Politics meet Medicine

DUTY AND DESIRE
STORY BY BELLA ROYALTY.
P2/15.

[DR. APHIWE BHENGU]
I couldn't sleep, not with him tossing beside me, the sheets tangled around his body like restraints. Every sigh from his chest carried the weight of an entire nation, and I hated it.

Hated that I could stitch together a torn artery in seconds, yet here I was helpless, watching the man I loved drown in invisible wounds.

So I slipped out of bed and walked into his office, the desk was a graveyard of files and intelligence reports. I sat down and began to do the only thing I knew how: treat this crisis like a patient.

When you can't diagnose a disease, you don't start with the symptoms you see. You start with what doesn't add up.

I grabbed a pen and pulled out a clean sheet of paper. At the top, I wrote in bold letters: "PATIENT: The Presidency."

Then I drew two columns: Symptoms and Possible Causes.

Symptom 1: Bus massacre killing 500 people, Cause? Orchestrated, with no trail of bodies, where are the bodies?
Symptom 2: Hostages taken, Cause? Leverage over the president, to control him like a puppet.
Symptom 3: Smear campaign in the media by the President of Zim, Cause? Public battle.

Just like in medicine, when a body betrays itself, it's usually autoimmune which is an attack from within.

I leaned back, tapping the pen against my lips. This wasn't about weakness in Nathi's leadership. This was a system hijacked, an infection spreading. Whoever was behind this wasn't just after his career they wanted the Republic paralyzed, possibly to merge the two African countries.

I thought about how we treat infection:
1. Identify the pathogen.
2. Contain its spread.
3. Strengthen the host.

I scribbled again:
Identify– who in the party has unexplained financial surges?
Contain– isolate leaks, plug communications.
Strengthen– rally loyalists, rebuild trust publicly.

It was medicine. Just on a larger, bloodier scale, by the time dawn painted the curtains pale gold, I had a chart in front of me, a diagnosis plan for a nation.

The office door creaked. I turned to find Nathi standing there, with his sleepy and tired eyes.
Nathi: You couldn't sleep?

And then it hit me: when a doctor cannot find a diagnosis, we don't keep running in circles. We bring in another team. A second opinion, a board of specialists trained to see what we missed.

Me: Wow what do you know?This is exactly like medicine.

I told him, holding up my messy notes.
Me: When one doctor can't make sense of the symptoms, you bring in others. Specialists, teams that exist for impossible cases. This…

I tapped the word massacre written in bold across the page
Me: It's an impossible case.

He shook his head.
Nathi: Baby, this isn't surgery. This is politics.

Me: Babe hear me out, politics is just another disease, It spreads, cripples, and kills. And just like a disease, if you let it go untreated, it consumes everything. Don't tell me this government never prepared for something like this. Don't tell me there isn't some plan, some unit waiting for your command to solve this mess? Like a special Ops kind of thing?
Nathi: Babe, you watch a lot of movies.
Me(smiles): Most movies are based in reality, try to remember baby, there has to be a team, I mean obviously it wasn't prepared for something as hectic like this but there has to be a team.

He went through his documents, he even went to his safe while I waited.
Nathi: Got it! Come here!

I went to him and he held my face and planted a soft kiss on my lips.
Nathi(smiling): You are a genius!
Me: I mean… Nathi this is me we are talking about remember? Hello? They never said I was a genius in medicine only, I was a genius at solving crises and coming up with solutions.
Nathi: I love you.
Me: You talking to my brain or?

He laughed.
Nathi: All of you sthandwa sami.

I smiled.
Me: So?
Nathi: There is.
Me: Okay?
Nathi: But they're not official, not even the generals speak their name. They were created for a single purpose if the state itself was threatened. They act outside the law, outside everything and they are called the Obsidian Directive.
Me: What do they do?
Nathi: They erase threats before they exist, once they're called in, blood is guaranteed.
Me: Then let it spill. Better theirs than ours. Nathi, you're out of options, you need them, from the videos these people have sent you, they can pinpoint their location, send in a team for a rescue, capture the culprits, make them reveal who they are working for, and bam, you've got your slice of cake.

He looked at me with a smile.
Me: Again why hasn't anyone thought of this yet? You have an entire team Manzini.
Nathi: I didn't know who to trust sthandwa sami and we hadn't had a sit down.
Me: Oh yes that makes sense.
Nathi: Let me give them a call.
Me: Let me give you some space then.
Nathi: Nope, you're staying right here, my other rib.
Me: It's a classified call and I'm just a civilian.
Nathi: Future first lady.

He dialed a number on his secure line, the line crackled after the first dial tone, then silence.
Nathi: This is President Nkosinathi Irvin Zungu, Authorization code: TGP 1009.
Voice: Obsidian Directive acknowledges. State the threat.

Nathi glanced at me before speaking.
Nathi: Internal coup, there are hostages involved, coordinated massacre basically a political destabilization in progress.

There was no gasp, no hesitation, no are you sure? Was this AI programmed?
Voice: Parameters confirmed, engagement protocol: Absolute Silence. Authorize?

I frowned.
Me(mouths): What does that mean?
Nathi: Authorize.

The line went dead just like that and I blinked.
Me: That's it? You don't give them orders? A target list?

He shook his head, sliding the phone back onto its cradle like it burned his skin.
Nathi: You don't give the Directive orders. You give them permission.
Me: Permission to do what?

He looked me straight in the eye.
Nathi: Whatever it takes.

Okay, that sounds scary, as long as it gets the job done though.
Nathi: Let's go and take a nice, relaxing bath, we deserve it.
Me: Yes sir.

We linked hands and walked out of his office.
Nathi: Yabona ke ukuthi I need you?(Do you see that I need you?)
Me(smiles): I can see that Grandpa, don't worry I've got your back.
Nathi: And I know you mean it sthandwa sami.
Me: We are a team.
Nathi: A deadly team.

We laughed, guys I might have a hand in sorting out a national security crisis at the president's house! Me! Dr. Aphiwe! Do you know how huge that is? I couldn't believe it.

[NKOSINATHI ZUNGU, MR PRESIDENT]
Aphiwe had to leave since today she was signing her contract at the hospital. I made sure her security was doubled but knowing how the Obsidian Directive operates, they've probably got that covered already.

I went to Melusi's office.
Melusi: Sir.
Me: Melusi, there's been a development, are you safe?
Melusi: Swept just this morning and I haven't left the office sir.
Me: I've called in the services from The Obsidian Directive.

He dropped his pen with a shock yet satisfied grin.
Melusi: I know your ass didn't come up with that idea by yourself.

We laughed.
Me: Oh wow Melusi, that's an insult.
Melusi(laughs): I refuse to believe it, I was just thinking about it this morning, I wanted to call them but I don't have authority.
Me(laughs); Unamanga man Melusi, you've been replaced.
Melusi(laughs): I'm plucking their teeth out and giving them a clean sweep in their stomach, who is he?
Me: Bold of you to assume it's a he.

He looked at me and I nodded.
Melusi: I'll be damned!
Me: Woke up to her working, she started by explaining it as a medical diagnosis, it was mind blowing and I'd be lying if I told you how we reached the Obsidian Directive.
Melusi: I'm impressed.
Me: So am I, anyway they'll be here anytime, they've got an update.
Melusi: I need to be part of that extraction team, I cannot miss the action, I haven't shot anyone in years!!
Me: Melusi, be mindful of who's in your presence.
Melusi(laughs): My apologies sir.

My phone beeped, they were here.
Me: Our guests have arrived.
Melusi: After you, sir.

We walked out, we met them at the U.R already, all 5 special Operatives, you could tell they weren't messing around, the U.R was even heavily guarded.

Me: Gentlemen.
Man 1: Mr President, I almost retired without serving you, I've been sitting by the phone waiting for your call ever since that speech by that opportunist president.
Me: I apologise gentlemen, but better late than never.
Man 2: For privacy reasons, names can't be exchanged, we have codes, Agent 01, 02, 03, 04 and 05.

I nodded.
Me: This is my right hand man, what do you have for me?
Agent 02: First things first, your right hand man and the Mrs's representative were right, she needs a tracker ASAP, she will be the next target to apply pressure.
Me: Melusi, get on it.

He nodded and walked out.
Agent 03: There's chatter about the president of Zim proposing to come here for a sit down.
Me: Why is he coming to the same country he claims murdered his people? He should be luring me out to his turf.
Agent 05: That's because they've planned something, an assassination attempt.

Excuse me?
Me: Wait so, He's coming here and then he will stage his own assassination attempt?
Agent 02: Mr President when you want to bring down a powerful government, you assassinate its character first, to the media it'll look like you had planned this, to silence him.
Me: Please tell me you can counter that plan?
Agent 01: Of course sir, we hear that during that chaos, that's when the doctor will be intercepted.
Me: Fuck!
Agent 04: Don't worry Mr President, we won't let that happen, although if they took Aphiwe when she has a tracker on her, she'd lead us straight to the culprits.

Ey! Never that!
Me: We are not using her as bait.
Agent 03: Understood sir.
Me: Perhaps find a way to intercept the president, he might lead us to the power players.

They nodded.
Me: Make sure there's no assassination attempt on him, he must leave this country unharmed, have you checked the videos of the hostages?
Agent 05: Yes we did, we are still trying to decode their location, the signal has been bouncing off many locations.
Me: They are professionals, and in my camp? Any snakes?
Agent 02: We've laid out traps, the snake might bite soon.
Me: Look into Precious as well, as well as Nkosikhona.
Agent 01: They are clear sir.
Me: Oh wow, that's… weird okay, I'll see you soon gentlemen.

They nodded and we shook hands and they left and I took a deep breath, mom walked in.
Me: You shouldn't be here Mrs Zungu Snr.
Mom: Snr? There's a Jr already?
Me: Yes.
Mom: I feel like you're deliberately keeping this girl away from me.
Me: Would it shock you, I know you're Team Precious.
Mom: You insult me, Nkosinathi.
Me: Mother, not now, I have a crisis to handle, bye!

I walked out of the office, Bonnie ran after me.
Me: Bonnie, no running in the house with heels!
Bonnie: Force of habit sir, you're tall so your strides are very stretched out, I'm trying to keep up.
Me(smiles): What do you want?
Bonnie: I've received an email from the administration team from Zim, the president would like to request a sit down, a way to sort out this mess, he'd like you to confirm, he has no issues with flying here.
Me(smiles): Oh is it? That's generous of him, I bet he posted this all over his social media pages, he's obsessed with himself phela you'd swear he's handsome.

We laughed.
Me: Tell him, I'll be expecting him.
Bonnie: Yes sir.

I made a call to Aphiwe.
Aphiwe: Hey babe.
Me: Hey Miss smarty pants, how did it go?
Aphiwe: Great actually, I'm starting in 3 days and uhm… why is your right hand here?
Me: That's what I called you about, you need a tracker in you.
Aphiwe: I'm disappointed I didn't have one already.

I laughed.
Me: I'm old Aphiwe man, give me some slack.
Aphiwe(laughs): Bengiyaphi moyongcwele!
Me: You're not too old for an attitude adjustment Miss Smarty pants.
Aphiwe: Oh lala!
Me: I'm serious, my palms haven't spanked anyone in years, they are literally itching.
Aphiwe: And my ass is screaming, 'spank me daddy'

Yeses, lengane! I adjusted my pants a little.
Aphiiwe: I'm so happy your attitude has improved.
Me: Things are going according to plan, the Ghosts were here and their Intel proved to be accurate.
Aphiwe: Oh wow, that was fast.
Me: Babe these people are experts, they have files and spies everywhere.
Aphiwe: They better be good at their job as well, we don't need a war right now, imagine fighting with Zim?
Me: We would win.
Aphiwe: Not a good look on you my baby, let's keep your record clean, we are close to the finish line.

I nodded with a smile.
Me: Sinenkinga ke kodwa manje Nkosazane(we have a problem now princess)
Aphiwe(giggles): God gave you hands.
Me: And I remember him giving me a fine shyt as well, imagine me with my hands? I have grey hair, respect me please.
Aphiwe(laughs): Oh my word!
Me(smiles): I love you, get back here.