Mabena stopped in front of him, towering over the couch. �Shadows,� he said, as if plucking the name from an entirely different conversation, �thank you. Job well done. Go home�get some rest. You�ve earned it.�
Without a word, Shadows rose, gathering his gear with the quiet efficiency of a man who understood the unspoken. He knew the language. This was the end of his road. Whatever Mabena was about to say wasn�t for him. It was above his pay grade.
The door clicked shut behind Shadows, leaving the room quieter, heavier. Mabena turned his attention to Captain Kgole.
�Captain,� he began, his tone measured but carrying an edge of inevitability, �I know you�ve already endured more than enough. But I�m afraid this is your life now�at least until we get to the bottom of this.�
His voice held no comfort, only the blunt truth. Kgole nodded, the gesture silent but resolute.
�I also know,� Mabena continued, stepping closer, �that you�re no stranger to how this unit operates. If I recall correctly, you completed six months of training on our methods. That�s why you�re here. That�s why you�re now part of this team�effective immediately.�
He let the words settle, final and unyielding.
�With that cleared,� Mabena said, his voice regaining its command as he swept his gaze across the room, pinning each operative in place. This was no longer personal�it was for all of them.
�We need to figure out who CR is.�
He let the name hang like a shadow over the room before moving toward the table�the same table that had been the focal point for the past twenty-four hours, strewn with data dumps, decrypted files, and scraps of Intel pulled from the hacked laptop. Shadows� work, all of it: Mabena perched on its edge, hands resting on the scarred wood as he continued.
�To do that, we need the owner of these gadgets. And right now��his eyes narrowed, voice dropping into something darker��we don�t have a clue who that person is.�