THE ROAD AHEAD 8

CHAPTER 8

(Sly, Mark and Harvey enter into the Director's office looking at Jide. When Jide saw them with the laptop, he didn't know what to think, he could remember that they had left for his room. So where they found the laptop he has no idea.

The Director saw them entering into his office, he saw Harvey with the laptop and wanted to confirm his suspicion.

Chris looked at the men and the young boy with them, he saw the laptop with Harvey and looked at Jide. He looks at Fola who entered later on and he could read the answer. He turns to look at Jide...)

DIR : (looking at the laptop that Harvey is holding)... is that the laptop?
SLY : yes sir.
MARK : we found it in his (pointing at Jide)room. The young man(points at Fola) can attest to it.
DIR : (turns to Chris)...so...
CHRIS : (turns to Jide)...Jide, I thought you said you didn't see the laptop?
JIDE : I didn't sir...
(Chris slaps him and everyone tries to hold him from beating Jide more...)
DIR : hey, you don't have to assault him....
JIDE : sir...(Crying)...I'm saying the truth, I wasn't the one that kept it there. I didn't touch his bag.
CHRIS : then who did? Who took it to your room?...(Trying to slap him again but Fola holds him back)
FOLA : Mr Chris, please take it easy...we all know Jide has never done such a thing before....
SLY : or may be he's never been caught?
FOLA : (turns to Sly and looks at him frankly)...he has never done such a thing before.
CHRIS : (sits down perplexed)..I can't believe this!
FOLA : (goes to Jide)...Jide...tell me the truth....
JIDE : (holding his jaw and crying)...that's the truth sir, it wasn't me. I was not the one that took it there, I didn't stand up from my sit till he came back.
FOLA : (thinks about what he just said)....you didn't stand up from your sit.....are you sure?
JIDE : I am sure...(Crying)
FOLA : (turns to Chris)...Mr Chris, let's be careful about this issue...(Turns to Harvey)...you still saw your laptop before the break, right?
HARVEY : yes.
FOLA : that means it disappeared during the lunch break, is that?
HARVEY : yes and he was with my bag. I mean, I'd told him to watch my bag.
FOLA : (turns to Jide)...and Jide, you said you never left the dining?
DIR : (confused)....what are you getting at?
FOLA : (turns to the Director)...sir, I believe he has a right to fair hearing, isn't it?
DIR : fine...get to the point then.
FOLA : well this is my observation, we got to the room and the laptop was just lying on the bed. That's so unlike a person who just stole a laptop. If he really did, he would have tried hiding the laptop somewhere, enclosed in the room. (They all seem interested in what he's saying)...Now let's assume he took the laptop to his room, he must have come for his key isn't it...(Looks at Mark)
MARK : well...(Thinks about it)...em yes.
FOLA : so did he?
MARK : em......(Trying to remember)...a couple of them came to collect their keys but I can't recall who?....(Looking at the Director.
FOLA : oh please, Jide is a common face amongst them considering the fact that he's taking most of the subjects, you couldn't have forgotten so quickly if he came for his keycard or not....moreover we're talking of an incident that happened less than an hour ago...
MARK : em....I....(Trying to remember)....don't think he did...can't remember him coming for his keycard today.
FOLA : so, how did the laptop get into his room if he didn't collect his keycard?....(He looks at Chris, the Director and Sly)
MARK : what are you insinuating? That I took the laptop there? You must be out of your mind...(Chuckles)
CHRIS : (lightening up)....you're making sense Fola....
DIR : (looks at Mark)...this issue is getting really complicated.
MARK : well, I don't know, he may have come there to collect the key, maybe I didn't take cognizance of the face....
SLY : (cuts in)...wait a minute, we've forgotten something....
DIR : what's that?
SLY : the camera in the dining. Since he said he didn't leave the dining, then we can prove that with the camera.
DIR : that's true!
CHRIS : fine, let's see it...(Turns to Jide)...you said you didn't leave your table right?
JIDE : I didn't.
CHRIS : not even for the toilet?
JIDE : No sir.
CHRIS : good...(Turns to the Director)..alright let's go see the video...(Turns to Harvey and Jide)...you two, wait for us at my secretary's.
(The Director calls the security section and told them they're coming to the video room. Chris, Fola, Sly, Mark and the Director leave for the video room, while Harvey and Jide stay back at the secretary's office. After they left, Jide looks at Harvey...)
JIDE : I didn't touch your laptop. I wasn't the one that took it there.
HARVEY : (pitying Jide)....but who could have taken it there then?
JIDE : I have no idea....(Still crying)
HARVEY : I really wish they can prove that it wasn't you.
JIDE : I wish so too.

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(Meanwhile, at the security video room, the men got there and the were allowed to check the recording out, as the head of security explains how things work over there to them....)

SECURITY : there are nine cameras in the Dining, how do I know which one to check? This is gonna take a long time Boss. Why not ask the boy where he was seated?
DIR : hmm that will save us sometime.
(The Director calls up his secretary telling her to put the phone on speaker so he could talk to the boys and Harvey was able to describe to him where they were sitted. After getting the description, the security in charge identified the cameras that would capture their positions and they check it out. Being in the middle, two cameras captured where Jide was seated, one on his far left end and the  other on his far right end. Harvey had placed his bag on the chair on the right hand side of Jide. They viewed it from when Harvey entered the dining, he later left and they saw Jide sitting there and Ken and his friends coming over. They see Ken standing on the right, covering Jide from seeing the bag, Andrew standing right in front of Harvey's seat, covering the bag from being captured by the camera on the left. Checking the video captured by the camera on the right, they saw the remaining two guys who are now shielding the camera on the right from capturing the bag. They later saw the two boys leaving for the men's room. They noticed that after they left, the bag was still there. Few minutes later Ken and Andrew left and Jide was still sitting there with the bag until Harvey came back to check his bag and then started calling on Sly...)
CHRIS : (turns to Fola)... This shows its true he didn't leave the dining...
DIR : (looks at Chris)...its true. From what we just saw, its true he didn't leave the hall. He didn't even touch the bag.....so then how did the laptop get to the room....(Turns to the security personnel) please rewind it Bob...
(he rewinds it...)
DIR : look here...(Pointing)...those other boys left and the bag is still there...(Turns to Sly)...what do you think happened?
MARK : I really can't understand sir, but if you ask me, I think its better we just forget about the issue and just move on since we've found the laptop.
SLY : if only the boy had not touched the laptop, we would have done a finger print test.
DIR : that's true. But I'll really like to get to the bottom of it...what happened is weird....(In his thought: could it be that Harvey didn't bring the laptop to the dining? Because we didnt see him bringing the laptop out of the bag. If I decide to get to the bottom of this, this people will also want to get to the end of it and it may cause a scandal....Chestville Boys College (Harvey's school) is one of the Queen's favorite, and if I have to do as I've promised, they may have to be dismissed...this won't be good...what do I do?...)
MARK : sir, if we really want to, we can get to the bottom of this, but as it is, we have the competition going on, how many things are we going to be dealing with? Maybe we should just let the issue go. The laptop is safe and sound....(Looking at the Director)
(Fola pulls Chris to a corner and whispers to into his ears...)
FOLA : Mr Chris, its better we just let the issue go, the kids in the video are our students. If we have to get to the end of this, we'll still be disqualified because the act may have been carried out by our students.
CHRIS : you think so?
FOLA : yes. Those boys have being after Jide long before now. They may have gotten the laptop to his room somehow. I used to hear Bukola telling her mother how they keep harassing him and  remember, our school guide said some of our students came to collect keys from him? If they decide to enlarge and view that video very well, they may see something incriminating done by those boys because they are dubious. So, let's just tell the Director not to punish Jide for it.
CHRIS : that's true...(Thinking about what to do)....thanks for that observation.
(They walk back to where the Director and the others are)...
CHRIS : please, what I'm really interested in is for you to clear Jide. Let's just let the issue go since the laptop has being found already.
DIR : let's go back to my office.
(They all go back to the Director's office where they let in Harvey and Jide in order to reach a final decision on the issue...)

DIR : Ji-de...
JIDE : sir?...(With tears still in his eyes)..
DIR : I still can't understand how the laptop got to your room since you actually didn't leave the dining, but I'll let this issue go. But I don't want to hear anything that has to do with you and theft again.
JIDE : yes sir.
DIR : I'll let this pass, you'll continue with the competition but if I hear anything incriminating about you again then I'll not just dismiss you but your school as a whole. Is that clear?
JIDE : yes sir.
CHRIS : thank you. Can we leave now?
DIR : yes you can.
CHRIS : thanks for your co-operation...(Extending a handshake)
DIR : (shaking Mr Chris)...you're welcome.
(Chris, Fola and Jide left the Director's office. On the way to the hall...)
CHRIS : Jide, make sure you come and see me after the end of today's subjects.
JIDE : yes sir.
CHRIS : and Fola...
FOLA : sir?
CHRIS: please tell those other boys to come and see me in my room too.
FOLA : alright sir.
(They enter into the hall...)

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(Meanwhile back at the Director's office....)

DIR : Harvey, please just go back to the hall. We can't seem to figure out how your laptop got to Jide's room but...
HARVEY : it okay sir. I'm happy he wasn't dismissed from the competition. He's a good guy, really.
DIR : alright. You can leave now then.
HARVEY : thank you sir...(He leaves)
SLY : sir, I'll just go back to the hall now, they'll finish soon and I've still not gotten the key bags yet.
DIR : alright, you two can leave. Let's just act like it never happened.
MARK & SLY : alright sir..(They leave)

(On their way....)

MARK : if you ask me, I'll say those boys in the video had something to do with the laptop.
SLY : you think so?
MARK : yes
SLY : why did you say so?
MARK : because I can remember two boys coming to me for their key.
SLY : and you gave them the wrong key?
MARK : actually, I just told them to take it.
SLY : really?..(Looking at him more seriously)
MARK : yes. And they came back faster than you can imagine.
SLY : how could you have done that? Asking the students to take the keys themselves? What if they take someone else's key and steal something from their room? Then we'll have so much on our hands?
MARK : I know I messed up.
SLY : and you want your mess covered up that's why you didn't tell the Director...?
MARK : pardon me Sly, but please don't let the Director hear this...
SLY : fine, I won't say anything, but those guys, we need to keep a close watch on them.
MARK : sure I'll do that... May be I would have said something, but we really had no proof you know?
SLY : yeah that's true....just be more careful.
MARK : I will...

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(Ken and his friends saw Jide when he entered into the hall with Mr Chris and Mr Fola....)

AMED : hey look at him...he sure looks like someone who has taken one or two slaps...
KEN : (laughs)...and why is he still coming to sit down?
ANDREW : but of course they're going to give him the special announcement.
LUCAS : you mean they will call him out from the whole crowd and do the announcement?
ANDREW : yeah...
KEN : trust me that's the best thing they can do. I can't wait to see his face then.
ANDREW : let's just wait for it...
(Again they see Harvey coming into the hall too...)
KEN : look, the white rat is here too....
LUCAS : and he's with his laptop...evidence to prove that we're on track...
ANDREW : let's just wait for our sweet reward. We have worked every hard, now we need to sit, relax and reap...(Laughs)
KEN : I'm sure they'll announce it after the end of the subject...
AMED : (looks at his wristwatch)..few minutes more.
KEN : yeah men!

(Few minutes later, the program was over yet no special announcement was made. All the students were dismissed. As they were about leaving, Fola tells Ken and his "crew" to show up at Mr Chris' room.

Later on, Jide and Fola were in Chris' room. Jide had been there before Ken and the others show up...)

CHRIS : sit down Jide...
JIDE : yes sir.
CHRIS : I'm sorry for slapping you the other time. I shouldn't have. I should have believed you...but well thank God for Fola who opened my eyes. So, accept my apology.
JIDE : its okay sir. I understand.
FOLA : Jide, you need to be really careful. Look, you know I followed those guys to your room...the laptop was right on your bed. I don't know how it got there but, well thank God your key was found with your guide, because if those who kept the laptop in your room had left with the key, it would have been another story entirely.
CHRIS : and thank God they have video camera installed in the dining, that was how we proved that you didn't leave your seat.
JIDE : thank you sir.
CHRIS : you should thank God and Fola not me.
JIDE : (turns to Fola) thank you sir.
FOLA : its okay. At least thank God we're still in the competition.
CHRIS : you can go to your room now. You have Chemistry tomorrow, right?
JIDE : yes sir.
CHRIS : good, go and study.
JIDE : (standing up)....okay sir. Thank you sir...bye sir....(Leaves for his room)

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(Ken and his friends are on their way to Mr Chris' room...)

AMED : Ken what do you think happened?
KEN : I don't know.
ANDREW : how come they didn't announce anything about that boy?
LUCAS : and why is Mr Chris asking us to come?
KEN : who knows? Let's just go.
(By the time they got to Chris' room, Jide was just coming out. They gave him the usual disgusting look and enter into the room...)

CHRIS : hmm.....come in...come inside you evil geniuses....
FOLA : hey!...(Looking at Amed who was behind)...close the door behind you!
KEN : good afternoon sir....(The others do the same)
CHRIS : what is good about the afternoon?

To be continued...