ALL IN A DAY

CHAPTER THREE - FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

#Fbi #Lagos #lead #Billwilliams #KendraDaniels

Time: 8:34:23 AM

Location: Federal Bureau of Investigation branch situated in the capital of Lagos.

The FBI's branch in Lagos stood tall and imposing across the Allen axis, boasting an impressive 2,800,876 square feet (260,210 m2) of internal space. It was a secure fortress, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities and a system of elevators and corridors to keep public tours separate from the operations inside. The building extended three floors below ground, and its underground parking garage catered to the busy agents working there. The design of the structure featured a distinctive eight-story height on the northwest side and eleven stories on the southeast side. Two wings connected the main buildings, forming a trapezoidal courtyard. The exterior, constructed of buff-colored precast and cast-in-place concrete, displayed repetitive, square, bronze-tinted windows set deep in concrete frames. All of this surrounded the central hub known as the cortex, situated on the first floor.

In the director's office, Bill, the head of the FBI's Branch, sat with a serious expression on his face, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk while engaged in a phone call. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing creased cotton trousers, and he wore glasses that lent an air of intellect to his demeanor. He was on a phone call with his boss, Director Jandor, head of FBI'S headquarter in Based in Abuja.

The phone call was a heated one with the chief of staff to the President, discussing a pressing issue that required urgent resolution.

Due to the recent attacks in Lagos, Director Jandor had reached out to Bill Williams, the newly appointed director of the FBI's branch in Ikeja Lagos, seeking updates on the ongoing investigations.

"Yea, I understand you, Mr. Jandor, but the thing is, we are still working on the case file and conducting other investigations. I assure you, before the end of today, we'll have some leads," Bill calmly responded to Director Jandor's questions over the loudspeaker, having put the call on speaker mode for convenience.

However, Director Jandor's voice grew increasingly stern and forceful as he responded, "Listen to me, Bill. The Chief of Staff has given me an ultimatum of two hours to find something out. Now, I'm giving you until the end of the hour. I need results, or else consider yourself out of that seat. I need capable hands, not inactive ones!"

Bill attempted to explain himself, but before he could do so effectively, Director Jandor hung up on him, leaving Bill frustrated and upset. He threw his pen angrily and slammed his hand on the table, feeling threatened and devastated by the situation. He knew he had to find a breakthrough in the case involving the attack on Shoprite, or else his job was on the line.

Just then, the telephone rang loudly, interrupting his thoughts. He pressed the receive button and listened as his assistant, Omotola, informed him that he had a call from his daughter, "Sorry to bother you Mr Williams, but you have a call from your daughter on line 3"

Despite his current mood, Bill responded calmly, not wanting to raise any concern from his assistant, "Oh! Thank you, Omotola." He then pressed the button to answer the call from his daughter.

"Dad," Alice's soft voice came through the telephone.

Hearing his daughter's voice brought a sense of comfort to Bill, and he adjusted himself on his seat, replying with a warm smile, "Hey, my pretty Ali... How are you doing?" he said, shortening her name with a loving tone.

Alice sounded relieved, "Oh, thank God! I've been trying to reach you for the past two hours, but it's not reachable. What's going on, Dad?"

"I'm so sorry, darling. We're dealing with a situation here, which is why I haven't been reachable," Bill explained, realizing that he had forgotten to turn on the air conditioning in his office.

"Awn, I'm so sorry, Dad... I just wanted to know how you're doing and if you'd be coming for my birthday."

The mention of her birthday made Bill freeze momentarily as he realized he had forgotten about it. "Oh my god, it's your birthday. Happy birthday, Ali," he hesitated, and Alice picked up on it.

"Wait a minute, I know that voice. Don't tell me you forgot about my birthday?" Alice's voice sounded slightly disappointed.

"What! No, why would I?" Bill paused, realizing that lying to his daughter wouldn't help. He opened up, "Okay, yes, and I'm sorry, darling. It's just... my mind has been occupied with cases and all of that." He walked over to his desk and turned on the air conditioning, trying to cool off both the room and his own emotions.

"Yeah, I get you, Dad... But aren't you coming tonight?" Alice's voice sounded downcast over the phone.

Bill felt guilty for letting his daughter down and tried to reassure her, "Darling, I can't promise you. My job is at stake, and I need to fix it."

Alice persisted, "But, Dad, it's been nearly a month since I saw you. I really miss you."

As the conversation continued, Kendra, his colleague, approached his office with a file in her hand. Seeing that Bill was still on a phone call, she knocked lightly on the glass door and waited for his signal to enter. Bill acknowledged her presence and gestured for her to come in.

"I know, Ali, and I miss you too. But I want you to know that the reason I took this job, in the first place, was because of you. I love you, and I don't want you to suffer," Bill explained, his hand gesturing to emphasize his words as he spoke to Alice over the phone. He looked back at Kendra, who had entered the office.

Alice's voice softened, "I understand, Dad, but I just wish you were here."

"I know I have not been there for you, but I promise I'll find time. We'll talk and maybe take a vacation to Florida, just like you've always wanted," Bill said with a hopeful smile on his face, trying to alleviate Alice's disappointment.

"Really, Dad?" Alice's voice sounded brighter.

"Yea, just like you've always wanted," he nodded, fiddling with a pencil in his hand.

"Awn! I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, darling. Now, I want you to do something for me. Get off the bed, take a good bath, and then get out in a birthday mood and have some fun," he said, his smile widening, his eyes brightening at the thought of his daughter celebrating her birthday.

Alice gave a tiny laugh over the phone, "Alright, Dad. See you soon... Bye."

"Bye, darling. I'll call you later," Bill said, tapping the button to end the call. He glanced at a small frame on his desk, a picture of Alice, and smiled warmly. According to the picture, her body shape and the charisma she posed, she looked somewhat mature, like 21 - 22 of age. Light skin, an attractive face and blonde hair were all Alice needed to attract hundreds of men to herself.

Kendra, who had been observing the conversation, coughed softly to get Bill's attention. He had momentarily forgotten she was in the room.

"Oh, Kendra, I'm sorry. I forgot about your presence. Have a seat," he said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk.

"It's okay. I noticed you were somewhere else while staring at that picture," Kendra observed, taking a seat. She had been touched by the heartfelt conversation between Bill and his daughter.

"Yeah, that was Alice. Today is her birthday."Bill replied as he touched his face to feel if he had some drop of sweat. He then realized the air conditioning was working perfectly.

"Yea I know; I actually called her this morning" Kendra nodded

"You know, what beats me," he continued, "is that Alice is not happy with me." He interlocked his fingers and placed them on the table as he leaned back, looking thoughtful.

Kendra furrowed her eyebrows, curious about the reason behind Alice's unhappiness. "Not happy with you? Why?"

Bill took off his glasses, adjusting his position as if preparing to deliver a lecture. Kendra leaned forward, attentive to what he had to say.

"Ever since Clara died, it has been hard for Alice and me. Being the only family she has, today, on her birthday, we should be together and have fun, but here I am, working on some stupid case, and all Director Jandor could do is threaten me with my job," he sighed, realizing the weight of his words as he spoke.

Kendra listened intently, nodding in understanding. "I'm sorry if I sound odd, but sir, you don't have to say that. Yes, it's been hard for you and Alice, but that's precisely the reason you're in this position—to learn how to face challenges, even if it comes with a price. I know these past few weeks have been tough, but put in the back of your mind that very soon, it will be over."

Raising his head slowly, Bill murmured in disbelief, "It will be over?"

Kendra smiled encouragingly, "Yeah. Most of the time, I get discouraged or depressed, thinking it's not working, no solution... But you know what? I always snap out of that thought when I remember those we are serving, our country, and our loved ones. And guess what? There will always be a solution. As for Alice, I know she'll be proud to have a serving father like you."

Bill was taken aback by Kendra's wise words, finding comfort in her perspective. "Kendra," he called, gazing at her with a renewed sense of hope, "I um... thank you. With what you've said, I feel a bit relieved, and maybe even when this case is over, I'll find time and go surprise her."

Kendra smiled warmly, "You're welcome, Mr. Williams. And one more thing, good work."

"Thank you, Kendra," Bill replied gratefully. He then changed the topic, asking about the details of their investigation.

Kendra explained their findings, and she handed him a file containing information about the suspect Abdulganiu Abdulmuiz. "We discovered that most of the bullets used in the attack were V-crown jacketed hollow point bullets, unique to this type of weapon," she said, pointing to a Sig Sauer weapon displayed in the file.

"Yes, sir," Kendra confirmed. "And we got information that those weapons were shipped into a warehouse here in Lagos. The headquarters sent us details of the assumed suspect, Abdulganiu Abdulmuiz, who seems to be a cover arm dealer involved in supplying the weapons or possibly coordinating the attack on Shoprite."

"Is there a location on him now?" Bill asked, still focused on the file.

"Yes, um... I just wanted to inform you that Ben and the team are minutes away from the location. Also, I wanted to know if you'd like to view the operation," Kendra said, waiting for Bill's response.

Bill chuckled before answering, "This is fantastic, good job, good job." He closed the file and placed it on the stack of papers on his desk.

"You head downstairs, alright? Start the processing, and I'll address everyone. Get that?" he said with a sense of purpose.

"Yes, sir," Kendra replied, standing up to leave. "And one more thing, Kendra, good work," Bill added, showing his appreciation for her dedication.

"Thank you, Mr. Williams," Kendra smiled before exiting the office, pushing the glass door open. She made her way down the stairs to join the team.

As Kendra left, Bill's smile widened. He felt a renewed sense of determination and purpose, knowing that they were close to solving the case. He had received wise advice and encouragement from Kendra, and he was grateful for it. Looking at the picture of Alice on his desk, he felt a surge of love and longing for his daughter. He knew he had to make time for her and be there for her, no matter how challenging his job was.

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A/N: I'm Speeches🤐but I'm glad everything is working out perfectly