Chapter 6 Lucy's New Home

Just when he was about to push through to behold the baby and have a proper look for himself, a gunshot rang out.

It was the corps

They came to the rescue of Titi's neighbour, whose CCTV camera alerted him at work of men trying to break through to his house from the back of the compound. His children and wife, unaware of the happening, were busy in the house before he alerted them as the police arrived from a nearby outpost some meters away. Right on time, the police, on seeing the boys who were almost breaking through the electric fence, decided to open fire, seeing all the boys were well armed.

The visitor, unaware of the happening, took to his heels, seeing that the police post wasn't far, he thought Titi probably had alerted the police since she was pressing her phone just before he stepped close to the doorstep.

That was the saving grace for Titi and Lucy that evening.

Titi called Ajayi her friend and left for his house with Lucy that night. The following day, she began to look for a means of locating Aunt Grace's house, which is in a different part of the city.

While trying to find a way out, she suddenly remembered that she had once saved Aunty Grace's husband's number when he was invited to preach in their church. In about an hour, she was on the phone with the Pastor and was linked up with Aunty Grace. They were happy to hear from her and much happier that the baby, which they thought was dead, is alive.

Titi was initially warned to keep it secret for the safety of herself and the baby. But this time, it's not going to be good if she remains here with the baby.

The night sky stretched endlessly over the city, its darkness punctuated by the dim glow of streetlights. In one part of the city, a man walked in shadows, his name whispered in fear. In another, a little girl slept soundly in a home filled with love.

The world had taken two children from the same womb and thrown them into opposite destinies.

Lucy had found a home.

Robinson had lost his way.

The house sat on the city's outskirts, surrounded by tall trees and the faint sound of rustling leaves. It was peaceful here, far from the chaos of the world Robinson had embraced.

Inside, warm light filled the rooms. The scent of fresh bread drifted from the kitchen. The walls were lined with books, scripture verses framed neatly between family portraits. It was a home built on faith, a place where kindness was a language spoken fluently.

This was where Lucy would grow up.

Titi stood near the doorway, watching as her mother's elder sister, Mama Grace, reached for Lucy's hand.

"She's beautiful," Mama Grace whispered, kneeling to the child's level. "And she will know love."

Her husband, Pastor Bassey, stood beside her. His eyes were warm but knowing. He had seen enough of the world to understand the weight of the past. He placed a firm hand on Titi's shoulder.

"You've done well," he said gently. "But you know she belongs here."

Dear reader, it may interest you to know that,

Pastor and Mrs Bassey have no children after marrying for years. They adopted twice but lost all of them to a ghastly motor accident while the children were returning from school. It was a tragic day for the entire city as the driver and almost fifty children died that day, including the Pastor's children. Since then, they haven't had any with them yet.

Titi knelt before Lucy, brushing the child's curls away from her face. "Be good, okay?" her voice cracked.

Lucy, too young to understand the depth of the moment, simply smiled and nodded.

And just like that, the little girl had a new home.

Across the city, the air was different.

Meanwhile, Robinson stood outside a crumbling warehouse, his cigarette burning low between his fingers. Around him, men whispered in hushed tones, their voices laced with fear and respect.

He was no longer just a member of the gang.

He was a leader.

Years of blood, violence, and survival had hardened him. The boy who had once run home to his mother's laughter was long gone. In his place stood a man feared by enemies and trusted by killers.

The door behind him creaked open. A recruit, barely twenty, stepped forward. His hands trembled slightly as he passed Robinson a folder.

That was the visitor who stormed Titi's house but fled due to the police rescue operation in Titi's neighbour's house.

"The job is done, boss," the boy said, avoiding eye contact.

Robinson took the folder, flipping it open. Inside were pictures. Names. People who had crossed the wrong line.

He smirked. "Good work."

The boy hesitated.

"There's... one more thing," he added. "A name came up."

Robinson barely looked up. "And?"

The recruit swallowed. "It's... Titi."

The world stilled.

Robinson's grip on the folder tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Titi.

His cousin. The only person who had ever tried to pull him back from the abyss.

"What about her?" he asked, his voice deceptively calm.

The boy hesitated.

"She has... the girl."

Robinson's heart stopped.

"The girl?" he repeated, the words foreign in his mouth.

The recruit nodded. "Lucy. Your sister."

For the first time in years, something inside Robinson shifted. A name he hadn't spoken. A child he had never met.

His sister.

Alive.

And now, the world wanted to pull her into the same darkness that had swallowed him whole.

Robinson crushed the cigarette under his boot. His jaw tightened.

"No one touches her," he ordered. His voice was ice.

The recruit nodded quickly and backed away.

Robinson turned toward the darkened streets, his mind racing.

Lucy.

She had a life. A chance.

Something he had lost long ago.

But now... someone knew about her.

And in his world, knowledge was dangerous.