THE SYNDICATE'S SHADOW AGENT

Chapter Six (Black Lives Matter)

Raymond flung his phone on the bed, with a smile on his face. The smile he wears on his face whenever he gets off the phone with Dera. The lovebirds miss each other. It is been just two days since Raymond left, but for Dera, it is like a million years stapled in forty-eight hours.

Raymond locked eyes with the golden glimmer of the rays - fleeing into the room from the window, and his heart wouldn't stop flashing and hurdling with joy. Joyful and can't wait to end the whole John Marvin chaos and go back to his family.

Talking about the last mission, his hands still hurt from the altercation in the club restroom, and a little bit of sadness clamps his ridge because he murdered an innocent man. That's one of the detriments of being a serial killer. There's no lead to finding John Marvin yet, and hopefully, he doesn't squander the entire fund before Tyler comes up with a better idea of tracking him down.

The beep from Raymond's phone took his attention off the window. A smudge of positivity ran through his spine when he discovered the message was from Tyler.

"Yo, 002. I got a lead to this bastard. He has a secret slut whom he fucks around with whenever he's in Nairobi. My source told me he's always with her. There's a high chance of tracking him down with her. Her name is Kira. She's always at a strip club down the block. (15th Floor, Muthangari Drive, Westlands, Nairobi) That's the addy. Find her Now!!!!"

Another message popped into Tyler's phone again - still from Tyler. Raymond clicked the message and a picture appeared on his screen with the caption "That's her picture, don't harm the wrong target"

Raymond's lips formed a silent 'WOW' as he stared at the picture. Not because Raymond is a black man from an African background, who has a place in his killer mind for black women, but because the picture on his phone screen raved gorgeousness at its loftiest cadence.

He sat on the bed, holding his phone up to his face - a smile threatening to fall off his lips. For a split second, he wondered what such an alluring girl would be doing on the streets, or with an asshole like JM.

Just in, his thoughts flailed - whatever she's doing with him doesn't make her less of a target, and finding her is the only lead to John Marvin - and the only yardstick to his early departure from Nairobi.

*****

Raymond strolled into the strip club with the confidence that he'd find Kira - the supposed whore. He took off his dark shades and observed the cluttered scene for a moment. Three women stood in the middle of the room - hands gliding down a pole as they danced seductively, with their melanin bodies shimmering with sweat. Despite the turbid blue and red disco light wilting around every angle of the room, the alluring bodies of the ladies stood out.

Men stood at the edges of the dance ring - throwing Shilling notes to the women in a bid to get them to swish their bodies harder. The blaring tempo of reggae music could be instrumental to a temporary ear loss, but Raymond still heard the chatters and noises of the multitudes. A few had bottles and glasses of alcohol clasped in their hands, while some were in their party mode - dancing away their realities.

Raymond turned to the other side when he confirmed that Kira was not amid the stripers dancing on the dance ring. He stopped by the bar stand. He put his sunglasses on the fringes of his blue T-shirt.

"A glass of vodka," he said to the bartender who had his eyes stuck on Raymond - anticipating his order.

Raymond looked to the side and he caught sight of a guy walking through a door. The guy locked eyes with Raymond too. Raymond broke eye contact - pretending to be carried away by the spurting of liquor in front of him. He slowly turned back again, hoping to steal another glance, but those dark eyes welcomed his face again. But this time, the guy was about to plop a seat next to him.

Raymond huffed, trying to process the situation. He swallowed the chunk of saliva in his throat which was beginning to turn into a lump. He looked into the guy's eyes. Raymond seldom gets scared, but that disgruntled face was horrible enough to scare a squadron away. The mystery guy sat next to Raymond, still not breaking eye contact.

At this point, Raymond disposed off his skepticism, and he took a sip off his vodka - acting like nothing serious just happened.

Raymond gazed across the whole strip club and a view caught his eyes. The perfect replica of the girl on his phone screen thirty minutes ago. Kira. She's walking out of a room - approaching a spot. Raymond turned away from the bar stand - so he wouldn't lose sight of her. He watched her approach a table and pick up a bottle of whiskey. She gulped down half of its content in two shakes of a lamb's tail.

"She's a binge drinker" Raymond murmured under his breath. Kira held the bottle in her hands as she danced to the rhythm of the music.

Raymond placed a dollar bill on the counter "For the both of us" he said to the bartender, but his eyes - fixated on the muscular guy sitting next to him. "You can keep the change" he added and walked away.

He manipulated his way through a lot of people, and sometimes he stumbled into a few before he got to where Kira was.

Kira was startled in outright fright when she noticed a figure standing behind her. She took a step back "Whoah" she yelled. " Unataka nini? what do you want?" Her Kenyan accent revealed itself in a blink.

Raymond didn't utter a word. He stared at her face, for the umpteenth time - to be sure he's got the right person. But those dark and enchanting eyes cannot lie. It's Kira - in flesh and blood.

"You idiot! What do you want? Get..."

"I want you!" Raymond impeded. Kira swept him up with a single glance, and a giggle flew out of her mouth.

"I'm done for the night" she said, even though she had to yell because of the chaotically loud music. "And I don't fuck black Americans" she said, turning her back to Raymond - pretending to be moved by the sudden change in music. "Yeah" she screamed, wobbling her hips.

"Ever heard of black lives matter?" Raymond yelled.

Kira turned back - she gave Raymond a blank stare, stunned at what he was trying to say. Raymond smiled when he got Kira's attention again.

"You're black, and I'm black too. The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice, honey" Raymond said.

Kira chuckled hysterically. "Whatever. You can't afford me. Check the next spot" she said. "I'm sure you will....."

"I'd pay you five thousand dollars"

Kira paused. She shook her head in disbelief. "5k? For what?"

"To stick my dick inside you"

Kira stepped close to Raymond's ears and whispered "...where? Your place? Or..."

"At the back of the strip club outside" Raymond interrupted Kira.

Kira stared at him for a while. "Fine" she said, walking away. "Let's go"

A satisfactory smile emerged on Raymond's spherical lips as they moved toward the exit.

The chaotic music became distorted when they got outside the strip club. A few cars in sight, the thick hush, and the radiant moon - Illuminating the surface.

Raymond walked behind Kira as they walked to the back of the club - their legs hitting empty bottles.

"Here should be okay. Drop your pants" Kira said. She turned to meet Raymond pointing a gun to her head.

"Indeed" he scoffed. Kira took a step back, she was about to take another one "Don't move!" Raymond screeched, and she halted her steps.

"This way!" Raymond used his gun as a beeline for Kira.

"Not so fast buddy" a voice muttered from behind and with a gun, pointing to Raymond's head.