“I know who you are. Both of you. I’d be terrible at my job if I didn’t,” Matata said. “Why have I been taken into custody? To detain a Niyabinghi in the course of their duties, well, the repercussions may be quite severe for your agency.”

Lebna remained nonplussed and unmoved by the implied threat. “We’re here because special circumstances demand a certain level of response.”

“What kind of circumstances?” Matata slid his eyes toward Ishant as if not wanting to lose track of him.

“We’ve had surveillance on you for some time,” Ishant said.

“Oh?” Matata grinned smugly. “I take no offense. I am a handsome man. I’m quite used to the attention.”

“Yet you’ve kept a low profile here,” Ishant said. “Almost like a ghost.”

“Is that a crime now? I am a member of the Niyabinghi. Low profile is part of the job description. What we do doesn’t allow for a lot of outside distractions.”

“Yet even among you fellow members, you are a bit of a cypher.” Lebna swiped at his wrist to examine a data cache.

“I’m private. Again, a habit shaped by the job,” Matata said.

“To a fault. You don’t allow anyone in. No one knows you. That works against what we’re about as a community.”

“I want to keep my professional life isolated, to not let it bleed into the personal. Else it muddles the waters and undermines my performance.” Matata leaned back in his seat, his legs in a near sprawl. Relaxed. Too relaxed. He was an experienced Niyabinghi, but his body language was that of a man without a care. One biding his time. Ishant wondered who was in control of the room.

“I get it,” Lebna reiterated. “Do your job well and get home.”

“Exactly.” Matata both lowered his head and angled his gaze up at Lebna, waiting for more. Taunting him.

“Compartmentalized.”

“Exactly.”

“It’s almost like you have two lives.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

“I would. In one life, you are Lij Matata Okoro, dedicated member of Muungano and agent of the Niyabinghi.”

“And in the other?” Matata moved within a low-lying cloud of smugness that clung.

“That’s what we want to find out,” Lebna said.

“I don’t know what you hope to get out of me.”

“The truth.”

“Assuming I’m lying.” Matata took pains to not cross his arms. That would be defensive. Right now, as far as he was concerned, they played along to his script.

Ishant had seen enough. It was time for him to change the game up. “Or hiding something.”

“Or that.” Matata turned from Ishant with a lingering disdain. “I’ve had the same training as you. This buddy cop team-up wouldn’t confuse a toddler. I can probably beat all of Maya’s biometrics and withstand drug treatment. Even torture.”

“It won’t come to that.” Ishant shifted farther to the side opposite Lebna.