Prologue 1
"Comms?"
"Check."
"Vest?"
"Check."
"Guns?"
"Check."
"Okay alpha team move."
"Remember, recover the hostages. This is a rescue mission alone."
"Yes captain."
10 mins later
"Approaching state afghan school, d block." The sergeant respond.
"Approaching f block" The captain replied.
"Sergeant do not engage until hostages are within sight." The Captain ordered
with fear in all their hearts.
"Noted."
"Approaching d block entrance, hostages within sight, 500m away."
"Engage. Rescue hostages sergeant, alpha team in all vicinity."
"Approaching hostages 150m away,"
"Approaching hostages 10m away,"
"Its going to be okay, we're here to rescue you."
"Hostages rescued." The seinformed.
"Retreat, retreat retreat, EOD present!"
"Sergeant get the hell away from there as soon as possible!"
"Go go go go, runnnn!"
************
"Good job sergeant, Alpha team. Mission accomplished."
Prologue 2
"ATTENTION! ATTENTION! ATTENTION! Alpha team report for briefing."
"Okay guys, move it the general is here requesting our audience, get you ass up
and move." Their captain said while he claped his hands in demonstration.
"Yes captain!" They uttered in unison as they moved to see the general,
including the Captain.
In the army to show respect they salute which is what they did as soon as they
saw the general.
"So this is the infamous Alpha team?" The general not particularly talking to
anyone spoke in his blue navy uniform as all the ranks on them glittered,
showing his position.
"Good day general, I am Derek, Captain of the Alpha team, this is Alpha team."
The captain spoke first as he stood in front of them.
"Good day Derek, alpha team," The General greeted them all with a nod.
"Good day sir!" They all replied in unison.
"I am general Blackwood. I would like to congratulate you on your success at
Afghanistan. The president sends his regards and has decided to give you all a
reward. Your name has been heard, and feared as the brave Alpha team that's why,
I came here to tell you this by myself. Can you imagine that? I coming here?"
They all chuckled at the General's statement including the General, because it
is indeed a rear thing to see the General of the U.S army coming to just brief.
Not that he is known for laziness, but he takes his time in going for things,
and only things that matter.
He visioned and viewed Alpha team as a sincere, hardworking and diligent team
which is why he took the opportunity to meet them. Also, their name had been the
topic of the army.
"The pleasure is all ours general." Captain of the alpha team said.
"So, as for your reward you are all going to Nigeria for a 3 week break, living
in a 5 star hotel, bedding all the girls you can and drinking the life you
earned. But, remember what you are, which is?"
"A soldier sir!" They all replied gracefully and proud.
"Yes a soldier, that's what you are, and don't ever forget that, be at alert
always and be the soldier you are trained to be, because you don't need a weapon
to be a soldier." The general advised, sounding sincere and determined.
"So go have fun guys" The general concluded as they all chuckle again at his
statement. One in particular which is, 'guys'. To them it is a weird envisage
for an old man to be using some slangs.
Wonderful to them they thought
***************
"Haula wake up, you have school." Haula's mom came yelling into her room to get
her to wake up, she knew that was the only way to wake her daughter up.
"Mom just 10 mins more please." haula begged. "And its not even an actual school
its a make up school." she added while grumpy.
"Its still has school in it," haula's mom replied winning the conversation.
"Fine!" Haula sighs in defeat and stands up but rather hit her head on the wall.
"You never learn, you still sleep walk. I guess I have to carry you," Haula's
mom knew Haula very well, she literally had to guide her to the bathroom every
morning because she sleep walks which her mom found adorable and annoying
sometimes, in the sense that she still See's haula as a baby, but she knows she
is actually growing up.
"Here's everything you'll need," Haula's mom told her as she gives her
everything she'll need in the bathroom and went to prepare something for haula.
Haula being done in the bathroom, came out of her room wearing a jean and an off
shoulder top making her look attractive and young.
"Don't you dare leave without you eating breakfast." Haula's mom knew her
daughter hates eating breakfast, because she claimed she never has appetite.
"Mom please," haula pleaded for the second time that day.
"No, come here and even if I had to feed you. Fine." Her mother warned.
"Okay feed me," Haula pouted teasing her mom and changing the mood of the
conversation.
"You wish," Haula and her mom chuckled at both of them being childish.
"You know for an 18 year old learning make up you sure don't look like one,"
Haula's mom complained.
"Noted mom, but don't you forget I'm also a medical student. I don't have time
for myself." For a Nigerian mom, haula's mom doesn't seem like one but when she
needs to be, after all the blood flows through her veins.
Haula's mom has never been more proud of her daughter studying medicine, and
learning every other skill she can, she knew haula had a soft spot, a nice young
lady that loves helping people and still finds a place for anyone no matter
what.
Haula was on a semester break so she decided to learn some new things before she
goes back to school.
"Are you still singing at ceddi plaza on Wednesday?" Haula's mom asked. Haula
loved singing so she took it as something she wants to do to help out and make
her voice be heard.
"I guess so, I spoke with the manager today morning, he said I was still on
their schedule, so yes, Wednesday it is," Haula said picking up her things to
go.
"Okay bye mom." Haula said to her mom.
"Bye. Could you pick Nico on your way back?" Haula' mom asked describing her
younger brother, as she is about stepping out.
"Sure." She said as she stepped out and felt the light mood of the atmosphere
and the cool blue sky. She enjoyed the weather for less than a minute when the
loud sound came flying over. The sound of an airplane. She knew the atmosphere
could never be that peaceful for that long as they lived near the airport, but
she wished she could just enjoy it. Not that she hated the sound of a flying
plane, but she got used to it.
And so the plane flew away, but one thing she noticed was, t
Shoot!
It's 12 already. I have to be at ceddi by 1 and here I am still in my pajamas
sleeping off the day.
I look at my phone to see texts from my mom.
'Haula are you there?'
'What time are you performing?'
'Haula!'
'Are you still sleeping?'
'Haula I swear to God if you're still sleeping I'll come back home and pour
water on you.'
The last text catchs my eye. Funny, like how will she know if I'm still
sleeping? it's not like she can see me, but I better get ready.
I take my bath and put on a high waist jean and a top with my jacket on my arm
as I'm ready to go, before I decide to text my mom or at least lie to her.
'Yes mom I'm there already.'
Don't blame me, I didn't plan to sleep off.
I go by the junction of the street and take a cab to ceddi. I know you are quite
expecting me to say I took my car out of the garage, well no. Here in Nigeria,
majority of the teens here don't own cars except they're rich or their parents
decide to give them one.
Not that we're rich nor poor, we're just in the middle class you know what I
mean and since it's just my mom and I, I don't really crave for a car right now.
12:55
That what says the time I had used to eventually get to the plaza. I'm late, not
that late because I still got 5 minutes to spare until the event began.
Nothing special was actually going on. The plaza just decides to hold on musical
events every Wednesday, Like bands coming to sing, solos and so on. it is as a
way to patronise their mall also.
"I actually thought you were not coming," The manager who is dressed in his
nicely suit comes over, as I get inside.
"Well, I wouldn't miss it."Â I say with a slight smile.
Shut up haula, you almost did miss it.
"Good to hear, so prepare you things and get ready." he says leaving me to nod
to myself.
Okay.
Not like I have anything, I just use the Mic and give them the instrumental to
the song. I don't actually write songs because when I do, I miss the notes which
get pretty ultrasonic, so I just decide to sing people's songs and get some
cash.
Its is 1:30 and you could see the mall get packed by people going and coming,
usually its full but not this full probably because its Wednesday, people just
come to watch the event and all or buy some things and decide to stay by.
"You're up in 5!" The DJ yells taking my attention.
To say I am scared is an understatement, not that I haven't sang in front of a
crowd but this was much, the people literally were like hundreds.
I guess, if am not exaggerating.
"I can do this, nothing new" I calm myself with this mantra.
"You're up." The DJ says and I go out, putting on a strong and smiling face
acting like you everything's okay but NO it isn't.
"Hey guys, wow such a big crowd!" I say to the audience while getting a cheerful
response.
"Okay this song is called don't say you love me" I say and the DJ hits it up
"Don't say you miss me, when you don't call"
"Don't say you hurting, with out the scars"
"Don't promise me tonight without tomorrow too,
Don't say you love me, unless you do"
I sing out loud letting my rhythm go smoothly. I see the crowd cheering and
singing with me, as it hypes me up.
"How am I suppose to take it, when weeks go by and I'm still waiting,
I say I'm okay but I can't fake it, coz even when I try something's missing"Â I
sing that part with my voice almost shaking because the song relates with me,
that's why I decided to sing it.
It still reminds me of him and how I miss him.
I look around the crowd as I sing the last part and that's when my eyes met his.
The most captivating eyes I have ever seen.
THEO'S POV.
 "So what we doing today?" Drew asks
"Anything you guys want, seriously Drew do I still have to treat you like a baby
even on a break? For God's sake do whatever you want," Captain says sleepy
"But you're still our captain, you're in charge of us," Drew adds annoying the
captain more. Drew is the youngest here in our team so everyone just treats him
like the kid and sometimes he gets too used to it.
We all laugh at Drew's statement when captain turns and gives him a glare.
"Oops that's not good" I say as captain picks drew up and throws him outside
making us all laugh.
"Don't come back until I wake up, its an order!" Captain yells.
"Captain please, I have something to say," Drew always knew a way to get captain
from being mad at him. "And it involves seeing hot girls"
"I'm listening," Captain turns his back almost at that instant.
Of course, girls.
"Promise I get to go back inside?" Drews tries to negotiate making me chuckle.
"Depends," Captain shurgs his shoulders.
"Okay so there's this mall 20mins away from here called ceddi plaza."He begins
as captain nods for him to go ahead. "During Wednesday's they hold a musical
event and the place is usually crowded, and guess what today is, its Wednesday
and I really want to go,"
"So that's it?" Captain replies nonchalantly.
"Yes captain," I shake my head in disbelief at them.
"Hmm, I'll think about it, first you stay there." Captain persists as drew
pretends to cry.
Seriously?
I know you're thinking we're grown ups but we still act like kids, that's the
bond we have in this team, we're all brothers.
"Hey cap," I put a hand on his shoulder. "Why don't we check out the place?"
There's no harm right?
Captain seems to think about it for a while before he nods. "Fine, get up drew,
get dressed or we're leaving without you." captain says.
"Yes! Thanks Theo." Drew says and I nod with a smile.
We got ready and the 7 of us heads to the car to the so called mall drew tells
us about.
We arrive at the mall and truth be told, drew is actually right as this place is
packed. We get inside and practically check out almost every store with drew
still acting like the kid he is.
"Hey that's where they are performing, let's check it out." Eric says as we all
move there.
And that is when my eyes first sees her, as it feels as though I have never seen
a woman before, yet there she is singing like her life depends on it, swaying
her hips and moving from side to side.
Her voice rampaging the whole mall, as she is the most beautiful woman I have
ever laid my eyes upon and I couldn't let her slip out of my hands.
