The Monster & The Conspiracy (BWWM)

8. The Crown In Kenya

C H A P T E R
E I G H T

Kenya, Nairobi

When the blue sky pulled on its dark coat decorated by twinkling stars, Julian was adding the final touches to his dashing ensemble. The man was sporting a black poloneck and charcoal grey suit along with a gold Rolex and black Italian shoes. His raven locks were slicked back, giving him a dangerous look.

His confident gait didn't go unnoticed when he passed the lobby that happened to have various females. Their swoons and whispers did not go unheard by the elusive Julian Greyson, but he didn't pay them any attention. He was on a mission.

He met James inside the SUV. James was also dressed to kill in his dark suit that was paired with a wine coloured tie. Julian gave a nod to Gathii, who quickly drove out of the Four Points Hotel gates.

It had taken Mukami three days to find the auction's location. But it was worth it as it gave Julian and James more time to formulate a plan. The plan, like the mission itself was suicide. Both men knew they were placing themselves in mortal danger but that only excited them.

Julian lived for danger for he had braved various dangers all over Africa to amass his wealth. His thirst for danger made him one of the greatest anthropogists/archaeologists in all of Africa. But he knew that he couldn't afford to be reckless. He had promised Lin that he wasn't going to die.

The drive to Kiza Restaurant and Lounge was a mere half hour. Gathii had parked a road away from the luxurious looking building. Julian and James nodded at each other before getting out of the car.

They confidently sauntered to the entrance with determined expressions. Both men carried a briefcase filled with 500 000 dollars counterfeit cash, courtesy of Mukami's meddling.

"Wewe ni nani?*" A bouncer asked them gruffly.

Julian understood Swahili very well, communicating, however, was another story. But he knew the basics. "Jina langu ni* Harrison Forbes." He enunciated clearly.

The bouncer nodded towards stoic faced James. Julian introduced him as Kyle Kerrigan. "Let me see if you are on the list." The bouncer said with a palpable accent. After a few minutes of checking out the list, the bouncer let them inside.

The Kiza Lounge was on the 9th floor. Although small, the lounge was still well decorated. It had appealing modern furnishings and luminous lanterns adorning the ceiling.

About 50 well dressed people were already seated, most of them clutching briefcases. They settled behind a snoring old man and patiently waited for the speaker. After a few minutes, a man clad in a navy suit stood at the podium.

"Good evening ladies and gentleman, I'm Mr Jaali Feye. Thank you all for coming." He said politely. Julian assessed him with interest. Mr Feye was tall and lean, he seemed to be dripping with charisma. A perfect auctioneer.

"Tonight we have a very rare piece. Feast your eyes on the legendary Lost King's Crown!" Mr Feye bellowed dramatically. He ripped a beige cloth covering a glass box on a stand. Inside the glass box was the infamous fur and wooden crown of Lobengula.

" Lobengula was the King of the Ndebele State who signed over Zimbabwe to the British. He was tricked into signing the Rudd Concession as they had promised him ammunition and sugar. When he realised that the British were slowly invading Zimbabwe, he became suspicious. Of course it didn't help that the British never held up their end of the bargain. Distressed, Lobengula sent a letter to the Queen of England asking her to tell the British imperialists to stand down. The Queen simply couldn't help. When the War of Dispossession broke out, Lobengula fled the Ndebele State after burning down the Capital. He disappeared without a trace. Cecil John Rhodes sent men after him, but no one ever found him, all that was left was his Crown. Lobengula's disappearance is still a mystery today." Mr Feye finished his narration.