THE 12 CONTINUED,,,,,(LAST PART OF CHAPTER ONE)

Ayanda and Sifo were not happy about the situation but they couldn’t oppose. The one person who had questions and dared to ask was their pilot.

“Does your manager know of this sudden decision of yours?” he asked them in their sitting room at the lodge.

“He doesn’t have to know, he will see us there anyways.” Shelly replied.

“Besides they didn’t like the fact that we were coming to Africa,” Shania added. “They will seriously be glad we came back.”

“And your coming with those six boys you found at the sea,”

The spice looked at each other, it was a unanimous agreement.

“Yes,” Shelly spoke for them. “We have work to do with them,”

“Ok, when do you plan on leaving?”

“This night,” Lindsay said.

“Alright, I will go get the jet ready.” The pilot stood up.

“Please can you ask the boys in?”

In all what the spice were putting together the boys had no idea of their plans, they were kept out while waiting for their fate to be decided by the spice but all through they had a huge prayer in their heart God had to answer. The pilot called them in, they were like accused people coming to stand before a judge for their final sentence.

“Please sit,” Zodiac told them and they sat.

“Shelly,” the girls always gave her the lead in every major decision they had to make. They gave her that respect as the eldest and she was good at it.

“We are going back to New York,” she said. The boys were looking at her. Their names were not mentioned.

“We need to go back and work, and plan. The task we have to bring an awareness of worth to all this children we saw on the streets and the other thousands around the world especially Africa is a big task. That will not happen in a day or two, we need to plan and you boys are coming with us.”

Their eyes lightened up in excitement, they were speechless at that point.

“We are going to start a new journey,” Shania added. “We are no longer called spice, we are now the twelve and we will work so very hard to make this dream come through,”

The boys had tears in their eyes now; they lowered their heads and said a thank you prayer to God.

“Welcome to the journey boys,” Cindy said as they looked at her. “Welcome to the journey twelve,”

They all smiled with tears in their eyes. The girls were happy because they finally found a reason to live and the reason for all their fame and wealth. They all stood and held their hands together in a circle.

“Can we please pray and ask God for his mercy?” Lindsay said. “Let’s ask God to forgive us for being so selfish and negligent, let’s ask God to forgive us for abusing the gift and talents and the resources he has given to us.”

And so they prayed, they included asking God for guidance and a strategic work plan on how to share the vision and bring others to understand it. On that same day a new journey was set before the twelve, a new fire was kindled in the girls and greater courage was bestowed on the boys. A force was built that nothing was going to break it or stop it. A new group of people were born into the world, the twelve was made.

                  Before Botswana heard that the spice was in their country, they were back in their house. Their return was a secret that they planned on revealing themselves. They had hired a private car from the port to bring them home. The boys were excited to see the home of the spice; they could give their lives for the fact that dreams can become a reality.  They had travelled all the way to New York with no luggage and in a private jet with the girls who had also left all their clothes in Botswana for it to be given out to the street girls they saw. Ayanda and Sifo took care of that.

“Welcome home,” Shania said looking at them.

“Thank you,” Ben replied. They were still admiring the place. “Your house is so big,”

“Yes,” Cindy replied. “It’s a good thing we accepted to move. Now I see why,”

“Ok,” Lindsay said. “Let’s get you familiar with everything here,”

“I will show you to your rooms,” Shelly said.

“No, no, no, no,” Cindy walked and took Shelly’s hands. “Elder sister, you are going to the studio right now to tell Mr. Jakes and the others that we are back while we get them familiar with everything.”

Shelly thought for a while. She didn’t want to.

“No, I’m too tired to face those guys with all their scolding and questions; I don’t have the energy for that.”

“Oh Shelly,” Shania held her.

“Let’s just rest ok,” she said. “I will do that later in the evening.”

They understood.

“Let’s go upstairs,” Maul said. “You will see your rooms.”

“Rooms,” Zed asked.

“Yeah, we all have private rooms in this house. You can have your privacy all to yourself.”

“Wow ok, let’s see how that works.” Ken said.

“I guess we all have to rest very well then we will come down and have food, agreed twelve?”

They all smiled. They were still getting use to that name twelve.

“Yeah Maul, we get you,” Lindsay said.

                The next morning, the twelve was up and having breakfast. The boys were a lot more use to the girls now but the environment was still all new to them.

“Shelly you didn’t go to see Mr. Jakes yesterday like you said,” Shania said.

“Yeah, that’s why I’m all dressed up for the meeting this morning.”

“How will your manager take the news?” Ben asked.

“They will never let you girls bring in some shore boys to join your group.” Larry answered. “Worse you changed your name.”

“What about your contract?” Ken asked.

“Our contract doesn’t forbid us to make our group bigger or smaller,” Cindy replied. “We can add a whole choir if we want.”

“Really,” Michael was inquisitive. “Why did your manager make it that open?”

“That is because they will never dream we will want to add or subtract anyone from the group,” Shelly replied.

“Oh they trust you girls,” Zed said.

“Not trust Zed,” Maul told him. “It’s something more like greed and selfishness; we were actually greedy and selfish. When the only man who was a true father to us died after our parents, Our environment taught us to grab as much as we can, let an inch out and you have nothing to lose.”

“Till we met you guys and had that encounter on the street, we were so closed up. Our world is ours and we do not let anyone invade it, we don’t have any friends as it is right now because we always thought we are so special and anyone who is not at our level or above us mean little or nothing to us,” Zodiac said and the more they spoke the truth about themselves they felt the habits gradually dying. The dinning was quiet till Ken decided to speak.

“This man who died, was he family?” he asked.

“No,” Shelly replied. “He had nothing to do with our families. He is the one who brought us together. We were actually going to different schools and he fetched us out,”

“We use to sing in our different schools on several occasions and we didn’t know we had someone watching and studying us. Then one day he walked up to me and told me, I was great and they were other great people I had to meet.” Lindsay went on. “I was the last person to join the group though Maul is the youngest,”

They all smiled at that.

“If it’s not too painful can I ask how did your parents die?”

“Mystery one Michael, mystery one,” Zodiac replied him. “Some thirteen years back, they all boarded same plane going for a teachers meeting out of our state,”

“They were teachers?” Ken asked.

“Fairly paid teachers yes,” she replied. “Taught in our different schools, we actually sang at their funeral you know,”

“Wow,” the boys exclaimed.

“Yeah, I was just four then.” Maul said. “We partially met each other that day that’s why it was easy to find our bond,”

“Interesting,” Larry said. “We never got to read that part of your biography,”

“He kept it off for a reason,” Cindy said. “Mr. Lennon brought us together, trained us to be the people we are today. In terms of vocalizing and stage presence, he got us tutors for that, he equally became our lawyer and he protected our interest till he died.”

“You didn’t find a new one,” Ben assumed.

“No we didn’t,” Shelly said. “Your turn, how did your parents die?”

“Actually, we all don’t know how our parents died; we didn’t get to meet them.” Michael said. “Like we told you in Botswana our pursuit for a better life brought us together,”

“And you guys turned out great,” Lindsay said and the other girls agreed.

“That’s because not man but God raised us, he trained us and we have always been hanging on him. Humans failed us, they trampled on us but God was always there comforting us and guiding us, he loved us unconditionally and kept us believing that our dreams will come through as long as we don’t give up. This is it; he just proved to us again that he never fails.”

After Michael had spoken the girls had a deep desire to know this God even more, they knew God, they were moralist but they had never related to him like the boys showed they did. They had a clean passion towards life and a great ambition to fulfill their purpose of existence and that was the spirit that was being gradually transferred to the girls and that’s why the twelve was different from spice. They had a new mentor and a new guide they were all working together to follow and the girls began learning his ways as they boys helped them draw even more close to God.

                   Shelly was at the studio. She met their manager and the marketers at the dining room sipping coffee and talking about Duncan’s concert. When she walked in they were very surprised to see her. They dropped their cups and stood up.

“Shelly?” Benedict called.

She folded her hands staring at them.

“Didn’t you go with the others?” jakes asked.

She was quiet still staring.

“Why are you back so sudden?”Leon asked.

“Did anything happen to you girls, did anything go wrong?” Harrison asked.

“I knew going to Africa was a bad idea,” Jakes concluded.

“Nothing went wrong Mr. Jakes,” she finally spoke. “You guys are asking too many questions at the same time.”

“Okay sorry,” Jakes pulled a chair. “Come and sit down.”

She accepted the offer and the men sat with her.

“So what happened”? Leon asked.

“We are back,” Shelly said.

“Your vacation was supposed to last a month,” Harrison said. “You haven’t even been there a week. This has never happened before, we all knew Africa was not a good place for vacation, it’s a good thing you realized that and came back.”

“We didn’t come back because of that. In fact Africa, Botswana to be precised

has been the best vacation we’ve ever been in.”

“What?” Jakes was almost shouting and the managers became more confused.

“We are still on vacation though and after this rest period we want to start our career with something very new.”

They listened to her.

“We found six boys in Africa whom we came back with and will love to work with.”

“As what?” jakes asked. “House boys?”

“Because if that’s what you want we are cool with it,” Leon said.

Shelly took a deep breath, she knew what she was about to say was going to blow the roof off that company and put them on edge.

“No Mr. Leon, these boys have talent probably more talent than we do. They sing and we’ve tested them, they are good, we blend perfectly together and so we decided to work as a team. We will no longer be called spice but the twelve.” She spoke in a very respectful and calm way wishing that the men will understand. But the reaction was just as she imagined, they got furious and tensed.

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Jakes shot out.

“Shelly, what is this?” Leon asked. “How can you girls make that kind of decision without consulting us first?”

“we are very much aware of the state of our contract with this company, we know we are not breaching contract or breaking any rule here so we didn’t think it wise or necessary to consult you first,”

“And you want to change your name?” Harrison Asked.

“Yes, if you think about it, it’s good business. By the time we organize our next concert and tell people that we are no longer spice but the twelve, they will all want to come and see what we really have in store for them as the twelve. I mean you guys should be thanking us. Its good business and you will earn a lot more than you ever did with spice.”

Luckily for her the men believed she was right but they didn’t show it.

“I don’t like this; I don’t like this one bit.” Jakes said. “This is total rubbish and I won’t accept it.”

“Where are the boys?” Benedict asked.

“They are home,”

“Home?” Jakes got furious again. “You brought some boys to stay in your house?”

“We are now a team Mr. Jakes, where did you expect them to live?”

“Where did you find them anyways?” Harrison asked.

That was a part Shelly was not ready to reveal.

“It won’t be a secret for too long so I suggest you ask the people whom you entrusted our welfare; they will give you better details.” She stood up. “I bet to take my leave, just came to let you know,”

And she left.

               At night after dinner, the twelve was sitting in their TV room watching Duncan’s concert.

“The guy sings well,” Ben said.

“He is great,” Ken added.

“It’s Duncan. Just a proud singer,” Lindsay replied.

“Duncan? But we’ve never heard of him,” Maxwell said.

“He is just beginning as a star. That’s his first concert,” Cindy said.

“I can see that,” Larry said. “But why do you call him proud Lindsay, has he done anything to prove that?”

“Even before he went on stage,” Lindsay said assuredly.

“Shelly, what happened at the studio?” Maul asked.

“Same old story,” she replied.

“They got agitated again huh?” Shania asked.

“Yeah, Mr. Jakes almost touched the ceiling, but they got the message, we need to get you guys ready. We will be going to the studio soon as the twelve.”

The boys were excited about it.

“I told them our come back concert will be as the twelve and so we need to practice, we have to work hard.”

“It will be difficult to get people use to the twelve.” Ken said.

“Yeah,” Maxwell agreed.

“Even the least child knows you as spice,” Zed said.

“Still they will get use to,” Shania assured them.

“That’s right,” Lindsay said. “Tomorrow we are going for shopping and after that we will introduce you to the whole team. I think it will be great if we do a surprise come back.”

“What’s that?” Michael asked.

“Like a surprise concert in a month’s time.” She replied. “Everybody knows we are not coming on stage until after three months but a surprise concert will shake the world.”

The girls nodded.

“Wow, that is a brilliant idea,” Cindy shouted. “Lindsay you are a genius.”

And they all celebrated the idea. They sang a song and their night was filled with bliss.

                It was sunrise in the city and time moved continuously as people went about their daily activities. Twelve noon, the directors of the spice had a meeting with Randy Rolex at his center. Jakes was always tensed when it came to the spice who was now the twelve.

“Things are getting out of hand,” he said. “it is absolutely clear that we treat those little girls with utmost respect but every investment we have made in the training and affirmation of this girls is all going to some unseen guest,”

“You know,” Randy gently said. “Giving kids the big picture is essential to them doing a good job. If they don’t know their duties as an only star in the company, why don’t you just discipline them for the possible time?”

Leon forward, “in reality those girls are totally inquisitive, strongly on their own opinions. No matter how you try to discipline them it comes bouncing back on you,”

“Then make it tremendous,” Randy said.

“Don’t even think about it, when it comes to discipline don’t think about spice,” Benedict said. “They know too much of their rights in that company all thanks to their stupid dead lawyer.”

Randy relaxed and took a deep breath.

“Now they brought some street boys to join them,” Jake shook his head in anger; the whole idea was really getting him angry.

“If we refuse those boys, we will lose the girls and if we lose them we will lose whatever we are making out of them, the impact, the publicity and the huge payment we are getting from the government.” Harrison said. “Let’s give them what they want, with that we can get all we want and possibly even more.”

“How many years of contract did you sign with them?” Randy asked.

“Fifteen,” Jakes recalled.

“Fifteen years,” Randy shook his head. “Did your contract say they can expand the group?”

“Yes,” Jakes stood, “but not shore boys, not street children. It is just so low, so, so low,” and he walked out.

                Rubel Trend, a man of thirty and a cooperative owner of help the starts company was a good friend to Johnny and Rooney. Rubel was back from his vacation with some of his staffs. Ro and Jo had heard he was back; they paid him a visit at his office. When Rubel saw his friends he was very much happy. He was a multi million dollar man having friends at his level. They always had a lot to talk about.

“We almost had a terrific relationship with our partners because of some little doubts they have about our super stars here,” Rubel said as he served them Champagne.

“What were their doubts?” Rooney asked.

“I went to a meeting with an open mind,” recalls Rubel. “Moscow the president of help the stars company who is based in Sao Paolo made a statement. He said the value the stars have added to their impact has not illustrated the meaning of the star they claim to be.”

“Thanks for the drink,”

They made a toast.

Rubel sat down.

“He made mention of the spice,”

“Yeah spice, they really pulled a crowd behind them, best of all we are happy they work with us,” Rooney said.

“How are they?”

“They are wonderful, our only stars.”

“That’s great. I’ve been hearing spice, spice, spice and I’ve never met them in person. It’s so shameful of me.”

“You can’t be serious,” Johnny told him.

“I am serious, I know I meet stars of all levels every now and then but these girls are one of a kind I’m yet to meet.”

“Oh that’s hard to believe.”
“Believe me and I was so surprised when Moscow of all people said he could give his all just to see them succeed.”

“You can meet them if you want to, we can arrange a meeting.” Rooney said.

“I will love to you know, I will buy my ticket if that’s what it takes,”

Ro and Jo laughed.

“Can’t miss this chance,”

In conclusion they were going to arrange a meeting between spice and Rubel but they didn’t know they will be meeting him as the twelve.

                   The twelve was in the studio sitting on a round table with their four directors standing beside them in different directions.

“These are the boys Shelly told you about,” Shania said.

The boys looked like stars already because of the perfect makeover they just had from shopping to spa and to the saloon.

“From the eldest we have Michael, Larry, Maxwell, Ben, Ken and Zed.” She made the introduction.

The men studied the boys, handsome, cool and were perfect star figures. That was a little consolation for them. They looked at each other then Benedict said.

“We are going to…have to… hear you boys sing. Not that we are not taking their word for it but we have to be sure you boys are up to the tax.”

With confidence the boys adjusted themselves and sang the song amazing grace. They cut the song in short segments so each person had a lead and then they all joined in harmony at the short end. It was amazing; Jakes noticed the girls smiling at the boys for congratulations and the boys smiling back in response. The directors knew without a doubt that the group twelve was going to be a bomb shell in the musical industry and their bank account had just received another steady flow of income. They loved what they heard and they were nodding to each other.

“Since you boys are from the streets, your biography will be highly recommended but for now that’s not the issue. You still need to a lot of work in perfecting your vocals and articulations and diction. You have coaches who will help you on that and for the rest of your vacation period you will be working on that.” Leon lectured.

“Sorry Mr. Leon, we didn’t tell you guys that we want to do a surprise come back concert as the twelve.” Maul said.

“That’s in a month’s time,” Lindsay added.

“What!” Jakes exclaimed. “That’s not how the game is being played,”

“Yeah and that’s why it’s a surprise concert,” Cindy said. “The world will go crazy if we do this I tell you,”

The men thought about it and again the girls were right.

“But you can’t be ready for a surprise concert in a month’s time,” Benedict said.

“Yes because the magnitude of work needed to put out a good show in the way we always do it usually takes more than three months.”

“We are not going to be doing much, it’s going to be a concert of may be two hours or less,” Shelly said. “Just to introduce ourselves as the twelve,”

“Still it needs perfection, even if you are going to perform just for one minute it still needs to be perfect.” Jakes said.

“We know that Mr. Jakes and we always deliver don’t we?” Shania said.

“It’s not you girls I’m worried about,” he said.

“You don’t need to worry about us sir,” Michael said. “We know how great the concerts of the spice always turn out and we didn’t come to quench that energy. We will work hard, very hard to meet the standard.”

“Ok good,” he said. “Your work starts immediately; we all need to get to work. Benedict, call the organizing committee and tell them we have work to do for the upcoming concert of the twelve.”

Benedict nodded and went to work and so did the other directors.

“Wow, that was easy,” Cindy cleaned her forehead.

“Mr. Jakes,” Ken said. “Why does he seem angry?”

“Forget him,” Zodiac said. “Common guys let’s get to work. First we will show you around and then introduce you to everyone body here,”

The boys were excited; they still couldn’t believe that their dream of singing with the spice was actually becoming a reality. They followed the girls as they showed them around, they were introduced to all the workers and though they were surprised at the change they loved it and loved the boys. Ro and Jo were more excited with the change, the girls told them all they encountered in Botswana and how the name twelve came about. Though the six boys were only known at that studio they were already treated as stars.

              CHRIS SERGE was a highly respected staff in Rolex’s center. His office was second largest to Randy’s. He was a straight forward man and lived responsibly. Though not married he lived his life as though he was, faithful to himself. He walked in that busy morning to meet Jan his closest friend in the center. She was standing at the secretarial desk trying to give orders on how the work of the day should be done. When she saw him, she smiled. Chris whispered something into her ears and walked to his office. When she was done giving orders she walked into Chris’s office with a magazine in her hand.

“Ever early,” she said smiling. “You broke that record today, what happened.”

“Clean up happened,” he replied.

“Clean up?” Jan sat.

“My environment needed some cleaning,”
“you should have just paid someone to do it.”

“Needed the exercise too since I haven’t gone jogging in a while.” He wasn’t looking at her.

“Did you bring this?” she asked him waving it to his face. It had Duncan’s face on it.

“Nope, where did you see it?” he replied.

“Found it on my way here,”

“Have no idea, you know Duncan’s concert was a real success to him and this company.”
“You’re right. I just hope he keeps it up,” Jan looked at him and smiled. “So what’s up?”

“Don’t know but I guess you have a lot to tell me,”

“Yesterday I heard Mr. Rolex discussing with the directors of spice.”

“And,” he got interested, he leaned forward. “What were they talking about?”

“It sounded like the spice found some street boys where ever they went to for vacation and actually brought them back to join them,”

“The spice is back already?” he asked quickly.
“Yeah,” she looked at him as if to say ‘is that all you’re concerned about? What about the street boys they brought to join them?’

“And they brought street boys to join them? How  and where did they find them?”  He asked.

“That I can’t answer, they were so furious about the situation.”

“Well if their contract don’t oppose to the girls adding up the group then they’ve got nothing to do about it.”

“I think their contract doesn’t oppose it.”

“Oh,” Chris scratched his head and relaxed back on his chair. “If these boys can deliver like the spice then we are in for a big surprise you know what I mean,”

“The spice won’t joke with their career, they must have chosen the best and my best wishes goes to them,”

“You talk as if you are on their side,”

She shrugged her shoulders and stood. “I just think those kids deserve whatever they have today, they worked for it.”

Chris said nothing but he had this weird smile on his face.

“See you, work calls.” She left.

               The twelve was at their field at the ban where they kept their horses. They had come to provide them with their food. It was fun for them working together as a team especially for the girls. Strangely Shelly felt feeding horses was fun for her first time. The horses were doing alright and healthy.

“I could believe you girls have everything but never a day could I believe you keep horses,” Ben said smiling as they all pulled a horse to the fields.

“Right Ben,” Ken said. “I could never believe it myself,”

“It’s so strange,” Michael added. The boys were chuckling and the girls smiled.

“You guys are not serious,” Cindy said. “For your information keeping horses have always been our biggest hobby,”

“For real,” Maxwell looked at her from where he was.

“Yeah,” Maul replied. “And we can ride too.”

“Does that sound strange too?” zodiac asked.

“No, that’s not strange,” Larry replied. “Stars love riding horses for their recreational activities,”

“But the part that’s strange is keeping and owning them?” Lindsay asked and the boys nodded. The girls smiled and shook their heads.

“What’s so bad in rearing Horses by the way?” Shelly asked

“There’s nothing bad Shelly,” Zed said. “Just strange,”

And they laughed.

“Yeah go on…” Cindy shouted. “Have your fun now, I can bet a thousand bucks that you boys can’t ride,”

The boys were quiet.

“Quiet now?” maul asked. “We come here three times every week to check on the horses, replace their food and ride each and every one of them for test. We want to see if they are healthy or if any is weak so we can get it to the vet for checkup and treatment,”

“Hope you are in for the ride?” Lindsay asked. They stopped at the center of the field.

“You mean we have to ride these horses?” Larry asked.

“Yeah, there are fifty of them.” Zodiac replied and the boys nodded, they felt a little embarrassed.

“Honestly I have never ridden a horse all my life,” Zed said.

“You boys are smart,” Shania said. “You will learn it, maybe by the time we get to the fiftieth horse you will be an expert.” They all laughed at that.

“Alright guys, mount your horses.” Shania ordered.

The girls climbed easily but the boys struggled a little and the girls were laughing at every bit of their struggle to sit steady on their horses.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Can you at least tutor us on how to ride this thing?” Ben asked.

“There’s no easy way to learn it but by experience,” Shania replied.

“Don’t worry we will take it slow,” Shelly told them. “Just love it while you ride it.”

The ride was slow for the girls but they enjoyed watching the boys struggle to master the art of riding the horse. The first two times was not very fun and easy for the boys but the girls were having fun all through. It pleased the guys to see the girls smile and laugh happily because of them. Sometimes when they looked at the girls they still couldn’t believe they were a part of their lives and world. When they got to the third round of horses, the guys were a lot steady now, their riding speed increased and they were all having fun. At the last round of horses the boys were one with the girls in riding, they made a race on who to emerge first two by two but the girls will always win because they were a lot more experienced than the boys even though they had come to learn it. The horses were all tested and they were healthy, they only needed their vaccine which was arranged for them to have during their next visit. The horses were glad to have the twelve visit them; they expressed it with all whaling and jumping. The twelve put the horses back into their bans with food enough to sustain them till their next visit.

                   Few hours after the twelve left their field, they prepared themselves for their work session at the studio. They were now riding in a twelve sit car; they had one of the best cars in the city with guards and escorts always leading them where ever they went to. Rooney and Johnny met them in their practice room but they were not complete, they were ten of them and they looked vexed.

“Hi,” the boys managed to greet but the girls said nothing.

“Hi…” Johnny knew something was wrong. “What’s going on?”

“Yeah, what’s going on?” Rooney asked. “You guys look alarmed, where is Shania and the other guy?”

“They went to Duncan,” Lindsay replied.

“Why?” Rooney asked and waited for the reply.

“We got home from the field this morning and we found something placed in front of our door,” Shelly explained.

“What was it?” Johnny asked.

“It was a box of Duncan’s pictures on stage and pictures of the crowd that attended,” Maxwell answered smoothly.

“What?” Rooney exclaimed.

“What kind of childish joke is that?” Johnny asked.

“Stupid joke,” Cindy said.

“And Shania went to attack him with………”

“Larry,” Maul told him.

“Two people just to attack Duncan,” Johnny said gravely.

                  Shania and Larry were at Rolex center, when the workers saw them they stood up in respect and welcomed them. She smiled faintly with a response; she was holding all what she believed Duncan had dropped in front of their house. She requested to see Duncan and without any delay they lead them into Duncan’s office. She walked in first then Larry followed closing the door gently behind him.

Duncan noticed them; he dropped what he was doing and stoop up.

“Spice, Shania…… wow what a great surprise… what are you doing here?”

“Here,” Shania dropped the box on his desk. “I believe this is yours,”

Duncan looked at it.

“Its familiar right?” she asked looking at him.

“I meant no disrespect placing that at your door. It was unfortunate I came and you girls were not home.”

“You didn’t need to bring us your concert pictures, we watched you on TV.”

“Oh you did?” he felt content. “Thought you missed it since you were on vacation,”

“Even if we did, there’s social media. We could watch the video on YouTube any day any time.”

“Heard you brought some street boys to join you, is he one of them?”

Shania didn’t answer him.

“Wise strategy,”

“I beg your pardon,” Shania stared at him consternation.

“No one is going to fall for these new charades of yours spice, what can street boys possibly do? Do your dance or carry your stuffs around?”

“Yeah go ahead,” Larry stepped in and Shania was surprised. “Go ahead and under look us, underestimate our capabilities. We are used to people always doing that by the way but you know what, we have a revenge system for you,”

“Are you threatening me?” Duncan folded his hand.

“How can I? You are a star no doubt. And just to let you know if we are giving the opportunity just to carry their bags around we will gladly do it because it is an honor to serve people with substance.”

“Larry, let’s just leave him. Stop bordering us Duncan and leave us alone.”

They walked out leaving Duncan paralyzed.

              While at the studio the twelve was ready to work but they were still waiting for the two to complete them. Maul and Zed were sitting beside the mixer in the recording room. They had brought the boys there to get them familiar with the recording studio. It was as big as their sitting room and could accommodate a lot of people.

“What kind of people will you attend to when the concert is over?” she asked as she closed the fourteen inch pizza box and poured some more lemonade. Zed sipped a little from the cup and watched Lester their sound engineer mapping out some things on the computer.

“Are you there?” she asked pointing at Lester.

“No,” he looked at her.

“Who will you attend to?”

“I don’t plan to attend to anybody,”

“I think you should make a plan,”

“I shouldn’t make a plan,”

“Why not?”

He lost concentration on what Lester was doing and now focused on Maul. He spoke slowly.

“First of all I don’t know for sure what to say to them. From what I saw from your experience it shows that I’ll have to answer to billions of questions saying things any star will say,”

“You have to prepare yourself for things like that. When we were spice, though people loved us as spice they all have their favorite amongst us just like you. I am your favorite am I not?”

Zed felt shy, he smiled.

“I’m not sure I will be anyone’s favorite just yet and I’m not ready for questions.”

“But even if you are not ready for questions and you know they would ask, you have to answer them don’t you?”

“Yes, if I’m certain of their questions but I’m not.”

Maul was not satisfied with Zed’s answer. “I think you should plan for it.”

Zed did not respond. It wouldn’t matter. He drank the last lemonade in his cup and stared at her.

“You want your fans to go unsatisfied don’t you?”

“Unsatisfied with what?”
“Without your answers,”

Her persistence was funny, Zed smiled. “No I don’t,” he was not convincing. “But if I don’t have the answers they won’t blame me.”

“Don’t start that again,”

“I’m serious and you know it. They won’t blame me,”

“Zed you can’t disappoint your fans like that,”

“Okay, whatever. I’m not going to argue. We’ve been through it just now and I don’t think going back to it will be best.”

Maul looked at Cindy and Maxwell talking inside the recording box through the glassy mirror.

“But will you prepare?”

“I hope so,”

“Would you prepare harder?” she insisted.
“Will I?”
“I don’t know,”
“well think of yourself. Just look at your beginning when you innocently climbed the stage. You are a star for your first time. Now think of me, born in the streets, being here for just a week and in a month’s time might become a star. Would I prepare for my performance or……”

“Stop that Zed,”

He smiled. “Answer the question, you are going to be a star for the first time would you prepare for your performance or prepare to answer billions of questions.”

She placed her glass on her lap and suddenly became interested on the design of her shirt. Zed smelled victory.

“Common. You are on your first concert. Performance on stage or answering questions?”

“I’m always on a concert around here; either that or I’m being a dancer in a concert.”

“Performance or answering questions?”

She glared at him. “It will be difficult to answer questions,”

Zedy grinned and rested his case. Then outside Cindy and Maxwell saw Larry and Shania come in. they both met them out of the box.

“You kept us waiting.” Cindy said.

“Yeah,” Shania was smiling. “Very sorry for that,”

Cindy and Maxwell were very surprised at their behavior. They all came together.

“You look happy,” Maxwell said

“Yes I am,” Shania nodded. “Because he did it for us,” He tapped Larry on the back.

“I trust you Larry,” Michael said.

“He was trying to insult our origin, calling us street boys and doubting our abilities.”

“Hmmm,” Ben said. “That Duncan can be serious trouble,”

“He is nothing we can’t handle,” Larry assured them.

“You almost left our hearts racing,” Zodiac said.

“I’m sorry,” he bowed. “I just had to let him know some real truth,”

“Watch me,” Shania stepped behind. “Go ahead and under look us, underestimate our capabilities we are used to people doing that anyways, but we have a revenge strategy for you,”

“Hmm” the girls folded their arms and stared at Larry after Shania had finished demonstrating his act at Duncan’s office.

“So what’s your revenge strategy Larry?” Shelly asked.

“Massive success,” he was direct. “We will work so hard and produce a massive, massive success that will shut the mouths of people like Duncan.”

The girls were impressed and they all celebrated that. Rooney and Johnny walked into them looking really serious.

“Shania,” Rooney called.

She went and hugged them. “I missed you guys, it’s been long since I saw you,”

“Yeah,” everything they had to say to her about going to Duncan was rolled off with that hug and with what Shania said.

“That’s Larry,” Shania introduced.

“And this is the twelve,” Zodiac said. They all smiled.

“Finally we meet the twelve,” Johnny said and they both shook the hands of the boys.

“You know what?” Johnny said. “I love this team,”

“More than spice?” Maul asked and they laughed

“Just kidding,” she said. “I myself love it more than spice,”

“It’s the greatest that has ever existed,” Rooney added. “Keep it strong and united no matter what. We are strongly behind you.”

The twelve said thank you to their designers. The boys felt the same for Ro and Jo as the girls. Their bond was getting complete and stronger with each passing day.

“Your vocal coach is here,” Ro told them. “Waiting for you at the practice room,” The boys were excited to start training for their concert.

“Lester,” Cindy called and Lester rushed to where they were standing.

“I will like you to work out a piece for us,”

“No issue,” Lester replied.

“It’s a composition from the boys. Here,”

She handed a small iPod to him. “You will find it there; Maxwell gave it to me,”

The guys were astonished.

“Okay, I hope to be done before you get back from training,” Lester eased off to start the work.

“I only gave you to listen,” Maxwell said.

“And I did, its lovely girls, wait until you hear how Lester structures it.”

“What?” Zed looked at Maxwell. “Is it washed off in the sea?”

“Yeah that song we had our voices taped and stored in the memory card we had.”

The boys were so excited they could hardly breathe.

“Let’s go practice boys,” Shania said. “We are anxious to come back and listen to it, and listen to you guys do the song.”

“You will love it I assure you,” Cindy said and they followed Ro and Jo.

The training session lasted for four hours and the teacher was pleased with the way the boys easily learned the exercises and did them. Her work was easy and all she did was instruct them and make sure they were using the right technique to do the exercises. She had automatically fallen in love with the twelve and without any doubt believed that they were a great team and their impact will exceed much more than what the spice had done.

“That was a good one today,” she said after their last exercise.

“Thanks a lot coach,” Michael said. They all were happy.

“It is my job,” she replied. “I must say, you boys are great and you deserve to be with the spice.”

“Err coach; we are now called the twelve.” Maul told her.

“Oh the twelve,” she amazed. “That’s wonderful; the name suits you all just fine. I am pleased to meet you twelve,”

The smiled again.

“See you tomorrow,” she left.

“I think Lester will be done,” Cindy said. “Let’s go listen to our next big hit.”

They all left for the studio. Lester had laid down the track and was enjoying the melody of the music.

“Lester that sounds beautiful,” Shania said. They were all moving their heads to the beat.

“Your song,” Lester shouted. He lowered the volume but they could still hear it loud. The boys hearing it felt like crying but the joy in their hearts didn’t let the tears flow.

“It’s lovely,” Lindsay said.

“I told you girls will love it.”

“It sounds great………” Larry said,

“It’s wonderful,” Michael said.

“I am glad you all like it,” Said Lester.

“Will you give us the privilege to feature in your song?” Zodiac asked the guys.

“Common, don’t flatter us,” Maxwell said. “You girls know we will not do this song without you girls right, we are the twelve and this is our song.”

“What’s the title again?” Shelly asked.
“Washed off in the river,” Ben replied.

“Sounds inspiring,” Shelly said.

“Well we will sing the song for you all to listen and learn. If there’s anything that needs to be edited go ahead and do it, you can as well add up whatever is missing,” Larry told them. They started the work immediately. The girls learned the song, did the editing and they all restructured the song in a way that the twelve could sing. Lester was a professional engineer and hard working too, his hand work on programming beats had contributed in selling the spice worldwide. The recording started with ken, Ben and Maxwell singing the first lead of the song followed by Cindy, Lindsay and Shania. Then the chorus came in with Shelly, Michael and maul doing it. The next part was done by zodiac, Larry and Zed, then the bridge and the final stanza of the song which was done by the twelve as a whole. When they were done with the recording they sat down to listen to what they had done, it was beautiful and very inspiring. Lester confessed to them that their singing was more powerful as the twelve than when they were just spice. Judging from the work they did, the strength of their voices as it blended and the how much it spoke to their hearts and souls, the girls agreed with Lester. In the life journey of these six boys they felt completely different, they could see the hope of their dreams and they praised God because even though they had waited for so long, their waiting was finally paying off. Johnny and Rooney enjoyed the music and danced to the rhythm, their moves were very funny and so everyone who saw them laughed. The workers who heard the song equally loved and enjoyed it. Mr. Jakes then came to the recording studio. He heard the song and it sounded great in his ears but as usual he didn’t show it. His only disregard for the boys was the fact that they were street boys, he feared their intention and wasn’t sure if the public will accept them.

“Cindy,” he called after listening then they realized he had been standing there. “Can I see you outside?”

She felt a little nervous but the smiles from her colleagues gave her some courage. She followed Jakes outside and they stood by the door.

“How come you girls decided to have a concert so soon?” he asked folding his arms.

“We just thought it necessary and it’s good for business too.”

He stared at her. “So you want to resume work?”

“Yeah, as you can see we resumed already”.

“Your fans will be really surprised and we can’t even predict their reaction when they find out you brought some street boys to join you and changed your name too.”

“We believe in God Mr. Jakes, he will see us through and with what he has placed inside of us he will make our fans to equally love the new us.”

“But this concert is too soon, do you realize that?”

“When we just started,” she recalled. “It didn’t take you up to a month to organize a concert for us because you knew it was needed for our exposure and fame.”

“But we already have fame, what else are we looking for?”

“We want the boys to be exposed too and you can see for yourself that they are capable of the impact. You hear that song we just recorded, they wrote it themselves. Beautiful,”

He ignored what she said. “It’s not possible to get the things you want all the time. I hope you know that.”

“It’s not a one man stroll here, we are following a whole contract remember,”

“And that same contract didn’t say you will change your name, it doesn’t require you to.”

“But no name was written on it. A name was given to us and we can change it if we want, still our decision.” She paused. “If there’s nothing more I will love to go back inside and join the others.”

“Put down all the things you will need for the concert, the concept and the programming. There’s still much to clear up though,” he left. Cindy shrugged her shoulders and went back inside.

The next day at Rolex center, Duncan walked into Randy’s office that morning sipping coffee after a long boring night as he considered it. Randy stared at the fabulous but zealous musician walking earnestly to him.

“Good morning Mr. Rolex.” He greeted.

“A good morning to you too Duncan,” he stood up. “How have you been enjoying your stardom around here?”

“And around the world,” he added. “I want a concert in a month’s time,”

Randy looked at him. “And where did you get that idea from?”

“We have been talking about reaching beyond the impact of the spice,” Duncan explained. “And we will not reach that unless we organize incredible concerts while they are on rest,”

“Organizing a concert for you in a month is not what we need to grow beyond the impact of the spice and the street boys they’ve brought to join them. It is how you relate to them and find out their secret of being successful,”

Duncan raised his head above his neck and nodded. Then he folded his hands and there was a brief silence.

“I’m doing it my own way, breaking the spice to second position is what I’m up to right now and I plan on succeeding in it.”

“Duncan I’m also in the game of breaking them to second position but it has to be a friendly competition.”

“Because you are friends with Mr. Jakes right, well I’m not friends with the spice because they despised me; they chose street boys over me. I mean we started this career together didn’t we?”

“I learnt everything I know about the spice and the street boys from their own directors; it pays to be friends with them.” Randy said. “The whole thing was designed and decided by the spice so no one can stop them or shot the boys out. I need to be so close to the directors so I get proper information on all what’s happening with the spice.”

“That’s your definition of a friendly competition huh?”

“Yeah,”
“Between I and the spice there’s no friendship right up to the street boys. You can remain friends with their directors, that’s your strategy. I came to inform you about the concert so you can organize the team to work on it.”

Randy looked at him and thought about what he said.

“Okay then, I will prepare a concert for you. Lay down the songs you will be singing and start work with the band while I work my magic,”

Duncan smiled victoriously glanced at his watch and left.

                   For the first time Mr. Rubel trend had to meet the spice who was now called twelve? It was a well planned. Johnny and Rooney had planned for, inviting the two parties in a luxurious sitting room in a big hotel. The twelve sat down and waited for him and in less than five minutes Rubel walked in with Johnny and Rooney. When the twelve saw them they all stood smiling, Rubel was surprised but didn’t show it.

“Hi,” he said shaking their hands. The twelve responded as they shook his hand.

“Twelve,” Jo said when the greeting was over. “This is Mr. Rubel trenz the branch manager of help the stars here in Bahamas.”

The twelve nodded.

“Good to see you sir,” Shelly said.

“The pleasure is all mine,” he replied.

“Why don’t we sit down,” Ro said. “Since we have to talk,”

“Yeah sure,” Rubel said as they all sat.

“I’ve heard a lot to fill a million pages about the spice but not much about the twelve,” he remarked. “I only know how you twelve came to be. It is a very interesting something for you kids to blend yourself like this and you have my support a hundred percent.”

“Thank you very much Mr. Rubel,” Maxwell replied carefully. “In a phase like this we really need people like you to understand and back us up. We can’t do it all on our own you know,”

“You are right,” Rubel replied. “And we are here to back you guys up, I will be a full participant in your upcoming concert though we have a meeting with Moscow,”

“Moscow,” Maul repeated, the name sounded familiar to the girls.

“Yeah Moscow,”

“We’ve heard of that name before,” Shelly recalled.

“Of course, Moscow is the president of…”

“Help the stars company,” Cindy interrupted while smiling. “Now I know where you are coming from,”

“It’s really God’s miracle that we came to know you,” Shania said. “We will really need your help,”

“We are at your service any time.” Rubel said.

         Suddenly, a fleet of reporters and men with cameras came rushing in to take pictures of them and equally hoping they will be granted interview from the twelve which was bit of a surprise to the superstars. The reporters had obviously spotted their official cars at the hotel and called their entire team. Rooney and Johnny had no control over the invasion. There were snap shots all over the room and the twelve were enjoying it, the boys finally were en-grafted into the life of stardom and it felt so good. Rooney and Johnny felt it was the perfect moment to expose them as the twelve, they organized their sitting position in a way that the boys were asked to stand behind the girls and Rubel at their side while the shots were going on. It was an exciting moment for them and the reporters that they reserved their questions for later.

                Another meeting was held at Rolex center. This involved the directors of spice studio, Mr. Rolex and his two assistant. They seemed like they had a lot to talk about but their emphasis was always about the spice and the street boys.

“So,” Randy started. “What are you doing about the spice and the people they brought to join them?”

“Spice,” Harrison shook his head. “They are now the twelve, not spice anymore.”

That didn’t surprise Randy but it did surprise Jan and Chris. Randy nodded after hearing that. “So it has gotten to that extent. Not surprising,”

“I think they had a reason to change it,” Chris said.

“Yeah they did have a good reason,” Jakes said. “It’s a perfect number. But I know the only reason they decided to change it is because they want those street boys to be accepted in our society as useful beings,”

“What about their level of singing?” Jan asked. “How is it? Does it match up to the girls?”

Benedict stared at her, and then he said. “We don’t give a damn about how they sing; we are concerned about our girls. Don’t you see we are losing their attention? It is either they are this point introducing the boys to their fans or this way sharing dreams.”

“Your role is to give them what they want and in return they make your millions,”

Leon shook his head, “you don’t get it. We need their full attention. We have been with these girls for five years now and we have never had to struggle to get them to listen to us. It is only now that they got those street boys hanging around them. They don’t even want to hear us speak.”

“I am sure they are waiting for you to say the right words for them to obey,” Jan said.

“Sure,” Jakes nodded. “To tell them we are organizing a concert show for the twelve, of course they asked for that and we are ok to give it them,”

“You mean they asked for a concert?” Randy asked.

“Yeah, they want to go on stage with the boys as the twelve,”

“And when is that?” Randy was shaking.

“Very soon, in a month’s time,” Jakes replied.

Randy shook his head. “Then something is not right here. Duncan just asked for a concert in a month’s time.”

“And,” Chris looked at randy. “What did you tell him?”

The expression on Randy’s face spelled out to them that he accepted Duncan’s request. They all had ways to react to that. There was a brief moment of silence. Then Leon said. “I’ll advice you withdraw that concert and put it before or after the twelve’s concert.”

“I don’t know how I’m going to do that because Duncan has made it news already.”

“Then it’s going to be bad, real bad. It’s going to be a terrible competition,” Jake said. Jan and Chris stared at Randy, they understood it was all his plans. He was also staring at them trying to make them believe it was never his plan but Duncan’s and he was just backing him up.

                Two weeks to the twelve’s concert, they still had time to plan in their house, figuring out the kind of people that will attend their concert. They started by reading the emails sent to them by their fans. Cindy was holding a magazine and Lindsay was to read the mails from the laptop. She got the inbox. “Alright!” she said. “I want each and every one of you to close your eyes and give me your ears,”

“Okay,” they closed their eyes.

“We have just received five hundred hot mails across the country,” Lindsay looked at them and smiled as they gasped leaving their mouth and eyes opened then they realized their eyes were opened.

“Oh sorry,” they closed their eyes again.

“No you can leave them open.” She said.

They nodded.

She went on. “The first mail is coming from Sharon; she is from South Africa and just fifteen. She said, ‘hi twelve I believe in what you can do and how far you can exercise that name. Two is better than one. I’ll be at your concert. Love you all bye.”

“I have one question for that though the mail is lovely,” Ken said. “How did she know we are twelve?”

Cindy looked at him. “Where were you when those shots were taken?”

“But it was their personal something.”
“Sorry,” Maul said. “Those were people from the press ok; you see all those pictures they took are surely all over the world now.”

“But they know of spice,” Zed said.

“We told them of the twelve,” Maul concluded.

“OK, no more questions,” Lindsay said and continued. “The second mail comes from Josh. He is from London and he is eighteen. He said, ‘hi twelve, I saw you picture and I’m so glad. You girls made a wonderful choice and the whole of London believe in what your unity can do in this world.”

Lindsay took a deep breath and nodded.

Larry stood up. “I will prepare juice for us.”

“No, no, no, no, no,” Shania said. “Larry you can’t escape. Sit down and I will handle the juice.”

Larry laughed. “I’m not running,”

“It’s too early for you to do that,” Cindy said. “A star has no hiding place in this world.”

“OK, no juice we all must listen to it.” He sat down. Shania looked at the boys.

“Lindsay, go ahead,”

They were interrupted by a call from the house telephone.

“I’ll go get it,” maul said, went to the phone and answered it. “Hello,”

“Hello,” the voice on the other side sounded familiar. It was jakes.

“Mr. Jakes,”

“I want to see you all in thirty minutes at the studio.”  He dropped the call.

“I think we are in trouble,” maul said to her colleagues.

“Was he tensed?” Zed asked.

“Like always and he demanded to see us in thirty minutes at the studio,”

“I guess he must have seen the news papers,” Maxwell said.

“Cindy, call the drivers. Let’s get dressed.” Shania told them as she closed the laptop.

“I’ll do that upstairs.” Cindy replied as they all rushed up.

               Duncan had a paper delivery at his house, it was the daily news paper for all the latest news about the stars. When he saw the twelve on the front page magazine, he threw the paper away for envy and jealousy got the best of him. He became more determined to have that concert and he wasn’t going to plan it easy. In no time the papers were everywhere and news about the spice turned twelve had gone viral. People became excited; the social media had their own way of posting the news, ‘the truth about the twelve.’ ‘Street boys become star boys.’ ‘what do spice stand to achieve with street boys?’ those were questions being posted on social media and people had different ways to tell the story but the truth about the boys being fetched out from the streets of Botswana was made plain to everybody. That publicity alone got people inquisitive to dig up more truths about the twelve and how they came to be. Almost everybody was talking about it, in offices, coffee shops, markets, malls, different job sites and they all came to one conclusion, going to the concert to see for themselves how the formation of the group twelve came about.

                 The twelve presented themselves at the studio. They walked into the meeting room and found their directors panting and waiting for them. When they saw them, they stopped. Jakes couldn’t wait to express his anger, he picked up the magazine from the table and shot it at the as he said. “What is the meaning of this?”

The twelve felt bad.

“Easy Jakes,” Benedict told him. “Sit your selves down,” he ordered the twelve and slowly they walked to their sits.

“Do you girls realize what you are doing?” Benedict asked them. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Honestly,” Shelly said. “We don’t know why you all are so mad, what have we done?”

“You don’t know what you’ve done?” Jakes asked looking at them through a glassy eye filled with rage.

“That news paper,” Leon shot out. “How come everybody is talking about the twelve, how come they all know that you got some street boys to join you? Tell me… tell us.”

The twelve got nervous, they felt suppressed.

“I don’t think you kids have suddenly gone dump.” Harrison said. “Give us an answer, say something,”

“If you are thinking we organized those pictures to be on the news paper and social media then you’re wrong,” Lindsay answered. “We had nothing to do with that.”

“Are you trying to deny the fact that you didn’t arrange this? Even you meeting with Rubel trend?” Leon said. “You want to tell us that you were just having dinner at this fancy restaurant and you got invaded? Even Rubel invaded you?”

“Our meeting with Rubel was arranged by us yes,” Cindy said. “And yes we got invaded by all this reporters and fans.”

“And what did you do?” Jakes asked. “You granted them an interview; you told them the story of your lives as the twelve,”

“There’s nothing wrong with what we did.” Shania said. “It was just a matter of time they found out.”

“You know I’m tempted to think that during your short stay in Africa some kind of voodoo magic was performed on you girls that took your brains away,” Harrison said. “You neither think or act like the spice we used to know,”

“Is it too obvious, that’s because we are no longer spice,” Maul answered him.

Larry had watched enough as the spice battled with their directors, he decided to speak.

“With all due respect sir,” he said. “Not everybody in Africa perform voodoo magic. We are Christians and we have lived our lives by the grace of God doing what is right.”

The other guys picked up the courage.

“What is right,” Jakes repeated grossly shaking his head.

“We came from the streets true,” Ben said. “That doesn’t mean we are dirty inside,”

“You are dirty inside,” Jakes shouted. “Just like the streets you came from so do us some good and shut your dirty mouths. You are empty vessels coming to reap from where you sowed nothing,”

“That’s enough Mr. Jakes,” Shania retorted. She stood up. “You are going too far already. It has always been your plan to use us to achieve all your selfish desires and ideas right? Don’t take for the fact that our lawyer is dead you can have an access to our freedom; the twelve will never allow that. You better go out there and find out how this expose came about and stop laying false judgments on us. When you get to the bottom of this speak on but for now we are out of here. We have a concert to prepare for.” He turned to her colleagues. “Guys, let’s go.”

They all stood up and started off.

“You can’t succeed without us twelve,” Harrison said.

They turned back.

“You can’t succeed without us Mr.’s but you know what,” Shelly replied. “We can make it on any stage without your whisper. You know why, you are not our inspiration.” And finally they walked out. They met Lester, Rooney and Johnny standing by the door.

“We heard everything,” Lester said.

“They think it was our idea, those pictures, the magazines and the news about us being street boys.” Ken warmly said.

“I knew granting that interview was a bad idea,” Zed said and the girls looked at him. The stare in the eyes made him realize he shouldn’t have said that.

“For the first time in my life, I felt ashamed being called a street child,” Maxwell said sadly.

“It is a shameful thing to be a street child.” Cindy said and the girls walked off to their training room. The boys felt dejected.

“Don’t, “Rooney said. “Worry, they are just stressed you know. It is their first time of having such serious trouble with those men in there.”

“And all this is happening because they chose to save your lives on that day and accepted you into their world despite your identity.” Johnny continued. “No matter what happened here those girls must really love you boys to have brought you here in the first place.”

Their words were comforting. The boys nodded.

“We will go in there and talk to Mr. Jakes and the others.” Rooney said.

“Please be careful with whatever you say in there,” ken said. “Those men are really angry.”

They smiled.

“Lester, take them,” Johnny said as they walked into the meeting room and Lester went with the boys to the training room.

“We heard your discussion with the twelve,” Rooney said as they walked in. the men were still standing.

“We just want to clarify you on what really happened.” Johnny said. “Rubel asked us to organize a meeting with them since he had never had a personal encounter with them. We planned for the meeting at that hotel and like sometimes we got invaded probably because their cars were parked outside.”

“So you organized this?” Leon asked in between breaths. “Without even informing us,”

“It was nothing official,” Rooney replied. “It was just a friendly meeting.”
“Look how official it became now,” Jakes said spreading his hands. “Still, they had no rights to grant that interview which revealed the true identity of the boys.”

“It wasn’t going to be a secret, was it?”

The directors were quiet.

“I just hope,” Rooney went on. “You are not taking advantage of the fact that they have no lawyer to defend them and so you can lord over them even on how to go about their lives. Y’all be careful, because you might make them lose the respect they have for you.”

“You might lose them to the crowd,” Johnny said and they walked out leaving the directors in thoughts.

              Once again the shore was scanty. People had finished with their businesses and left. Mr. Roberts was all alone. He had been moaning for his boat and the boys with no one to console him. The news was not strange for the people who knew the boys heard of what happened but they cared less. It was not their business what happened to the boys or the boat, life went on beside it was just another dead of some pathetic street kids. Mr. Roberts was drunk again that night walking around the shore speaking to alone. He stumbled in front of the boys hut and then the memory of them and their parents flashing back to him.

“Shore boys,” he muttered. ‘I hope they never got drowned to meet their parents whose history we know not of.” He cried out with a loud voice. “God I hope you showed mercy to those kids and my boat,” then he wept bitterly.

                  The morning break was so quick. The workers in the city were set for work and they all struggled to make to their job sides on time. The street was busy and many people were rushing. Duncan was already present at Rolex center, the growing fame of the twelve had put him in a very bad mood. He walked into Randy’s office holding the magazine with the twelve on the front page. Randy was busy working on advertising plan for Duncan’s upcoming concert. He had noticed his presence but didn’t lift his head to see him. Duncan dropped the magazine a little hard and raised his head up.

“Good morning to you too Duncan,”

“Good morning, for me nothing is good about this morning.” Duncan was really worked up.

“I know you are coming up with the news about twelve, blah, blah, blah……can you not let that get to you?”

“What is the meaning of this? Them having a concert in a month’s time,” Duncan sat.

“Yes Duncan, we will have to either shift your concert ahead of theirs or before theirs. To avoid……”

“To avoid what,” he quickly interrupted.

“Any complications……” he stammered.

“Complications, are you calling me second class star?”

“I’m not,”

“As a matter of fact I am having that concert same day with the twelve’s and same time.”

“What!”

“Yeah, I arranged for tickets already and the news is already on social media, I’m shocked you don’t know already.”

That news brought Randy to his feet.

“Duncan you can’t be serious, you can’t do this,”

“What are you afraid of? I have my fans and they have their fans, their fans will go to theirs and my fans will come to mine. So what’s the struggle?

“You don’t understand,” Randy was whaling for Duncan to have a change of mind.

“There’s nothing to understand.” Duncan stood. “If you really want to support me then this is the time to really do it.” He walked out. Randy knew things were about to get really complicated, it was a tough competition and a winner could never be predicted.

             The twelve had a training session at a private gym that was hired for them only. They had to do workouts and practice for their choreography on stage. Work had not been very easy for the girls and the boys. The girls were pressured and they felt their decision of bringing the boys with them was not an idea with a future. They were concerned about their career so much that the picture of the street children they saw in Botswana became a blurry one. If their directors won’t support them they might lose their career and their stardom. These thought were flooding their minds as they practice while the boys had one thing in mind, ‘sorry we intruded your lives, it will cost us nothing if we have to go back to where we came from.’ The practice didn’t last for four hours as usual. The girls asked for a break and their instructor granted it to them. They gathered together as the spice while the boys were constructing their sentences and how to put whatever they had to say to the girls. After ten minutes of rest, the boys approached them. The girls were minding their business and didn’t care to look at the boys who were standing like they came to beg for money as they use to do on the streets. That mentality of a street child had began to consume their minds again and it was almost affecting their self esteem. All the words they had planned to say left them and they were speechless. Ben looked at his brothers and saw no hope but there was a little left in him.

He said. “We are very sorry if we intruded your life’s.” the girls paid attention. He went on. “On the behalf of my brothers I apologize.”  Ben was counting his words for he wasn’t sure he was saying the right words. “We didn’t come here so we will become stars known all famous like you girls are. It’s true we have a dream to someday sing on stage with you girls but our greatest concern was to bring you girls to the awareness of what’s really going on with those kids you saw on the streets,” tears welled down Ben's eyes and he quickly brushed them off. “And we did, it will cost us nothing to go back to where we came from at least we came this far and we delivered the message.”

“Spice,” Michael spoke. “We are grateful for the few days we spent with you girls. It made us realize that there is more to every child and teenager or anybody you see on the streets homeless without any guide than what our natural eyes can see. If we street boys, most despised and looked down on could become stars in just few days because we mingled with the right people and was given a chance to express ourselves then there’s hope for the rest of us.”

“It’s just too much of a thing to do,” Shelly said. “See how hard it is for people to stop seeing you as street boys despite the fact that we changed your name, your outfits.” She shook her head. “Even the talents don’t speak much for you…… then how are we going to make them understand that those millions of kids on the street can have a better future and a change of name?”

“There is a generation called the future,” Larry said. “That’s what we are fighting for.”

“It is too difficult,” Shania agreed with Shelly. “Everything will just fall apart,”

“How will they believe in the first place?” Maul asked.

“Do you believe?”  Zedy slowly asked the girls and they were quiet even in their spirit. Zedy continued. “The real question is, do you believe that those people you saw have potential, talents and gifts God has placed in them to bless the world and make it a better place, do you believe?”

The girls were still quiet.

“We know you value your careers and your life as stars too much. There are kids out there who do not even know if they will have one successful meal today, they don’t even know the next spot to lay their head at night, they don’t have clothes to wear yet you do shopping on daily basis and some of the clothes you buy, you don’t even wear them. There are some who eat from the trash that’s laid out on the streets,”

“So you think we don’t have compassion for them, is that what you are saying?” Lindsay said as if guilty.

“It’s ok , if your compassion is not strong enough to make you abandon yourself gratifications and satisfactions. If you can’t lower your own voice so you can speak higher for them, nobody will judge you.”

“Even if we go back to the streets from here,” Ken tearfully said. “God knows we didn’t fail them, we spoke for them and made their cries heard.”

“So you think nobody will judge us?” Zodiac said with tears in her eyes. They all had tears in their eyes.

“What about ourselves, you think ourselves wont judge us? You think if you just up and leave now our lives will go back to normal? Do you know the stain that will be on our career?”

The gym went quiet for a while.

“Sorry,” Zodiac said. “Sorry for being selfish again.”

“I am sorry for what I said back at the studio,” Cindy said. “Even after what we saw back there in Botswana we are still thinking about ourselves. I am so sorry.”

The boys decided to sit on the floor carpet with them.

“We are the twelve,” Shania said. “There’s no changing of that, we are going to have that concert right girls?”

The girls nodded.

“We equally believe in a better future for the street children and orphans right?”

The nodded strongly as they wiped their faces. The boys were just staring at them.

“This dream of a better future for the street child is our dream as the twelve and no matter what happens we have to try hard to make it a reality.” Shelly said. “Let’s hold our hands together.”

They all sat in a circle holding their hands together as the twelve.

“This is not going to be easy for us,” Shelly went on. “But we are a strong team and a strong force; we can do this right,”

They all nodded.

“Will you guys teach us how not be selfish?”

Cindy asked.

“You girls are not selfish,” Maxwell replied. “You are just a little scared, it’s not easy to leave your glory and step in the mud,”

“But Jesus did,” Zodiac said.

“Yeah he did,” Ken replied. “And if you love Jesus and follow his example, if you love your fellow mates as you love yourself it will be your inspiration, it will control your passion and leaving your glory to step in the mud won’t be that difficult.”

 Their unity was made stronger; they were united in spirit, dream and passion. They had an equal goal and were ready for the sacrifice they had to make for their dream to become a reality.

                   The news of the clashed concert between Duncan and the twelve had gone all over the world. It brought about a block of confusion between Duncan’s fans. They loved Duncan and his performance but they were anxious to meet this twelve, to see what they are capable of. Most of them planned on supporting Duncan’s concert by buying their tickets but planned on attending the twelve’s. Eighty percent of Duncan’s fans had that idea and gave him the impression that his plan of having a great concert was actually fruitful. The twelve’s studio was always crowded with fans waiting to buy tickets. The procedure was a little slow but the people were use to it and were also patient. The twelve will sometimes peeped from their practice room to have a glance of what was happening outside, they were very happy together because they had found a reason to why they had the talent and the resources, they were willing to work hard more than ever for the fulfillment of their dreams. Duncan worked continuously in his office on his computer reading through his mails from his fans. They made it clear to him that he could count on their full support for his concert and gave him a lot of courage to go further with the arrangements. He settled on the consolation that if the world had to experience the power of great music, half of the world will go to his concert and half will go to the twelve’s concert. The only competition will be at the level of impact the two teams made. Chris was passing by and spotted Duncan in his office so focused on what he was doing, he stopped and thought for a while. Then he went in to meet him.

“I admire your commitment to this thing,” he said. Duncan stopped and looked at him, he was friendly and polite.

“Thanks,” he replied. “What else can I do? It’s what I was born to do. It’s my life,”

Chris’s eyes met his. “You shouldn’t be here doing this, you should be practicing.”

“I had my session in the morning.”
“Put more time in it. Leave this to us; we are taking care of the organization.”

“I just want to make sure everything is moving on fine,”

“When did you start doubting our capabilities of handling your concerts?” he paused. “As you can see, it is. Now go on, call your crew, and get to work.”

Duncan took heed to his word and did as he was told.

              One week to the concert, things were getting set on both sides. The twelve no longer saw themselves as two separate people who accidentally met in the middle of the sea; they saw themselves as one formidable force brought together by God to fulfill a purpose. They were called to the studio by their directors for a meeting and they presented themselves on time.

“Everything is ready for your concert,” Benedict started. “Having more ten thousand people from different part of the world who paid to attend,”

“Two times the crowd the spice use to have,” Lindsay said and they twelve smiled. “Twelve, we are already stars.”

“Don’t get too excited yet,” Jakes said. “Yes the crowd might be bigger but can you keep it? At least you managed to keep the once you had as spice.”

Their excitement dropped.

“I’m sure you know of Duncan’s concert, same day, same time as yours.” Leon said.

“We heard of it,” Maul replied.

“It’s not supposed to be a competition,” Jakes remarked. “Calm your minds calm your hearts. You have great combination of songs that we approve; we are going to be present during your last days of practice.”

“You need to get your costumes today,” Harrison said. “And if there’s nothing else you are dismissed.”

The directors dismissed themselves.

“So we have a concert in a week?” Zed asked. The boys still couldn’t believe.

“Yes we do,” Lindsay replied.

“This is clear proof that dreams come through.” Larry said.

“It does guys,” Cindy said. “It does.”

“And this is it,” Shelly concluded.

                 “How many are expected to come?” Randy asked Duncan in his office.

“A thousand or more according to how the tickets were bought,”

“you have just one week to compete with one of the most famous and most loved singers in the planet, do you realize how complicated that is?”

“I don’t have to be afraid, I am taking a leap of faith and if I want to fall my zeal will catch me.”

“It has to Duncan, it really has to,”

A lady worker stood beside the opened door and said. “The costumes are here,”

“I’ll be there in the shortest time,” Duncan replied.

She excused herself.

“Mr. Randy, maybe I’ll see you later.” He stood up.

“Yeah,” Randy replied without moving his head and Duncan left him.

                The long awaited day had come, that Saturday which so many people from all races had longed to see.  A concert which was to start at seven had people filling in the ten thousand auditorium five hours before time. The people didn’t talk about Duncan’s concert; all they wanted to do was to see this new twelve and what they were capable of. While the hall was filling up and sound checks all set and done being made perfect, the twelve were in their dressing room. They all had a makeup artist fixing them and their designers were putting their dresses in place. They kept themselves busy by sharing stories of some silly and funny adventures they had made while growing up and as they laughed at their different experiences it kept them in flow of positive energy. Their directors didn’t show up at the dressing room, they caved in the hall checking on how things were going. The hall was filled to the brim and some people were watching from the screen outside. When it was quarter to the time, the animation on stage started and people screamed, the graphics that was portrayed clearly showed how the spice met the boys in the middle of the sea and saved them. Though the scene wasn’t original it was acted by the twelve to reveal the actual truth about their new found identity from where they spotted the boys in the middle of the sea stocked in the boat till where they pulled them into their ship. The directors hated the concept but that’s how they wanted it. Audience watched keenly and with understanding, they were marveled. When the story was over the lights on stage came on and instrumentalist started playing at the background. People screamed. A picture of the twelve appeared on stage and a voice introduced them. The twelve rushed into the stage, they greeted their fans and they couldn’t stop shouting. The first song they did was washed off in the river and the genre was jazz. It was sang exactly as it was done in the studio, played life and sang with more passion and inspiration. This time their songs were different, their message was different and the passion in which they sang it was different and contagious. People had tears in their eyes as they listened to them sing.

                Duncan’s concert was held in a different town in New York, the hall which they had rented was a five thousand seat hall. Things were not looking so bright there, while Duncan was getting himself ready randy, Chris and Jan were contemplating on how to pass the message to Duncan that his concert had failed. Thirty minutes after seven o’clock Duncan was still waiting to be announced. His crew was already on stage and they could count the number of people sitting in the hall. Chris told Randy that Duncan had to perform as long as there were people were there no matter how small. Randy was short of words and Jan was confused, he went on and told the crew to start playing and when Duncan heard the music he was excited, he knew his time had come. He waited for the instruments to usher him in and when it got to the time he had to show himself on stage he walked in. when he saw how scanty the hall was he became numb, the microphone fell off his hand, they waited for Duncan to sing, the few fans were cheering him but nothing happened. Duncan was shocked and disappointed; he fell to the ground and fainted. The instrumentalist stopped playing and the dancers stopped dancing, they rushed to call for help. Randy, Jan and Chris who were seated rushed to help him, and ambulance was called and Duncan was rushed to the hospital. His fans were confused, they felt sorry for Duncan but equally disappointed.

                 The twelve’s concert had reached the climax and Duncan was still unconscious in the hospital. A doctor was attending to him and those who brought him were loitering outside the corridor of his room waiting for a report from the doctor. They wanted to know Duncan’s state.

The morning began with a shout from the shore. Mr. Roberts had just seen the six street boys who took his boat with the intention of fishing for him, they were performing with the spice in a concert as the twelve. The concert was rebroadcast-ed on TV. Mr. Roberts was happy, angry and unable to speak, he was only screaming. Happy about the fact that they didn’t die, angry about the fact that they fooled him and took his boat, unable to speak about how they got to meet the spice and how they became the twelve. The fisher men who had come to fish heard his screams from the bar; they rushed to find out what was going on. Mr. Roberts was standing in front of the TV with his mouth opened and his hand folded watching Zed singing a duet with Maul. The fisher men were astonished, shocked and overwhelmed by what they saw.

“The shore boys,” one of them said doubtfully. “Singing with the spice,”

“They are called the twelve now,” another said.

“How could this be?”

That was a question they all could not answer as they watched the twelve perform in an incredible way and how the thousands of audience reacted to it.

That morning, Duncan had regained his consciousness and the nurses had done a check up on him. His vitals were stable and his condition was better. He was equally watching the rebroadcast of the twelve’s concert. Seeing the number of people who attended the concert, he thought of the scanty hall he was introduced to. He got mad at the world for playing him for a fool. Randy walked in and found him in that mood, he looked at the TV, then he looked at him. Duncan saw him but didn’t say a word.

“I know you feel terrible about this,” Rolex sat on the chair beside him.

“I feel worse than terrible,” his voice was cold and calm now. “Just look at the number of people who sacrificed their time, money and energy just to watch and please the so called twelve.”

“What did you expect; it was supposed to happen,”

“That way,” he managed to look at Randy. “Having only few old inactive people sited, who don’t even know when to clap or scream. How was it supposed to happen that way? They all made me look like a fool right?” he sobbed. “Paying in their tickets making me to expect not less than ten thousand people……”

“Then how many people go to the twelve,”

Randy was also hurt by the failure but he blamed Duncan for if he only had listened to him.

“I don’t give a damn about that,” he shouted.

“Calm yourself down; you are on a sick bed.”

“Leaving the sick bed to face my shame right? To face my disgrace, if I’m not mistaken am on this sick bed because of disgrace, the defeat was just too much.”

“Calm down, we are going to look for a way to sort things out, things that will workout. It’s a good thing the media wasn’t there otherwise the humiliation would have been worse and the world talking about it now.”

Suddenly he became cold and watched the concert again, and then he closed his eyes desiring not to see it again. Randy acted as though he could read his thoughts, he took the remote and switched off the TV.

                   At the twelve’s resident, they had rested well enough from yesterday’s work. Michael was in the dinning reading from the laptop while Ben, Maxwell and Larry were doing some cleaning in the kitchen. The girls were still struggling to pull themselves out of bed, Cindy who had managed to take herself out of her room came yawning downstairs.

“God!” she exclaimed at the end of the yawn.

“Morning Cindy,” Michael greeted from the dinning.

“Morning Michael,” she leaned on the chair for balance. “What are you doing?” she asked.

“Reading mails, Some funny, some serious and inspiring,”

“Huh,” she sat on the chair. “I am so tired.”

Maxwell came in to arrange the glasses he had washed in the cupboard.

“What did you say?” he asked.

“Tired………”

“Did you sleep at all?” he stopped putting the glasses and looked at her scrolling through her phone.

“Of course I did,”

“I’m sure those are signs of an empty stomach. When you fill it up, your strength will be regained.”

“I hope so,” she said.

Maul ran downstairs. “Morning guys,” she greeted.

“Morning,” they replied.

“I got news, bad news.”

They all stopped with what they were doing and paid attention to her.

“About?” Cindy asked.

“Duncan, he is hospitalized.” She sat beside Cindy. “Was yesterday,”

“Where did you get that from?” Michael asked leaving the dinning with laptop to join them in the sitting room. He sat down.

“One misses Jan from Rolex center called to congratulate us on our job well done yesterday. And she told me that………” she hesitated. “Just very few people came for Duncan’s concert, a maximum of twenty.”

“Who told you that?” Shelly asked as the rest four girls strolled downstairs. Larry, and Ben left the kitchen cleaning their hands with napkins, they wanted to get the full details of what happened to Duncan. Maul looked at them all but didn’t notice Ken and Zed were not there.

“Jan from Rolex center,” she replied. “She said when Duncan was introduced to start the concert he was shocked by what he saw; he couldn’t perform in an empty hall so he fainted. He has been in the hospital since yesterday and she said hi to you all.”

“Duncan,” Michael shook his head. “I’m so sorry for what happened to him,”

“So he couldn’t perform in a hall of twenty people because of what, pride? I mean they were still fans,”

“All the same, it is his fault.” Shania said and then she noticed Ken and Zed were absent from the group. “Where is Ken and Zed?” she asked.

“They are not upstairs,” zodiac replied.

They heard the door opened and the two boys walked in.

“Ken, Zed, where are you boys coming from?” Larry asked looking at them.

“We woke up early,” Ken said. “Then we went to look around……”

“The compound,” Zed added. “Then people started coming towards us congratulating the twelve and giving us envelopes. We have them eight right here.”

“Give it to Cindy,” Shelly said and smiled. “She is our fine secretary.”

Cindy smiled as she took the envelopes from the boys. She read the subject of the letter behind the envelope.

“We have eight envelopes, with eight invitation cards from eight different groups of people,”

“So what do we do about them?” Ben asked.

“Maybe some might have same dates and we just one body,” she replied.

“We will look through when we are done with breakfast,” Shania said.

“Very necessary,” maul commented.

“Rule of the house,” Lindsay said. “Nobody sits anywhere but the kitchen when breakfast is being prepared.”

“Really now,” the boys giggled.

“Yeah, we actually composed most of our hit tracks just by cooking together,” Lindsay told them.

“So that concept is very important, thank God the kitchen is big enough to accommodate all.” Shania concluded.

The boys immediately submitted to the rule and they all went into the kitchen to make breakfast.

There was a call from Benedict to Randy that afternoon after he had left the hospital.

“I am really sorry about what happened,” Benedict said on the phone. “Though we gave you an advice but you swept it under the carpet. There is still a way to clean out the mess I hope.”
“Yes,” Randy replied from his office. “There is still a way to clean out the mess. The twelve has had their chance; let them give Duncan his spotlight.”

“This is business Randy, it’s a good thing we are not selfish people. Their concert is over and we are not planning to have them in another one till further notice,”

“You very well know them don’t you? If they don’t gather people in an auditorium they will as well gather them on the streets.”

“We really want to see you succeed with Duncan and if the twelve is your problem, we will handle them.”

“I want something, get them close to Duncan.” He stood up and started loitering around the office. “You best know that they ought to be working with Duncan now rather than those street boys,”

“When it comes to their unity nobody can break it. Getting them close to him will be hard because between those two parties there’s no dialogue.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about, create something, make the parties agree, make them have a dialogue. I will talk to Duncan too,”

“Let me see if Jakes, Leon and Harrison buy the idea and I will get back to you.”

“Great. I’m at Rolex center, my office precisely.”

“See you then,”

The conversation ended.

               Four days later, the twelve were guest stars in a TV show program. They had accepted the invitation from the other eight they had received. The program was aired over the entire main stream media in America and many people had come to participate knowing that the twelve will be their guest stars in the show. So many people watched all over the world and they all had an expectation; they wanted to hear the twelve speak. The twelve super stars were already seated, Ro and Jo had done them well, their outfits were superb and their makeup beautiful. The show had started and people were very attentive and keen to their TV sets. The show was hosted by a fair man; he was at his mid age and had a very friendly smile.

“Our heart and earnest gratitude to the twelve,” he started and the audience applauded and screamed. The twelve laughed heartily.

“We are much honored to have you twelve here,” he continued when the screams died down.

“It’s our pleasure,” Ben spoke for them and they smiled.

“I know it’s in the heart of everybody to truly find out how spice became twelve overnight, am I speaking your mind audience?”

Their answer was a unanimous yes,

“So please tell us,”

The twelve deliberated amongst themselves with their eyes on who to reply, the boys let the girls decide and Shania was chosen.

“Well,” she started. “We don’t have a precised answer for that question because the spice had never planned for a change like this since the history of our career. We had never thought of adding to us even a single person, we were happy, extremely content just being spice. When we went to Africa, we were having so much joy and fun over there……”

“We were there just four days,” Lindsay added. “And we had so much fun in that short time than we’ve ever had in any of our vacations. Our second day in Botswana, we decided to go somewhere in which we can be inspired you know, so they told us of the shore…………”

Ayanda and Sifo were watching, Mr. Roberts bar was filled to outside, people stretching their necks from the door so they could see and some others were standing at the windows. Each time they camera focused on the boys something triggered in their hearts at the shore.

“……………and we decided to go to the shore. On our way we had the encounter just like you saw at the beginning of our concert.”

“You met and everything just started from there?” the host asked.

“The bond was there, the unity was created,” Cindy said. “It felt as if we had met our soul mates. No matter how we tried to ignore it there was this conviction in our hearts that we have to stick together and here we are.”

Some people were clapping and shouting and some were shaking their heads in awe and astonishment.

“Wow, it’s incredible,” the host said after the demonstration from the audience. “Why did you change your name? Is it because spice sounds too girly?”

The twelve laughed people laughed.

“That should have been the reason you know,” Shelly said and they all laughed again. “That was not our main reason, the twelve is a perfect number and we couldn’t think of any other name but twelve.  Twelve represents a great movement and the establishment of great things even right from bible days.”

People agreed with what Shelly said.

“Now to the boys, exactly where were you heading to with that boat?”
“We were going to New York,” Zed slowly replied. And people laughed.

“New York?” the host asked.

“Yeah,” Michael said. “Our plan was to travel with that boat across the oceans and get to New York so we can meet the spice.”

“Though we were surviving from the streets we also had this dream to someday sing on stage with the spice.” Ken said. “That was our dream, it was the dream in our hearts that kept us hoping and it gave us some self worth too,”

“You mean to say with that dream in your hearts and the step you took to make your dream come through was backed by luck? Because while you were on that suicide journey,”

“Stuck,” Larry quickly interrupted.

“Stuck,” the host repeated. “The spice was coming to the shore and you met in the middle of the sea and were rescued by them.”

“It wasn’t luck backing us,” Larry clarified. “It was God, we prayed so hard the previous days before we left the shore and believe me we only had our faith in God because we knew that was suicide we were attempting.”

“And God showed up for us.” Maxwell said “he kept us alive under the storm, till the rescue,”

A great applause came from the audience.

“Your faith has changed your name. You are no longer street boys but great superstars called twelve.”  The host said and people clapped.

“Do you plan on going back to visit the shore, where you came from?” he asked.

“Hmm,” Zed replied. “Since it’s where we developed the muzzle to pull through, sure we are going back there. We are a clear proof to the world that no child has to be condemned to the streets just because he or she started there. Every street child has a talent that is yearning to be heard and a dream too. The only difference between us now and them is time and opportunity. If the spice judged us from our origin and never gave us the chance to show who we truly are and the potentials we carry, we won’t be here, sitting on the table of stars.”

People screamed and shouted for that, the twelve applauded too. They wished the street children heard Zed speak for them like he did.

“Incredible twelve, what are your last words for these fans of yours.”

“We came out with one great proverb, the twelve’s proverb.” Maul said.

The twelve enchanted the proverb. “It takes life to live, it takes determination to do it, confidence to make it, courage to act it, joy to enhance it and love to govern it.”

When they were done people stood up, clapping and screamed.

                At the hospital Duncan noticed the show was rounding up. The success and fame of the twelve was irritating him. He sat up.

“Turn off the TV,” he ordered Chris who had come with Jan to spend time with him.

Chris turned it off.

“You really have to stop feeling down Duncan,” Jan told him. “Get over it.”

“You can never successfully compare yourself with those kids because everything they have now they worked for it; they have been in the business more than you have.” Jan told him.

“And what about the boys, who became stars over night just because they had a friendly date with the spice in the middle of the sea and probably made a toast to the end of their miserable lives. Is that where they worked for it?”

“Listen Duncan to be honest with you, those boys worked for everything they have now. If they weren’t hard working they won’t be this experienced singers they are now. Did you hear how they sound? They sounded like professionals,” Chris told him. “Like telling us we’ve been doing this since the day we were born.”

“Absolutely,” Jan agreed with him.

“So you are saying I haven’t attained that level?” he asked mildly.

“You are good at what you do but you are still beginning and you can’t expect to over ride the twelve just like that,” Jan said.

“The twelve just started,”

“They had a successful foundation which was spice,” Chris told him.

Duncan stared at them.

               It had been two weeks since the twelve visited their studio, they were occupied attending to the invitations they had. That day they decided to show up at work, the streets were filled with fans cheering for them. The impact the twelve had made and the fans they had, was two times bigger than that of the spice. As their car rode through the street leading to the studio, the police were patrolling the area to keep the fans away from reaching their cars and to avoid any unwanted encounter with the stars. The kids were polite enough to pull down their glasses so they could waive their fans and show them their love and appreciation. The line didn’t stop, till they got into the studio yard, stepped down from their cars and were ushered in.

The directors were waiting for them at the meeting room; they were riled because of their negligence and absence in the studio and from all their calls. The twelve walked in and sat.

“Where have you kids been?” Jakes asked and from his tone the twelve knew they were in for another scolding.

“For two weeks now we haven’t seen you guys here,” Jakes continued. “We called your house and your phone is always on voice mail. What is wrong with you kids?”

“You go about attending to invitations and shows without our permission,” Leon picked up from where Jakes stopped.

“But we always inform you guys,” Zed replied.

“Inform us,” Benedict said. “When you inform us, wait for our permission but no you don’t. You get up and do your own things your own way.”

“You didn’t even care about Duncan being in the hospital,” Harrison said.

“Duncan’s being in the hospital,” Lindsay said. “Was none of our fault and besides what were supposed to do? Go visit him with flowers?”

Mr. Jakes nodded. “You know at first I thought you were under some voodoo spell or something but now I realize  that it is the too much success and the too many fans you have that’s clouding your mind and confusing you all, driving you crazy.”

“We are not only successful because we have money Mr. Jakes,” Shelly said. “Our fans have made a huge contribution to our success and we have the duty to always attend to them.”

“They didn’t pick you out from the dust,” Jakes shouted. “From loneliness, I did. I made you what you are today and if there’s anybody you owe respect and submission to is me first.”

Jakes had just reminded them of their past and they felt weak again.

“You have one week to stay indoors till we make a decision on how to control this madness of yours,” Jakes said and left with the other men following him.

“I think it’s time we post a report about this to Mr. Rubel,” Zodiac said quietly.

“But he just said we are under house arrest,” Zed said.

“That’s his own side of the story,” Shania said. “Wait until he hears ours. Tomorrow we are going to see Mr. Rubel,”

They all sat quiet but they agreed with Shania.

                 Duncan sat with Mr. Randy to discourse about the things that were to happen and their new plans.

“Finally,” Randy said. “You are out of the hospital and I have you here,”

“What’s the plan you told me you have?” Duncan asked.

“I want you to make friends with the twelve,”

From Duncan’s reaction Randy understood he disagreed with the idea.

“I can’t make friends with the twelve,” he said.

“Yes, it must not come from your heart. It is just a means to an end, use them and get to the top. Don’t you know if you are friends with a star you are equally a star?”

“I am a star,” Duncan shouted. “I am a superstar,”

“If you really are then why are you jealous of the twelve? Why?”

Duncan thought for a while. After a moment of silence the tension died down.

“You don’t need to love the twelve to be close to them; all you need to do is use them and get to the top.”

“How will I do that?” finally he asked.

“Don’t worry about what you need to do, I will arrange for everything to be in place and all you need to do is show up and play along.”

Duncan was quiet.

                It was night in the city, the twelve’s residence was unusually very quiet that evening. They sat in the sitting room each staring at the ceiling but they had thoughts far above the ceiling. They were sulking over how bad their directors were treating them mainly because they had nobody to defend them or speak on their behalf. They walked into the music industry as kids and at that age their lawyer took care of every business they had with Jakes, as time went on they turned into teenagers but their lawyer died and they had to start taking care of their business with Jakes and the others of  which they didn’t know how. Their ignorance concerning how things were set up for them became frustrating and usurped their energy occasionally.

“If only our lawyer was still alive,” Maul said wearily. “Things would have been different.”

“We use to think your lives were perfect,” Ben said. “Like you had it all together until now,”

“Has it always been like this?” Larry asked sitting up. “With you and your directors, Mr. Jakes especially or is it something that just started because of us,”

“It has been like this since our lawyer died,” Maul replied. “They decided everything for us, the kind of house to live in, the kind of friends to have, even the places for our vacation.”

“This was the only vacation we were allowed to choose after a hard argument,” Shelly remarked.

They were silent for a while.

“So Mr. Jakes owns the company,” Maxwell said.

“Yes,” Lindsay replied. “He is president and the other three are board members and share holders but his decision is final.”

“We are faced with a very pressed situation,” Michael said. “As it is right now we are placed under house arrest for a whole week and we can’t do anything about it.”

“No we can,” Zodiac said. “Like Shania said at the studio, tomorrow we are going to see Mr. Rubel Trend for a talk. This whole oppression must stop. How do we go about setting others free when we ourselves are not free? It’s going to be impossible so we must do something about it.”

They agreed with Zodiac.

“How do we go?” Zed asked. “I’m very sure strict instructions have been giving to our escorts not to take us anywhere.”

“Don’t worry about that Zed,” Shania assured him. “We have all it takes to make that happen, we will get there and back; a fly won’t even notice we passed.”

“We all have sad stories to tell,” Maxwell said. “But we are privileged because though we lost people dear to us we still have something to face the world with. What about those kids we saw on the street, they are broken, dejected and lonely with nothing to face the world with. Imagine their hurt, we are better off than them because no matter what is happening to us we will wake up tomorrow to this beautiful house, we are sure of a perfect meal from morning to whenever we decide to stop eating. What about them, they are not so sure of their tomorrow,”

Whenever the story of the street children came up, the girls always had tears in their hearts. The compassion they had for them overflowed their hearts and brought tears to their eyes.

Maxwell went on. “I believe we are allowed to go through things like this so we have a little taste of what they are going through. When we go to bed let’s think of ideas that will make this thing grow into a body. We are now a stronghold and nothing can break us, not even discouragement.”

“I recall a scripture in the bible which says,” Ken stood up. “Call upon me in times of trouble and I will deliver you. That was God talking to his children, we do not have any earthly father to defend us but we’ve got him who is above all and I think we should call him.”

They all stood up and held their hands together. In silence they prayed and called on the God of their defense with great anticipation of him showing up strong for them.

Ken prayed. “Daddy in heaven, you are the only one we can count on. We first of all appreciate you for bringing us together as the twelve, making our dreams come through and helping us to realize the purpose for why you sent us at the fore front. Secondly we ask for your mercy, we admit our faults, forgive us for whatever way we’ve gone wrong. Thirdly we ask for your direction for lord we can’t go on without it. In this we ask lord that though we are still children grant us the grace to fulfill purpose, we want to realize your expectations for every child that is born into this world and the roles they have to play to make this world a better place. Lord we know that there will be forces either to adopt the vision or destroy it, lord we don’t want you to destroy those forces but let their plans be so that so that we can get into a level of maturity and responsibility that will qualify us to lead the thousands of young children we will be meeting very soon and equally to prove your strength to our generation. Give us wisdom, knowledge and understanding for that’s all we require to win this battle. Father for the children, make them to understand the vision in your own way and let them carry your will, in Jesus name we pray,”

“Amen,” they all replied with faith, eyes still closed they meditated in their hearts to God and seeing the vision formed.

                  The morning fall was quick and cold; the twelve was up, dressed and ready to go see Rubel. As planned, Maul had called Rooney and Johnny to hire two private cars which will secretly bring them to help the stars that morning. They were down stairs waiting for Ro and Jo to bring their ride. They all looked positive and had on an imaginary smile.

“Hope we all saw something,” Maxwell said to them. They all nodded.

“Me…” Cindy started. “I saw a sports complex we built. It had all kinds of sporting equipment; the best part was I saw this bunch of kids undergoing therapy and others being trained by some sport teachers. There were athletes who could swim, run  and play different kinds of sports.”

They found her dream amazing.

“That’s a splendid Cindy,” Ken said. “I saw a five hundred man children’s choir still under the vision, trained and lead by us.”

“Pastor Ken,” Maul said and they all laughed. “That’s beautiful,” she went on.

Ben said like he was day dreaming, “What I saw was, we built a very huge camp like a whole city and it accommodated thousands of children from different parts of the world.”

“Wow,” they gasped.

“It was so exciting and scary too, what kind of a big camp is that?”
“The kind we have to build,” Shelly said. “If we are planning on taking children off the streets we must have a place to keep them right?”

They all thought about it and nodded.

“What I saw were these children becoming experts in different kinds of things, some could play the instrument, and some could sing even better than us, some could paint.” Shelly said. “It was awesome.”

“Then I saw us in a camp like Ben said but we were on campaigning. I mean it was the most beautiful dream I’ve ever had.” Maul said.

“I can imagine,” Lindsay said. “Mine relates with Pastor Ken’s,” they laughed again and she went on. “We were presenting with our choir on this big stage, glorious.”

“For me,” Larry said. “We got teachers to train and educate them anyway they could so they can be literate and have great personalities as well.”

“Very important,” Zed recommended. “I think we called it the children’s world because it is going to be a world of its own.”

They all celebrated that with a clap.

“A name has been born,” Maxwell said. “I’m glad you were swift enough to get that from God. We also went on missions to different parts of the world to share the dream,”

“Hmm,” they nodded agreeably.

“We had seminars and conferences,” Michael said. “Like you mentioned teachers, that’s how they were been taught in their different languages.”

“And we had so many buses because we were a moving people.” Zodiac concluded. The rest couldn’t stop nodding.

“Okay,” Shania sighed in. “we have to write all of this down,”

“Make the vision plain,” Ken added. “I will do the planning according to all you’ve said. You know apart from me being a singer and pastor, I am equally a good architect, I can draw anything.”

“Really,” Zodiac smiled at him.

“Yes, don’t you worry I will make everything visible.”

“Isn’t that the coolest thing ever?” maul jumped for joy. Ro and Jo walked in.

“Sorry for keeping you guys waiting,” Ro said as they walked in.

“Morning twelve,” Jo greeted.

“Good morning,” they replied.

“Can we go?” he asked.

“You guys are riding us, yes?” Shelly asked expecting a positive answer.

“Yes,” Ro nodded. “I will ride with the girls and Jo with the boys.”

“We will have to do a little diversion here,” Shelly turned to the twelve. “The first six will ride with Ro and the last six with Jo, you know yourselves.”

“What about age mates?” Cindy asked.

“There must be an elder either by a minute, hour or day. That person is still your elder……same age or not,” she replied.

“Got that Cindy?” Lindsay said to her.

“We are still going to ride in the same car,” Cindy replied her.

“Let’s go,” Shania said and the twelve separated themselves from the boys to the girls as Shelly had told them.

              The directors of twelve held their usual meeting at Rolex center but this time Jan and Chris and Duncan were involved. They were all served coffee.

“We all know that each time we gather here, it’s either to talk about the twelve or business.” Randy said. “I believe in a cooperative union as this, ideas are welcomed from all heads which are to be laid down and executed at the appropriate time.”

“And the idea that’s to be discussed now is the issue of getting the twelve close to Duncan,” Jakes said.

“Yes Jakes,” Randy replied him. Jakes fidgeted, he didn’t like the idea.

“Do you realize that’s near to impossible?” Jakes asked. His attitude baffled the others.

“It will be,” Duncan replied him

“Jakes, Jakes, Jakes…” Leon called him and he adjusted himself on the chair but didn’t look at him.

“We know you are mad at the twelve, they are trying to ruin your business but this is a good opportunity man,”

“Yes,” Benedict agreed with Leon. “If we bring these kids close to Duncan and make them show him the way to rise up to the top as they did, we still have our benefits.”

“How will that happen?” Jakes asked leaning forward.

“If their career is being threatened, and their downfall becomes the uprising of Duncan believe me they will bend to every word we tell them.”

Slowly Jakes became interested.

“Jakes,” Randy said to him. “Are you convinced that we are all for one interest here?”

Jakes nodded.

“So can we get this done fast?” Duncan said. “Can’t wait to meet the twelve,”

“What’s more important, doing the job fast or right?” Jakes asked and leaned back on his chair.

“How about both,” Duncan blandly said.

“We will work on that,” Randy said. All through the meeting Jan and Chris said nothing

              The twelve had successfully gotten to help the stars cooperative center without causing any commotion on the street. They were ushered into the meeting room while awaiting Rubel’s presence. A female worker walked into Rubel’s office and gave the news of the twelve’s visit. He was surprised, it was so unexpected. He dropped everything he was doing and rushed off to meet them. He arranged his tie and cleared his throat at the door before getting into the meeting room.

“Hello young stars,” he said as he buoyantly approached them. The twelve stood.

“Hi,” they all waved him.

“Please sit and let’s talk,” he said and they sat with him. “This is much unexpected but you are most welcome.”

“Sorry for invading you like this,” Michael said. “This early,”

‘No, no, no it is fine, I feel honored.” He quickly said. “I have something very important to tell you,”

They twelve listened.

“Remember Moscow, he wants to meet you. He called me few days ago and asked me to prepare a dinner invitation for you. I did already; I will have it delivered to you.”

“You mean Moscow wants to have dinner with us?” Larry asked.

“Yes, he wants to personally congratulate you for a perfect and inspiring performance on your last concert.”

“Wow,” they exclaimed silently.

“Where and when?” Cindy asked.

“In Sao Paulo, this weekend,”

“Today is Tuesday,” Shania said and they nodded.

“Please tell Mr. Moscow it will be a delight for us to have dinner with him,” Shelly said. “Agreed guys?”

“Yeah,” they agreed.

Rubel smiled like one who had won a trophy.

“Great, I will make the best reservation and prepare for your flight, private flight.”

“Wow,” Zedy said. “This is exciting,”

“Yes it is Zed,” Ken said and they chuckled.

“Ok, what’s up?” Rubel asked them.

“We actually came with Ro and Jo but they stayed in the car for security purpose.”

“Ok……” Rubel paid attention.

“it’s about our manager Mr. Jakes, he is the one who signed us and we have been working with him for five years now,” Lindsay said.

“I’m familiar with that story,” he said.

“He has been bridging our contract, they want to control our lives and how we relate to our fans.”

“They are dictators Mr. Rubel,” Larry said. “Every time we meet them they keep scolding us from one thing to the other.”

“How long has this been going on?” Rubel asked.

“Two years,” Maul replied.

“Since our lawyer died,” Zodiac added.

“Oh your lawyer is dead,” he was remorseful. “Sad, so what do you intend doing? Sue them for bridge of contract? They will pay dearly if you are proven right.”
“We want to sign out of the company,” Shelly said honestly.

“It’s going to be hard; you can’t sign out of a company when you still have terms to fulfill. If you do that you get sued instead and you might lose everything. What I advice you do is take them to court, I can provide you with a lawyer who will study your contract and handle your case and if you win you will get your freedom back without losing anything,”

“Going to court?” Ben asked. The twelve didn’t buy the idea.

“Yea, talk to Moscow about it when you have time with him, he will invest time in your case and at the end you won’t have anything to worry about.”

The twelve nodded.

“Thanks Mr. Rubel,” Shelly said and stood up, the rest followed.

“It’s nothing,”

“We will be on our way now, we can’t stay long……don’t want anybody to notice we left the house,”

“I understand. Should I walk you out?”

“No it’s fine,” Shania said. “We can manage,”

“Be careful,” he told them.

They all smiled at him and left.

               After that meeting at Rolex center, Jan and Chris sat at the reception to talk about it.

“You know, there is a saying that goes, inspire your desire,” Chris said looking at Duncan’s photograph on the wall. “And that’s exactly what we are doing, using the twelve to inspire his desire.”

“I don’t like it,” Jan was blunt about her feelings.

“Why don’t you like it?”

“It feels so wrong; those are kids for crying out loud. They have done no wrong to anybody why do they have to use them like some tissue to wipe another person’s dirt,” she was really mad about it and Chris could feel her vibration.

“You are already a part of it,”

“I might be sitting in the meeting but I’m not a part of whatever they are cooking in there.”

Chris nodded; he realized he couldn’t talk her out of her conviction.

                It was night. The twelve was ready to plan for their vision. Shania and Larry strolled around their big house that evening. “You know” she said. “My dream is to see every child built on an anchor that cannot be broken, and am waiting for that day when we will stand before our choir and lead them sing to their freedom.

“Yea, we will gracefully sacrifice to see that happen”

“You, know we always believe that our lawyer had an accident but truly he was murdered”

“He was what?” Larry was surprise.

“Murdered, nobody knows who murdered him, on his way to court and after that; the directors began to change everything right up to what they wrote.”

“So what are you insinuating”. He paused “that they might be the one who murdered him?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I don’t even want to start thinking about it.”

“Shania, I think we should figure this out. Let’s rush home.”
In the house, the others had carefully laid down the plans for Ken to bring out the master piece of everything they had seen in their different dreams. Shelly had gone upstairs for something and she came back with a file in her hands.

“I just want us to go through our contract again,” she said as she sat down and opened it. Larry and Shania walked in.

“Right on time guys,” Maxwell said.

“What’s going on?” Larry asked as they both sat with the others.

“Shelly thinks we should study our will again……” Maul said.

“Contract Maul,” Cindy said. “Can’t believe till now you are still confused between a will and a contract,”

The girls were use to Maul calling a contract a will but she was corrected by either of them when she made the mistake. Shania flipped through two pages and settled on the third one.

“This is the part I wanted to be sure of.” She said and then she reads. “If it happens that the singers grow to high standard of popularity they are obliged to attend to fans, live their lives the way they want without control from the manager. Their full responsibility to the company is to always be available for concerts and outings organized by the manager and the board and sixty percent of their income is to the company,” Shelly read. “The singers have the right to make their team bigger and this contract redrafted with the sign of the additional singer or singers, no concert is held without the manager’s concern and the singers should have nothing to do with any other company  except they are being paid for till their term of contract is fulfilled with the one they are in.” she closed the file.

“Does it mean if we sign the name spice will change on the contract too?” Ben asked.

“There was no name written on that contract,” Lindsay replied him.

“No doubt the money we received from our previous concert was equivalent to the one we use to receive as spice.” Shania said. Thinking about it the twelve realized of how much they had been scammed.

“Damn,” Zodiac snapped her fingers. “We have been robbed.”

“Ignorance is bad,” Michael said as he rested his back on the chair.

“What do we do about it?” Ken asked.

“We can’t do anything about it.” Shelly replied. “You guys didn’t sign so practically you are not part of the contract and so not entitled to anything,”

“Your lawyer was murdered wasn’t he?” Larry asked and the girls stared at him and Shania.

“Yes I told him,” Shania admitted at once.

“He was murdered?” Zed was frightened by what he heard.

“Yes,” Maul replied like it wasn’t a big deal. “We always believe he had an accident but it was actually murder and till now the killer has not been found.”

“We have to fix this contract,” Shelly switched back to the topic.

“We don’t care about the contract,” Michael said. “If we are out of it, it will be easier for you girls to come out too.”

“We can’t just come out.” Lindsay said. “Our signatures are there, that’s what makes us a part of it.”

“And if you don’t have your signatures in this, you will be robbed off your royalties.” Cindy added. “Shoot……we need that money to make our dreams come through.”

“Yah, we won’t conjure the buildings will we?” maul asked.

“Girls relax,” Ben said. “God will provide all the things we need to make this dream come through,”

“But we have to start from somewhere,” Zodiac wearily said.

“Our efforts won’t help us,” Ken said. “It never has and it never will. If you girls doubt, look at us and see the possibilities. How we got here, we had nothing but our faith in God.”

“You had a boat,” Lindsay told him.

“And you have a dream,” Larry replied her. “You are not completely dry. We have to trust God to work things out for us even freedom from Mr. Jakes and the others.”

The girls lowered their heads and prayed for faith.

              The twelve’s official car dropped in front of their house that morning. The kids were up and going about their morning duties, singing along with their replayed concert on TV. They heard the bell ring and they wondered who it could have been that morning. After the bell rang three persistent times, Michael decided to save them from the noise. He went and opened the door, he recognized the person standing outside. One of their drivers had come to fetch them out so they could bring them to the studio as requested by Jakes.

“Can I come in?” he asked.

“Sure,” Michael said and made space for him to enter. He met the twelve. The volume of the TV was slowed down.

“We’ve been sent to pick you up; you are needed in the studio, right away.” He told them.

“Why?” Larry asked.

“I don’t know, just following what I heard.”

“Okay,” Maxwell said. “Can we dress up at least, look more presentable?”

“Please hurry, we might be late.” He said and the twelve ran upstairs to get changed. Few minutes later they came back looking nice and decent as usual.

The driver opened the door and ushered them out. Two of the escorts were standing outside, one beside each car. As they noticed the twelve approaching they bowed in respect and opened the door for them. The twelve separated themselves as Shelly had instructed, got into their separate cars and they drove them off.

When they got to the studio, they sat in the meeting room as usual. This time it was just Jakes, the others were out for other business concerning the company.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asked calmly but there was a familiar terror behind his voice.

The twelve was surprised to see that their visit to Moscow was already on the news paper and probably everywhere.

“We got informed that,” Michael explained slowly. “Moscow wants to have dinner with us in that city,”

“Oh,” Jakes shook his head. “You got informed?”

“Yes Mr. Jakes,” Ben replied. “Can we go? Please?”

The girls looked at him, what trick he was trying to play.

Jakes looked at him then he gazed away. He felt like his rights finally was been given to him.

“You mean to say, you haven’t accepted this invitation yet?” he was calm now that anger had cooled off a little. The girls noticed Ben’s strategy was working.

“We are asking for your permission,” Zodiac played along.

He looked at them then he said. “Do you realize he is the president of help the stars cooperative?”

“We are aware,” Maxwell replied.

“And he mostly entertains only stars that have problems with their managers and industry,”

“We know that,” Cindy said. “He hasn’t heard any complaints from us so I guess it’s just a friendly dinner, he is a fan too and it will be a great stain on our career and this industry if we don’t honor his invitation.”

Jakes was convinced they were telling him the truth.

“I will let you guys go but this will be your last outing for this period till I say so,”

The twelve nodded. “Yes Mr. Jakes.”

“It’s this weekend,” Zedy told him and lowered his head.

“There’s something I need to fix. Don’t go just yet. I will go redraft your contract so you boys can include your signatures.”

He left them.

“Ben that was awesome strategy,” Shelly said and they all congratulated Ben.

“That was God’s wisdom I tell you. I didn’t even know when I said that,”

They all laughed.

“Thank God for you Ben,” Lindsay said. “See how that one strategy shot down two birds for us,”

“Yeah,” Shania nodded. “He wants to clear out all the lizards in his cupboard so that when we meet Moscow his conscience will be clear,”

“Whatever,” Zodiac said. “We got want we were anticipating right, the boys get their signatures on the contract and our unity is completely complete.”

They all laughed again, they were so happy.

                  The news about the twelve’s coming to Sao Paulo had gone viral. News papers read it, social media posted it and some TV and radio stations announced it. That was the life of a star; some things could not just be hidden. The people of that country celebrated the fact that the twelve were coming to their country and great preparations were being made on how to receive the twelve stars with their pictures pasted on billboards all over the city.

               On Friday morning after their workouts and vocal exercise, the twelve went in for a quick bath so they could assemble for breakfast and they also planned on visiting their horses. Things were working as planned for them till the call came and Maul answered it. It was Rubel calling to inform them of their flight which had to leave in the morning ten AM and the team to escort them of which he was a part. When the receiver clicked Maul met Shelly in the kitchen putting cups together for tea. The others had not come down yet.

“What did the caller say? Shelly asked her.

“Mr. Rubel was the caller, calling to inform us of our tomorrow, ten AM and he will be escorting us.”

“I’m not too comfortable about this trip,” she said carrying the cups to the dinning. Maul followed her with a why carved on her lips. Finally she asked. “Why?”

“Because,” she dropped the cup and took a deep breath, “One we are going to miss church and two the publicity is too much already. I don’t know why they made it like that. Jesus should be publicized like that always not us.”

Maul helped her spread the cups on the table.

“I agree with you,” she said. “Come to think of it, we are moral singers right……………”

“Aha,” Shelly agreed.

“But we’ve never really made a song with Jesus as our only message, his coming, his love for humanity, his sacrifice and his glory. Don’t you think we should do something like that?”

“I think we should but we equally need to pray for the inspiration. Songs that speak to the spirit has to come from a spirit so we have to ask God’s spirit to give us such songs,”

“Yeah I guess you can’t just write such songs because you are genius writer or because you are for writing songs.”
“You are smart,” Shelly smiled at her. “Please do me a favor and hallo those super stars up there to come down for breakfast. We have to go check up on the horses before the sun comes up.”

“I will hallo them from here,” she planned on using the phone to call their rooms so they could down as Shelly said.

              On Saturday the private jet plane landed the airport 4:00PM on the dot. Moscow’s staff had come to welcome the twelve who had decided to appear in the most common official dress the world could find. Both females and males about eight of them appeared in their suit lined up to receive the twelve. There were equally some young college kids from a famous school in that city who had come to welcome the twelve to their city in their own way. In their numbers they formed the words ‘welcome twelve. Reporters streamed the site where they landed waiting to capture whatever scene they could find. Few minutes after the plane had landed; the door opened gradually, the anxiety of the fans who gathered there to receive these kids increased. Rubel walked out first and the twelve followed. They were aware of the situation they saw and all they did was show love and appreciation to their fans. As they walked down the plane waving to the fans, they screamed and shouted. Their eyes fell on the kids who had spelled out a welcome for them and they loved it. The twelve started by shaking the hands of the staff members as Rubel introduced them. People could not stop screaming, the cameras were everywhere, and the twelve waved them as they made way to their cars being lead by Rubel while the staffs followed behind. The boys were doing okay and the girls well; they were use to that kind of publicity. The whole twelve got into one car; it was a limo big enough to carry them all. Rubel rode with them and the other staffs followed in their different cars. They had two security cars in front, theirs in the middle with two cars behind carrying the staffs. They were given a presidential welcome. They arrived at the hotel where the dinner reservation was made, there were still a bunch of screaming fans there but the security was tight enough to keep the fans from pressing on to them for that was the plan of some. The majority of fans who showed up there were age mates to the twelve and they felt so inspired seeing how much they were loved and how highly their mates looked up to them. As they stepped out of the car, they waved with love and with beautiful smiles, a little girl came from the crowd holding a gift the size of a golf stick well sealed and the guards tried to stop her but the twelve granted her passage. She had her mother there with her watching tearfully as she walked courageously to Larry and handed the gift to him. The others watched smiling as Larry bent before her and said. “Thank you little princess,”

“You are my favorite amongst them,” she whispered in his ears and Larry laughed.

“Really?” he said and looked at the girls.

“I will love to sing with you someday,”

“Of course you will,” he said and hugged her. The little girl’s mother could not control the tears that welled up in her eyes and smiles split the lips of the fans who were watching. That surely went all over the world. The girl ran back to her mother as the twelve waved them and walked into the hotel led by Rubel and some of the staffs. They opened the door on both sides and they let the twelve go in first. Rubel was the only staff who got in, the place was arranged in the form of a royal banquet and the twelve were impressed to finally meet the man called Moscow. A fairly old man with gray hair and they could tell he was a very handsome man in his youth. Moscow smiled as they approached him and stood up.

“Good evening sir,” Rubel said with a hand shake.

“Good evening my boy, a pleasant welcome to you,”

“Thank you sir, I am most honored to introduce you to the twelve.” He said as he gave way to them. “This is Moscow, president of help the star.”

“Good evening sir,” the twelve said and bowed a little in respect.

“Wow, beautiful girls and handsome boys.” As they shook his hand, they introduced themselves by name.

“Rubel, I owe you much for organizing this meeting.”

“My pleasure sir, I will excuse you now,” he excused himself.

“Finally I met you twelve, since I was growing up I’ve never noticed that the inner part of man needs something more tremendous than the outer part till I heard you twelve sing, let’s sit down.”

They all sat, the chairs were thirteen exact.

Immediately the twelve sensed the meeting was bigger than a dinner date.

“You see,” he went on. “The night of your concert taught me the truth about why people truly sing. Most singers in our world today don’t live their lives with the kind of value they add to their stardom every day; I hardly talk to musicians or singers, if you see people getting really surprised on how I invited you is because I have never had a personal talk with any star. They help stars in my company in solving problems with their company or to eradicate some kind of blasphemy, I have people to deal with that because I don’t know why must singers don’t have integrity. They sing a different thing and live a different thing. You children will always grow above their success, the kind of success people expect you to have because of your intentions when you sing and because you live the life of the star you truly are.”

The twelve just stared at him. He smiled and went on. “I know you will be surprised to hear me talk like this but hear me, though some people will make you feel that you are doing no good to your world know that you have affected souls and keep up with the good work. Live for your fellow mates because when they are in school or on the streets , at home or anywhere they celebrate you, they believe because of your testimony and you have to help them come to the consciousness of what they have inside of them so they can use it to bless the souls of other people as well,”

“Do you have a family?” Maxwell asked.

“No,” he laughed grimly. “Married four times and lost them all,”

“What do you mean by that?” Maul asked.

“I married four wives, divorced three without any child. The fourth one which I thought was the love of my life died with our baby in her womb so I believed I wasn’t destined for family,”

“Oh……” the twelve was touched by his story. “Sorry about that,” they said.

“No, it’s not a problem. I’m way over it.”

“We’ve heard all you said Mr. Moscow,” Shelly said. “And we promise not to deviate that part.”
“We came this far because of that, it is our dream and we are sure to fulfill it by the help of God.” Michael said.

“I trust you twelve.” Moscow said.

“That was such a great welcome Mr. Moscow,” Maul said. They all agreed with Maul.

“Though it was a little extreme,” Shelly sharply said.

“Extreme?” Moscow bounced a laugh. “Very rare to hear a star complain of publicity,”

“We really don’t care too much about publicity right now,” Ken said.

“I see,” he nodded. “Can we eat now? I’m starving. Kept my stomach empty for this purpose,”

They all laughed, Moscow was a funny man. They didn’t ask for any waiter, they served themselves and helped serve Moscow as well.

                     A meeting again was held at Rolex center. As usual it involved the directors, Randy and his close workers with Duncan. This time they were all relaxed.

“So, Moscow invited the twelve to Sao Paulo just for dinner?” Chris asked.

“But you told us they were under your control,” Duncan said. “Why didn’t you tell them no,”

“We,” Harrison leaned forward. “Actually don’t have rights to control their lives in that manner. We would have been trying to do that if they didn’t have witnesses but they still do even all over the world.”

“Their witnesses will have nothing to do about what I have to say,” Jake spoke as though he was in thoughts.

“Jakes that’s not necessary,” Leon told him. “Why would you want to bring that up now?”

“It is the best way to gain back all what we invested in those kids, if we keep quiet that paper will be rubbish,”

Their conversation was confusing Randy and his crew.

“What are you talking about?” Randy asked

“The girl’s talent belongs to me,” Jakes told them.

“What are you trying to say?” Jan asked.

“Their dead lawyer Lennon Nisus was sponsored by my father. He paid his fees through law school and his position in the court room. This caused him five million dollars, he expected this lawyer to pay him back all what he spent on him within two years and it was a deal between them. Just after a year my father had a pain in his chest which cost his dead but before he died he told me of his deal with Lennon and urged me not to fail to collect his money from him. After my father’s dead, I gave him six months to gather himself up and within these six months he brought in the girls. I asked about the deal he had with my father and he told me that he had used up all his money for the burial of their lost family and to equally fund their education since their parents didn’t live as much. He asked for more time and I gave him more time, two years was running out and I needed money to start the company so I pressured him and even threaten to ruin his career. In that pressure he exchanged the girl’s talent for his own career. He paid what he owed my father with their talents; the contract we signed was just a mirage.”

“What!” Jan exclaimed. They who were hearing it for their first time couldn’t believe it.

“You are not serious,” Jan stared at Jakes in consternation.

“He is serious,” Benedict said. “That’s why we were totally against the shore boys joining them. They will complicate the whole deal,”

“But these girls have been serving you for five years,” Chris said thoughtfully. “With all the money they have made for you it’s more than enough, more than five million dollars.”

“His benefit,” Randy giggled.

“This is pretty good,” Duncan said in delight.

“I can use them how ever way I want, wherever the girls are, the boys will definitely be. So we have nothing to worry about.” Jakes said.

“This should be kept a secret,” Leon said. “Nobody else should know.”

Jan and Chris were still very worried about what they heard. They were not at ease.

“Don’t you think it’s going to hurt the girls?” Jan asked.

“Not as long as they are still the center of attraction and they are still the richest young stars in the world.” Jakes replied her.

                    After that meeting, Chris met Jan loitering around and whispering.

“Jan,” he held her hands and looked into her eyes. “You need to calm down,”

“I can’t,” she tearfully said. “Chris I just can’t. Do you know what it means to be a slave to what God gave you?”

“Jan I know it will be difficult for them…………”

“I cannot sit and watch that happen,” she took her hands off his. “Those are kids fighting for their success everyday of their young lives; they haven’t done any wrong to anybody, why do they want to ruin their lives?”

“So what now, are you going to pay in the five million dollars to the directors?”

“Chris if you are going to be part of this count me out.” She walked out.

Chris walked and placed his hands on the table wishing he would wake up from the night mare concerning what he heard about the girls from Jakes.

                   Three days after the twelve had returned, they were indoors just as their manager had instructed them, the boys had their signature on the contract already and all they did with their time was make plans on how to fulfill their dreams. Ken had finished with the drawing plans for their camp and it was extremely beautiful. The little girl’s gift was a picture of them singing on stage during their concert which was just perfect and it gave them much joy.

              Rooney and Johnny met Rubel his office that Wednesday afternoon, they had come to find out Rubel’s part of the story concerning their visit to Moscow.

“My friends,” Rubel welcomed them into his office. “How is work?”
“Work is good,” Ro said as they sat down. “But it’s quiet boring now,”

“Is it because of the problems the twelve have with their directors?” he asked taking his sit.

“So they told you about it?” Jo asked.

“Of course they did,”

“Things are really slowing down there at the studio; the twelve hardly trust people these days.”

“What I experienced with them in Sao Paulo was one of its kinds; the whole world wants to make friends with the twelve. Their spirit is so contagious and it attracts all kinds of things towards them but there is a generation they want to lead, a pattern they love best.”

“How do you know that?”

“Look beyond their gifts and their talents, their skills are just a little compared to who they really are and what they want to give,”

“Wow Rubel,” Jo said. “You have been with the twelve just for a day and you already know them so well,”

Rubel smiled.

“We really have to step up Ro,” Johnny said looking at him.

                    The twelve sat down in the middle of the sitting room going through the plan Ken drew.

“Wow this plan is huge,” Cindy exclaimed.

“Yeah because the building is huge,” Zodiac replied her.

“Okay our target is five thousand children per camping season,” Ken explained. “This camp is as big as a city, it will contain two hundred different mini houses and each house will contain fifty persons which will of course be comfortable for them.”

“Wow,” Shania said. “The hugeness of this camp is scary. Did you think about how the boys and girls will co habit together?”

“Yeah,” he studied the drawing again. “This house will be divided into two sites one for the boys and one for the girls; they will have a joint sitting room, where they do stuffs together. Cool?”

They rest gazed at the plan and nodded.

“Good work Ken,” Michael said.

“When the job is done, we will fill in the house with all that it needs to make it very comfortable for the campers.” Ken said.

“I feel excited just hearing and thinking about it.” Lindsay said.

“Me too,” Ben said with a smile.

“The children’s world camp is so beautiful,” Larry said and the kids celebrated their progress but they were all surprised as their door slammed opened and Jakes walked in. he noticed something looked different in their house, the picture on the wall. He ignored it, the twelve didn’t move from their position but they greeted him.

“Nice picture on the wall,” he remarked folding his arm.

“Yeah,” Ben replied and standing up. “We got that from a little girl, fan.”

“Hmm and what are you kids doing there?”

“We are……” Shania stuttered. “Just having fun Mr. Jakes.”

There was one thing the kids feared; it was Mr. Jakes and his terrorizing nature. It was hard especially for the girls to over look it.

“Well your fun ends now, go get dressed we are leaving,” he said. To the twelve, that was a strange invitation.

“What are you all staring at,” he raised his voiced. “I say go get dressed.

“Mr. Jakes, where are we going?” Zodiac asked.

“You work for me now so you will do as I say without asking questions,” he was frank.

The twelve stood up.

“What are you trying to say?” Maxwell asked.

“You will see, go get dressed now.”

Slowly the twelve obeyed Mr. Jakes.

“I don’t have all the time in the planet, hurry up.” He shouted as the kids went up stairs.

                At the Rolex center, Duncan was with Chris at their meeting hall. He looked happy and triumphant, Chris looked at him from time to time wondering what he might be thinking or planning to do with the opportunity that was given to him.

“What are you thinking?” he asked him.

“I can’t wait to see the defeat on the faces of the spice.”

“You mean twelve?”

“Nah, those boys will always be insignificant to me.”

“Duncan you will never get anything from those kids if you don’t relate. I am your trainer so let me help you,”

“How will you help?”

Before he could answer Jakes walked in with the twelve and the two men stood up.

“What are we doing here?” Shelly asked Jakes.

“Sit down,” he ordered them.

“We are not taking a step further until you tell us the reason why you took us here,” Shania said. Chris and Duncan didn’t get the chance to welcome them, the twelve was angry and from their countenance anybody looking at them could tell.

“Don’t let me repeat myself for the third time,” Jakes frowned. “Sit down.”

The twelve didn’t move. After a few seconds Jakes anger was arousing because of their disobedience.

“Don’t play with me now; you don’t know how I get when I’m really pissed.”

“Jakes, jakes,” Chris intervened. “It’s ok, why don’t you just tell them it’s not supposed to be a secret is it?”

“Fine,” Jakes gave up. “I brought you here so you form an alliance with Duncan,”

“What!”  Maul exclaimed and the rest of them could not believe what they heard.

“You heard me so now sit yourselves down.”

“How do you expect us to form an alliance with Duncan?” Cindy asked.

“you are going to tell him all your secrets to success, we want him to be as famous and successful as you girls are so that when you start letting your achievements choke the respect you have for us out of your brains we will have Duncan here to be a real star, our star.”

Duncan nodded with pride and battled with the smile that wanted to split his lips but wasn’t obvious on his face.

“He is not even a part of your industry,” Larry said. “Not a part of your contract, how will you raise another man’s artist?”

“That is none of your business,” Jakes told him.

“How do you even expect us to start giving Duncan our secrets to success?” Lindsay asked. “How is that possible?”

“Duncan,” Jakes turned to him. “You have them all to yourself. Ask the questions you have and keep asking until you are satisfied. Chris lets go,”

Chris followed Jakes.

“You heard your manager, sit down.” Duncan said after the two men left.

The twelve stared at him.

“This is a big joke,” Shania said.

“No its not,” Duncan quickly replied her.

“What do you really want from us?” Michael asked.

“Want from you, oh please,” Duncan laughed and shook his head. “There is nothing I want from you street boys, in fact this meeting was supposed to be between I and the spice so if you boys want to leave go ahead, you have nothing to lose.”

“I feel so sorry for you Duncan, how can you succeed if you cannot admit that you are a failure already,” Ben said.

“What!” Duncan exclaimed and his countenance suddenly fell.

“We are a group now, united and we love each other. We are the twelve and it won’t change anything if out of the whole world only one person who begs and proud says otherwise.”

The twelve folded their arms and stared at Duncan. Duncan felt defeated again and they saw it in his face.

“Twelve,” Ben said. “I think we should sit down now,”

They walked to their sit and sat down, Duncan was still standing.

“Why don’t you sit Duncan?” Maul asked. He fidgeted a little then he sat.

“So you want to be as famous and successful as the twelve huh?” Lindsay asked.

Duncan bowed his head.

“Oh sorry,” Ken said. “You are to do the questioning. Guys let’s give him his place.”

The twelve sat quiet waiting for Duncan to speak. The so many awful things Duncan had prepared to say to ridicule the twelve melted with the shame of having to beg them for advice on how to be a successful singer.

“We are rescheduling this meeting,” he said. “When you come tomorrow, I will be ready.” He stood up and walked out in a fit of pique.

“This is the height of it and we are going to fight back,” Shelly said. “I don’t care if they have to kill us; we are not letting the selfishness of this people stand in the way of our dreams.”

“Not at all,” Ben said. “But I am going to enjoy this game. We will show Duncan the right way to succeed at least we will be saving a soul.”

They all looked at Ben and he smiled at them.

                 Jan didn’t make an appearance to work that day because of the injustice she felt was being done to the twelve. She decided to go to beech for a clear head. Chris called her.

“Hello Jan,”

“Hi Chris,”

“Where are you?” he asked.

“I’m at the beech getting a clear head, I woke up this morning and I felt poisoned.”
“What! Poisoned?”
“Yeah, by what Jakes said yesterday.”

Chris took a deep breath, he thought she was talking about an actual poison.

“The twelve was here today,”

“How are they?”
“They are having a hard time,”

“I expected that. They will never trust anybody in Rolex center again; they must be thinking we are all out to destroy their career.”

“We both know we don’t have bad intensions,”

“But they don’t know that,”

“Then we tell them,”

“You think they will listen?”

“At least we tried,”

After hearing Chris she nodded on the phone.

“Did randy notice my absence?” she asked.

“He did,”

“Okay, see you soon,”

“Take care,” he said and dropped the call.