Loyalty or Silence

The sun hadn't risen yet, but Tayo was already pacing the rooftop of the safehouse.

He'd read the files five times.

Ivie's voice echoed in his head:

"They're not just using Korex to control the narrative. They want to build VDM into a messiah… so they can crucify him on their timeline."

In his hand was the flash drive.

The one with everything.

Photos. Contracts. Chat logs. A draft script for a "Breaking News" headline:

"Revolution Leader Exposed as Foreign Plant."

Korex had the press in his pocket.

The opposition had set the trap.

And VDM was walking straight into it.

📍 Safehouse – Common Room

VDM was seated at the table, hoodie down, eyes tired. He was writing talking points for the rally. The kind that shook buildings. The kind that could spark a movement.

Tayo entered.

No greetings. No small talk.

Just war in his eyes.

"We need to talk."

VDM looked up. One glance told him everything.

"You found something."

Tayo plugged the flash drive into the laptop, loaded a file.

Audio played:

Korex's voice. Smooth. Slick. Familiar.

"Let him rise. Let him burn bright. The higher he goes, the better the explosion will look when we bring him down."

VDM's hand clenched.

Next came screenshots of WhatsApp messages between Korex and a media fixer tied to Senator Babajide.

Next: A promo script for a "leaked scandal" video with a deepfake voice sample of VDM allegedly calling for violent revolution.

"Jesus…" VDM whispered. "That's not even my voice. But it sounds—"

"Real," Tayo finished. "Real enough for headlines. Real enough for chaos."

💥 The Confrontation

"Why didn't you bring this to me sooner?" VDM asked.

"Because I didn't have proof. And because I wasn't sure if…"

Tayo hesitated.

"If I was part of it?" VDM snapped.

"No," Tayo said. "If you were falling for it."

Silence.

Tension wrapped around the room like smoke.

"You think I don't know they're trying to use me?" VDM said, voice low. "You think I'm just some naïve loudmouth with a camera?"

"I think they're building a myth around you," Tayo said, stepping forward, "and you're starting to believe in it."

"I carry this movement on my back, Tayo. Every chant. Every arrest. Every mother crying on the street. That myth you're afraid of? It's the only thing keeping people from giving up."

"Until they turn it into a weapon," Tayo replied.

"Until they break you and use your fall to scare every protester into silence."

⚖️ The Choice

VDM leaned back, breathing hard.

"So what do we do? Cancel the rally? Hide?"

Tayo shook his head.

"No. We move forward. But on our terms. No Korex. No scripted chants. No fake PR."

He held up the flash drive.

"We expose them. Now. Before they strike first."

VDM stared at the drive.

"If we do this… the government will see it as war."

"They already declared war the day they killed Samson," Tayo said softly.

✅ Scene Ends:

VDM nodded.

"Then let's give them a reason to regret it."

But as they left the room, VDM's hand paused…

and his eyes drifted to his phone. A message still unread:

From: Korex Gold

"Got the media trucks and drone crew set for the big speech. Don't worry — history will remember your name."

He didn't delete it.

Not yet.