Obinna's hands were raw and bleeding from his desperate attempts to free himself. He had found a jagged piece of metal amidst the debris and was using it to saw at the ropes binding his wrists. The other children were still unconscious, their breaths shallow and weak. He glanced at them, a surge of determination fueling his efforts. He had to get them out of here.
From beyond the door, voices drifted in, clearer now. Obinna paused, straining to listen.
"We need to move them soon," a gruff voice said. "Bola doesn't want any delays."
"Why these kids, though?" another voice asked, younger and uncertain. "What's so special about them?"
"Hold the JAMB question. Just do your job and keep an eye on them. The boss will be here soon to explain everything."
Obinna's heart pounded. The more he learned, the more desperate he became. He resumed his efforts, the metal cutting into the ropes with painstaking slowness.
MEANWHILE...
Eze landed softly on the roof of Grace International, his breath coming in laboured gasps. The school looked eerie under the moonlight, its once vibrant facade now crumbling and overgrown with weeds. He scanned the area, and his senses heightened.
"Focus, Eze," Anansi's voice was a calming presence in his mind. "The children are somewhere inside. Move quickly but cautiously."
Eze slipped through a broken window, landing silently in a dusty hallway. The school was eerily silent, the only sounds his own footsteps and the occasional creak of the old building. He searched each door, before settling on the basement, its hinges rusty and barely holding. Pushing it open, he descended into the darkness, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. The basement was a maze of old classrooms and storage rooms, each one filled with forgotten remnants of the past.
"...Is it true that Bola is using a Soul Harvester?" one voice said, low and menacing.
"Soul Harvester ke? Have you gone mad?"
"Apas sha, that's what heard. That could be why he got these children now."
"Orrr, he could be organ harvesting like a normal person." another voice scolded.
"Soul harvester?" Eze muttered in his head. "Any clues Anansi?"
"If you keep depending on me for everything, you can not succeed," he replied.
"Jesus, sorry for asking!" he mumbled out loud.
"Did you hear that?" one of the voices said sharply.
Eze's breath caught in his throat as footsteps approached. A guard appeared, shining a flashlight into the corridor. Eze held his breath, staying perfectly still. The guard's light passed over him, but then it stopped, and the guard squinted suspiciously.
"Who's there now?" the guard demanded, stepping closer.
Eze knew he had to act fast. He quickly shot a thread to the ceiling, pulling himself up silently just as the guard reached his hiding spot. The guard looked around, confused, before turning back.
Eze took advantage of the distraction to slip past the guard and into a nearby room. He pressed himself against the wall, listening intently as the conversation continued.
"We need to move quickly," the first voice said. "Bola won't tolerate any delays."
"Stop calling him Bola! Abi you want to be harvested too?" the other joked." It's Titan to everyone else."
Eze's mind raced. "Titan," he thought, the name echoing ominously in his mind. It was clear now that they were dealing with someone formidable, someone who instilled fear even in his own underlings. The mention of a "Soul Harvester" sent chills down Eze's spine, but of morbid confusion instead. Fury bubbled within him, hot and fierce. He wouldn't let some power-hungry madman exploit these innocent children. But first, he needed to find them.
"Anansi, any idea what they're talking about?" Eze whispered silently.
"The term 'Soul Harvester' is unfamiliar to me," Anansi replied, his voice thoughtful. "But it suggests something deeply sinister, possibly involving supernatural elements."
Eze grimaced. "Supernatural? Really?" he muttered sarcastically. "JA soul harvester sounds supernatural? Just what I need."
"I wish I could give you the worst migraine right now."
"How come you cant?"
"Running low on power carrying you. You would think all of the advancements I give you would help."
Eze shook his head, focusing on the task at hand. He crept further into the basement, moving stealthily through the shadows. Taking a deep breath, he enhances his perception allowing him to pick up on the faint sounds of breathing. He followed the sounds, his heart pounding in his chest.
"Bingo."
Finally, he reached a heavy metal door at the end of a narrow corridor. He took a deep breath and pressed his ear to the door. There, he heard a faint shuffling.
"That has to be them! Right?"
"Only one way to find out Eze."
He stepped back, summoning his strength, and shot a web at the door's hinges. With a swift, powerful yank, he pulled the door off its frame, the metal screeching in protest.
Indeed. There were children.
Immediately, he scanned the room, and rushed to Obinna's side. But he was out cold.
"They are all out Eze. I believe it's Fluothane." the Spider said.
"Is that bad?"
"A tiny little bit."
"Then how come it's not affecting me?"
"Superpowers Eze. Either that or it's probably cleared from the room."
Eze quickly moved from child to child, checking pulses and breathing. They were stable, though weak and unconscious. Obinna was still out cold, his breathing shallow but steady.
"Okay, they're alive, awesome. How do we get them out of here?" Eze asked, pacing around. "Where do we take them? How do we get them out without alerting the rest of the guards?"
"I do not know Eze." I can web them all together and pull them up to the roof," Eze suggested. "We can signal for help from there."
"Signal for help? Are you dumb? You would be in the possession of unconscious, allegedly kidnapped kids that even the government has acknowledged them. You are just asking to be pinned for the crime."
"Right, but where's safe?" Eze asked, frustration tinging his words. "We can't just take them to the nearest hospital. These people will be looking for them."
"We can come up with a plan later. Let us th-
Before Anansi could finish responding, the door to the room burst open. Three men stood in the doorway, their expressions a mix of shock and anger.
"Who the hell is this?" one of them demanded, stepping forward.
Eze didn't hesitate. He shot a web at the closest man, pulling him off balance and into a wall.
"Hey, how—" the man's words were cut off as his own comrades lunged at him. Eze swiftly sidestepped a punch, countering with a web shot to the head, yanking him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground. The last remaining man simply raised his hands in surrender and said, "You win," before backing away cautiously.
"What was that, Eze?" Anansi asked with excitement.
Eze hesitated for a moment, adrenaline still coursing through him. "I... I don't know," he admitted
"You adapt quickly against these lesser foes," Anansi remarked. "It proves your potential, despite your lack of training. Makes me wonder how strong those Area Boys were."
Before Eze could respond, the room suddenly filled with a dozen more men, their footsteps echoing in the confined space. They formed a solid blockade, effectively cutting off any possible escape route.
"Huh," Eze muttered.
His heart raced as he realized the gravity of their situation—the odds were now overwhelmingly against them.