QuickBae - Chapter 1

It was a cold windy evening in Sterling city and Kayleb Malone is seen headed down Blake Street. He isn’t too excited though because he got a disturbing call from his girlfriend; Bilkisu saying that they should meet at their favorite coffee shop {Lukman’s famous coffee shop}. On getting there, Kayleb noticed from outside that it was about to rain heavily and was

glad he came along with an umbrella. He also noticed Bilkisu through the windows staring at her wrist watch furiously while

waiting for him to arrive. Finally, Kayleb mustered up some courage and entered the coffee shop. He got to the table where Bilkisu was sitting and sat down opposite her. The waiter came for their orders and they both had the usual {thick brown espresso for Kayleb and light cream ginger coffee for Bilkisu}. After sipping the coffee gently, Bilkisu cleared her throat and began to speak;

Bilkisu: Kayleb, I have been thinking for a while now and I think we should break up

Kayleb: I had a feeling you might say something like that when I got your call, but I would like to know why you no longer want to continue this relationship?

Bilkisu: I have told you countlessly that I want to get married to you, but you don’t seem to want the same thing. So I am sorry, but this relationship can’t progress any further

Kayleb: But I told you that all I need is time to sort out my life and I will get married to you afterwards

Bilkisu: Sort out your life, really!! We are going with that again?!

Kayleb: Yeah! You and I both know the challenges I face at work and that is the fact that I am not earning enough as it is right now. I am just a scientist, nothing more. And my boss is finding it difficult to pay our outstanding three month salary

Bilkisu: I know that, which is why I told you to get married to me. I am a journalist and I earn enough to take care of a family

but as usual, you are just obstinate. You don’t want to depend on a woman for help, is that it?

Kayleb: Yeah, I don’t want to depend on you for help. Rather I want to be the one that provides for you and the family we

might make

Bilkisu: I knew you would never change and if we are having complications now, then I really doubt you and I can make a

happy home together

Kayleb: Please don’t say that, you are breaking my heart. If you end this relationship right here, then you are destroying both yours and my happiness

Bilkisu: You were the one who caused all of this, not me. I am sorry Kayleb but it’s over!

Just then Bilkisu dropped the bill for the coffee they ordered on the table and left the shop. Heartbroken, Kayleb left the shop too and it started raining cats and dogs. He then realized that he had forgotten his umbrella but he seemed not interested in going back for it. He preferred the drenched state he was in as

he walked gradually towards his apartment {in Extreme estate}. On getting home, Kayleb went straight to his room and fell on his bed. It was soaking with his drenched cloth but he didn’t care. The love of his life had just ended things with him and he was extremely heart broken. Nothing seemed to matter anymore to him. He looked around and saw the photos he had organized in his room of all the memories he and Bilkisu made together and then started to cry. Twenty minutes later, Kayleb got a call from his best friend and co-worker Ali; saying that he needed help with an experiment he was working on. To get his mind off things, Kayleb agreed to meet up with Ali. He then had a quick bath, changed his cloth and headed for Smart’s Lab {the laboratory where Kayleb and Ali works}. It was an old four-storey building facility which was owned by Dr Smart Wilson. Kayleb got to the office and saw Ali in a serious turmoil trying to figure out his experiment;

Kayleb: Whoa! Take it easy Ali or you might end up hurting yourself

Kayleb: Yeah but with what?

Ali: (Grabbing Kayleb by the shoulder and bringing him closer to a beige colored substance inside a beaker) Feast your eyes on this!

Kayleb: What is it?!

Ali: It is my latest experiment. I call it the “ISEC” which stands for the “Immune System Enhancer and Control”

Kayleb: Okay, so it’s like a drug?

Ali: Not just any drug. Imagine this; illnesses and complex ailments such as cancer, HIV, AIDS which are not easily curable, cured in matter of minutes

Kayleb: Are you serious? Such an experiment is too risky, don’t you think?!

Ali: I know which is why I called you here to help me with testing it. I have included all the safety precautions necessary in making this liquid (pointing at the ISEC) and I have also made it edible for consumption. All that is left is testing it

Kayleb: Okay but what about the other Physicians and Scientists?

Kayleb: Okay, so you said all that is left is testing it right?

Ali: Yeah. According to my theories, the ISEC needs to acquire much kinetic energy at a very high temperature for it to be readily used. Once it is done, it should take a powder form which can be converted into capsules and taken as drugs at a required prescription. Then we will have it tested on our guinea pig

Kayleb: So we need to heat it?

Ali: Exactly but with a temperature above 100 degrees Celsius and since you are the only one who is good with heating chemical experiments, I figured you could help me with this!

Kayleb: Does Dr Smart and Presh {their colleague who is a Physician} even know anything about this?

Ali: Yeah! I mean Presh was the one who helped me with the analyses and Dr Smart gave his consent

Kayleb: Very well then, I will help you with the experiment. Bring it down to the heating room so that we can heat it in the

mercury oven

Ali: Thanks bro, I knew I could count on you

Kayleb: Don’t sweat it

Kayleb and Ali then went to the heating room in the first floor and put the ISEC inside an aluminum foil. After that, they put the foil inside the mercury oven. Kayleb set the temperature on Ali’s instruction and the oven was turned on. The ISEC began heating. The machine had lots of coils because the mercury oven converts electrical energy into heat energy. It wasn’t the normal type of oven used for baking or cooking due to the fact that its heat was immense. While they were waiting for the ISEC to heat up, Ali noticed that Kayleb wasn’t his usual cheerful self;

Ali: Bro, what is it? You’ve been awfully down today!

Kayleb: Bilkisu and I broke up

Ali: What! I had no idea, I am really sorry

Kayleb: Don’t apologize, it isn’t your fault. Maybe it’s for the best

Ali: Well if you ask me, I believe she wasn’t the right girl for you. I mean if she were, she would have chosen to accept your decision. Don’t worry; the right girl is yet to come and if she does come, you will find her

Kayleb: I guess you are right, thank you

Ali: Just glad I can help

Immediately, the mercury oven started sparking….

Kayleb: What’s going on?

Ali: The mercury oven is malfunctioning. It seems it can’t handle this much heat, we need to shut it down now!

Kayleb and Ali tried shutting the machine down but the sparks hit Ali on the shoulder which pushed him out of the heating room. At that moment, the buildings security system turned on

and put the whole facility in total lockdown. Kayleb still inside the room tried to shut the machine down and was almost successful in doing so but the machine exploded sending a wave filled with intense energy round Sterling city. Kayleb {affected badly by the machine’s explosion} passed out and since he was closest to the machine, he had suċkėd in a lot of energy. Ali {injured by the sparks} hurried back into the room and brought out Kayleb who was in critical condition. He then took him to the medical facility and called Dr Smart, Presh and some Physicians to come attend to Kayleb A.S.A..P.