FRACTURES
894 Words
The flash drive sat on the table like it was daring us to touch it.
Its black casing was scuffed, one corner chipped, as if someone had tried to destroy it once but couldn’t bring themselves to finish the job.
I had been staring at it for ten minutes, my coffee going cold, while Femi methodically set up his laptop.
His face was all concentration — brows drawn, lips pressed in a firm line.
It should have been reassuring, the way he handled every step like a soldier preparing for battle.
But all I could feel was the coil of unease in my stomach.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded, though the truth was I didn’t know if I’d ever be ready for what was on that drive.
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The Opening
The folders appeared instantly — dozens of them. Dates going back more than fifteen years.
Some were just names: Ajayi, Okon, Lagos Port. Others were strange symbols, almost like ciphers.
We clicked on the most recent folder. Inside were photographs, scanned documents, and one video file named simply: For Her.
My throat went dry. “Play it.”
The screen filled with my uncle’s face. Older than in the photograph from the hideout, his hair more silver, his eyes shadowed with exhaustion.
He was sitting in a dim room, speaking straight into the camera.
> “Ada. If you’re watching this, I’m gone. And if you’ve found me, you’ve found the ledger.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping.
> “Your father… made a choice. One I couldn’t stop. But the real danger isn’t him — it’s the one he trusts.”
He paused. My heartbeat stumbled when the next words came.
> “Femi Adewale.”
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I blinked, as if my ears had betrayed me.
Beside me, Femi went very still.
“He—” I started, but the video kept going.
> “He worked with me once, before he knew your name. He made a deal to get close to someone on the inside. I can’t tell you if he’s still in the game… or if he’s already theirs.”
The screen went black.
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The Crack
I turned to Femi. “You knew my uncle?”
He exhaled slowly, his gaze dropping to the table. “Years ago. Briefly. It wasn’t what he made it sound like.”
“You were in the game?”
“It was before I knew you. Before I cared about any of this.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?” My voice was sharper than I meant.
“Because it didn’t matter anymore. And because I knew how it would sound if it came from me.”
“Or maybe,” I said, leaning back, “you knew I wouldn’t trust you.”
His eyes flashed. “You think I’ve been playing you this whole time?”
I didn’t answer. The silence was enough.
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The Message
The fight was still hanging in the air when my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Ask him why he was at your father’s meeting six months before you met.
I stared at the words. My pulse thudded in my ears.
Femi noticed my expression. “What is it?”
I turned the screen so he could see.
His jaw tightened. “You don’t believe this.”
“Should I?”
He stepped closer, voice low. “Ada, I have never lied to you about how I feel. That should mean something.”
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The Almost
His nearness was a mistake. I could smell the faint trace of his cologne, feel the heat radiating off him.
I hated that even now, my body reacted before my brain did.
He reached for my hand, his thumb brushing over my skin. “Let me prove it.”
For a second, I let myself lean in — the space between us shrinking, his breath mingling with mine.
Then I caught myself and pulled back like I’d touched fire.
“Not now,” I said, stepping away. “Not when I don’t know which side you’re really on.”
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The Lead on Titi
The tension was still raw when Yinka called.
“I might have something,” he said. “A woman matching Titi’s description was seen near Makoko two nights ago. But it’s crawling with their people.”
“I’m going,” I said instantly.
“It’s suicide without a plan,” Femi cut in.
“I’m not sitting here while she’s out there.”
He shook his head. “I’m not letting you walk into that trap.”
“You don’t get to let me do anything,” I snapped. “You’re not my keeper.”
His eyes hardened. “Maybe I’m not anything to you anymore.”
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The Break
The words stung, but I held his gaze. “Maybe you aren’t.”
I grabbed my bag, shoving the flash drive into it.
“Ada—”
“Don’t,” I said, my voice steady now. “Not until I know the truth.”
I walked out, the slam of the door echoing behind me.
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Cliffhanger End:
Ada leaves the safe house, determined to find Titi and answers on her own.
The flash drive and the anonymous message have driven a wedge between her and Femi.
Amaka’s shadowy interference has begun.
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- Writer
