In the Path of a Pandemic E-Book

Susan Johnson

• Herausgeber: BooxAi
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

While the West was rife with social injustice, beset with epidemics and political upheavals, Africa was set in the path of a pandemic.
Only the special skills of two very special agents could save her from this evil.
Bibi kola, suave, international playboy and Tiffany Nachi, a member of the "New Agoji".
Would they be successful?
Would they discover the threat to the sovereignty of Africa and the lives of her people?
As Africa stands in the path of a pandemic, is there any hope?
Africa, "when she is in captivity, won't we come for her?"
 

Leseprobe

Susan Johnson

In the path of a Pandemic

All rights reserved

Copyright ©️ 2022 by Susan Johnson

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Published by BooxAi

ISBN: 978-965-577-956-1

IN THE PATH OF A PANDEMIC

SUSAN JOHNSON

“Vengeance must always be profound and absolute”

Aamir Barkawir

“London has fallen”

DEDICATED TO THE STRUGGLE FOR AFRICA, TO THE UNSCRAMBLING OF THE PARTITION OF AFRICA

PROLOGUE

TICONAC, 05/05/2022: -

It was a cold rainy spring night as the paramedics stood looking up at the man hanging from the high beam in the luxurious home office. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace that cast a reddish hue on the room and made for an uncomfortably hot room.

There was a slight commotion at the door and the police walked in. They had been called in at the same time as the ambulance, but the paramedics got there first. The scene they met however made them stand around and wait for the police.

It was obvious the subject was dead. He had been dead for a while. However, nothing could be ascertained until the police had investigated the area and brought down the subject. As of yet, no one knew who it was, but the police were questioning a group of servants by the door. The emergency call had been made by one who said he was the Major-domo of the Minister.

Two police officers walked slowly around the subject and went back to the officer by the door and whispered something to him. He in turn went to the hallway and immediately put a call through to his boss.

“Yes, Herr officer. It was confirmed. It is the minister, sir. Yes sir, it shall be followed to the letter.”

He walked back into the office and indicated to the paramedics, they walked over to him. “Thank you for getting here so quickly. But the police will be handling it from here and the coroner will be here shortly to cut him down and take the corpse in for autopsy.

They looked at him. “Then will you sign here, sir, indicating the scene and the fact that you have taken over from us.”

“Sure,” he said and grabbed the papers from them to sign. As he walked to the large mahogany desk, he looked at one of the officers who then walked up to him. Under his breath he said, “loose ends have to be taken care of tonight.”

The officer lowered his eyes, gave an invisible nod, and walked out of the room.

The officer in charge signed the papers and handed them to the paramedics. They thanked him, collected their bags, and walked out of the room. As they drove out of the gates, the coroner’s van drove in, past them.

Both paramedics looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders. The driver asked, “Klaus, do you really think that was the Minister?” “How can that be the Minister?” Klaus asked, “and how did he end up so high up there?

Those beams are a good forty feet above the ground, he could not have climbed up on a chair. Someone must have gotten him up there. That could not have been the Minister.” “I think so too,” the driver Josef said. “Well, it’s in the hands of the police now. I cannot wait to get home to my wife and children. This weather is not my favorite. I’m simply happy this is our last call for the night”.

They drove on in silence, the heavy pelting of rain drops on the van was the only sound heard for a while. Josef concentrated on driving in the heavy rain downhill. It could be a treacherous drive under such conditions, and he thought of his wife and children snug at home as he meandered along the winding lanes, deadly cliffs to one side that daredevils delighted to race around. He was happy he was not a daredevil, as he saw nothing thrilling about tempting fate. Coming around one such corner, he saw tail lights ahead and a scene that spoke “accident”.

One of those daredevils might have decided to tempt fate in the pounding rain.

He slowed the ambulance as they approached the scene and started looking for a place to park. A police officer walked up to the van, “it would appear that a car went over, and we are trying to see how we can pull it up. You can park over there,” he said, pointing to a spot. “We will appreciate your being around in case we need anyone transferred to the hospital immediately.”

Josef parked the ambulance. They opened the doors and made to step out when two officers suddenly appeared on either side of the ambulance. “Stay back in,” one of them said, “we do not need too many people running around until we are sure of what is going on.” They both stepped back in and sat down, the engine running as mentally they psyched themselves up for the work ahead of them when the vehicle was pulled up.

“I don’t feel good,” Josef said. “There’s something bothering me about all this, but I can’t really put my finger on it. I just want to go home to my wife and children”. “You worry about everything,” Klaus said. “Relax, we’ll soon be done, and you’ll be home with your family. Our vacation starts tomorrow. Two months of none of this, you will miss it so much. I will not even remember it as I will be spending my two months in the bosom of a blond triple D cup. Empty head, but easy on the eyes. And she can work magic with her tongue. Just thinking about her sets my loins afire. The perks of the single life”. They both laughed. “I definitely won’t miss it,” Josef said. “I’m taking the missus on a second honeymoon. Been saving up for two years. We never had one to speak of and I want to surprise her. The children are going to my mother’s. We leave in two days, and she does not know yet”. He smiled, deep in thought as he talked.

Suddenly, they heard a crunching sound outside and felt the ambulance move. “What is happening?” Klaus yelled. His yell was the last thing they heard as the ambulance went over the ravine, hitting several boulders as it went down and burst into flames at the bottom.

A police officer stood watching this from a way off, and as the ambulance burst into flames, he put a call through. “All loose ends tied up tonight,” he says. And hangs up.

CHAPTERONE

NEW YORK, JUNE 2022.

He ran his fingers down her naked spine and she arched into his arms and purred deep in her throat. He smiled at this. Her skin was satiny smooth and silky soft to the touch. He leaned over her and trailed his fingertips with his lips. Wherever his fingers touched, his lips followed. From the base of her neck to the small of her back, right down the crack. He went around her, turned her over on her back and came back up in front. She grabbed at his head to keep him in place, but he evaded her and kept trailing upwards until he got to her breasts. He lightly grazed her right nipple with his teeth, while teasing her left nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Her purring intensified deep in her throat, and she arched her back to push her nipple further into his mouth. He sucked and he licked, and he tugged, and just when she was about to scream, he shifted his attention to her left nipple, and her purring continued.

He moved his attention back down and started a trail of kisses down to her belly button and further and further down. She went still momentarily in anticipation and immediately he centered on her honey pot, clasped her legs around his neck and raised herself into him, burying his entire face in her and reaching out for more and more of him. By this time, her head was trashing back and forth, and her purring had turned to deep moans and screams of passion. He held her in place by her hips and feasted on her. He felt her climax in his mouth. Over and over again and he licked and slurped and drank of her nectar like a man dying of thirst. Her movements finally slowed down, and as he gently lay her down, she grabbed onto him and pulled his head down to hers for a deep kiss. There was something erotic about tasting herself on his tongue. That seemed to act like an aphrodisiac to her senses. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled herself up into him. She gently pushed him down and climbed on him. Reaching for his proudly turgid manhood, she traced her finger up and down his shaft. He purred and reached for her, but it was her turn to evade him. She went on her knees before him and flicked her tongue down the length of him. He jerked into her, and she giggled. She opened her mouth and took him deep in her throat, sucking on him and rubbing her tongue up and down his length at the same time. He could take no more. He reached for her, pulled her up and sat her on top of his proud staff. She closed her eyes in ecstasy as she slid down the long, huge length of him. The half-smile on her lips was one of satisfaction and pleasure. And they started to move simultaneously. They rocked together, faster and harder. He felt like he was about to explode, but he waited for her climax before he let himself go with a deep growl.

They both lay panting and spent. They had spent a lazy day in bed, making love repeatedly. She turned towards him and lay her head on his chest. He could tell she was about to sleep off, and just before she did, he heard her say, “I think I’m falling in love with you, Bibi.”

This woke him up.

Bibi Kola pulled on his gloves as he walked into the elevators. He smiled to himself as he punched the buttons. He was thankful for the call. It conveniently extricated him from a situation that was becoming slightly cloying to him.

Sandra was a nice girl and all. Beautiful arm candy. Striking in appearance, everything exactly right and in the right place with those long, long legs. A woman any man would give an arm, a leg, and an eye for. He had had two weeks of bliss with her. But usually, two weeks was his limit of that type of bliss before he became restless, and the wanderlust set in. Sandra had been so much fun that he thought this time just might be different, but after almost three weeks of almost being together non-stop, making love non-stop, he knew it was not so. When she started making plans for a Caribbean trip and he was not too enthusiastic about it, he knew it was time to get out. And when she whispered about falling in love with him, he knew he had to get out. The call from HQ came just in time.

She was parked where he left her over two weeks ago and stood as if waiting for him with an expression of expectations of the ride ahead of them. He saw her every day, but it felt like she knew it was time to go, finally.

His beautiful shiny black 2020 Yamaha Vmax 1700 stood before him. She was the love of his life. He named her Fashia and took her everywhere with him, even on assignments overseas. Friends laughed at him because an old motorbike did not fit the persona of an international Playboy. What they called old, he called antique. He had loved her from the first time he saw her at a car show three years ago and loved her even more now. Her features still surpassed the latest models, and her speed was still top notch, so he was very contented with his Fashia. His friends still did not know why he named her that, they believed it was a woman from his past. But he was not talking, and they just kept speculating. Fashia was his baby, and each girlfriend in time came to know that.

And they all in turn hated the crazy bike that could keep the attention of this man in the way they could not.

“Fashia baby, time to take off girl. I missed you and can’t wait for our ride. Time to get to New York city girl, let us go.” The ride from Poughkeepsie to New York City was supposed to be about an hour and a half, but he knew Fashia would get him there in 35 minutes. He looked forward to the ride and relished the freedom riding his bike gave him.

As he mounted, he neither turned around nor looked back at the deluxe condo he had just spent a sizzling and scintillating almost three weeks, and by the time he got on the Taconic State Parkway, Sandra was far from his mind.

Bibi rode at lightning speed. He loved the speed, the wind, and the freedom to think. He wondered why HQ was calling him in from his vacation. It was a long overdue vacation and now it appeared it was already cut short. He continued to wonder why.

There were other agents who could have been called in. He was good at his job, actually, he was excellent at his job. He lived for his job and loved it, and his bike of course. He loved his life.

Bibi Kola was the last son of a Nigerian billionaire, reputed to be one of the richest Black men in the world. He had been to the best of schools the world over. Eton, St. Andrew’s, even finishing schools in Switzerland. Graduated from Harvard business school with honors and had gone on to do an MBA out of boredom.

Bibi was not only extremely wealthy, but also extremely intelligent, but he had a problem. A profoundly serious problem. He was easily bored.

His father despaired of his son amounting to much, until Bibi encountered the Foreign Office by chance.

In true Bibi style, it was not the regular Foreign Office, but the secret service. He had unwittingly infiltrated a diamond smuggling ring and had brought the members to book. His government was not only grateful but impressed and as a reward employed him when he approached the minister in charge of the secret service with his idea. Bibi on his part had been so exhilarated with the experience.

He had never felt more alive, and he realized he had found his calling. His father had not been too thrilled when he had told him he was signing up with the Foreign Service, as he had hoped his son would one day take up his place in one of his many companies and prove himself. But by this time, he knew the chances of that happening were almost impossible. All his son did was jet around the globe and party with the best of them. He loved spending money but was not really interested in making it. So, his father gave his blessing and hoped the enthusiasm would last longer than a week. As it was, it had been three years and the old man was impressed.

Bibi Kola was known as a wealthy Playboy who moved and hobnobbed with the best of society worldwide, and that was all most people knew about him. A few knew he worked with the Foreign Service, most of which were family, but they thought it was for some highbrow job like introducing foreign dignitaries at the embassy or such social job. It was unclear to most what he did. No one, but the very top brass at the agency knew Bibi was an agent, one of the top agents they had in the secret service and one of the best. He had proved himself time and time again in tight places and saved his country in ways that he could never be thanked, at least not publicly. He had risked his life so many times in the pursuit of his duties, although some of the other agents regarded him as reckless and flamboyant.

Bibi parked his bike in front of the consulate and walked in.

As he walked through the security, he waved in greeting to the security guards and smiled at the secretaries as he walked through the offices. Each female he passed turned and gave him a second look. Some licked their lips with lascivious intent in their eyes. Most females who met Bibi were always impressed. He cut a striking figure at six feet four inches, broad shouldered and very athletic. Very dark in complexion and the most beautiful of smiles. What he lacked in facial beauty was never noted because his smile overshadowed everything else. His was the friendliest of dispositions and his smile always open and friendly. He was always well dressed. It did not matter if it was a tuxedo or a pair of jeans, Bibi Kola was always well dressed and well turned out. His clothes were well tailored to fit, and he did them justice. He was a tailor’s dream come true and Brooks Brother’s delighted in him.

As he walked into his boss’s office, he smiled at her secretary, “good day Samuel, how are you?” The secretary looked up and smiled, “good day Bibi. I am good. Madam Secretary would like to see you immediately”. He nodded and walked across to her door. Knocked and walked in on her answer.

His boss was Dr. Lilian. Everyone knew her as Dr. Lilian. It was only recently he had gotten to know her last name. Dr. Lilian Anoms. But for some reason, no one ever used that.

She stood by one of the many windows in her office, she had once told him that she was partial to light, so she liked her rooms well light and that meant lots of windows.

Dr. Lilian always cut a striking figure. Well dressed, beautiful and as smart and intelligent as he had ever met.

She had a kindly disposition about her that always deceived those who met her into thinking they could ride roughshod over her. Her kindly disposition and calm, quiet voice hid the fact that she had a backbone of steel that cannot be bent. This was why she not only headed the foreign service of her country, but its secret service as well.

She was the one Bibi had approached with his idea years ago about joining the secret service and she saw the brilliance of having an international playboy as an agent. He could go into places other agents could not, talk to people who would have ordinarily been suspicious to talk to the regular agents. Bibi was one of them. In the class of the wealthy elite, so he could go anywhere and talk with any of them without raising any suspicions. She approved his application and saw to it that he got all the training necessary and even more than was needed. This was because Bibi was always pushing the envelope and trying to do more. He was always willing to learn and delighted his instructors and teachers. He went above and beyond what was laid out for his training, to their absolute delight.

When she learnt he was a linguist and easily picked up languages, he could already speak the three main Nigerian languages and had learnt French while in finishing school in Switzerland, she challenged him to learn Spanish, Mandarin and Russian. That had excited him like a kid in a candy shop and he had taken up the challenge. In three years, he had won the bet. He did enjoy that bottle of wine as his reward. It did not matter that it was the cheapest wine $5 could buy. He had won it from his boss, that was all that mattered.

He enjoyed discussing with Dr. Lilian. She was always so knowledgeable and always ready to think outside the box. As near to a perfect boss as possible, but she ran a tight shift and did not suffer fools in her agency.

Dr. Lilian was his boss and one person he had so much respect for. In her company he was always a little bit in awe of her, but she always treated him with genuine respect, as she did all her staff.

“Hello Bibi, come on in. I hope you were able to get a bit of rest on your vacation and I apologize for asking you to cut it short.” He looked at her and smiled. He knew there was truly little that happened that Dr. Lilian did not know about. So, she knew how he had spent those few weeks of his vacation. Knew that he had jetsetted and partied with Sandra all over the place and had basically gotten no rest. But he smiled and kept quiet, waiting for Dr. Lilian to continue.

“I have an assignment for you. You leave for London within the hour. There is a reception at the palace tomorrow night. You will be there to meet the Princess Asabe of Nigeria. We have just been reliably informed by an underground network that a death occurred a month ago in Ticonac, which was ruled a suicide by the authorities, but the news from the underground stated that it was not. It was a cover-up, and Princess Asabe just might know a few things about it. There is a conspiracy, I am told, involving the continent of Africa that is tied up in all this. We have not heard anything about it in the diplomatic circles nor the grape vine. However, we cannot stand by quietly without knowing what it might be and stopping any danger if possible. So, go to London. Meet the Princess. Try and find out what she knows and report back to me immediately.”

He had not sat down as she started talking and she did not sit down either. He nodded his head and turned to leave.

“And Bibi,” she said, “be careful. We are going in blind here and we practically do not know if there is something going on or not. Have a safe trip and I will be waiting for your feedback.”

CHAPTERTWO

“Would you like a drink Mr. Kola?” Bibi looked up at the air hostess standing in front of him and smiled. “Yes please, I think I would like one.” She walked away without asking what type of drink he would like. Everyone who knew Bibi Kola knew his favorite drink. And since this was one of his father’s private jets that he used often, it was reasonable to assume she already knew what he drank. It was one he had formulated himself and called the Avon Elixir. Half a glass of green tea, a quarter glass of lemonade, a dash of Jack Daniel’s, Campari, and syrup, topped off with ice. He swore it was the very nectar drunk on Olympus itself. This always amused his friends, but everyone knew it was Bibi’s drink. His very own invention that he claimed he would someday patent and mass produce to make a ton of money from. They stated unless he had a million Bibis hidden somewhere, he would not make a dime off it. All in all, except in social circles, Bibi rarely drank anything else.

Nursing his drink, he was lost in thought. He was en route to London with no clue about the case at hand. This was not the usual assignment. He was going in here blind with no idea whatsoever what the issue was or what was going on. If there was even an issue, was the first thing. Dr. Lilian was going on the word of an underground source and her instincts. But he had gotten to know her well enough to trust her instincts. They had saved him many a times. If a government official was indeed murdered, and it was covered up to look like a suicide, then there was something afoot. And if all was quiet at the government and international fronts, then it just might be coming from much higher up than one knew. He wondered what Princess Asabe knew and how she was involved. He knew the princess. They had been friends for years. From kindergarten, and they ran in the same circles. A lot of their international friends thought she was from the Royal family of Zaria, a descendant of Queen Amina. That always amused them. He felt her feisty, militant, and dramatic ways might have given rise to that belief. But he knew she was from the Royal house of Tula, a Lawyer and philanthropist who was always at the forefront of anything that had to do with justice and reforms for the downtrodden, the poor and the girl child in Africa. A mother Theresa in her own right and a warrior for them. In this light, it was easy to see how she could easily be mistakenly associated with the feisty warrior queen.

Her father was as rich as Croesus, but she never let it go to her head. She was a crusader in her own right. And a hardworking one too. It was rare to find her at a party, and at the palace no less. But they were also friends with the princes, so he assumed that was why she was there.

He wondered what it was she knew and hoped her crusading ways had not gotten her into something untoward.

With this in mind, he stretched out and decided to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Sandra had rarely given him time to sleep. He had sent a message to his valet in London to make an early morning appointment for him at Brooks Brothers. He might as well get himself fitted out for some new clothes. He knew if he happened to cross paths with his mother while in London, the first thing she would complain of was how scruffy he looked. She always complained of that, at least he could tell her he had been to Brooks Brothers. That would get her off his back for a while. And he did want a new suit for tomorrow night, so it was a win win situation for him. He smiled at his plan as he slept off.

The three air hostesses kept walking quietly back and forth while he slept. Looking at him and sighing silently. They called him Sir Dreamboat amongst themselves.

By the time Bibi walked out of Heathrow airport, Fasia was waiting for him at the North entrance of Terminal 3. He smiled as he got on his bike, in anticipation of his ride to London. Whatever luggage he had would follow in the car. This was how he traveled. By air, land or sea. He could not be cooped up in the plane and be cooped up in the car too. Not if he could help it.

He got to his house and went straight to bed. He did not want to let friends and family know he was in town just yet. Time enough for that after the reception tomorrow.

By 9am, he was at his appointment and was being fitted for suits, shirts, pants and a few other Knick knacks that went with all he needed. He was assured his suit for the night would be delivered before 5pm, accompanied by an adjuster, in case adjustments needed to be done. He left his valet to sort out whatever was needed there and went back home. He had a few things he had planned to do.