Knives Behin

stopped a

y bleed pale blue between torn clouds. Below, Lagos crawled to l

the door c

silence like a blade

"You'll need to

eo wants you in the east wing. Now. Someone sent a message

ood turne

uthorize an

the pr

No guards. A place for secrets and scorched-earth decisions

aw her, h

RS received a coded request from you thre

heart

orged m

hey do

asily. Someone high up woul

omeone who wants you

nod

her-this wasn'

s a s

ing to burn her

rotocol," she said. "Th

you'd better tell me fa

eyes, steady.

led into a fis

you," he said, "they'

b-play the role, gather intel, leave before anyone re

s was d

t just be

being

s a trap. Someone inside SIRS wanted her out of the fiel

be

g. He moved like a man preparing for siege-quick,

of his men were already there, hunched over monitors. A map of L

d to one of

tion near Ikoyi. Satellite relays blocked. That

stomach

," she said. "They're

men?" L

"Could be a pri

d be

.ye

ot just pulling you. They're planning

otten," Zara said. "To them, I'm compromis

to leave loose en

n Igbo too quiet for her to catch. Wh

ed to

wh

. Underground. Off-grid

arms. "And wha

epped

m in. And then we tear the mask

tudie

ng to use m

h. "I'm going to

hem in an unmarked car, windows tinted, plates swapped twice before sunrise.

she feared more: SIRS

e'd have to d

d as a front for one of Leo's oldest laundering fronts. From the outside,

y generator buzz and flickering halogens. The air smelled of ea

with a small cot, weapons locker, two screens linked to independe

ound. "You've d

times than I wa

at happ

, we stop pretending we

wall, arms crossed. "T

e could feel the heat of him, the

mation," he said. "I brought you here because

et hi

ally I have, or the one

That's a risk you'r

It's the only one tha

idn't

he monitors cycle through muted footage. Street cams, drone

ed her more than

g supplies, disassembling weapons. He didn't ask if she was

y'll come toni

wou

de her. "And I'd come through the front, al

e gun and examine

If I trusted the target,

eir skull and dump t

dn't a

didn't

ater, Zara's

one m

me she recogni

e order. Confirmed. Y

red at t

SIRS. Quiet. Paranoid. Accurate. H

howed

and exhaled sharpl

id. "The dep

ed. "Ayan

ly. "Why would

tary officers, corporate funders, even SIRS informants. She was never

sed to kill me,

ed up at

d n

ill fo

m like a loaded gun. Not romantic. No

linch. He no

her a fres

t ghosts,

re w

camera outside the

rm. No

a fli

static

d. "They'

moving to the panel, flipping a kill switc

he pulled a steel briefcase. "I

u w

in Geneva. It's insurance. Names, accounts, leverag

it without

w," she said. "It

that dark,

't drea

teps

h

o

door ble

ed from t

rifle. Zara cock

bre

heart

the second door rattled.

th

le

before

r Leo's hand wi

too

or a s

lights

e war