CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: INTO THE UNKNOWN

Jane barely tied her horse to the post before rushing inside the abandoned building, her heart hammering in her chest.

The door was wide open.

The signs were clear—they were gone.

Jace followed closely, his shotgun raised, scanning the surroundings. "Jane, slow down. We don't know if—"

"They're not here," Jane interrupted, her voice shaking.

Her eyes darted around the room, taking in the overturned furniture, the scattered belongings. Nothing was right.

Then, her gaze froze on the wall.

A switchblade hung from the map of Nigeria, stabbed directly into Ondo State.

Jace stepped forward, eyes narrowing. "That's a message."

Jane swallowed, her hands shaking as she pulled the knife from the map. "My sister never leaves this behind..."

She traced the blade over the map, her voice barely above a whisper.

"They're heading for Akure."

Jace exhaled sharply. "Or were taken there."

Jane clenched her jaw, her body trembling with anger.

"I swear… I'll kill whoever did this."

Jace placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Then let's go find them."

Without hesitation, they grabbed the map, rushed out, and mounted their horses, kicking off into the night.

The wind whipped against them as they rode, the night creeping in, turning the road into an endless stretch of darkness.

Jane gritted her teeth. "This is all my fault."

Jace kept his eyes on the road. "Stop that."

"They needed me, and I left them alone!"

"Jane—"

"If I had been here—if I had stayed—"

"Stop," Jace said firmly, glancing at her. "Blaming yourself won't bring them back. We find them. That's all that matters now."

Jane exhaled sharply, her fingers tightening around the reins. "I just... I can't lose them, Jace."

Jace nodded. "Then we ride faster."

The sun had begun to set behind the fortified walls of the New Order, casting long shadows across the settlement.

Inside the main housing block, Mosun stood at the kitchen counter, her eyes flickering toward the door every few seconds.

He should be back by now.

She wiped her hands on a cloth and sighed. Something felt wrong.

Ayanfe sat at the table, scribbling in his sketchbook, but even he had noticed her unease.

"Mom?" he asked, looking up. "Is Dad okay?"

Mosun forced a smile. "Of course. He's just… taking longer than expected."

Ayanfe stared at her for a long moment, then went back to his drawings.

Mosun turned away, her hands gripping the counter.

She couldn't wait anymore.

She left the room and marched straight to Reed's quarters.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The door swung open, revealing Reed, his rifle slung over his shoulder, his face weary from the day's work.

"Mosun?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"It's Jace," she said. "He's not back."

Reed's brow furrowed. "He's probably still out there. You know him—he doesn't rush."

Mosun shook her head. "No. He wouldn't do this—not without sending word."

Reed sighed, running a hand over his face. "Alright. I'll radio out to him."

He stepped inside, grabbed the radio transmitter, and turned the dial.

Static.

Reed's expression darkened.

"Jace? Come in."

Silence.

Mosun folded her arms, her worry deepening.

Reed adjusted the frequency. "Jace, it's Reed. You copy?"

A faint, crackling noise came through, but no voice followed.

Mosun swallowed hard. "Try again."

Reed frowned, hesitating for a moment before speaking again.

"Jace, if you can hear this, signal back. We're waiting."

More static.

Mosun's stomach twisted. "Something's wrong."

Reed nodded slowly. "Yeah. Something's wrong."

After hours of riding, Jace and Jane slowed their horses, exhaustion weighing on them.

Jane glanced at the darkened sky. "We can't keep going like this. The horses need rest."

Jace exhaled. "Agreed."

They veered off into a dense section of trees, their horses kicking up dry leaves as they entered.

Finding a secluded spot, Jace dismounted first, scanning the area.

"Seems clear," he said.

Jane slid off her horse, stretching her sore legs. "We'll set up here for the night, then push harder at dawn."

Jace nodded, tying the horses near a fallen tree trunk.

As Jane sat down on a flat rock, she buried her face in her hands.

"I don't even know what we're up against," she murmured.

Jace sat beside her, loading fresh rounds into his shotgun. "We'll find out soon enough."

She looked at him, searching his face for doubt, but found only certainty.

A faint smile tugged at her lips. "You always this calm?"

Jace chuckled. "Nah. Just good at faking it."

Jane smirked and leaned her head back against the tree.

Silence settled between them, only broken by the sound of leaves rustling in the wind.

Jace's fingers twitched against the cool metal of his shotgun. Something in his gut told him—

This night wouldn't stay quiet for long.