It was several minutes past 3AM, she should have been asleep but she wasn't. The stress of the past few weeks should have caught up with her, maybe it had even caught up but it was hard to get that sleep she wanted badly. Grace stretched and flicked the lamp on the nightstand on, bathing the room in a warm glow. Despite seeing more luxury in a matter of days than she had seen her whole life, it still took her aback.

She was in Toluwanimi Kingston's pretty mansion and her room was beautiful and three times bigger than the living room in her former apartment, cozy brown walls with painting of nature hung on them, the bed was queen sized and the sheets were a silk that made her want to roll around forever, yet sleep eluded her. Grace blinked up at the painting of a lion that hung above the door, on a closer peer, she saw that it wasnttquite a lion, there was an image of a young child that flickered behind the fore image, it took several looks for her to catch it.

A cold chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning filled her, she was suddenly certain that it was the late Tamika Kingston that did the paintings around the house. It was eerie seeing so many reminders of the late woman around the house, eerie because every memento of her in the house felt more like a ghost that refused to move on.

Or maybe it was Toluwanimi Kingston that refused to move on.

Grace stood, slipping on a pair of fuzzy slippers she'd found in the giant wardrobe. She was wearing a nightdress she'd also found, amongst other pretty ones, she'd chosen to wear this silly one, a customized Spongebob Squarepants onesie.

She slipped out of the room and seconds later, found herself in front of another room, it was the room besides hers and the door was slightly ajar. Curiosity got the better of her and she pushed it open, an action she regretted immediately upon seeing who was inside.

Tolu Kingston, sitting on the floor with his head bowed, his head snapped up when he heard the creak of the door, a sound that told her that the door was barely used. The room was half shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the hallway.

"I couldn't sleep." She blurt out when he continued to watch her with cold eyes. Grace wanted to run away, wanted to turn back and pretend as if she wasn't intruding on something that didn't concern her.

Her eyes strayed and she flinched. The whole room was covered in paint, there were stains of it on the wall and blank canvases rested against the wall, there were also finished paintings that were too far in the dark for her to see clearly.

"I'll just leave." She said with a false cheery tone.

"You aren't intruding anything, Grace, not when every inch of this house is yours." Tolu Kingston said just as she turned to leave. It didn't escape her that this was one of the first times he was speaking to her directly.

She turned again, suddenly curious.

"You paint?" Grace asked stiffly.

He laughed, although it sounded more like a sigh. "No, I don't have an artistic bone in my body," He said bluntly.

"I'm insomniac, I come here when I can't sleep."

Grace startled, he always seemed put together, even though he had haunted eyes. His admission of a weakness was disorienting.

"Well, I'm going now." She said awkwardly. She wasn't very good at interacting with people her age, she was even worse with older people and the fact that this man was her father was even more unnerving.

"Do you think I hate you?"

The sudden question was startling too. She frowned.

"I don't know, look, I don't want you to feel like taking care of me is your one big mission because of. . . my mother, because of her last wish. I don't want a grudging hero."

"Anyways, thanks for everything with Sanmi, he's struggled with finding a purpose and he's always had this notion of wanting to redeem himself with me," Grace continued. She wanted to tell Sanmi herself, she was far from angry with him anymore, she just wanted him to focus on himself. She would have told him all these but Sanmi had been nowhere to be seen when they returned to Lagos a few hours ago. He'd sent a simple text saying that he was with Tope and that he would see her tomorrow.

"And with letting us stay here, I appreciate it but I want you to know that you owe me nothing, nothing at all."

Toluwanimi Kingston was staring at her when she was finished with her rant. A sound burst from him a second later, at first low, then booming. His shoulders shook with it, it took Grace several moments to realize that he was laughing. She stared at him incredulously.

"You certainly have my insecurities," He said when he was done, his words were amused. "I don't think of you or your siblings as burdens, I am as awkward as you are."

"It was for your protection that we made the decision to give you away, I stayed away for your protection and now we're as good as strangers, so if I don't know what to say or do around you, it is because I'm afraid of saying too much or doing too much. I don't hate you."

"Okay." was all she could say. He didn't laugh this time, but there was a tiny hesitant smile on his face. For the first time, Grace felt understood, she wasn't a freak, she was just right at home with someone who was almost like her. It was a little overwhelming too.

"I knew the moment I decided to give you away that it would be as good as selling my rights as your father away and I will most likely not know how to be the typical father."

"Raymond Ilori wasn't the typical father either." Grace pointed out.

Tolu Kingston bowed his head again and when he raised it up, there was anger in his eyes.

"I should have chosen better for you, that is all on me. Like I said to you, I am not the typical father, your protection will always come first for me, even if I have to show cruelty for it." He said, the amusement was gone, in replacement was a far away look. "If Tamika were here —"

He broke of abruptly. "She'd know what to do, I don't know how to be your father."

It should have hurt but he was honest in his admission. She didn't know how to be his daughter either.

"But I will try, if that is what you want." Tolu Kingston said.

"I don't know." Grace said quietly. She'd had one father for nineteen years of her life and he hadn't been always good. Life was offering a do over she wasn't sure she wanted now that it was before her, things were always too good to be true.

"That's fine." He said and there was no malice in his voice. Only understanding.

"I think I want to sleep now." Grace said, firmly. 

"Good night," He muttered. "Mika liked to paint, this room was hers, she loved you. There's a whole lot of her things that I still have, if you ever want them —"

The offer was tempting, Grace realized she wanted to take it. She wanted to know everything about her mother.

"Thanks." She turned to leave.

"Wait, one more thing," He called. Grace tilted her head to the side, curious as to why his voice was suddenly shy.

"Please, call me Tolu."

* * *

"The intel was false." Amina Khalid said flatly. She took off the watch on her wrist and slammed it down on Joshua's table.

"Come again." Joshua murmured distractedly, he was trying to finish a paper on the history of Sharia law in Nigeria, an assignment that was due the following day, although it wasn't exactly the next day when the clock read five am.

"I said the fucking intel was false." Her voice came, louder and angrier.

Joshua raised his head.

"That's impossible, that information was off Project Eden." He said slowly, incredulously.

Amina bit out a harsh laugh. She ripped off her hood and untied her hair.

"I was made a fool tonight, imagine me breaking into one of the most secure houses in the state and threatening our target with all sorts of bodily harm, only to find out that he was telling the truth after all. There is no loot, Joshua, no government money long hidden." Amina hissed.

As his hand left the paper he was writing on, the breeze of the air conditioning scattered the papers to the marble floor, Joshua paid no attention to it.

"That's impossible," He repeated.

Amina snorted. "I did some digging, I just came from the Hub" She said referring to the room in the Dome that held most of ORION'S classified information.

"There's only one article regarding this so called loot, and its by The Nigerian Post." Amina said. "Guess what? This newspaper doesn't exist, there was almost nothing on them, except an old webpage, the copyright says 'Rising Sun'"

Joshua was torn between leaping from his seat and leaning back to gather himself. Ever since the existence of Project Eden had been made to him, Joshua had doubted its authenticity and how his father wanted every ORION resource directed towards funding it.

"Tamika Afolabi must be having a laugh in her grave." Joshua said softly.

"I don't think this shit is worth chasing." Amina admitted, she cast a glance at the closed door as if she was afraid someone would overhear her next words. "Your father won't let this go."

"What do you want to do?" Amina asked.

"We should tell him." Joshua said, then he winced as he thought of the consequences. Although, it wasn't his fault, Remilekun Phillips would punish his own son just because he could, Joshua was past the point of spanking or hurting physically but sometimes, physical pain was not quite as delicious as hurting someone through who they loved.

It was why Joshua had cut off every single person out of his life, he wasn't noble or anything, he just didn't want weaknesses.

"What do you want to do?" Amina asked again. Joshua almost smiled at her emphasis, she was basically telling him that she didn't give a damn about what Remilekun Phillips wanted. He was the leader, it should be his decision. But Remilekun Phillips did know how to get his way.

"I want to do other checks on the other information, I think we've been played as fools but still, we move, I won't let ORION fall, not under my rule." That was what always came first, not family, not friends but the organization that gave him purpose.

"You know he'll ask about this." Amina asked, her tone dark. They shared a glance that spoke volumes. It had been Remilekun Phillips who had authorized this search and it angered Joshua to no ends that his father continued to interfere with Joshua's leadership, knowing that his son had to report back to a council bigger than the Phillips.

"Of course he'll ask, but he's been busy ogling Jié Yong's land, until he asks, we don't say a word. Instead, we launch a quiet investigation on the legitimacy of Project Eden."

"On a scale of one to ten, how high will his tantrum be when he discovers Project Eden is nothing but one big scam?" Amina actually looked afraid, even though they wouldn't be on the receiving end of Remilekun's fury.

Joshua smirked, grimly. He was tempted to tell Tolu Kingston to take his daughter and run far away from ORION'S hold.

"He'll spiral, then he'll kill every single soul that dared to cross him."

* * *

There was a bandage wrapped around Sanmi's head. The sight was so foreign that Grace didn't immediately recognize him when he walked in, there was none of the swagger that was always in her brother's steps, he dragged his feet and his eyes wouldn't quite meet hers.

"I don't hate you, Sanmi." She said quietly. He flinched and besides him, Tope squeezed his shoulder with a warning glance.

At first, when Tolu had told Grace about her best friend, how she was his goddaughter and how she'd known for a while now the truth about Grace's true parentage, she'd been furious, then her thoughts had wandered to how Tope must have only befriended her to spy on her. Now, she didn't even care if her thoughts were the truth or not, Tope wasn't Joshua Phillips or any other manipulative person she knew.

"I'm sorry." Sanmi said but he wasn't smiling, he sounded exhausted too.

Grace stood, if he wasn't going to make the move then she would. She walked to where he stood and pulled him into a tight hug. He made a small sound of surprise but there was no hesitation, his hands wound around her. She felt him shook and only a second later, realized that they were both crying.

"Now I believe you when you say you don't hate me," He teased when they pulled away. She punched his left bicep and raised a brow when he winced.

Sanmi covered the gesture with a smile that was only half genuine, then he stepped aside so she was facing Tope.

"Please don't kill me." Tope said with a tiny smile. Grace grinned, feeling lighter than she had in years.

She hugged Tope briefly too.

"So you two aren't dating for real?" Grace asked.

"I wish." Sanmi answered wryly and she pretended not to see the sadness in his eyes or how Tope looked away quickly.

Someone clapped and Grace looked, it was Kendrick, striding in from the front garden outside. He shot her a smile that put her at ease, he'd arrived earlier than Sanmi and Tope but Rafael had hounded him with questions, playing the part of protective brother in Sanmi's absence. In the end, Rafael had led him out to the garden to play boju boju.

"Great, the family's all here, now can we plan world domination?"

"At least it sounds like fun to you children." Tolu Kingston's voice called from inside his office. He was always inside, and when he wasn't, he was in Tamika's painting room. They hadn't spoken since yesterday when he'd asked her to call him by his first name. Sometimes she thought he was avoiding her, then she remembered how he'd told her that he was as awkward as she was.

Kendrick took her arm as they walked into the adjoining room in the foyer.

"You okay?" He asked lowly. She smiled at him.

"I guess." She answered because she wasn't really sure how 'okay' was like.

Tolu raised an eyebrow at their closeness but he didn't say a word. Instead, he gestured at the seats in his office. Grace also didn't fail to notice how Sanmi and Tope sat far away from each other, well as far as the cozy office allowed. Tope stood at the corner while Sanmi sank down on the sofa, shuddering as he did so. Grace was certain they were hiding something.

"Tomorrow, we'll meet with The ARTEMIS Project's council," Tolu announced as they sat.

Grace looked at Kendrick for an explanation but there was none in his eyes, he was as baffled about the announcement as she was.

"Why are we meeting with your council?" She asked because he was on the council too.

"Because we're going to reach out to The ORION Project's own council, and we are going to ask for a reemerging." Tolu said. "They'll have to agree,  while we parted on bad terms, ARTEMIS has thrived on its own despite being termed the lesser organization."

"They'll want to merge with you again, greedy bastards." Grace said.

"I still don't see how this helps, why are we cozying with the villains?" Kendrick asked.

Tolu shot him a bland look.

"There's no hero of villains, this is a matter of stopping the worst monsters. To reemerge again, we'll have to show them total transparency, and they'll have to extend the same to us — it is before this that we have to have something to pin on Joshua Phillips rule as leader."

"Which means, we have to get into the Dome, upload Project Eden and then get out without notice, uploading a seeming den of government secrets to the public will cause a huge scandal, one Remilekun Phillips cannot walk away from so easy, the council will be furious, especially for an organization that was founded to protect such secrets." There was a hushed silence as her father spoke, they were daring to dream of a solution a way out.

"The least punishment the council can give out will be to strip the Phillips family of their legacy in ORION. Remilekun Phillips won't get the backing he needs for the election next year."

"The first step is Firepemi Kingston, he's helped Sanmi a number of times, I think he has a soft spot for you." Tolu said, jerking his head at Grace.

She was taken aback. "Me?" But it made sense, Firepemi had been nice to her, she didn't think he was as bad as the others, but not to the extent that he would help them take down his friends.

Sanmi seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I'm not sure he'd help us now."

"Firepemi is our in, our first step."

"Everyone has a price, he might not help us out of the good of his heart, but if we give him something that he wants, he will."

"And what is that thing he might want from us?" Kendrick asked the question on their minds.

Tolu Kingston clicked the end of his pen. "Freedom, he wants freedom."

***

I've been stressing it that The ORION Project ends in a couple of chapters, it seems like five give or take. I'm thinking of writing the rest of the chapters offline and then posting all of them at once, that means the next update might not be until late October, I'll also use the chance to edit this book a little.

Or do y'all prefer the normal Thursday update schedule? Let me know.