THE UNION novel Chapter 17

Ayo sits in Papa's office, he had stayed up all night watching old tapes of him and Papa together. He brings out one particular one and plays it. In the tape Papa and Ayo are having a conversation:-

"And what are the things this Slip is telling you?" Papa discusses with Ayo about the newfound being in Ayo's head.

"Telling me about the things I can do with my newfound body, it's nice to have someone to talk to since no one else lives here." Ayo wasn't colse with Papa by this time, he still didn't trust him but was grateful that he was saved.

"And what do you want to do?" Papa brings his chair closer to Ayo.

"Honestly, I just want to feel normal again." Ayo voice cracked, he felt pain in his heart.

"Just know that you can always come to me if you need someone to talk too." Papa grabs Ayo robotic hand, assuring him that everything is going to be fine

"And those people that did this to me, are they dead?" Ayo says gently, still scared of the Organization.

"I've checked again, those bad people will never hurt you again." Papa says and Ayo smiles happy that they are dead.

Ayo removes the tape wondering that could Bryan had been messing with him, how could Pap have been using him? Papa took care of Ayo, he took him inand taught him alot. Ayo thought about the time he and the others were leaving Papa's house, Papa wasn't happy about it but he still supported them, Ayo couldn't stop thinking of different theories, as Ayo is about to return the tape he sees another tape titled "Chong." Suspicious Ayo picks it up and plays it, in the tape Chong and Papa are talking in Papa's office, Chong is acting very awkward:-

"You need to calm down Chong." Papa tries to calm Chong down cause he is freaking out.

"I don't think I can handle it anymore Papa, it's getting to me." Chong itches his body.

"You're going to be fine, I'll figure something out." Papa talks quietly thinking about what to do. The tape ends, Ayo plays is again trying to see if he missed anything but it ends the same way.

In the living room, Gboyega is with Oloogun and Abayo as he tries to explain to them that they have no idea where Papa is but Oloogun doesn't believe and thinks this is one of Papa's idea to not pay back for what Oloogun has done for him.

"How many times do I have to explain this to you? Papa isn't here, we don't know where he is." Gboyega blocks Oloogun from going pass the living room.

"You're very lucky my powers are limited, I don't believe what you're saying. Papa probably told you to lie, I know him so well." Oloogun gets even more upset, this isn't the first time Papa had deceive him he was even warned by the other Council members not to help Papa but he it didn't feel right to him.

"I'm tired of this just go check, I have a lot I'm going through right now." Gboyega steps aside, Oloogun funds downstairs to search for Papa he knew his way around Papa's house. Ngozi goes downstairs with Huffcupp to check what the noise is all about, she had a different look today. All she wore today was in a black colour.

"What's with all the noise? I'm trying to focus on myself today." Ngozi was also blunt, it felt like she was portraying a whole different personality. This really bothered Huffcupp knowing that Tina had something to do with this.

"You're extra dark today." Gboyega chuckles, Abayo just stands without interacting with them waiting for his father. He wanted to get out of here so badly, Richard teleports to the living room at first he was shocked by Ngozi new look.

"Wow.........." He quickly stopped, he didn't want to give Ngozi any sort of attention, he then faces Abayo.

"Who are you?" Richard says as he brings out a cigarette, Abayo still doesn't say anything but starts sweating heavily. Ngozi goes to the kitchen, Huffcupp drags Richard to a corner and talks to him quietly.

"Listen, I know we don't like each other but something is wrong with Ngozi and we both need to figure it out together." Huffcupp rushes as he fears that Ngozi might summoun him back inside the amulet.

"I don't want any problem with Ngozi anymore, I've tried my best with her. I wish I could help but I can't." Richard says and as he's about walk out, Huffcupp drags his hand.

"She's been through a lot." Huffcupp pleads.

"Which is? I can't help someone that won't tell me anything Huffcupp, I have a lot I'm going through too and I feel it's time I start worrying about myself a little bit." Richard walks out and goes back to Gboyega so he could get a explanation of why a lid is standing their living room. Tolu walks in sweating and breathing heavily.

"I have good news for all of us." She says exicted ready to burst the news about meeting up with Essence, Ayo walks in and interrupts.

"I have some news too but there's some old witch doctor looking around for Papa. Now for the news, Papa had something to do with Chong's death." Ayo says hoping the others will be shocked but they all feel he is delusional especially Tolu, Richard just didn't care he seemed to be angry with Ayo.

"Whatever, I met Essence." They a quickly steps back from Tolu, a ball of fire glows out of Gboyega hands

"Stay away from us Essence." Gboyega voice raises higher.

"I had a very mature conversation with him, he sounded normal and not like how you guys described him, he mentioned a place called Gok house and I did a research I figured out that it's a home for some group of Superheroes back in the 80s.........." Richard interrupts Tolu knowing a lot about the history of the Gok heroes.

"Those people were in the top, they were 7members and they took down so many powerful villains. They participated in bringing peace between the Humans and Supernaturals, they created a great legacy for themselves." Richard studied about different heroes back when he was still in his house to prepare him for anything, the team stare at him shocked about him actually contributing into something and not just drinking, smoking or doing drugs.

"Well, we need to go there to get any clues. Maybe they can help us get Papa back." Tolu says sharply.

"Wait, we still have a crazy herbalist and his son in our house and I need to tell my step.........." Richard surrounds all of them and a great energy surges around the room which teleports them out of the room. Abayo is fascinated by the group, he felt they were weird but he always enjoyed the weird that was the only thing he enjoyed about his dad's job, being able to entangle with so many strange and out of the world creatures. Linda walks downstairs, the house is a mess cause Oloogun had been turning all the furnitures around looking for Papa.

"What happened here? Who are you?" Linda say.

The group find themselves in front of a large black mansion with other sub buildings, each building had a red bull logo which was the sign for the Gol heroes.

"Daughter that I'm leaving." Gboyega finishes his statement, he soon figures out he isn't in Papa's house and grabs Richard short

"You are so stubborn." Gboyega's eyes glow up angry that he couldn't tell Linda he was heading out, he knew he messed up yesterday and planned to make things up to her but right now he couldn't.

"The boss said we had to go Gboyega, calm down." Richard says mockingly, Ngozi brings out a deal lip balm and spreads it around her lips.

"What are we waiting for?" Ngozi wasn't scared about the mission, she wanted to go in quick and get the job done so she could go back to her room and talk with Tina. A young Bron skinned girl wearing a hijab comes out of the mansion, her name was Madaniyah and she was the caretaker of the Gok house.

"Barka da safiya, Ni Madaniyah yaya zan taimake ku?" Madaniyah spoke in Hausa language which was her native language, she was greeting them pleasantly but the others didn't understand except for Richard.

"Ina lafiya, ni da tawagaina an aike mu da wata manufa ta musamman. Muna neman Gok jarumai." Richard was asking about the Gok heroes, the others are impressed they are clearly seeing different shades of Richard. Ayo is the most impressed, he just thought Richard was a broken child who enjoyed alcohol.

"I see one of you understands my language, I'm Madaniyah and your friend have clearly explained everything to me. Follow me and I'll take you to our heroes." Madaniyah goes inside the mansion, Ayo gets very suspicious.

"I don't trust this people, firstly because we're doing this cause Essence mentioned this place and secondly this is just insane." He whispers to the others so Madaniyah won't hear them.

"It's going to be fine and if anything goes wrong, I'm sure we can handle ourselves." Tolu says, Ngozi gets tired of waiting and walks in, the others quickly follow behind her. Richard starts getting worried knowing that what Huffcupp told him was true, he wondered whey Ngozi was playing another personality, what went wrong with her?

Yesterday night in Ngozi's room, she celebrates with Tina over killing the man at the park and their friendship but Ngozi didn't quite understand how she felt in the park, she felt different, emotionless just like Tina.

"I need you to explain something to me Tina, when you went to attack that man and I joined...... I didn't feel like myself anymore, I felt like another being like you Tina." Ngozi explains to Tina, a huge dark smoke comes out of Tina's body surrounding the room.

"That's a good feeling Ngozi, it makes you a better person. Not being able to feel anything about your past, you can be like me free and reckless, not bothered about what others think about you. I can help you access it fully, let's be the baddest bitch were both meant to be." Tina grabs Ngozi hand as she explains to her hoping she'll understand, Ngozi hasn't found it easy since she came to Papa's house. Essence had affected her so bad that she couldn't stop thinking about her father everytime.

"Fine, just free me from the evil clutches of Samson." Ngozi says, the smoke around Ngozi's room suddenly turns into a tiny cyclone which enters Ngozi's mouth.

In the Gok mansion, the team catch up with Madaniyah who's standing in front of a door.

"What took you guys time?' Madaniyah puts her finger on her lip implying that they should remain silent, the team hear moaning of a woman coming from the door. The sound got even louder that the whole building starts to shake, Madaniyah quickly rushes into the room and slams the door.

"You were saying?" Ayo faces Tolu, he isn't still comfortable about this he wants the team to focus on Papa likely being evil but they are all less concerned. After waiting for several minutes, Ngozi gets tired.

"This is getting really boring and I have some messed up shit I want to do today so let's open this damn door." Ngozi pushes the others away from her as she's about to open the door, Madaniyah opens it already and tells them to come in. The group walk in to a disorganized huge office, a light skinned man wearing a suit comes out of a bathroom with his wife a light skinned woman who's also wearing a suit, Richard quickly recognizes who both of them are.

"Oh my gosh! I'm in the same room with Doctor Mind and Mrs Mind! The great heroes from the Gok heroes!" Richard scerams excited, he had read different articles of this team saving lives while he was little, also bought some of their merchandise and hid it away from his parents. Doctor Mind and Mrs Mind laughs out loud.

"You know your stuff young boy, it's very nice to meet you." Doctor Mind voice sounded so pleasant, Mrs Mind hits his shoulder pointing to him that his belt isn't adjusted properly.

"I'm a huge fan, where are the other heroes? What about Queen, Nexus, Armstrong, Unique and Granger?" Richard was really happy, he could have questioned them all day long but got eye signals from the others to stop.

"It's a great honour to meet both of you but we need............" Tolu is interrupted by a young teenage girl who looked a lot like Madaniyan, the girl runs to hug Doctor Mind and Mrs Mind.

"I heard a lot of noise Dad, hope everything is fine?" She says winking her eyes, Mrs Mind kneels down and faces her.

"Everything is fine Madaniyah." Mrs Mind says rubbing her fingers on Madaniyah forehead, the team get really worried about this, young Madaniyah runs off really fast.

"Why does she look like you and she's called Madaniyah? I need answers." Ayo moves closer to Madaniyah, he could have easily scanned this place to confirm whether this is real or not but he resisted.

"It's just mere coincidence." Madaniyah says calmly.

"Why don't we show you people around this place, I and my wife can take the boys to our trophy room while Madaniyah takes the ladies around the weapon gallery." Doctor Mind says, Richard is exicted about this being able to follow his role models around.

"Why don't I follow the ladies?" Mrs Mind says she didn't feel like staying around the boys. Madaniyah quickly runs toward Mrs Mind.

"You can't, you're always with your husband Ma." Madaniyah whispers gently to Mrs Mind ear.

"That's true, that's true, that's true, that's true.........." Mrs Mind kept on repeating this same sentence, she was in a trance Doctor Mind just kept on starring at her while smiling, minutes later she gets off the trance and grabs her husband hand.

"Let's go." Doctor Mind says and leads the boy to the trophy room while Madaniyah leads the girls to the weapon gallery.

Minutes later, the boys are leaded to a room filled with different artifacts skulls of extinct dinosaurs, a red finger, a huge brain, heads of beings with big eyes and so many other weird things. Richard knew what some of things were.

"Wow, these are amazing. So many trophies." Richard spots a coupon on the floor and picks it up.

"That's a coupon to a magic school, they train wizard and witches or people with rare magical artifacts. You can refer any of your friends there." Mrs Mind says, Richard keeps the coupon in his pocket.

"I and my team also enjoyed talking in this room, it was like a therapy for us anytime we had issues." Doctor Mind was proud of himself, he was the leader of the Gok heroes and was always given all the credits. He made a great legacy, Mrs Mind whispers to Doctor Mind.

"We'llbe right back." Doctor Mind says strangely and walks out with his wife, Gboyega breathes out heavily and laughs out loud. He had been quiet throughout the tour.

"Those people are really weird." He says smiling, Ayo looks around touching all the artifacts in the room. He felt there was something wrong about this place but he couldn't just figure out what it was.

"So what do we do?" Richard ask.

"He did say this was also a therapy room." Gboyega responds.

Madaniyah leads the girls to her room instead of taking them to the weapon gallery, she felt it'll be boring for them to just stare at old weapons won by these great heroes. She wanted to relate with the girls, she hadn't really had time to see other people cause she's always busy taking care of the heroes.

"So why do the heroes need a caretaker? They can clearly take care of themselves." Tolu was also getting suspicious of the place due to Mrs Mind behavior earlier but she maintained a decent attitude.

"You know, sometimes when the heroes fight strange villains things are bound to happen to them mentally." Madaniyah says calmly, she had a very cool and nice attitude but Tolu having spent time in the interrogation room at the police station knew Madaniyah was hiding something, Ngozi wasn't paying attention to anything they were saying.

"So how did you become their caretaker? You must actually worked hard to get here." Tolu continues to question her.

"A man brought me here, felt I was worthy and I've always loved the Gok heroes.........." Ngozi interrupts Madaniyah.

"This is getting really boring, I'm out of here." Ngozi walks out of the room, Madaniyah tries to stop her but Tolu grabs her hand.

"She's not always like that, she's not just in a good mood today. Just let her be." Tolu didn't want to make Madaniyah worried, she wanted more answers. She was waiting for the perfect time to ask the perfect question. Who's Essence?

Ngozi walks around the hallway of the mansion, it was a really large house with different rooms. She tried to summon Tina but she wouldn't appear, she didn't feel like calling the other imaginary friends feeling she had outgrown them.

"We need to hurry up, I'm getting tired of this place." Ngozi says to herself, she spots young Madaniyah sitting on the ground crying.

"Where are my parents." Young Madaniyah cries out to Ngozi, she looked troubled.

"They took..... My friends to the trophy....... Room." Ngozi voice shakens, she was really worried for the little girl.

"Please take me to them." The girl kneels and the tears quickly roll down from her eyes to her cheek, Ngozi couldn't hold this personality any longer the young girl reminded her of herself.

"Don't cry, let's get you to your parents." Ngozi says with her normal voice and helps the girl get up, they both go together to search for Doctor Mind and Mrs Mind.

In the Gok house, the boys were still waiting for Mr Mind and Mrs Mind, Ayo was already getting tired and he was more suspicious they've all been sitting in the room for over an hour, Richard enjoyed his time there he was busy piecing together all the artifacts that were there. Gboyega had a lot on his mind and was desperate to tell the others.