Despised: Soon-To-Be-A-Billionaire's Dark Revenge

Chapter 9 KIDNAPPING

‘Tolu started it all,’ Eric said. ‘He met this guy from the UK online. Tolu was posing as a merchant from Nigeria selling Tin. This guy fell for Tolu’s gimmick and wanted to be part of it. He asked for samples and Tolu sent some to him. The guy got the sample, confirmed that it was the right quality and they struck a deal for him to buy a container load. He was meant to pay a third of the money last week, but he mailed and said there was a change in the plan: he was coming to Nigeria to see Tolu and to verify the quantity and quality before it’s shipped out.’

Eric paused. ‘Tolu tried to dissuade him, promising to send more samples. But the man insisted on coming. Tolu told him it wasn’t safe to come because of the high incidence of foreigner’s kidnapping, but the man was adamant and insisted to come or the deal was off. That’s when Tolu came to me with the problem, saying he was cutting off all communications with the guy and abandoning the deal. But I saw the opportunity and I told Tolu to let the man come; we will kidnap him and his relatives will pay a ransom before we release him.’

Eric paused again to catch his breath and probably to give me the time to absorb what he said. I nodded to him to go on.

‘So, Tolu got to him and asked him to come,’ he said. ‘That decision was taken two weeks ago, and the white guy will be arriving in two days’ time.’ He smiled broadly. ‘So the plan has changed from scamming to kidnapping and that’s the whole story.’

I sat quietly for a couple of seconds, turning over what I have heard. Eric and Tolu left me to my thoughts. ‘Why did you bring me into it?’ I asked. ‘It’s a simple plan; the two of you can execute it without getting me involved.’

Eric smiled. ‘You have an analytical mind, that’s why I am bringing you in. We need someone with the brain to map out a foolproof plan to achieve success. You play chess and you read all those Ludlum and James Hadley Chase’s books back in school. If there is any fault in our plan, you are likely to pick it out.’

‘Those are novels,’ I protested, waving my hands in the air. ‘This is real life we are talking about. I don’t have any experience in...in...kidnapping. This is real life with real policemen, real guns and real jails.’

‘I know,’ Eric said. ‘But you were the first person to pop into my mind and I am sure your contribution will help us to succeed. Tolu and I have agreed to share what we make into three equal parts. No one takes more than the other. It doesn’t matter who came up with the idea or who executes it; the important thing is to succeed and not to get caught.’

I wasn’t confident of my abilities as Eric seemed to be. I had read tons of novels—crime and mystery alike—and I played chess in the state competitions, but fiction and games are the dreams of real life and if kidnapping is not real life then Adolf Hitler’s mom was a monkey.

I sighed. ‘Have you considered whether this is a set up? That the white guy knows you are scamming him and had set up the authorities to nap you?’

‘I doubt it,’ Tolu said quickly. ‘I have experience with these people. I am able to pick out the ones who pretended to go along with you but end up reporting to the authorities. This guy is real; I can tell you that. He is not up to anything fishy. He is just being cautious. But he is not the type to tell the authorities what’s going on.’

I was shaking my head before he finished speaking. ’Your hunch is no guarantee that the guy won’t talk to the authorities. A hunch is not good enough. In chess, as in battles, the person who plans better wins. You must plan and follow the plan instead of relying on a hunch. No offence intended, though.’

‘None taken,’ Tolu said. ‘But I know what I am talking about; I can tell one victim from the other just by the way we communicate. You either learn this skill or the first scam you start will land you in jail.’

I shook my head again. ‘Tolu, I am sorry; we can’t rely on your hunch. We have to do better than that.’

‘What do we do?’ Eric asked.

‘I don’t know,’ I replied. ‘Can I see the email’s exchanges? I might pick out one or two things from them, who knows?’

‘Sure,’ Tolu said. ‘I can give you my password to check online or I will d******d the emails for you.’

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘So let’s suppose this guy comes into the country next tomorrow; what’s the plan?’

‘We will use Tolu’s car to pick him from the airport,’ Eric said. ‘We will take him to a hideout on Lagos—Ibadan Expressway. There is an old, abandoned factory there. We will hide there until the ransom is paid. Then we will take him close to the expressway and leave him there. He will be able to get to the road from there. That’s it.’

I stared at his face for seconds. ‘This plan is too simple,’ I said. ‘Have you thought about the airport cameras and the police on the road? What if they stopped the car? And what do you tell the white guy you are taking him to?’ I turned to Tolu. ‘Did you tell him you are taking him out of Lagos?’

Tolu shook his head. ‘We are meeting here. I told him my warehouse is here in Lagos.’

‘So how are you going to take him out of Lagos?’ I asked. ‘What would you tell him or the police on the way?’

‘We could gag him,’ Tolu said. ‘Immobilize him and put him in the booth.’

‘Okay,’ I said patiently. ‘How and where do you do that? Don’t forget he is a white guy and that means he will be as visible as an MTN billboard. Where will you immobilize him? Inside the airport?’

I stared at them, amazed at their naiveté. Now I understood why Eric had invited me into this plan—there was no plan on ground! I thought about backing out of the whole thing at that moment, but the thought of going back to Jos empty handed came to mind. Mom will still be unsmiling and the doctor will take away...

‘For this to work,’ I said, dragging my mind away from my thoughts. ‘We need three plans—plans A, B and C. And we have to examine each plan as closely as possible and for at least five days. Looking at each plan everyday will reveal its flaws and we can make adjustments to correct the flaws.’

Eric and Tolu nodded like school children finally getting the point.

‘Help me with a paper,’ I said with renewed urgency. ‘It’s better to think on paper. That’s one thing chess teaches you to do—think in an abstract way and also think on the board.’

We didn’t have five days to perfect the plan—the white man will arrive in two days’ time.

I sighed and shook my head. Two days will have to do, I guess.