The room was still.
Naima's breath came in sharp gasps, her fingers clutching Ochieng's arm as if it were the only thing anchoring her to reality. The soldiers held their rifles steady, waiting for the command.
And Kairo… he looked too confident.
That smirk. Like he had already won.
Ochieng's mind raced.
Every option. Every escape route.
The gun in his hand was useless against an entire squad. Naima was trembling beside him. He had to protect her.
Kairo took a step forward, his polished shoes tapping against the marble floor.
"You're outnumbered," he whispered, voice dripping with amusement. "You can't win this fight."
Ochieng exhaled slowly.
And then… he smiled.
---
"You know something, Kairo?" Ochieng murmured. "You always play the long game… but you forget—so do I."
Before Kairo could react, a sudden explosion shook the building.
The walls rattled violently, the floor beneath them trembling.
Smoke poured in through the broken windows.
The soldiers hesitated, their fingers tightening on the triggers as they turned toward the sound.
Ochieng didn't waste a second.
He moved.
Grabbing Naima, he dove to the ground as bullets tore through the air above them.
The smoke thickened, chaos erupting.
"WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?" one soldier shouted.
"CHECK THE PERIMETER!"
Kairo cursed, stumbling back, trying to regain control. But it was too late.
Ochieng had been planning this escape from the moment he stepped into the room.
---
Naima gasped as Ochieng hauled her to her feet.
"How did you—?"
"No time," he muttered. "Move."
They bolted toward the nearest exit.
More explosions.
Flashes of fire outside the windows.
Ochieng's men—**his real allies—**had finally arrived.
A coordinated attack.
He had triggered the explosives the moment he knew negotiation was impossible.
Now, the battlefield was his.
Kairo snarled, lifting his gun.
"Stop them!"
But the soldiers were already falling back, caught in the crossfire.
Ochieng turned one last time.
His eyes met Kairo's.
A silent promise.
This wasn't over.
Then, with Naima's hand in his, he disappeared into the smoke.
---
They ran through the dark alleyways, Naima barely keeping up. The night was alive with sirens, shouts, and the distant roar of more explosions.
Ochieng led her through a maze of backstreets, his mind calculating every step. He had memorized this city, knew its hidden corners like the back of his hand.
Naima stumbled. "Where… where are we going?"
"To safety," he said.
She stopped. "I need to know the truth."
Ochieng turned.
The firelight from a burning building behind them illuminated her face—a mix of fear, anger, and something else.
She had followed him blindly, trusted him. But now?
She needed answers.
Ochieng exhaled. "I promise, I'll tell you everything. But first—"
A bullet whizzed past his ear.
"Run!"
They ducked into another alley just as a black car screeched to a stop nearby. More men. More enemies.
Ochieng cursed. There was no escape.
Unless…
---
He turned to Naima.
"Do you trust me?"
She hesitated.
Then, she nodded.
Ochieng pulled out a small device from his pocket. A single red button blinked.
"What is that?" she asked.
"A way out."
He pressed it.
The street behind them erupted into fire.
Buildings collapsed, flames roaring high into the sky. The shockwave threw Naima off her feet, but Ochieng caught her.
Then, through the smoke, a motorcycle roared into view.
A masked figure was riding it. One of his own.
The bike skidded to a stop.
"Get on!" Ochieng ordered.
Without hesitation, Naima climbed onto the bike. Ochieng swung himself behind her and gripped the handlebars.
With a twist of the throttle, they disappeared into the night.
Behind them, Kairo watched from a distance, his fists clenched.
"This isn't over, Ochieng," he muttered. "Not by a long shot."
---