The streets of Lagos were alive with movement, a blur of people and cars, but to Ada, everything felt distant. The world had shifted beneath her feet, and she was no longer sure of where she stood. Her past—her father's disappearance, the secrets Daniel had been hiding—had all been woven into a tangled web she couldn't untangle.
As they moved through the city, Daniel's grip on her hand never loosened. She could feel the tension in his touch, the urgency in every step he took, but there was something else—a coldness, a distance that hadn't been there before.
"We need to get to the docks," Daniel said, his voice low and tense. "It's the only place they won't expect us to go."
Ada didn't answer. She wasn't sure what to say anymore. She couldn't keep up with the whirlwind of information Daniel had thrown at her, the truth about her father, the dangerous people who were after her, and now the realization that she was a pawn in a game far bigger than she could have imagined.
They turned a corner, and the smell of saltwater hit her, the air thick with the scent of the ocean. The docks were just ahead, their dark outlines barely visible in the night.
"Daniel, we need to talk," Ada said, her voice quieter now, heavy with the weight of the truth. "I don't understand. If I'm really involved in this, if they think I know something, then why haven't they come for me before? Why now?"
Daniel stopped walking, his face unreadable as he turned to face her. "Because they didn't know you had the key. They didn't know until now."
"Until now?" Ada repeated, her stomach twisting. "What changed?"
Daniel hesitated, as though weighing his words carefully. Then, finally, he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "You're the key, Ada. You don't realize it, but you are. The information your father had, the secret he kept—it's in you."
Ada's breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?"
Daniel's eyes were dark, full of something she couldn't name. "When your father disappeared, he didn't just vanish. He left a trail, a map, a key to something. It's buried in your memory, Ada. Somewhere deep inside you, locked away. And they think you have it."
She shook her head, disbelief flooding her. "I don't remember anything. I don't know what you're talking about."
"You will," Daniel said softly. "Sooner or later, you'll remember. But for now, we need to stay ahead of them. We can't let them find us, not yet."
Ada looked at him, trying to make sense of everything. The boy she had known, the man who had once been her best friend, had become someone she didn't recognize. He was holding secrets, hiding truths from her, and yet she couldn't deny the sense of familiarity, the bond they still shared, however strained.
"What do we do now?" she asked, her voice small in the vast emptiness of the night.
"We find the safe house," Daniel said, his tone hardening. "And we wait. I'll keep you safe, Ada. I promise."
But Ada wasn't so sure anymore. She wasn't sure if she could trust him, not with everything he had kept from her. But there was no time to question him further. The sounds of footsteps echoing down the street snapped her out of her thoughts. They were close. Too close.
"Come on," Daniel urged, pulling her forward again.
They quickened their pace, moving down a narrow alley that led to an old warehouse. The place looked abandoned, its windows shattered and covered with sheets of metal. But Daniel didn't hesitate. He pulled open the rusted door, and they slipped inside, the darkness swallowing them whole.
Inside, the air was damp and musty, the smell of old wood and saltwater thick in the air. Ada could barely make out the outlines of crates and discarded equipment in the dim light, but Daniel didn't seem to mind. He led her deeper into the warehouse, past stacks of old materials until they reached a small door at the back.
"This is it," he said, unlocking the door with a key from his pocket. "We're safe here for now."
Ada stepped inside, the small room barely big enough for both of them. There was a single cot in the corner, a table with a few scattered papers, and a chair. It wasn't much, but it would have to do.
Daniel shut the door behind them and turned to face her. "We need to talk, Ada. There's something I haven't told you."
Ada looked at him, her chest tightening with unease. She could feel the weight of his words before he even spoke them.
"You're not safe here," he said, his voice low and serious. "There's a reason I brought you to this place. It's not just a safe house. It's a trap."
"A trap?" Ada repeated, confusion and fear swirling inside her. "What are you talking about?"
Daniel's face was hard, but his eyes were filled with regret. "I never wanted you to get involved in this, Ada. But now… now they know where we are. And I can't protect you anymore."
Ada's heart skipped a beat. "Who are you talking about? Who's coming after us?"
"The people who were after your father. The ones who will stop at nothing to get to you. And they've already found us. They're here."
Before Ada could respond, the sound of pounding footsteps echoed outside the door. Her breath caught in her throat as the door rattled, the hinges creaking under the pressure.
Daniel stepped in front of her, his posture tense, his eyes hard with resolve. "Stay behind me. No matter what happens, do not move."
The door burst open, and two figures entered the room, their faces hidden by masks. Ada's blood ran cold. These were the men who had been hunting them.
"Daniel," one of them said, his voice gravelly. "You've made your choice."
Daniel didn't flinch. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
Ada's mind raced. They were trapped, and there was no way out. No way to escape the people who had come to claim her—and Daniel, too.
She didn't know what to do, who to trust, or what her next move should be.
But one thing was clear: this was only the beginning.