Victor stood outside the old warehouse, the files burning in his hand. The building loomed, a massive structure on the outskirts of Malaki. He'd received the message, a summons from the board. He knew what it meant. They were onto him, and they wanted to play. Victor took a deep breath, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The warehouse was a maze, a perfect place for a trap.
He stepped inside, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. The air was thick with dust, the silence oppressive. "Hello, Victor." The voice came from the shadows, a low, smooth tone. Victor's eyes narrowed. "Show yourself." A figure emerged, a tall, imposing man. "Ahmed." Victor's eyes locked onto the board member. "What do you want?" Ahmed smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "The files, Victor. I want the files." Victor's grip on the papers tightened. "What files?" Ahmed chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Don't play games, Victor.
You know exactly what I mean. The ones that prove Alex's innocence." Victor's mind racing, connecting the dots. Ahmed was involved, deeper than he thought. "I don't have them," he lied, his eyes locked onto Ahmed's. Ahmed's smile grew wider. "Liar. You were always a loyal dog, Victor.
But loyalty has a price." Victor's gut twisted.
"What do you want?" Ahmed's eyes seemed to bore into his soul. "I want you to deliver a message to Alex. Tell him the board is done playing. He needs to step down, or.." The threathung in the air, a weight pressing down. Victor's eyes narrowed. "Or what?" Ahmed's smile was a cold, calculating curve. "Or we'll make sure he's the one who takes the fall. Embezzlement, fraud... the works." The room seemed to spin. Victor's mind reeled. They were going to destroy Alex.
Ahmed's eyes were on him, waiting. Victor took a deep breath, his expression neutral. "'ll deliver the message." Ahmed nodded, a satisfied smile.
"Good boy, Victor. You always were the loyal one." Victor's gut twisted, a mix of anger and fear. He turned to leave, but Ahmed's voice stopped him.
"One more thing, Victor. Aisha... she's not who you think she is." The words hung in the air, a challenge. Victor's eyes locked onto Ahmed's.
"What do you mean?" Ahmed's smile was a cold, calculating curve. "She's playing both sides, Victor. Don't trust her." The warning echoed in Victor's mind as he left the warehouse. Who was Aisha, really? And what game was she playing?
The sun was setting, casting long shadows across the street. Victor walked back to his car, his mind racing. He needed to talk to Alex, to warn him. But Ahmed's words lingered, a doubt creeping in. Could he trust Aisha? He pulled out his phone, typing a quick message. "It's done. We need to talk." The response came back, a single word: "Where?" Victor's eyes narrowed. He knew a place, a safe house on the outskirts of town. He typed the address, his heart pounding. The gamewas getting dirty, and Victor was in the middle. He got into his car, his eyes scanning the
surroundings. The shadows waited, watching. He started the engine, his grip on the steering wheel tight.
The city blurred past, a mix of lights and sounds.
Victor's mind was focused on one thing: warning Alex. He arrived at the safe house, a small, nondescript building. He got out, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The air was thick with tension. He entered the house, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. Alex was there, pacing the room.
"Victor, what's going on?" Victor took a deep breath, his eyes locked onto Alex's. "The board, they're onto us. They want you to step down." Alex's expression was a mix of shock and anger.
"What? No way. I'll never—" Victor cut him off, his voice low. "Listen, Alex. They have evidence.
They'll destroy you if you don't comply." Alex's eyes narrowed, a fire burning within. "Who's behind it?" Victor's eyes locked onto his. "Ahmed.
And Aisha... she's involved." The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Alex's eyes seemed to bore into Victor's soul. "What do we do?" Victor's grip on reality tightened. "We fight, Alex. We fight back."