THE RESCUED

Though he was half-awake, he knew he had to keep his calm. He would plot how he was going to rescue someone but he had to be rescued first. The way the carriage moved, he was skeptical about what was happening. He opened one eye and the brightness of the early morning sun greeted him with a harsh reflexion. He would have agitated but he knew any irregular movement will have him killed or killed. He added two plus two and he knew he was on a stretcher, in a thick bush. He could hear the crushes of the ominous criminals on the feeble grasses. He could not count how many they were but he knew he had to act fast before they get to their destination, otherwise, he may be powerless.

* * * * * * * *

David Smith was a reporter. He freelanced often but his main occupation was to report for soldiers, he was not a trained soldier. He was deployed to Brendeen State with real soldiers for the mission of rescuing the abducted Governor’s daughter, Jane. His job was riskier than that of the soldiers. He was to join the kidnappers, study their moves, discover their hiding places and other useful information then report to the soldiers afterwards for adequate rescue measures to be taken. The perpetrators had asked for a ransom tantamount to $4 million. The iniquitous kidnapping had been going on for a while in Brendeen State and the atrocity committed to the Governor of the State had called the attention of the President. They concluded that it was time they stopped the misdemeanour. 

Smith and other soldiers knew the meeting point, where the ransom was to be paid but the kidnappers had severely warned the government not to act funny; else, it would be at the expense of the Governor’s daughter. So they had to be astute in their motives. He had to bring his deceitful sense into play to relate with few people in the area and he got to know some suspects. He associated himself with them furtively in the wake of knowing more. He wanted the soldiers to break the kidnappers’ knee cap. He later knew four others and in no time, though as incongruous as it would be, he knew them well, like friends know each other.

That morning, he was in a bus with 14 other passengers; seven of them being kidnappers. He sat by the window side of the bus, two seats directly behind the driver. The abductors started humming and speaking in a language he did not understand. He was a little frightened initially but he erased the fear a couple of seconds after. It was part of the ills of his job. He prepared himself against any attack or attempted attack. He thought of jumping out of the window, he thought of his prestige and the joy he derives after every solved case. If he jumps, he will lose the lead he already had. He finally decided to meticulously get set for what happens next. Not long after he finalised, there was a signal from the man seated at the right side of the driver. Immediately, the kidnappers covered their noses with guards, including the driver. David tried to cover his eyes and nose too but it was rather late. The man beside the driver already blew a white substance that engulfed bus. The other innocent passengers that were not sleeping before started sleeping instantaneously. The substance had its weight on David too but it was not totally effective. He could feel that he was losing himself. He opened his eyes; the vision was dim…..and dimmer. He managed to see how men in nose-guards brandished knives and started stabbing the innocents. Under the handkerchief, his mouth was agape at the gruel act. He was powerless, with sleep taking its toll on him. One of the ferocious men approached him with a knife but stopped when the man beside the driver uttered their jargons. David tried to look back, he could not. He saw disappointment and regret on the face of the man that attempted to stab him and that was the last thing he saw.

* * * * * * *

Now, he knew he was in the forest, probably the only survivor of the bus attack. He also knew he was on a stretcher carried by four men on their shoulders. Conceivably, they thought he would be asleep throughout their journey. He circumspectly tilted his head to the side and saw a pistol in the pocket of one of the carriers. He silently prayed in his mind that they all have guns in their pockets. It was time for action; he vigorously kicked the shoulders of one of the hefty men with all the force in him. The man sprawled on the floor making the stretcher collapse to the right as David had envisaged. He steadied himself and quickly made for the gun of one of the hefty men who was still trying to stabilise himself. He grasped the gun and shot two instantly before the others could decipher what was happening. He made for the man on the floor, grabbed him by the neck and unto his feet, held a gun to his head and used him as shield. 

“You make any attempt to get your weapons, a bullet goes into your fellow’s sticky skull.” David ranted like a nursing mother-hen in competition with a mean hawk.

He shot two who attempted to dip their hands in their pockets. He had killed four, he was left with three. He had never done this before. The soldiers had taught him how to shoot and a little of martial art in case of necessity. He was clearly afraid. He feared that the man he had held into his hand will feel his heart pounding rigorously. So many things were in his head at the moment. He was absolutely engrossed with indecision. He needed not no one to tell him that his next action would be done in spontaneity. He was in the middle of the thought when the man beside the driver, in the bus, shot his shield. He still was amazed as the dead man slipped from his grip. He did not have the time to think of how someone would purposely kill his own just to get the enemy. He made for safety in the bush while exchanging bullets with the criminals. His movement was somewhat impeded at a point but he kept running till he found safety. The criminals had gone to hide too. He knew the directions they were but he did not know where precisely. He knew any shot from him would make them know where he was. He devised a medium, searched for a big stone and threw it in their middle. The captors shot at each others’ directions and one of them gave a loud yell. ‘Perhaps, the man beside the driver had killed another of his own again.’ David concluded wordlessly. He quickly shot at the direction of the other, thought to be the killer of his brethren. He knew he had hit him lethally. He tried to move to where his recipient was, to confirm his death, it was then he knew he had taken a bullet in the thigh. Then, he also knew what hindered his run the other time.

“What the eff!” David screamed as he dragged the leg to the spot.

The man was dead for real. The bullet went to his chest. He added another bullet to his fore-head to clear his doubts. At this point, the leg was heavier. He found it difficult to move it. He fell to the ground and sat up. He was about to think of ‘what next’ when he saw the man beside the driver with blood gushing profusely from his left arm. He knew he had concluded wrongly. The man he just shot had misfired into this man’s arm. The man beside the driver didn't not die but had become a nemesis. Fortunately, for David, his only enemy had his back to him. He pointed the gun at him. With joy and a sense of partial accomplishment, he pulled the trigger. He was negatively flabbergasted to hear the gun make a ‘click’ sound. He pulled the trigger again and again and got the same result. He had wasted the last bullet on a dead man. The advantaged became the disadvantaged, the man beside the driver faced David immediately he heard the click. He knew he had won. He looked at David, laughed viciously and pointed his gun at him. He suddenly stopped his laughter and stared at David with a stern face.

“You know….” the man said as he knelt before David and pressed the bullet in his thigh with his gun. He disregarded David’s loud cry of agony and continued, “I must give you credit for the stunt you pulled here. I must confess, I thought I had seen someone that was better than me. Now, instead of my demise, you have met your doom.” 

He stood in pain, freed the hand that had clutched on the wounded arm for support and pointed his gun at his surprising formidable opponent.

David knew this was all, he had tried after all. He closed his eyes and asked God for forgiveness in his mind as he was set to receive the bullet……..