No More Hiding

The parking garage was dimly lit, the flickering overhead bulbs casting long shadows against the cold concrete. Ayo stepped out of his car, scanning the area for any sign of movement. His contact, Dapo, leaned against a rusted sedan, cigarette smoke curling in the air.

"You took a big risk calling me, Ayo," Dapo muttered, exhaling a stream of smoke. "People are watching."

Ayo ignored the warning. "Do you have it?"

Dapo pulled a small flash drive from his pocket and pressed it into Ayo's hand. "Everything I could find on Victor Adeyemi's financial movements. Offshore accounts, coded transactions... and a name you're not gonna like."

Ayo frowned. "Who?"

Dapo hesitated, then said in a low voice, "Felix Kane."

The name sent a shiver down Ayo's spine. He'd heard it before whispers in the criminal underworld, rumors among intelligence officers. Kane wasn't just a crime boss; he was a shadow, a name uttered in fear.

Ayo clenched his jaw. "Victor was working with him?"

"Not exactly," Dapo said, glancing around uneasily. "Victor was useful to him. Until he wasn't."

Ayo pocketed the flash drive. "Where is Victor now?"

Dapo shook his head. "Gone underground. He knows Kane won't stop until he's dead."

Ayo sighed. "Then we need to find him before Kane does."

Dapo stepped closer. "Listen, Ayo, if you go after Kane, you're making an enemy you can't afford. Walk away while you still can."

Ayo's eyes hardened. "Not an option."

Dapo cursed under his breath. "Then God help you." He turned and disappeared into the night.

Back at the station, Ayo, Goke, and Bimpe huddled around a laptop, scrolling through the encrypted files from the flash drive.

"Felix Kane," Bimpe muttered, rubbing her temples. "That name keeps coming up in money laundering cases, political bribes… even arms deals."

Goke folded his arms. "And Victor was in business with him?"

Ayo shook his head. "No. Victor was trying to expose him. That's why he ran."

Bimpe scrolled further. "Wait… there's a video file."

Ayo clicked it. The grainy footage played on the screen.

Victor sat across from a bald, heavyset man in a lavish penthouse. Felix Kane. They appeared to be arguing. Though the audio was muted, their body language said it all. Victor slammed his fist on the table and stood. Kane remained seated, watching him leave with a smug smile.

Goke exhaled. "That wasn't a friendly conversation."

Ayo's mind raced. Victor had crossed someone powerful, and now Kane wanted him erased.

"We need to find Victor," Ayo said, shutting the laptop. "Before Kane does."

The streets of Lagos pulsed with energy as Ayo, Bimpe, and Goke navigated through traffic, heading toward Lanre Sanni's club. Lanre, a known fixer, had ties to both Victor and Kane. If anyone knew where Victor was hiding, it was him.

The club was alive with music and flashing lights. Inside, Lanre lounged in a VIP section, surrounded by bodyguards and expensive liquor.

Ayo and Goke pushed through the crowd and approached his table.

Lanre smirked, swirling his whiskey. "Detectives. What brings you to my humble establishment?"

Ayo sat across from him. "Victor Adeyemi. We need to talk."

Lanre chuckled. "Victor's not my concern anymore."

Goke's voice hardened. "Then why is someone trying to kill him?"

Lanre's smirk faded slightly. "Because he broke the rules."

Ayo leaned in. "Whose rules?"

Lanre hesitated, then sighed. "Felix Kane's."

Bimpe tensed. "Who is he?"

Lanre's eyes darkened. "A ghost. A man with enough power to make governments kneel. Victor thought he could take him down. Now he's a dead man walking."

Ayo studied him. "Where is Victor now?"

Lanre swirled his drink before muttering, "Warehouse. Near the docks."

Ayo stood. "We'll take it from here."

Lanre's voice stopped him. "Detective. If you find Victor, be ready. He's not the same man you remember."

The abandoned warehouse loomed in the darkness. The docks were quiet, save for the distant crash of waves. Ayo, Goke, and Bimpe moved cautiously through the rusted metal doors, weapons drawn.

A rustling noise. A shadow shifting in the corner.

Ayo raised his gun. "Victor, we know you're here."

Silence.

Then, a slow, deliberate clap.

Victor stepped into the dim light, his face bruised, his eyes sharper than ever.

"I was wondering when you'd find me," he said.

Goke clenched his jaw. "Cut the act, Victor. Who is Felix Kane?"

Victor exhaled. "The man pulling every string. He used me. When I tried to walk away, he marked me for death."

Ayo studied him. "Why did you run?"

Victor's eyes darkened. "Because I realized too late, I was hunting the wrong people."

Before Ayo could respond, a metallic creak echoed through the warehouse.

The door swung open.

A dozen armed men stormed in.

"Ambush!" Ayo shouted.

Gunfire erupted.

Victor dove behind a crate, returning fire. Goke covered Bimpe as she scrambled for cover. Ayo shot down two attackers, his heart pounding.

One of the gunmen barked orders. "Kane wants them alive!"

Ayo cursed. "They're here for all of us."

Victor tossed Ayo a spare magazine. "We're not going down without a fight."

Bullets ricocheted off metal beams. Smoke filled the air as Goke took down another attacker.

Victor turned to Ayo. "There's a back exit!"

Ayo nodded. "Go! We'll cover you!"

Bimpe lobbed a smoke grenade, filling the room with thick gray fog.

Victor sprinted toward the back, Ayo and Goke close behind. The gunfire faded as they slipped into the night, disappearing into the city.

They regrouped at a safe house, adrenaline still running high.

Victor leaned against the wall, breathing heavily. "You should've left me to die."

Ayo glared at him. "Not an option."

Victor sighed. "Then you just made Kane your enemy too."

Goke scoffed. "He was already our enemy."

Bimpe crossed her arms. "Tell us everything, Victor. No more secrets."

Victor exhaled. "Fine. But once I do, there's no turning back."

Ayo met his gaze. "There never was."

Victor nodded. Then he began to talk.

And the truth was worse than they ever imagined.