TARASHA: CHAPTER FIVE- PART THREE

28/11/2030

** 10am **

Segun and his men stood up from their seats immediately they sighted the minister approaching with his two bodyguards. They walked closer to welcome them, one of Segun's men collected a small luggage from the short bodyguard.

'Officer Segun Kayode sir' Segun displayed his ID card and bowed in respect to the minister.

'Oh officer!' Nnamdi Okafor exclaimed cheerfully, extending his hand to Segun for a handshake. 'How are you doing?'

'Fine sir, how was your flight?' Segun asked smiling.

'Wonderful' the man replied and looked around like someone searching for something.

Segun was quick to figure out what he searched for and he pointed out before the man asked, 'the car's over there sir'

'Ok, Beautiful' Chief Nnamdi smiled and nodded. The party journeyed the short distance to where the cars were parked.

Segun and one of the Chief's bodyguards sat in front of the jeep while the minister sat at the back. The rest of the party took the other car and followed closely behind.

**********

'Welcome Boss' Cole greeted, standing up as Tarasha walked gently in with Benny.

'Thank you' Tarasha answered, she took a glance at the fried rice Cole was eating and then dropped a USB device on the table. 'We planted the tracker on the Jeep as they made their way into the airport. You'll monitor their movement when you're done with your food'

Cole covered his food and stood up at once, 'I'm done already, I'll just tell Aisha to pack away the left over'

'Huh?' Benny made an unnecessary sound as he opened back Cole's food and threw the remaining meat into his mouth distracting Tarasha and Cole.

'Sorry'Benny apologized, he gulped down a cup of water and hurried after them to the computer room.

'I think he's on his way to the pharmacy' Cole said aloud after a minute, he pointed at a blinking green light moving on the map displayed on the screen, as the GPS tracking receiver App opened.

'Ok, he's working according to the schedule. I remember Dr Hammed told me...' Tarasha joined in, she paused and recalled her last meeting with Dr Hammed.

**flashback: 25.11.2030 **

'Good morning sir ' Samantha greeted, smiling as she took her seat in Doctor Hammed's office.

'Good morning Samantha' he replied, smiling back. 'I saw your book here on Friday and I was told by the receptionist that you came. So why didn't you wait to see me?'

'Sir?' She narrowed her eyes as she stared at him in surprise. 'I was here and we met'

'We met? No, we didn't. The only thing I saw here was your book in my office' The Doctor returned the surprise look, which later turned into a frown.

'Sir? I was here, right in your office. You told me you were a little bit tired and needed to rest, that I should return today' She refuted.

'Oh! I did that?' The look on the doctor's face changed to a confused one.

'Yes, you don't remember?'

'Off course I remember' Dr Hammed aloud, making a futile attempt in using a smile to cover up his confusion.

Tarasha chuckled.

'I really had to sleep that day because I used a particular new drug' He added a lie.

'Oh! I see' She smiled. 'So have you gone through my work now?'

'Yes, I did go through it but I noticed that the research is not completed yet and does not hold any valid conclusion' he answered.

'I'm about to complete it sir, I just thought I should share it with you so that you can help me further...'

Dr Hammed's phone rang, he motioned Tarasha to stop talking before he picked the call.

After speaking for about a minute, he ended the call and got up hurriedly. 'Sorry, I have to go check something now, if you like you can wait here or come back later'

'No problem sir, I'll come back' She replied and got up from the seat, proceeding towards the door.

'Please, I think I need your help' the Doctor called back. 'Can you help bring this bag along to where I'm going?'

'Of course sir' she smiled and hurriedly collected the bag from him. The Doctor carried another bag and led the way.

They took the elevator and headed for the tenth floor, continuing with their discussion as it moved

'I'm taking this to the conference room where we're having a meeting on Thursday and Friday before the conference' he said.

'Wow! I believe it's a meeting with the speakers' Tarasha guessed.

'Yes you're right. On Thursday we have a meeting with the country's minister of health and the commissioner and the company's board' He continued as they stepped out of the elevator. 'And on Friday we have a meeting with all the speakers including the foreign guys'

'Good... ' Tarasha said as they walked on to the room.

**PRESENT**

'It was then I planted the bug in the conference room. So keep monitoring them Cole, we might get helpful information from their meeting' Tarasha concluded with Cole and turned to Benny who stood with his arms folded and his back rested on the wall. 'The real job begins this evening two hours before the Ghanian minister arrives'

'Yes, I know. I'm prepared already' Benny added confidently.

'But where's your cook?' Tarasha asked, raising a brow. 'Didn't you tell her she's gonna work with it us?'

'Yes, let me get her' Benny walked out of the room and returned a minute later with Aisha.

'Good morning' Aisha curtsied.

'Hey! I heard you're a very good cook?' Tarasha replied on a lighter mode.

'Yes, I try' Aisha replied back smiling.

'Good' Tarasha smiled, she surveyed Aisha's from head to toe with her eyes and asked, 'do you use guns at all? In case there's any need to'

'Yes, I do. I'm not a novice, I also go on little operations' Aisha answered.

'Okay, we're working as police officials for this operation. "We" includes me, Benny and you, Cole's main job is here. We will get everything we need by this evening' Tarasha explained. 'Our job is to secure Ghana's  minister of health and escort him to Chief Nnamdi Okafor's house when he lands in Nigeria'

Aisha's mind was filled with questions as she listened, she waited for Tarasha to stop before she voiced out her concern. 'I've been briefed already about the job but I don't understand our main mission there, are we taking the job as real police officers?'

'No, we'll take care of the police officers assigned to the minister first. Your job there would end immediately we get to Chief Nnamdi's house and  you'll return here immediately'

'So what's the real...' She stopped abruptly, the look on Tarasha's face warned her against asking any more question.

'They're in the pharmacy now' Cole spoke aloud, diverting their attention to him. 'The car is no more in motion'

'Okay, just call me once the meeting starts' Tarasha got up from her seat and walked out of the room.

Aisha stared at Benny's face inquisitively for a moment, she hissed and walked away when he stared back at her, pretending not to understand what she wanted.

Benny laughed loudly, watching her backside bounce as she went away, he patted Cole on the back and took a seat beside him.

'This girl doesn't know we're working with someone different now' he made jest of her. 'She was expecting me to tell her something the Boss has hidden from her'

'Don't mind her' Cole added. 'We already gave her the rules here, she'll have herself to blame if she messes up'

'She won't mess up, she's not a kid' Benny assured.

** Two hours later **

'Have they discussed anything useful to us yet?' Tarasha walked into the room, fixing her gaze on the screen, the Derl Pharmacy meeting transmission was on.

'Not really' Cole answered, 'but I still think you need to hear what they're up to'

'Okay' Tarasha took a seat beside Benny and listened carefully.

'... all of these monies would be paid into your account directly and you have to transfer our own share to us within seventy two hours later' Dr Umaru was seen explaining. Six men, neatly dressed in suits were seated at the edge of the long conference table, the minister of health was seated at the middle of the table.

'That's no problem' Nnamdi Okafor replied. 'What I'm saying is we should calculate the money now, so that there'll be no arguments when the money is shared'

'The total is about one billion naira' Dr Umaru began breaking down the figures. 'In organizing the conference, we used only a hundred million out of the three hundred million the Federal Government gave us for it'

'That's just two hundred million, where did we get the rest from?' The inquisitive Lagos state commissioner put in.

Dr Umaru cleared his throat and continued, 'we were given five hundred million for Lee Cho's products but we are only paying one hundred and fifty million for it. We're only buying half of the required quantity and Lee Cho is giving us at a subsidized rate. Ken Benson is also giving us his drugs at a subsidized rate, we're getting four hundred million from his own deal'

'That makes it nine hundred and fifty million naira' Nnamdi put in, he stared at Dr. Umaru suspiciously. 'I was expecting much more than this'

'That's all, this administration is so tightfisted' Umaru added again. 'Not everything we requested for was given to us'

'It's okay, let's determine everyone's share right now...' Chief Nnamdi was saying

'Wow!' Tarasha distracted the other viewers, thinking aloud. She turned to Benny and asked, 'is this not the same minister that everyone speaks of as incorrupt?'

'He is' Benny answered softly, looking baffled. 'I'm as surprised as you seeing that he also involves himself in dubious deals'

'Our country is really messed up,  even the most trusted ones are corrupt too' Cole joined.

'Well, I think your country people would love to see this video later. Make sure you keep a copy' She instructed, standing up from her seat. 'And also take note of any other information that may be useful for us'

Tarasha who was already bored walked away, leaving the Cole and Benny to watch the rest of the shocking revelation.

...to be continued