Fadala couldn't stay at the Masters of Suspicion's residence. He didn't want to watch Akachi suffer unconscious on a bed. He was scared of himself. For the first time in his life, he was caring about people, not his creed.

Before there was only religion, his mission, his manifest destiny traced out by the invisible hands of fate. Now he was afraid of losing lives, of seeing people injured and killed in front of him. That's why his heart was pounding and his body was in a cold sweat. He could almost feel his anguish in his fingertips.

He walked through the dirt-strewn streets of the Ilu Nla Liberation Movement headquarters. It was like a small oasis, sustained only by the hope of its inhabitants. Water was rationed, part of the energy came from solar generators that broke down every few minutes and they had to keep watch on the walls and makeshift barricades.

The residents had become accustomed to his elusive presence. His silent gait and impassive face. At first there was fear in their eyes, now there was sympathy. What he wondered was how long this would last. He felt a constant chill down his spine, a bad feeling.

He heard his smartphone ring. He walked quickly, dodging passers-by, and went to a place away from the eyes of others. He placed the device in a crease in the wall and activated the holoprojection.

“God bless you, my son!”

“My Babu, to all of us.”

Fadala put one knee on the floor and placed a hand across his chest. He lowered his head, trying to hide his state of mind from his master.

“You didn't report the situation, I was worried that something unexpected had happened.”

“For those who serve the true faith, there are no unforeseen events. The hands of the clock of destiny move in the direction of divine providence.”

“Your words are heavy with poetry, perhaps to hide the profound silence of your doubts.”

Fadala bit his lips and got up from the floor. It was true, he had kept his doubts so far away that they had become more apparent. Babu was an experienced man, he wouldn't be fooled by rhetorical moves.

“Excuse me, my Babu. I don't think I was a good choice for this mission. In contact with these people, I began to get involved in their struggles. I was contaminated by their indignation.”

The hologram of the master assassin pondered his disciple's words. It was the first time he had seen an Ilê Apanyan agent express his feelings so directly. He smoothed his goatee. He pondered those words and retorted:

“You question my decisions? Do you think I sent you on this mission to test your faith, or your obedience to our creed?”

“No, my Babu! Forgive me, I was insolent.”

Fadala removed his glasses. He rubbed his eyes several times. Sweat dripped from his temples. His current posture was nothing like his former self. It was as if he was gradually losing his old self. He felt himself weakening.

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“Listen, Fadala, my son. Every time I look at you, I remember that child I met in Borno. I remember all the smell of gunpowder, the blood, the screams and the cries of a child with an HK47 in his trembling hands.”

Fadala let out a sob. He turned his back, punched a wall. Then he turned around:

“Don't torture me like that, my Babu. At Ilê Apanyan, we don't have a past.”

“And no future, just the day you live.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand your reflections.”

“Fadala, my eyes have seen a horizon of shadows, pain and gnashing of teeth. I won't see the construction of this new world, but I want people like you to be able to enjoy it when it arrives.”

Fadala took a step back. He had heard something new: a slight tone of sentimentality in his master's voice.

“My Babu, what's wrong with you? I've never seen you patronize us.”

“Fadala, this world as we know it will cease to exist. And the only one who can change that is Akachi. He will be God's instrument.”

The hitman was amazed by those words. There really was a reason for him to be there, his pistols at the service of a young medium. He knelt down, bowed with his right hand and bowed his head in obedience.

“I will be subservient to God until the end of my days. Forgive me for my lack of wisdom. I will never doubt our creed again.”

“That makes me happy. How is young Akachi?”

“We rescued your father from the hands of the Circle of Sages. Mr. Adisa is fine. Akachi is receiving care from Feruzi. The Ghost Troop, under the command of General Luena, appeared and took advantage of the moment to execute three of the sages and steal their spiritual keys.”

Fadala continued to describe in detail the fight between Akachi and the two remaining sages. Babu listened in complete silence. He himself was surprised that Ekundayo and Hakim had joined Akachi's group.

What interested him most was the fact that Adisa's son had incorporated an Entity. A fact he had never witnessed before.

“My son, I hear ominous winds coming from the waves of the Atlantic. The evil one is producing baits and casting nets over your feet. Remember to pray to your God, and meditate on what Moses heard in Exodus 33:1.”

The holoprojection was closed. Fadala clenched his fists. He grabbed his smartphone and ran in the opposite direction.

“May God have mercy on us.”

⸎

At a military base in Ilu Nla, soldiers were running around. Tanks and helicopters were being reloaded with ammunition and refueled. An armored vehicle crossed the runway and entered the main hangar. Inside, hundreds of soldiers from Ilu Nla's Cyber Troop were lined up. They were part of the 1st Special Infantry Battalion under the command of General Gahiji. The best in their infantry regiment.

The armored vehicle maneuvered and stopped. Two commanders waited outside. From inside the armored vehicle, General Luena and his three falangettes jumped out. Then came the communications officers from the Secret Service. The military saluted and led the group to a freight elevator.

On the top floor of the hangar, on the metal catwalks, stood Gahiji. At the sight of him, Luena felt a chill. The man's eyes were nothing like the military man she had known at the academy. His expression was delirious.

“General Gahiji, the mission was successful. We obtained three spiritual keys and executed three of the sages.”

She offered an armored steel case. General Gahiji used his biometrics to open the case and saw the presence of the three relics. He felt the urge to touch them, but held back. This wasn't the time.

“Don't be so presumptuous. Our monitoring service noticed that you lost a Nebula in the operation, and ended up revealing us to the enemy.”

He offered the armored steel case to a military officer who took it away.

Luena didn't show any reaction, but inside she was possessed. Her subordinates, however, harassed the general, but Luena gestured for them to calm down.

“Don't say that, my Nebulas can still be useful on this mission. They have an infiltration power that none of your men have.”

“I hope so!”

You arrogant bastard! This will bring about your downfall.

Gahiji turned to the men inside the hangar. He turned on the microphone and declared his intentions for the military operation:

“Today, men, we are going to put an end to the rebels who are destabilizing our nation so much. Ilu Nla will have peace again. Adisa has a biolocator, and our satellite has already tracked it. We will wait until dawn when they are dreaming and defenseless. We will attack them and take no prisoners. Today, I will measure shoulders with you!”

In unison, the men shouted as they saw Gahiji raise his right fist and swing it towards the sky.

Behind him, General Luena licked her lips. General Gahiji was going to the battlefield after losing the Savage Unity. She wanted to wish her brother-in-arms good luck, but deep down she wished he wouldn't come back.