"Hi dear, I’ve just gotten to Victoria coach station," I said as I picked the call.
"I tried calling you earlier but it didn't go through."
"Probably when we were in the train tunnel."
"I guessed as much. I just wanted to know if you were able to meet the 8am train."
"Yes, I did."
"Your bus leaves by 10, right?"
"Yeah, I'm waiting to board."
"Okay, safe journey dear."
"Thanks love. I will let you know when the coach moves."
"Okay, love you."
"Love you more." I cut the call, leaned on the wall and looked around the coach station.
There were people waiting to board the available coaches to different destinations, while some were still trying to get tickets. A few others had just arrived the station, and were having breakfast before setting out for the day’s business.
It was a busy scene.
One of the doors leading to where the coaches were parked opened and a man wearing a branded black polo walked through it.
"Now boarding, the... 10 amcoach to Manchester, " the man announced. Then he turned and walked back to stand in front of the bus.
There was a stir as people hurriedly got up and walked through the door to form a queue in front of the bus. I picked up my bags and joined them.
There were two young, white ladies standing in front of me. They each had black hand luggage and a big grey hold luggage. One of them wore a black sweatshirt and blue jeans trousers. The other was wearing a grey tracksuit.
"....do we have to board?" Whispered the one in grey.
The one in jeans nodded as she turned to look at me. I stared back at her. Then she turned back to her friend and did a zip on lips sign.
The queue moved quickly as people boarded the bus once their ticket was checked. People with a suitcase had to hand them over so they could be placed in the luggage hold of the coach. There was a second man with a branded black polo that was arranging the luggage in the hold.
The ladies handed over their hold luggage and boarded the bus. I watched as their luggage was carefully loaded in the hold, and then I also handed over my hand luggage.
The first five rows in the coach were reserved seats, while the toilet on the coach was situated in the middle.
So I moved past the toilet, placed my other bag in the overhead storage, and occupied a window seat on the driver’s side of the bus.
As the bus filled up, I looked around and noticed I was adjacent to where the girls sat.
The one in black got up to look at the queue in front of the coach. Then she turned to her friend, nodded and they both made their way out of the coach.
I stood up and watched as they casually walked back into the coach station through another door.
I looked up at the overhead storage area and saw that their hand luggage was still there. I also heard the door of the coach hold slam shut.
I left my seat and approached the driver as he got ready to board.
"Excuse me, do you have any SIA personnel around this station?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Two ladies left the bus just now, and their luggage are in the hold and the overhead storage."
"So?"
I showed him my SIA badge. "HOT principle. I think the luggage should be checked before we leave. Especially since the ladies are not onboard."
"Are you sure about the ladies leaving?"
"Yes. I'm sure."
He hesitated.
"Better safe than sorry," I added.
He turned and walked away. He soon returned with a guy with a SIA badge.
"Do you know the luggage they put in the hold?"
"Yes, grey in the hold and black in the overhead storage."
The driver and the other guy looked at each other. Then they opened the coach's hold and carefully brought out the two grey luggages. The suitcases were not locked.
The guy with the SIA badge slowly unzipped one of the suitcases. As he opened it, we saw there were two smaller suitcases inside.
He opened the first suitcase. It had just books and a phone. He opened the second one and we saw wires, a small car battery, a switch and a big item that was heavily wrapped with black cellophane.
The phone in the first suitcase started ringing.
I took to my heels.
Signed
Olumide Holloway (King Olulu)
