Locust Invasion

By CHIKA VICTOR ONYENEZI (Nigeria)

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  CHAPTER 3

1

THE CARRION

NIGER DELTA    [09:02, 02 NOVEMBER 2010]

The eagle has landed. The crusader has mounted his banner, soon to kick off his crusade. It is a long journey from Lagos to Niger Delta, it really soared his foot; one of those things that happens when you stay in car for so long. Nigeria is truly rich with nature, the ever green lush vegetation, the beautiful sights of hard working farmers toiling the soil to get what to eat, Amar felt like a kid; those days when his father use to take him from England to Rome on a train, he would see field of wheat and vine. Arriving at Niger delta home of oil, Nigeria basket of riches  – it didn’t look as such one bite, it looks like an area left for poor and fishermen to scrub out algae from the sea and feed on, the rich had their own area, the poor on their own. Oil Company, fat belly white men also have their own area; where they roam, drives their expensive cars, export legal tenders legally. Its time for you your bellies to deflate Amar thought.
                 
The bed he lies on is very comfortable; it is as if fatigue is building castle inside his body. He managed to raise up runs a finger through his hair. The sun lights his room, it is just like tiny lamp lighting up the whole room. Amar lazily stands up and does his usual press up; the military will never leave him. Slowly he sits down on the armchair in his room, “I must execute this job, live and direct.”
The job starts today. Arms supplies have been received from the unknown sponsors
 

He stands up walks to the balcony. Such a lovely ocean view, half of the two-storey building is surrounded by water. It is just like a tiny island, only the back of the building is land, the rest is water. Beautiful ferns, sea flowers filled the water. He could see falcons flying deep into water; looking far it is as though the water joined with the sky. Such a view is his weakness, j’ai adorer la nature he whisper; this French word tell him how beautiful nature is, he first heard his father use it when they where on a sea trip to Caribbean island from United States of America, these are the times he wants his own children to enjoy. There is a knock at his door; it is as though the knock obstructed his meditation with Mother Nature.

“Come in!”
The gentle Onyibo walks into the living room, as gentle as ever, now wearing a spectacle as though he passed through oxford. 
“Good morning,” Onyibo said

Amar does not respond – he just nods his head. He has embedded a rule in him never talk much especially among people he does not know; people like this man beside him. Onyibo sits down beside him in an armchair, takes out a packet of cigarette, gives one to Amar, and lights it. He brings out a file and gives it to Amar. Amar saw the file first in France, but he was not authorized to move out with it, so he knows every bit of the content. He opens it; the first page is a map from his present location to the offshore borders, locating every oil installation within the area. The next page shows liner’s operation within the area, the next indicates pipeline layout for his cover is “pipeline laying and oil installation leveling.” One thousand kilometers from his location he can see pipelines running through the Creek in a State identified as Delta State. Every route he would follow to execute his job is a waterways. This also speaks of his role as ‘drunken marine.” drunken marine is trained to read maps like ABCD at the British Navy; blending it with many special training he got from Al quada; believe this guy can see through maps as though his inside them, all his mission he executes them without mistakes especially in the area of map. His strength shows when he appears to be drunk. Also his navy training placed him as the best man for the job.

“Are the boys ready?” Amar asks.
“They are here Sir, downstairs in the field.”

Onyibo places his two arms on his lap, lifts himself up, and walks out of the room. Amar raises the foam on the armchair and brings out a revolver automatic pistol; slides it in his waist, and puts on a camouflage shirt. Walks into the bathroom, wash his face and cleaned it with a towel, he gazed at the mirror, truly age is not on my side, and this will be my last.