The Silent Syndicate

By Samuel Adedotun Ishmael

When Fred walked into Sonia's wedding to confirm the tip-off that he had been jilted, he had no clue that he has unknowingly walked into trouble. Sonia was getting married to a wanted drug lord who was under investigation and impending arrest. Weeks later, Fred was manipulated into sleeping with Sonia for official gains.

Things took a danger

• Language: English
• Publisher: Adedotun Ishmael Books
• Release date: Apr 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781737344575

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THE SILENT

SYNDICATE

Samuel Adedotun Ishmael

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THE SILENT SYNDICATE

Copyright © 2022 by Samuel Adedotun Ishmael

eBook: 978-1-7373445-7-5

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the pri or written permission of the publisher or author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Although every precaution has been taken to verify the accuracy of the information contained herein, the author and publisher assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. No liability is assumed for damages that may result from the use of information contained within.

ADEDOTUN ISHMAEL BOOKS

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CHAPTER ONE

A HUMILIATING DISCOVERY

My vision was indistinct. I was practically sweating and I didn’t know if I was disappointed or angry. All I wanted to do was to make sure the call wasn’t a prank, even though I knew it wasn’t from the tone of the caller. I couldn’t believe Sonia could be that cruel to me which made me want to believe it was a huge joke. In fact, the caller had told me he wasn’t joking nor wasting neither my time nor his by making the call. He had described the church where the wedding was taking place and even gave me a GPS direction for confirmation.

I felt the urge to prove whoever it was wrong. I knew who I was dating. Sonia could be anything but definitely not a cheat. She was incapable of getting married to someone else without my knowledge. We had been dating for close to a year now and suddenly, she was getting married? Hell no! I refused to believe that, even though a tiny voice in my head kept warning me to brace myself for a dreadful impact.

After what seemed like an eternity, I drove into the church premises on that fateful Saturday morning. I guess I was not too careful as I parked in the disabled section in the parking lot without even noticing it. I was too much in a hurry to notice where I parked and as I hastily stepped out of my car, a cop was standing right in front of me.

He looked smart, well-built, nice hair and talks too smooth to be in the league of the everyday cop out there. His eyes were searching and I noticed his hand was on his service pistol. I knew something might go wrong if I was not careful right now. He was still looking at me, his eyes burrowing into my soul and into whatever I was thinking when I suddenly realized I had driven into a wrong place.

It was not a wrong place in the sense that there was no wedding, rather in the wrong place because of what I saw. The caliber of cars parked outside, the category of people going in and coming out were not ordinary people. I felt I was in the cartel of some sort of drug lords. There were expensive cars everywhere and this made me realize why there was the police presence.

I can see that you are not a guest here, the officer reiterated. I wasn’t well dressed and wasn’t looking like someone who was there to wish anybody well.

Officer, it’s complicated. I just want to confirm something. My voice was quivering.

He looked calmly at me, trying to understand what I was driving at. Complicated? At someone’s wedding? Who are you? He queried but he wasn’t alarmed.

I was told it’s my girlfriend getting married. I just want to confirm if it was true. I spilled it out.

His eyebrows shifted and he was interested in what I was saying. Suddenly, he stopped, looked at me seriously and shook his head as if he was trying to make a decision. Alright, the union going on in there involves some Mexican influential people. I don’t know how true that is but I’ll allow you to confirm whatever it is you want to confirm and leave immediately. I didn’t need to be told of the possibility of an arrest if I cause any form of unrest.

What’s your name, officer? I asked with a forced smile. At least, he was kind enough to allow me in.

My name is Johnson and this is my card. He simply thrust his card in my hands and I turned away, approaching the chapel.

I walked into the chapel almost shivering and I didn’t have to stay long because of what I saw that day. I knew my life will never remain the same again.

In actual fact, that was the beginning of the unsettling drama I found myself embroiled in.

How did Sonia get to meet such kind of people in the first place? Was it possible that she was actually the one at the center stage here? I asked myself and I already knew the response as two of her friends came outside from inside the auditorium, elegantly dressed in bridesmaid’s attire.

Could it be a coincidence? Possibly. Sonia could have been spotted among the maids of honor and the caller thought she was the one getting married. I walked casually inside, my heart thumping and didn’t care that I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. I was actually dressed in a pair of blue jeans and white turtleneck.

Then I saw what I dreaded most since I had received the call an hour earlier.

It was a rude shock! I could only stare at the bride as she was ushered into the hall for a photo-shoot. My heart was feeling as if someone was using a hammer on it. I could hardly breathe and I started sweating.

Slowly, my vision started getting blurry again and I had to blink so many times before I regained a clear sight. My palms were sweaty and my knees were weak. I felt sick and wanted to vomit.

Then our eyes met.

It was more painful when I realized that she didn’t even blink. The smile on her face just before she saw me didn’t disappear. She didn’t look surprised I was there without invitation; she simply broke from the maids ushering her into the hall and came towards me, still smiling. She gave me a hug and silently whispered, I’m sorry you’d to find out this way, truly sorry. Her voice carried no emotion and she didn’t look sorry either.

I remained motionless as she walked back. To all other guests standing around, singing and dancing, it was more like a hug of appreciation to me for coming as they all danced past me. That was very bold of her, I heard myself mutter as I blindly found a way out of the beautifully decorated auditorium.

Guests were still pouring in as I walked past the teeming, fully cladded ladies and gentlemen. I made my way to the car and I was grateful I didn’t disgrace myself right in front of those people. The police officer was in his car. I didn’t care to look his way. I had thought I would break down and cry like a little boy whose toy was forcefully taken from him. It was true Sonia had abandoned me so suddenly but I couldn’t cry. I just stared into space and was momentarily confused. Then, the sensible part of me said, maybe you were good to her but this guy was better.

Why a drug lord? Why would she go to such an extreme? Was she that desperate to escape the ordinary life full of love as well as attention and chose to live with guns alongside danger for the rest of her life?

I felt the raw pain of inadequacy and incompetence as I realized whichever way I tried to explain it, I would face this alone. It was time to be strong. She has become my past and in the past she would remain. I sighed deeply and felt my cheek wet. I touched my face and discovered I had been crying. Shit! Be a man! I scolded myself as I wiped my face with my bare hand.

Suddenly, the passenger side of my car door opened and Kate, her best friend, dressed as what looked like a maid of honor attire stepped in, closing the door immediately. I felt ashamed that I was caught weeping. Damn!

There was an awkward silence in the car as I tried to control the situation. I wanted to talk but I couldn’t. The pain was fresh, the disappointment was real such that the shame of being caught weeping over a girl was so humiliating. She didn’t speak for a while, she just sat there in silence. I was sure she was figuring what to say too. I was very weak. Then, she asked abruptly, Can I take you home?

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Two days later, I was still grieving badly. I had thought the pain of disappointment would have disappeared by now but I was so wrong. It was like it grew more by the day. I never knew Sonia meant so much to me until my discovery. Although I told myself I was hurting because it was more of a betrayal than jilting but how ever I put it, it was very painful and it looked like the more I fought it, the more heartbroken I got. So, I stopped fighting the feeling. I felt lonely and bitter but I knew I only needed time to heal. Of course I had people I could reach out to but the few I attempted all sounded as though it was easy to deal with the pain of losing a loved one; so I gave up and faced it myself.

Then Kate called.

I had even forgotten how I got home on that fateful day until she introduced herself on the phone. Of course, I had arranged a Uber to return her back to the party immediately she parked the car in front of my apartment. She was silent all through the ride and I respected that because it showed she was reasonable enough. She had said goodbye so nicely and made me promise I would take good care of myself. She was so beautiful and despite myself, I wish she could be a replacement but I also knew things don’t work that way. She was only being nice and nothing else. Immediately she was gone, she was also forgotten the same instance.

When I received the call, there was something unsettling about the whole conversation. She wanted to know if I still loved her friend and if anything happens, whether I would take her back. I was baffled but told her the sincere truth which was I had not gotten over the rude shock of her betrayal and she said it was okay. She then made me promise to have dinner with her which I agreed without hesitation. For whatever reason she was asking, I didn’t care. I just needed something fresh and not necessarily with an attachment. In fact, I wanted a platonic friendship as my heart was too broken to hold anyone in it for now.

I was certain that she had everything about the dinner planned. She already had a venue and timing sorted out already.

The date chosen was the following weekend and the plan was to go to a restaurant in a secluded environment around St Paul. If things work out well, we could do as occasion demanded.

She was punctual and I was taken a bit by surprise when she arrived in a shirt and pants. She looked like she was coming straight from work but I kept quiet. Even though I was expecting her to be in something sexy, looking like a Personal Assistant wasn’t a sexy approach to me. I felt there was a message she was trying to pass here. She didn’t have an iota of feeling for me and I got the message immediately.

But who said anything about sexy? From the look of things, it was beginning to look like she was out to babysit me. She was obviously out to make sure I was okay, no strings attached and that could be good for me too at this stage.

We had a good meal in silence. Then, we got to know each other more. We chatted about different topics and I realized she was a smart arse girl but strangely, something wasn’t really adding up. I couldn’t lay my hands on it but I felt something might be wrong somewhere. I instantly dismissed the thought with the fact that this was my ex’s best friend who got married just last weekend. Yes, it was bound to be awkward because knowing I was being minded isn’t one of the coolest experiences I was used to.

After dinner, she suggested we go to a bar nearby and have some drinks which I also effortlessly agreed to. We were drinking and having fun but I started sensing she wasn’t drinking at all. She pretended she was but she wasn’t and immediately, all my senses gradually became at alert.

What was going on? I told myself I was being paranoid; she might not be those girls who take alcohol at all but just pretending to tag along. But the feeling wasn’t leaving so I slowed down my drinking and remained guarded. Maybe she was testing me to see if I would be a good partner. I had better behave. I paid more attention to my date. At that instant, I started noticing stuff.

She kept glancing at her wristwatch, checking her phone and looking at the door. She was repeating this almost every two minutes or so. At first, I thought she might want to go home but the way she was acting, it suggested something a bit suspicious so I pretended as if I wasn’t watching.

Then, her phone beeped. It was a text message. She casually glanced at the phone but I could see she was tensed so I became more cautious. Maybe it was her boyfriend but something told me it wasn’t. I knew something was up. I excused myself and pretended I was going to the restroom. I made a few turns then hid behind a pillar where I could watch her. While standing behind the pillar, I saw her receive a call and made a