On the way, he pondered the instructions given to him by the caller and decided to follow up carefully to ensure he didn't miss any assistance needed that night. As he thought about all this, he continued to drive the motorcycle swiftly, ensuring Yasinta's safety.
He touched the body's neck and realized that there was life in it, but it seemed that the person had been knocked out. He needed to hurry to the hospital to see if the woman, who was a beloved lawyer, had any issues or if anything had happened to her. His haste led him to the driver's seat of the car, where he discovered that he hadn't been careful enough when opening the front door of the car. Above the steering wheel, there was a piece of paper with just a few words.
"The woman is not in any trouble, so don't dare take her to any hospital. At dawn, go to the media and let the whole country know that the woman has been found and is now under heavy police supervision. I left her in your hands because I trust you, so no one else should get this information. After the media appearance, some people will come to take the woman into their hands, and they will mention the word TOXIC. If you hear that name, hand over the woman to them, and tonight, you and I will talk. Find me in your car. GOOD CITIZEN."
The instructions were quite clear and understandable. ASP smiled, albeit with a lot of anxiety, after seeing the word GOOD CITIZEN, knowing clearly who the sender was, although not entirely sure. But on closer inspection, he noticed fresh blood stains under the driver's seat, indicating that someone had been injured.
He found renewed hope of finding him again, knowing that if he was injured and left the car, there must be bloodstains leading to where he was going. He quickly got off the motorcycle and carefully searched, but he saw no sign or trace of blood in the area, and there was complete silence as no one was passing by. He returned to the car and decided to follow the instructions without informing anyone. However, after moving a little further, he stopped the car and looked for the contact number of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
He wanted to call his superior, but hesitated, deciding to shoulder the responsibility as instructed, because if he wanted the IGP to be involved, there would be no need to look for him. He disappeared from the scene, ASP Bakari, carrying the unconscious body of the woman, Yasinta.
"When dawn breaks, darkness fades away.“ So, as is customary, where there is intense darkness, light follows. That's what happened in the chaotic suburbs of the city. It was early Wednesday morning when people across the country eagerly awaited a new hope, the return of their beloved lawyer, Yasinta.
During that time when people were eager to get the latest news of the day, many were anxious to know what would be discussed. It was within the realm of hopeless expectations after seeing Yasinta in the media. Some people burst with joy beyond measure, while others remained in shock, speechless, with words flowing without boundaries. That was the best event of that Wednesday. Yasinta had been returned as promised, with a famous police officer by her side.
ASP Bakari approached the microphones accompanied by the lawyer, who appeared silent and not very well because even her clothes hadn't been changed. ASP had a few words for the citizens.
"Blessed be my beloved, and blessed be my fellow citizens, with whom we have been fortunate enough to be given another chance to enjoy the world and its fortunes together. Today is a happy day for us after our loved one has safely returned, in perfect health. I just want to say thank you very much for being patient and enduring until our dear sister was found. I don't have much to say today other than to inform everyone that your lawyer has returned. We will meet at another time when she herself will be the speaker, but for today, let me stop here. Thank you very much," the man spoke only a few sentences, leaving people with many questions in their minds.
"Excuse me, the people would like to know where their lawyer was. How was she found? What happened to her? Is she safe? But if you leave them with so many questions like that, I don't think you'll be doing them justice," one journalist among those invited asked a question that made ASP Bakari turn towards Yasinta.
The woman signalled her acceptance, so he turned back to the journalist and narrated every step from the moment he received the phone call at night until the moment they were in the media house.
Without adding another word, he left with the woman, leaving the journalists with many questions. He went outside and met two cars that had come together. He understood from the quality of those cars that the people who had come there were not ordinary. A young man got out of the front car and approached where ASP Bakari was.
"TOXIC" he remembered that statement very well. He had no choice but to signal Yasinta to go with the young man. The young lady seemed hesitant.
"For now, there is a lot of turmoil in the country. You might be sought after by those people again, and I'm not sure I can protect you for a long time because I don't know who is a friend and who is an enemy. Go with these people; you will be safe for twenty-four hours, but if you need to reach me, you can call me," he reassured the young lady, giving her his business card.
Yasinta had no choice but to go with those people, and they left quickly because it was a very short-lived event.
Not long after, another convoy arrived. It was none other than the IGP. He arrived running, after getting out of the car, reaching the spot where ASP was seated, pondering how things were unfolding at an astonishing pace.
"Where is that girl?" the IGP asked urgently, without even asking his subordinate why he had returned to work without his permission.
"She has been taken,"
"What?" the IGP asked in great astonishment.
IGP Lusubilo stared at ASP Bakari, urging him with his eyes to tell him who had left with the girl, while he remained calm. They were startled by another convoy of cars, which seemed to belong to someone important. The IGP was greatly surprised when he realized that the cars belonged to the State House; the President-elect had arrived.
"Your Excellency," the IGP saluted his boss, looking like he had many questions in his mind, as it was all very sudden.
"Where is the girl?" was the President's question. The IGP frowned and turned to ASP, who had no choice but to step forward and explain how the woman had been taken from the area.
"How could you hand her over to someone you don't know, especially a lawyer who you know the whole country was eagerly waiting for? What if the media demands proof of what happened to her? Where will you get that?" the President asked sternly, regarding the matter as serious negligence that occurred that day.
"I acted on orders, sir," ASP replied respectfully, bowing his head before the President, but the old man required the young man to lift his head to give him full information.
"Whose orders?"
"The person who called me directed me to pick up the woman," ASP responded.
"So, he's the one who told you to hand her over to people you don't know?"
"No, when I was taking the woman to the car, I received a message instructing me to take her to the media and then hand her over to the people who would come to take her in the morning. If someone mentions the word TOXIC, then I should give the woman to them," he explained, handing the President the paper he found on the car's steering wheel.
The President sighed as if to calm his worries, and then they looked at each other for a moment, along with the IGP.
"What if it's not him? Is someone playing games here?" the President asked a question that made the IGP turn to ASP.
"I think this evening we should be present at the location where he said he would come to visit her so that he can tell us what is going on, so we don't fall into the trap of people without knowing anything," the IGP spoke, making the President nod.
They didn't stay long after they saw the photographers arrive at the scene. They wanted to know about the President's presence in those areas throughout the morning, but the President was already in the car on his way back to the State House, with the IGP and ASP Zalimo disappearing from the scene together.