Before Kgole could respond, the line went dead.
The moment Mabena ended the call with Kgole, he moved without pause. His thumb slid across the screen, pulling up a number etched deep in muscle memory. The line barely rang before a voice answered�calm, low, with a faint rasp that carried the weight of quiet efficiency.
�Themba,�
�Brigadier,� the operative replied, tone clipped, no wasted syllables.
�We�ve got a situation,� Mabena said, voice gravel�steady, but edged like broken glass. �Captain Kgole just briefed me. That laptop and phone he�s holding�they�re live. He wants an extraction, Carlton Centre. One hour.�
A beat of silence - Then Themba spoke, level and deliberate. �And the play..?�
�Quiet. Surgical.� Mabena�s tone dropped an octave, hardening. �You pick him up. You bring him to the safe house in Kempton Park. No chatter. No tails.� A pause, sharp as a knife sliding free, �And Themba�this is not our case. We�re ghosts in this. You breathe a word of MIU on this; I�ll hang you out to dry. Clear?�
�Crystal,� Themba said, but there was a tension now, the kind that hummed under the ribs.
�On e more thing,� Mabena added, voice dropping to a thread of sound. �Call Shadow, Tell him I need eyes on those devices as soon as they touch the table, full sweep. No traces. No signatures.�
�Shadow..?� Themba echoed, as if tasting something dangerous.
�Shadow,� Mabena repeated, slow and lethal. �If anyone asks, this never happened. This isn�t Mambas. This is� a favor.�
Carton Center is a vibrant section of Johannesburg�s Central Business District, neatly framed by Commissioner Street to the south, Main Street to the north, Kruis Street to the west, and Von Wielligh Street to the east. The area combines commercial activity with historical charm, featuring office buildings, retail outlets, and bustling pedestrian streets. Its central location provides easy access to public transport and nearby landmarks, making it a key part of the city�s economic and cultural landscape.