They came for her at 3 a.m.
No knock this time.
The door opened with a low hiss and two men stepped in—silent, dressed in black, eyes unreadable. Not the suit. Not the mysterious ally.
New faces.
New danger.
She didn't fight.
Not because she was afraid. But because she was finally sure:
They'd read the note.
And they were rattled.
⸻
They took her to a different wing—deeper, colder, quieter.
The corridor was lined with one-way mirrors. She saw her reflection as they walked: tired eyes, wild hair, the flicker of something dangerous behind her ribs.
A door opened.
A room with no windows. Just a single chair.
He was already waiting.
The suit.
He didn't look pleased.
"Where did you hear that name?" he asked, voice flat.
She didn't sit. "Why does it matter?"
He stood and walked toward her. "Because Oba Eze is a ghost. And people who see ghosts tend to disappear."
"Then maybe you should be more careful about the trails you leave behind," she snapped.
He stared at her. "What do you want?"
There it was.
She took a slow breath. "I want proof you can help my sister. And I want access to the files you're hiding. Everything on Oba. On the drugs. On who's been killing people like this isn't a country but a chessboard."
He laughed. Short. Mean. "You think you're in a position to negotiate?"
She met his gaze. "I think I'm the only one who knows how to clean your mess without burning everything down."
Silence.
And then, something shifted in his face—reluctant interest.
"Sit down, Kelechi."
She did.
He opened a drawer, pulled out a folder, and slid it across to her. No label. No warnings.
Inside:
•A manifest with Oba Eze's name.
•A surveillance photo of a port official taking a bribe.
•A blurry hospital record with one red stamp: VOID.
She looked up slowly. "So it's true."
He nodded once.
"Then why is he still alive?" she asked.
"Because Oba has protection. People higher than you can imagine. You want to touch him? You'll need more than curiosity."
"I don't want to touch him," Kelechi said, voice low.
He raised a brow.
"I want to crush him."