They dragged both bodies inside the bathroom before locking the bedroom door. Andy said to Ethan:
“We’ve got about half an hour before someone comes to check up on you. It might look like a lot of time but there’s a lot to do. We’ll be cutting it close,” he said and produced a length of rope. He then told Ethan:
“Come on, give me your hands.”
“You’re going to tie my hands?” asked Ethan with wariness in his voice.
“You’re supposed to be the prisoner, remember? Just because they’re sentries it doesn’t mean they’re that thick.”
Ethan nodded silently before he replied:
“Makes sense. What did you have in mind?” he said while Andy loosely tied his hands together, making sure Ethan could easily pull on some of the rope and untie it completely.
Andy checked the finished knot around Ethan’s hands, raised his brow and said in a professional, neutral manner:
“Blow everything up, basically. I’m not sure how much you’ve seen but there’s about a mile of underground corridors and rooms filled with a couple millions of rounds of ammunition.”
“Time detonators?” asked Ethan.
“Slow fuses. Then we really need to get going. With any luck we’ll be a mile out when everything lights up.”
“Guards, patrols? From what I’ve seen these guys mean business.”
“There are sentries at the entry and exit points of the underground complex. There won’t be much of a problem as long as we keep ahead of the two patrols. They’re doing runs across the perimeter and checks on the inside as well. They meet up at the entry point. If all goes well, we should have about fifteen minutes once we go inside.”
“Let’s make it count then. You’ve got everything figured out, haven’t you?”
“Well, not everything,” said Andy with a hint of worry and beckoned Ethan to follow him downstairs.
“You mean Nicole?” whispered Ethan instinctively as he followed him.
“Yes, I mean Nicole,” replied Andy with some irritation and added:
“You don’t have to whisper, the house is empty. No-one uses it but me and Nicole; the Biafrans live in the huts.”
“Where is she?”
“That’s what I’m worried about,” replied Andy and added with a feeling of anxiety, “I’m not sure.”
Ethan said then:
“She’s keeping secrets as well?”
“It’s just that she roams about when she’s back here; checking up on the people, the ammo, everything. Like some sort of pesky General. The Biafrans got a nickname for her too.”
“Let me guess. They call her bitch?”
“Something like that, but it also means she’s doing her job right.”
“She might be trouble then, won’t she?”
“Look, I’ll handle Nicole. Now come on, let’s go. Try and look a bit crestfallen, glum, ashamed. That sort of thing.”
“You could ask me to play it natural then,” said Ethan and grinned before continuing:
“No, seriously. I need my stuff.”
“Your stuff is in the basement.”
Ethan nodded and asked Andy then:
“What's our exit strategy?”
“I was thinking of a legged route till the borders, then I could contact the office to get some tickets or something.”
“Tickets? Really?” asked Ethan incredulously.
“At the end of the day, we’re still public servants,” replied Andy with a feeling of justified indignation.
“Good thing I’ve got a friend waiting to pick me up by nightfall.”
“How’s he going to do that? Fly?” said Andy with an ironic grin.
“Actually, yes. With a helicopter. About three miles north of Omuku.”
Andy nodded and filled in:
“That’s some hours of walk alongside the river. It’s now almost ten past ten. We should be there before nightfall.”
“Alright. With any luck we’ll be having drinks in Lagos before the night's over.”
“I hope so, Ethan. Now off you go, get your stuff. I’ll keep watch up here, but make it fast,” he said as he led Ethan to the hidden door, pulled the small lever and opened the door for him, while his expression remained one of worried deliberation. Ethan noticed and told him reassuringly:
“It’ll be alright in the end, Andy. I know it will.”
“God willing,” said Andy with an uneasy smile as Ethan nodded and went down the stairs.
On The Riverside Of Promise Page 27
