The sound of flesh meeting bone echoed in the cold room.
Ochieng's head snapped to the side, blood spraying from his lips. His breathing was ragged, the pain in his ribs screaming, but he refused to break.
Kairo sat calmly in the corner, sipping his whiskey, watching.
"You always had a strong will, Ochieng," he mused. "Let's see how much you can take."
Another fist slammed into Ochieng's gut.
His body convulsed, but he didn't scream.
Didn't give them the satisfaction.
The guard behind him yanked his head back by the hair, forcing him to look at Naima—helpless, bruised, her wrists tied to a chair.
Her wide eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Stop," she whispered.
Ochieng forced a grin, blood staining his teeth. "That all you got?"
Kairo sighed, setting his glass down. "Fine. If pain won't work, maybe loss will."
He motioned to his men.
One of them stepped forward, a gun pressing against Naima's temple.
Ochieng's pulse roared in his ears.
Naima's breath hitched.
Kairo leaned forward, eyes dark. "Give me what I want, or she dies."
A heartbeat passed.
Then another.
Ochieng clenched his jaw. He had a choice.
---
The second the guard's finger twitched on the trigger, Ochieng moved.
With one violent jerk, he slammed his bound wrists against the chair's armrest, snapping the old metal loose.
His hands were free.
Before anyone could react, he lunged.
His fist connected with the gunman's throat, sending the man stumbling. The weapon clattered to the floor.
Naima kicked backward, toppling her chair into the second guard.
Chaos erupted.
Ochieng ducked as another guard swung at him, grabbing the fallen gun.
He fired.
One. Two. Three shots.
Each bullet hit its mark.
Kairo's men dropped, blood pooling beneath them.
Kairo, stunned for the first time, reached for his own weapon—
But Ochieng was faster.
He grabbed Kairo by the collar, slamming him against the wall, the barrel of the gun pressed against his skull.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance," Ochieng growled.
Kairo's smirk returned.
"I did."
Before Ochieng could react, the doors burst open.
A flood of armed soldiers stormed in.
And Ochieng knew—they were surrounded.
---
Naima scrambled to Ochieng's side as the soldiers raised their rifles.
Kairo straightened his jacket, smirking. "You didn't think I came here alone, did you?"
Ochieng's mind raced.
They couldn't fight their way out.
But surrendering? Not an option.
Naima whispered, "Ochieng… what do we do?"
His grip tightened on the gun.
Kairo spread his arms, victorious. "Give me the ledger, and you both live. Refuse…"
He glanced at Naima.
"…and she dies first."
Ochieng's finger hovered over the trigger.
This was it.
One final move.
One last gamble.
His heart pounded.
And then—
He made his choice.
---