The Man Who Didn’t Exist
978 Words
🔥 Episode 6
Tunde couldn’t feel his hands.
They were there.
He could see them.
But they didn’t feel like his anymore.
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“YOU WERE NEVER THE TARGET.”
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The words echoed in his mind over and over again.
Louder each time.
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“What does that mean?” he whispered.
But no one answered.
Because no one knew.
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Detective Ibrahim turned sharply to Bello.
“Track that image,” he ordered. “Now.”
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Bello nodded quickly, already working on his tablet.
“Trying, sir… but it’s being routed through multiple servers. Whoever sent this knows what they’re doing.”
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“Of course she does,” Adaeze muttered.
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Tunde looked up at her.
“You knew,” he said.
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She didn’t deny it.
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“I suspected,” she replied. “But this…”
She gestured toward the screen.
“…this is something else.”
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Tunde shook his head slowly.
“I don’t understand any of this. Why is my name on a dead man? Why can’t I remember simple things? What is she doing to me?!”
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Adaeze stepped closer.
And for the first time—
There was something softer in her voice.
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“Maybe,” she said carefully, “she’s not doing anything to you.”
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Tunde frowned.
“What do you mean?”
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She held his gaze.
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“Maybe,” she continued, “she’s revealing something.”
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The words settled like a storm.
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Before Tunde could respond, Bello spoke again.
“Sir… I found something.”
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Everyone turned.
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“What is it?” Ibrahim asked.
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Bello zoomed in on the image Amara had sent.
“Look at the background,” he said. “Concrete walls… low lighting… markings here…”
He tapped the screen.
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Faded numbers.
Painted.
Old.
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Adaeze leaned closer.
Her eyes sharpened.
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“I’ve seen this before,” she said.
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“Where?” Ibrahim asked.
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She didn’t answer immediately.
Then—
Her expression changed.
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Realization.
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“No…” she whispered.
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“What?” Ibrahim pressed.
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Adaeze looked up slowly.
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“That’s not just any building,” she said.
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A pause.
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“It’s an abandoned government facility.”
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The room went still.
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“What kind of facility?” Ibrahim asked.
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Adaeze hesitated.
And that hesitation said everything.
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“Tunde,” she said quietly, “I need you to stay calm.”
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His chest tightened.
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“What kind of facility?” he repeated.
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Adaeze exhaled.
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“One that was shut down… unofficially.”
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Ibrahim frowned. “Stop speaking in riddles, Adaeze.”
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She turned to him.
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“It was part of a classified program,” she said. “Years ago.”
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Silence.
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“What kind of program?” Bello asked.
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Adaeze’s voice dropped.
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“Identity reconstruction.”
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Tunde blinked.
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“I don’t understand…”
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Adaeze looked directly at him now.
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“It was designed to create new identities for people,” she explained. “Witnesses. Informants. Sometimes criminals who made deals.”
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Tunde’s heart began to race again.
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“They would erase your past,” she continued.
“Give you new records. New history. New life.”
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A pause.
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“And sometimes…”
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Her voice grew quieter.
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“…they didn’t do it properly.”
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Tunde took a step back.
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“No… no, you’re saying I’m one of them?”
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Adaeze didn’t answer.
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Because she didn’t have to.
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The possibility was already there.
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Heavy.
Terrifying.
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“That would explain the records,” Ibrahim said slowly. “Two identities. One ‘dead.’ One alive.”
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“And the memory gaps,” Bello added.
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Tunde shook his head violently.
“No! I would know if my life was fake!”
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But the words felt weak.
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Because now—
Nothing felt certain anymore.
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Not his past.
Not his name.
Not even his own mind.
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“Then there’s another question,” Ibrahim said.
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Everyone looked at him.
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“If this program is connected to you…”
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He paused.
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“…then how does Amara fit into all this?”
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Silence.
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Then—
Tunde’s eyes widened slightly.
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“The message,” he said suddenly.
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“What message?” Bello asked.
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Tunde swallowed.
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“The first one I got… before everything started.”
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He grabbed Ibrahim’s arm.
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“It said—check the drawer.”
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Adaeze frowned.
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“That wasn’t random,” Tunde said. “She wanted me to find those pictures.”
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“And?” Ibrahim asked.
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Tunde’s breathing became uneven.
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“And what if…” he said slowly, “…that wasn’t the real message?”
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They all stared at him.
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“What do you mean?” Adaeze asked.
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Tunde ran upstairs.
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Fast.
Desperate.
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The others followed.
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He rushed into the bedroom.
Straight to the nightstand.
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Opened the drawer again.
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Everything looked the same.
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But this time—
He looked closer.
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Felt around the edges.
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Then—
His fingers hit something.
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A hidden panel.
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His breath caught.
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Slowly…
He pressed it.
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Click.
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A small compartment opened.
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Inside—
There was only one thing.
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A flash drive.
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The room went completely silent.
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Tunde picked it up slowly.
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His hands trembling.
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“What is that?” Bello asked.
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Tunde stared at it.
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“I think…” he said quietly…
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“…this is who I really am.”
- Writer
