Closest enemy typically refers to an enemy who is nearby, either geographically, emotionally, or in terms of their actions and influence. It can also imply a relationship where someone is perceived as an enemy despite being outwardly friendly or familiar

Part 1

CLOSEST ENEMY

Ifeyinwa Susan Francis

Backbone is a notorious kidnapper, weapon smuggler, terrorist, and leader of the most dangerous syndicate in Lagos. He is notorious for working for high-ranked politicians. Carrying out their dirty jobs, such as threatening, embezzlement of funds, hijacking of electoral materials, and many more. He has been wanted by the armed forces and law for a very long time. But no one seems to know him since he’s always wearing a mask. This made it difficult to capture him. He calls himself the kingpin of Lekki. When his terrorism got out of hand, the police decided to take preventative measures.

The government and the people of Lekki have been confused. Wondering how things got out of control in the hands of the honorable, fair, and just commissioner of police, Dr Ahmed Lawal. A man known for implementing justice and peace. But the CP reassured the public through a press conference that he would hunt and bring Blackbone to book.

“What do you think you are doing, D.P.O.? How can things get out of control in your hands? Now! Go and reinforce your men and hunt that fugitive down. If I get another report from the governor, you will be forced to leave your position.” The commissioner tells the D.P.O over the phone

“Yes sir.” The D.P.O replied.

The D.P.O. did exactly as the commissioner had ordered and gathered his area commanders and superintendent in a meeting.

“Do you know I sent a mole to discover who Backbone truly is? The mole came back with his picture and hideout alone.” The doctor stopped and continued. “Something is fishy about that Backbone. He has a strong backup in government and even though we have his face… his identity is still hidden.” The DPO tells his men.

Everyone stared at him with so much surprise.

“How do you mean his identity is hidden even though we’ve seen his face? Our mole did a nice job by bringing his face and hideout.” ASP Moses tells d.p.o, Auwal Ibrahim

The d.p.o smiles and stands up from his seat and crosses his two hands behind his back

“I can confidently tell you that even the right-hand man to that fugitive does not know him. There is something that has been keeping us from catching him. And that’s because he is hiding behind a mask. A metaphorical mask. That’s why no mole can discover him. We need a bigger plan.” The doctor tells ASP Moses.

One of them suggested that they tell the commissioner of police about their plans, but the D.P.O refused and insisted they carry out their plans first before letting the C.P. know.

Backbone discovered that Blood was a mole in his team and shot him dead instantly. Backbone is aggressive, temperamental, and cruel. Always angry. He was a bully and led a cult group when he was in the Tertiary institution. Backbone told his men that anyone who went against him would be 5 feet below the earth.

He instructed Sniper to kidnap the 18-year-old daughter of the governor of Rivers State to demand ransom. His men went and successfully kidnapped the girl. After abducting her, they called her father for 500 million naira ransom but the governor told them that he doesn’t have such amount of money. But they gave a deaf ear, claiming the governor has more than what they are requesting. The governor kept pleading with them to let his daughter go but they refused. He told them that he spent all his money campaigning for the position of governor and would do anything to pay them once he got the money. He pleaded with them to accept 300 million naira. But his refusal to complete the ransom enraged Backbone. He then gave the order to kill the girl. And they murdered the innocent girl.

This story pierced the heart of the government. “How could a terrorist from Lagos kill a daughter of Rivers State.” Everyone laments. The government of Rivers State took it upon themselves to get to the root of the matter and take that terrorist down. They collaborated with Lagos police to achieve this. The DPO of the Lagos division does not trust anyone except himself. He decided to keep his division and that of Rivers State in the dark and decided to hunt the culprit himself.

Blackstone was going to the supermarket in a mask with his men surrounding him everywhere. When he got there. He purchased his desired wines after which he exited the supermarket to ride back to his headquarters. On his way to his car, he jammed a very gorgeous lady and fell her groceries to the ground. Instead of blackbone to apologize, he stepped on the girl and continued walking. But the lady stood up and dragged him back.

“Hey, Mister man. Are you blind?” She asked him.

Black bone turned like an abomination had just happened. People were surprised and pitied the girl because she seemed new.

“Bia! Are you talking to me? Are you the only one in Lagos that doesn’t know me?” He asked the girl.

The girl was extremely beautiful. Her smile alone could save a nation.

“I don’t give a damn about who you are. I just came back from The States to visit my parents, you know. But whoever you are? Does not give you any right to treat me like trash.” The lady replied

People were expecting backbone to slap her or kidnap her. But the unbelievable happened. He approached her and calmly asked for her phone number. The girl refused at first, claiming backbone is yet to apologize. But finally gave in.

From that day, the backbone could not sleep. For the first time, blackbone smiled. His boys were surprised how backbone was capable of loving someone. They took it upon themselves to win the charming lady for their boss. They started researching about the girl and found out she was Bianca Okoye. Daughter of chief Okoy,e that left for abroad when she was 6. They got all the information and presented it to their boss. Blackbone was overjoyed and volunteered to chase the girl himself.

Finally, ly he got her. The two built a strong bond. One day, BlackBone took Bianca to one of his robberies in the bank. Bianca has never robbed but agrees to Robb for the first time because of her love for backbone, whom she calls black. The police got info that black was robbing First Bank headquarters and came after him. Blackbone, who can never surrender, started an open fire against the police. During the shootout, sergeant Eucheria targeted him and shot him. But Bianca gave herself up and got shot instead. Blackbone immediately took Bianca back to his secret house and ordered his men to continue shooting.

Thank God the gang’s private doctor was able to revive Bianca. From that day onward, Blackbone decided to place Bianca above everything. No one has ever loved him that way. Not even his authoritarian parents, who made him feel useless, or his brother, who made him feel like a second option. He brought her to the group after she recovered and ordered everyone to respect her like they respect him. Bianca, a well-raised, decent, American-trained criminal psychologist, became a criminal because of love. She agreed to stay and carry out Blackbone’s dirty operations. She even started taking drugs. From that day, everyone regarded her as the “queen of crime”.

Her mother cried and pleaded with Bianca to deceit from her useless behavior because of her so-called infatuations. But her mind was made up. She claims Blackbone is tough, strict, and mature, just how she wants it.

The members of the groups belonging to different syndicates headed by Backbone do not know anything about him. Not even his parents or where he came from. They knew him but they knew him not. His own personal boys can not give an accurate description of their boss’s biography. He gets furious anytime you ask him about anything. But in Bianca’s case, he changed. He tells her everything she wants to hear. And answers her questions no matter how personal.

One Sunday blackbone was sitting and relaxing on a couch when Bianca approached him and offered him his favorite dish. Personally prepared by her.

“Do you love the dish?” Bianca asked him.

“Of course my love.” He replied

“I’ve been wondering. Don’t you have families or siblings? My love I will love to spend my life with you. I will need you to tell me everything about you.” Bianca said moving closer to him

“Okay.” Blackbone agreed and told her everything about himself.

“My father is Ahmed Lawal, the commissioner of police. And my brother is our current local government chairman. Blackbone narrates.

What!

Bianca jumped out of her seat. “How come the country’s No.1 corruption fighter is the father of the deadliest criminal? How come your brother is following your father’s good steps and you ended up a fugitive? Did he abandon you? Why? She asks.

“Is personal. I don’t think it is important how I ended up. But I want you to know that I am living this life just to please my father and fit in, in society.” Blackbone said, dropping his spoon.

“Fit in, in society? Like this? Or do you mean in your social group?” Bianca asked curiously.

Why are you curious!

Black Bone asked. He narrated to her how his father abandoned and left him to suffer. He added that his father even denied that he has another son other than the local government chairman. And warned him not to tell anybody about his paternity or family background.

“Why though?” Bianca asked in shock.

“There is something he asked me and my elder brother to do when we were just 13 and 15 years old. I refused but my brother carried out the job perfectly. Ever since he has termed me a worthless son. He even sent me to a polytechnic while he sent my brother to The United States to study. I was frustrated and felt hated. When I entered school. I encountered the same belittlement. That’s when I decided to put on a mask.” He said in tears

Bianca felt sorry for him. Then she went closer and cuddled him.

“What type of mask did you wear? A drama mask that revealed your emotions? Or a pandemic mask that conceals them?” She asked

“I wear the mask that grins and lies.” He passed and continued. “I was unsure of my strength, that’s why I wore the bullying mask. I know that no one loves me. That’s why I wore the Angar mask. I concealed the simple, kind-hearted me in an aggressive, ruthless mask just to be accepted by my father and my peers and be feared in society instead of being belittled.” Blackbone answered.

“I’m sorry my love. I’m here now and I love you.” Bianca assured him.

One Friday evening, Blackbone went to see his father, the commissioner of police in his office. But the CP embarrassed, humiliated, and insulted him.

“Do you want the world to see that I am a father to a vagabond? Get out of my office.” He yells at him.

“I am the monster that you made, my perfect father.” He replied and banged his office door against him.

When he got home, he called his elder brother, Chuks Lawal, to narrate what their father did. And why did he go to his office? But his brother insulted him even more and called him a weakling.

“Why are you and Father doing this to me? Is it because I refused his order to kill our mother years ago?” Blackbone asked his brother. But his brother hung up on him. Bianca entered the room immediately with her jaw-dropping,

“Because I refused to kill our mother years ago? Bianca repeated after him. “What are you talking about?” She asked.

Blackbone sighs and taps the sofa, telling Bianca to have a seat.

“There is something I didn’t tell you?” He paused and continued. “When I was thirteen, my mother, a lecturer, was allegedly reported for sleeping with her male students. My father called her an adulteress. Out of anger, he ordered me to kill her. But I couldn’t. My brother accepted. He went to her room and strangled her to death.” Blackbone narrates.

“What! Bianca jumps out of her seat. “So what happened next? She asked.

“That’s all you should know,” Blackbone replies to her and exits the room.

Finally, the DPO found his key to hunting backbone down. He hired a criminal lawyer from the United States. Ivy Odumegu is a Nigerian-born American defense attorney.

Ivy Odumegu has never lost a case in the United States. When she arrived in Nigeria, she started her investigation. She is skilled in finding sources and evidence. She figured that the commissioner was hiding a deadly secret and decided to investigate him. Ivy also made a list of famous politicians who were murdered in cold blood to trace their culprits. She already knows of Blackbone, the notorious terrorist. But she needs to know his backers.

Ivy Odumegu, after her investigations, paid Dr Ahmed Lawal a visit in his office. The commissioner was surprised to see a strange woman in his office.

“To whom do I owe this visit?” He asked her.

” O,h, commissioner. Can’t you at least offer your guest a seat before interrogating her? She replied.

“My bad. Please have a seat.” The commissioner replied pointing his hand at the chair.

“To your question Dr Ahmed. I’m here to ask you some questions.” She tells him.

The commissioner laughed and asked her to introduce herself first. Which she did.

“Okay Miss Ivy, what do you want to know?” The CP asked.

“Do you know anything about the death of Gloria Lawal, a senior lecturer at the Federal University of Lagos.? Your wife!” Ivy asked him

The commissioner gave her a long stare.

“No.” He answered.

“I’m sorry to bust your bubbles but I already know that you killed your wife. And uses your son to commit all types of atrocities in the country. Oh yes. You heard me. Blackbone is your legitimate son and you are one of his backers. ” She tells him with open eyes.

The commissioner laughed again and stood up from his seat.

“I am regarded as one of the most decent, just, and crime-free men in the entire country. I don’t know what you are talking about, young lady.” He replied.

Ivy smiled,

“You are the most corrupt man in the entire country. Hiding under the mask that is decorated with your titles, possessions, and accomplishments. You wore the mask that presented an illusion. The mask that made it seem like you are living a perfect life when you are a monster.” Ivy replied to him face to face.

“Why would I wear a mask?” The commissioner asked confidently. “If possible, how come nobody has discovered the truth?” He added.

Ivy stood up from her seat and bent her hand on his table.

“No 1 question. You wore the mask because you were afraid of being discovered as a fraud. How come nobody knows the truth? Because masks shade their wearer. The mask is not just being forced to hide the truth, but having to perform a lie. I will fish you out and expose you. Mark my words commissioner, I will unmask you. You will regret putting on a psychological mask in the first place. She tells him and exits his office. The commissioner went mute and stayed like that for hours.

Ivy Odemegu was still not satisfied after confronting the commissioner. She needed full proof to unmask Dr Ahmed Lawal publicly. And more evidence about the other high-ranked politicians working with the commission. “If only I can find that terrorist, blackbone. I will be able to unmask these politicians.” She soliloquizes.

Somehow, backbone got Intel that a lady, a defense attorney,, already knows of his relationship with the commissioner. Bianca then suggested they(both of them) should leave the group. But backbone refused. Claiming he has gone too far to stop. Plus, his father would kill him if he left. Bianca got angry at Blackbone and threatened to expose their group.

“Why don’t you understand me? This is my only way of making my father proud and being useful to him. After I refused to kill my mother, he sent me to a cartel to train to work for him.” Blackbone explains.

“What? That’s cruel. Your days of terrorism are over. We must leave this group.” Bianca replied.

“No… I can’t leave. I have killed and committed so much in one lifetime. This is my life now.” He responded.

Bianca loved him so much to abandon him in these trying times. She stayed and continued terrorizing with him. One day, Blackbone took Bianca and his gang to the native doctor to sanctify themselves. The native doctor assured him that he would be supreme and untouchable. But on no occasion should a virgin shoot him or any of his members. Because that would be their end. The gang took an oath among themselves to take the secret to hell.

Ivy Odemegu partnered with armed forces, including police officers, to track the backbone down. Already, she has received a report that Dr Ahmed Lawal is one of the politicians backing Backbone. The news was all over the media and has caused heat in the entire nation. But the commissioner kept defending himself. Since he was allegedly backing a criminal, he was suspended from work until further notice. Ivy Odemegu continued tirelessly in hunting the commissioner and his son.

Finally, Ivy Odemegu and the D.O., alongside other armed forces, discovered Blackbone’s major hideout. War ensued and they started an open fire between the two groups. Blackbone was not ready and would never surrender. While ivy was very much prepared and will never retreat. The shoot-out got worse, and some of their men(both Ivy and Blackbone men died). Blackbone couldn’t take it anymore. For the first time, he lost to the armed forces. He ordered Bianca and his remaining men to retreat. He decided to take a secret root to the borders. A root known only to him. But when he got there. Surprisingly everywhere was already surrounded by the police.

“How? How did they find my secret hideout? He screamed and tried to run away. But he got shot in the leg twice and fell to the floor.

Blackbone was in shock wondering how the bullet penetrated his leg,

“How come their bullet penetrated my leg? I thought Baba assured me that I am now indestructible,e” He asked breathing heavily.

“Because you were shot by a Virgin. About your men that died in the shoot-out? They, too, were shot by Virgins.” Bianca said, yelling at him. She put her hand in and brought out an ID card. “My name is Ivy Odemegu, the defense attorney from America. And you Blackbone is under arrest.” She bends and tells him. “Sergeant!” She screams, “Handcuff this criminal.”

Everybody stood shocked and opened their mouths. Blackbone looked at her for a while and started laughing.

“What are you talking about? You are Bianca, my girl, my woman.” He said

Bianca slapped him in rage,

“Shut up. I.. can. Never.. love.. a.. criminal! Have you not wondered how Ivy Odemegu found out about your dad? The police discovering your hideout, all the times the police attacked your warehouse and intercepted your operations? How did they discover your roots and the native doctor’s instructions? I am behind all that. You heard me, it’s all me. Bianca Okoye and Ivy Odemegu are one person. I am your mortal enemy living with you under the same bed.” Bianca tells him rage.

Tears rushed down the cheeks of the black like running water.

“How?” He couldn’t pronounce a sound. Still on the floor in pain. “All this while you have been telling me to mask this, mask that like you are a saint. I thought only criminals like me and my father wear masks. So you have been under a mask all this time? Blackbone asked in a low tone.

“Yes!” Bianca answered and moved closer. “Your father wore a mask, you wore a mask, I wore a mask, everybody wears masks. You heard me! Is either we are concealing our emotions, our personality, or our identities. Regardless of Individual reasons. We all wear masks. Even in our daily lives.” Bianca replied

“You are such a good actress. All this while I thought you loved me, not knowing it was just a scripted play.” I termed my father, my brother, and the police my enemy. Not knowing that my dearest closest to me is my worst enemy.” He burst into tears. “How were you able to conceal your identity and emotions that well?” He asked

“Mask casts a shadow over the eyes of those who wear it. One of the disadvantages of masking is that it hides people’s true identity and prevents you from knowing your allies and enemies. Just like how it prevented you from knowing your closest enemy.” She replied.

The police jacked Backbone

To be continued…….

Also Read: Silent Killer: Tuberculosis In Nigeria