Chapter 2: The Monster
Emily and Nora were sitting in a couch in Cole's house. Emily sat opposite to Nora. Both were fatigued due to their fruitless search for Cole. They had went to different places but couldn't find him anywhere. An idea suddenly struck Nora and she quickly stood up in excitement to the bewilderment of Emily.
Emily was about to ask why she was excited but their phone interrupted ringing out loud at the same time and both went for it. Emily was the first to get hers from her bag. She looked at the supposed caller but was surprised when she saw 'PLAY' on the screen. She looked up to meet Nora's gaze fixed on her.
With fear and trepidation, they both tapped 'PLAY'
***
Cole and Akinola waited in anticipation as they both tapped Play. The screen went blank immediately they clicked the play icon.
They waited.
Waited..
Waited …
But nothing happened.
Still blank…
Long silence…
Then suddenly, both screen lights came on and a timer appeared counting down rapidly. Showing 09:59.
Cole and Akinola looked up at each other, their mouth opened wide agape with fear and surprise. They couldn't comprehend what was happening as the timer looked real like a bomb timer but how the timer got to be reading on their phones was a mystery.
Cole looked back at the screen, the timer was now reading 5:59. His hands became sweaty and was shaking vigorously that the phone almost fell off his hands.
He looked back at Akinola who also looked at him at the same moment. He saw Akinola nodding his head and he knew what that means. Without a second thought, they both ran out of the office and off to the cyber division with the phone in their hands which was now giving a beeping sound indicating that they have little or no time left .
***
"What's happening?" Nora asked fearfully, her heartbeat beating faster than normal. The only time her heart beats that way was on her wedding day with Cole; It was when the priest asked that dreaded question they always asked.
"Is there anyone in this congregation that doesn't want this marriage to hold?"
"Speak now or forever hold your peace" The priest said and there was an intense silence in the auditorium.
Nora's mind had wandered away. She looked on at every prying eyes looking at where their hands were positioned.
Is it held up or down?
Her heart started beating gradually like it always does, then later it seemed to have lost control that it was almost heard by the crowd but Cole suppressed it by clutching to her tight and then, no hands came up which eased the tension and she was at peace. But she wasn't sure if that would be the situation here too.
"Nora! Nora!" Emily called on top of her voice jolting her back to reality.
"Emily what is it?" Nora asked.
Emily looked surprised and pouted her lips in abhorrence. She looked baffled and shocked.
"Are you out of your mind?"she asked rhetorically. "Don't you see there is a bomb timer reading on our phones?"
That was it. That was all she had to hear. She sprung up checking her phone immediately and oops!
It was 3:59.
She looked at Emily with a terrified look on her face, scared to the core. Emily was more scared than she was.
"What are we going to do?" Came the question from Nora.
Emily shook her head.
"No idea"
"Are we going to die?" Nora shouted rattled at the thought.
The two phones started giving a beeping sound as the timer continued reading 1:00. Emily looked up at Nora and their gaze met, each seeing a fearful look. On a normal day, Emily would have laughed and joked about it but it wasn't something to joke about. It was something more serious than peeing in the pants.
"I think I have an idea" Emily said thoughtfully raising her index finger.
"What's it?"
"Let's throw our phones away in the pool"
***
Location:
CIB Tower
The cyber is a division unit in the CIB. It has two big rooms but was well equipped with computer facilities and technology gadgets which helps facilitate in cyber securities and for investigating cyber attacks by criminals, overseas adversaries, and terrorists. The threat is incredibly serious—and growing. Cyber intrusions are becoming more commonplace, more dangerous, and more sophisticated.
Citizens are targeted by fraudster and identity thieves, and children are targeted by online predators. Just as the CIB transformed itself to better address the terrorist threat after the 9/11 attacks. It is undertaking a similar transformation to address the pervasive and evolving cyber threat. This means enhancing the Cyber Divisions investigative capacity to sharpen its focus on intrusions into government and private computer networks. Which was why the cyber is mostly needed.
All eyes in the cyber unit turned to Cole and Akinola immediately they stepped in. Cole couldn't hide his surprise on seeing everybody's phone emitting an intensive beeping sound and almost immediately, showing blinking red lights. Within a second, everybody's gaze was on their phones and a second later. Their face changed to a more serious one.
"Please do something!"Cole shouted more terrified.
All cyber agents sprung up to their feet and started punching the keyboard like a pro which they were; they were computer experts specifically trained to ensure maximum security on cyber crime.
each and every of one them were working on one thing or the other with intense fear.
"Can you stop it? Or we devise another plan before this thing goes off" The DG fearfully asked Mr Sylvester who was the head of the Cyber unit.
"We can't really say for now sir" Mr Sylvester replied without looking at him but rather has his focus on the computer screen.
Cole paced the room obviously worried and scared. He rubbed his head with his palm and at the same time checking the screen of his phone. It was reading rapidly blinking 00:57.
He wiped the sweat that had formed on his forehead with his bare palm and continued pacing.
"Sir, I have an idea".An agent of the cyber unit suddenly spoke up, raising up his hand. He was a young agent and probably the youngest of all. The DG (Mr Akinola) looked up at him dejectedly. He gazed at him for a moment and shook his head.
What could a small boy of his age do on a death case such as this? This is not a video game or some training tests.
"What's the idea!"Cole shouted walking towards him, checking his phone as he walked. "We have no time left, we have to …"Cole was cut short by the young boy. "Sir, there is no bomb! Its only a ploy". He said and stood up turning towards Cole with an apologetic look for the interruption.
"What did you say?" Cole asked with disbelief.
"I did some …",the boy was saying but had to stop when all the phones gave a loud beeping sound. It stopped and a loud noise erupted from the devices.
"Hello everyone". An unknown voice started. "I can see you having a hard time solving this but anyway, I don't mean to harm you yet because this monster hasn't told me to. You are wondering who this monster is right?"
The voice stopped and laughed.
Laughing inhumanely.
"Well, even I myself doesn't know". It continued.
"But when this monster entered my brain, I never knew, but it here to stay. Society can be thankful that there are ways for people like me to relieve by day dreams of some victim being tortured. It's a big complicated game my friend of the monster play putting victims number down. Following them, checking up on them, waiting in the dark, waiting, waiting …Maybe you can stop him but I can't. He has already chosen his next victim and it might be you. Yes you!" the voice screamed and laughed again.
There was silence at the other end of the phone.
Long silence.
"I will be right back".The voice said after a long silence and it went off. Everybody gazed at each other surprised and petrified.
"Can someone quickly trace it and give me some coordinates." The DG shouted.
Everyone got to work facing their respective systems, flicking their hands on the keyboard. After a moment of keypads clacking, the boy again stood up.
"Sir, the location is everywhere sir", he said and looked at the other senior agents and they all nodded their heads in the affirmative
"Oh God!", The DG exclaimed heaving a sigh. "We have no idea of what we are up against". He lamented and looked at the team intently.
"We all need to workout something useful. We need to stop this before it escalates". He paused and looked on at everyone who had their focus on him.
"We need a lead so everyone should get to work".He completed his speech and walked out of the room while Cole followed behind.
"Go get some rest and get that covered up"Mr Akinola said immediately they got to his office.
"I will".Cole replied.
"You can take the whole week off"
Cole gasped. "A whole week?"
"Is that too small? If it is, make it two"
***
The night was cold and windy. It was a good night to kill. He had watched her for two weeks and he knew she was coming.
She always did.
The road was straight and clear. He would see her long before she came close. He stood up from the long bench he sat on which was reserved for travelers and made a walk down the deserted alleyway to the main road. He was always clad in a black suit
whenever he was ready to kill. Dressing corporately like every other responsible man. Anyway to himself, he was a good responsible man.
A good bad guy.
To kill is now part of himself though not a self will but he was compelled.
Compelled by who?
The monster?
He chuckled and smiled. Yes, the monster made him do it. They made him do it and he wouldn't stop until he feels it's enough. He got to the main road, no cars passing by.
He didn't expect any either.
He could not afford any witness and he would get none. He looked up and there she was, cat walking like she was having a show off of her walking skills. She was getting closer now.
He stepped back and hid behind a coconut tree. He could not make any mistake albeit the fact that he cared less of making one. Even if he did, he got himself covered.
He smiled mischievously.
Those fools; the CIB would never get me. They sure can't.
He inhaled her scent deeply as the wind blew it to him. He knew she was very close and doesn't need to scare her away. He shoved his hands into his pocket and brought out a set of hand gloves. He wore it getting ready for the kill. Her high heels shoe clumped on the ground as she moved closer towards him.
She was five feet away when he stepped out from behind the tree.
"Hello angel". He bellowed out in a soft sweet tone. She freaked out when she saw him.
"What the heck?".She screamed but he immediately launched an attack at her. He held and twisted her hand, dragged her to himself, stifling her throat.
"Do you want to die?"He asked with a crooked smile looking up at the security cameras. He was less perturbed by it .
"No".She managed to gasp.
"Neither was she". He said before slitting her throat with a short knife.
He dropped her lifeless body on the floor by the road side. He smiled a fulfilling smile and he could also see her smile.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone