The Complete Assassin… Part 5

Steven was back in school after missing the opening week of
resumption. He did not miss much as classes had not really
started. The boarding school he attended had a flexible
arrangement to provide extra classes if needed and he had totally
subscribed to it. He knew that his father was dead. He suspected
that his sister was too, although he was not really sure. He had
been able to reunite with his younger sister, Stella. She now lived
with a distant relative in the outskirt of town. Stella repeatedly kept
asking to see her father, her mother and Sharon. All the time,
Steven told her that if she behaved herself and scored good
grades, he would take her to meet all of them.
If only she knew.
Steven’s constant succor lay in knowing that his mother was
recuperating and doing well. She had partial amnesia and has lost
her memories of the past few months. They kept coming back to
her in flashes but she could not really place them. The doctor had
told him that regaining her memory was inevitable and he had to
be ready when the time came to be by his mother’s side. What he
did not know was that the time would never come.
Deep in the middle of a very engaging calculus lesson on his third
day in school, two men walked into the classroom interrupting the
lesson. They wore black suits on top of white shirts and slim ties.
They looked very sophisticated but also carried an aura of
importance. They went straight to the teacher and spoke with him
in low tones. A few minutes later, the two men stepped aside and
the teacher addressed the class.
“Steven Kushimo!” The teacher yelled
Steven was taken by surprise. He was the least person in the class
that could be wanted by men as these. What was it this time
around? He wondered silently within him. He got up slowly,
standing in the position of his chair. The whole class was as silent
as an empty hall.
“Please follow these men. The principal is waiting for you outside
the corridor. Pack your books.” The teacher said.
Steven did not say a word. He quietly packed his books, stuffed
them in his knapsack, and joined the men as they exited the
classroom. He met with the principal immediately he stepped out
of the class.
“Good morning sir” Steven greeted politely, bowing his head
“Morning my boy. Walk with me to my office.” The principal said.
It was more of a command than a request.
Steven obliged. He had no choice.
However, Steven was seriously concerned about what was really
happening. He raked his brain to see if there was anything he had
done wrong or anything that would warrant the principal coming
himself to escort him to his office. Something was wrong. Steven
could feel it. He just could not place it. He didn’t wait long to find
out.
Steven and the three men walked the long corridor that led from
his class till they got to the staircase. They went down the stairs
and turned left, walking past the junior classes. Steven could feel
eyes on him. Eyes of the junior students telling him in sheer
mockery, that he was in trouble. He caught a few stares and noted
a few faces. He made a mental note to deal with them later.
They got to the administrative block and eventually to the
principal’s office. The office was tastefully furnished. There was a
long leather armchair sitting by the wall to the right, and a fine
rectangular table smack in the middle of the big office. He had a
mini library in three average sized shelves behind his chair, with
half of the books missing. There was a water dispenser by his left
with the dispenser bottle covered with some sort of cotton fabric.
Every inch of the floor was covered with very soft red rug. The
office seemed too comfortable for official duties yet, every student
dreaded it.
“Sit, Steven.” The Principal ordered, settling in a reclining chair
and pointing to a seat on the other side of the table which now
separated them.
Steven obeyed. He could not wait to hear what crime he had
committed.
Turning to the two impeccably dressed men who had interrupted
Steven’s class earlier, the principal said,
“Could you please give us a minute?”
The men turned and went out of the office.
There were no footsteps, so Steven had no doubts in his mind that
they were directly outside the door.
The Principal cleared his throat. Steven braced himself for the
worst.
************************************************************************************
FIVE HOURS EARLIER…
The atmosphere was tense. There were two nurses and the female
doctor hovering around Dorothea. The heart monitor showed a flat
line. There was worry written over their faces. Dorothea’s
expression was blank, lifeless.
The doctor removed the stethoscope from her neck and threw it
sideways not caring where it landed. She removed her white
overall and folded the sleeves of her shirt. She held a difribulator
and rubbed them together again for the third time.
“Increase the voltage a little.” She ordered.
One of the nurses went to the control switch and turned a little
knob.
The doctor took the device, hitting it gently on Dorothea’s chest.
Her body jerked lifelessly as they all watched the monitor hoping
for a miracle.
“Clear!” The second nurse screamed.
“Come on. Come on!” The Doctor said, hitting the device on her
patient again.
“Clear!” The nurse replied.
“You can’t die Dora. Don’t die on me! Come on!!!” The Doctor said
raising her voice.
She rubbed the device together again and hit Dora’s chest again,
hoping to jumpstart her heartbeat.
They watched the heart monitor for a few seconds hoping that the
flat line they saw would change into any form of wave, any sort of
change whatsoever.
Nothing happened.
A tear dropped from the Doctor’s eyes a she put the defribulator
and covered Dorothea’s face with a long cloth.
“Time of death, 4:18am. Heart attack.” The Doctor said.
She moved away from the scene and approached the door. She
turned as she opened the door, her eyes were red and ready for a
deluge of tears.
“Charity, get me Detective Samson’s number when you are done.
He is the only one we can contact now.”
“Okay Doctor.” The nurse replied.
The doctor walked out of the room.
*********************************************************************************
Steven stared at the principal, afraid, hesitant, and expectant. The
principal saw the curiosity in his eyes. In as much as he hated to
be the bearer of bad news, there was none other qualified to break
the information to him.
“You know you are a man now, Steve. A lot rests on your
shoulders. Ever since your father died I have watched you grow
and mature even beyond your years. I am proud of you Steven.”
The principal said and paused.
He looked at Steven through the open space above his glasses.
Steven waited. He waited to hear what it was the principal, in the
company of two strange looking men had called him into his office
to tell him. He was intelligent enough to know that whatever it
was, it was not good news. The accolades, encouragements and
sweet words at the beginning of his speech were just a preparation
for the bombshell. Steven shifted uncomfortably in his chair, but
still held the Principal’s gaze. He had a few guesses in mind.
He guessed that the school authority probably wanted to kick him
out of school because they knew he had no relatives and would
not be able to do afford tuition and other fees.
Could it be that they wanted to strip him off his prefect position
because he was now withdrawn and anti-social due to the
emotion? He was still wandering in this abyss of uncertainty when
the principal’s voice jolted him back into reality.
“Steven, your mother died a few hours ago at the hospital. Those
men outside are working with Detective Samson and have come to
take you to see your mother. Be strong my boy.” The principal
said, getting up from his chair and walking to where Steven sat.
He sat on the table and faced Steven.
Steven did not move. He did not blink. He just stared into space.
He heard what the principal said quite alright but his brain was
still trying to process the information. Steven was shell shocked.
How could his mother die? The only one he held dear. Why?
“Steven, are you okay?” The principal asked putting a hand on
Steven’s shoulder.
“I am fine sir. When can we go see her?” Steven replied.
“We can go now if you are ready.” The principal said.
“I am ready.”
The principal led the way as they left his office and went into a
black SUV parked just outside the school, with the principal and
Steven behind, and the two strange men in front.
They got to the hospital and Steven’s legs got the better of him.
He walked very fast and briskly, straight to his the ward his
mother had been. It was empty. The bed had been taken away and
the metallic bed holders had been folded. The principal caught up
with him a few seconds later and stood at the door, watching as
tears filled Steven’s eyes. He opened his arms wide as Steven ran
to him sobbing and sniffing,
“It’s going to be fine boy. It’s alright.” The principal said, resting
his back on the wall while petting Steven who was crying
uncontrollably.
They stood like that for a few minutes, the principal allowing
Steven to cry to his heart’s content.
Just then, they heard the Doctor’s voice in heated argument with
Detective Samson.
“. . . how dare you detective?! How could you? You took such a
decision without consulting me?” the doctor said, her voice rising.
They were approaching the ward where Steven had run into.
“We thought it was in the boy’s best interests. You know we would
not do anything if we knew it would affect him negatively…”
Detective Samson countered.
“But you just did!!! Why didn’t you tell me? Why?” The doctor said
and entered the ward.
She melted at the sight of Steven sobbing away in the embrace of
the principal. At that very moment her decision was made. She
was going to adopt Steven.