HX: Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Dede stared at the confiscated phone, a heavy weight in her hand. The city throbbed with a chaotic silence, its communication networks crippled by Asukwo's cyberattack.  Their plans lay in ruins – the flash drive, Aunty Yemisi's intel, all rendered useless without a way to expose Asukwo's crimes.  Frustration gnawed at her, a bitter taste in her mouth.

"There has to be a way," she muttered, turning to Inspector Hassan, whose face mirrored her own grim determination.

Suddenly, a sharp ring pierced the tense silence.  Dede's head snapped up, a surge of adrenaline jolting through her. Her personal phone, tucked away in her pocket, was ringing.  Surprise etched lines on her forehead as she fumbled for the device. An unknown number pulsed on the screen.  With a flicker of hope, she answered.

"Miss Ogunsanwo?"  The voice crackled through the receiver, a familiar rasp that sent a jolt through Dede. "It's Emeka. I think I have a way to turn those phones into a loudspeaker. But listen carefully… we don't have much time."

Dede's breath hitched.  Emeka?  The tech whiz who had been caught in the cafe explosion?  A wave of guilt and relief washed over her.

"Emeka!  Are you alright?"

"A bit banged up, but alive," he replied. A hint of his usual bravado pushed through the strain in his voice. "Look, I managed to create a backdoor into HX's system before things went south.  We can see their dirty laundry in real-time – every illegal transaction, every penny Asukwo stole."

Dede's heart leaped.  Evidence.  They had the evidence they desperately needed to bring Asukwo down.  But a flicker of dread followed the surge of hope.

"The attack…" she began, her voice tight. "It's wiping everything clean, isn't it?"

A heavy silence descended on the line, broken only by the faint hum of static.  Then, Emeka's voice confirmed her worst fears. "Yeah, Asukwo's trying to erase his tracks. We have minutes to act."

Dede slammed her fist on the table, a surge of anger battling the despair threatening to engulf her.  They had the truth, but without a way to get it out, it was meaningless.  The city was a communications wasteland. Radio? Billboards? They wouldn't reach anyone in time.

Her gaze fell upon the confiscated phone in her hand. The attack was digital, so perhaps the solution could be too.  Every phone in Lagos was a potential weapon, if only they could find a way to harness their collective power.

"Emeka," she said, her voice firm with a newfound resolve. "Tell me your plan."

And so, Emeka launched into a complex explanation.  He had a way to exploit a vulnerability in the city's communication infrastructure, a backdoor he'd discovered while exploring the confiscated phone.  Through a series of intricate hacks, they could turn every phone in Lagos into a receiver, broadcasting a single, unified message – the truth about Asukwo's crimes.

It was a risky plan, a desperate gamble reliant on Emeka's untested code and their dwindling window of opportunity.  But as Dede listened, a spark of hope reignited within her.  This was their chance, a digital weapon against Asukwo's digital silence.

The clock was ticking.  Asukwo's data wipe was nearing completion.  Dede, Inspector Hassan, and Aunty Yemisi, united in this final stand, gathered around Emeka, their fates hinging on his next keystroke.  The room crackled with nervous energy as Emeka's fingers flew across the keyboard, a digital warrior battling against a tide of silence.