THE BREAK IN

Never in a thousand years would I think I would be breaking into a building that I had remote access to, I could have just walked in the building and everyone would be at my beck and call, but at the same time I would announce myself to the world and also to my pursuers.

I drafted a plan to break in, and it would not be easy, my father's office was one of the most secure buildings in the state, but to me it was just a building to me, all of the security systems had my information in the database, so even if I triggered any alarm it wouldn't go off but the security team would know I was in the building.

My head was pounding from thinking about the best way to get in, I Google searched the image of the office and I checked it out, it was a tall building, with other smaller buildings surrounding it, one of the small buildings was connected to the main building, the restaurant.

It was one of the least most guarded building and a plan was already formulating in my head immediately I saw it.

Minutes later I was on the bike on my way to a KFC restaurant close to my dad's office, this was a vital stage in my plan, I ordered a takeaway and I proceeded outside, I was almost outside when I handed my order to the security guard waiting and asked him where the bathroom was, he directed me towards it and promised to keep my order safe.

I knew this place inside out cause I had been here more than a couple of times. I didn't head to the bathroom but past it, I came to a door labeled "STAFF ONLY" I glanced both ways before I opened the door slowly, I peeked in and I saw no one, of course there would be almost no one here, as it was already lunch hour.

I moved quickly, the room contained different lockers and benches, probably a dressing room for the staff, on a nearby bench was some neatly folded KFC uniform, jackpot.

I grabbed the uniform and a baseball cap before hurrying outside, I went to the bathroom and I pulled off my hoodie, I wore the uniform inside and then stuffed the cap halfway down my pants, I wore the hoodie back on top. I opened the door and rinsed my hands to make it seem as if I was indeed coming from the bathroom and then I went back to the guard who was holding my order, he smiled as he handed it back to me and I smiled back at him.

Immediately I got out I rushed to my bike, while glancing at my watch, the employees at my dad's office would soon be getting out for lunch, that was if they didn't administer a day off because of the death of my family and then all my plan would have been for naught. But I doubted it my dad's company was a multinational corporation which involved foreigners, so I doubted if they would actually shut down because of my fathers death.

I got to the office just in time for the employees to take their lunch break, now not all of them would actually have their lunch in the cafeteria, but majority of them would. I grabbed the takeaway I had bought while pulling off my hoodie to reveal my, I put on the cap, before proceeding towards the cafeteria, I was walking very slow on purpose, because I had spotted my target, a man dressed in security guard uniform had emerged from below the ground, which wasn't really under the ground, just the parking lot.

The thing about my father's company was that, my father had his own private parking area with a private lift that took him straight to his office so that he wouldn't have to go through the main doors like the rest of his employees. This security guard was one of the two stationed at the parking lot for security, I don't know why they were still guarding the parking lot, if they had heard of my family's death they should have been reassigned but I didn't care.

At the moment all I wanted was the card hanging from his belt, both guards stationed at the lift had one, which gave them direct access to the lift, I started to move forward quickly but not too quickly to avoid suspicion, I placed my phone to my ear as if receiving a call. Anyone looking at me at that moment would have seen a KFC staff calling to verify the location of an order.

I bumped into the guard and I quickly apologized, he gave me a cold stare and then asked me what I was doing on the premises, I held up the takeaway for him to see and he nodded, "next time look where you dey go" he spoke the words in pidgin and left.

I turned towards the parking lot and I slid the card that I had swiped into my pocket, I proceeded to the parking lot, there was another guard ahead, I couldn't get past him without being caught, because there wasn't anybody authorized to use this place apart from my dad and some exclusive executives, I glanced at my uniform, I must say I didn't look official not to talk of executive.

But I had a plan, I hit one of the cars parked, and it started to make a loud blaring noise, the security guard jumped up gun in hand, I was glad I wasn't going to be facing that gun, he proceeded carefully towards the car, while I sneaked around to his post, he was already near the vehicle when I swiped the card against the panel and the door swung open, I moved in quickly and at the same time I hit the number fifteen.

The doors slid shut and the last glance I saw of the guard was him checking the car out, I had bought myself a few moments, lunch usually lasted for about forty-five minutes, and I had already spent about ten minutes outside, the other guard would sooner or later notice his missing card and it would jeopardize my mission.

The doors opened with a "ding", I stepped out, there were still some people on this floor, but if they noticed me they didn't show it. I moved towards my dad's office, the closer I got the more dread I felt. I remembered his dead body, my mother lying beside him and then my beautiful sister all covered in blood.

I took a pause for a moment, I couldn't get emotional at the moment, I looked at the door of the office I had stopped, it was the next one right to my dad's, I knocked on the door and after no response I stepped inside, it was empty, I remembered the last time I had been here this space had not been occupied, but now it was filled with office stuff.

I looked at the time, twenty-five minutes left, I dropped the takeaway on the table and I pulled a chair towards the vent I saw on the wall. I produced a screwdriver out of the takeaway and I went to work, I opened it and I looked inside it was wide enough for me to crawl through and the good news, it was connected to my dad's office.

I propped myself up and I began to crawl my way through the vent. The reason I had gone through this office was because of two reasons, one was that the door to my dad's office would most likely be locked, and two was that there were security cameras, any one watching would be wondering why a KFC staff was going into a dead man's office.

I arrived at the other vent that led into my dad's office, I kicked out with my feet and the vent gave way, I landed on the balls of my feet and I admired the room. It was one of those offices that you fell in love with instantly, the Persian rugs were shining there behind the desk was a view of the city, two TV's hung on opposite walls, there were some artifacts lying around and I knew they would be priceless.

I glanced at my watch, I only had fifteen minutes more, I moved to the desk, it was just as my dad would have left it, I moved quickly from drawer to drawer, but I didn't find anything only paperwork and some unimportant document, I went over to the cabinets and they contained only books, I didn't have time to search everywhere one by one, and then I saw it.

It was a white piece of paper that I would have over looked normally, but the fact that there was a magazine covering every part of it except the tip made me curious. My father always liked things orderly, and he barely had time to read magazines, so why did he have one, especially one with my face on it. The front cover of the magazine, showed me in a three piece suit holding a phone, a TECNO product, I couldn't remember which model, but I remembered the day, my sister had gotten me the deal and I was happy about it.

Tears blinked from my eyes as I recalled the day, I removed the paper and on it was scribbled a number with "SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX" at the top, the logo of GT bank was below, I couldn't have gotten a more straightforward answer. Whatever the evidence was it was in this safety deposit box, now I knew where I needed to be.

I got back out the same way I had come, I screwed the vent back in place and I returned the chair, I looked at my watch, two minutes left. I had to get out fast, I opened the door and I stepped out, people were already coming back to their offices, without looking back I headed towards the other lift the one that would take me through the main doors, I couldn't go back through the private lift, but there was no need to, my mission was accomplished.

I reached the ground floor, and I went through the main doors, but before that I had dropped the card somewhere along the way, but it would be easily found, if the guard found it he would just have to think that he had misplaced it.

I passed through the main doors while flashing the guard a smile, he didn't even bother to ask me any questions, I guess my uniform must have said it all.

Now my next destination was the......bank.