The Gathering of Shadows
The city felt colder that night.
Dombi, Kabelo, and Ms. Mokoena moved fast through the narrow alleyways behind the corporate district. The cleaner — the quiet man with the nervous eyes — led them deeper until the sounds of traffic faded. Only then did Kabelo finally signal for everyone to stop.
"Phones off," he whispered.
Everyone powered down.
He placed all devices in a metal lunchbox, snapped it shut, and wrapped it in aluminum material.
Ms. Mokoena frowned. "You came prepared."
Kabelo didn't smile.
This wasn't a moment for smiles.
THE SAFE HOUSE
The cleaner unlocked a rusted door behind an abandoned bakery.
Inside was a dim, windowless room filled with old chairs, a broken fridge, and the hum of a single ceiling fan.
"Welcome to Plan B," Kabelo said quietly as he locked the door behind them.
Dombi sank onto a chair, still shaken.
Her palms stung from where she'd pressed the key, her wrists still red from Mandla's attempt to grab her.
"Just breathe," Kabelo said softly.
But she couldn't.
Because for the first time, Mandla Ntuli had shown his true face.
THE CLEANER'S ROLE
The cleaner — real name Musa — placed his backpack on the table.
"I wiped the cameras on the seventh floor," Musa said. "Only for ten minutes, but that's the gap Mandla will see. It gives you a clean break."
"Thank you," Dombi said, her voice trembling with exhaustion but strength building behind it.
Musa nodded respectfully.
"I worked for your father," he said quietly. "When Kabelo told me who you were… I didn't think twice."
Dombi swallowed hard.
Every new truth about her father made her chest tighten.
KABELO'S MOVE — PLAN B REVEALED
Kabelo finally sat across from them, elbows on the table, jaw tense.
"Listen carefully," he said.
"This wasn't an escape. This was step one."
Dombi and Ms. Mokoena leaned in.
"Mandla thinks we're running. We're not. We're reorganizing. I've contacted people who were pushed out of Ntuli Group — people who know things about Mandla."
He pulled out a black notebook.
Inside were names.
Five of them.
Each one circled.
Former employees.
A fired IT specialist.
A board member Mandla forced him into retirement.
A security supervisor who knew Mandla's shortcuts.
And… a journalist who covered Ntuli scandals years ago before being silenced.
Dombi frowned. "Are these… allies?"
Kabelo nodded once.
"People who owe your father. People who want justice. Mandla fears."
THE FIRST WEAK POINT
Kabelo pointed at a name:
Sipho Majola — IT Forensics, Fired 2 years ago.
"This man knows how Mandla hides files. He'll help us track the encrypted archives Mandla doesn't want anyone seeing."
"And what are those archives?" Dombi asked.
Kabelo hesitated.
Ms. Mokoena answered for him.
"The truth about your mother's death… and your inheritance."
Dombi's breath caught.
A coldness ran through her body.
MANDLA'S REACTION
Across the city, Mandla stood in the monitoring room of Ntuli Group.
Cameras flickered.
That ten-minute blackout was flashing across the screens like a wound.
"Fix this!" Mandla roared.
Security scrambled.
The mole — Thandi — stood silently behind him, terrified to breathe.
"They were right here," Mandla growled, tapping the screen. "She was in my hands."
His eyes turned dark.
"Find her. I want every street camera traced. Every taxi stop was searched. Every guard questioned."
He slammed his fist down.
"And shut down all access to the Ntuli servers. No exceptions."
He stared at the frozen frame of Dombi in the final second before the blackout.
"She thinks she can run from me?" Mandla whispered.
A dangerous smile touched his lips.
"She has no idea who she's dealing with."
BACK TO DOMBI — THE NEW MISSION
Kabelo closed the notebook.
"Tomorrow morning," he said, "we will meet Sipho. He'll open the first door Mandla wants to keep locked."
Ms. Mokoena crossed her arms. "And Mandla? He won't just sit."
Kabelo smirked.
"For once, let him chase shadows. We're staying ahead."
Dombi lifted her head — tired, bruised, angry… but no longer hel
pless.
"What do I do?" she asked.
Kabelo met her eyes.
"You lead."
Dombi inhaled slowly.
This wasn't an escape anymore.
This was war.