. As if we are hung in space'.

'So we will die', someone muttered.

Joyce was angry this time. 'Hey! Are you part of us? If you are not part of us, move away. We don't need anyone to dissuade us'.

'I am sliding down', the lady shouted in a singsong manner. Her voice began to fade. She yelled, and became silent. Breaths stopped including that of Joyce. Then, the lady shrieked continuously and became silent. They were beyond terrified. Many of them whimpered and shifted back, hitting one another.

Suddenly everywhere began to buzz with their questions. But the authoritative lady shouted for order and they all obeyed again.

'Did she die?' Someone asked.

'What's her name?' The authoritative lady said and shouted, 'are you there?'

Her voice bounced back.

'Something is off', Joyce said as she found her way to the rail.

'What is off?'

'See for yourself', Joyce said and turned to the other side and shouted, 'are you there?'

Her voice echoed. 'Can you hear that?'

'What exactly are we looking for?' The authoritative lady said.

'I think the ground is not that far. If she shouted and stopped shouting, then something is wrong with her'.

'How do you know that? It can also mean she is dead'.

'Ah... I shouldn't have gone to that party', someone lamented.

'Will you shut that hole?' The authoritative lady shouted in the direction of whoever was crying. The person kept quiet and no one else talked as if they wanted her to confirm their fears.

'I have to go and see if she is fine'.

'Accept my condolence in advance', the authoritative lady said. 'I'll come after you'.

Joyce gritted her teeth as she found her way to the rope. She pulled it as she carefully climbed the rail. She held the rope and began to move gently. She tied the rope around her waist and began to slide down the best way she could.

'Are you still there?'

'Something like that?'

'Keep hanging on'.

Joyce glided down the rope, and was still hanging on until she got the end of the rope. Suddenly, the rope snapped and she shrieked.

'Are you okay?'

How would you know if she was okay? Desperately trying to control her breathing, she held firmly to the rope. Her hold was failing but now her life depended on it. She shouldn't have given that girl her words. The rope seemed to be lighter than when she held it and it had become less trustworthy.

There must be a way down from this place. She must find a way. Like the first time, the rope loosened and she screamed louder, then it stopped again. However, this time, something oily poured on her face. She shrieked. Some things that felt like bees buzzed around her face, she screamed louder as the rope snapped. If not for the way she had tied the rope, she might have fallen. The rope loosened gradually. She squealed. Maybe that would be the last time she would ever shriek in her life.

**9** _Grit_

Joyce screamed as her hands tried but failed to hold the rope. The knots of the rope around her body had slacked. She grabbed the rope again. Death seemed to draw near and she dreaded the feeling of its cold hand. She kept yelling as she fell until the rope became springy. She sighed and whooped. Everything was still dark. But, she felt lucky. Suddenly, someone swiftly tied a tape around her mouth. Surprised, she struggled for her life, and kicked into the emptiness of the air. She tried screaming. It was of no use. The person dragged her off the soft springy thing.

'No noise. This is part of the test'.

She allowed herself to be led away in the dark. When they had walked for a long time, they came out into an open field. The person wore a mask and the same cloth as they. Only that hers was black and not silver. The lady removed her mask to reveal a brunette.

'Welcome to Etyes - Home of Peacemakers', the girl said. 'I'm your handler. You're not to ever tell a soul, not even me, how to get out of the ground. The computer's algorithm here would detect it in your speech and send you somewhere worse'.

Joyce nodded. The lady led the way and Joyce loved that opportunity. Joyce's body was draped in the black oil that filled that place. Surprised at the beauty of everything, she hoped that the P.I man was right about Carl. The lady pointed to a house that was different from the others.

'That's our stop. Rather, that's your home, along with the others'.

'What would you say is our essence here?'

'Like every normal human being, we were born to die. Now you can go there', her handler said and stopped. The place looked like an ancient building, tall but incomparable to the luminous houses at the other end.

'Don't... Stop...' Her handler shouted and pushed her away from something on the floor. They both fell on to the hard rough ground. Joyce winced. Her handler was panting hard against her chest. She rose and stretched her hand to pull Joyce up. Pain surged through her body as they struggled to get up. Her handler groaned.

'These things are not supposed to be active till tomorrow morning', her handler murmured as she tried to balance herself. The ground sort of groaned under her weight. She inhaled sharply and pushed Joyce aside. 'Get away'.

The ground shifted and opened under her handler, who yelled as she was swallowed into the same pit. Traumatized, Joyce crawled and clawed away from the place her brunette handler had just fallen into. She looked up and saw a countdown ahead - ten seconds to door-close. She glanced again at the place her handler had fallen into, and ran with all her might for the uncompleted house. Maybe the next day, she would offend someone to make sure that she returned to the underground to get her handler back. Her handler had just fallen into a ground that swallowed, saving her. The door was closing gradually alongside the countdown. She slid through at the nick of time. Assured that she was fully in the system, she pressed the tracker in her hand, and hoped it wouldn't be a futile effort, hoped she would be the one to get the glory allotted to the case.

***

Carl pulled Iris up again as he watched Regina and Fred pull themselves up the stairs. The top looked nearer now, and the light was receding. Iris was weary and irritated as she climbed the last stairs.

'I hope all these troubles' worth our time', Iris grumbled as she stomped the last steps. By now, no sound came from the bottom floors. 'This is all your fault; we could have just... Wow'.

Carl who had been waiting to support the panting Fred and the weak Regina looked up. Whatever Iris had seen at the top of the building must really be something great. He ran up the stairs to meet her. If there was light at the top of the stairs, he would have seen her face, but he didn't. Even when he got to the top and saw the darkness, and glanced at her face, the only thing he could see was the darkness that had been gathering round them in the stair.

'Oh no', he exclaimed.

'You got something?' Fred said, bouncing up the stairs with Regina breezing past him with the same agility she had at the beginning of their first meeting. They pushed into Iris, who could only moan in frustration because in front of them wasn't a grand building. It was an empty cave. There was no exit at the other end. And if there was any, they couldn't see it because the place was dark.

'You led us down here', Iris shouted at him.

'You mean up here', Regina corrected.

'Whatever... He should have let us pick one of the ground floors. Why did I follow you people initially?'

Carl could only swallow as he tried to grasp why Sonia had sent them up there when she knew there was nothing up there for them.

'Oh, your precious Sonia', Carl said as he shifted back till his back touched a wall.

'She tried to help us. I might be angry at her, but she tried to help you', Fred replied.

'Don't tell me anything... I should have trusted my-'

'Yourself?' Iris said. 'Yourself? Your what? Your senses that never worked since we got here'.

The rest flopped to the ground. Iris kept rambling and he was very sure he would soon give in to his emotion, to reply her in the rudest of way if she didn't zip her mouth. Regina was too weak to even reply any of them. He glanced into the darkness and the only that came back to his memory was how he was in the train that brought them. If this darkness was like that one, then there was surely a light at the darkness, but he just couldn't see how this one would come.

'Does that mean we're going down again?' Iris asked disdainfully.

'Where else?' Fred asked.

'We are returning down there... To the bottom, around the fourteenth floor', Regina said.

'Perfect!' Iris bellowed and flopped back noisily into the wall.

'About 14 floors from here?' Exclaimed Fred. 'We're so foolish. But Regina, why do you think so?'

'Didn't you notice that those places were locked with a big note saying "LOCKED"?'

Carl traced the wall into the darkness. If they would keep reminding him of how he was stupid to have followed Sonia's plan, he could agree with them through and through. He walked on counting his steps per time. Very soon he would find a place comfortably out of their earshot. Yet, he must take his steps carefully. Even if there wasn't light there, even if he wasn't sure he wouldn't fall into another ditch, he preferred to be away from their rants and ramble.

Suddenly, he stepped into what looked like a light. The light was dim like a shadow of a real light. It didn't reflect like every other lights are known for. His first step was in a place with light. He wanted to call the others, but it was better to discover it very well for himself than for him to give them a false hope again. He peeped and saw the light. The place was illuminated by the various lights he saw when they first got there. The place was like a minimart. It contained a lot of gadgets. He entered the light fully. The light didn't reflect on him as if the light wasn't made to reflect. To the right were rooms. Ten rooms in all. Immediately he entered, his name appeared at the second one. And on the first door, the word 'entrance/exit appeared

The other end of the hall had a small store that contained different things- Cloth, videos, music. Two doors appeared at the other end and on them appeared the words- Toilets. He smiled.

'Guys...' He yelled and turned, but he had to stop talking the moment he turned. Standing right in front of him was a glass blockage. The funniest part of it was that he could see the three of them sitting firmly, and on the top of the glass was a timer which read:

Timer: 5.54. 42

Duration: 1/4

'When you enter through the stairs door, you can't go back the same way', a computer voice said.

He rushed to the glass and hit it repeatedly, but all he could see was Iris' mouth rambling, and Fred dejectedly hitting his head on the wall, while Regina laid her head on Fred's shoulder.

'Open this thing', he shouted.

'No exit or entry after initial entry'.
**10** _Door_

Richard hurried the woman through the forest. They couldn't switch on any light since the men were still onto them. The woman looked about and mumbled incoherent things. The drones flew erratically overhead

Richard wished there was enough time to check out what was happening. He wished he could have a little time with the men in the forest, to disfigure them with the bullets from his gun. It would have been a great thing to have a shootout, something to increase the heat in his body. Tina glanced back at him, and if it were to be daytime, he would have seen her look of 'you owe me'. He owed her in many ways, but she had always refused his offer to help. The only thing she wanted from him was to lose his celibacy.

'You see. This is my last favour', Tina pressed the key as they climbed into an underground tunnel. That was why they always chose the forest as their means of escape.

'I don't how I will repay you. You've never needed a favour from me'.

'Why will I need one?'

'You're proud. Tell me what you like. I'm not forgetting any of them'.

'You know what I want and would always want. You're only trying to be difficult'.

She dropped into the driver's seat and he sat beside her. The woman scrambled into the back seat.

'There's going to be a lot of shooting...' Richard said as he checked for his night vision glasses.

'So you have to drop your head if you want to live', Tina said.

'Yes. Lie flat. Ma'am. It's for your safety'.

'I'm not Ma'am, I'm....'

'It's your own. If you like, sit still while the gunshots begin', Tina said with clenched teeth as she released the brake of the car, and allowed it to slide away without starting the car. The car as if tuning to their fear, didn't make any sound. Richard kept glancing back. He was happy he wasn't looking at the woman's face. She might have called him a pervert again. What was the feeling he had the other time? He felt it jolt through him.

'Get set for the bullets', Tina grumbled as the car began to go down a sloppy road. Richard looked into the sky and saw red lights from the drones in numerous numbers. Faint sounds of helicopters geared him up. And he hoped he could see them so as to know his focus.

The moment the car started skidding to a halt, Tina started the engine. Immediately, a helicopter beamed its light on their Sedan. She cringed, inhaled and played rock music. In a few seconds, gunshots rained from different corners towards them.

'I'm so happy you brought this sedan', Richard yelled as he retrieved the guns they hid in different strategic places in the car.

She smirked, and shouted, 'I, always, am ready.'

He nodded. They were always ready. He cocked his gun, ready to shoot.

'Not now'.

He nodded as he spied the woman lying on the ground. The rock music blasted in the car and the car moved at its highest speed, the way she loved it.

'There', Richard pointed at a hole. She pressed a button on the car. The car suddenly began to dance on a rough road, yet Tina didn't reduce the speed with which she drove the car.

'Stop! Slow down', the woman screamed from where she laid. Richard knew the intensity with which Tina could drive when allowed. She loved the action and lived on it.

'The sub...' she hinted. Richard nodded repeatedly, knowing what to expect.

'Hold tight, Ma'am', Richard turned as the flood of cars' light gradually turned to their direction.

'Your mama is a Ma'am', the woman shrieked from the back of the car.

She plunged the car into the sub. The subway had various tunnel points. As a Blanj Investigator, the first thing one learnt was the destination of each tunnel in their various localities. Tina swung the car towards the third turning, and then sped off into the dark hole.

'You can sit up here', Richard said to the woman whose legs were vigorously shaking.

They kept turning corners until they got to the door to the secret workplace the two of them had always prepared for any war. They've been preparing to start their own P.I company, and have started getting recruits. All they needed was an opportunity like this.

When they got there, Tina brought out a remote control, pointed it at the wall, and the wall slid up. She believed they shouldn't allow their door come from the top. With that, it would be hard for anyone to enter and escape from the place. They were yet to give it a name. However, even if they were to give it a name, Tina would be given such job because she was good at those kind of things. They drove in.

'Sweetie, I'm home', Tina said the moment they got out of the car. The place suddenly came to life with lights and computers. The computers slid out of the floor. Soon, the place had a big frame computer slide out at the center of the big communication room. Different robots hummed about as they began to wipe the dust off the computers, and other gadgets in the room. 'Madam, sit down', Richard said, and the woman did after grumbling about being called Madam.

'What's your name?' Tina said as she began to pull off her shirts.

The woman still rattled, sat up. She was surprised that Tina would pull off her cloth in their midst. Richard smirked as he shook his head at Tina.

'What's your name?'

'It's Katrina'.

'Katrina what?'

'Katrina Rich '.

Richard stood straight, and said, 'Sweetie, search for her info'.

Tina removed her pants and hobbled towards one of the computer. 'Oh, my baby', she said caressing the computer.

Richard turned to the large-screened computer as it began to process the information. 'So, who are you?'

The information on the screen read that she was a Nigerian, who changed location to America, the capital of the world, and only just returned to Nigeria, three weeks before.

'It's a long story', Katrina said.

'Then, start from the valuable places'.

'What do you mean? See, I don't have time'.

Richard knew Tina, she could make even the boldest person in the world have a little doubt about his confidence. 'Thin, leave her and stop that... all this...Get out'.

'Stop what? You said you are a celibate. So, there's no need to be afraid of my clothes being pulled off'.

'At least, respect the gentle woman'.

Tina burst into laughter. 'This woman, gentle? Can't you see her profile? She had been running all this while. And did you check the last place she worked? She is a qualified whore'.

Richard swallowed hard and buckled his lips as he looked from the screen to the woman seated there. He raised his head. 'Then accord my belief some respect'.

Tina sneered. 'Nah. This is your life. You're my friend. I want the best for you'.

The woman stared at them as if they were playing table tennis. Her head moved from side to side in a bid to follow their conversation.

'So, tell me, what do they have on you?' Tina said as she walked back to one of the chairs and pulled off her underwear. Richard turned. Tina was rigged with stubbornness.

'I knew that something had happened to my boyfriend. Oh God! He planned to marry me'. She sniffled and began to cry.

'See this won't help. Tell us something. Sweetie...Give me fresh clothes'.

Tina dropped her clothes on a plank, which immediately moved her clothes away. From another end of the place, a robot rolled a mini wardrobe towards them. She got a bum short, and hurriedly wore it.

'He's the second son of the world leader'.

'So...'

'He has some information on them'.

'Information', Tina said and caressed the word with her pronunciation. She was the side of him that never talked. He loved information. She sat close as she wore her clothes seated across the woman.

'The thing is... I'm not sure I heard well but in his drunken state he told me about the top leader being in charge of some drastic information'.

'Where is it?'

'I can't tell you'.

'Why?'

'I can't tell anyone until he's dead. That's what he made me promise'.

Tina looked morose. 'So, what are we sitting for? Go back to the place you're coming from'.

She rose and grabbed the woman by the neck, and dragged her towards the door. The woman fought vehemently, but it was of no use to the firm grip of Tina.

'Tina...'

'Don't you dare come nearer, don't you dare'.

'Hold on. Let her say how she knew'.

Tina released her grip. Katrina buckled up and panted for breath. Richard had always wondered how someone as tiny as Tina would have the power to rattle people bigger than she.

'He's alive. But not on this earth'.

Tina blinked repeated and threw a glance that made him know if he didn't intervene in time, Katrina would be shown the door.

'What's she saying?'

'I have...' She dipped her hands into her bra and removed a very small gadget. 'This. He gave me to always know if he was alive'.

The object was small but kept reading like an Electrocardiograph machine. Tina snatched it.

'Was that why you were being chased?'

The woman shook her head. The fear in her eyes showed she would do anything to remain safe.

'When he disappeared, I told my friend to help me search for him. He's good with such things like you people. But he died mysteriously. And anybody I asked also went missing. So I decided to do some research myself. That was when I followed them to something like a big ship. They had a lot of children in it. Then one of them saw me and wrote my death sentence'.

Tina and Richard glanced at one another.

'What's that supposed to mean?'

'It means that they are after me for knowing'.

Tina shared a glance with Richard, and said, 'I think we are after you now. Seat your prostitute-self into your seat'.

He brought his pad, and saw that Joyce had activated the tracker. Hurriedly, he sent it to their computer analysts, who were eager to help him because helping Richard was like helping the leader of Blanj.

When he was done with them, he turned to the woman, and dragged a seat nearer to her.

***

Carl slept off while watching them.

'Incoming...' The boisterous voice of the computer warned.

Carl jumped from his sleep and looked about.

'Where is Carl?' Iris said.

She felt her way on the wall. He still wondered how he could see them but they couldn't see the light from the other end. The regular idea of things was that people in the dark would see those in the light, not vice versa. If there was any answer to his surprise and everything he ever wondered about, he didn't have time to answer before Iris entered and shrieked delightedly. He smiled as he rose to meet her, making sure he replaced the cork of the bottle of apple juice he was drinking and firmly placed it on the ground.

'Carl? Can you see this?' She said and looked about, still awed. Then she caught sight of the can of drink and the wraps of chocolate. If she was awed before, she was now bemused. Blinking repeatedly, she moved back. 'So you knew?'

'Knew what?'

'You were here since yesterday and doing what? Revering in the fact that you were right after all'.

'I wasn't revering in anything. I was...'

'I should have guessed you're this type of person. I was even searching for you, afraid that something bad might have happened. You're not trustworthy. Not one bit'.

Suddenly, an alarm blared and she turned towards the other side. All the information on the screen was still intact. Only a new one had been added to it: _Peacelearners, five minutes to get to the rendezvous point._

'This thing is lying right? Iris said as she ran into a wall of glass, and groaned. Carl inhaled loudly and rushed to her side.

'Sorry'.

She brushed his hand off and returned to the glass, searching everywhere for the way out. 'That's why you never came back for us. How do we leave here?'

'The elevator'.

She nodded and stared at the Fred and Regina. The two of them woke one after the other, and searched around for Carl and Iris. Fred pulled her towards the stairs, but she adamantly refused to go as she tried to find her way around the darkness. Iris rolled her hand continuously, urging them on. Fred kept trying to find her hands to draw her away, but he kept hitting the air.

'Iris, we should go'.

'As you always do, leaving everyone behind'.

'But the time...'

'Will be there forever'.

Regina was slow, but she stepped in just as Fred held her hand. She pulled him, but his strength was more than hers and he succeeded in pulling her back into the darkness. However, she slipped out of his hands, and returned to trying to put her leg forward. Carl rushed to it and held it, using the glass as a support. She screamed and tried to pull away, but he dragged it. Iris, guessing what he was doing, assisted him in pulling her. She shrieked and held on to Fred, who saw that as a confirmation of his fear. He pulled her with all his strength. But Carl had the advantage of the glass. They dragged her into the hall, and Fred ram into them, shouting his head off. He yelled and stopped midway. He glanced at them, then at the place and smiled, and then laughed and laughed harder.

'You guys fooled us'.

'Alright, let's get going. No time now'.

'How did this place sneak up on us without knowing', Regina asked as she pushed into Carl in the elevator.

'I'll explain to you on the way', Iris said.

The countdown timer was also in the elevator. They had just one minute and thirty seconds to get there.

'We are so screwed', Iris muttered. 'We would enter that hole'.

They looked around in the elevator to discover it had no button. Carl wasn't sure he could disagree with Iris' fear. They even went to the length of lifting their legs to assure themselves that the buttons weren't under their feet.

'How do we go down now?' Regina asked.

'The voice... Computer go down', Fred said.

Immediately, the elevator bus moved down. On the way, Regina who had gotten the scope of what happened took turns with Fred to explain their theory that everything in Etyes was voice automated. Carl hoped it was true because it would be very crazy to run into an obstruction and it refuse to move when he told it to do so.

The moment the elevator opened, they rushed out to join others running.

'Remember the ground', Iris shouted.

Carl looked down just in time to avoid what looked like a trap. Yet, he was luckier than a young guy who fell through, screaming his head off. They ran on towards a big screen that read:

'Peacelearners rendezvous here in 00:57'.

The more they ran the more they met traps. It took Iris' sharp, trained eyes to know the right place to step. The time was fizzling out and the numbers kept reducing. Iris cried out her instructions to them, making other Peacelearners notice and start following them. When they got to the front, they met Diana standing like a statue at the end of the podium.

'How come we are meeting Diana today?' Carl complained amidst his heavy pants.

'Your girlfriend?' Iris whispered.

'Argh! The others said there were other instructors'.

'I was part of the others. And yes, she was one of the instructors'.

They turned in time to see a big glass move from the ground skywards. Jonathan Zane was also late. He jumped on the elevating glass wall amidst the surprising look and squeal of the others. He struggled on the glass despite the fact that his leg kept slipping off. The others outside saw it as a good idea, but before they could give it a try, the ground had opened. The noise of their screams filtered to the other side. Regina held Carl's hand, and he sighed. Jonathan held on to the top and squealed, provoking laughter from some Peacelearners. The glass gradually slid down until he was able to jump into their side of the ground. He rolled off and laid on his back, panting. He was a fighter. That was someone Carl would really love to help out of that place. There was something about him that was worth emulating or using.

'Orderliness, everyone. Computer, Orderliness'.

Immediately, a part of the ground around opened and an iron bar rose from the ground. The iron bar was connected with an iron chain and to another iron bar in front. They both began to straighten as the iron stands also did the same. He looked around to see that five of these same links were at different places.

'Now, everybody be in line', Diana said into the public address system.

They hurriedly did that. This time, everyone was careful not to fall into the error of falling victim of the open ground. The others lined up around and behind him.

'How come we got here before the others?' Regina asked.

'Yes. We were at the top floor ', Fred said.

Carl looked up to see the source of the light of that place. If the sun was there, it would give a little direction of where they were. But the light up there wasn't the sun.

'Handlers', Diana called. The handlers stood straight on the front row. Sonia looked on with a straight face that if he didn't hate her, he would have looked for a way to catch her attention. 'Those, whose apprentice had been taken to the punishment room, should go to the dark chamber and wait till their apprentice comes. You know how to survive there'.

Some of the handlers checked their wristwatches, and stepped out. With a derisive face, and a mocking smile, Diana waved as they filed out towards a road. Carl stared at them.

'Peacelearners, look for your Handler. They would lead you to the next phase'.

Carl marched towards the podium and headed for Sonia.
**11** Activating the Key

The moment the alarm rang, Joyce, like everyone in that rickety house, jumped out of her bed. Normally such noise would have meant nothing to her, but having gone through yesterday's ordeal, she knew jumping out of the bed was the wisest thing to do. And true to her imagination, she saw a timer counting down and knew that without further ado that she had to race her way to the venue. Alongside the others, the smelly ones, the lanky ones, the grumpy ones, the fat ones, she ran towards the rendezvous point. Running, for her, wasn't always a problem, but she was too unfortunate the last time to be engrossed in trying to put the details of the place to mind that she didn't see the countdown until it was too late.

The instructions given to her by her handler, whose falling still hurt her, lingered in her mind. The craziest part of this place was her not telling anyone how she got out. She was supposed to have at least a soul she could share the effect the punishment room had on her, and she had to tell anyone who cared how to get away from the place. She didn't even see the other girl that jumped out of the place.

As she watched others slide into the punishment room, she wondered if it would be spacious enough to take everyone that must have fallen into it. The place was built in such a way that anyone who fell into it would surely survive. A lady with blond hair dished out instructions. From the mutterings of people around, she got that her name was Diana.

After Diana told others to meet their handlers, Joyce looked about because she was without a handler. The only place her eyes could rest on was Diana's robot-like face. They both quizzically stared at one another. She could bet all her properties that Diana was a heartless killer. She remained transfixed and was sure that any bad encounter with Diana would have her wetting her pants. Hurriedly, she pulled her eyes away from the Diana.

Then, she caught sight of someone that looked like a lady in their school. The lady was a class above her and Carl. She was always fond of teasing Carl, which Joyce brushed aside as one of those things that were common around Carl. She never cared to note her name because Carl always had a way of making sure his emotions weren't betrayed. Well, except when she was teasing him, she was the only one that had learnt to really crack him up.

Although she didn't trust this lady, she knew the lady had a connection with her being at Etyes. And if the P.I was right, she should expect to see Carl there.

Just then, she saw Carl in front of her. She beamed delightedly and fondled the place the man had inserted the transmitter.

'Someone joined us yesterday, but lost her handler immediately she gained entry into Etyes. So, she needs a new handler', Diana said with a queer excitement that sent cold into Joyce's spine.

The handlers looked up at her. Joyce could swear she saw excitement in their faces.

A hand flung into the air, and Diana, with a straight face, stiffly turned to the owner of hand. 'Yes...?'

'I choose her', the lady from her school pointed at Joyce.

'Erm...' Diana glanced at a notepad. 'Joyce, you have been chosen by the young Sonia'.

She walked towards Sonia and grinned. It doesn't matter what they were to do there, she could survive anything when she was beside Carl. He would do everything to make her stay in line with her. They were in love.

Sonia led them away towards a fenced building. The gate of the building was small, one had to crawl through it. Over this small gate was written 'Peacelearners' Training Ground'. Joyce squeezed Carl's hand as they walked off into whatever was waiting for them. He smiled and closed his eyes.

Everyone walked briskly towards their training ground. Many of the other handlers crawled through the gate, but with such skillfulness that intrigued others. However, Sonia, slid through in such a way that Joyce wondered if she had been training to use that door every day of her life.

When they entered the building, Joyce's mouth opened in such surprise that she had never seen before. Most fields she had seen were usually big, but not so big that one wouldn't see the end. This one was just like that. When they got to the field, they stopped at the edge of the lawn. Lines ran from that edge to the middle of the field and disappeared. She looked up at Carl's face, and saw a look of disgust in it. He was probably planning to escape from that place.

'Your task is simple', the lady from their school said, 'you will run to and fro twenty times'.

'Twenty?' She asked and glanced at Carl, who seemed angry for no reason.

'Start already', the lady said as she pressed a green button that bulged from a silver stand. There were several of these silver stands at every place a handler could be seen. A chair emerged from the ground. The lady sat in it and pressed another button on the arm of the chair.

A board shot out of the arm of the chair. The lady rapidly tapped some things on the board. A sort of line mapped out racing lines for them and they stepped into it.

'Shoo. Run already'.

With a chiming tone following their race, they continued running.

'What's that girl name?' Joyce asked amidst her pant as they went down the road.

'Sonia'.

'Her demise is so near', she said.

'Like Matthias'.

'Like Matthias. I was never arrested'.

They kept running. Funnily, the road kept going and made her wonder if she would ever get to the end. When they looked back and saw that she wasn't in view, Carl dragged her to himself and kissed her in such a way that showed his relief at seeing her. She smiled.

'Why are you not running?' Sonia's voice boomed so near.

They turned to see a screen near them, Sonia's face in the screen, and a scowl on her ravishing face. If Joyce wasn't also beautiful, she would have felt inferior to her.

'Run off, Lover birds'.

***

Diana sent Joyce the ping after confirming that her own room was secured. It wasn't her shift, so she returned to her quarters. Like she always did, as soon as she entered her room, she ensured she did a clean sweep of the room. She switched off the light, closed all the window, plunging the room into darkness. Then, she brought out her pinhole camera, switched it on, and used it to scan her room until it caught a red light.

That was it. She smirked and went to the spot, switching on a small torchlight. She was delighted as she wondered why the authorities of Etyes would never learn their lessons. Her superior had always wanted to pry into her private life to no avail. She withdrew her pocket knife and removed the camera.

Then, she brought out her own RF signal detector, which she had rigged with a spectrum analyzer. She made sure it had the same size as that of a phone. She switched it on, and swept the room until a siren type of noise made her stop. She removed the bug they must have placed in the room to listen to her and crushed it. She continued sweeping for bugs and cameras until she was sure that everything was okay. The time she had wasted was enough to have a lot of rest. Her father was right: she shouldn't be rash.

At the thought of her father, she drooled off as she wondered where he was. Etyes' authority didn't give her the chance to communicate with the outside world. Even when she was still the best among her peers, and was surely better than any of the superiors, they still restricted her movement to Etyes, making it her twelfth year there. If she got to the top of the chain, she would be able to transport more of her people into this world. But for now, only those at the top of the chain could go through that door without being given a dose of the sleeping insulators. She pinged her father again but he didn't reply.

Her latest invention had given her the access to put herself within the message board of anybody she wanted. She entered her code, and hacked into Sonia's board.

'Sonia, plug in your earpiece'.

Sonia smirked as she plugged her earpiece. She pressed a button and a cone covered the chair.

'What are you doing here?' Sonia asked

'I need to know the progress of my three...'

Sonia glanced at the screen.

'She just got to her 9th lap and he is about to start his 9th', Sonia said.

'That's good! She would be done with her first half for today'.

Sonia gave her a curt look. 'And you seriously believe she would do just 10 laps? Was that how I became your baby...?'

Diana rolled her head. 'I've spoilt you. My dad said he would send something through her to me'.

'And how are you sure she's with it?'

'That's what I need to know'.

Sonia stared at her.

'Could she have misplaced it?'

Sonia still stared at her, and Diana laughed as she realized why Sonia was staring at her.

'Of course, I know they would be stripped off every possession. I need you to make her do something. This information is crucial to my group'.

Sonia stared at the time. 'How about if I send her to you?'

'No. They are monitoring her progress...'

'Okay... Parades are coming', Sonia said and smirked and shook her head. 'You see what you've done'.

'Be careful'.

Diana's image popped off. Sonia can take care of herself. If Sonia agreed to join the rebel, things will make sense and go smoothly, if not exceedingly fast. That was why her aim was to make Carl and Joyce her new recruit. They were worthy of being given that role and she would train them until the only thing they know how to do was being excellent in fulfilling her wish and that of the Grousters.

Slowly, she crawled into bed. She needed sleep, lot of it, but her latest passion had consumed her that she could go without sleep for three days.

Diana traced the edge of the bed until she found a cracked wood. She pressed it and a button popped out. Firmly holding the bed, she pressed the button, and the bed began to disintegrate. Hurriedly, she slipped a pair of goggles from under her bed and clamped it on her face as the bed gently slid downwards. The spring holding the bed dragged it from under her, and left her lying on an iron plain-board. She cringed and gritted as the bed gradually returned to its original position, above her, leaving to lay on the iron board.

Suddenly, the ventilator began to hurry in its duty, silently providing air for her. As soon as the bed closed up over her, the wall in front of her opened and the board she laid on sprang through the hole. She would have yelled, but knew how stupid it would be. The road was sloppy. It took her a lot of time to carve it out. She held on to as it kept moving as if it would do so forever. The air changed from being fresh to being choky, then to being foul.

After what seemed like forever, the plain dropped her into the Punishment room, and disintegrated into a rail. She pressed the side of the goggles and changed its view to night vision to have it reveal a lot of weak, dirty, hungry people. She had so much learnt how to do this thing without fear and that made her smile.

Suddenly, someone dropped to the floor, convulsing. The most unfortunate part of being in the punishment room was that there wasn't always enough food. They got their ration once a day. She still always tried to know the rationale behind the leaders keeping them in such place instead of killing them off. The person shook for some seconds and became still.

Since others around him couldn't see him, they could only muddle into themselves and whimper. She still wondered why the creator of Etyes made such an abysmal place. The stench down there was enough to kill them. How they even survived such horrible stench still baffled her.

She knew the protocol. They were always aware of such death as this, and it would be very good to watch them now. She had always wanted to be on the team involved in the pickup of dead bodies, but her boss wouldn't hear a word of it, always denying her of the chance to be a part of the team, when, according to him, she had a bigger role to play at the top.

She removed her goggles and removed the rubber that held her blond hair. They would recognize her anywhere. She scattered her blond hair over her face and waited to be sure they weren't seeing her. She had moved away from them as far as she could, but there was no way she could help what happened next.

Someone screamed. 'What's that?'

'What's that?' Another person shouted.

She put on the goggles and saw one of the men struggling with the foot of a soldier. He tried hard to make his struggle look as if he wasn't there. But he failed at it, raising the curiosity of the others. The struggle went on for a while. As much as she would have loved to be at the top of the game, to help them, but she maintained her position.

Not long after, the soldier smacked the man's head with something, making him crumple to the ground, wailing as he held his head. She wondered what would happen now that people knew something was up there.

When she was sure they were gone, she tied her hair into a knot and hoped to never have a reason to untie it again. She muttered, 'those mediocre'.

She would have to start oiling the hair to make it shine the best way only she could. After what seemed like forever, she got to the edge of the mountain-like place, and saw the one she came to look for. 'Okay, I'm here again'.

He jumped a bit and looked about as if he was a blind man.

'What do you want?' The man said after a bit of silence.

'You know what I want. Our men are having an operation and it's to kill your harlot cum girlfriend'.

'Don't call her that'.

'So, tell me what I need to know'.

'You've not said anything reasonable'.

She gritted. If she got the chance, she would have slapped him repeatedly. 'Tell me, what do we not know?'

'I can't tell you anything than for you to look for my mistress. Tell her to take you to my bar'.

'Okay, but is there any other way out of this place?', she asked.

He shook his head dejectedly. 'The only way is through the train and nobody have learnt to cross over my game'.

She sighed and rose. He held her with a shaky hand. 'Please, how's she?'

'She's fine'.

'Progress...'

'She's really good, and she is being trained by one of the best, if not the overall best'.

Diana rose and carefully moved to her departure ground. The big question on her mind was how she would get information to the outside world, wherever that was.
**12** _Selfishness or Safety?_

Carl sat still as he watched the big tower the Peacelearners referred to as their home. If he tried to compare it to any of the buildings he had seen in that place, there was no way he would successfully compare it. The building on its own looked like a bone that was buried for years and was only excavated because they needed a place to stay. Compared to the numerous beautiful houses in the place, the house was shambles. Its body crawled with cracks that would make anyone aware that it would crumble anytime soon.

'He would come', Joyce said, pulling him out of his fear. They were both seated on a crooked stone bench that was placed outside their new home. She informed him that she had finally become a P.I without training. Her mission there was to discover where they were. She also told him how she handled the situation they were supposed to solve together.

He wouldn't agree that Etyes was their new home. It seemed almost everyone in that place wanted to leave the unknown place, but many of them couldn't dare try to leave after witnessing all they had seen. He wouldn't want to be irrational in trying to escape. It had to take a lot of time and planning. He had to team up with his people to make the best plan. Joyce was one person he didn't think he needed until he saw her. The others were good with a different aspect of life, except of course, Iris, whom he wasn't sure could do anything.

Carl looked about him to be sure they were alone. 'So, what if something happens to him?'

She shrugged, 'then we will find a way out of this hole'.

Carl looked about him skeptically. He didn't believe in anyone being the hero for him. Nothing worked best than clawing his way out of that place.

'Have we been told why they brought us here?'

He shook his head.

'Then, we are so screwed'.

'Let's go up. I think they've all gone before us, you just have to be careful around Regina because she can make you mad at the slightest thing'.

They had been waiting for the others. But it occurred to him that by the time they finished running, the others were gone.

'Maybe', Joyce said as she rose from the bench to follow him. She glanced at the field one more time 'Is that...Is that not Freddy?'

Carl turned. Fred was trudging his way towards them.

'Freddy', Joyce cried and ran to hug him. He expressed a short form of excitement, then receded to his weary gloomy countenance.

'Freddy! Oh God I never knew you were brought here'.

'Yes, I was and I'm so dying to leave here', he said amidst his heavy pants.

'What happened to you?' Joyce asked him as she cushioned his back with her hand.

'I ran 20 laps... I ran 20 long laps'.

Carl nodded. 'So did we'.

Fred gave him a curt look. 'Sonia caused it. Remember my handler said I should imitate her instructions? He noticed that you were given 20 laps instead of the original 10'.

Carl nodded. 'So he made you...'

'Do 20. He wants to kill me. I thought I liked him, but now I'm adding him to my blacklist'.

'You mean we were supposed to do 10 laps'.

'Sorry. But right now, I'm really starving and wouldn't mind eating you', Joyce said dejectedly.

Fred walked away. 'See, I'm tired. I never booked for this. I love this place. But we need to find a way to leave this place'.

Carl looked about as they moved towards the door. 'Someone is coming to help us out of this place'.

'How?'

'J, she has...'

'I have a tracker...'

'Wow. Who did it?'

'Blanj'.

'Oh wow. Blanj. Those guys are good. They use some of the craziest sophisticated gadgets in the world'.

Regina popped out of the front door, laughing hard. Carl and Fred wanted to join her in laughing, but Fred looked confused while Carl held his calm. Joyce stared at her as if she was another buzzing bee that must be swatted with a hand fan.

'Guys, you won't believe...' Regina said as she wrapped her hands around Carl's and Fred's neck.

'What's happened'? Fred asked as he seemed to have regained his strength at the sight of her.

'When some guys saw me coming out of the elevator, they tried to enter, but they couldn't enter'.

'Carl, what's this?' Joyce said as she flung Regina's hand away from Carl's neck and pouted.

Regina sprung from where she was, and pushed her way from in-between the boys to face Joyce as if her legs were on fire. 'What's that? Are you crazy?'

Joyce gave her a tough look and edged towards her. The tight uniform made her plump body look massive. 'What will you do? How dare you touch my boyfriend?'

Regina stared at Joyce as if she was a mad woman that had just escaped from the asylum. She shook her head. 'You are crazy. We are all new here. Hello. He's no one's boyfriend. Is it because he is handsome? He has a girlfriend outside this place'.

Carl stepped into their midst. 'Typewriter...'

'No. Baby boy, let me talk some sense into her head. Is this not the new girl that got here this morning? How will she claim you're her boyfriend? Are you nuts? How will you claim he is your boyfriend?'

Joyce glare melted into amusement. She burst into laughter and glanced at Fred. As if her look was contaminable, the others, except Regina, also burst into laughter.

'What's funny?' Regina spun from one side to another. 'Oh! It's a prank'.

Carl laughed. 'No. No. She's my girlfriend'.

Regina stared at Fred who nodded repeatedly. Regina seemed mystified. 'Oh'.

Carl gave Joyce his look that showed that she had overreacted again. She pouted.

'What? I thought she wanted to be with you'. She stared at the sky for a while and finally stared at Regina. 'I'm sorry. I overreacted'.

'Oh! I know people like you. Research has helped me discover that these people tend to lose their love or spouse more'.

Joyce rolled her eyes and dragged Carl away, he calmly pulled her back.

'That means she won't be able to bring her to the top', Carl said and heaved a sigh.

'Bring her to the top? Why are we bringing her? She is coming to stay with us or won't you stay with us?' Regina asked, facing Joyce.

'Of course, I will stay'.

Carl stared at the two ladies. 'Of course. That's not what?'

'Just say you don't want me to come'.

'But I meant that...'

Regina plugged her hands, and pulled her towards the building. 'Whatever! She's coming with us'.

'That's not possible' Carl shouted after them.

Regina waved her hand and pulled Joyce away. Carl stared at Fred who looked puzzled.

'Why will you say that?' Fred stared at him as he trudged towards the door.

'You too?' Carl said and increased his speed. The doorway was filled with people that gathered round.

'Make way', he repeatedly said as he pushed his way through the crowd.

'Leave the way' someone screamed with a pitched voice.

Carl found his way to the front. Different people ran into the elevator. Immediately they entered, it scanned their body, and spat them out again. Many people tried frantically but were always thrown away.

'Get away...' Carl shouted as he began to pull people away from the elevator. 'Get back'.

Yet, they weren't relenting.

'I'm sorry. Listen... Eh, you...Get back', Carl stood in front of the elevator. 'This elevator has the information of those that first saw that top room. That got there first'.

Suddenly, the elevator closed and the wall became just like the regular wall in the broken building. Someone saw this and pushed Carl away from the way. Carl yelled as he spun to hit the person, but he had to jump out of the way as the person ran onward and shouted, 'it will be there'.

The person jumped into the wall, crashed into, fell back, and cried out. Normally, people should be laughing at him but they were desperate and wanted to get to the top along with them. He didn't understand the hunger that made them wish to follow them.

Suddenly, the elevator's door appeared again but this time with a new door standing as the middleman between the frantic people and the elevator. People rushed towards it and they disappeared. After a while, they would be seen rushing from outside the building.

Fred also tried it, and didn't rush back into the building like the others. If Carl had hoped that the people would believe him after Fred didn't return, he was wrong. They decided to trust in their inner self. Many of them believed the elevator was truly for some set of people, and they were also part of those chosen.

Regina pulled Joyce into the elevator, and then it closed on them. Carl waited for the result. Joyce came from outside looking dazed like the other.

'It led me outside'.

'I don't know what to do?'

'It means I won't be with you'.

'I can come to stay with you. That means we would be visiting them regularly'.

She blinked repeatedly. 'I want to be with you too, but what about the others?'

'They can survive it'.

'But can you?'

Carl stared about and held her head. 'I want this. I will be with you.'

She blinked back tears. 'I love you'.

'I do too. I love you like no other'.

'Let me get a few things from the top'.

His hand slipped off as he moved towards the elevator. 'I'll be back'.

She nodded as he watched him hurry into the elevator. Others tried to join him as he forced his way to the front. The desperate ones were pulling at his cloth, and he was so lucky that the Uniform was of a good material. If not, it would have been torn by the force with which the crowd pulled it. The desperate ones jumped through the door, but they never got the chance to enter the elevator because the door had its way of separating the stones from the grain. Seeing a good chance, he jumped through the door, and made someone grunt. However, he didn't have to press the button before it opened.

'Carl. Carl. The time...' Fred shouted, but couldn't complete his sentence before Regina covered his mouth and whispered something into his hear. Fred opened his eyes in realization.

'What's that?' Carl shouted. The crowd was dwindling already, but they still had their way of overcrowding the place.

'Outside...' She dragged Fred away. Carl glanced at Joyce and she followed him. The sky was becoming brighter. Someone followed them, but after Regina yelled at the person, he returned inside.

'The time is reading again.'

'We should tell people...' Fred said.

'No. Our place would be overcrowded', Regina countered.

'What Time?'

'What are they talking about', Joyce asked glancing first at Carl then at Regina and Fred.

'I don't know too. What time Freddy?'

'The time that was counting when we first got there. I think...'

'We think it means Joyce can still make it'.

'Seriously?'

Regina nodded. Joyce looked at them curiously.

'That looks good? What's this time all about?'

'I'll explain later'.

'But I'm having the same belief with Regina. I don't think she can make it', Fred muttered.

'Why is that?'

'The time... It's just 16 minutes, 30 seconds.'

'Are you kidding me? What are we waiting for?' Carl shouted and pulled Joyce.

'Carl you can't make it', Regina shouted. 'It took us 30 minutes to get to the top the other day'.

'Then we had better run'.

'Carl, wait', Regina shouted. She threw something that looked like a wristwatch at him and winked.

'What's this? Where did you get this...?' Carl shouted and turned, pulling Joyce away.

'It's a stop-watch', she shouted. 'I got it at the top'.

Carl ran off and Joyce was at his heel. Some people on the ground stared at them for some seconds then turned towards the elevator as if it was a force that kept calling them deeper.

'Carl, how far up is it?'

'Very far'.

'Then, we are so screwed.'

'Like, seriously'.

They ran up and the only thing Carl could think about was the way things would be if she really got the opportunity to stay with him: the untamed fun they would explore together after pushing the others out of their privacy. Dusts from the cracking house kept pouring down, and he wished it would crumble while they still had their abode there.

'Carl, calm down', Joyce said after a while. Carl glanced back and stopped.

'Okay, let's count one to fifty'.

'This reminds me of the ropes', Joyce said amidst her heavy pants, smiled, and looked away as she strengthened herself with the wall.

Carl stared at her for a while. 'The ropes... I don't get...'

'The Janitor's closet'.

'Oh! I'll still find my revenge. I will...'

She burst into laughter, and used her free hands to hold her stomach. 'This was the same way I ran that day: I was so excited that I finally overcame you'.

'No one gets rid of me. I'm like that'.

'Yes. You're a Jackhammer, always determined', she said, winking.

He glanced at his stopwatch: 6 minutes 14 seconds. The problem was that he didn't even know how many floors they had climbed. 'We've got to', he nodded towards the top.

As they ran upwards, he remembered how he also ran the day she was talking about. But that was after she was long gone. After many days of asking her out, she invited him to talk with her in the Janitor's closet. He had expected that they would make out. When he got outside, she said she would blindfold him because she wanted to surprise him. And he foolishly agreed. She then blindfolded him and guided him into the closet. When they got there, she suddenly began to tie him, from his head to toe, starting with the hands. He should have restricted, but he assumed it was romantic. Though he knew her to have lived on the streets with the homeless for a while before the government got hold of her, he never expected such behavior from her. But after she told him he was in for a long time, he knew he was doomed. It was Fred that later helped him.

'We are here', he said when it started reading down from 20 seconds.

'We are here?'

'We are here. Go there. Follow me'.

'It's dark'.

'I know...'

'I'm afraid...'

'Be fast ...'

He dragged her and they entered the light. Carl turned in time to see the countdown time touching down at 00:00.

'Oh God!' She said, hugged him, and gave him a prolonged kiss amidst the 'oohs' from Regina. 'Thank you'.

'You're here. Fred, they are here'.

Fred hobbled out of the room, beaming. 'But from all indications, you shouldn't or couldn't have made it.'

'I told you if I can get Joyce, I can get anything in the world', Carl said.

Joyce blushed, yet looked weary.

'Welcome to my Janitor's store'.

She nodded as he guided her to a room. 'We will get you something to eat. In fact, we can explore this place together'.

As Carl entered the room, he saw a tiny piece of paper on his bed, created into a size of a bird. On the body was written 'Iris'. He slowly unwrapped it with one hand while he unwrapped a bar of chocolate with the other. That was one of the things others downstairs were missing.

Carl, I've found some geniuses, we are leaving for the train. I'll tell you the outcome later if I ever have the chance to get back- Iris

He sat up and shouted. 'Everyone, come here. We've got to save Iris'.

They rushed outside and he explained himself.

'See, the time is reading again', Fred told Regina who scowled as if the timer offended her.

'Okay. We should tell the others', Regina mumbled and glanced at Fred, who looked triumphant.

'I think this is the last time'.

'How?'

'See... four of four'.

'Forget it. No one else is joining us. This is like...Erm... This is our own estate', Joyce said.

'That's so rich coming from you, after we saved you', Regina said and walked off towards the elevator. 'You're selfish'.
**13** _The Missing keys_

Diana should have gone back to sleep, but she herself knew, like everyone around her, that she was a workaholic, that she was hardwired to work. However, since it wasn't duty time, she still had the time to herself. By this time, she wanted someone she could trust. The people she could trust in the organization were becoming many, but they were amateur and skeptical. More so, if any of them were caught or sent into the punishment room, they wouldn't know how to escape. Joyce was the only person capable of carrying out such feat, the only known person to come out of the place without any aid was a greenhorn. Her philosophy and desire were too new and should be tainted slowly, over time. It would be a rookie move to overwhelm her with too much of information at that time. The only person she had with her was a Sonia that wasn't ready to come to her side, to fight her cause with her. Sonia kept doing her bidding, but preferred to choose no side.

'Sonia, meet me at the spot', she said as she passed Sonia by the passage.

She trudged away, assured that Sonia would come even though she would come ranting. However, that was normal for her. Luckily for her, no one would know that Sonia was her weak point. They might kill the world and everything in it; yet, she wouldn't blink an eyelid. More so, with the type of training she had gotten, Sonia would vanquish anybody, no matter how skillful the person was.

Diana crouched inside the cave they always hid, and calculated her steps on the path to the train with a binoculars fixed on her face. If only she could get to the train, she would find answers about her father. No one had ever crossed the path before, and she would give anything to be first to ever try it. However, that is one system with a foolish algorithm, one she wished with all mind to know, even if it was the only knowledge she had. They must get outside soon to let the world know that things were different. She had been making plans for 12 years, and her patience was crumbling. All parts of her plans were ready, but the only thing keeping them was the way past the train. If they tried using those flying cars, they wouldn't go far.

The ground around her scratched. She bent her head to the side to watch from the corner of her eyes as Sonia crouched beside her.

'Tell me something', Sonia said as she brought out a small knife and trimmed her fingernails with it. 'Were you sent to Etyes to disturb my life? You know if I enter the punishment room, I won't be able to get out'.

'Do you see the pattern with which the ground is moving?'

'Yes. It's such that it's impossible to calculate. Did you hear me at all?'

'No. It's not impossible to pass through. All we need is our ability to pass through without any fear', Diana said and was focused on calculating the pattern. 'And I trained you to be better. You can't fall there'.

'This is Etyes, Diana'.

'Mother'.

'Arghh! Mother? How do you come up with all these ridiculous titles for yourself?'

'Well, yesterday I was your teacher. You're the closest thing to me. So I'm your mother'.

'For your information, I should be the mother here. I've been saving you all these times'.

Diana chuckled. Sonia was talking about a day they were both trying to sneak into the train. Diana slipped into one of the holes that led to the punishment room and might have remained there if Sonia hadn't caught her hand.

'Well, that's what daughters do for their mothers', Diana mumbled. 'This thing. I think it changes pattern every time.'

'How? Why do you think so?'

'Look at that tiny feather object', Diana said and handed her the second binoculars, and concentrated on the shifting pattern.

Sonia looked at the ground through the binocular. 'There are a lot of feathery objects there'.

'The red one'.

Suddenly, someone smashed the camera that faced the train. Diana was startled. Sonia chuckled.

'I'll remember that'.

'You're laughing at your mother. What is that?'

They peeped to see some Peacelearners sneaking towards the train. They were led by a boy that had blond hair. They were people from different countries.

'Newbies', Diana grumbled as she steadied herself.

'You should stop them'.

'No. I'm intrigued. I need one of them for my cause. At least if you won't join me, you can help me pick'.

'I'm not joining you or any other cause. I want another opportunity to escape this nowhere'.

'I know... Who doesn't? But they are everywhere'.

Sonia sighed. Diana rubbed her back. Sonia rarely had a reason to be sad but the knowledge of the fact they were stuck with these people always made her relapse into the tears and sadness of their first year. Diana tapped her gently and drew her head to her chest.

'Don't cry, daughter'.

Sonia, who was already feeling comforted, pulled away and gave her a curt look.

Diana hissed. 'Prodigal daughter. You'll come around'.

The nine Peacelearners were trying as hard as they could to avoid causing an uproar or making any disturbance, and they did amaze her with their orderliness. The blond really organized their activities well.

'Let's make a bet', she said as she turned to Sonia. 'None of them would make it'.

'That's cheating. You know that's my line'.

Diana stuck her tongue at her. 'You're left with the other line'.

'I will pick...' She said and pointed at no one in particular. Her pointed finger oscillated from one end to the other. She picked the boy with blond.

'They will be sucked into the punishment room'.

'So sad. But I trust that any day you make it there, you'll get back here'.

Sonia shook her head. 'Well, it was once an impossible mission but since Joyce had done it, it's now a difficult one'.

'I know. That place is horrible and clogged with hopeless, wretched people. Many of them would die there, I watched one of them die today'.

'You what? So you went there today and didn't tell me'.

'I'm doing that already'.

'No. You're not'.

'Yes, I am. See... See... They are...'

'They are climbing it. They are still standing'.

'How did they...?

'The blond guy...'

'Not that', a girl yelled at the blond guy. The girl stood at the edge of what looked like a pit. The part with the feathery objects was like a round hole that was built in such a way that even the sides were touching the wall that would lead there. There were walls fencing this hole. The fences were rigged with electricity that one would never have a reason to touch it. Moreover, big signs were placed there, indicating 'DANGER'.

At this time, the feathery objects that were moving at a normal speed had increase momentum. The colors were now getting mixed together.

The blond shouted something incoherent, shook his head, and stepped on the ground that looked like a plain floor, one without the feather. The ground opened and he slipped through, yelling. The others stood still in their positions. One of them yelled and ran back, but didn't have to go far before falling into the ground. The ground was now opening and closing intermittently, exciting Diana's frustration. The others, seeing this new progression, fidgeted and did stupid things. The girl at the edge yelled at them, and climbed the field also. She yelled instructions at them, but they were too fretful to listen to her. All of them, except a boy who was too stunned to move.

'This is like a movie', Diana said. 'I wished they allowed us get things out of the dining hall or that I sneaked some out, I could be munching chocolate or popcorn'.

'I wished I was still in the freshmen hall'.

'See...'

The girl shouted something inaudible and pointed at a place. The boy in front of it, jittering, stepped on somewhere else, and was soon wailing as he was sucked by the hole.

'No... Not...' The girl screamed. She clawed at the air as if she could pull him with her white hands. Despite her glaring desire to help the boy, she stood in the same place as if she was standing on a mine, and that a little movement would forfeit her existence. The girl glared at the field in front of her and took decisive steps towards the train. Diana sat up, tightened her grip on Sonia's hand, and sighed the moment the girl stepped on another part of the ground.

'Iris', someone shouted as other footsteps disturbed the graveness of the place.

The girl turned. 'Get back'.

Carl spread his arms to stop the others as they seemed to run irrationally.

'You get back. I need to see this through'.

'How did you do that?' A fat guy shouted.

'The Mumbled Jack Game', she yelled and as she looked around as if she was looking for another route to the next step.

'Mumbled Jack. Mumbled Jack?' The fat guy said and edged forward. 'I never loved that game, but how does it work...'

'Get back, Iris', Carl shouted.

'I need to...' She said as she shifted her weight. The little movement caused the ground to open, and Diana inhaled loudly.

Iris didn't finish saying what she was saying before she fell. Sonia sighed.

'Yes, I know. I won', Diana said.

'We just lost the only person that seemed to understand the way out of this hole', Sonia said and slept on the ground, staring at the roof of the cave. 'We lost her again'.

'From my own view, I don't think so'.

'How?'

'I think... They seem to be friends'.

Sonia looked at her with realization and sprang up. 'The team. That's the girl that escaped'.

'She has a name'.

'I don't care'.

'Why won't you care...? You're in charge of her'.

Sonia inhaled loudly and looked away.

'No', Diana said as she began to giggle. 'You're in love. You're in love. Wow...Our relationship has bestowed you with the ability to love something'.

'I don't want to talk about it... We need Joyce and that Iris of a girl'.

Diana nodded. 'Meanwhile, you lost our bet. You know the next line'.

Sonia hissed as she got ready to leave their corner. The last time Sonia won, she made Diana do something nice to one of the Peacelearners. But now it was her turn, she had to do something horrible to someone she really loves. Although it was painful, Sonia had to do something to Carl that Diana loved. He looked like someone that could come out of Sonia's evil unscathed.

'Carl'.

'No...Not him', Diana said and gave her cold glare.

'Sorry, daughter', Sonia said in a singsong manner. 'You can't have it both ways'.

Diana closed her eyes for a brief moment, shrugged and stuck out her tongue. 'We would both bear the brunt'.

Sonia grunted.

'You need to be fast about getting that girl out of that room', Diana called after her.

'I will... Mother'.
**14** _What's God?_

Tina moved as if she was levitating. Katrina, still all jittery, walked in their midst in a manner that showed that she feared them and also trusted them than she did those men that were in pursuit of her. They had rested for the whole night to regain their energy, and to make the men after Katrina back down, but they adamantly stayed around, and had their men search most parts of the underground.

'Sweetie, open the garage'.

The gate to their garage flung open. The garage was another place underground that was designed in such a way that one could leave the tunnel through many exit routes. They had made the plan they were about to use even before they created the tunnel. So, they were about to test run it. Richard navigated a drone into the tunnel, and scanned the area for any activities.

'They are stationed at the north but... Wow! These people are everywhere'.

'Then, our plan had better work', Tina said as she strapped her glove on very well. She grabbed her pad and began to type furiously. Suddenly, a car started from the corner of the garage.

'Watch the drones on the left wing'.

The car that rushed towards the left wing, she controlled its movement and the plan worked. Since the car was tinted, the people followed it. The car had been made in such a way that any detector would sense human radiation from the car, deceiving as many that wanted to follow it.

'They are in pursuit...'

'Let me see...'

She moved towards Richard to watch the men pursue the car. Katrina also peeped.

'What?' Tina leered at her, and kept watching. Katrina cringed away.

'Thin...Leave her be'.

Tina stared at the screen and shouted, 'No... Don't follow'.

She burst into laughter and squealed delightedly, 'That's not us. Let's give you another "us"'.

The people at the other end began a hot pursuit of their decoy.

'Stage 2', she said as she sent another car in a different direction.

The cars had been programmed for such things as this. They were created to detect any form of gunshot and car coming ahead or anything that required escaping from assailants. Immediately the cars detected the movement of the force, they began to swerve and increase paces at a level that surprised even Richard. They've only planned these things, but he never expected it to be in the same manner as this. Katrina had given them the chance to unleash the greatness they had hoarded all this while.

'Let's go...'

Katrina rushed towards another car.

'Hey! Whore, over here'.

Katrina blinked repeatedly and ran over to their side. Richard opened the door for her.

'Gentleman, why are you bias? Am I smelling something here?' Tina said as she placed her leg on the edge of the opened car.

'Whatever you're smelling shouldn't stop you from focusing on the road'.

'I hope it's just a smell because I don't see the reason you're warming up to her'.

'Are you...For crying out loud, that's....' Richard shook his head and climbed into the car.

Tina hissed and placed her hand on the bag of weapons on their side.

'I just hope it's a whiff of something that won't happen'.

'Keep your smell to yourself and focus on this road'.

'Yes, boss. We both know you're celibate', she kicked the car. 'But I won't be happy if your matriculation is not done by me. If I'm not the first woman that makes you reach cloud 9'.

'Jeez! You're horrible'.

'No. Just a warning to them', Tina said and stared into the rearview.

'The silent treatment'.

'Don't you dare'.

'Watch me'.

'Richard?'

'Ten minutes'.

'Please'.

He removed his earpieces from his pocket and began to listen to music. Then, his mind wandered off to his life with Tina.

With the way she had always disturbed him with the want of an intercourse, he had better run from her need for sex. But, he wasn't pledging any allegiance or anything to her. All he needed right there was to find what was happening around Katrina. They still had a lot of mysteries around to solve. And the first thing they needed was to corroborate her story about seeing where they took those children.

'Richard', Tina shouted and shook his shoulder, her noise overshadowing his music.

He gave her a scornful look. She knew that look and would have backed off, but her demeanor made him know something was wrong. He unplugged his earpieces, and glanced at his wristwatch.

'It's remaining two minutes and 27 seconds. Why did you disturb me?'

'She...' Tina looked rattled but not afraid. 'Check her out'.

Richard turned to watch Katrina. She was vibrating terribly, and her eyes rolled up into her eyes. Her iris and pupils were now hidden that the only thing remaining was the white part of her eyes.

'What did you do?' Richard asked.

'Me? I was busy avoiding cameras. I was...Just check her out. I think...Richard, check her out, she is freaking me out'.

Katrina was terribly vibrating. Richard crawled to the back, sat beside her, and held her hands in place. He shook her vigorously. Her teeth were clamped together. She rocked to and fro in the room. He had never seen such thing before. What he was staring at wasn't convulsion, though it had semblance with it. His fear as he touched her was that she wouldn't be an idiot to refer to him as a pervert after the ordeal. He might generously give Tina the chance to remove her teeth.

'Calm down...'

Her breath became hyperventilated. He wasn't one to break a sweat on anything, and he wouldn't be doing that now, but what she was doing made the hair on his body rise. The car suddenly had an unexplainable feeling that made the hair on his body rise, and his head had a feeling as if it was expanding.

'The time is unleashing. The new one would be born. The chaos of the past would return. My truth would not be oppressed. For I am God!'

'What did she say?'

'I don't know...Who the...Who is God?' Richard asked as he, against his wish, held her bare thighs in place.

'There would be retribution. The nations shall return to worship me', Katrina said.

'Worsh- what?' Tina said as she focused on the road.' Richard. Do something about it. I will put a bullet in her cranium'.

'I'm trying...'

'She's freaking... me out!' Tina screamed.

'Shut up, you, vile woman. Come to me. I have plans for you. I will make you a vessel useful for me in the coming of my reign. The body of Mitchel would be exhumed soon unless you follow my orders, you vile and smelling maggot'.

Tina sat up. She was rattled and surprised at what Katrina was saying.

'What is she talking about?' Richard asked as he now had to disregard his fear to grab Katrina by the shoulders.

Tina was silent. Then, she swerved the car to the side of the road, jumped out of the car and opened the door of the back seat. With extraneous vigor, she pulled Katrina away.

'You bastard! You are not to put me under control'.

'Tina-'

'How dare you rough handle my servant? You will face my wrath', said Katrina, who still seemed blank.

'Servant to whom?'

'I am God'.

'What's God?'

Katrina or whatever was in her laughed hysterically. 'I created this world'.

Richard looked at Katrina for sometimes. Then they stared at one another. 'What world?'

'This world'.

Tina looked at her for sometimes and slapped her face. 'Stop uttering poo. This is...How do you come with such ridiculous claim?'

She brushed Richard's hand away as she held on to the vibrating woman, who went into a bout of speaking incomprehensible words. That couldn't be English, the only Language. Richard had never encountered or gotten information about any other language in the world. He watched with awe as Katrina rolled out of Tina's reach.

'I am God. I know all things and this is my servant. Take her to the base of my servants or I will guide the steps of the authority to the place you buried Mitchel'.

Richard had been staring for a while, he knew only one Mitchel. She was the wife of the second world leader, whom the world had been searching for due to her sudden disappearance.

'You? Wow! Mitchel'.

Tina was embarrassed and her hand slacked to allow Katrina slouch. Richard would have gone to catch her, but for some absurd reason she was still standing, grunting and speaking incomprehensibly.

'Oh! I should have known. The ...Wow...That was good'.

'Really? You think it's good'.

'I don't know why you killed her, and I'm not sure I'll like to know why, but I think you're a genius'.

Tears welled in her eyes. She jumped on him and sucked his breath with her kiss. He had never had such encounter. Everything in him suddenly became hot.

He should push her away, but his hand couldn't move and she wasn't stopping. She was crying and kissing him.

'I love you'.

Then she laughed and withdrew and sighed. 'Wow! I've been dying to do that'.

'Which of them? Kiss me or tell me?'

'Both'.

'Human...'

Richard returned to his senses about the shaking Katrina: That moment with Tina was surprisingly good. He wiped his lips as if doing that should remove that thought of kissing Tina from him. However, whatever thought he must have had before, Katrina's statement was definitely surprising. She had been using vocabularies he had never come across. He loved reading the dictionary a lot, but he had never encountered the word "Worship", "God". Maybe those were some slangs among prostitutes.

'Human?'

'You. I'll be back. Take her to Queen's house'.

Katrina suddenly became weak and slumped to the ground.

Richard hurried to her side and lifted her into the car. She laid still with a dusty body. Tina would have had to kill her for doing that, but the rattling news from Katrina must have really gotten to her. She must have assumed no one would ever know. In silence, they entered the car too and drove off the road.

When Katrina woke she stared about. 'Are you kidding me? Where are we?'

'Did you remember what happened?'

Katrina looked puzzled. 'What happened? We were running from those gunmen, and how did... Dust. Is this seat dusty?'

'You started doing something', Richard said.

'Vibrating like a phone and how do you know about Mitchel?'

'Mitchel... Who is Mitchel?'

Tina and Richard shared a side glance.
**15** _Law of Power_

Carl was perplexed when he saw Sonia running up to him. Joyce wondered how she could make the foolish girl pay for making her boyfriend angry always.

'What do you want to...?' She said as she glanced from one face to another before finally staring at Carl.

'Calm down', Sonia said.

She was skeptical about Sonia showing up at that time.

'You people need to get away from here', Sonia urged.

'We are not going...'Carl sneered at her.

'Parade would be here soon and you all would be in trouble'.

'Then, let's leave this crazy place', Fred said as he fled from her. He resented being near her. Maybe the next day would show him as forgiving but for now, his anger was still at its peak.

'You would have to go without Joyce', Diana said as she walked towards them. Joyce held her breath. Diana was coming again and she couldn't help staring at her with her mouth agape.

'The rest of you would go, she would meet you. You people need to eat and get ready for whatever is coming'.

Sonia guided them away. Joyce was afraid of being alone with the one they all saw as a prodigy. She watched them till they were gone. If not for the big smile on Diana's face, her mind would have exploded in fear, admiration, and joy of being in the presence of Diana. She looked like one that could destroy the world in ten minutes, especially as her ponytail dangled behind her.

'I need you with me. I know it's too early, that you only arrived at this place this week, but I can't let this opportunity slip from me'.

Joyce could only nod in reply.

'Follow me', Diana said and clambered into a cave, and she followed her. Some guards rushed towards the place they just left, stared at different spots, and left when they didn't see anything. The corner was deeply buried in the rock that surrounded the place. If one didn't look from the top of the rock, one wouldn't see the cave.

'Stay here'.

Joyce sat up and watched Diana rush off the edge. Time began to fly like the birds of the field. She hummed tunes of Beethoven and wished she was given at least her trombone. She would do anything to leave the place to get her instruments.

Some minutes later, Diana jumped into the hole, with a backpack. She pointed at the ground that led to the train. Joyce stared at the ground, and hoped to see anything worth her time.

'We all have to leave this place', Diana said.

Joyce was surprised. She never knew that even the dreaded Diana wished to leave the mysterious place.

'Where are we?'

'No one knows. It's one thing that the idiots saved our lives or our ancestor's lives, now, they are bent on kidnapping us into a place none of us had ever been to'.

'At least, they should inform you'.

'That's the problem. I don't care. None of those that were given the opportunity to leave have ever returned. Many of them are in the Punishment room, maybe because they talked'.

'So what do we do?'

'I have all that is needed to escape this place. Except one thing - Someone that could teach us how to climb out of this mess. That Iris of a girl can do that, and I need you to help. Now, before you ask me what you would gain, you would get a chance to be a part of my team, the deepest secret gatherers of Grousters'.

'Grousters? You...'

'No time. Follow me'.

Joyce climbed down after Diana, who stopped as soon as they got to the edge of the cave. Diana detailed how she should use the objects in the bags.

'Can you remember that Iris' face'.

'Not really, but the pad would help me, right?

'Yes'.

They stared at the field once more. Joyce inhaled loudly as she hoped she would be able to survive the place she dreaded most for now.

'Wait...' Diana said as she brought out a picture cut out from a magazine. Joyce stared at the face of the man, and wondered how she wouldn't remember it. She had seen him on the television set for long, and had always dreamt of having the same affluence and authority with which he spoke.

'I know him...'

Diana stared at her.

'Yes, I know him'.

'Who is he?'

'Second in Command of the world. Is he in the punishment room?'

'You'll look for him, tell him you're Joyce...'

She nodded.

'And find Iris'.

She nodded and walked with trepidation towards the ground, and saw the feathery objects moving about. Why did she agree to be a part of the craziness that Diana had hatched? She was plunging herself into something crazy for the second time and it was beautiful. At least, if she helped them get out of the place, it would help her CV with Blanj if she ever sought for a job at their place.

Immediately she stepped on the edge of the forbidden field, she fell through, screaming all the way. The Punishment was built in such a way that falling was like falling through a pipe to the floor, so the impact wasn't always too much to bear, and the ground too always seemed as soft as a bed at first impact. She wished she could get out immediately because the stench in that place acted like Zombies. They feasted on one's sanity and breath.

She clasped her hand on her nose and would have puked if she didn't hit someone who exclaimed. Hurriedly, she wore the goggles and retrieved the map Diana gave her, which could only be read with night vision goggles like the one she wore, and began to study her time. She checked the time to be sure she wouldn't be surprised with a flood. The timer indicated that she had only 15 seconds left to avoid it. According to Diana, they flooded the place once a day.

She hurriedly unwrapped her bag and brought out a neatly folded blanket. She never imagined that this was what those in the punishment room were enduring. Many of them stood still for fear of being fallen on or kicked. What if she had stayed back?

Immediately the flood came like rain, people lifted their hands, and some of them hurriedly removed their clothes. The rain fell for ten minutes. Many of them scrubbed their body. Joyce watched them in despair. They were really in a world that no human being should be subjected to.

People were wailing and making different types of plea for escape. After the rain stopped, the place was suddenly cold, but a warm air began to blow from the top. When she looked up, after removing the blanket, she saw many of them fiddling with the clothes, trying to wear it again. Someone at another end was squeezing the cloth.

She traced where she was on the map and began her journey through the place. As she progressed, she noticed that some people formed a line at a place and had their clothes tied together, she paused to see what they were up to and she was lucky to have stopped because suddenly heavy, packed objects rained on the ground, and on people. A lot of the packed objects fell into the place the people had formed a line. She scanned the whole area to know how the others were reacting, but was met with an empty space. She looked up. Those who were hit by these packed objects didn't cry; instead, they carried the objects and found their way from the side.

'It's here', someone screamed and people scattered towards the place she was standing. They hurried as if the packs would disintegrate if they didn't touch it in time. She scrambled out of the way.

'Let us go', someone shouted but the men that guided the place had a rod that had been wrung from different plastics plate, which they flung from side to side.

'We don't need to go through all this trouble. We all know the plan', a lady's voice shouted. 'We do know the plan'.

The people grumbled as they stopped on their track. Joyce knew her. Joyce knew who she was and felt mad at her. The lady compelled them to leave the tunnel, but was still in the punishment room. Joyce felt obliged to tell her how to do it, but Diana warned her not to let any other person know about her presence in that place. She still recognized the voice anywhere. She peeped and saw that the girl was huge. If she was put up against the girl, she would be crushed by the girl immediately.

'Please, the food is not enough for breakfast', someone yelled.

'Would you rather you don't have access to it?'

'You're dead...'

'Well, I can show you things worse than death'.

The man tried to move towards her but by a strange means, four of her men pulled the man away, and dragged him towards the rail, and within seconds he was screaming as he was thrown over the rail. People looked back at the rail in fear. They didn't know how deep the ground was but they knew it was something they should be afraid of. Joyce knew she had to tell this girl. However, when she saw what the lady made those hefty young guys do, she had to rethink what she planned. These people remained in darkness because of their fear. She felt like telling them to all move towards the rail that the days they've spent in despair was enough, that they needed to plunge themselves into the darkness, of course not as fools, but with highly calculated steps.

So, she decided to move out of the reach of those hefty guys swinging the plastic rod. However, when she saw her handler crying terribly, seated in a folded manner, she wondered how it would be that if she was still in that place. She couldn't even fathom how the life in the place was.

'I'll get you food', she whispered into her handler's ear.

'Who is that?''

'I'm... I want to help you'.

'How will you help me when everything is dark? I should die, and I've thought about jumping over the rail like some did but I couldn't muster the courage to do it. I am in a serious mess. How will people be cruel to dump us here? I never asked for this'.

'I don't know the answer to all these questions, but let me get you something to eat'.

'How will you help me? Every man is for himself. When I tried to get there, the hefty men threw us back, and I don't know how they do but they ration our food... Our already rationed food. I'm tired. Can you kill me?'

'Not me...'

'Then, leave me...' her handler said, and tried to crawl through the legs of the hefty men again, but was kicked in the chin before Joyce could even pull her back or stop her. Her handler moaned and winced as she tended to her wound.

'Leave it to me'.

Her handler looked perplexed and stared unfocused into the darkness. 'How do you know what I'm doing?'

'Don't worry'.

'Who are you?'

'Don't worry'.

Joyce crawled through the blind spot of the hefty guys, and brought food for her handler. She saw the joy on her handler's face, and smiled. She wanted to proceed with her mission, but thought otherwise, she returned and took a handful of food. Then, she shared it to those crying desperately for food. But before she gave them the food she would whisper, 'don't shout, and don't tell anyone'.

The people she helped were disobedient, they would rejoice and run to inform others. Many people began to pass the information to another. Within few minutes of doing this, a lot of people had thronged towards the place. The food guards noticed the bustle among them, and tightened their formation. Joyce wished she had all the time or the opportunity to always return there to help people out of the place. But she couldn't waste another time, so she sneaked in again and packed a lot of food for the lady, then she returned to pack more. When she was sure she wouldn't return there, she picked one of the food and flung it at the authoritative lady, who sprung from her sitting position and yelled in pain.

'My People...I told you we are not alone in this world. I told you', someone shouted excitedly. 'Someone is here. People have told of other presence, but now you all can believe it. A female powerful thing is here among us'.

Joyce stared at the man and knew he must be another person living in the belief that something different from humans was living in the world with them. He was a Grouster. How come they brought a Grouster as a recruit to their secret place? She always wanted to believe that another thing was with them in the world, the only thing that could make her believe in this invisible things would be if her parents materialized.

'Something gave me food', someone yelled beside her.

'Me too'.

People began to shout 'me too'. Tears welled in her eyes as she was happy that she did something good for the first time in her life. Sometimes, doing illegal things always opened one to the pain others were enduring. That was the reason she wanted to be a P.I. As a P.I, she could legally do illegal things to help others. Her handler shouted, 'me too'.

Their shout made the hefty guys readjust to ensure no one was stealing food without their notice. The authoritative lady cried as she nursed the place she was hurt, but Joyce knew she needed to find the man and Iris. She held one pack of food for Iris.

She brought out the map and stared at her direction, the man was the nearest. Diana had made others invisible. The only chips she saw were hers, which was colored pink; Iris', which was colored blue; and the man's own which was colored red. She met him seated dejectedly in a corner. She perched beside him.

'Sir, my name is Joyce. Diana sent me'

The man's head sprung up with a certain delight.

'Joyce. My Joyce. Oh, God! At last...'

She was surprised. Diana never told her she would meet any surprises down here. There was no prior training.

'Come... Let me feel you... Are you with the goggles?'

'Yes. You know about it?'

'Bring it'.

'Why should I give you?'

'I'm your father'.

That was impossible. She was perplexed. 'It can't be...'

'I am. I'm sorry I left you alone at that estate'.

'You didn't leave me. I never had a father, and I'll never have a father'

'Who gave you the house? Why did police always leave you whenever you offend? They all work for me'.

'You...I don't have a father'.

'I am your father'.

Joyce couldn't hold herself any longer. She burst into tears, and her body rocked.

'I'm sorry. If they knew you were alive, they would kill you'.

'That was impossible. You could have protected me'.

'I'm sorry. I should have found a means but I didn't know whom to trust'.

'You... Left me alone...'

'I'm sorry. Even your mother, she didn't know you survived after some men collected you from her'.

'Which men?'

'The details are too much'.

'I want to know...'

'My people...You can't understand everything now...'

Someone came up to them. Joyce turned and shifted out of her way. It was her handler. 'Sir! I've brought your food'.

Her father flashed the girl a big beam.

'I got enough for us till the night. It wasn't rationed. I believe now. We're not alone in the world'.

Her father only chuckled. 'You should eat a little'.

'Why? We have enough'.

'Well, it's not every time you will see the thing or person that gave you food'.

'That's right. You know sometimes I wish you can be ridded of those shackles. So that you can save us from the savages', her handler lamented.

'Well, you don't need to wait for my shackles. I know how I can help you with your shackles'.

'What do you mean?'

Her father turned as if he was looking for her. She burst into tears again as she avoided staring at the way her father was locked to the wall.

'Joyce, please help me take this girl away'.

'I... Diana...'

'It's just one girl. No one will know'.

'I'm here for another girl. Maybe another time'.

'No. Come up with a plan. You're my daughter. What if she follows you?'

'No. She can't. The authorities must not know... I thought you should know all these'.

He glanced at her handler'.

'What do you mean by he should know? Who are you?'

'Nothing. I'm his daughter. And I think I have a plan'.
**16** _Zombied_

Carl was still angry at the way Sonia had sent him away along with the others. After Diana sent them all away, Sonia had bossed them away and ranted on how they were supposed to have remained in the place designated for them. She said they were lucky that Diana had to overlook their stupidity. Fred almost fought her, but had to caution himself when she promised to send him to a trial room. According to her, this room would make them wish she had sent them to the punishment room because she would make them go through pain beyond their knowledge.

They settled in the room and discussed their disappointment on how things were done in Etyes. They took their baths, while they learnt from Regina how to use the voice activation to call for a change of clothes.

Later, Carl gathered them together, and they began to discuss how to get away from Etyes. There was no way they would endure more of the trouble. The people with him were geeks, and they could notice things he couldn't. They all promised to do things he mapped out, and didn't stop talking until a robotic voice announced over the P.A System: All Peacelearners meet your leaders for orientation within 8 minutes at the training center'.

They all rushed out, and took the elevator. When they got down, they met others rushing and shouting from different parts of the building. Carl also ran with his might, and rushed into Iris. She yelled and fell. Carl also yelled his surprise.

'Carl, oh... I'm so happy to be here', she said and flung her arms around him. He hugged her too, but their time was gradually counting down, so he drew her away.

'Run with me'.

'Not too fast'.

'Fred', she called.

'I'm here', a panting Fred shouted.

'Good'.

'Hi', Regina said sarcastically.

'Of course, I remember you. Good to see you all again'.

'Yes. I wish I could give you a group hug', Regina said as they all ran on.

'Yea... A group hug would have been nice'.

'How did you get back?' Regina asked.

'Joyce saved me'.

'Where is she?' Carl said as he jumped after Iris pointed a trap to him.

'Joyce ran off to meet her handler'.

'Selfish as always'.

'Hey Regina, that's my girlfriend'.

'Then, train her'.

'Guys... Run... The time', Fred called.

They glanced up at the time and saw it counting down to its 2nd minute and 58th seconds.

'We'd better hurry before I am tempted to abuse her self-centeredness', Regina shouted.

They ran into the center of the field, and began to readjust to stand in the presence of their handlers. He stood before a stone-faced Sonia. She stared at the top of their heads as if they weren't there, as if she wasn't seeing them. Carl looked around and waited some minutes before he moved nearer to her.

'Where's Joyce?'

'She is with Diana'.

'Doing what?'

'You don't want to know what I know until you need to know what I know'.

'I don't want to know what you know', Carl said and stared at her scornfully.

'Will you shut up?'

'I'm not shutting anything up. You backstabbing bastard'.

'Well, it takes one to know one-.'

'What? How do you mean? I've never betrayed anyone'.

The computer relayed a long boring information that made Carl tired. He had never known he could be in such state of hopelessness. Afterwards, it directed them to a place in the hall. The handlers led the way, and Carl grudgingly followed his. Every one of them had a room to themselves.

As soon as they entered the room, Sonia locked the door, and stared at him longingly.

'Oh! How I long to be in your arms, but I can't. Sit on the chair'.

Carl looked around her and everything that was in the little room. It was a simple room painted white and had a little camera in the room, but unlike the others Carl had been seeing in the whole place, no red light blinked from this one. Well, he didn't know anything about cameras.

'Sit down for crying out loud'.

'I'm not...'

'Sit down or I'll be forced to send you to the trial room'.

He sat on the chair and she gave him a pair of dark shade glasses. It had two small pieces. Immediately he wore it, she fixed the earpieces into his ears, pressed the side of the glasses, and a video began to play.

'Welcome to the truth. We live in a world that has its truth altered. This world was not only destroyed by Aliens as you have been told. It was destroyed by human's worship of them. As you can see...'

The videos showed people bowing down in secluded places. Some of them in a place with a star and a moon. Another bowing down to molded images. Some were in a building that had a medium size cross placed on it. Some of the places the people were had the image of a man on the cross. Many of them counted a thing that looked beads strung into a thread. Some others burnt candles and looked different, weird, and awkward. He couldn't fully fathom what they were doing, but if that was how people lived in the former world, it was definitely scary.

'Each of these people saw different Aliens and called them by different names such as God, Allah, Zeus and so many other names that always ignited a sense of followership among the people of the earth. The leaders of the present earth saw it best to exterminate the aliens, but the adults wouldn't agree. They caused a great war that made some people from the former world rise up to the task of putting this evil away. And these aliens have been exterminated. But they always have a way of coming back. They arise when the nations begin to have a belief in the existence of these aliens. This is why we are the Peacemakers. We were built to eradicate these things. However, the Peacemakers also can fall into the temptation of falling for this problem like the humans. And for this reason, the Peacemakers have created an order to make everyone not have a wisp of what is happening. That is why everyone is going through a test. After the Peacelearner's test, you'll be trained for the next stage. But for now, you need to go through a mind adaptation test'.

Sonia made him lie down, she moved closer, pointing a small sweet towards his mouth. He glared at her. She opened her mouth. He opened his mouth, and she dipped the sweet into it, which he licked for a moment and then chewed.

'Close your eyes'.

'Why?'

'You need to go through that test...

'Why?'

'If not, you will be killed.'

'But...Won't I be sent to the punishment room?'

'No. You have to go through the test and pass it so that they will know your mind is ready'.

'I prefer...'

'Carl, they will kill you and your stubbornness'.

'Then, I'll take it'.

Sonia moved closer and whispered as she brought the needle closer to him. 'I love you. This is what will happen. You will be a zombie for a while, their zombie, doing everything they say'.

Carl eyes riveted around. 'Are you kid...For real? Stop this joke'.

'I'm not ...But that was why I gave you that sweet in your mouth. It will neutralize everything'.

'Do it'.

She plugged the needle into his neck. He felt his brain being zapped and he couldn't feel anything except the taste of the sweet on his tongue.

'He is ready', she shouted.

'Troublefinder, withdraw your gun'.

Sonia closed her eyes and turned to the wall. She tapped it repeatedly, and a part of it came out. A gun appeared on what looked like a tray. She grabbed it and pointed it at him.

She mouthed, 'be a zombie. Be a Zombie'.

'Peacelearner, jump', the computer ordered.

Carl stared at her. She shook her lips. Carl jumped.

'Peacelearner, sit'.

Carl sat. She closed her eyes and when it opened, tears lingered in it.

'Peacelearner is ready. Take him to the building for studies'.

'Follow me'.

When they got out, Carl saw many of the others moving about like drones. Immediately they got out, some other people too had the same look as his. That showed that there were others that weren't also affected. Within a few minutes, all the Peacelearners were looking normal and were looking about, wondering what had happened to them.

'What's happened there? Why did my brain suddenly numb or something?'

'That was the drug from the needle I plugged into your skin. The sweet I gave you made you sane again', Sonia said and led the way. 'It takes one to know one. I know... Not for now. But be prepared. You were made for a greater purpose. Me and you'.
**17** _The Oracle's Declaration_

When they got to the riverbank, Richard was very sure he had the best instinct in the world, one that worked better than any computer in the world. He wasn't wrong about the place after all. The place was deserted and looked as if nothing had ever been done there. Tina scowled and hissed as she looked around. He would have done the same if he hadn't been there before, meeting the same obstacle. Tina was so angry that she picked a stone and threw it at a tree that was withering away near the river. Immediately, machine guns sprung out of the rivers and shot at the stone. Richard, as well as the women with him, scrambled into hiding. Katrina's noise was louder than the machine guns'.

'This is it', Richard said. 'This is the place'.

'Why is there security around the place?' Tina grumbled.

'Are those ones security or death? I'm not smelling the anus of that thing again in my life'.

'Words', Richard said disgustedly. He might puke if he stayed beside Katrina.

'You won't understand'.

'We need help', Richard said.

Tina stared as the machine guns retreated into the river again. She nodded. Katrina, awed, pointed at the innumerable cases of bullets on the ground. They rose from their hiding, and returned to the car, but didn't drive far before Katrina started vibrating again.

'Richard. She's doing it again', Tina said, irritated.

'I don't condone all this rubbish. What's wrong with her? Eyes on the road, Thin'.

Tina kept looking at her, firstly from the rearview then she began to turn to check her out from time to time.

'Take me to Decky Estate. I want my Oracle to join the team'.

'I'm not going to meet any freak. I can't even imagine moving into their midst. I'll kill them all'.

'We need to go... At least to get over this rubbish'.

'No. I'm not driving this beautiful queen into the midst of freaks. What if what possessed this whore begins to operate through it. What's wrong with your analysis?'

'It's simple. This might solve the mysteries of the missing children. We need her to help find those kids. She might be an android for all we care'.

'Then, let's rip her guts out. That way we are safe on both side'.

'Tina?'

'Yes. Rip the crazy thing out'

He stared at her in unbelief. She retaliated and shrugged. They all knew Decky Estate. It was rumored to belong to the Grousters. So, Katrina led the way to the house of a very rich person. Immediately they got there, Richard sensed that their problems would end soon because he didn't see anyone there. However, when he began to ask the security man a lot of questions, a black lady, who had a big afro haircut, strutted towards him in a peach satin gown. She moved as if she had a fan blowing her from the back. There was a sort of peace that eluded Richard or anyone he had ever come across that was laid on the face of the young lady.

'Who are you?' The lady said as soon as she got to their side. Tina's face spoke volumes about how she felt irritated by the lady's gait. Richard had to take over before she decided to snap the lady's neck.

'I know this is odd. But, the woman we worked with went unconscious and started blabbing about the existence of a team here that we need to bring to her'.

The lady looked interested in what he was saying. He glanced at Tina, and she brought out Katrina, who was still under the influence of whatever she was under. Tina brandished her Glock 17.

'Why the weapon?'

Tina smiled at the dark lady. 'I trust nobody... Well, except Richard'

Katrina walked as if she was being pulled by different people at the same time. Tina stared in utter disbelieve and raised the butt of the gun to hit her on the head.

'Tina?'

She gritted and pushed Katrina forward. Richard was quick to catch her. The lady looked at her as if she was seeing an invention. Katrina rocked forward and backward in Richard's hand, while Tina gripped her gun harder.

'I see that you've been asking for the existence of a spirit. I have come', Katrina mumbled.

'Who is she?' The lady asked Richard with a horrid look on her face.

'She is my oracle. I'll use her', Katrina said as she kept swaying from side to side.

'Who are you? Are you people spies?'

'I am God... I have come to help you'.

'Spies?' Tina sneered. 'Do you people have an iota of sense? How will a spy come bearing a gift to your feet? That's by the way, what do you people do here?'

Katrina, who had returned to another fit of ranting, suddenly snapped up with blood-red eyes. She suddenly began to levitate in the air, and that surprised Richard, who moved back and drew his gun. Katrina barked some incomprehensible words into the air, and suddenly her body moved in that same fashion as the words.

'I told you to let me rip out her guts'.

'Later. Start moving to the car', Richard shouted as the lady, whose countenance had been calm all this while, was suddenly transfixed to a position. Tina moved away to the driver's seat.

'Richard, let's go'.

'We need her back'.

Katrina's hair was suddenly blowing in a hurricane as they began to gather around her and make him have the same feelings the first time she started. Richard had never seen such act, even in movies.

'Grousters, catch these two. They will be sacrificed. I am God. I have seen your desire to know of the existence of something else in this world. I am the one you need to know'.

The people who had begun to gather to watch the mysteries of Katrina shouted excitedly and sprang forward to catch Richard and Tina. The only person that still watched curiously was the young lady in the long gown. Richard dove for the car, and scurried into it. The people were hot on their chase.

'This is cool', he said and heaved as they ran out of the estate. Within a few minutes, a wild range of cars had taken over the road in pursuit of them.

Tina's hands looked rigid as she sped off. Richard hurriedly switched on the music board and played her favorite rock songs. She grinned and twisted her head as her rigid face suddenly loosened up.

'Yeah', she screamed and stepped on the accelerator. If Richard had seen her before in her rage, he was sure she just upgraded her version.

Richard flipped the company's intercom and sent a distress message to the whole board. They were to help them. The protocol provided that at the advent of any major outbreak all agents should be informed and be prepared for it. Immediately he sent it, Tina's phone vibrated on the dashboard.

He was sure that whatever the world was facing before would soon become bigger. The little battle that had been going on between the authorities and Grousters had suddenly become a full-fledged war. They've received a new leader. One that is led by something he couldn't fathom.

After a little deceit, they lost their pursuers. Richard, so tired, sent another message to their computer analysts that he needed the information about the place the tracker was coming from. She sent it to him, and he saw the shock of his life.

'Where is it?' Tina asked. He showed her. She stopped typing into the security machines and stared into the pad.

'Is that not....?' Richard asked.

'Yes. It is'

'They are at the mountain near the Centre of Rulership', he said and became numb.

'No. Can you see those waves? They are underwater, very far from the Centre of Rulership. The Centre is just a landmark'.

'Can we ever penetrate that place?' He asked as the door slammed, which indicated that no one could enter the place or go out within the next 24 hours.

Immediately the door slammed behind them and the beeping tone of the security machines ceased after she stopped pressing it, he headed for one of the numerous rooms in their hideout.

'Sweetie, switch off the light', Tina shouted.

He turned just in time to see her hand unbutton the last button of her dress three feet from him. She planted a kiss on his lips, and didn't stop at that.

'I had been trying to reserve myself for you', she whispered into his ears. 'Until you were ready'

He was so stunned to make any move, to push her away or flee from her touches and kisses. She stopped and moved back. He stood still, panting as if fire was gaining momentum in his stomach.

'What have you done?' He growled.

'Nothing. Sweetie, lights on', she said as she walked away.

He rushed to her and broke his words. If they would die very soon from the coming war, he had better break his promises. As if she expected it, she turned in time to see him lift her and plant a kiss on her lips. She giggled and shouted, 'Sweetie... Lights out'.
**18** _Inner Circle_

When they finally got out of the punishment room, Joyce's voice had broken from shouting innumerable instructions to Iris. Diana was waiting for them. Joyce wondered about the sacrifices she had seen a lot of people do for the cause of others. She had no reason to sacrifice for others. The only sacrifice she had made at the moment was to boost her C.V as a P.I, which were mostly under duress.

One other person she had seen make this type of sacrifice was her handler. After she handed the glasses to her, she expected her to follow them after thirty minutes, but her handler kept quiet for a while, and with a kind of joy Joyce had never seen on someone that was trying to help others, she said that, with the goggles, she would get the chance to help people. At first, Joyce shouted at her for being inconsiderate because if her handler came out with a lot of people, the authorities would track her down. However, she was speechless when the lady said she wanted to stay behind to save all those that were under captive from the savage authoritative girl.

At the sight of them, Diana was on all cylinder to know how they did what they did. She said the two of them were automatic members of her rebel team.

'How were you able to cross that field? I mean how did you know how to do that?'

'I've played a game like that, Mumbled Jack'.

'You played a game?' Diana asked

'A game?' Joyce said, staring at her as if she was lying.

'Yes, a game. It was a game developed by one Smithsman'.

'That's my father'.

'Mr. Bellamy, the second in command, the one in the punishment room?'

'Yes. We were playing one game like that he created named 'The Seeds games'.

Joyce glanced from one face to another in the expectation that they would know about it.

'Wow. That's painful. Seeds Game is one of the coolest games ever created. All you have to do is to keep putting seeds in round holes until there were four in a hole, then you pack it and... Anyway, Fred, Carl's friend, hacked into their account and saw that it was created by someone called the Smithsman, whom we discovered was the second in command'.

'So what made you think or know that this game was the same as that of this place?'

'I just tried. There was no crime in trying. Everything was the same. I hinted someone, he made me join his group and that led me here'.

'But that's impossible'.

'I know...'

Diana brought out wristwatches and gave it to them. 'If you press this green side, the wristwatch would be invisible. Immediately I send a message to everyone in my group, you'll all get a vibration on your hand'.
**19** _The Truth_

They had spent the third day in the filthy place, and he was sure with most things in place, he would soon be on his way out of the place they were. He had woken up the next day, tired, but had taken it upon himself to quickly find all the information that could help them escape from Etyes. His geeks were proving themselves to be useless because he didn't see any reason why none of them could decipher where they were. The information they gave him wasn't helping the matter. All they had were random information that he couldn't map out into a good plan. He was sure he would see something to help them get out of the mess they were positioned in.

After they had done their training, all of them were so tired of him. Joyce had returned home and informed every one of them of the new deal she had with Diana. They felt she was their other option. But Carl was tired of waiting for another person to help them out. They needed to fight for themselves. Their handlers told them that they would be starting a thorough group training later in the day.

As he sneaked into the conference room, a computer voice resonated in the distance, and what was being said wasn't audible. If they wanted everyone to hear it, they would have made everyone know. He had been looking for a chance to see the other places in Etyes, but the only places they have been allowed to see were the big hall which was adjacent the hall; the crazy compound was made to fence them in, and not to mingle with the others; then, the hall for changing them to a zombie was behind the dining hall.

Suddenly, Jonathan Zane ran into him. He yelled and Jonathan also jumped. Jonathan screamed and fell. In a bid to steady him, Carl slipped onto him.

Sonia came out of nowhere. 'What...? Why did you do that?'

'I don't know about him. He just jumped from that place', Carl shouted as he tried to stand. Although the clothes they wore weren't white, Jonathan had made him stain the uniform with his stupidity.

'You're in big trouble', Sonia said aggressively and she dragged Carl away.

'Me or him? Carl said and resisted.

She dragged him off. He tried to turn but she turned and had his hands pinned to the back. He yelled in frustration as she led him away. The time for him to unleash all his anger was right there. He tried to spin but she seemed prepared because she rammed her fist into his rib. 'You are going to the trial room'.

He yelled and kept resisting her. She would get what would come for her. He would disfigure her body with all the punches in the world. She pushed him into a filthy, horribly dark room, and entered the room after him, locking the door as she entered. He couldn't see anything, but things buzzed in the room, and that made him afraid.

'This is not right? Hear me out. It wasn't my fault. Hear me out'.

The only thing he heard was the sound of a metallic object clanging. His heart flipped. He held his breathe. He mustn't show how afraid he was. He stared into the dark, and folded his hand, ready to punch her. His senses were all fired up to help him. In a few minutes, she opened a place that emitted a strange sort of light. She was kneeling beside it.

'Run... Follow my lead', she said as she began to crawl into it.

'Why?'

'Just go'.

'Are we escaping?'

'Just move'.

He ran after her.

'Stop', she shouted when they got to a door. He screeched to a halt in time not to run into her. She was heaving as she glanced about. He was afraid. Why was he trusting her for the second time? She had been nothing but trouble. He wasn't ready to allow her to take his little plan from him.

'Where are we going?'

'Hold on'.

She brought out a button from her pocket and clicked it. The ground rumbled. Carl moved backward as he stared intently at the ground. Suddenly, the ground opened to reveal a metallic cabin under the ground. He glanced at her, and she nodded. The cabin was devoid of anything that suggested that he had gotten to his last stop. It looked like a bus to carry them somewhere else. A staircase popped out of the cabin's side, and he glanced at Sonia again.

'Wow...How?' Carl said as he withdrew from the hole.

'Enter'.

'No...'

'You have to see something'.

'I'm not going anywhere with you'.

'Then, I'll go myself'.

'Good'.

'But not without sending you off to the punishment room first. And luckily Joyce hasn't informed you of how to come out of that wicked place'.

Puffing air, he didn't know what he would lose by following her. The fear that gnawed at his belly was strong, and he wished he could agree with it, but her look showed that her threat was real. So, he climbed down as he held his breath to be sure he wouldn't suffocate at the close of the bus.

' Greater purpose, remember. You and me'.

Immediately they got into it, the top closed up, and he hoped that if he died at that place, someone would see the top of the place, and try to find him. As soon as the door closed, another door slid open in front of him. It took Carl all the will in the world not to scream his surprise. Sonia strutted into the place, and beckoned on him to follow. He moved into the place with every assurance that he would soon take his last breath. It was funny how he saw danger and still checked out its details.

The place was like a computer operation room. Only that this room had too many computers than he had ever seen in a single place. There was no extra light in the room to give him a good description of where he was, but he was very sure the place would be sophisticated. Three people sat in front of these innumerable computers.

One of the learners at Etyes was standing in front of them.

Sonia stood beside the Learner. His own uniform was different, making Carl wonder what class he was. Everything in Etyes was a mystery.

'Welcome, please stand in the middle', one of the people sitting on the chair said.

A yellow round light appeared in front of them. Carl stared at it skeptically and glanced at Sonia, who poked her heads towards the hole. Immediately he climbed the hole, the yellow turned green.

'What is this...?'

'Seat down', the same person said again. And a chair appeared behind him and he sat in it.

'What's this?' he repeated.

'Things are beyond our comprehension. Welcome to the Only Balanced Mankinds on Earth, OBMOE. We are the last of the real humans remaining. Many years ago, the world was created. 2000 years ago, the world was destroyed, but some of us were saved. Despite all they saved, they refused to save the things that made us human, our languages'.

'What's languages?'

'That's why you don't need to rush. The major information is in the book in front of you. Read it as fast as you can, and avoid being caught with it. Sonia would guide you on how to use it. You have to leave soon. Their computers would detect us very soon'.

A small book appeared in front of him, he flipped through it and picked it. He wasn't a fan of books, but he would start reading it. As they climbed out of the underground, he couldn't help but peep into the book, which read: 'In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth'.

Sonia clasped the book shut. 'Hide it'.

'Who is...'

'Get to your room. Censored word'.

'How do you know what I wanted to say? Who is...'

'I said get to your room, and we need to stick around to discover these things. So, peradventure you're planning to escape, redirect your energy to how to remain hidden. Remember, greater purpose'.

Sonia redirected him to the trial room, and he hated the fact that she was his handler for the second time. But for now, he had to read that book to know who God _is_ , and how he created the world.

**20** _Spy_

Joyce slumped into bed after her rigorous training. Diana had ensured that she got a better training because of her people in the Punishment room. When others had finished their training and had entered their crumbling house, Diana made her stay back for more training. As if it had been waiting for her arrival, a part of her bed slid open.

'Oh my!' She jumped in utter surprise. She stared at the part of the bed that slid out. It looked like a tray, and had a paper that read in it. She picked it up. It read:

Come to the Library. Tell no one. Meet the Librarian.

'Guys, I'll be back', she said as she got to the elevator.

'Of course, that's how you've been going all these while', Regina said from her room.

'Shut up your mouth'.

Joyce stared at Regina's dancing mouth and felt like removing her teeth with a single punch, but she went her way. The management could have sent her somewhere but the library. She hated the library, and the knowledge it depicted. It was her major turnoff even when she was at school. They always claimed she had a photographic memory that if she was a serious type one, she would have won every educational award. When she entered the Library, she went to the Librarian.

'I was asked to meet you'.

'Yes?'The busy white librarian said and looked up. 'You... Are you the Joyce?'

Sonia nodded nonchalantly.

'Oh I thought...'

'Thought?'

'Never mind'

She watched the woman rummage through her bag. 'You were expecting someone else right, like one of those yellow fevered, unripe people like you'.

'Are...' The Librarian began to say something, but held her breath. 'Follow me'.

The woman limped away. Her right foot looked alright but on closer scrutiny, she discovered that it was a false foot.

'Will you walk fast? I am the one with the limping leg'.

Joyce sucked up her anger and walked faster. If it was to walk fast, she could do that, she walked past the woman and went away.

'Wh- where are you taking your little blackness to?'

'Was that not what we were being taught? That no one should have the right to call anyone by their color?'

'I'm a librarian, not a Peacemaker'.

'Then, you should be punished'

'What do you think I'm doing here, being stuck with insolent girls? By the way, this is the right way'.

Although she hated the library, the path they went led out of the books area. She turned to see the books shelves gradually begin to shrink to only figures. The woman brought her key and opened the door, locked it; then, another and another and another. She inputted a passcode into a new one, then used another key then another passcode. The next one required her hand scan.

'Like seriously?'

'We still have few to go and will you let me concentrate?'

'I didn't...'

'Shush...'

They went to about three doors before she brought out her keycard that opened the door to a massive room. The room was made round so that every chair faced a podium built into the middle. The podium was raised high to the extent that the person at the front, if short, might have to strain his neck to listen to the speaker. The librarian led her to the front.

'Welcome'.

She looked upward. Then, she saw her father.

'D... How did you get here?'

'Come here...' he said, stared at her for a while and laughed. 'I am suspecting you've met my twin or have seen him. Well because we are two, people always assume that we are one. We have so trained ourselves that one could pretend to be the other. Very few people know of our existence and it would remain so. In other words, you're not to speak a word of this to anybody'.

She nodded as she tried to soak in the moment in her mind. The empty room made his voice appear as if he was speaking from a different part of the room.

'I've summoned you down here because of the rebels, Groust. They have waxed great, and we have reasons to believe some of our people are involved'.

She swallowed hard as she watched him talk. Her mind went back to the fact that Diana just recruited her. That means they were in danger.

'My children, the two of them, were killed by the rebels and we need to eradicate them all. But our forceful way of flushing them isn't working. You'll be the one in charge of doing that for us'.

'I'm new here'.

'No wonder my brother wanted you to be trained, and made sure your name was among those that would come this year. The boy is so stupid. He still wouldn't learn to always cover his tracks. You're not here for fun. I know you're my brother's daughter, invariably my niece, and one of his fear is your death because you're supposed to be world leader after our death. You're the only heir to the throne, and you must learn how to do the right thing. I guess you know the right thing and have seen the video of the end of the world. Did you watch the videos you were shown?'

'Yes... '

'That's what destroyed the world. But the truth is this: the world used to have languages, but few of us know'.

'But you can catch Diana yourself and question her'.

'Diana is one of our best. No matter how much we try to get any information from her, she won't oblige. You've been kept in hiding all these while for a reason, no one must know anything about you till we announce you'.

He turned to the Librarian. 'Return her and get us the full information, you're her handler'.

As she returned with the Librarian, she agreed with her uncle, she needed training. A good P.I must know how to infiltrate the deadliest of places. She would play both sides for a fool.

*End*

Acknowledgement

There are so many people, whose impact on this book, would never be forgotten. The first of them is God, whose breath became this story.

Let me use this medium to thank everyone that made this story a success- to my editors- Glory-Anna Oshafi, and Precious Adejumobi. To Seyi Oni(Imasetng), thank you very much. You're a good man.

Let me remember Karo Oforofuo, with whom I climbed and overcame many hurdles as a writer. I remember the day we talked at length over the phone, how I was getting frustrated, but couldn't even tell you. But talking to you that day gave me the hope I needed, and I sat down to write.

Then, I must remember my own love and lover, Mobolaji Ogunbanjo. You understood me even when I had to disappear into the world of Fortunecity. You always had a way of jolting me back to reality without hurting me or what we've been building. Then, she can promote for Africa.

Then, to my neighbors, and newest family- Bolu, Tosin Fatoki, Ebubechi Chibueze, Seyi Oni, Agnes Babatoye, Dorcas, Grandmas, Olamide Akintayo (as in we bear the same surname).

Then, I must really thank every member of my family- Iya Benjy would pray into the parlor and would say, 'Akin, you've not slept. Hmmm. God would reward your labor o'. My Aunties- Sisi mi and Aunty Funmi, your support was something I can never forget. Then, my uncle, Uncle Reuben- your words of encouragement has its way of holding me to my seat and remembering my family.

Then, to my ever loving course mates, friends and family from the prestigious University of Ibadan- always checking up on me, now and then- thank you. Also, my Classmates from our own Nightingale Academy, thank you, guys.

And to the many stars that I will talk about in #Fortunecity4 series, thank you very much.

Then, Valerie Izuchukwu, what you did was simply to keep tagging me and flooding my WhatsApp status with motivations for the day. It really worked. See we've written a book.

Thank you to the great Nigerian writers and the book clubs on Instagram. Your success was my motivation. I love you all, but I am particular about Ibitola Ojoye-Adebayo(funnily, I logged into Instagram and met her post again), Vision2mision(like I'm definitely looking forward to the release of your book in 2018), Pellura, Funmie Adebayo, Emem Bassey ( I remember when one of my mentors was gushing about the number of books you have), then the two mamas that I just marvel at their type of success- Unoma Nwankwor and Chimamanda Ngozi-Adichie. Then, the numerous bookstores, book reviewers, and the book clubs. You're my hero. Doff hat for thee!!!

Now, to the person I've been reserving this place for- ITunes, Itunu Bakare- thank you. My NYSC partner and padi. Whenever I'm going blank, she would be there to listen to me. In her silence and approving nods, I found answers, numerous ones at that. I remember the day after she had finished reading the book, she sat me down and began to interview me about the characters, and the plots.

Thank you all. And I'm sorry if I always went into hiding. Just understand that is my new lifestyle, but come to pull me out once in a while; yet, don't expect it to be a regular thing. Writing is my new home.

About The Author

Akintayo Akinjide writes at Writertain, where he writes ways writers can improve their craft and also serve as a book publishing consultant. He loves teaching and expends his energy on making sure things work for other people. He is also referred to as Divepen, and is also a moderator of the Literature Section of the largest forum in West-Africa, Nairaland.

He is passionate the truth. He started Fortunecity stories as a way to bridge the gap between all the irregularities in this world, and hopes that his books would help anyone in need of solutions and would entertain people.
Snippets From 'Grabbing The Hot Gate'

Immediately Stella switched on the light, Gladys held her breathe. The room was a home to the scariest objects she had ever encountered. It wasn't a room on its own. There was a pyre and there were a lot of statues. Different tools laid on the pyre. There were two cages that hung from the ceiling of the room and some were on the floor. The hanging cages were big enough to take ten full-grown people, but the scariest part was that it hung over a horribly dark hole, from where simmers of smoke climbed out in the shape of rats. Gladys stirred to face Stella.

Stella entered the room slowly, her eyes were fixed on Gladys. Everything seemed to fade away. The terror of the room was grounded out of existence as Stella's blood-red evil eyes stared back at her.

For some absurd reason, she turned again. Her fear wasn't about the ominous room or the fearsome way Stella stared and advanced towards her, it was for the fact that she remembered that place from her dream.

'What is this?'

'The seed has been planted. You know where you are'.

'Do you mean?' Gladys asked and hurriedly glanced about to see if there was any way to escape. It couldn't be true. There was no way she drank part of the blood. She touched her lips and excited laughter from Stella.

'Yes. You know where we are', Stella said with such grace as she strutted towards her as if four hefty men were behind her.

Gladys shook her head, hyperventilating and panting. Stella's body frame was thin and if she rushed into her, she would definitely be able to escape. Sweat covered her body. Stella kept edging towards her and Gladys withdrew. 'It's a lie...'

'Tell me which part is a lie. I think you know I'm not lying. This is the major inconsistency with the word of God you should have looked out for'.

'You are a liar'.

'It's not in my nature to want to say the truth, but this is the truth. I guessed I've sinned against lord Lucifer for saying the truth, but he wouldn't be as mad as if I told you it was a figment of your imagination'.

'I'm dreaming. I'll wake up'.

Gladys ran to the pyre, touched it. It was real. It couldn't be real. She jumped, screamed, turned to check if she would at least wake from her dream. Everything was real in the house. What of herself? She pinched herself and the pain lingered to show her they are real.

'I'm a child of God. You can't do anything to me'.

'Well, in your words, technically, I'm not doing anything to you. I told you I would be here with you all the way'.

Gladys felt her mouth become dry. 'Please, let me go. Whatever'.

'Gladys, fear not...You are in safe hands. You will get raw power'.

'No. I don't want. I invoke the curse of God on you. In the name of Jesus, I am freed from whatever thing you have done and want to do to me'.

Stella laughed hysterically. 'You know my father or one of my fathers as I have had many fathers; the Australian father once told me about the story of a soldier who left the shore of America to fight the Germans. When he got there, instead of accepting defeat he kept invoking the power of being an American. In other words, he had left American soil and no longer had the protection of their power especially as he went AWOL'.

'I'm a child of God'.

Stella shrugged. 'Well, it depends on which God you're talking about: You have no right again as a Christian to make any demands. You've broken the edge and a snake has entered. I have entered. In fact, the snake is so pregnant within you and would soon give birth'.

'Shut up! I rebuke you. You're nothing but a liar and I will show you what stuff I'm made of'.

Gladys ran towards her. If the name of Jesus wasn't working, the strength Jesus gave her would do. She struck Stella's head. She was thicker than the frail Stella, her punch should have brought Stella down, but Stella was as fast as light. She side-stepped and rammed her fist into Gladys's ribs. The pain surged through her body to her head. Gladys yelled and crumbled to the ground, holding her side, but she tried to rise when she saw Stella advancing.

'You're a devil...', she said with clenched teeth as she grasped the pyre for support, groaning. A hammer rested on the pyre. Gladys picked it and stood straight, still panting heavily.

'God forgive me', she muttered as she poised herself to strike Stella. Although it was painful to do, she used all her strength to slack the tight blue armless gown she was wearing. People had commended the clothe after she got it from Fundel Collections, now Stella was making her tear the beautiful thing. She would crush her, and beg God for forgiveness later.

'Wow. I've never been called a devil in my 950 years plus on earth. Even Lord Lucifer would agree that I'm the next in command'.

Gladys stared at her in awe. What was she doing? How did she get involved with someone like this? Was she crazy? Was she blind? But she couldn't give herself an answer before a kick sent her sprawling on the floor. The hammer flew out of her hand while her hearing aid rattled away to one side, and Gladys was so sure she heard another rib-cracking before her hearing aid fell off. She crawled towards the Pyre to pick her hearing aid. With quivering hands, she positioned it in her ear, firmly. There was no way she would die without trying to fight off this evil that called herself her mentor. Stella sneered at her and punched her jaw thrice before bending near her bleeding head.

'It's a simple thing. You can either take it compulsorily or willingly'.

'No', she grunted.

