Chapter 107: A Hidden Agenda Exposed
1077words
They run, feeling their lungs burning and their legs hurting. At last, they stop and lean on a wall to rest. The car disappeared, but staying here was not a good idea. Thorne would return quickly.
While they tried hard to stay calm, their ears picked up a sound. It was a gentle rustling noise coming from an alley nearby. Their hearts dropped at this moment. They were being hunted.
Suddenly feeling afraid, they ran fast into the alley to escape from someone who was coming after them. The alley was small and very dark, so they needed to walk slowly and be careful. They pressed against the cold brick wall, breathing heavily and unevenly.
All of a sudden, Dubois the curator appeared from dark shadows behind. His face showed great anger; his eyes were like they had a fire inside them, and he held a gun very tightly in his hand.
"You think you can outsmart me?" he snarled, his voice low and menacing.
Eki and Dapo exchanged terrified glances. They were trapped. There was no escape.
"What do you want from us?" Dapo managed to say, his voice trembling.
A hollow and cold laugh came from Dubois. "I only want what should be mine," he said, "the Olumide inheritance."
Eki's brain worked quickly. She felt that Dubois might not be totally good, but she never thought his greed for money and power would reach such a level.
"You're obsessed," she said, her voice steady despite the fear.
Dubois nodded, a small amused smile on his face. "Committed to the truth," he corrected. "You see, I have been checking the Olumide family for a long time. I find out something very dark, a truth they want to hide."
Eki and Dapo exchanged glances of confusion, not comprehending the meaning behind Dubois' words.
"Your ancestors," Dubois said, "were not the kind leaders you think. They were strong attackers who made many people die."
Eki and Dapo felt very surprised. They always thought their ancestors were good-hearted kings, which has played a big part in making them who they are today. Hearing about them being fierce conquerors was a powerful shock.
"That's not true," Eki protested, her voice filled with disbelief.
Dubois laughed again. "Oh, but it is," he said. "I have proof. And I will show everybody how bad those people were."
He says these frightening words and lifts the gun. Eki and Dapo glance at each other, eyes full of fear, understanding that now something must take place.
"We can discuss it," Dapo said, his voice shaking slightly. "There must be another solution."
Dubois laughed, but the sound was strong and without humour, echoing in the small room. "There is only one way," he said, pushing his finger harder on the trigger. "The Olumide heritage must be finished."
Eki's anger was getting stronger, and her determination grew. She couldn't let him win. Her family's worth was in trouble, so she needed to defend it no matter what.
With one quick jump, she attacked Dubois and grabbed his weapon. The fight was like fast-moving pictures showing how much they both tried to stay alive. Dapo joined the fight too, discovering his strength and agility surprisingly well.
In the middle of all things, suddenly a loud bang from a gunshot happened. Very strange thing took place: a bullet hit a nearby wall and then bounced off; an echoing noise filled the entire warehouse. For a few moments after that, nobody could speak anymore.
Dubois was lying on the ground, gripping his arm very tightly. Eki and Dapo stood above him, both breathing heavily as they tried to recover their breath. They had seized his weapons but knew that it was not all solved yet.
"You'll pay for this," Dubois hissed, his voice filled with hatred.
When they walked away from the hurt man, the noise came from outside – many footsteps getting nearer. They had to go quickly; no more time left.
Seeing the curator on the ground, Eki and Dapo quickly moved to the door. They rushed out into the night. The cold air hit their faces like a sudden slap, making them come back to the real world. They ran with hearts pounding and lungs feeling on fire.
From behind, they hear the noises of someone following. They run through empty streets, with street lights making shadows grow longer. The way to go was not clear, but it still needed to move forward.
When they chose a different direction, suddenly someone came and bumped into them. They moved back, breathing hard. The person who met them did not know. It was a woman with large eyes and a face that seemed very worried.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice filled with sympathy.
Eki and Dapo looked at each other quickly with serious eyes. They were in a very dangerous place, surrounded by enemies, but maybe there was still some hope for them. When they stopped to rest after running so much, they noticed a woman looking at them very closely. There was something known about her; a small light of remembering in her eyes.
"I know you," she says with a quiet but strong voice. "You are Eki and Dapo, right?"
Eki and Dapo shared a moment of surprise. But why does this lady know about them? They have not crossed paths previously.
"Who are you?" Dapo asked, his voice filled with caution.
The lady looked not certain, her eyes moving from one face to another. "You can call me Amina," she finally said. "I have been watching you."
Eki and Dapo were shocked. Amina? The lady who was helping them at the warehouse?
"But... you were..." Dapo stammered, unable to finish his sentence.
A tiny smile appeared on Amina's face, mixed with a bit of sadness. "I needed to leave," she said. "Thorne's people were looking for me."
Just when they wanted to ask more questions, a car suddenly stopped fast behind them. The lights were very bright and made their eyes hard to see for a little while. Suddenly, someone shouted in a loud voice "Stop!" in the night.
Eki and Dapo exchanged a terrified glance. They were surrounded.
