“Restraints won’t be necessary.” A fourth commando entered dressed in tactical clothes but without a vest or mask. He stood in front of Hungry and spoke with a slight impediment. “Our special prosecutor will surely obey the laws of the state.” He began straightening Hungry’s collar. She slapped his hands away.

He took a step back to address her. “By the power of the president, Advocate Hungry Khoza, I arrest you on the charge of treason.”

The photographer was still shooting.

Hungry and Klay were led down a set of stairs and out the hotel’s rear emergency exit, where four black Chevrolet Suburbans waited. They put Hungry in the back seat of the first vehicle. Klay was sandwiched between two men in the back seat of the third. The vehicles sped off.

No one spoke. Klay used the time to run more opposites in his mind:

He had been sent to help Hungry Khoza’s corruption investigation.

He had been sent to hurt Hungry’s corruption investigation.

He would never intentionally harm her.

What was the opposite of that?

Unwittingly.

How?

Out him as a CIA agent.

If Hungry was shown to be in bed with the CIA, her case against Ncube would go away. She would be ruined. He would be ruined. Krieger, Botha, and the Agency would be safe.

Hungry Khoza had been in bed with the CIA . . .

CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.

In his mind, he ran more data:

Eady and Barrow had sent him.

The Agency was partnering with Krieger in some kind of investment fund.

Botha was in with the CIA. But Botha’s behavior didn’t add up. He claimed to have arranged medical care for Klay in Kenya. He had warned Klay about Krieger. Botha had helped him.

And Tenchant. What the fuck was Tenchant doing?

•   •   •

The SUVs stopped in front of Hungry’s building. He watched as Hungry was taken out of the first vehicle. Then his door opened and he was pulled out. They cut his zip-cuffs and led him and Hungry through the garage and up the metal stairs to the Wild Dogs’ office. Over the stench of grease and motor oil was another smell: gunpowder.

The big steel door was wide open. Klay put his hand on Hungry’s shoulder. “Let me go first.”

She jerked away and led them forward. Klay saw movement beyond the doorway. There were too many people inside the office and not enough urgency. Urgency meant life.

Two men holding automatic weapons stepped out of her way. Hungry crossed the threshold into the office and paused. Klay looked over her shoulder. The blood was everywhere. It spattered the walls. It ran like thick paint down the whiteboard. Miss Edna was at her desk, her chin on her chest, the back of her head on the wall. Minnie lay crumpled on the floor in front of her. Across the room, Sehlalo lay beneath the whiteboard. Hungry rushed to him.