Accidental Assassin

Different cultures frequently collide in the ever-shrinking modern world. Nshila Ileloka gains strange skill when she is befriended in childhood by the tribal witchdoctor. Offered opportunities previously unknown to girls from her village, she attends a prestigious secondary school. She finds that her witchcraft skills can be aided by western thought and western technology. Spells and incantations can be made more effective by physical actions taken in parallel. She can make things happen in a manner beyond the competence of others. Re-called to her village to identify and dispose of a cattle-thief, she engineers his death. It was done at the request of her tribe, and for their benefit, so she sees herself as no more a criminal than a soldier in battle. Yet she has crossed a psychological boundary. She wins a scholarship to The London School of Economics and finishes with a 1st Class Degree. She also gains an MBA from The Open University. But she is unable to resist a challenge and is constantly experimenting. She is approached by somebody who has learnt of her success with the cattle-thief and wants her help with a similar problem. He is seeking the death of a bent policeman, who is responsible for several deaths-in-custody. She is unsure of her capability but feels it feeble to reject the assignment. Success follows, and a substantial fee. Without a conscious decision, she has become a consultant assassin. She targets only the most villainous people and maintains the self-image of a gardener - pulling up weeds so that flowers can flourish. Careful research is always undertaken before she accepts a target. She is never quite sure whether witchcraft or physical action contributes most to her success. Would the physical action have worked without the spells? She never really knows. Her consultant work is screened by the ownership of a wholly legitimate business. This is The Rain Consultancy, which deals with weather prediction and has offices in Eastcheap, London.