A world Apart (The alien Assassin)

Chapter 5.

POV. Hassan.

The city of Zaria in kaduna state was a flourishing metropolitan area known for it’s commerce and ancient history.

Founded in the sixteen century, it was formerly the capital of the Hausa state of Zazzau where the legendary ruler, Queen Amina Governor.

The town and state were named after sister and successor, Queen Zaria.

The great city was now a ghost town after the “Great invasion” as it was called by the media.

A large part of the inhabitants had been massacred by the aliens. The section process was drawn up by a large database were different factors like intelligence, adaptation and age were being analyzed.

"The bottom scorers were then eliminated by the aliens.

Nineteen years old Hassan Danjuma roamed the city alone with his friends trading on black market.

" Papa had warned him to stay indoors and they had had a row in the morning before he left the house.

Fatima had plead with him silently with her eyes to stop arguing just before Papa slapped him. He had stormed out angrily after that.

"Incidently like this were frequent every day but this was the first time papa had slapped him. He didn't want anyone controlling his movement because of some stupid aliens.

He and his best friend Sambo walked along their hometown of Tudun wada excitedly discussing the profit they would make after the day sales.

"Some people in Sabon gari market sold metals from a kadran concentration base in the area. It was called “banki karfe na alloli” in their language which roughly means “Iron of the gods” in English.

"It was a strong indestructible metal that will only be welded by a hammer of the same product."

This was the first time only Hassan and Sambo were going to the job alone.

"Sambo had come up with the idea so they wouldn't have to split the money among the group.

They were the middlemen in the transaction chain, the go-between for the smuggler and buyers.

“This thing good o, we fit make like 40, 000 from this job wahlai, Sambo said in his usal broken English. He was a short Hausa boy who had a penchant for causing trouble.

His red bloodshot eyes and broken teeth made him a fearsome character to look at.

"People wondered what Hassan saw in him as he was by contrast a quiet handsome guy. His grandfather had married a woman from Nigel.

"She had passed on her people facial features to her line; the full eyebrows, pointed nose and high cheekbones; Hassan and Fatima attracted admiring glances where ever they went.

"Hassan revelled in it, though Fatima seemed unaware of her beauty.

“I swear, an our luck but e no still as Aliyu and musa no join us. E no dey safe as na only two of us they go meet the man, what if an setup? Hassan said in a worried tone.

Whalai, you too dey fear, small thing yo dey shake like woman.

" Oga Dan no fit give us wrong person na, Sambo said, worried that Hassan would back out on the job.

Too late now, Hassan thought, squeezing the straps of his bag tighter.

They had already reached Sabon gari market. There was a time you could barely walk comfortably without upsetting someone goods, it was the hot spot of commerce in thr Northern religion and people came from far and wide to trade.

"Now it was a shell it's self. A few traders sold in the dilapidated stalls around. Modus of rice, beans, garri and sack of onions were the only products sold around.

"There was no market for leather and textile products. Hunger was the main problem in the land.

Hassan and Sambo walked hurriedly with their jalabiyas following behind them.

Sambo had insisted they wore brown rather than they usal white to maintain low profile. Hassan was glad that they had.

"They were many suspicious characters about, they had been rumors of spies working for the Aliens in exchange for food.

They arrived just on time to see a small black Toyota car cruise to a stop at their meeting spot.

" Good, Hassan thought, he liked clients that arrived on time.

"He felt a pat on his back and he looked back to see Sambo grinning at him. It was clear that he was already impressed by the client.

A short potbelly man came out of the car, he wore a white kaftan that was too tight on him and emphasize his protruding belly.

He walked towards them in short springs as if afraid to touch the ground. A cigarette dangled from his lips and he held a large brown envelope under his armpit.

“Password” Sambo asked him, it was a new strategy by oga Dan to avoid the goods getting into the wrong hands.

“Daya” the stranger responded in a drawl.

Give am the package, na our man, Sambo told Hassan.

Hassan unzipped the bag that he was carrying. He couldn't tell why, but he didn't trust the man.

"His instinct were now buzzing and he had learned to follow it. It has helped him survived on the rough streets of Tudun wada for years.

He pulled out the parcel and handed it to the man for inspection.

"He didn't behave like other clients who first inspected the metal with awe and frown over it before paying them. He paid the money without even looking inside the parcel.

Sambo took a while counting the money and gave a satisfaction nod to Hassan.

The money was all there, 40,000 naira in total. He seperated their 10% agent f*e and put it in the inner pocket of his jalabiyas.

“Na gode” the man said, thanking them in Hassan, their mother tongue. He walked back to the car and drove off in a cloud of dust.

'They used a different route while heading home."

Sambo was excited taking about his plans with his share of the money.

"Hassan was thinking about the event in his mind. Then it hits his mind.

“Sambo, he exclaimed."

“Wetin happen?” Why you they shout.

“Commot that envelope of money, I wan check something."

“Na oga them share be that o, he said looking at Hassan with a puzzled face.

He collected the envelope from him and pulled the money on the ground, ignoring Sambo horrific shouts.

"He searched the wad notes carefully, then he saw it. A small tracking device chip was among the notes.

He carried it and showed it to Sambo, they had been setup by the man.

“Run” she shouted at Sambo and sprang up.

He started running but realized that Sambo wasn't following him.

He looked back to see him packing the money into the envelope.

“I dey come, we no fit just leave this money like this, I get many…., he paused in mis sentence and raised his right hand to his chest.

"It came away bloody when he released it.

"He fell headfirst on the stacks of notes around and red blood splatter around stood in sharp contrast to the white naira bills.

Hassan was horrified, his first instinct was to rush and carry Sambo, but he knew that would be suicide.

"He threw himself just in time as the bullet wheezed passed his left ear.

He looked around for the shooter but all he saw were the old abounded building they had passed earlier.

He had not heard any noise when the shot was fired so the killer had a silencer.

He needed a distraction, he had to get to the other side of the road. It was a confusing jumble of houses, huts and stalls they all the same.

" It was easy to get there. He could easily lose his pursuers there but first he had to get there.

He heard a soft whirring sound over heard and looked up.

He saw a space shuttle with the federation Crest hovering above. A kadran alien teleported before him, he was a well built-man with fine slik clothes. He appears to be an important official.

"A group of soldiers had come down from the shuttle and were now pointing they gun at him.

“Thieving, from us you're either a hero or you're mad. I'll choose the latter.

"High iq, stubborn, sharp, reflexes and known to keep bad company.

"You're a confusing mass of trouble, the kadran said looking repulsively at him.

“I'll have killed you, but today is your lucky day, you're going as a candidate to our planet to train to be an assassin.

To punish you, I'll also send your sister there, she'll be easily be eliminated in a few weeks as she is weak and has average intelligence as your friend over there, he said smiling with and evil grin and pointed at Sambo corpse nearby.

“Leave Fatima out of this, he shouted as he lunged towards the official.

He was stood midway blow by his temple with a gun by one of the soldiers. He fell to the sandy ground dazed by the blow.

“Who are you?” He managed to asked in between his gasp breath.

“Thadron, the Emperor's advisor’s, he heard the official answer.