Chapter 44: A Confrontation and a Threat Revealed
1321words
The silence between them became very intense, full of unspoken thoughts. Eki gripped the paintbrush tightly, feeling it was something solid to hang onto while Yemi's sad expression revealed everything without saying a word. Ayo and Dapo huddled by the entrance, their faces etched with concern.
"Yemi," Eki finally spoke, her voice shaking with anger and hurt from feeling betrayed. "Why are you doing this?"
Yemi, looking pale and disheveled, scoffed. "How could I? Don't be naive, Eki. This city thrives on sacrifice. The Leases are merely a means to an end."
"A means to your end!" Eki countered, her voice rising. "You used us, manipulated us, all for your ambition!"
When Eki spoke, Yemi made a small jump. For a brief moment, her face looked almost like she felt embarrassed. But soon after that, her look changed to one of strong determination.
"Ambition?" she scoffed. "This is not what pushes all of us? The wish to make a change, to leave something important behind?"
Eki clenched her jaw. Yemi spoke truths, but her methods were abhorrent. "There is a difference, Yemi," she said in a voice both quiet and strong. "Between having big dreams and taking unfair advantage."
Yemi let out a humourless laugh. "Exploitation fuels progress, Eki. You see? The Leases guide pure creativity, like wild energy that needs to be controlled to help all people.
"And who decides what the greater good is?" Eki challenged. "You? The corporation that profits from stifled dreams?"
Yemi's gaze hardened. "The Akara Corporation has lifted this city from the ashes! The cultural centre project, the revitalized art scene, it's all because of us!"
Eki felt a sharp moment of realization. Suddenly, Yemi's ambition was clear; it wasn't only about gaining power. It focused mainly on one thing – the cultural centre.
"The centre..." Eki said slowly, as he breathed out and noticed another piece of the puzzle fitting in. "This is what everything points to, yes?" The fame, the admiration. You used Leases and also Kunle and me to make sure it was done."
Yemi's eyes went wide for a moment, then they got small and narrow. "Maybe it wasn't only the entity that could not see your real potential, Eki," she spoke in a serious voice.
Eki's heart hammered against her ribs. She hadn't meant to expose Yemi so blatantly. But the anger, the betrayal, it had all come out in a heated rush.
"You make me very upset, Yemi," Eki said with much anger in voice. "You looked away from all pain and suffering just because you wanted to build something."
Yemi's face changed into an angry expression. "A building that will be a symbol of Lagos' return!" A testament to our progress!"
Their heated argument suddenly stops because of a loud noise from the hallway behind them. Eki and Yemi quickly turn heads, eyes wide with fear.
"What was that?" Ayo whispered, her voice trembling.
Dapo stepped forward, his fingers feeling the handle of a secret knife tied to his leg. The corridor remained dark, and where the sound came from was still hidden somewhere far within it.
A deep quietness was in the air, broken only by their rough breathing. Out of nowhere, a shape came out from the shadows, moving with trouble and softly calling out. It was Kunle, his face bruised and bloodied, his clothes torn and dusty.
"Kunle!" Eki cried out, rushing towards him. She helped him stand up, but very fast her feeling of relief turned into anger when she saw what had happened to him.
"What happened?" she demanded, her eyes flashing towards Yemi.
Kunle looked at her with hurt and stubbornness on his face. "They... they found it," he said, voice rough and strained. "About the box, about the entity…"
Eki's stomach churned. So Yemi wasn't the only one with secrets. Kunle had his agenda as well. But who were "they"? And what did they want?
Before Eki could ask her questions, a loud voice echoed in the corridor. It felt like it came from inside the walls. The voice was strange and sounded like many whispers mixed, making them both feel uncomfortable deep inside. "Who dares disturb the slumber of the First Architect?" it boomed.
Eki, Ayo, and Dapo exchanged terrified glances. Another entity? This was starting to feel like a descent into a nightmare.
Yemi, however, seemed calm. She stood tall with a small sign of defiance in her eyes. "There has been a misunderstanding," she said, her voice surprisingly steady. "These are… interns. They stumbled upon something they shouldn't have."
Kunle made a quiet sound, his face showing fast that he felt betrayed. Eki starts to feel more and more anger at Yemi and Kunle. Neither of the two was truthful before, and now both are anxiously trying to protect themselves.
The booming voice echoed again, laced with amusement. "Interns, you say? But they have the power to make Devourer go away and also hold the key for changing how the city is built."
Eki's mind reeled. The entity seemed to know about the paintbrush. Did it have the potential not only to fight against darkness, but also change Lagos entirely? The outcomes were immense. This thing could do much more than just battle with the bad stuff; it had the power to transform all of Lagos completely. What happened was big and surprising for everyone.
"They are nothing," Yemi insisted, desperation creeping into her voice. "They are expendable. Let them face the consequences of their actions."
The First Architect made a deep, low laugh. "Everyone will get consequences," it said. "Scales must be kept balanced. The city cannot grow only by taking ideas from others, but also should not stay still and do nothing." Change is coming, and you will all play a part."
With a loud noise, the passage started to shake. Cracks showed up on walls, and dust fell from the damaged ceiling. Panic surged through Eki, the weight of the situation crashing down on her.
The being was very angry, and nobody could move. Yemi's betrayal, Kunle's hidden plan, the being's rage – everything looked too much to handle. As everything around her kept falling apart, Eki held tight to the paintbrush in her hand. The smooth feeling of it gave her something to steady herself during all this chaos.
"We need to go from here now!" Dapo yelled, taking Ayo's arm and dragging her to the door.
Eki looked back at Yemi, who did not move and had a face showing more fear. Then, with one last brave look at the falling passage behind her, Eki turned around to join her friends, holding tightly onto the paintbrush in hand.
They walked through the strong metal door and came back to the secret room. But, their freedom did not last a long time. As they looked around, their eyes widened in horror.
In the middle of the room, someone was standing and stopping to exit. But this person is not hiding in the shadows. He was very tall and looked strong, with sharp blue eyes and a lot of white hair. His clothes were very clean—a white suit that stood out in the dirty surroundings around him.
"Ms. Eki?" the man drawled, his voice smooth as silk. "We've been expecting you."
Eki suddenly stopped, a cold realization hitting her. This was not only about the entity or the Leases after all. Someone else was playing the game here, someone controlling things from behind the scenes.
And when the man smiled with a harsh glint in his eyes, Eki understood this was only starting. The fight for Lagos' spirit now shifted into a scary new path.
