The air inside the warehouse was thick with tension, each second dragging by in the low-light gloom. Kelechi's fingers tightened around the gun, still pointed toward the floor, but her body stiffened as she listened to the sound of heavy footsteps growing closer. Every instinct screamed at her to run, but Ayo's voice cut through her panic like a blade.
"You're not going anywhere," he said, his tone flat. "If you run, you're putting your sister's life on the line. And don't think I'll let you go without making sure you pay for that mistake."
Kelechi turned, her eyes narrowing. "Then what? I just follow you blindly? What is this, Ayo?"
Ayo didn't flinch. He didn't even answer right away. His eyes flickered toward the door, where the distant sound of footsteps was now replaced by the distinct shuffle of boots—too many of them, moving in unison. They were closing in, and fast.
"Tell me what's going on, Ayo," she insisted, her voice shaking just slightly.
Ayo's eyes darkened, and for the first time, Kelechi saw something almost… human in them. A brief flash of vulnerability. But it was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by a cold detachment.
"You think you've been running from these people just because of your sister?" Ayo's words sliced through the air. "You think this is about a simple debt or some business gone wrong?" His lips curled into a bitter smile. "That's what you've been told. That's what you want to believe."
Kelechi froze. Her heartbeat skipped a beat. What was he saying?
"We're not just running from them," Ayo continued, his voice softening as he stepped closer. "They want you. All of you. You're the one they're after, Kelechi. Not her. Not me. You."
A cold rush of realization flooded Kelechi's veins. The feeling of her pulse thundering in her throat nearly drowned out the sound of her own thoughts.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she demanded, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't—"
"You think you're just a hospital pharmacist, right?" Ayo interrupted, his words sharp like shards of glass. "You think you're just stuck in your little corner of the world, far from all of this. But you're not."
Kelechi's grip tightened on the gun. No. No way. What was he saying?
"You were never supposed to get involved in this, but you did. And now—" Ayo hesitated, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Now you're caught up in something bigger than either of us. Bigger than your little 'normal life.'"
He took another step toward her, closing the distance between them until they were only inches apart. "They know who you are, Kelechi. They know what you've seen. And if you don't follow their rules—if you don't make the right choice—everyone you love will pay the price."
A cold chill ran down Kelechi's spine. She felt like the ground beneath her was suddenly unsteady, as if the world she knew was tilting sideways. Her mind spun as she tried to make sense of his words, but the pieces refused to fit together.
"They've been watching you for months. Your every move," Ayo said, voice low, dangerous. "And they know you're getting closer to the truth. You're getting too close."
Kelechi could feel her body trembling, a sudden, suffocating pressure tightening around her chest. She glanced down at Seyi, unconscious in her arms, the weight of her sister's life on her shoulders. If Ayo was telling the truth… then none of this was random. None of this was a simple case of bad luck.
This was all carefully orchestrated, and she was caught in the middle.
"You need to trust me," Ayo said urgently, his voice dropping to a whisper. "If you want to save her, if you want to save yourself, we have to leave now. They're coming."
Kelechi's thoughts raced as she glanced at the door. The footsteps were getting louder, too close for comfort. She knew she had seconds before they would be discovered.
She looked back at Ayo, her chest tight with anger, confusion, and fear. "Who are 'they,' Ayo?" Her voice broke as the question left her lips. "Who are you really working for?"
Ayo's face hardened, and he gave her a long, calculating look. "It doesn't matter who they are right now. What matters is that we survive. You and me. We survive. If you want answers, you'll have to wait. But I promise you this: If we don't move, if we don't make it out of here…" He let the words hang in the air like a threat.
For a moment, the room felt impossibly small. The walls seemed to close in as Kelechi's mind raced to process everything. Who were these people? What had she stumbled into?
And, most importantly: Why her?
⸻
The door to the room slammed open.
Kelechi's heart stopped. The men who stepped inside were wearing masks, their eyes cold and calculating, their weapons gleaming in the dim light
One of them stepped forward, his voice gruff, ordering, "Move. We're not here to talk."
Ayo's hand shot out, grabbing Kelechi's arm, pulling her toward the back of the room. "Get to the exit. Now."
But Kelechi didn't move. Her eyes locked with one of the masked men, and for the first time, she understood. This wasn't just about surviving the moment. It wasn't even about her sister anymore.
This was about something far darker than she could have ever imagined.