Chapter 23 23

A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right. A man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice. A man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true.
Martin Luther King, jr.
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Jeremy sighed at the third ringing of the number he was dialing. He had been calling Lara for five minutes now and she was not picking up.
"Do any of you have an idea of? where she could be?"Jeremy asked the justice who was waiting patiently for Lara to arrive so they could start the meeting.
(Don't forget that the name justice was a name I created for Jeremy and his alliances)
"She could be in the police station, "Mary said.
"Or maybe she is busy, "Lisa added.
Jeremy nodded at their suggestion and dialed Lara's number gain bug still, she didn't pick.
"Is she aware of the meeting today?" James questioned.
"Yeah, "Yomi replied.
"You guys carry on with the meeting while I keep trying her number. I'll be in my office, "Jeremy informed them and left the meeting room.
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A gunshot went off in Lara's apartment and the gun dropped on the ground. Kayla groaned and moved back a bit. She touched her abdomen and shouted in pain. Blood gushed out of her abdomen into her white shirt.
"What have you done?"Kayla grit her teeth as she touched her abdomen.
"Oh my goodness!"Lara shouted as she realized what had happened. "Kayla,?I'm so sorry. Let me help you." she offered.
"Get away from me!"Kayla yelled. She pulled out a pocket knife from her boot and swung at Lara.
"Let me help you, Kayla. If you don't get help now, you will bleed to death. "Lara spoke with concern in her tone and moved closer to Kayla. "Just stay calm and let me help you," she said and moved closer to Kayla.
Kayla did not stop her from moving closer to her. When Lara was closer enough to her, she slashed Lara's stomach with the pocket knife giving her a deep cut.
"Ouch, "Lara groaned and touched her stomach. She sighed as she felt blood flowing out of her stomach.
"I told you to stay away from me!"Kayla screamed and rushed at Lara with the knife in her hand. But before she could reach Lara, she stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Kayla!"Lara called to make sure that Kayla was still alive.
Kayla gasped for breathing and wiped the blood that had to seep out of her mouth with her hand. She struggled to stand up and walked towards the door.
"I will be back and I will kill you," she threatened and staggered to the door. She opened the door and left the apartment.
Lara fell to the ground and wept silently. Kayla was her friend and now she was hurt because of her. She raised her blouse to check the cut on her stomach. Her stomach looked redden as blood continues to flow out. The cut was deep as a result of how Kayla caught her unaware. She sighed and then started crying again. She was losing a lot of blood but didn't care that she was going to die if she bled out.
Her phone rang beside her and when she saw the caller, her hope was restored. It was Jeremy calling her for the umpteenth time. She struggled to stand up and picked her car keys that were laying on her couch. She came out of her apartment and entered into her car that was parked at the front of her apartment. Through her blurred vision, she started her car and drove into the street.
? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ************
Kayla held her bleeding abdomen as she walked in the street pushing those who stood on her away. Her face had loosened all color and was already turning pale. Her lips had turned purple from blood loss and she staggered as she walked into the street.
The people in the street stared at her with pitiful looks but none could help because she was pushing people out of her way. When she got to the roadside, she stopped for a while and looked back at where she was coming from. Blood trailed behind her and it was much. Her lips tremble as she was slowly conscious. As Kayla drift into unconsciousness, a black jeep parked in front of her. Two men dressed in black came out of the jeep and pushed Kayla into the jeep.
Kayla didn't scream or fought the men because she was too tired to.? The jeep drove into the street and stopped at the front of an abandoned mansion. She was pushed outside by the men and lead inside the mansion.?
The men pushed Kayla to the ground and stepped away from her.
"Oh my! You look a mess"The voice said.
Kayla jerked her up at the sound of the voice. It was munachi standing in front of her and he did not look happy.
"S--sir "she struggled to say something but, her voice failed her.
"I gave you one order girl. Kill her and get promoted but, you failed. You fucking failed!"munachi yelled and kick Kayla in the stomach where she was shot.
Kayla fell to the ground and cough out blood. She sat up and wiped the blood off her mouth.
"Give me another c--chance si-s, "she stuttered.
"Another chance?"munachi chuckled. "You can not even speak probably and you are talking about chances. I hate failures and you are one,"munachi spoke with no emotions.
"I can try again sir. Give me another chance, "Kayla held munachi's leg and begged.
Munachi beckoned to one of the men. "Give me the gun, "he ordered.
One of the men gave him the gun. Munachi cocked the gun and pointed at Kayla's head.
"Please, sir. Do not kill me"Kayla begged. "I have a son! I have--"she burst into tears and continue begging munachi.
Munachi gave her a final look and pulled the trigger. A shot rang, Kayla dropped to the ground with a hole on her forehead.
"Get rid of her body, "munachi commanded and walked out of the mansion not bothering to spare a glance at Kayla's corpse.
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Lara stopped her car at the front of Jeremy's firm and did not bother to come out of the car because she was too weak to stand up. She had broken the traffic light rule in a rush to get to Jeremy's firm. She exhale deeply and placed her head on the steering wheel.
The loud horn of a car made yomi stood up from the meeting of the justice and go outside to check whose car had been horned repeatedly. When he got outside, he didn't expect to meet a passed-out Lara. He went back into the firm to inform the others.
"What going on outside? Who was horning?"Jeremy asked.
"It um... It's Lara, "Yomi replied.
"What? Why is horning like that?"Mary questioned.
"She is passed out inside her car," Yomi informed.
"What?"Jeremy was the first to stood up from his seat and walked outside the meeting room. When he got outside, he opened Lara's car door and raise her head from the steering wheel.
"Lara!" he called. When he didn't get a response, he looked closely at her and saw blood seeping out of her blouse. He lifted her blouse and cursed at the deep cut on Lara's stomach
"Fuck, "he cursed.
"Is she alright?"Mary asked as she arrived outside with the others. "Oh my goodness!" she exclaimed at the sight of the blood. "She is bleeding. What happened to her?"
Nobody replied to her instead everyone's attention was focused on Lara.
Jeremy informed the justice about Lara's situation and they all gasped at the information.
"Why did she drove here and not the hospital?"James throws the question at no one in particular.
" she had her reasons," Jeremy replied and pointed to yomi.
" We have to take her to the hospital," Jeremy said.
Yomi nodded and opened the passenger seat for Jeremy to carry Lara inside.
Jeremy carried Lara from the driver's seat into the passenger's seat. He sat beside her and laid her head on his shoulder.
"What should the rest of us do?"Lisa asked.
"Yomi will call you once Lara is stable. The meeting is canceled today."Jeremy informed the rest of the justice and close the car door.
Yomi got into the passenger's seat and drove into the street.
"Who could have done that to Lara?"Mary questioned James as they watched Lara's car disappearing into the street.
"We will find out once Lara is awake," James replied.
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Thanks for reading...
Kayla is dead?????serves her right tho but she did not deserve to die like that.
I did not forget Kemi's case and It going to happen soon????.
Don't forget to vote and comment. I'll appreciate it if you do because it keeps me going.
Let's go catch some bad guys???
Melody