The explosion ripped through the wooden floor, sending dust and debris flying. Ochieng barely had time to react before the ground collapsed beneath them.
He lunged forward, grabbing Naima's wrist as they plummeted into the darkness below.
The impact was brutal. Ochieng's back slammed against cold cement, pain radiating through his spine. Naima landed beside him, a sharp gasp escaping her lips as she coughed from the cloud of dust rising around them.
Above, gunfire echoed, but it sounded distant—like the world above was fading away.
Then—silence.
A dim emergency light flickered, casting eerie shadows on the underground walls. The space was vast, lined with rusted metal doors and exposed pipes dripping with water. No easy exit.
Naima groaned, pushing herself up. "Are we dead?"
Ochieng exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "No. But we might be soon."
He forced himself to his feet, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Something wasn't right.
The underground structure… it didn't feel like an accident.
This place was meant to trap them.
Naima touched her temple, wincing. "Kairo… he set us up."
Ochieng's jaw tightened. "He's been setting me up for years."
Then—a sound.
Footsteps.
Coming from the darkness ahead.
Ochieng immediately pulled out his gun, his body tensing.
"Who's there?"
A pause.
Then, a voice he hadn't heard in years.
"You always did have bad luck, brother."
Ochieng's breath caught.
From the shadows, a man stepped forward.
Tall. Lean. A scar running down his cheek.
Amari.
Ochieng's dead brother.
---
Naima gasped, stepping back. "This isn't possible."
Ochieng felt frozen. "No. You're dead."
Amari smirked, his eyes dark with amusement. "That's what they wanted you to believe."
He stepped closer, his boots clicking against the damp floor. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."
Ochieng's grip tightened on his gun. "How?"
Amari tilted his head. "How do you think? The same people who faked Naima's death did the same to me."
Silence stretched between them.
Naima's voice was barely a whisper. "Why?"
Amari's expression darkened. "Because they wanted you alone, Ochieng. Vulnerable. Angry. Predictable." He exhaled slowly. "And now? They're done playing games."
Ochieng's stomach twisted.
"Who are 'they'?" he asked.
Amari's smirk vanished. "You already know."
And then—before Ochieng could process the truth—
The bunker doors slid open.
Floodlights burst to life, blinding them.
And standing in the entrance…
Was Kairo.
Flanked by armed guards.
Grinning.
"Looks like the family reunion came early."
---
Ochieng's grip on his gun tightened, but he knew better than to fire. Kairo had the numbers.
The man stepped forward, hands in his pockets, exuding the kind of calm confidence that only came from absolute control.
"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting Amari to reveal himself so soon," Kairo mused, his voice dripping with amusement. "But fate has a way of tying up loose ends, doesn't it?"
Ochieng's muscles coiled. "What do you want, Kairo?"
Kairo smirked. "Come on, Ochieng. You know what I want. I've been waiting years for this." He motioned to his men. "Take them."
The guards moved in.
Ochieng reacted instantly.
A gunshot rang out.
One of Kairo's men dropped, blood blooming across his chest.
Ochieng didn't wait—he lunged forward, knocking another guard off balance and grabbing his knife in one swift motion.
Naima was already in motion, swinging her leg into the ribs of the nearest guard.
Chaos erupted.
The underground bunker turned into a battlefield.
Ochieng weaved through the fight, his movements precise, brutal. He elbowed one man in the throat, twisted another's arm until bone snapped, and drove the stolen knife into a third enemy's leg.
Naima fought with desperate elegance, ducking, weaving, striking—a survivalist's instinct honed by years of running.
But then—
A sharp pain tore through Ochieng's ribs.
A knife.
Kairo's knife.
The world blurred.
His breath caught.
And before he could react—darkness took him.
---
When Ochieng awoke, his wrists were bound.
Cold steel. Tight.
He was sitting in a metal chair, dim light casting long shadows against the damp bunker walls.
Across from him, Kairo leaned against a table, sipping from a glass of whiskey.
"You know," Kairo mused, swirling his drink, "I always admired your stubbornness. But even the strongest men break eventually."
Ochieng remained silent, forcing himself to ignore the burning pain in his side.
Kairo exhaled, setting his glass down. "Let's not waste time. You're going to do something for me, Ochieng."
A cruel smile.
"Or Naima dies."
Ochieng's pulse pounded. "You touch her, and I'll kill you."
Kairo chuckled. "I believe you. But I also know you're smart enough to realize when you've lost."
He leaned in. "You have something I want. The ledger. The names. The secrets. Hand them over, and you both walk free."
Ochieng smirked despite the pain.
"Go to hell."
Kairo sighed, shaking his head. "I was hoping you'd say that."
He snapped his fingers.
The door opened—
And Naima was dragged in.
Her face was bruised, her arms restrained.
Ochieng saw red.
Kairo grinned. "Let's see how long you last before you start talking."
And with that, he nodded to his men.
The torture began.
---