Buckle up, this shit storm of a chapter is 4000 words long.

The girl in the mirror looked like a hurricane, and nothing like the girl she was inside, narrowed brown eyes painted to look like a predator's, and nude painted lips slanted at one corner in a something that was almost a sneer and a half mocking smile. The figure hugging dress was unlike anything she had ever worn, a black gown with a slit so high that it showed off one shapely leg toned from years of Tennis.

Grace Ilori was a hurricane, at least on the outside.

On the inside, she was a blubbering mess, shaking to the bones and partly afraid that she was being deceived by her eyes. Amina had been right about one thing, clothes were armours because when Grace took one more look at herself, she felt like power, she felt untouchable.

"Well?" Amina asked, looking up from her phone and meeting Grace's gaze in the standing mirror.

The ORION Project never seemed to stop surprising her with all its cool toys, the domed building looked like a multi billionaire industry from the outside, the way time seemed to stop inside it reminded her of an otherworldly place, she could have never guessed that the headquarters of The ORION Project had a boutique inside it that could rival even the most expensive ones in Lekki.

"This isn't me." Grace blurted out, spinning on her heels to face Amina with fury in her eyes. Was ORION trying to turn her into something she wasn't? The girl she was didn't dress in fancy apparels and dine with the wealthy.

"This is you now, and for heaven's sake — or how do you Christians say it — can you not turn every single thing into a fight?" Amina scoffed. "The dress looks great on you and it suits our purpose, so please calm down."

"It's just . . ." Grace sighed, tugging at the diamond earrings, she flinched at the unconscious action, as if touching them might damage the jewels. She had always been sure of who she was, Grace the girl who wanted more than a broken family, Grace who someday wanted to participate in the Olympics. She wasn't this rich girl they were molding her into, she was uncomfortable with it and it made her suspicious, things didn't come for free in life and suddenly a cult of rich kids wanting her at all costs to join them for no absolute reason was the strangest thing.

She felt that for every affluence she saw, she was going to be paying for it in blood.

"This isn't me," She repeated. "I don't dress up all fancy for a party —"

Amina cut her off.

"It is a mission, we aren't just going there to party."

A mission we know nothing about except for the fact that it is important, Grace thought bitterly. "Party," She affirmed.

Amina did not interrupt again, only settling back on the love seat in the spacious changing room and looking at Grace with all attention.

"I don't do this, I'm comfortable with my life, and poor clothes and whatever — this is too tasking, I'm not like you or any of you. I feel like all this shit is some stupid prank, I feel like I'm an imposter." She finished.

Amina leaned forward, resting her chin on her raised palms.

"Then think of it this way, this is all a play or a movie," The Muslim girl said, then pointed to herself and back at Grace. "We are actors and the world is our stage."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Don't quote Shakespeare to me."

"ORION wants you because maybe we saw that there was something about you. We don't recruit useless people, there is a reason you are here." Amina said. "And if I were you, I'd whine less, feel less sorry for myself."

Grace flinched at her cold words.

"I'd worry more about the why."

***

Kendrick stalked out of the changing cubicle, feeling like a damn fool.

Firepemi looked up from the puzzle he was rearranging on the coffee table in the spacious dressing room, Kendrick knew very well that if he strained his ear hard enough, he could hear Amina and Grave arguing from the dressing room besides his, he sighed and wished they wouldn't destroy each other before he had a chance to destroy The ORION Project.

"Looks good." Fire said, nodding at the midnight blue suit he had picked out of the hundreds and went back to his puzzle. Kendrick sighed, fiddling with his undone bow tie.

"I don't get why I couldn't just bring my own suit, I have plenty of those." Kendrick complained, he hated the idea of taking something from Joshua Phillips, even though it was just one tuxedo.

Firepemi looked up, wearing a look of surprise on his face because Kendrick had just spoken to him after giving him the cold shoulder for weeks.

"The ORION Project prides itself with being the best, having the best things — your suits wouldn't suit that criteria." Fire shrugged. He moved a piece into its rightful place and looked up again, just as Kendrick was tugging at the bowtie.

"I don't trust you, Kendrick." The words were so sudden that Kendrick stiffened, thinking that Fire was onto him and his plans.

"I think that is supposed to be my line, I wasn't the one who betrayed his friend." Kendrick said tartly, wondering if he sounded too guilty when Fire quirked an eyebrow.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Fire questioned, surprise stressing his words. "You're the one who transfered schools so you could join us, you probably used me to get to them."

"It makes me wonder how you knew and nothing explains why you switched schools just so you could join some stupid club, and you know it." Fire said pointedly.

Show no emotion, show no fear, Kendrick forced himself to remember. He wondered if this was the reason Joshua finally let him in, so he could keep an eye on him. Kendrick knew that he would be stupid not to know that The ORION Project was very suspicious of him.

"I didn't know you were one of them." Kendrick couldn't keep the disgust out of his tone and hoped Fire mistook it for awe. "That night was supposed to be about us hanging out and instead you led me right to them."

Firepemi shuffled the pieces of the puzzles. "It still doesn't explain why you were fucking pissed, after all, I led you right to them, to us."

When Kendrick said nothing in answer, Firepemi snorted as if the silence was funny.

"The ORION Project killed your best friend because he was snitching, he was selling out information about us — classified shit, I might add — to the society." Fire said unflinchingly, waiting and watching for Kendrick to slip and betray his emotions.

Kendrick inhaled a sharp breath but said nothing in reply, he hoped to hell that his face didn't show the fury boiling inside. He snuck a glance at the standing mirror by the left wall and caught the blank look on his face.

"He was your fucking best friend, and we killed him and suddenly, you want to dine with the bastards who killed him." Fire continued, malice glinting in his eyes.

"What if I never really cared about him?" It was the hardest thing Kendrick had ever said in his life and he hated himself fiercely when the words left his lips. "What if I told you he was a son of a bitch who was using me for what he could get from me?"

Lies, lies, lies.

Fire had abandoned all pretense of solving the puzzle and his eyes were probing, his nose twitching at the scent of a lie. He was clear eyed and by the way he kept jerking his knees, Kendrick knew he must have skipped a dose of his prescription. Things seemed to sharpen into focus for Firepemi unlike when he was drowsy with the drugs he had taken.

"What if I told you that he had his uses, he was convenient and what if I told you that he gloated to me all about The ORION Project and how exclusive it was?" Kendrick continued, because he couldn't afford to fuck things up, because this was his one chance at revenge and if Firepemi lapped up all his words and relayed the story to Joshua Phillips, then maybe the suspicion would go away.

"I wanted in, I wanted more." Kendrick toyed with the undone bowtie in his hands, because if he let his arms dangle by his side, then Fire might notice the shaking of his fists. "I wanted to fit in."

"You and I know very well that you wear your heart on your sleeves, I know you as much as you know yourself. I know that everything you've just said is nothing but a big fat lie." Fire snapped, he rose to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest.

Kendrick forced a laugh, it came out sounding like a dry cough.

"You knew me four years ago, a lot can change in four years."

Fire continued speaking as if Kendrick had never spoken. "But I'm also very curious, I want to see how this plays out, I want to see how far you can take this charade."

"Between you and me, it is clear that the only reason anyone would rub hands with the same people who killed their loved one, — the only reason is revenge."

Fire shook his head and his face softened with pity, Kendrick hated him for it.

"I hope for your sake that I'm wrong about this."

***

The night was young, and he was impatient. Tope was almost an hour late and a part of him thought it was prank, a form of payback in return for breaking her heart and doing much worse. Then he grew worried, glancing at his phone ever few minutes.

Sanmi blew out an exhausted breath and leaned against the tree, during the day, the seats under the trees were usually filled up with students waiting for classes or just chatting in general, it wasn't the case tonight, the streets on campus were unusually quiet, nights on campus was almost as active as it was during the day, students spent it reading in open lecture theatres, some of them held club meetings and others just came to steal, or gossip to distract the serious ones.

Sanmi wasn't exactly surprised by the almost empty surroundings, in the past week, there had been rumours of unknown hoodlums storming the campus environs and robbing students at gunpoint, he supposed that nobody wanted to set themselves up for a possibly dangerous situation but in the silence of it all, he felt lonely. The feeling was so strange that it startled him, Sanmi was never alone, he was always around people — the people he called friends, his dance crew or the ladies who always wanted to be around him.

He never let himself be alone, never let himself be submerged in the type of silence that made him feel lonely, it was why he took sleeping pills, because he could never fall asleep on his own, and he hated the tossing and turning and being unable to keep his mind from wandering. It took him this moment to realize he had always been lonely, even when he was around people, he was so scared of being so, it was why he never let himself be alone, it was why he took the drugs, and it was why he fucked everything wearing skirts.

The realization made him hang his head in defeat. It wasn't even the silence, he knew very well that being alone and being lonely were two different things.

He reached for the cigarette pack in his back pocket and the lighter he always carried in his backpack. He toyed with both for a long moment, then he lit it and took a drag of the cigarette, watching the hazy smoke that looked otherworldly under the glow of the streetlight.

Sanmi wasn't sure how long he stood there before he noticed the tall figure standing in front of him. He blinked, half startled.

"A little birdie told me I'd find you here." Firepemi said, Sanmi blinked again, almost certain that he imagined the other boy into existence.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be somewhere fucking Phillips' girlfriend?" Sanmi coughed harshly.

Firepemi didn't flinch, only shook his head. Sanmi had been friends with the football Captain once, that was before he had found out that the former was a member of ORION. Now, Sanmi didn't even hate him, because he saw what the others ignored — that Firepemi wanted no part in The ORION Project and that he was only a part of them because his mother had been a member.

"I've come to warn you," Fire said wryly.

Sanmi chuckled.

"To do what? Not to cross fucking Phillips? I know all of that and guess what?" Sanmi said snidely. "I don't give a shit."

"I should be warning you, you're the one eating the forbidden fruit."

"My relationship with Nina has nothing to do with the reason I'm here." Fire said calmly, shifting slightly when Sanmi took another drag of his cigarette.

"Joshua is noticing things, things about you, how you've been absentminded with everything and how you've been disappearing at random hours." Fire continued, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. "I don't know whatever the hell you are up to, but I know it's no good."

"Damn right." Sanmi wasn't sure why he said that, maybe it was because he wanted everyone to know he wouldn't be playing by ORION'S rules anymore, he wanted them to know he was rebelling and consorting with their enemies.

"We have your sister, Grace and you know all too well that whatever you do will backfire, and end up hurting her instead." Fire said, some strange emotion in his voice when he mentioned Grace's name, it made Sanmi narrow his eyes through the haze of smoke in his face.

"I don't think you want her hurt." Fire warned.

"Neither do you." Realization dawned cold on Sanmi and he crushed the cigarette under his converse clad foot. Firepemi sounded like he cared what happened to Grace, Sanmi knew it wasn't because the captain was fucking his sister (Grace wasn't that stupid and Fire was wholeheartedly in love with Nina), it seemed to be because of something else.

Firepemi didn't deny it.

"Why?" Sanmi found himself asking. "What does ORION want with my sister?" Sanmi began to wonder if Joshua had had his eyes on Grace all these while and he had only been bait.

"Nothing," Fire bit out. "At least nothing that concerns you."

A lie. Sanmi could almost hear Joshua Phillips' mocking voice say; "It is classified information."

"It concerns me when it has to do with her. God help me,  if this is a sick game and if she gets caught in the crossfire of whatever this is, I will —"

Fire cut him off with a harsh wave. "There is nothing you can do, which is why it is in your best interest if you stayed away from trouble, and I am doing everything I can to keep her away from trouble."

"Crystal clear, Captain." Sanmi sniped, slapping his arm when he felt the sting of a mosquito bite. The sound was sudden and harsh that it made Fire jump slightly and dart his eyes around the silent compound of the Faculty of Arts.

To Sanmi, it oddly felt like Fire was hiding this sudden visit. He was about to comment on it when he felt his phone buzz with a message, he pulled it out with his free hand and glanced at the screen.

I'm nearing the faculty. — Tope.

Sanmi looked up, ready to tel Firepemi to fuck off, but as he did — the other boy was gone.

***

There was a red carpet leading up to the lobby of the palace like hotel, the camera flashes from the press seemed to shine brighter when the three of them stepped out of the white limo. To Grace, it was something out of a movie and when she looked back, ready to hop back in and scream that she wanted out, the limo was already pulling away.

It was so easy to trip and fall face first, the high slit gown definitely made it easy and the three inch heels made it even easier to but it made her all determined not to do so.

Amina was at her left, dressed in a teal coloured jumpsuit with thin straps and exposed her whole back. She had discarded her hijab and had curled her hair in bouncy waves that touched the nape of her neck, her baby pink painted lips matched her heels, it wasn't just the dress that made her look fierce — it was the confident way she carried herself. On the other hand, Kendrick looked uncomfortable, he wore his blue tuxedo well, tailored and trim to fit his svelte form, but he kept fiddling with the cufflinks on his wrists.

Amina went first, head high and paying no attention to loud clicks and glares of the cameras, or the shouts of the men who held them. Grace followed behind, feeling her chest swell painfully, she wanted nothing more than to rip away her dress and hide away. She was barely aware when Kendrick took her left hand, squeezing lightly.

It was like living in a dream, at least it was how she imagined it to be, her head was light and it felt like she was floating.

The interior of the ballroom was equally disorienting, wealth seemed to drip off the walls and glimmer in jewels that hung on the necks of stunning women, it hung heavy in the air in the form of expensive cologne.

Amina showed off their invitations to the security men at the arched entrance, then they were swept in, the low chatter mixed with the soft highlife music being played by a live band.

"You know who we're looking for," Amina reminded them as they huddled together by the buffet table.

Grace nodded. Apparently, Project Eden needed a sponsor and their only hope was a stuffy old man who was a recluse and was supposedly in attendance because the party was in honor for a recently elected Governor. What better place to network?

Back at the Dome House (that was how Amina referred to the headquarters) they had been shown a picture of their target and somehow they were supposed to convince him of the cause, frankly Grace found it almost impossible to convince a wealthy billionaire to invest his billions into an unknown project.

"In case you haven't noticed, it is kinda hard to see in here." Kendrick pointed out, gesturing to the low chandelier lights in the spacious room. Grace guessed it was that way to create a cozy ambience, but all it did was make her squint to see clearly. There was no chance  in hell that she would find that man in here.

"I will find out if they can do something about that. I need to check out the other rooms and see if he's around, the both of you stay put and keep an eye out." Amina told them.

Grace bobbed her head in answer, she was already reaching down to take a glass of wine. She might as well enjoy the food if she was going to be here for a long while.

She waited for Amina to leave, but she glancing around the room with a frown on her face.

"Something's wrong." Amina said. "The society is here, I can spot a few members." The Muslim girl swore under her breath.

Grace's eyes darted around, but she couldn't spot anyone she knew from school, quite a number of her course mates were part of the society.

"Where?" Kendrick was asking but no one paid any attention to him. They were looking at the tall, muscular boy walking in their direction, Grace was partly shocked when Amina swore directly in his face and it was when he was standing directly in front of them that Grace recognized him.

Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach.

Jamal Popola; the society's leader.

He was smirking and looking right at Amina, yet to look at her. Grace's heart thudded, Jamal and her had been involved once, he had been persistent and she had gone on one date to get him off her back because no one ever said no to him. She had been stupid to think he was charming, the night had ended a disaster when he had tried to force to sleep with him.

She must have let out a muffled sob because the three of them were staring at her. Jamal was full on grinning in her face.

"Grace darling, it has been a while, care to dance?"

***

Sanmi was sitting before Tolu Kingston again, but this time, it was only the three of them in his dim office. The day after they had met, Sanmi had done his research — this man was the CEO of Kingston Conglomerate, a company known nationwide for its top notch security services. He had wealth that people like Sanmi could only dream about, yet he looked like a man that had had everything dear taken away from him.

The man slid a bulky file to Sanmi, looking serious like the last time, he didn't look a man who wasted his time on smiling. The file had a stamp all over it and in the dim lamp light, Sanmi saw that the word 'confidential' had been stamped on it, he opened it, flipping absentmindedly through the first few pages then flipping it shut because it was too dark in here to read anything.

"This file contains everything you need to know about The ARTEMIS Project, and everything about Tamika Afolabi Kingston." He told Sanmi.

Sanmi halted the jerking of his legs to look at Tolu Kingston.

"Who is that?"

"She was my wife." Mr Kingston said, with a heavy sigh. "Before she died, she and I created a program called Eden — we were medical students but also well equipped on knowledge about technology, we first met at a coding camp, it was also why we were recruited by ORION, usually they like to say they only recruit the wealthiest people, but they almost never recruit airheads." He huffed a tired laugh, Sanmi glanced at the man's hand and saw that he still wore a wedding band. "Mika started that program on her own, I helped finish it when she died."

Sanmi wondered if he should offer his condolences but he stopped himself, because at best, it was insincere and he only wanted to say it because he thought it was the only thing he could say.

"The ORION Project need that program for a something they have dubbed 'Project Eden' — and this is something I don't even know too much about. They need the key to it and now they have it, or rather her." He corrected. "But what they haven't figured out is how to use the key."

"The key is a person?" Sanmi asked incredulously.

"The key isn't literal. And yes, a person." Mr Kingston said wearily. "Mika and I had a daughter, we had to give her away for her own safety, but now they have her."

"You need to know who she is," A tinge of urgency entered the man's voice. "But I'm afraid you have to keep this to yourself, she knowing about it will only bring danger to her, it's why I've stayed away and watched her from afar, if we told her the truth, then it will be impossible to keep it from The ORION Project."

"I am choosing to tell you this because while I finished the program, only my wife knew how to unlock it, and she hid the clue for it in our daughter — so they would never know what it was, you might be able to figure out, since you've known her for so long."

Sanmi didn't know why dread pooled in his stomach. He felt like someone in the middle of a life changing revelation.

"Do I know this person?"

"You've known her all your life, we named her Tamika, after her mother, but you know her as Grace Ilori."