The trotro bumped violently over the broken road, headlights flickering as the old van fought against the night.
Chris sat near the back, hood pulled low, eyes scanning every shadow outside the cracked window.
Nina sat beside him, gripping her backpack like her life depended on it — because right now, it did.
"You sure say dem no dey follow we?" she whispered, switching back to Pidgin unconsciously.
Chris's lips tightened. "For now. But dem go try. Trust me."
The plan was simple: head east, leave the madness of Accra behind, find the gateway hidden somewhere in the misty hills near Aburi.
Simple — but deadly.
The other passengers — a mother with a sleeping baby, a young man with headphones, two old women selling yams — had no idea two marked souls rode among them.
As the tro tro climbed the hill toward Ayi Mensah, the city lights shrank behind them, swallowed by the thick, rolling darkness.
Nina tried to steady her breathing. "So… what happens when we reach Aburi?"
Chris didn't look at her.
"Depends. If Uncle Joe's map correct, the gateway fit still dey hidden. But if Black Crescent reach first…"
He let the sentence hang heavy in the air.
Nina bit her lip. "Then what?"
Chris finally turned to face her, his voice quiet but fierce.
"Then we fight."
Before Nina could reply, the driver suddenly slammed the brakes hard.
The tro tro screeched to a stop, tires skidding against gravel.
"What the hell—?" Chris shot to his feet.
Ahead, two black SUVs blocked the narrow road.
Men in black clothes, faces hidden under masks, spilled out — machetes gleaming under the moonlight.
"Them don find we," Chris growled.
Panic exploded in the tro tro. The mother screamed, clutching her child. The old women wailed prayers.
Chris grabbed Nina's wrist. "Out! Move!"
They forced the side door open, diving into the bushes as bullets tore through the night.
The air filled with the sound of gunfire, screams, and shattered glass.
Chris yanked Nina deeper into the undergrowth, thorns tearing at their clothes.
He didn't stop until the noise behind them faded into the distance.
Breathing hard, they crouched behind a large rock.
Nina's heart was slamming against her ribs. "Jesus Christ… dis be madness."
Chris checked his surroundings quickly, still calm. "Welcome to de real world."
For a few minutes, they stayed silent, listening to the distant sounds of the tro tro chaos.
Finally, Chris stood up, offering Nina his hand.
"No more shortcuts," he said. "From here, we move on foot."
Nina took his hand, her palm sweaty and shaking.
"You ready?" he asked, searching her face.
Nina hesitated only a second.
Then she nodded, jaw set.
"I dey with you," she said.
Chris smiled faintly — the first real smile she'd seen from him.
"Good," he said. "Because dis journey just start."
Under the star-streaked sky, they set off into the dark hills, two unlikely souls carrying the weight of destiny… and the hope of a world teetering on the edge of destruction.