Two Can Play This Game

“Are you hungry?”

The urgency in that statement oozes out of Fasi’s serene alto and bursts into my happy dreams. It’s a slow wake and my eyes are barely open as I do my best to judge whether the question is for me. My stomach rumbles a bit. It’s for me. And the answer is yes but the bed feels unfamiliar and I fear the food would be too.

I finally open my eyes and take in my surroundings with some panic, Fasi squatting in the corner looking like a nightmare, some strange bamboo bars for windows, a mess near all our bags and a guard by the door.

A few things come clearly to me.

One. I didn’t know where I was.

Two. I was sure that I had not fallen asleep here.

Three. I am extremely hungry…for something.

“Are you hungry?” Fasi asks.

“What’s on the menu?” I can tell from the drama playing out on her face that it’s the wrong answer.

I try to get up from the bed and there’s a knife on my neck. The bodyguard pushes all his weight to keep me on the…bed? It’s a strange little thing I would never define as one.

“Are you hungry?” Fasi asks again, an eyebrow raised. And like a dam burst open, I remember. My name is Suki. I despise adding the Logan Denis so I go through life with my preferred mononym. I am a professional thief, the high-end kind. I speak diamonds, opportunities and information. When my mum asks though, I tell her I’m a private investigator. She knows there are loops there but can’t explain them away. I’m that good at what I do.

Mostly, I remember all this because Fasi is speaking in code (stay on high alert) and I finally give the right answer.

“Only if you are serving.” I say it like I’m flirting (code for Message received - I’ve got this). I give the big goon by the bed a cutting look while I push away the knife.

She keeps with it, rolls her eyes and spits out. “Water for the both of us is fine” The guy grunts and walks out and then Fasi is by my side.

“What happened?” I ask. The pounding in my head continues and I hold my head up with my hands.

‘We were hoping you would tell us.”

“Us?” I feel my face contort with my confusion.

“You are hearing things,” It’s a little fake laugh, “I said me. Tell me.”

Something is not quite right with our situation. It doesn’t feel like we are quite the prisoners but I know our freedom has been curtailed seriously. And what were they even looking for? Our bags are a mess and Fasi looks harassed.

How long was I out?!

“Where are we? Are you hungry? Are you hungry?! Of all the different code phrases we’ve come up with over the years? What are we, new recruits?”

She shrugs, “It fits the situation.”

“Who's that guy?’ I ask that last bit in a whisper.

“That,” she puts both hands on my face, “is why I need to know what you remember.”

“I’ve never seen that guy before. I’ve never been here before. Why would you think I would know this?” I ask right back at acceptable volume as I push back her hands.

“Last night,” she hisses, “I need you to remember last night.”

“Well, last night I was…” and something stops my mind short. The entire last night is gone. Completely and utterly gone. I think to myself that I must have taken a memory blocker.

I look at Fasi with all the pleading in her eyes and the question becomes whether I took it willingly or it was forced down my throat.

I go through all our conversations from before and try to remember what she is looking for exactly.

“Last night was the party.” I say it like a question but she doesn’t hear the ask in it.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. It was.” She says this like it’s a relief I should remember. What were they doing to me while I was out? What did they do to her?!

I get off the bed and walk to the strange window. Outside, I can see a huge sandy compound and it’s busy with big men walking around like ants. I think to myself that we are in Karamoja, the thick of the desert, and miles away from town. I slap away a fly from my hand and look back at Fasi.

“What is going on, Faz?”

“The. Answer,” she drags out every word in frustration, “Is. In. Your. Head.”

“Well, we had a plan.” I say calmly, trying to keep the peace between us, “and I always, always execute according to the plan. So, last night went off without a hitch on my end. You,” It’s like a lightbulb moment. “You are the person that needs to answer. You were our getaway car and somehow we are in a place we didn’t agree on.”

“Last night, Suki.” I can tell her patience is wearing out.

“I’m only going to mention what happened once you explain how we are here. Were you compromised, Jenna B. Fasili? Huh? Someone out there doing this better than you? Should I be looking to change partners?” The words spring out but mostly I’m buying time.

A single memory blocker runs out in 48 hours. I can’t tell when I took mine or how long it has been suppressing memories so I’ll play the secret of my missing memories closely till I can ascertain what’s going on.

I look as Fasi looking physically pained by my manoeuvre and it crosses my mind that she might have her memories blocked too. I don’t ask her outright as I weigh the situation.

One. Fasi and I were forced to take memory blockers. We both don’t know where we are and we are at the mercy of the kidnappers.

Two. Fasi and I took our memory blockers willingly once we realised we weren’t getting out of whatever our mess was and are still at the mercy of the kidnappers.

Three. I took my memory blocker and Fasi didn’t and she has turned against me for whatever is in my head.

Four. Not impossible. This could be a very bad dream or Seven’s idea of a drill. ‘What to do when you wake up in a strange place with no memory of how or why you got there?’

I go with Three, because anyone in the field knows it’s always better to be sorry than dead. When it all comes down to it, you can only ever fully trust yourself.

“Okay, Okay.” I decide I will make up a story for her, “So…last night. I wore my grey slacks and brown crisp shirt…”

“You were in a black tux. It was a dress and tie event.” Fasi clearly didn’t take any memory blocker! Willingly or not.

“Right. Of course. Just seeing if you were paying attention. So, I went looking dapper in my black tux and worked the floor.” I see her roll her eyes, “I talked to the organisers and wanted to make a speech. You know me, always going in guns blazing.”

“The plan was to stick to anonymity. In and out like the Muhinda Charity Ball.”

I snap my fingers like this was all part of my plan. “It looked like someone recognised me, so I was going for distraction.”

She nods her head and walks to the mess by our bags, “That explains a lot. Did you see Captain?”

“I think the question you want to ask is, did Captain see me?” I sit on the piece of furniture they left for us and cross my legs. She groans out loud and smacks her forehead.

“I’m getting really hungry, by the way. Can’t we get the big-fella to return with some snacks? And we are still waiting on that water.” I say with my attention to the door. I make to go outside but Fasi pulls me back in.

“Am I a prisoner here?’ I ask it half-jokingly but Fasi takes a beat too long to deny it and my suspicions start to bloom.

“It’s just that what Kia told you was urgent. You remember that?”

I don’t. I really don’t. But I nod in the affirmative and some memories break free.

“So what did she say?”

Rukia Wanyana, business woman extraordinaire - if there were ever such a thing. Mistress of disguises and lies too. And this is not because she rejected my romantic advances a few years ago. I’ve moved on - I really have. Kia is not content with honest money though, and has always dabbled in our business. She let it slip that she would be at the event and said she had something to tell me. I fed that information to the team and we devised a plan. Really, we were hoping Kia would tell us about her father’s secret factory. That…or make mention of the Glory of Kumi, some treasure she had acquired that was as mysterious as it was rumoured to be glorious.

Yet, that critical conversation is still absent.

“She mentioned…well…it feels silly to say now.”

“What,” Fasi is by my side in a flash, “What did she say?”

“Well,” I fake the sheepish look and drag a hand through my hair, “She mentioned she was now growing feelings for me and that…”

“You are lying!” Fasi’s eyes are on fire and her nose is blowing steam. “You are lying to me. Your partner.”

“Tell me this, partner. Why do I have to tell you now, in an unknown location, with several goons outside. Why aren’t we planning an escape? Till we get somewhere safe and I tell you everything. Is this honestly the best use of our time?” She has the good grace to look ashamed.

“Unless…” I draw it out.

“Unless what?”

“Unless, Faz, you know exactly where we are and double-crossed me.” She looks ready to deny it.

“You took a memory blocker, didn’t you?” It’s a triumphant declaration. “I guess right before you went to your hotel room.” She consults her watch. “It looks like 34 more hours to wait you out.”

It looks like I will have to wear her out first. Or find a way out of this mess.