Ochieng's eyes snapped open to suffocating darkness. His body ached, pinned beneath a slab of debris. The scent of charred wood, scorched leather, and blood filled his lungs. For a moment, he couldn't tell if he was alive or trapped in the abyss of death.
Then, a faint groan beside him.
"Celestine!" His voice was hoarse, desperate. He pushed against the rubble, muscles straining. After a few agonizing seconds, he managed to free himself, dragging her out from beneath the wreckage.
She was barely conscious, her skin slick with sweat and blood. "Ochieng…" Her voice was weak. "It's… not over."
He cradled her face, pressing a trembling hand against her wound. "Stay with me. I swear, I'll get you out of here."
A flicker of movement in the distance.
Gideon.
The bastard was still standing, walking through the flames like a demon. He wasn't alone. Shadowy figures emerged behind him—men in sleek suits, carrying weapons.
Ochieng clenched his jaw. This wasn't just a fight anymore. It was a war.
The first bullet whizzed past his ear. He dove, rolling behind a half-collapsed booth. His fingers tightened around the pistol he had taken earlier. One magazine. No room for mistakes.
From the wreckage, Felix and Isabella staggered up, covered in soot and bruises. Isabella's eyes locked onto Celestine's limp form.
"She's—"
"She's alive," Ochieng snapped. "But we won't be if we don't move now."
Felix pulled out a switchblade. "Then let's carve a path."
A figure lunged from the smoke—one of Gideon's men. Felix ducked under the attack, driving the blade into the man's side before twisting savagely.
Ochieng didn't waste time. He fired three shots, dropping two more gunmen.
Gideon watched from a distance, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Still fighting, Ochieng? You don't know when to die."
Ochieng's grip tightened around the gun. "Neither do you."
A sudden boom—the ceiling above them groaned. The fire was weakening the structure.
Ochieng grabbed Celestine and threw her over his shoulder. "We need an exit. Now."
Isabella pointed to the shattered back wall, where flames hadn't fully consumed the structure. "There!"
They sprinted through the wreckage, dodging falling beams and gunfire. The heat was unbearable.
Then, a deafening crack. The ceiling gave way—
A massive beam crashed down, separating Ochieng from Felix and Isabella.
"Ochieng!" Felix's voice was muffled through the roaring flames.
"Go!" Ochieng shouted. "Get her to safety!"
He turned, only to find Gideon standing mere feet away. No more guards. No more interruptions. Just the two of them.
"This was never going to end in your favor," Gideon said, rolling his shoulders. "But I'll admit, you made it interesting."
Ochieng set Celestine down gently against the remains of a couch. Then he rose, fists clenched, eyes locked onto Gideon.
"No more games," he growled. "Let's finish this."