Basilisk Garrison.

Not the most familiar name to the average city dweller in Accra, it was not a place any regular citizen would want to be found.

And despite the ‘garrison’, this was not a place for soldiers dedicated to protecting the nation and its citizens. If anything at all, this was a place for people interested in doing the exact opposite to citizens.

Located in one of the deepest and most rundown parts of the city, this garrison was a hideout for a secret criminal cabal. This was the place to go to if you needed to have someone taken out or taught a lesson. Headed by Rex Bruschi, this was a den for men who had no regard or respect for human life. Once somebody wanted you dead and made his way to that hideout, you were as good as dead.

Despite its location within one of the slums of Accra, Basilisk Garrison, an underground bunker, was a well-polished and very neat place. Its gates guarded by two huge men with biceps bigger than watermelons, the garrison was a big room about the size of a basketball pitch. At different corners, these hardened men stood around doing their own thing, whether smoking, drinking, playing cards, or just chilling.

At the end of this big room was an inner office, well polished with a desk, two chairs for visitors, and a host of weapons on display, as well as an inner office leading to a big room. This was the office of Rex Bruschi, the brains behind Basilisk Garrison.

A hardened criminal who had done time behind bars, Rex, real name Rexford Kwabena Gyabeng, had been rejected by his family after he was once jailed at the tender age of sixteen for stealing. Coupling that with the fact that he had spent five years in the midst of unrepentant criminals, Rex saw no way back into normal life. As such, he remained in the crime scene and spent a few more years in the slammers.

As he did, he built connections with some corrupt elements in the police force, made his way out, and formed the garrison, where he employed criminals to carry out dirty tasks for people who wanted others killed, maimed or whatever they desired. With time, Basilisk Garrison became a force in the underground world, fully funded and protected by unseen forces. The corrupt police contacts Rex had acquired many years back ensured maximum protection for him and his men, so many cases tended to go nowhere when reported.

A god of the criminal underworld, Rex Bruschi was living the life most rappers made music about, only that he was a lot more heartless and much richer than most of them. With numerous people soliciting his services and paying top dollar, he had it made.

As far as Rex was concerned, Jay Z’s song ‘Never Change’ was his anthem, and the lyric that best described his life: “I’m still fucking with crime, ’cause crime pays”.

***

Rex had his feet up on the desk, a cigarette between his lips, as he responded to a text from a satisfied customer. The lady had discovered that her friend was happily giving her husband illicit bedroom appointments and requested one of his men teach her a lesson. The said friend was duly given a stern warning, a sound whipping, and a subsequent ransacking of her house, and her reaction was to swiftly break up with the customer’s husband.

As he smirked at her words of joy, the phone began to vibrate.

An unfamiliar number appeared.

He answered. “Good evening!”

“Good evening, kind sir! Is this Rex Bruschi?”

“Yes, this is Rex Bruschi you’re speaking to. What can I do for you?”

“Great. Please, my name is Barry, and I’m in need of your services. There’s this man who recently came back to Ghana, who did something to me many years ago. He owed me money, and instead of paying me back, had some crooks beat me up so bad, I’m confined to a wheelchair for the rest of my life. I am not ready to let this slide; I want revenge!”

Rex smirked as he listened. He just loved to hear such things. “I see. So you need someone to… teach him a lesson? Do you want him in a wheelchair as well?”

Barry’s response was succinct.

“I want him six feet under the earth’s surface.”

The smirk on Rex’s face grew bigger. Ten years of facilitating hideous and gruesome crimes, and calls from bloodthirsty clients like this still excited him so much, he could almost feel the excitement downstairs. Which seemed pretty appropriate, considering he did not do romantic relationships; he’d be killing off too many girls if he ventured into that sphere of life.

“Interesting! Well, who is this man that you want me to finish off?”

“His name is Gilbert Addison. He and some white lady came in from Belgium about three weeks ago.”

Rex nodded as he took notes. “Alright, Gilbert… Addison. Well noted. And your name again?”

“Barry Evan.”

“Very well. Shall we have a video call?”

“Certainly.”

***

“See that Costo-Dee nigga? Another dangerous ass motherfucker. If you won maintain your body for here, just avoid am. He no get heart kraaaa.”

“Really? I see. Chale, then I just go dey avoid am.”

“Simple. Costo-Dee, Mulala, G-Tack, those three niggas be some of the top hitmen for here, wey them no be friendly. Just watch your body around them.”

In the outer room of the Basilisk Garrison, where all the criminals hung out and did their own thing, there was the newbies’ corner, located on the left side of the entrance. Over there were young men who had recently joined the Garrison, looking to live out a life of crime with protection from the powers that be.

Among them sat one young man to whom one Fareezy, not a newbie in Basilisk, was giving information about the ways of Basilisk Garrison. His name was Romeo.

Twenty-four years of age, Romeo was a light-skinned boy with sleepy eyes, a big nose, and thin lips. He did not have the most intimidating physique; he was of pretty normal stature. Like many of the younger men in the garrison, he had been rejected by his family after falling foul of the law.

Coming from an abusive home where insults and slaps replaced hugs and kisses, he had turned to the streets, and eventually to crime, for the chance to cope. After being imprisoned for a year for stealing, he returned to his parents, who wanted nothing to do with him. “Get out of my house, you filthy criminal!” his father had roared the very day he came back into their home, gathering his clothes into black polythene bags and throwing them out.

Since his violent father and lazy mother had already made life hard for him, however, this rejection was more like a relief for him. The fact that he had cursed at his parents, spat in his father’s face, and promised to return to burn down their house proved that. Now he had been accepted into this cabal, and he hoped life would be better for him.

“Romeo!”

Sitting on a stool, busy on a blunt as Fareezy spoke, he looked up to see V.A, one of the boss’ bodyguards, signal to him.

The boss was calling.

He sprang to his feet. This could only mean one thing: there was a job to do!

Quite an honour, given most newbies weren’t often given much to do.

“Oh wow, the boss dey search you? Nice! Go see what it’s about.”

***

“… so the target’s name is Gilbert Addison. He moves with a lady called Elisabeth De Mulder; a Belgian woman. They’re currently living in Cantonments, and most times move about in a silver Nissan Patrol. The client’s name is Barry Evans; you’ll be speaking to him later tonight. That is if he makes payment. Here’s his contact, and here’s the contact of Koni, the guy with all the intelligence. Once everything is settled, he’ll be guiding you on the opportune times to take them out. So remain in close contact with him, do you understand?”

“Yes sir, yes sir,” Romeo responded quickly as he received the two small sheets of paper, breathless. He could hardly believe he was already being assigned to take out somebody.

“Good. So as soon as payment is made… whoa, hold on a moment, my phone just beeped… oh wow, he’s already paid. Well, that was fast. Alright, then you meet him this evening via video call, take further instructions, and then you move. Understood?”

Yes sir!”

“Good. And Romeo, remember this: I do not accept incompetence. Do not fuck this up. I think you’ve got potential, that’s why I’m giving you a chance on this one. Don’t disappoint me, or you’re gonna regret it. Understood?”

“Yes sir!”

“Good. You can go now.”

Romeo walked out of the office, a beaming smile on his face. He could hardly believe his luck. To get a task this quick!

Incredible! Man, I can’t wait to get started! This is gonna be the start of a new chapter in my life. Let’s do this!

So Barry’s contracted this criminal mastermind to take out Gilbert. Is it gonna work? Well, we wait to see…