Ochieng stood motionless, his sharp gaze locked onto Seline's face. The air between them was charged with unspoken words, a tension neither of them dared to break first. Rolex and Gideon shifted uneasily, their instincts warning them that danger lurked just beneath the surface of this reunion.
Linet, on the other hand, was less patient. She stepped forward, her eyes burning with mistrust. "You expect us to believe you, Seline? After what you did? After how you left him?"
Seline didn't flinch. Instead, she lifted her chin slightly, her voice steady. "I made mistakes. But this isn't about the past. This is about survival. Yours, mine… Ochieng's."
Ochieng remained silent, his expression unreadable. But inside, his mind was racing. The Council. Brian. His enemies were moving faster than he had anticipated. If what Seline was saying was true, then he was running out of time.
"Speak," he finally said, his voice like steel.
Seline took a slow breath before glancing around, making sure they weren't being watched. Then, she leaned in slightly. "Brian isn't working alone. There's a faction within the Council that sees you as a threat. They've been gathering resources, allies—dangerous ones. They plan to eliminate you, and they don't care who gets caught in the crossfire."
Rolex let out a low chuckle. "Is that supposed to scare us? We've dealt with worse."
Seline turned to him, her gaze sharp. "Not like this. They've aligned with someone powerful. Someone with the kind of reach even you wouldn't expect."
For the first time, Ochieng saw something in Seline's eyes that unsettled him. Fear.
Gideon, always the strategist, crossed his arms. "Who?"
Seline hesitated. "A ghost."
Ochieng's heart skipped a beat. There was only one man known as The Ghost. A name whispered in the darkest corners of power, a force unseen but felt.
Linet cursed under her breath. "You're lying."
"I wish I was," Seline murmured. "But he's coming for you, Ochieng. And when he does, there won't be a second chance."
Silence fell. Even the night seemed to hold its breath.
Then, Ochieng turned to Rolex and Gideon. "Mobilize the network. I want eyes on every corner of this city. If The Ghost is here, we're not waiting for him to strike first."
Seline reached for Ochieng's arm. "Please… let me help."
He glanced at her hand, then back at her face. "You're either with me or against me, Seline. There's no middle ground."
She swallowed hard. "Then I'm with you."
Ochieng nodded once, then turned toward the dark streets ahead. "Then let's prepare for war."