Alle Kapitel von Beneath Lagos Rain: Kapitel 81 – Kapitel 90

No one spoke.Amara stared at the photograph until her vision blurred.Her mother.Alive.Older.The same gentle eyes.The same small scar above her left eyebrow from when she had fallen off her bicycle at sixteen.Samuel took one unsteady step forward.His fingers hovered over the picture.He was afraid to touch it."If this is another lie..."His voice broke."...I don't think I can survive it."Eleanor gently placed a hand on his shoulder."It isn't."Samuel finally took the photograph.He studied every detail.The sea behind her.The balcony railing.The flowering vines climbing the wall.Then his eyes stopped on one small object resting on the table beside her.A white ceramic mug.His breath caught."I gave her that mug."Father Michael frowned."You recognize it?"Samuel nodded."I made it myself."Everyone looked at him in surprise."When Ada was twelve, she wanted to learn pottery."A faint smile crossed his face."We spent an entire summer making terrible cups."He laughed s

14:56...The timer continued to count down.No one moved.No one dared.Every second seemed louder than the helicopter blades overhead.Amara couldn't take her eyes off the screen.Her mother sat on the veranda, turning another page of her book.She had no idea armed teams were closing in.Or perhaps...She did.There was something strangely calm about her.Too calm.Daniel slipped the remote into his pocket."I suggest you don't waste time arguing."Damian stepped forward."How do we know this isn't a recording?"Daniel smiled."A fair question."He picked up a radio."Team Three."A voice answered immediately."Ready.""Wave."One of the operatives on the screen stepped into view and waved directly at the camera.The feed was live.Amara felt her stomach tighten.Samuel never looked away from the screen.Instead, he asked quietly,"Who gave the order?"Daniel tilted his head."You already know I can't answer that.""The Builder?"Daniel remained silent.His silence was answer enough

The abandoned fuel station fell into complete silence.Even the helicopter blades seemed quieter.Daniel lowered the radio slowly.His eyes remained fixed on the message."The Chair is dead..."He said it again, almost to himself.Eleanor studied his face."Who confirmed it?"Daniel looked up."The Council's internal emergency channel."She frowned."Then it's true."Samuel stepped forward."Explain."Eleanor took a slow breath."For nearly a hundred years, the Council has always had one Chair.""Not a ruler.""A referee.""The only person allowed to settle disputes between the Builder families."Damian frowned."So if the Chair is gone...""There is no one left to stop them from turning on each other."Daniel's jaw tightened."You don't understand.""No," Samuel replied calmly."You explain."Daniel hesitated.Then, for the first time, he decided to cooperate."There are seven Builder families."Eleanor nodded."There used to be."Daniel ignored the interruption."Each family control

The old locomotive groaned as steam hissed from its valves.It looked as though it belonged in another century.Rust covered much of its exterior, but the engine purred with surprising strength.Joseph climbed back into the driver's cabin."Get on!""No questions until we're moving."Chukwuemeka scanned the tracks."No ambush."Damian wasn't convinced."That doesn't mean we're safe."Still, they had little choice.One by one, they boarded.Samuel was the last to step inside, casting one final glance toward the tunnel they had left behind.He silently prayed Daniel had survived.With a long blast of the whistle, the train lurched forward.The abandoned platform disappeared behind them.For several minutes, only the rhythmic clatter of wheels against old rails filled the carriage.Finally, Joseph emerged from the driver's cabin carrying a weathered metal box.He placed it on a table."You deserve answers."Samuel looked at him."You said you protected my daughter."Joseph nodded."For t

Another shot cracked through the evening air.The bullet struck the locomotive's boiler.Steam erupted in a deafening hiss, covering the railway in a thick white cloud."Move!" Chukwuemeka shouted.He pulled Amara behind the steel wheels of the train.Damian dragged Samuel down just as another round slammed into the carriage window.Glass exploded across the floor.Miriam remained surprisingly calm.She looked toward the ridge through the drifting steam."He's warning us."Damian frowned."Warning us?""If he wanted us dead..."She pointed toward the shattered lantern."...he wouldn't have missed."Samuel looked up."Who is he?"Miriam's expression became unreadable."I prayed you would never meet him."A voice echoed from the ridge.Not shouted.Amplified.Clear enough for everyone to hear."Samuel."The old lawyer froze."I've spent thirty years waiting for this conversation."Samuel narrowed his eyes, searching through the smoke."Show yourself."A low chuckle drifted down from the