Ochieng stepped out of the Black Lotus Club, the weight of the night pressing on his shoulders.
The Phantom King was alive.
And he wanted a war.
But Ochieng wasn't the same man he used to be.
He had buried his past.
He had built a new identity.
Yet, the past had a way of dragging you back in.
And now, there was no escape.
The game had begun.
---
Black Fang was waiting outside, leaning against a black Mercedes.
"How did it go?" he asked, lighting a cigarette.
Ochieng exhaled. "He's back."
Black Fang's face darkened.
"You're sure?"
Ochieng nodded. "He's playing a game. And I'm his first move."
Black Fang cursed under his breath. "That bastard should've stayed dead."
Ochieng's phone buzzed.
A message.
UNKNOWN: "Tick tock. Let's see if you're still sharp, old friend."
Then, another.
ATTACHMENT: A photo.
Ochieng's eyes narrowed.
It was a warehouse.
And inside—a man tied to a chair, blood dripping from his mouth.
Beneath it, four words:
"Save him. If you can."
They arrived in minutes.
The warehouse was abandoned, the air thick with the scent of iron and decay.
Ochieng stepped in first, his instincts razor-sharp.
And then—he heard it.
A muffled scream.
They rushed forward.
A man sat in the center of the room, bound and beaten.
His eyes widened when he saw Ochieng.
"Trap," the man choked out.
Too late.
BOOM!
A flash grenade detonated, blinding them.
Then—gunfire.
Bullets rained down from the upper levels.
Black Fang tackled Ochieng to the ground. "AMBUSH!"
Ochieng rolled, drawing his blade.
Through the smoke, figures moved.
Dark silhouettes, masked and armed.
The Phantom King's men.
They had walked straight into a slaughterhouse.
---
The first attacker lunged—Ochieng sidestepped, his blade flashing.
A throat was slashed.
A second enemy fired—Black Fang shot first.
The man crumpled.
Gunfire echoed. Screams followed.
Ochieng moved like a shadow.
Dodging. Striking. Killing.
Bodies fell around him.
And then—silence.
The smoke cleared.
They had won.
But the man they came to save—was already dead.
A dagger in his chest.
A note pinned to it.
"Checkmate. Try again."
Ochieng's eyes darkened.
The Phantom King was taunting him.
But this wasn't over.
Not even close.
---