Chapter 1

The clock strikes 10 pm and plays a tune that fills the room. The tune wakes Kunle from his slumber, a man in his twenties, a set of glass resting on his nose. He has a low cut hair style and a neatly trimmed beard. He still has his shirt on, only that the first two buttons are loosened. Before him is his laptop on the centre table of his room, the laptop screen is off with files and papers scattered across the table, he seems to have been busy. Kunle works with the human affairs department of the OMO ODUA STATE, this part of Nigeria is occupied by the Yorubas after the civil war that tore the Nation apart.

The war lasted several years with the ethnic groups against each other and the resistance against the Government, now a territory has been drawn within each tribe with a central Government. Each State now have their own king, Government and forces making them Independent from the centre.

His phone rings, on it says incoming call from Micheal, he picks the call.

"Hey wassup man?"

"Micheal how are you doing?"

"Still up I guess?"

"Yeah, you know I have a lot to do. I have reports to submit at work tomorrow."

"Yeah, the reports keeps coming in man, the cases keeps rising, there are more reports of deaths in the north than of last week."

"what the hell is happening? He pulls off his glasses and rubs his face."

"I don't know man, reports says it's poisoning."

"Poisoning?"

"Sade told me that's what her department found out, there's going to be briefings tomorrow morning. How far have you gone with yours?"

"J-just the same riot cases of the Northerners, they are protesting and are blaming the Government for the deaths of their people. Why should they blame the Government?"

"You know everyone has to blame someone."

"What?"

"Never mind, see you tomorrow!"

"Yeah."

Beep.

He drops the phone on the table and taps the screen of his laptop, the light from the laptop illuminates his face, he puts on his glasses and begins to read his reports on the screen.

"There have been so many death cases this few weeks in the North and now the Northerners are blaming the central Government for the deaths, then why the hell will the department of human affairs of OMO ODUA be in charge and responsible for working on the case?"

"Oh I forgot this people have decided to remain local, they don't have such department there! They enjoy the free use of technology and resources of the Government."

"According to my records, children are mostly affected by the plaque, is it really poisoning."

"Why children?"

"Is it some kind of food poisoning?"

"Is their water contaminated? No way, the Government made sure every tribe has the best of facilities."

He sits back with a heavy sigh, removes his glasses and rubs his eyes with both hands. The clock tune comes up again, it's 11 pm. He closes his laptop and picks up his jacket. He made his way to the stairs opposite where he sat. He clicks on a device planted on the wall before the stairs and a computer voice comes up.

"Good night Mr Kunle, what updates would you like for tomorrow morning."

"Just wake me up at the usual time. He says as he climbs the stairs."

"Okay Mr Kunle, putting off the house lights and activating security systems."

"Have a pleasant rest Mr Kunle."

His bedroom door shuts automatically, the house is dark with only the outside security lights on and the humming of the computer.

On his bed, Kunle stares blankly at the ceiling, there's alot going on in his mind, mystery to solve, he will save it for the next day at his office, he has been told of a clue, the poisoning. That is only a piece of the puzzle. Outside his window he can hear the night patrol drones flying around with their humming sounds, their search lights comes in and out.

He searches his mind for something to wear of the thought of the deaths, then he remembers his wife and kid, a son. Elizabeth left the state to see her mother at the Eastern part of the Nation, she won't be back until a week time from now. Remembering his family lightened the worries in his heart. Then he sits up straight on his bed and decides to call his wife.

He descends the stairs and the computer picks his motion and the house lights comes on and the room is lit.

He sits on the couch before his centre table and opens his laptop, he adjusts his glasses and kicks some keys. Soon he places his wife on a video call, after a few rings she picks.

"Hey babe!, Is everything okay?"

"Hey angel, I just wanted to hear your voice and see your pretty face before going to bed." Kunle is smiling.

"Awwwn, that's so sweet of you, I too have tried reaching you but I guess you were busy."

"Yes I was very busy, you know there's a lot going on at work and I have been tasked with a little assignment."

"Really? That's good dear, so how is it going?"

"There are strange killings in the North, don't tell anyone, I am not supposed to disclose this to you either."

"I promise."

"Okay, look something strange is going on there, people, old and young are dying everyday, the death rate is increasing fast and it's alarming."

"My goodness that's serious. What's the cause of all this babe?"

"That's what the office has tasked us all to figure out, I have little cues and a lots of guess works. I will be more enlightened by tomorrow at the office."

"Okay, I know you will figure this out dear, but I think you need to rest, it's really late now dear."

Kunle nods his head

"Yeah, yeah, I guess so babe. Okay I will call you tomorrow."

"Okay babe, good night."

"Good night honey."

The call ends.

Kunle close the laptop and heads back to his room, the lights in the seating room goes off automatically. Kunle lays down on his bed, his mind is relieved a bit, he covers himself with his blanket and close his eyes.