Abidemi Sowande

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Alex Cross Wiki

**Abidemi Sowande** (aka **The Tiger**) is the main antagonist of the Alex Cross novel *Cross Country*. Sowande is an unspeakably destructive insurgent in Africa leading a gang of child soldiers spreading terror and bloodshed across West Africa. Cross hunts the Tiger to avenge the rape and murder of his ex-girlfriend, Ellie Cox, who was killed with her family by Sowande and the child soldiers, as well as take on corruption there and in the US that ties to the insurgency.

## Biography

Sowande was a leader of an army of child soldiers, gaining the nickname of "The Tiger" from being a ruthless, brutally violent predator against people born in and visiting Africa, having a particular pleasure for rape and torture, especially over women and children. When Cross' ex-girlfriend, Eleanor Cox, and her entire family are in West Africa, they're all butchered to death by Sowande and the crew, several of them rape, including Ellie. Cross is devastated and goes with his girlfriend, Agent Bree Stone, to consult on the massacre investigation. Sowande's crimes permanently scar Cross, to the point of not sleeping at all the night of finding out and struggling with the case. Cross then figures out the gang's next move and intended targets, successfully stopping the assault, but the majority of the militia escapes. Cross finds more info on Sowande from the CIA and flies to Nigeria after convincing Stone and Nana Mama, his grandmother. Cross is provoked by the procedure in the country and abducted and imprisoned by the militants acting as "cops". Cross is tortured by starving, parching, and beating to the point of severe injury and his nose breaking. CIA Agent Ian Flaherty pays for Cross' release and insists Cross return to America, but Cross refuses and stays, especially when Stone reports another of the Tiger's murders.

Cross reaches Sierra Leone and is provided food and water by Moses, a veteran who was crudely amputated. When the Tiger's soldiers ambush and try to murder Cross, Moses helps him escape, Cross repaying him with a truck he brought for him. Father Bombata, who was on the plane to Nigeria, directs Cross to his cousin, Addane Tansi, to help him in his search. Cross doesn't know when meeting her she met Ellie in her work as a investigative journalist. Tansi brings Cross to her family and kisses him, which cross finds a betrayal to Stone despite not continuing to feel guilty about it. Flaherty gives Cross Sowante's real name, and Cross and Tansi are attacked by Janjaweed insurgents at a hobo camp, around the same time, around the same time Tansi's family is also annihilated. The two escape with the help of "Peacekeepers" needing the better rep, and Tansi is devastated being the last surviving family member. It doesn't last long; Cross and Tansi are falsely imprisoned again, and Sowande personally rapes and murders Tansi in front of Cross, before Cross is again released.

Sowande then abducts Cross' family and gives Cross coordinates to the hideout. cross, Stone, and partner Detective John Sampson get into a gunfight and additional combat with child soldiers, all infantrymen defeated. Cross personally chases after Sowande, and after a long, violent, bloody scuffle and shootout, Cross kills Sowande. Flaherty and two other CIA agents, Merrill Snyder and Steven Millard, are all arrested once revealed to be in conspiracy with the activities of Sowande and the insurgents, with Cross' family being rescued.