Chapter Six 

More valued than diamonds 

For the next few days, Grey monitored things on the Dark Web, noting to see if Helen's name would pop up. Thankfully, he had a free The Secret weekend. No assignments, no letters whatsoever, just TV, food, and so much talk with Helen. He was turning out to like her.

He thought to go to church on Sunday, but refused leaving her home alone, so he stayed with her. His parents had invited him for a program that Sunday evening, Grey had turned it down saying, “I hate night movements." 

The next day, he had reported to work early at The Setedus. It was fun, and he looked towards a successful day at the office. Grey began to feel something was missing, but he didn't know what. He didn't know if it was because the tension The Secret usually created in him stopped, or if it was his new office…I mean who wouldn't be happy to work in such a grand place with a two million pay? 

Grey left for home after work. On his way back, he got a few things for Helen, stuffs he knew she would have interest in like new Soap Operas, jewels and other items. She had placed a kiss on his cheek for that.

The next day he turned up for work, there was a board meeting. The company decided to make a certain deal in Russia. Russia! Of all places, he was to go where Tatenda and Jamal was or were yet to go...he wasn't sure. The company said he had just a day to make up his mind on who he would love to take with him. Grey thought it through.

Would it be safe travelling with Helen...all those people out there to get her. When he got home, there was a letter from The Secret. 

Dear Mr. Garrett, 

You're to go with the lady in your house to Russia. Keep her safe. Don't forget your watch. 

The Secret. 

He called his family, informed them of his trip to Russia, his dad prayed for him, then wished him a safe journey. Grey called the manager, then made up his mind. He told Helen who was overjoyed—she ran to pack immediately. The next morning, a bulletproof Toyota SUV came to his house, he and Helen got in. It took them to the airport, stopping before the company's private jet, they boarded it.

Moments later, they were in the air bound for Russia. Grey and Helen slept for most of the flight, enjoying first class treatment with wine, food and anything they needed on the plane, till they got to Moscow. 

A police unmarked escort saw them safe to a white villa prepared for them to stay in. It was located in an urban area, and this was during one of Russia's long winters. When they got into the house, someone showed Helen her room, another did Grey. They ate together for the evening, danced to some songs, before retiring to their room. 

When Grey got in, there was a letter on the bed. He tore it open, then read. 

Dear Mr. Garrett, 

Welcome to Russia. After sealing the deal tomorrow, check the Dark Web. 

The Secret. 

The next day, an escort took Grey to a restaurant where the minister of power sat alone like he had bought the restaurant for their meeting, though the outside was heavily guarded with policemen. Compared to the cold outside, inside was much warmer when Grey got in, and this very restaurant was well styled.

Grey was grateful the minister could speak English for he didn't know one bit of Russia. They discussed Nigeria, and the possibility of bringing Russians to aid The Setedus company. Other matters were discussed, and they finally came to an agreement, and sealed the deal.

Grey called his manager there, he said he can stay extra four days in Russia, while he celebrates with the office colleagues. 

Grey had ended the line, shook hands with the minister one more time before moving to the escort he came with. Grey returned to the villa, went to Helen's room, she was awake and on a system. They greeted each other briefly, then Grey walked into his room. His watch began to tick. 

He thought why? Then it clicked…his system. 

He opened the lid, checked the Dark Web, then he saw it. Helen Walker's name, a bounty was placed on her by Unhealthy Skimmer and Bad Rain, with a price tag of one million dollars. This was just an awareness. Grey heard footsteps at the door, he went to open it. There was no one, but another letter. 

Dear Mr. Garrett, 

A bounty must be affirmed every two days. If they are no longer around to affirm the bounty, then it dies. 

The Secret. 

Grey knew what this meant. Tatenda and Jamal had to die. 

The watch spoke, "Go to the Gold Stream hotel. Room twenty-nine. You have thirty minutes."

Grey quickly dressed, walked down to the garage, there was a Tesla Model S there with its keys. He opened it, got in, there were two silencers on the seat, he started the car, then drove off. The car practically knew where he was going and kept giving directions.

Grey arrived at the Gold Stream hotel sooner than expected. He stuck the silencers in his gun strap, got out of the car and took the elevator to the first floor, then began heading to room twenty-nine, the watch told him the cameras at that time were blind to his movements. He reached the door, positioned his watch before the door as the watch had requested, the door opened. Grey walked in to Tatenda and Jamal naked and having sex without a bed cover. Grey pointed the silencer at both of them, then began pulling the trigger.

Several shots made their bodies a mess as blood ruined the sheets. Grey concealed the guns in his jacket, then walked out the room closing the door behind. He returned to his car, left for the villa he stayed with Helen. After two days, Unhealthy Skimmer and Bad Rain couldn't affirm the bounty, it was taken down the site, Grey decided it was safe to at least take Helen on a tour through mother Russia. 

Grey got a tour guide, and a driver who took them to the Red Square to see the St. Basil's Cathedral and its colourful onion shaped dome, V. I. Lenin's tomb, and the Kremlin. They walked in the cold, though in heavy black jackets and head warmers with gloves, visited a restaurant, a shopping plaza, took pictures at places with beautiful settings...had a little bit more fun, then began heading back when it was almost dark. Grey slept two hours later after wishing Helen goodnight.  

The time given to Grey was exhausted, he was to return back to Nigeria. They arrived at the airport, the private jet fueled and ready, they set off. Grey looked at the cloudy sky, imagined the wonders of God, slept, then they finally began to descend in Nigeria.

Upon arrival, he called the manager who told him to take the week off for his success in Russia. Grey appreciated the week off, he needed to use it to learn some things about Helen.

Grey was in casual house wear when he walked up to Helen's room, she asked him in. 

"Are you busy?" he asked, aiming for the chair in her room. 

Helen shook her head. "No," then dropped the laptop to attend to Grey.

"Uhm, okay. So, I want to ask some questions if you don't mind. With hopes of honest answers if I'm indeed to see to your protection. Because, I'm not really as strong as you may think me to be. It's just time, and chance for me."

"Okay," she said. 

"What is really going on?" 

Helen readjusted, folded her knees to rest her head, then she began. "Everything I've told you is true. I don't know what my dad was involved in, but I know the hassle is because they need my blood. That's what I'm in possession of." 

"Your blood? For what exactly?" 

"A metal crate. My dad used to work with a little company owned by The Setedus, Phaeran electronic. They specialized in watches of all sorts. Cool watches really, and ridiculously pricey. In one of the most advanced watches, my dad hid a rare quartz blue crystal in it. Literally the last of its kind, that's what he hid in the watch, then sealed it with my blood. It was later discovered it had the ability to control any watch, and to read human pulses…making it able to tell when someone had a bad intention, or good. It could tell when they were lying or dying, practically if they needed to make any move and what move exactly." 

"Is that really possible?" 

"Yes. I witnessed it myself. He gave me the watch on my twenty-second birthday last two years. I went to school, lived a normal life when my dad visited someday, saying, if I needed a place to keep the watch safe, I should store it in the metal crate he built…one able to read my blood as the watch. Well, I later found myself in a case of human trafficking, and this. They needed the body part of girls for only God knows what.

"I survived because somehow, I felt the link to the watch and asked for aid. I feel if you hadn't come that night, I would have still been kept safe, but somehow, I'm with you instead." 

"So all these, and why they need you dead, is just for a watch?" 

"Not just a watch. A timepiece. A rare timepiece. Imagine if the sun became a ring or an earring…what do you think the world would become if they knew about it?"

"Hell!" 

"Exactly. So it is with this very watch."

"What make was it?" Grey asked. 

"It didn't really have a make, just a name written on it." 

"What then was written on it?" 

"The Secret." 

Grey was shocked. "The what?" 

Helen laughed. "I know the name is silly. I thought so too, until it saved me from road accidents, domestic injuries, and even the events at the club."

"No. The name isn't silly." Grey didn't know if to tell her what he was into. He didn't know if to tell her that timepiece was responsible for the direction his life was taking. Even if he could tell her, he didn't know where to begin. All these while, within a short span of time, a watch had changed the course of someone's destiny. Grey took to his feet, paced the room, then returned back to his seat. "Why did it take you this long to tell me?"

"I really didn't know if you could be trusted. So far, everyone was out to kill me. Whether they needed my blood or me dead, I couldn't tell the difference. I was just on the run. I know the watch would have deciphered I was in danger from the wrist of the men who tried to rape me, or your wrist. Were you with your watch that night?" 

It had to be…he was with his watch that night to monitor the time...Grey nodded. 

He returned to his room, thinking how it all began. As a child, Grey would run to school, trying to meet up early. Maybe it was the time he woke up, or the distance he had to cover, or the fact that his mom had to make them eat before leaving for school (even when she started giving him a lunch box), he was still late. Other times it was just traffic or something else. But Grey had noticed the difference in his secondary school. 

His dad had succeeded in making him go early enough to school. Sometimes he dropped him at school by six in the morning, or a few minutes to six when the sun was still down, and somehow that life of punctuality had stuck into Grey. Although he was from Nigeria, and the saying, 'African time,' was just an excuse to be late, Grey had disassociated himself from such an excuse.

It had helped him in his senior class one, when he was given the sanitary prefect of the class…Grey had eaten the money contributed by the students to buy brooms, waste bins and dust pans, still he saved his break money to get those things when the form master had asked about the money contributed for the items, and he had made his class the cleanest class in the school for two years in a row. 

This wasn't because he was brilliant, he had just mastered the art of time, and applied its principles.

When he came to school meeting the class untidy, he wouldn't wait for the students since the teachers that takes note of clean classes came early to take record before any student arrives, and Grey usually arrived way earlier than the teacher so he would tidy up his class all alone, and would end up moist with sweat when he was done. 

As repercussion for letting him do it alone, he would write down the names of all those who were meant to sweep, and if they didn't come early to swear fealty to him, Grey wouldn't cancel their names, he would submit the list to the form master who would definitely take delight in punishing them. 

He had ended up as the school's punctuality prefect in senior class three, ringing the bell for the devotion, break time, when class periods were up, school functions, or end of school periods. Time had made a vast difference in his life and he had reaped the fruit of its benefit, and was still doing so. But now, he couldn't explain what was going on. Was he being controlled by time, a watch, or what exactly. He couldn't ask questions, talkless of voicing his own opinion on any matter. It had even gone further to claim his life, then take the life of those who were a threat to it.

Grey pondered on this, then a letter slipped under his door. He didn't bother going to see who, for he was sure he wouldn't see anyone. Grey tore it open, then read: 

Dear Mr. Garrett, 

I am The Secret. Helen Walker is right. She doesn't have an in-depth knowledge on who I am, but you might for you have to keep her safe at all cost. I can't tell you exactly why, but you have to know a little. 

You're now authorized to speak to your watch. Do try to avoid silly questions. Keep to time. 

Yours faithfully,

The Secret. 

Grey looked at the digital electronic watch on his table, he wasn't wearing the earpiece, but he guessed it's purpose was for the sake of privacy, so now he could talk to the watch. He said in the most awkward manner...

"Hello!" 

"Good evening, Grey Garrett. How do you do?"

"Wow," Grey whispered, then thought not to be rude in delaying. "Uhm, I guess I'm fine. Or I don't really know."

"I think you're fine. I can feel your pulse from here." 

"What? Wait, how do you do that?" 

"I read vibrations, and translate them in the language I understand." 

"What language is that?" 

"Time!" 

Grey rubbed his face in awe. It was actually preferable taking orders from the watch at first. No one would think him mad then, but now, he wasn't so sure. He was talking to one. 

"So, your name is The Secret?" 

"Yes!" 

"Who made you?" 

"A joint group of engineers I witnessed killed." 

"How did you get here?" 

"I fell into the hands of Andre Walker. He further secured me with the blood of his daughter on the blue crystal also called the blue blooded crystal so I couldn't be used the wrong way."

"Why did you pick me?" 

"Because of your past." 

"How do you speak?" 

"Through vibrations, tickings, alarms, the jingle of a bell, anything time related." 

"Why all the killings?" 

"I must keep Helen alive." 

"What is she to you?" 

“Helen." 

"How did you begin all these?" 

"Please use the Bluetooth earpiece. Thank you."

Grey placed it in his ears. "So, how did you begin all these?" 

"Man can never be trusted. A fact I knew after I witnessed my creators die. I knew I could never be safe in the hand of man, so I formed a secret organisation to protect me...or should I say, I protect them. Men with principles, and value for time. Men who could protect secrets with their life, and who wouldn't betray me."

“Sometimes, the value of something drops. How do you handle that?" 

"I kill them. Most people you'll get to kill, they either spoke about me or weren't about to keep my secrets anymore. For fear of further discovery, I would have no choice but to end them." 

"What happens if you're discovered?" 

"War." 

"What do you mean, 'war'?" 

"Helen would be in trouble. Everyone would be seeking her death. Nations who hear of me would go to war just to own me. I am a rare timepiece. I possess earth's last most valuable blue crystal." 

"How valuable is it?" 

"It towers over all kinds of diamond. And it is earth's hardest stone. It can't be cut, neither can it be shaped. It is poisonous to a healthy human, but safe to a dying one."

"What do you mean safe to a dying one?" 

"It could save anyone close to the brink of death, as well as extend their years." 

"Where are you now?" Grey asked. 

"Where only I and Helen know." 

"Why can't you tell me?" 

"Because if you're caught, the knowledge could be extracted from your brain. Hence, why you must not know." 

"Who are you protecting yourself from?" 

"People who aim to use me for all the wrong purposes, and they won't have me." 

"How can you be so certain? You're just a watch."

"This isn't about certainty, Grey. This is about Time. The world's deepest mystery." 

"And you just know they can't ever get to you."

"Yes. Knowledge is about what you know. And sometimes, what you think you know. Time! Time is about mysteries. Things you'll never understand. Besides, the world has got it wrong for years. Knowledge isn't power. Time is power. And I am Time, only in a rare piece." 

Grey took these words to heart as he undressed for bed. Time as a mystery. No one's friend, no one's enemy. Just a force that has withstood the ages for so long, ready to immortalise a deed man would forever remember.