Chapter 9

Nonso sat behind the wheel of the armored supercar, tearing down the empty highway.

It was close to midnight. Exhaustion weighed heavy on his eyelids, but the thought of finally securing Benita and heading back to base kept him active.

"Man, I had my night all set before Karama called me for 'emergency duty'." Omari yapped, adjusting his tactical vest. "I was like, '''kay I'll get my people over, I'm kinda getting into a *kite state* right now.' She was like, 'no, we want you.' I was like, 'yo, you want me, baby?'" He snickered. "She's obsessed with me, man."

Nonso cut a glance sideways. "She can't stand you."

"That's propaganda."

"Whatever. Hold on, I'm taking a call." Nonso tapped his earpiece. "Nonso speaking."

"This is Panyin. Where are you guys?" Her voice came through in sharp, breathless gasps over the sound of her boots pounding against concrete.

Nonso's brows furrowed. "Yeah, yeah. We're just at your location—"

"Benita ran away!"

"What? D@mn it."

Omari turned. "What happened?"

"Hold on." Nonso connected the call to the vehicle's speakers. "Panyin, say that again."

"Benita relapsed." Panyin's frantic voice filled the car. "She forgot everything and now she thinks I'm evil. I'm hot on her trail."

Omari shook his head. "That'll just make her run faster. What direction she heading?" He opened the glove compartment filled with firearms.

Panyin’s audio crackled as she came to a sudden halt. She heaved. "I kinda lost her. I'm quite lost myself."

Nonso tapped Karama's icon on the dashboard display, but before he could request assistance, a figure lunged directly into the headlights.

"F*ck!" Nonso slammed both feet onto the brake pedal. The tyres screeched as the car violently pitched forward, throwing them against their seatbelts.

"Oh sh!t." Omari unbuckled his seatbelt. "Was that Benny?"

Nonso’s heart hammered against his ribs as he opened his door.

Benita's head popped back up, her dark hair tangled as she whipped it around.

Omari let out a shaky chuckle. "Oh she's fine—oop!"

She hopped back on her feet and took off down the center of the dark road.

​Nonso bolted after her. "No, no, no."

"Leave me alone!" she screamed over her shoulder.

"Benny, it's us! Omari and Nonso! Please stop, we're trying to help!"

Benita did stop.

She halted abruptly with a hitched breath, her knees buckled beneath her.

Nonso increased his pace, extending his arms just in time to catch her before she hit the harsh pavement.

Behind him, in front of their car, Omari lowered a smoking tranquilizer pistol.

~•~

Across the city, a pristine, ninety-foot luxury yacht sat idling in the private slip. Its sleek surface gleamed under the dock lights.

Abby wrapped an arm around Chams's shivering shoulders as they were guided aboard.

On the deck, she was provided a grey wool blanket, which she clutched tightly around her damp nightwear.

Down on the concrete dock, Eliav stood beside his vehicle, his face illuminated by the glow of his tablet.

He watched Nonso and Omari's icons rapidly close the distance to their location.

Dare was communicating orders with the crew.

His gaze briefly collided with Chams's glare. Dare ran a frustrated hand through his hair, exhaling sharply before turning on his heel to give them space.

"Just watch them, alright." He nodded to the guard.

The roar of a modified engine signaled the arrival of Nonso's ride. Its headlights went off and it slid to a halt at the edge of the pier.

Eliav closed his tablet, his posture turning rigid.

Nonso was first to come out. He had his arms lifted. "Eliav, there's a situation."

Eliav narrowed his eyes in slits. "I hate when you guys say that. Where's my wife? And Omari?"

Nonso pointed over his shoulder with his thumb.

Omari stepped out of the backseats carefully cradling Benita’s limp, unconscious form in his arms. "We had to tranq her, boss man."

"Why?" Eliav came over, slipping his arm under her neck and the other under her knees, taking her.

Nonso answered. "She lost her memories again. She was afraid of us and was running away—"

"And you thought more chemicals in her system will work?" Eliav snarled, his gaze snapping to Omari. "For Christ's sake, what is wrong with you?"

"Would you have rather we let run into traffic? Look man, I put my person down—"

"She's not 'your person'. She's my wife." Eliav hissed, his jaw tight as he held her close. "She's not your operational asset."

"You really think I enjoyed sedating her. I did what was best."

"You could've requested orders—"

"Orders? She's my subordinate. I don't need to ask you sh!t when it involves my team."

"Keep speaking to me like that, Omari, and you won't leave this dock alive."

"Don't... fight." A faint, slurred whisper cut through the tension. Benita stirred slightly against Eliav's chest, her eyelids fluttering.

​"Baby?" Eliav's entire demeanor fractured, his focus shifting down to her face. "Benny, can you hear me?"

Omari clenched his jaw, glaring at their eldest brother. Nonso tapped his shoulder.

From the deck of the yacht, Dare leaned over the railing. "Let's handle this inside. Come on, guys. We need to be at the island by morning."