THE UNSHAKABLE ONE

CHAPTER 4:THE TEST

The morning started average and nothing special.

I was first at the compound by 5 AM. The guards knew who I was now. They just nodded at me.

Since I'm head of security the boss hired. They had no real respect for me. But had to play ball or I could fire them and replace them easily.

But I wanted to win them over. Didn't want to be a grumpy old boss.

The compound was massive with walls, gates a fortress made so strong the family could survive the apocalypse.

But the fortress, in all its perfect aesthetics, had major flaws and blind spots that could be used by enemies easily.

I spent my first week working to find all blind spots and solving them before they became a big problem.

I was super consistent. Determined to prove myself as a valuable asset.

It never occurred to me. But that same obsessive determination would become the beginning of my end and would destroy me.

"Loyalty is a weapon. They use it against you when you least expect it."

Der Unerschütterliche, The Unshakable Playbook

Trouble brewed at 3 PM.

Some tiny little gang or militia whatever they call themselves. They were making moves against the family. Intimidation when they're outside. Threats of kidnapping. Testing boundaries.

And somehow they felt a little bit too proud and pushed too far.

They were 6 of them coming through the back door. It seemed as if they had keys or whoever sent them is close to the family and gave them keys. They had a message written in blood.

Sadly, I was the only one. Guards on break and most outside. Cameras down since they had common sense to destroy camera operations.

Without thinking of the fact I'm alone fighting 6 guys with machetes, I stepped forward giving the leader a last chance to leave unscathed.

"Who the f**k are you?"

"Someone who is gentleman enough to give you a chance to leave."

He was way bigger and looked way stronger. But it wasn't like that stopped me before.

"Move, boy. Before you become sausage."

In my mind I was thinking: "This is stupid, bro. Why the f**k you gonna die for a rich family that could have a 1000 you following morning and forget you existed?"

I didn't move. I told myself business to do the duty I was paid for.

Then I could smell nothing but sweat and fear from each of us. From me and from them. And the air was thick with it.

My heart was pounding. And it wasn't from fear it was knowing I can't fail. I have to win somehow.

If I lost, Amina would die. If I lost, I would die anyway. Everything I endured and built till now crumbles like dominos.

I couldn't lose.

So I fought with everything.

Like I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

"The first test is always the hardest. Because you have to prove you're willing to die for people who will kill you later."

Der Unerschütterliche, The Unshakable Playbook

Their leader took a swing.

I ducked in time and twisted his hand the second I had it in my arm. He screamed for his mama as the machete fell to the ground.

I double kicked him in the chest and he went out cold. As I turned to the next man, he wasted no time swinging. I was quick to counterattack with the leader's machete. I sliced his hand holding the machete clean off and his palm fell off.

Absolute chaos. Bodies everywhere. Blood pooling on the ground. The metallic smell hit my nose and wouldn't leave.

My vision started going blurry. I was bleeding from places I didn't even know I was hit. But I kept swinging. Kept slicing. Kept surviving.

After I sliced 4 of them, the last 2 got wise and ran for their lives.

I stood there for a moment. Breathing heavy. Shaking. Then my legs gave out and I collapsed into the mess I had created. My knuckles were raw meat. My ribs screamed with every breath. My whole vision went fuzzy and dark around the edges.

I lay there, bleeding into the ground. Time lost meaning. Minutes or hours, I couldn't tell. I just remember staring at the sky, wondering if this was how it ended. Dying alone in a rich man's compound, fighting for people who'd forget my name by breakfast.

Then I heard footsteps.

Kwame Asante came back like 30 minutes later. Or maybe longer. I'd lost track.

When he observed the chaos and the blood, the broken gate, the machetes on the ground, the bodies, he just stood there. Processing.

Then he looked at me.

"Great work, Kofi."

Three words.

That's all he said after I nearly met my maker.

And those 3 words meant the world to me.

"Good work, Kofi. That's what he said. I was ready to die for those 3 words. And I almost did."

Der Unerschütterliche, The Unshakable Playbook

Amina came searching for me later. I was in the medical room getting stitches. My arm was bandaged. My ribs were taped. My face was wrapped like a mummy. Every inch of me screamed in protest.

When she walked in, everything seemed to slow down. Like MB internet speed. Her dress was perfect. Her hair was perfect. And her face was worried—for the first time, actually worried.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded. I didn't trust myself not to break or cry in her arms. I just needed a shoulder to cry on.

She sat beside me. Took my hand while observing my injuries.

"Never do something that crazy. You could have died."

"Well, thankful I didn't."

"It was pointless trying to be superman. It's just money. We could have easily replaced everything. You should have run. Called for backup. Saved yourself."

I looked at her hard and long. She was beautiful. She was worried about me. She was here.

"Because I made a promise to myself to always protect you. Even if it costs me everything."

She went silent for a moment. Her eyes searched mine like she was looking for something. Finding it.

Then without warning, she leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.

"Thank you."

Then she walked away.

I sat there, bleeding, stitched up, broken, and for the first time in my life, I felt something I couldn't name. Hope. Belonging. Maybe even love.

It was the minute she started using me.

But I was too blind to see it.

"I gave them everything. My loyalty, my strength, my life. They took it all and asked for more."

Der Unerschütterliche, The Unshakable Playbook

As I lay down in that medical bed, I had a sense of belonging. My heart was full. My body was broken, but my spirit was alive.

I felt as if I found my purpose. A family that saw my worth. A reason to keep pushing.

I believed I found love.

I couldn't see the truth then. Never saw the well-laid trap. Couldn't tell love was being used as a weapon to destroy me.

For the first time in my entire life, I felt safe.

It was the last night I ever felt hope.

The last night I ever believed in goodness in people.

Tomorrow will change everything.

And I will never be the same.