Chapter 7: Ashes and Rebirth

---

The Aftermath of Fire

Ethan stood amidst the smoldering ruins of the clinic, his fists clenched. The scent of burnt wood and melted plastic filled the air, thick and suffocating. Around him, villagers moved in stunned silence, some still trying to salvage what they could from the debris.

Aisha stood beside him, arms crossed, eyes scanning the wreckage. "They won't stop, Ethan."

"I know," he muttered.

Mallam Idris approached, his cane digging into the dirt. "This was meant to break your spirit," he said gravely. "Will it?"

Ethan exhaled sharply. Not a chance.

"They want us to stop fighting," he said. "So we rebuild. Bigger. Stronger. And this time, we don't play by their rules."

---

The Hunt for the Arsonist

The villagers whispered among themselves. Some suspected government officials. Others pointed fingers at rival factions, jealous of Ethan's success.

But Ethan wanted proof.

"Someone saw something," he said, addressing the gathered crowd. "If we don't find out who did this, they'll do it again."

A young boy hesitated before stepping forward. His name was Hassan, no older than twelve.

"I saw a man," he said in a small voice. "Before the fire. He wore a long kaftan and dark glasses. He was speaking to a driver near the trucks."

Ethan's gut tightened. That description matched someone he had seen at the Health Ministry—one of the Commissioner's aides.

Aisha caught his expression. "You recognize him?"

"Maybe," Ethan said. "But I need to be sure."

---

A Dangerous Inquiry

Ethan wasn't about to let this go. He traveled back to Kano, this time not as a diplomat, but as a man searching for justice.

The Commissioner was expecting him.

"Ah, Dr. Ethan," he said with a smirk as Ethan entered his office. "I heard about your… unfortunate accident."

Ethan didn't sit. "Cut the act. You know exactly what happened."

The Commissioner sighed dramatically. "I'm afraid I don't follow."

"You sent someone to burn the clinic," Ethan stated, voice steady. "People saw him."

The Commissioner leaned back. "And do you have… evidence?"

Ethan clenched his fists. He had witnesses, but no hard proof.

"Here's my advice, Doctor," the Commissioner continued. "Leave this place. Go back to wherever you came from. Because if you don't—"

Ethan cut him off. "You'll do what? Burn another clinic? Kill more innocent people?"

The Commissioner's smirk faded. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

Ethan leaned in, his voice cold. "Neither do you."

Then he turned and walked out.

He had a plan. And it was time to put it into motion.

---

A Secret Partnership

Back in Kauran Mata, Ethan gathered his allies—Aisha, Mallam Idris, and Usman.

"We need funding," Ethan said. "Not from the government. From independent sources."

Usman nodded. "There are private investors—people who want to support healthcare but don't trust the government."

Aisha added, "There's also international aid. Organizations that work directly with communities."

Ethan made a decision. "Then let's contact them all."

For the next two weeks, they reached out to donors, NGOs, and private philanthropists. Ethan even spoke to journalists, exposing the corruption that had led to the clinic's destruction.

And it worked.

Money started flowing in.

---

The Rise of a New Clinic

With new funding, Ethan didn't just rebuild the clinic—he expanded it.

A bigger facility. More beds. More staff. Better security.

The Commissioner's people tried to stop them—bribes, intimidation, even threats—but this time, the Emir himself stepped in.

"I am watching," the Emir warned. "Harm Dr. Ethan again, and you will answer to me."

It was a checkmate move. The Commissioner's influence crumbled.

And finally, on a bright morning, the new clinic opened.

Ethan stood at the entrance, watching as the f

irst patients arrived. This was just the beginning.

Kauran Mata was no longer forgotten.

And neither was he.