Black River: Chapter 8

The sun was beginning to set, casting a crimson hue over the chaotic streets of Lagos. The once-bustling city was quiet, too quiet, as if the very air had thickened with tension. Inside a rundown safehouse, Olumide paced back and forth, his mind racing. The betrayal of Bode weighed heavily on him, yet a part of him had seen it coming.

He turned to Bode, who was sitting against the wall, bloodied and bruised. The man’s once imposing presence had withered away, his loyalty shattered by the crushing force of The Syndicate’s grip on his family. His hands shook as he held a small slip of paper, barely able to keep his voice steady.

“They… they have my family, boss. They’ve been using them to control me,” Bode whispered, his voice cracking with guilt. “I had no choice.”

Olumide’s jaw tightened. Bode’s betrayal cut deeper than Jide’s, but he couldn’t ignore the truth staring back at him. This wasn’t just about revenge anymore. It was about survival. He snatched the paper from Bode’s trembling hand, his eyes scanning the address scrawled on it—the location of The Syndicate’s headquarters.

“You could’ve told me,” Olumide growled, his tone icy. “You could’ve trusted me.”

Bode looked up, his face pale. “They said they’d kill them if I told you. I didn’t want to, but I… I couldn’t risk it.”

Olumide’s eyes flickered with a dangerous mix of fury and determination. He was about to say something when the unmistakable sound of footsteps echoed outside. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up.

“Get down!” Olumide hissed, ducking behind a table. Bode, slower to react, struggled to pull himself up.

The door to the safehouse burst open, and Taiwo’s men stormed inside, their guns drawn. A hail of bullets ripped through the room, tearing apart the walls and furniture. Olumide returned fire, but he was outnumbered. His heart pounded as he scrambled for cover, his movements sharp despite the desperation clawing at him.

In the midst of the chaos, Bode staggered to his feet, his face contorted in pain. He lunged toward one of the gunmen, tackling him to the ground. It was a reckless, suicidal move, but it gave Olumide a window to escape.

“Go!” Bode shouted, his voice breaking as he wrestled the gunman. “I’ll hold them off!”

Olumide hesitated, just for a second. He knew Bode was already a dead man, but seeing the man who had once been his most trusted enforcer lay down his life for him still stung. Without another word, Olumide bolted through the back door, leaving Bode behind as gunfire echoed through the building.

The narrow streets of Lagos blurred around Olumide as he ran, every step fueled by adrenaline and rage. He slipped into the maze of alleyways, ducking between shadows, his mind racing. The paper Bode had given him was still clenched in his fist.

He could hear the distant sounds of sirens. Taiwo’s men weren’t far behind, and the police weren’t his allies either. He knew he was being hunted from all sides now. As he moved through the alleyways, the weight of the situation began to sink in. He had no empire left, no army, no friends. He was a lone wolf now, cornered and wounded.

But he still had one thing—the address of The Syndicate’s headquarters. That was all he needed.

Olumide’s escape wasn’t smooth. He had barely made it a few blocks when he was ambushed. Two of Taiwo’s men had been lying in wait for him, their guns trained on his path. Without hesitation, they opened fire.

Pain exploded in Olumide’s shoulder as a bullet tore through his flesh. He gritted his teeth, ignoring the burning sensation as he ducked behind a car for cover. Blood trickled down his arm, but he couldn’t stop now. He fired back, his aim steady despite the pain.

One of Taiwo’s men dropped, his body hitting the ground with a thud. The second hesitated for a split second, and that was all Olumide needed. He lunged forward, tackling the man to the ground and driving his knife deep into his chest.

Panting, Olumide stood up, clutching his wounded shoulder. He couldn’t afford to waste any more time. The headquarters was his only shot at ending this. He stumbled toward an abandoned car, hot-wiring it and speeding off into the night.

As he approached the towering structure that housed The Syndicate’s operations, Olumide’s mind was singularly focused. This was it—the heart of the beast. He could already see the security guards patrolling the perimeter. There was no going in guns blazing, not this time. He needed to be smart.

He parked the car a few blocks away, watching the building from the shadows. Just as he was about to make his move, the sound of footsteps approached from behind. Instinctively, he drew his gun, spinning around to face the source.

Durojaiye.

The detective stood a few feet away, his own gun drawn, his eyes locked onto Olumide with a mixture of determination and caution. The two men stared at each other, both knowing the weight of the moment.

“Detective,” Olumide said, his voice low and dangerous. “I thought you’d be dead by now.”

“I could say the same about you,” Durojaiye replied, his grip on the gun tightening. “But here we are.”

Before either man could act, a slow, mocking clap echoed through the alleyway. From the shadows, Taiwo emerged, his face twisted into a cruel grin. He stepped forward, his presence commanding the space between them like a puppet master pulling the strings.

“Bravo, gentlemen,” Taiwo said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s been quite the show, hasn’t it? But now, the real game begins.”

Olumide’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Taiwo. He could feel the rage bubbling up inside him, but he kept his gun trained on Durojaiye.

Taiwo glanced between the two men, his grin widening. “So, here we are. The king, the hunter, and me—the man pulling all the strings. Shall we discuss the future of Lagos?”

Olumide and Durojaiye remained locked in a tense standoff, both men waiting for the other to make the first move. Taiwo’s words lingered in the air, a sinister promise of what was to come. The future of Lagos was at stake, and the next decision would determine who held the power.