Chapter 68: Undercover Infiltration
1176words
Inside the mansion, it looked like a maze filled with luxury. This made clear how rich and strong the family was. The guests - all in their finest outfits - mingled, chatting and laughing loudly. Their voices mixed, creating a sound that hid a feeling of unease beneath.
Olajumoke knows the inside information. She led them carefully through the crowd. They met important people in society, and their names were spoken gently with respect. Each meeting felt like walking on a tightrope – trying to blend in but also being watchful and cautious all the time.
The Gathering Hall was like the main place. There, a big round table stood in the middle and had the same pattern as the symbol they discovered earlier. As they moved closer to the table, an uneasy feeling came over them.
A stillness filled the space as they came near. Eki and Dapo felt fear wash over them when they met the sharp, thoughtful stares from those sitting around the table; it seemed like their bodies were being examined and each movement closely observed.
The oldest at the table, he was a man with much age and deep, hard lines on his face. This person is called the patriarch - the one who leads this hidden group. He put his eyes on Eki and Dapo, with a sharp hunter's gaze in them.
As night continued, the mood became more serious. Everyone talked but did not say anything meaningful, and their laughter sounded empty in the large room. Eki and Dapo struggled to fit in, pretending not to care.
Then, it happened. A hidden door in the wall moved aside, showing a secret room behind it. The visitors, their manner changing from casual to respectful, walked towards the chamber. Eki and Dapo exchanged a concerned glance. This was it.
The chamber was not the same as the big, beautiful main hall. In this room, almost no decorations were present except one thing in the center: a large sphere that pulsed and glowed with gentle light from another world.
When they moved nearer, it was obvious that the orb appeared like the one they discovered floating in a secret room of Olumide mansion. This is where their power comes from; it's the origin of their control.
A ceremony starts, with a strange song in the air. People in the crowd move together, reaching their hands to orb. Eki and Dapo feel very strong energy moving, a strange power linked to this thing.
At the very top, almost at the finish of the ceremony, the orb started to shine much brighter. All guests went into a deep trance-like state; their eyes were closed tight and their bodies swayed gently from side to side. Eki and Dapo sensed a strong attraction towards the orb, almost like a powerful magnet pulling them in.
Just when they were about to fall under the power of the orb, a loud sound stopped their ritual. The door suddenly burst open, and a person with a mask rushed inside while shooting their gun. All around there was disorder as people who were invited tried to hide.
Eki and Dapo, who were in the middle of everything, somehow managed to get out of the chamber. As they ran away from the big house, the sounds of shooting echoed behind them. They found something much larger than what they thought it would be.
The night had the promise of danger, and the future was unclear. But one thing was certain - they entered deep into darkness; no way back now.
Getting away from the Olumide mansion was very fast and with a lot of fear. Bullets were flying everywhere, and the air had a strong smell of gunpowder. They got away without being seen, blending into the confusing roads of this city.
Finally, they held each other close, feeling their hearts beating fast in their chests. The moment felt almost like facing death—it made them understand just how much danger they were in.
After the first surprise, fear changed into firm determination. They had seen something very special: a ceremony that suggested amazing power from somewhere else. The secret group had more power than they thought, and it kept getting even stronger control over the city.
They spent the following days learning and figuring out what happened, like assembling parts of a puzzle. The orb, ritual, and masked intruder hinted at a group with very frightening power.
Olajumoke, still feeling very surprised by what happened during the nighttime, began to share more details about the secret group. She explained how it is organized with different levels and steps for joining in. There is one main leader they call 'The Architect'.
"The Architect, he is the one who controls everything," she said with her voice trembling. "He is the one who decided to silence me."
Eki and Dapo see the big challenge ahead of them. Their opponent is very strong, someone who has been in charge for many years.
While looking more deeply, they saw something worrying. The secret group had ties to everything—not just in politics, but also in business and media as well. They were effectively a hidden government, governing the city from behind closed doors.
Scared but strong, they always remained together. They understood that someone observed them and noted every step they took. Paranoia was a constant danger but they didn't allow it to overcome them.
One evening, Eki was looking through some old newspaper clippings and then he found an article about some disappearances that happened in the city many years back. The people who disappeared were artists and intellectuals—those persons who questioned and challenged what was normal.
She felt a cold shiver. Can it be that this mystery group has a connection with the missing people? Are they removing those who are dangerous to their authority?
She tells Dapo what she knows, and they look at each other with worried eyes. They see now that the problem is much bigger than they first think - it is not only about finding a hidden group but also means fighting for the heart of their city.
As they kept chasing, it was becoming clear that someone else was also following the detectives. The secret society was getting nearer and very soon, they would be trapped in this dangerous situation. Yet, they remained resolute and ready to face it with strength.
They were moving straight to their fate, a clash of two forces—one bright and the other dark. They made up their minds to be that light that will defeat the shadows.
