UNGRATEFUL MAN OF GOD part 2

Jasper woke up in a five star hotel, the grand luxurious room space of the hotel was a beauty to behold, enticing to the eyes, inviting the lungs to expand, to absorb the floral aromas. The silence in the room was deafening, the only rhythm that played was Jasper's thoughts. Since his wife left him with their two kids, home didn't seem like home anymore so he seeked solace outside home, in a hotel. He lay on the king size bed stirring at the chandelier. He was there when his conscience came to gnaw at him, torrents of thoughts flooded his mind, they were rushing into his head targeting his brain, making his head to ache. He felt like his wife and the church were right, an intense sorrow began to build up within him, perhaps as a sort of frozen panic, though he appeared calm, his sad eyes were saying far more than "Help me," they are saying that his soul is in such unbearable pain and all for his decision lately, the money he thought would enrich his life is now burdening his soul. He recalled how it all went down: Zerox, an international drug syndicate with links around the globe with operations across 50 countries of the world, they needed urgent help. Their leader Mr Ben Osaze got an intelligence that the National Drug Agency will be bursting their warehouse in Lagos within 3 days time, which means if they do not move their goods into another location, into another warehouse that is off the grid of the NDA surveillance within 42 hours, they will regret it. They must not use the warehouse of someone in their contact list because the NDA had all that mapped and under strict surveillance. They need someone neutral, someone with no track record of crime, someone with integrity, who the police cannot come close to suspecting. The board meeting was a halo of holograms organised about a real table, sitting there as if by astral projection was Mr Ben, they had to use virtual meeting for fast and quick decision in a tight schedule that require urgent attention. They decided to use WEBEX, an evolutionary new tech with end to end encryption with hidden location effects. The hologram of every participant was visible sitting on real chairs. ”The man we are looking for is called Mr Jasper, he owns a warehouse at Ikoyi, this will make the moving of the drugs very smooth and clean.” Prosper the man on the base ball cap, white tees and a stonewash denim said with his virtual pen pointing at the conference television on display, showing the route to the warehouse. “So what have you done in that records?” Mr Ben asked agitated, his hologram tweaked as he adjusted his ash suit. “The problem I have is that according to the report I gathered, the man is a man of God sir” Mr Prosper said pointedly as he dressed his base ball cap. “Are there still men of God in Nigeria, everybody have got their price bro” Mr Ben argued. “According to the report we got, his tagline says ‘its only the blood of Jesus that can buy me” Mr Moshood added. “All those guys are pretenders, they claim they are loyal to Christ but the truth remains that no one had offered them what they can’t resist.” Mr Ben argued further. “What are we looking at sir.” Mr Prosper asked, looking as if he was buying the idea. “lets offer him $50,000 to use his warehouse for one month, since our goods will be there for 6 months, we will be paying him…" “ You mean 300,000 dollars for using a warehouse for six months? Isn’t that too much sir” Mr Moshood asked. “Remember we have limited time to build a warehouse and we are paying for his reputations too, the goods is worth over a 100 million dollars and if we spend 300k protecting it, it’s not bad business .” Mr Ben paused and continued... "Please invite Jasper Asap." Mr Ben said before his hologram disappeared showing the end of the meeting. **** Jasper walked into the hotel lobby that was illuminated with soft and welcoming lights, as if it were a sunshine in gentle pastel hue. He felt the clean efficiency, yet welcoming all the same. Soft music played at the background. He was signalled by a man on a black suit, that was Mr Prosper, Mr Ben's assistant. He hurried to meet him. When he got there, everyone was seated, no one told him the empty seat was his, he sat and observed, noticed Mr Ben's presence, his aura was intimidating, he noticed the devotion the men around him gave him, it wasn't born out of love but out of fear. The man looked cruel but he tried to hide that side of him with a soft smile so Mr Jasper can feel at ease with him.. “Please fine gentle man I need to use your warehouse to pack my goods” Mr Ben began the discussion. “What .... goods.. are these? Jasper stammered.. “They are pharmaceutical raw materials” Mr Ben answered. “Anyway, my warehouse is full at the moment” Jasper managed to say, he was recovering from the intimidating presence of Mr Ben. No one bought the warehouse for him, besides they are the ones who needed his help. He tried to retune his psyche. ‘What about being paid to keep it for us for 6 months” Mr Prosper asked sipping a glass of an expensive wine. “what is your fee?" Mr Ben asked. “5000 dollars per month and you will only use part of it” Jasper replied adjusting his wine suit, weighing Mr Ben with his eye ascertaining his worth. “What if we pay you $10,000 per month, and we will use the entire warehouse” Mr Prosper said. “$30,000 and you will have the entire warehouse” Jasper bargained. “It's alright, to seal our friendship, we will give you $50,000, you can choose any country you want to go and we will take you there for vacation.” Mr Ben answered. “Wow” jasper said in excitement, he shook hands with them without confirming to know what exactly he was walking into. The money was paid him cash in an ash briefcase, he was amazed. He left and headed home. ******* Jasper rushed home, he can’t wait to share his new found fortune with his wife. Immediately he entered the house, he sat his wife down and opened the briefcase full of money. “Where did you get all this money from”, his wife said astonished. “It’s a payment for renting my warehouse to a man to use.” Jasper answered. “What’s the commodity?” Mrs Jasper asked still wondering, her sense of detective in full swing . Jasper's ego was getting in the line of the discussion. “What’s my business there, my business is when they are through, I take back my warehouse.” Jasper said hurriedly, he wants to push the wife to submission. “My husband, I am not interested, take it back, you have forgotten your role in the church” Mr Jasper said pleading with the husband. “What do you mean, you are the one that said the young boys in our church who just started internet business within two years had all built houses and are using the same car as us, this is our opportunity to change all that. We can buy a house in Lekki you know” Jasper cajoled. “I said so, just maybe you can also put your business online and maybe start exporting our products. I didn’t send you to collect money from the enemies of God” Mrs Jasper was resolute, it was obvious she wasn't backing down. “My dear, I didn’t steal this money” Mr Jasper said, this time calmly. “its either the money leaves, or I leave.” Mrs Jasper said point blank. Mr Jasper knew he wasn't making any headway, he sort for a temporary solution. “wow, it hadn’t gotten to that my wife, I will go and check the goods and if its country ban, I will send the money back” Mr Jasper assured. “its alright but what about the goods and the warehouse. Honey don't be ungrateful, God had done us well ” Mrs Jasper said, sighed and walked to the kitchen angry. It was clear to her that the husband do not want to get rid of the money, he had gotten unreasonable. reahttps://literalguidetales.blogspot.com/2022/12/ungrateful-man-of-god-part-3.htmld on