CHAPTER SIX — The Reckoning Begins
Lagos never forgave hesitation.
For months, Tunde had watched, learned, and waited. Every face, every movement, every whisper from Sunkanmi's empire had been cataloged in his mind like a carefully mapped battlefield. He was ready to act.
But he knew patience was part of the game. Move too early, and the hunter becomes the prey. Move too late, and the opportunity dies like ashes in the wind.
Tonight, he moved.
🌑 Infiltration
The warehouse by the lagoon was dimly lit, its shadows heavy and silent. Tunde had memorized every guard rotation, every crate, and every camera blind spot.
He slipped past the first two guards like a ghost, using the rhythm of the night to cloak his presence. His heart pounded, but his movements were calm, precise. This was not desperation; it was calculation.
Inside, he found the shipment: crates labeled with company names that were fronts for Sunkanmi's illegal dealings. Weapons. Bribes. Tools of corruption.
Tunde's hands trembled for only a moment as he photographed the crates with a hidden phone. Every image was evidence, a step toward justice — and revenge.
⚡ The First Confrontation
A creak echoed behind him. A shadow moved across the wall. Tunde froze.
Oba. The same scarred enforcer who had long suspected him.
"You shouldn't be here, boy," Oba growled, stepping closer.
Tunde's mind raced. Fight and die, or act clever. He smiled faintly.
"I'm just checking if everything is… in order," he said, voice steady. "I thought I could help."
Oba laughed, a dry, cruel sound. "You? Help? You're lucky I don't shoot you where you stand."
But Tunde had learned the art of observation. He noticed the loose floorboard near Oba's foot. One sharp kick, and it shifted — Oba stumbled, giving Tunde the split second he needed to dart past him and escape into the night.
The first real move had been made.
🌤 Aisha's Shadow
Back in his small apartment, Tunde's hands shook as he reviewed the images. The evidence was more damning than he had expected. If exposed, Sunkanmi's empire would crumble.
And yet, he could not celebrate.
Aisha's face flashed in his mind — her trust, her kindness, her laugh. How could he involve her without endangering her life?
He made a vow: She would never see the worst of this. Never. Not unless she chose to.
For the first time, he realized that vengeance carried a weight heavier than anger — responsibility.
💔 The Cost of Justice
Days later, he learned that his movements had been noticed. One of Sunkanmi's men had followed him from the generator repair. They had glimpsed him photographing the crates.
Now, the boy who refused to die faced a new danger: exposure.
He moved quickly, creating diversions, moving through back alleys, and trusting only those he knew could be silent. Every step was calculated, every breath measured.
He understood fully now — the reckoning would not come gently. It would demand sacrifices, and he would pay them gladly, if it meant justice for those he loved and those who had fallen.
🌑 Fire in the Heart
At night, Tunde held the cowrie shell again. It had survived fire, smoke, and rain — like him.
"I will see this through," he whispered. "I will avenge, I will protect, and I will survive."
The city breathed around him — restless, hungry, dangerous. But he was ready.
The boy who refused to die was no longer just a survivor. He was the storm approaching Sunkanmi Adeyemo.
And the web had been tightened.