The sky had lightened to a dreary gray as dawn crept over the horizon, casting a pale light through the thinning canopy of trees. The storm had finally passed, leaving behind a dense, earthy smell and the echo of water droplets falling from the leaves. Marriam, Jay, and Ellen, drenched and shivering from their escape, crouched behind a large boulder near the creek, listening intently to the sounds around them. The rushing water was still loud enough to mask their whispers, but their enemies were undoubtedly closing in.
"We can't keep this up," Ellen muttered, wiping the mud from her face. "They're not going to stop looking for us. We need something more than just running."
Marriam nodded, her mind racing. "We need to go on the offensive," she said, glancing toward Jay. "This is bigger than just us now. If Richard and his men are willing to go this far, we have to assume they've got something big to hide. And they won't stop until they silence us for good."
Jay wiped a hand across his face, still trying to catch his breath. "We can't fight them head-on. Not like this. We don't have enough information yet, and they've got resources we don't."
Ellen, her face drawn tight with worry, looked between them. "Then what's the plan? We can't just wait around for them to find us."
A cold determination flickered in Marriam's eyes. "We need allies. We need someone who can take Richard down from the inside."
Jay raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "Who are you thinking of? Anyone who could help us is either scared of Richard or already working for him."
Marriam hesitated for a moment, a thought creeping into her mind. It was risky—possibly even reckless—but it was the only option she could see that didn't involve running for the rest of their lives.
"I'm thinking of Professor Zulu."
Both Ellen and Jay stared at her in disbelief.
"Zulu?" Ellen repeated, her voice low and incredulous. "Are you serious? He's as corrupt as they come. He's probably in on whatever Richard's doing."
"Exactly," Marriam said quietly. "Which means he's close to Richard. He knows things. He might even know more than we do."
Jay crossed his arms, frowning. "And you think he's just going to help us out of the goodness of his heart? Zulu's not the type to put his neck on the line unless there's something in it for him."
"I know that," Marriam said, her voice growing firmer. "But what if we offer him something Richard can't? We don't need him to be loyal to us. We just need him to make a deal that benefits him more than staying in Richard's good graces."
Ellen shook her head. "You're talking about making a deal with a snake, Marriam. How do you know we can trust him not to betray us?"
"We can't," Marriam admitted. "But if we play our cards right, we can make sure that betraying us isn't in his best interest."
Jay looked thoughtful for a moment, weighing the risks. "If we go to Zulu, we need leverage. Something that makes him want to turn on Richard."
"We have that," Marriam said. "We have evidence—what we found on Richard's network, the files we've gathered. Zulu would know how valuable that is, especially if we threaten to make it public."
Ellen sighed, rubbing her temples. "This is insane," she muttered. "But I don't see any better options right now."
Jay nodded slowly. "It's a long shot, but we don't have many moves left. If we want to stop Richard, we'll need to get someone close to him to help us."
"Then it's settled," Marriam said, determination hardening her resolve. "We find Zulu. We make him an offer he can't refuse."
They sat in silence for a few moments, the weight of their decision settling over them like a heavy fog. The next steps would be treacherous, and there was no guarantee that Zulu would take the bait. But if he did, it might just give them the opening they needed to expose Richard—and save their own lives in the process.
"We'll need to be careful," Jay said, breaking the silence. "If Zulu even suspects that Richard knows what we're up to, he'll sell us out in a heartbeat."
Marriam nodded. "We approach him carefully, discreetly. We'll use a burner phone to contact him first. Make it clear we have something valuable, but we don't reveal too much until we know where he stands."
Ellen glanced around warily. "Then we should move. We can't stay here forever, and we need to find a safe place to regroup before we try reaching out to Zulu."
They rose cautiously from their hiding spot, scanning the surrounding area for any sign of Richard's men. The woods were eerily silent now, save for the distant drip of water and the rustle of leaves in the breeze.
With one last glance at the creek behind them, they set off toward the edge of the forest, their minds already racing ahead to the dangerous game they were about to play.
---
A few hours later, they sat in a cramped internet café on the far side of town. The smell of stale coffee and the quiet hum of old computers filled the room as Marriam tapped nervously at the keys, composing a cryptic message to Professor Zulu.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Ellen asked, leaning over her shoulder.
"It's the only idea we have," Marriam replied, her eyes fixed on the screen as she typed. "If Zulu doesn't bite, we're out of options."
Jay sat nearby, his arms crossed as he scanned the room for any suspicious faces. "Just make sure you don't mention anything too specific. We can't afford to spook him."
Marriam nodded, her fingers moving quickly over the keyboard.
_Professor,
We have information that could be of great value to you—information that Richard would not want to see the light of day. We are prepared to offer you this information, but only if you meet with us first. No tricks. No surprises. If you want to know more, you'll find us. You know where to look.
Signed,
Friends of the Truth._
With a deep breath, she hit "Send," watching as the message disappeared into the ether. Now, all they could do was wait and hope that Zulu would take the bait.
"Let's get out of here," Jay said quietly, standing up and motioning for them to follow. "If Zulu responds, we'll deal with it then. But we need to stay one step ahead of Richard."
Marriam stood, her nerves fraying as they left the café and slipped back into the crowded streets. The city bustled around them, but all she could think about was the dangerous game they had just started playing.
They had thrown the dice—and now, it was Zulu's move.