ANOTHER KIND OF DIAMOND (18 page)

Gary himself was already getting used to the orientation package that is now on its second week. But within him, continued the struggle to understand the true meaning of his hasty admission into the Force. Yet the program lined up, filled him with excitements all the same.

Today Malory speaks again and he couldn’t wait to listen again. He loved the charisma he displays and admires his eloquence so much that the guy is already affecting his thinking in some ways. Right now, he wasn’t sure anymore weather he is doing the right thing by concealing a crime he witnessed because in the present, that means working against some of the basic rules the force stands for and most of which Malory hammered on in his last outstanding address to the recruits. So, a heated debate goes on in his mind concerning what to do with Isabel and the shooting of Teri. Report it or continue to hold on to a lie?

This Monday’s Lecture which ironically focused on “Making of a true hero” was even more challenging for Gary in his struggles than any of the previous ones.

Heroes are made, some are born, continued Malory on his way to wrapping up a long lecture. And the mark of true heroism is the ability of an individual to lay down his life for the good of every one. There are heroes in big things just as in small things. Heroes like Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., great Christopher Columbus, and others. All these people achieved herison by doing great deeds. I mean they did things that everyone could see and hear about and consider great. But there are also heroes in small ways. There are heroes among us here; heroes in little deeds yet not lesser heroes than the rest for every one of them did something that brought about a certain kind of change, no matter how little. It could be in a sacrifice an officer made that saved a life.

Take these officers for instance; Officer J K Mathew laid down his life in an attempt to save a mentally sick woman who decided to lie on a rail line. A train was already very close by and was sure to get her when Mathew noticed and immediately that mark of greatness in him lit up. He almost succeeded but the train was much faster than anyone could anticipate. That was how Mathew lost his life along with the woman he meant to save.

Officer Carmon Gushing is another case in hand. A good officer who could not let a suicide bid go without attempt to save a life and at the end of the day fell from a high raise building along with the guy who already made up his mind to die and both landed on bare concrete floor onto their deaths. There are so many of such examples in the history of the force that I can go on and on and on. But you don’t always have to be an officer Gushing or Mathew to prove your worth to the world. You could start in your own small ways, little things you believe in and can do. I do believe that every crime witnessed and reported is an act of heroism in some ways. So, do whatever you can to prove yourself and by so doing help uplift the force. And every officer on the floor listened in such a raped attention as he continued that you could hear a pin dropped. At the end, the standing ovation continued way into the long drive for Gary as he headed home. And the louder it echoed the deeper the meaning it carried, and raped within it was the whole exercise, but particularly, the unique circumstances now facing him in a murder he witnessed. So one can understand why this particular topic touched on his soul.

Relating the whole delivery by this wonder man named Malory to real life issues faced Gary with the question: what is the right thing to do in his unique experience concerning Isabel? Crack under the weight of being made a hero cop and spill the beans or hold on to his own principle which says, never betray a friend, no matter what? He gave a firm promise to Isabel like someone gave to him years ago and kept the promise. His struggle continued with his drive and at a point worked him up so much that eventually he toed rebellious route. What does all this stuff about becoming a hero really mean? A means of helping Malory keep his job, a true act of greatness that comes from a man’s heart or mare hypocrisy? Suddenly, he found the sum of what the hole debate meant for him as he heard his own voice speak out to the lone listener in the car: Sure! There is indeed true heroism in starting small. Even, the greatest of all heroic acts may well lie in small deeds. Small deeds like, let your yeah be yeah and your no be no. Small deeds like making a promise to a friend and keeping it. Small deeds like never betray a friend, especially the one that trusts you, no matter what!

Chapter Ten
 

W
hen his cell phone rang that early Friday morning and he looked it up to find it was Wallis calling him, Temba Lumumba picked up the call in mixed feelings. It’s been a few years now since he spoke to Wallis last and this was by design because, once he decided to relocate from Los Angeles to Dallas, he chose to play down his relationship with those he left behind and start a completely new life.

For those meeting Temba for the first time, there is nothing really special about him, just an ordinary folk like the rest of us. Here is his story. Left his country some fifteen years ago and relocated to the US and like many people who come into the country from all parts of the world, he arrived with high expectation but which was eventually replaced by simple facts of life like; there is nowhere in the world money drop from trees. You got to work hard; you got to sweat real hard to earn a good living within the circumstances offered by the society in which you operate. And fortunately for him LA offered numerous possibilities so that each individual can go where ever his mind takes him. Once his eyes opened to these facts, he chose to do whatever he has to do to succeed. He came a long way from mother land and there is no going back without proof of his daring. And not ready to dabble into a long route to success of which outcome he can’t even predict, he quickly chose shot cuts because, time, Temba considered was not on the side of a man who lost all he labored for in years to African Governments poor management skills which brought about economic recession to that region long before it hit other parts of the world.

Life in LA for Temba by choice was therefore one filled with all sorts of crimes and constant run with the Police. As a specialist in Credit Card Freud, he carved a notch for himself among like minds and others with different kinds of dealings with crime. Wallis was one of those Temba was forced by circumstances to hook up with somewhere along his crimes route and that was years ago. At that time, Wallis was trying his hands in little things like home burglary, staking up guys with a knife, snatching bags from ladies and simple stuff like that when he ran into Temba and from that point, his style of operations became uplifted and he began making real money. Eventually he graduated into bank robbery and he with one other guy did a lot on that bit to earn themselves quite a lump sum of money without being caught, not for once.

Wallis was one half of the famous “ Pirate Bandits” made popular by the special style with which him and one other guy known simply as Homie had the words “Bank Pirates” inscribed on their face masks. It was in the days when such crimes hit the head line news fast, not today certain annoying crimes are ignored by the media because they make heroes of fools. So the “Pirate bandits” was a house hold name, but who are the bandits? No one knows. So, they went ahead raking havoc in banks and successfully eluding the police net thought out the life span of their heist. This had something to do with their special approach at it all. The guys never took too much money at a time in any stake up, no life was ever lost, and no operation lasted longer than necessary. They were precise to target and very particular with time. They were quick, very goal directed and never ever allowed mistakes to ruin their carrier. And most importantly, no one ever saw them use a gun. They did make treats about carrying guns to their victims sometimes, but no one ever saw them carry one. And they strike not more than twice or thrice in a whole year. So, with this special style of operation came in very large sums of money in a crime period spanning over ten years and spread across the nation .Till this moment, the Police still have the “Pirate Bandits” on their list of the most wanted persons and still struggling for a lead in the case.

The problem catching those two was that no one ever saw a picture of what their faces look like, the cameras never captured a single clear one either, so they could be yellow black or white. For this reasons the “Pirates Bandits” continued to baffle crime busters.

Wallis particularly has always been a very smart kid in many ways no matter how one decides to consider his personality. For one, his proceeds from his robbery operations never went back to the bank. Once, he rented a low cost apartment and craftily made some additions to the place by secretly caving an inbuilt safe where he kept his money and that is where nobody no matter your relationship with him visited. He also by choice adopted a low-down life style. For instant he was on unemployment benefits even though he could afford whatever he wanted. And never did Wallis shop beyond what his benefits offered. He had a plan to get married one day and then share his crime proceeds with his family, but that would be at a time when no eyes would be looking his way. But until then, not even Isabel knew Wallis was worth more than whatever he got out of social welfare benefits. But in truth, his worth was in millions of dollars.

Now, present realities are going to compel Wallis to make some changes to his life goals. Plans has to be reshuffled in line with new developments and for him to succeed in his new orientation, he needs Temba.

He once did Temba a great favor, a kind of an uncommon favor most living beings would deem impossible. It was Wallis who helped Temba store away in his underground safe, millions of dollars in credit card fraud for some years and realized every single dine when the guy needed his money and Temba has never forgotten he owes Wallis a lot in return. Not that Temba trusted Wallis then but as at the time he had no choice. Police was on the trail of credit card fraud dealers and he didn’t want to run the risk of being caught. So he confided in a friend and partner in crime and both worked out something which eventually turned out so good even beyond expectations. The thing is that Wallis was aware of what Temba can do, so it was like he was investing on the guy for future benefits. He knew Temba was the kind of guy that could get him out of any difficult situation in no time at all because of his long standing criminal history which helped him build strong connections in criminal circles around the world. Besides, he could get at any supply that would make the life of a criminal much easier and Wallis was aware of all these. It was this trust and the expectations he had on Temba that made Wallis devoted to him. And now that he found himself in situation of urgent solution to serious problem, Wallis knew the best hand would come from none other but Temba. He has a plan on how to get himself and Isabel out of the mess they are faced right now and Temba holds the key.

The shooting of Teri by Isabel affected Wallis in a whole lot of ways. He was not directly involved in the shooting but he witnessed a crime and did not report it and by law this puts him on the same footing with the person that did the crime. Besides his bride to be as he holds Isabel in his heart is directly involved in the whole act and to someone like Wallis, he took it that he himself was directly involved also. More over what is the guarantee that the secret he had labored so hard all these years to keep as one half of the “Pirate Bandits” would not come to the open once the police find out who killed Teri and who saw her did it and the relationship between the two. Now, with the money reward raised and the hit turned to Isabel and her friends, he realized time was closing in on him so he made that call to Temba without delay.

Temba himself had always known it would be a matter of time before Wallis asked him for a return favor. Right at this moment, his phone rang, he checked it out to find an unknown number but he answered anyway and Wallis’s voice came up so he quickly joined the conversation. What’s up with you, man? Temba began. I know you will call me one of these days so I’m not surprised at all. But what took you so long and why do you talk in whispers? Is everything okay?

I need to talk to you over something very important but I’m not gonna do it on the phone. I’m gonna have to ask you to do me a great favor by coming down to LA. This is very important! It is urgent! Wallis said.

When do you want me to come? Temba asked.

You can leave right now if that works for you.

Not right now but I’ll be on my way tomorrow. How about that?

That’s fine!

Do you still leave the same place?

Yes! Always!

Ok then! I’ll see you tomorrow, Temba declared.

Till then, cheers!

And like a good friend, Temba kept his promise. That Friday he stole into his friend’s apartment quite unnoticed.

The Wallis he met was in real haste and Temba could feel the heat so he played along. Therefore catching up with passed times was brief before Wallis went for the main thing. Temba I’m in some kind of trouble and you are the only one I can think of right now to help out.

What’s the matter? Temba asked.

I and this girl I plan to make my wife need to get out of town real fast. Wallis informed him.

Why? What happened?

There is no time for details and shit. Just think of how you gonna help out, okay?

No! No! Listen-up Wallis. If I‘ve to do something I need to know why, okay! That’s how I operate.

I said there is no time for that right now! Wallis continued.

You have to give me something to work with here, come-on! Temba insist.