Makutano wasn’t much.
A dusty roadside town, barely more than a collection of old buildings, a few shops, and a crowded market where locals haggled over vegetables and second-hand clothes. Trucks rumbled through, kicking up dirt as they made their way to larger towns.
Mike, Amina, and Felix stood on the outskirts, covered in dust and sweat, looking like they had crawled out of a grave.
Amina sighed. "We’re going to stand out."
Felix frowned. "I don’t know. Pretty sure every guy here looks like he’s running from something."
Mike smirked. "Perfect. We blend right in."
They made their way into town, moving through the narrow streets.
---
They found a small roadside café with plastic chairs and a tin roof. Inside, a woman in a faded apron wiped down tables while a few men sat hunched over steaming cups of tea.
Mike sat first, stretching. "We need food, water, ammo. And we need to find out if Kamau’s here."
Amina glanced around. "You’re being too casual about this."
Felix leaned back. "Maybe that’s the play. Act normal, and no one will suspect a thing."
Mike raised a hand to get the waitress’s attention. "Excuse me, miss. What’s good here?"
The woman barely glanced at them. "Tea and mandazi. Or tea and nothing."
Felix grinned. "I’ll have tea and something."
Amina rolled her eyes. "Three teas, three mandazis."
As the woman walked away, Mike subtly scanned the room. He had spent years reading people, and right now, someone was watching them.
He kept his movements easy, relaxed—then, without turning his head, he flicked his eyes to the corner.
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A man in a grey jacket, sitting too still, too quiet.
Kamau’s guy?
Mike nudged Amina under the table. She glanced at him, following his gaze.
The man in the corner didn’t react. He just sipped his tea.
Felix noticed too. "We have company?"
Mike took a slow sip of his drink. "Maybe. Don’t panic."
Felix snorted. "I’ll try my best."
---
They finished their meal without incident. The man in the corner never moved, never approached.
But as they left the café, Mike caught a reflection in a window.
The man stood up.
Mike exhaled. "Yep. He’s tailing us."
Amina didn’t look back. "Kamau’s?"
Felix grimaced. "Or someone worse."
Mike cracked his neck. "Let’s find out."
They turned a corner into an alleyway. At the end was a small open space behind some buildings.
They stopped.
The man followed.
He rounded the corner—then froze when he saw them waiting.
Mike smiled. "Hey there, friend. You lost?"
The man hesitated, then smirked. "I was about to ask you the same thing."
Amina crossed her arms. "Who do you work for?"
The man chuckled. "You’ve got a lot of people looking for you."
Felix sighed. "Yeah, we figured that out already. Thanks."
The man tilted his head. "Word is, you’re carrying something valuable."
Mike’s smile didn’t waver. "Funny. We don’t remember stealing anything."
The man shrugged. "Maybe you forgot. Or maybe you’re carrying something you don’t even know about."
Mike glanced at Amina. That was a problem.
If this guy knew about it, more people would come.
Mike stepped forward. "How about we cut a deal?"
The man smirked. "Oh? What kind of deal?"
Mike punched him in the face.
The man stumbled back, dazed. Amina moved fast, grabbing his collar and slamming him against the wall.
Felix sighed. "So… no deal, then?"
Mike grinned. "Didn’t like his terms."
The man groaned. "You idiots… you have no idea what you’re in the middle of."
Mike leaned in. "Then enlighten us."
The man chuckled. "Kamau’s not the only one looking. If I were you… I’d start running."
Felix groaned. "Oh, good. More enemies. Just what we needed."
Amina tightened her grip. "Who else is after us?"
The man spat blood, grinning. "You’ll find out soon enough."
---
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