Posted by Dredwalker on August 27, 2008 at 10:06pm
Murder In Nufrika (Part II)I slammed the phone down on Calhoun’s ear. His arrogance has made my blood boil. Although I am the Sergeant there is a level of respect that I got at the precinct that I could do without. Although they never made it blatant, half the officers resented didn’t respect me due to my American ancestry. I was not going to bring my son down to be subjected to Calhoun’s or other’s scrutiny. Not a madilover like him.“Zula, I want a video, audio, and bio recording of everything that goes on in my room until I say stop”“Recording activated.” replied Zula.May Orisha monitor my temperament. “Carter!” I shouted.Carter came into my room. “Yes father?”I didn’t know what to do. To interrogate my son is the scariest thing I have ever had to do. Only because of the answer I might get. “Did you see Tunde in the last 24 hours?”“Yes I did. At the Prime King’s party. I wanted to tell you about it but because of your condition-““Tell me about it now, what happened?”“Well, Tunde and I were debating about the influence of ghostbeat and its influence of Nufrikan law-““Son!” I didn’t have the patience of listening about any young ghostbeatting stupidness. “They found your DNA at the murder site. I need to know what went on last night that would make this possible!”Carter had a confused look on his face. “My DNA?” he was at a lost for words.“Answer me Carter!”“I have no answer!”“Why did you tap into Zula’s server this morning? What where you erasing?”“I didn’t erase anything. All I did was upgrade Zula’s language configuration.”“Zula, are you reading the heart rate of my son?”“His heart rate has steadily increased in all his responses. According to the sonic polygraphs emitting from him, his answers doesn’t correspond.” Replied Zula.“That means you are a liar Carter.” I said.“That means that you would believe a machine before you would believe me!” Carter shouted.“DON’T YELL AT YOUR FATHER!”While Zula babbled something about my stress level, Ifama came in. “What in the world is going on here!”“You think I got something to do with Tunde’s death!” Carter shouted.“What?” Ifama looked at me.“His DNA has been found at the site.” I said. “So when I started questioning him, his polygraph revealed him a liar.”Carter turned and rushed out the door.“Where are you going!” I shouted.“Shut up Vinza!” Ifama. “Orisha and Princess Candace Spirit, will you stop it! You just had a heart attack. Lay down! NOW!”“Stress level of Sergeant Vinza is now on code yellow.” Said Zula.“Zula, shut-up.” said Ifama. “End all recordings and just monitor his bio readings on mute. I’m the only one who gets to talk.”As I obeyed my wife and laid down, I heard Carter’s airbike engine start up.“You’ll drive our only son out the house and you into your own grave.” Ifama said. “You of all people know a polygraph hasn’t proved a thing since the day it was invented.”I heard Carter take off on his bike. “Our son has been implicated in the murder of our friend. Ifama, doesn’t that concern you?”“Yes it does! More the reason why we shouldn’t lose control. And more the reason why we should look to the Holy One for guidance.”“Well maybe Orisha shouldn’t allow me to have such a bad heart.” I said out of frustration.“Oh yes. It’s Orisha’s fault. Not the double mozzarella quarter pounder spicy buffalo steak with the special sauce they serve at the precinct everyday.”I started to say something but Ifama cut her eyes at me daring me to do so.“Rest.” She said. “I will talk to Carter when he gets back.” She then gave me a warning look as she left the room.I waited a half hour before I got out of bed again.“Zula, arrange my holographic transporter and send it to the coordinates of the south of the Nile River.”“15 minutes to image transportation.”“And keep it quiet, I don’t want Ifama to know.”The holographic transporter is used to create a life size image of me and transport it to any location around the world while I am in my house. This is used with the same satellite that transmits telepathy. With this transporter, people can see and interact with me as a hologram wherever I appear while I am doing other things, like staying sick in bed due to a heart attack.I had felt bad at the way I treated my son. I realized that part of my behavior was influenced by my resentment to Rocky Calhoun. He is a known Madilover.Madilover.Shackled Thinkers.I would imagine that if my 21 century American ancestors were to see into today, that they would rejoice in the notion that “nigger” has now become an archaic word and no longer was spewed from the mouths of anyone. It is true. But the word has not faded simply because of some miraculous awakening or unanimous revelation that has made a serious and ugly impact on a race of people. Sadly it has been replaced, and created here . . . In Africa.My holographic image was transported to the site where Tunde’s body was discovered. Controlling the hologram, I was able to “walk” around the site.There where two police cars and a few patrol air bikes surrounding the site. The men pulled out their holographic identifiers when they saw my image. The identifiers registered my signature and password. They were then pleased to meet me.“Hotep Sergeant!” said one of the officers.“Hotep” I said. “They removed the body, yes?”“Quite a few hours ago sir.”“Do you a have a video of the crime scene?”“I have it.” said a voice.I turned to see another hologram on the scene. It was Rocky Calhoun. “Hotep Rocky.”“Vinza!” Rocky smiled. “How’s your heart?”“I’m still in bed.”“I’m in the bathtub myself.” said Rocky. “You have to try this new invention that came from Ethiopia. You pour a powder into the tub, and the bubbles message your whole body! My girlfriend tried it last week and now she wants to break up with me because the bubbles touch her in ways she said I won’t. I was mad at her until now. Whoa!”I didn’t respond. I was just wishing I was that we were there instead of our holographs so that I can choke the life out of him.“Anyway,” Rocky went on. “When do we get to talk to your son?”“That’s not going to happen, Calhoun.”“Awwww!” Rocky said in mock despair. “Let’s not do this. I like you Vinza. That’s why I’m going easy on you. You’re going through a lot. But this is an investigation. And even you are not above Nufrikan law.” He let out a laugh. “Did you hear what I said? ‘Nufrikan’ law. I’m down with the kids!”“You said my son’s DNA was extracted from here?” I said over his attempt to be comical.“Yup. Blood.”“I saw no bruises on my son.” I said.“Maybe you didn’t check him thoroughly.”“So you think he did it?”“I’m saying with your friend’s death and your son’s involvement, it’s easy not to think clearly. I recommend this fucking bubble bath. You wanna talk about stress relief! Look I know your Yuroban believe is very strong and family bonding which is another reason why you are not in the right mind-"“Hey!” I shouted. “Don’t you disrespect me and my religion, Calhoun. I know how to do my job! I’ve been at this profession longer than you.”“Yeah I know. Who would have thought black people would have affirmative action on black people?”“You know what Rocky? I’m here to investigate a crime. But if you want to get nasty with me, we can turn off these holographs and we can meet each other face to face.”“Vinza, I would love to do that. But these damn bubbles are working something on me too good right now. So I’ll take a rain check.”“Whatever.”“100 year anniversary of New Africa. The more things change, they stay the same. I get the feeling you don’t need my help here. So I’ll come back when you are done. The video is being downloaded to your server right now. Oh yeah. Hotep.” He said with laughter.Rocky’s hologram disappeared. And I went and inspected the site.It was during the first union of Africa when the welcome “Come Home” campaign adopted the Marcus Garvey dream with its premise: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. Such words inspired and motivated many African Americans such as my great-grandparents to leave California and settle here in Atabra. However due to the massive migration and cultural differences, many people here were not comfortable with what they called an invasion of the American Black immigrants. In Banjul, Senator Madi Saikou sought foreign help with Libya, a country known at the time hostile to American affairs since Kaddafi and his successors. With underground Libyan financing he rose to create a movement called the (AAIP) Anti-American Immigrant Power. His movement was persuasive enough for five African countries to consider succeeding from this new union called New Africa.It was Princess Candace, who we Yurobans call the First Lady of Yuroba for refounding this continent’s largest religion who faced off with Madi.“The black American is poison!” Was Madi’s patterned speech. “And I say this out of pity! Because America has poisoned them! So they have nothing! Look at their history! American has bred them like mindless dogs! They betray each other! They cage each other! They kill each other! And why! Because their ancestors abducted from our land in shackles! Their president freed their bodies but kept their mind in shackles! And now they want to bring their shackled thinking back here! We’ve worked hard to unite as Africans to allow shackled thinkers to poison our rich culture. They want to come here but they don’t know what to do once they are here! Because they are too shackled to learn! They are too shackled to change! The land of opportunity bestowed them greatness we couldn’t dream! So why do they want to come here? To connect? To embrace??? They can’t help what they have become! Shackled Thinkers!”His speech branded us. “Shackled Thinkers” or “Estees – (S.T.’s)” rang throughout the continent like wildfire, and created a new civil war as six countries declared succession from New Africa.But it was only simple words of Princess Candace that made that ended the war and many opposing country see the error of their ways. “You who oppose the Black Americans oppose the African Diaspora. Because Africa is everywhere. It is the Diaspora that made New Africa possible! Long live Pan-Africa!”In time she led the repatriotism of the six countries back to the New African union. This angered Madi and what was left of his followers. So much so that he plotted to kill Candace. They have succeeded by throwing her off a twelve story building. And as history tells it, twelve days later Madi was found dead. The cause of death is unknown, but his body was found standing upright leaning face first against the door of Candace’s monastery.This was a century ago. Today people tell their rendition of that legend and what they make of it. People who followed Madi’s philosophy – the Madilovers – dismissed the whole story altogether.“Vinza.”As soon as my wife said my name, I turned away from the holographic transporter and looked at her innocently.“Carter is at his girlfriend’s house.” She said while her scolding eyes said I thought I told you to stay in bed.“Girlfriend?”“You didn’t know he has a girlfriend?”“You mean the Christian?”“She’s a nice girl." said Ifama. "What did you find out since you are being so stubborn?”“I’ve read the reports, and there are other traces of DNA whose owners are being scanned right now. I would tap into the precinct server for the data but it is so full of madilovers I’m skeptical of what they put into the data. So if Carter was there, he wasn’t alone.”TO BE CONTINUED
Comments