The girl’s voice echoed through the chamber like the whisper of a knife before it sinks in.“Hello, brother.”Chike stared.It wasn’t just her words that struck him it was her face.So familiar it hurt.High cheekbones, dark eyes rimmed in storm grey shadow, lips curled in a knowing smirk that shouldn’t have belonged to a stranger.But she was no stranger.Not entirely.His memories began to claw their way out of the sealed vaults in his own mind the sound of a baby’s laugh, a silver anklet jingling on a toddler’s foot, the scent of their mother’s shea butter as she knelt beside two children with matching eyes and braided hair.Her name…“Zina?” he rasped.She tilted her head, the smirk faltering for half a heartbeat. But then she blinked slowly, like a lioness amused by a sheep’s recognition.“I no longer answer to that name,” she said. “The Order calls me Red Echo.”Ifeoma took a sharp breath beside him.Red Echo.The codename whispered in the darkest corners of the Red Ledger. A ph

The conference room felt smaller than usual, though Chike knew it was just the tension suffocating the air. Every major figure in the company was seated at the long glass table, their faces tight with worry. The entire building had been on edge since last night’s breach one that hadn’t yet been explained to the board.Chike stood at the head of the table, the late morning sunlight spilling over his crisp black suit. His fingers tapped a slow rhythm on the polished surface as he stared down the men and women who claimed to be loyal to him.“We’re at war,” he said at last, his voice low but deadly clear. “And someone in this room is working for them.”Gasps broke the silence. One of the directors shifted uncomfortably; another cleared his throat.“Mr. Chike,” Director Anozie said, leaning forward, “with all due respect, that’s an accusation that could destroy morale”“Morale?” Chike cut him off, his gaze sharp. “Our financial security was compromised last night. A secure account was dra

The crack of the next shot was sharper, closer this one chipped a piece off the marble column inches from Amara’s cheek. Tiny shards rained down on her hair, catching in the dim corridor lights.Chike’s eyes swept the hallway, calculating angles. His years of covert work had taught him one thing about snipers: they didn’t miss unless they wanted you to move. This one was herding them, forcing them toward a specific exit.“Stay low,” he murmured, his voice even despite the adrenaline hammering through his veins.Amara crouched beside him, her breathing ragged. “They’re watching us, aren’t they? The tracker…”He tapped the casing of the disarmed bomb still clutched in his hand. “They know exactly where we are. This” he lifted it slightly, “isn’t just bait. It’s the leash.”Another round smashed into the wall across from them, spraying a burst of plaster dust.“We need cover, now,” he said.“There’s a service stairwell around the corner,” she offered quickly. “It leads to the basement pa

The moment Chike stepped out of the black SUV, the air itself seemed to shift. The evening wind carried the scent of rain and petrol, mixing with the faint tang of danger that lingered in the deserted dockyard. The ground beneath his boots was slick with oil, reflecting the pale glow of the dock lights in fractured patterns like shattered stars scattered on the floor.In the distance, the creak of an old crane echoed against the steel containers, and the shadows of men moved like wraiths between them. They were here The Red Ledger’s negotiators.But Chike wasn’t here to negotiate.The System’s voice hummed coldly in his mind.[Mission Alert: Secure the Crimson Vault’s keyholder. Reward: 1,500 system points. Warning: Failure will trigger bounty escalation.]His jaw tightened. The last bounty had almost put him in the hospital, but this… this was a direct escalation into the heart of The Red Ledger’s operations.From the corner of his eye, he caught Ade’s movement his right. hand man

Chike didn’t sleep.Not because he couldn’t, but because the moment he closed his eyes, the same pattern replayed the names on the Red Ledger glowing in crimson ink, some scratched out, others newly etched as though alive. The voice of the system still echoed in his mind:[Warning: The Red Ledger is aware of your movements.]He sat at the edge of his desk, elbows resting on his knees, staring at the dossier spread before him. Photos, coded notes, and fragments of intercepted messages each a piece of the conspiracy choking the city. His instincts screamed that someone inside their circle had leaked their plans.The knock came quietly, almost cautious.“It’s open,” Chike said without looking up.Kalu stepped in, a grim expression replacing his usual sharp grin. “We have a problem. Bigger than yesterday’s.”Chike raised a brow. “You mean the attempted assassination wasn’t big enough?”Kalu dropped a flash drive on the desk. “Surveillance footage. Pulled it myself before they could wipe