The loud ringing of the school bell cut through the quiet morning. It was a sharp sound, very different from the deep silence Tony Black had just left. Only a few hours ago, he had quietly slipped out of a hidden compound. Now, he was inside the big building of Royal Academy. The air here was clean and smelled fresh, like polished floors. It felt soft, filled with the low sounds of many young people getting ready for their lessons.
Tony walked through the crowd of students. His school uniform was perfect. His white shirt was very clean and neat, and his tie was tied just right. He looked like any other smart boy in a good school. He was in Senior Secondary School 2 (SSS2), a time when students prepared for big exams like WAEC and JAMB. On the outside, his face was calm and serious. It showed no feelings. But inside his head, many thoughts were moving very fast. He had just finished a surprise test in Mr. Okoro's Economics class. He had answered all the questions easily. He talked about how prices go up and down, how people buy and sell things, and how a market works. But as he spoke, his mind was really in the busy streets of Warri. He was thinking about the hidden markets, where illegal things were sold. He knew that market was much harder and more dangerous than anything in a school book.
He saw Emeka and Jide by the school lockers. They looked just as perfect as Tony, with their neat uniforms and clean hair. They exchanged a quick nod with Tony. It was so small that almost no one else would see it. Tony nodded back. It was their secret sign, a quiet way to say, "I see you. We are together." They knew it was too risky to talk much in school. Their hidden life, like a strong, live electric wire, connected them, even when they were standing far apart in the crowded school building. Tony did not go near them. They had to keep their distance in the daylight. They had to play their parts perfectly for their families and for the school.
Kunle was already in the library. Tony saw him sitting at a table, leaning over a laptop. The bright light from the screen shone on his face. Kunle looked tired, like he had not slept at all. He was always working, always searching for information in the dark parts of the internet. He was like a quiet guard, watching for danger in the digital world. Tony knew Kunle was already looking for clues about Kelvin, the Red Scorpion leader.
As Tony walked past, Miss Adeyemi, his Literature teacher, gave him a wide, bright smile. She held her clipboard. "Tony! Good morning!" she said. "Your essay on that book, 'Things Fall Apart,' was truly excellent. You showed such deep understanding of problems between different cultures!" Tony gave her a polite smile. He felt the strong irony in her words. He was living his own story of two worlds crashing together, a conflict much more real and dangerous than anything in a book. He knew this double life was like a play, and he was becoming very good at acting his part. He knew how to hide his true self.
Later, during the short break, students rushed to the cafeteria. They were hungry and loud. Tony found a quiet table by himself. He ate his small meal quickly. He did not want to join any long talks with other students. He just watched. The "Agbada Boys"—sons of powerful politicians and rich oil business people—sat together. They talked loudly and showed off. Tony saw their pride, but he also knew it was just a thin cover for their fear of the real world outside. The "Bookworms" had their heads buried deep in textbooks, lost in their own worlds. They did not see anything else. The "Sports Jocks" were out on the football field. They were full of energy. Their best player, Blaze, from Government College Warri (GCW), was famous in the school. Everyone knew he was a very talented football player. But there were also whispers about Blaze having strong connections to the streets. People said he was a high-ranking Red Scorpion in his own school. These whispers had grown stronger since Kelvin had started making his moves. The big football game coming up, the Principal's Cup against GCW, was now more than just a game. It was turning into a hidden war, a symbolic battle on the neat, green grass of Royal Academy. Tony watched it all, every small detail. He missed nothing.
He also watched the school-based cults. The Black Eagles were very ambitious and rough. They were openly getting new members from younger students in Junior Secondary School (JSS3) and Senior Secondary School (SSS1), promising them protection and importance. Tony observed their small, secret handshakes. He heard their hushed, tempting words. He saw how they used quiet threats to get what they wanted. They would sometimes take phones from smaller students or use quiet words to make them scared. Then there was the older, more powerful Omega Brotherhood. They mainly chose students from rich families in the Academy. They did not fight on the streets, but their power came from their family connections, from their parents' money and influence. They often controlled school clubs or got special favors because of who their parents were.
Tony also noticed other subtle groups. In the cafeteria, especially in quieter corners or outside near the sports field, he saw the "yahoo yahoo boys." These were young students, often with very expensive gadgets—laptops and phones that were too new, too powerful for just schoolwork. They sat in small groups, their heads bent close, talking in low voices. They were not fighting like cults. They made money through cybercrime, using computers and the internet to trick people and steal money. They were clever, using their skills to get rich in secret. In a private school like Royal Academy, these "yahoo boys" were very hard to spot. Their operations were hidden, their money came from outside, and they blended in with other rich kids. They did not cause open trouble. Most teachers and the principal saw them as just well-behaved students with expensive hobbies.
Tony knew better. He saw the quick, hidden exchanges of money, the smug looks on their faces when they talked about a "successful deal." He knew they had their own hidden network within the school walls. Most school authorities did not know about them, or if a few suspected something, they stayed quiet. The school's reputation was too important, and some staff might have been too afraid to speak up, or maybe they just didn't want to see it. Tony knew that in government or public schools, such groups were often open and easy to find, but in a private school, everything was covered up, hidden beneath a polished surface. Tony, always watching, always learning, studied them all. He was like a quiet scientist, understanding their hidden rules, their weak points, and how they controlled their own small worlds. He was the perfect, hidden observer. He never let anyone truly see his thoughts or his true self. He always kept his grades high, doing very well in important exams like WAEC and JAMC. These exams are coming up soon, and they are very important for his future studies. His good grades made his parents very proud. They believed he was on a straight path to a bright, normal future. He never tried to become a prefect, a student leader. He preferred to stay in the shadows, watching the routines and weaknesses of those in charge.
Meanwhile, far from Tony's careful movements, Kene, the Don of the Eiye Confraternity's Oraka Lane chapter, was burning with frustration. He was hiding in a safe house, a small, two-room shack near the dark waters of the Warri River. It was far from the main roads and easy to miss. He could not openly fight back against Kelvin's silent attacks. Godwin, Kene's loyal second-in-command, had to deal with Kene's anger.
Kene was pacing back and forth in the small, crowded room like a wild animal in a cage. He hit his fist onto a wobbly table, making a glass shake loudly. His face was red with anger, his eyes narrow. "Oraka Lane! My territory! We go respond!" he shouted. "Dem think say dem go just waka over us? Na lie!" Losing Oraka Lane was not just about money; it was about Kene's standing, his respect, and his very power within the larger Eiye hierarchy. His position as a street-level Don, under the broader authority of the Eiye Zone Heads, was being severely tested. Godwin tried to calm him down, speaking softly, telling him to be patient. "Brother," Godwin said, "we need to think carefully. Kelvin no dey fight fair." But Kene's anger grew hotter. "Patience ke?" he yelled, his voice rising. "While dem dey chop our market? No be so we set up this thing!" Kene's sudden, angry attacks over the last few weeks had failed. They were small fights that just used up his men and supplies, and they didn't win anything important. Tony had heard about these small fights through his network, confirming Kene's big weakness: he was too hot-headed, too easy to make angry, and he could not see Kelvin's clever long-term plan.
Kene decided he needed to do something. He could not stand feeling weak any longer. He had to gather his key boys, including his youngest but most brilliant lieutenant. Kene placed a call to Chike, the old groundskeeper who worked at Royal Academy, giving him a coded message for Tony. The message was simple: Meeting. Old Yard. Midnight. Alone.
Later that day, as the final school bell rang and students poured out of classrooms, Tony was gathering his books. He knew Mr. Idowu, the family driver, would soon be waiting. As he headed towards the main exit, Tony saw Chike pushing his wheelbarrow, tidying a patch of overgrown bushes near the sports field. Chike's tired eyes met Tony's for a brief moment. Their connection was unspoken. Chike's hand quickly brushed Tony's, and a small, folded piece of paper was left in Tony's palm. Chike did not stop or look back, just kept pushing his wheelbarrow, blending into the background of a diligent groundskeeper.
Tony moved to a quieter corner, casually unfolding the note. It contained a few short, coded words. It was Kene's summons for a meeting, but also an update from Chike's own observations from within the school walls: whispers among the "yahoo yahoo boys" about new, lucrative scams, increased tension between the Black Eagles and Omega Brotherhood, and a general feeling of unease among students and staff affected by the cult activities and the silent turf war within and around the school. This was how Tony got his most direct, ground-level information—from unnoticed observers like Chike, who were privy to the subtle shifts in the school's undercurrents, and, it seemed, even to the larger street network. Tony understood. It was a summons. Kene, his superior in the Oraka Lane chapter, wanted him there. This showed Tony's crucial place, even at his young age, as Kene's lieutenant within the Eiye. His intelligence was valued.
After understanding the message, Tony walked out to meet Mr. Idowu. "Ready, sir," he said, offering a polite, confident smile. Mr. Idowu, who believed Tony was a very dedicated student, nodded and opened the car door. Tony settled into the familiar back seat. The air conditioning was a stark contrast to the humid afternoon heat outside, and the quiet comfort of the car felt miles away from the simmering tensions he had just observed at school and the urgent message clutched in his hand.
His family's house was like a strong fort. High walls topped with sharp barbed wire, and guards watching the gate day and night. It was built to keep danger out. But Tony knew every weak spot, every secret way in. He knew when the guards changed shifts. He knew exactly where the security cameras could not see. He even had a copied key for an old service gate that made a soft creak when it opened. He had known that sound since he was a small boy, practicing his escape routes. He felt a sense of freedom when moving through these hidden ways, a feeling he never got in the quiet, perfect rooms of his family home.
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Later that night, as the house grew silent and the city lights twinkled in the distance, Tony moved like a ghost. He slipped out of his room, careful not to make a sound. He wore his more active street gear for the meeting: a dark hoodie (which he could pull up for concealment), military cargo short pants that allowed easy movement, and his comfortable gangster sneakers that were both sturdy and light. This was his outfit for "jobs" or when facing danger. He bypassed the main security, a mere shadow in the darkness, and disappeared into the busy, noisy streets of Warri. This was where he felt most alive. This was where his mind was truly sharp. His body, at 15, was growing taller and stronger, making these secret movements easier.
Tony made his way to the meeting place. The meeting was in an abandoned mechanic's workshop, deep inside a maze of narrow, dusty alleys. It was a place only known by those who truly lived and breathed the Warri streets. The air there was thick with the smell of old engine oil and damp earth. Tony moved like a shadow, avoiding streetlights and sounds. He knew rival cults often knew about each other's hidden spots, but they usually left them alone, waiting for a better time to strike. This made such secret meetings possible, if risks were taken. Police and security agencies knew about these groups, but they often struggled to catch them due to their secret ways and the large number of people in Warri.
About twelve Eiye Confraternity members, their faces serious and worried, gathered in the shadowy workshop. Kene, the Don of the Oraka Lane chapter, stood in front of them, his eyes burning with anger. They looked tired, some of them still nursing small wounds from recent clashes. "We dey lose ground," he said, his voice rough with fury. "Oraka Lane, my market, dem don carry am! My boys dey complain, dem dey fear. This Kelvin... him think say him dey smart, him dey cut our money, him dey make small groups join him. But we no be cowards!" He hit his hand on a rusty car bonnet with a loud clang. "We go show dem! We go hit dem where dem no expect! Forget Kelvin's brother, Chike. Him be Scorpion problem. We no dey mourn over rival. His death is Kelvin's pain, not ours." Kene's voice grew louder, pushing for immediate action. "We dey plan our own move! We go hit their new outpost for Jakpa Road! Tonight!"
The men looked at each other, some with fierce loyalty, ready to follow. Others looked a little scared, knowing this was very dangerous. Tony, Kene's lieutenant, listened. He felt a cold calm. He knew Kene's plan was too quick, too open. It would lead to more losses. He stepped forward quietly. "Boss," Tony said, his voice calm and clear, cutting through Kene's anger. "I hear you. Our boys dey ready. But 'tonight'… police still dey everywhere because of the recent trouble. And rivals expect us to react fast. Dem dey watch for that."
Kene turned to Tony, his anger not quite gone. "So wetin we go do? Sit down dey watch dem take everything?"
Tony shook his head. "No, Boss. We fight. But we fight smart. Not now. We go hit dem, but not when dem expect. Not when police still dey hot and looking for us. We go hit them in one week." Tony paused, letting his words sink in. "When our school, Royal Academy, dey play Government College Warri. The Principal's Cup football match."
Kene frowned, thinking. "The school match? Wetin that one get to do with dis?"
"Everything, Boss," Tony explained. His mind was working fast, seeing all the parts of the plan. "That night, everyone go dey focused on the game. Police go dey around the school, but their main focus go dey there, for security. They won't be looking for us somewhere else. And cult rivals… dem go think say everybody go dey low key because of the police presence. Dem no go expect major move from us. That go create a window for a surprise hit. We go use that confusion." Tony spoke with strong belief. "We go hit their main money point for Jakpa Road! The one dem just seize from us. The one where they get plenty money from the yahoo boys and the drug deals."
Kene thought for a long moment, then nodded slowly. The heat of immediate revenge was still in him, but the idea of a clever, powerful strike was stronger. "Okay," Kene said, his voice rough. "One week. The night of the school match. We go hit dem. But we go plan am well. No mistakes." His men mumbled their agreement, a sense of hope mixing with their fear. The meeting ended, with Kene and Tony planning the next moves for the coming week. Kene knew that his survival as the Oraka Lane Don, and his standing with the Eiye's higher command—the Zone Heads who oversaw multiple street leaders like him—depended on a successful strike.
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Meanwhile, Kelvin, the calculating leader of the Red Scorpions, continued his silent war. During this week leading up to the Principal's Cup, his "choking" actions did not stop. His Red Scorpion men kept cutting Eiye's supply lines, taking over their money points, and stopping their drug deliveries. Kelvin was calm in his own hideout, looking at his maps, marking new areas they controlled. He knew Eiye was losing strength quickly.
He turned to Ovie, his second-in-command. "Ovie," Kelvin said, his voice low. "That small shop for Okere Road, where Eiye dey collect market money? Make sure our boys collect everything from there. And make sure Eiye know say na us dey collect now." Ovie nodded. "Our boys don take over. Eiye don scatter there. We move swift, like ghosts." Kelvin smiled, a thin, cruel line appeared on his face. "Good. And the drug shipment from Port Harcourt? Did it pass through?" A younger Scorpion member stepped forward, looking proud. "Boss, we intercept am. Plenty product. Eiye no sabi wetin hit hit dem. Dem still dey cry for their loss." Kelvin chuckled. "Kene is getting desperate. Even his smart young lieutenant, Tony, can't pull them out of this spiral. He's a bright kid, but still just a boy trying to play big." This was Kelvin's "choking" strategy. He was stopping Eiye's small money points and ambushing their drug deliveries. He was slowly taking away their ability to breathe, their sources of money and power. He was preparing for Eiye to fall apart completely.
Later, Kelvin took a call on a special satellite phone. His voice was low and formal. "Oga for Lagos," he began. "The new routes dey clear. Product dey flow well now through Oraka Lane. Your market go expand." He listened carefully, then nodded slowly. "Yes, Oga. Warri go soon know who be king. The Eiye… dem dey weak. Dem go soon fall. We dey finish dem, small-small." This phone call showed Kelvin's growing power. It showed how big his operations were and how far his influence reached, even beyond Warri, connecting to bigger crime networks. He knew about the "yahoo boys" and their money, and he was working to control their operations as well, seeing them as another source of income.
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From her quiet hair salon, filled with the smell of hair products, Queen Amara of the Amazonian Sisters remained composed. She was not a fighter, but she was very good at getting information. Her network was quiet, but it reached everywhere. Her contacts in hospitals told her about more and more young men coming in with strange injuries. These are clear signs of the hidden violence happening in the areas Kelvin was targeting. In the markets, women who seemed harmless whispered stories of new faces, new drug sellers, and more Red Scorpions appearing in areas that used to be neutral. Dem dey infiltrate everywhere, Amara's most trusted agent texted her. The money don sweet dem. Dem dey grow fast. Amara knew this was a good time for her own group to make smart moves, to gain more power through alliances and information. She was fully aware of Tony Black, Kene's young but sharp lieutenant. "He's clever, that one," she murmured to herself, flipping through a file. "But Kene's too hot-headed for him to truly shine. He's still stuck playing second fiddle." She saw how the conflict between Eiye and Scorpions was creating new gaps, new opportunities for her own group. She was also keenly aware of the "yahoo boys" and how their wealth could change the balance of power.
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The Black Axe Confraternity, led by the smart and quiet Dogo, remained strangely silent. They were patient hunters. They watched everything like hungry birds, waiting in the shadows. Their own agents were everywhere, noting every small weakness in the other groups. Dogo and his main men were drawing up their own maps, marking possible territories, making quiet alliances. They were waiting for the perfect moment to strike and make their own group more powerful. Dogo believed in moving when the time was right, not rushing. He studied the mistakes of others. He knew about the Eiye's internal struggles, Kene's rashness, and the presence of Kene's surprisingly astute young lieutenant, Tony. "Kene's got that sharp young mind, but he doesn't know how to use it right," Dogo mused to his closest advisors. "He's a small piece in a big game. He thinks he can turn the tide with a boy, but clever isn't enough to stop what's coming." They knew about the Eiye's secret meeting, and they also knew Kene's rashness. They waited, their own plans brewing.
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Tony, the good student, the hidden warlord, took in all the information. He got updates from Kunle's encrypted messages, subtle hints from Amara's network through contacts he had carefully built, and his own sharp observations from the streets, including information from people like Chike. He thought about Kelvin's long game. He understood why Kelvin was acting so cold and calculating: Kelvin wanted total control, power, and money. Tony was now actively involved in planning the big attack for the school match night, just one week away. He felt the pressure but also the excitement of the "game." His strategic mind is brilliant, fluid, and often unpredictable. He kept his school facade perfect, doing his homework and attending classes, while mentally preparing for the upcoming dangerous night.
He balanced his school books with maps of Warri streets. He practiced football drills on the school pitch while in his mind, he rehearsed attack routes. He understood the importance of patience, of being tough, and the absolute need to strike only when the moment was perfectly right. He knew, with a chilling certainty, that the day of the Principal's Cup, the night of the planned attack, was coming soon. He saw the "yahoo boys" money flowing into the streets, knowing it created opportunities and risks. He was counting down the days.
Warri was holding its breath. There was a strange, uneasy silence, like the stillness before a great storm. And Tony Black, the loved son, the disciplined student, the hidden warlord, stood right in the middle of it all, at its very eye, ready to play his own long, dangerous game. He felt a deep connection to the streets, a place where he truly belonged, unlike the comfortable but sometimes fake world of his family home. He knew he had to protect his family from this darkness, even if it meant living a life they could never understand. The week would pass quickly, and then the real battle would begin.