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Weariness slowly crept into his bones at the glint in Agu's eyes. This wasn't about Agu's belief in him. This was him displaying what his name meant, A Tiger .

Timi had granted him what his many investments hadn't.

Prestige. A place at the table with people of timbre and calibre.

He was no longer the uncultured, money-miss-road Asabahood bankroller.

He'd become Timi Lawson's godfather, worthy of recognition from the 1% of the 1%.

Timi was a priceless slab of meat between Agu's fangs.

How could he have nursed the hope of smoothly severing ties with a ravenous tiger who had worked all its life to ensnare this meat?

“Seven years was the deal, Agu,” he said quietly. “The contract says so.”

“Fuck the contract. Son, I taught you better than this. Power isn’t served à la carte. Principle and honour are horseshit in the face of golden opportunities. Surely, you're not letting a paper stop you from snatching this up.”

“We both know it's not just about a paper.”

Agu wheezed out a laugh. “Ehen! This is the boy I raised. Fine. We can beat it down to thirty percent. Let no one hear about this. I'm not known for bargaining. But this project was made for you, son. I'm that proud father who wants to see his son finally soar across international waters.”

Timi couldn't help himself. “Bullshit. You’re the one wanting to fly.”

Agu's grin disappeared. “Is it wrong to conquer the sky as I’ve done the lands? Why can’t we help each other one last time, eh? You need this too. There's your failed investment—”

“It's not a given yet.”

It still stung remembering the thousands of acres of useless lands he'd purchased at the capital territory's outskirts, after Gozie—his account officer—persuaded him to invest in the Abuja Mega city project.

One, so secret, Gozie claimed he paid millions to get a pamphlet.

And he'd believed him, seeing how accurate his projections in real estate and buying of company shares had made him a multimillionaire.

Agu clicked his tongue. “Government projects? Erratic as Maiduguri rain. Maybe the new president coming in six years will give it a go, but till then…” He uncapped a bottle of water and took a swig.

“You lost a lot of your money, son. Then, Doc.

Even yourself. Now, the Internet is parading you in the market square.

How are you not jumping at this? Can't you see I'm providing you a break? ”

He could. Reason he'd put his properties on the market and bought a one-way ticket to Byron Bay. Where a detached loft apartment facing the sea awaited him. The lull of salty sea water, the crash of waves, the sharpness of beach sand; therapeutic drugs for his self-discovery.

“Imagine this,” Agu pressed on. “You and Eketi—”

“Eketi? Eketi Wright?”

“What? You fuck her once; you can't fuck her again?”

His eyes widened. “What are you…why the hell would I do that?”

“Ah.” Agu dropped his gaze.

Timi leaned forward. “Ah? What does ah mean?”

Agu cleared his throat. “Red Tinsel isn't like any project you've handled. It's different…edgy…” He met Timi's eyes. “...pure western material.”

Timi slumped back into his chair. Not only was Agu determined to renegade on their deal, but to also erase the line the industry knew him never to cross.

“Jesus, Agu.”

“Timi, think. This is the change you need.

Bounce back stronger than before with this…

Nollywood's first-of-its-kind. Way above the classics like Basic Instinct. 365 Days. Fifty Shades. Excellent directing. Millions to be made. A perfect project to launch my studio. And bonus, people get to see the only thing gay about you is your laughter aimed at our Eketi.”

“Fuck.”

“C'mon, you can't think a top actor as yourself can maintain a line forever.

Times are changing, son. Even the Koreans are doing the tongue and fading to black now.

Who knows? In a couple of years, we'll be seeing Suzy Bae's bare ass on screen.

Timi, you're not exactly a beacon of morality.

Your…past. I've heard the stories. I've seen. They even named your…thing.”

At least, he didn't call it pino-pino .

Timi got up, unable to bear another moment of this. “I’m sorry, sir. Thank you for your guidance and friendship over the years. I won't ever take it for granted.” He stretched out a hand. “Please, let me touch Oku.”

Agu remained seated. “Do this one last project, Timi Lawson. As the appreciation you speak of. ”

“I'm truly sorry.”

Agu exhaled. Eyes everywhere but on Timi. His cane remained across his laps.

Timi's chest caved in. Having Agu as an ally was way wiser than having him as anything else. However, this was the most important bit of him that had to go. No more Agu. No more Timi the actor…and coward.

He bowed to the big man staring fixedly at the files in front of him. “Goodbye, sir.”

Agu waited till he got to the door before saying quietly. “People who have something to lose, shouldn’t be dismissive of the ones who have found it.”

The bitter taste of fear corroded his tongue. Agu had everything to bring him down, including revealing a past he desperately needed to stay buried. But Uncle Jude was dead, and he was disappearing, maybe it would be fine.

A long breath shuddered out of him. “Do what you will, Agu.” Then, he shut the door gently behind him.

In the hallway leading to the exit, a man in a white overall bumped into him. He mumbled a “sorry, 'xcuse me”, and disappeared through an archway up ahead.

When Timi got close to the LM, he unwrapped the paper the strange man had slipped into his palm.

A friend or a foe I could be either. Choose wisely.

He looked back towards the large house. Asides the MIB clowns in position, no one was in sight. He squeezed the paper. He'd made his choice, and an anonymous wag wasn't it.

Dagger dropped down to open his door, but Timi stopped him with a hand on his arm.

“You should end the day here.” He walked over to Suleiman's side. “You too, Sulei. I'll drive myself home.”

Suleiman got down. “Sir, it's not too late. I can take you—”

Timi patted the man's shoulder. “It's okay. Take tomorrow off. You and Dagger. Okay?”

They gave low bows. “Okay, sir. Thank you, sir.” Once their backs disappeared through the bend leading to the gate, he took a deep breath and focused on Hulk, who leaned against the vehicle, eyes on Timi.

“How are you?” he asked before Timi could form words.

“Uh?”

The man took some steps towards him. “I asked how you were.”

Such a basic question, and yet so completely profound Timi could only stare tongue-tied.

And as they locked eyes, he realised why.

The only other person who had ever asked the question in this quiet, purposeful way, was Uncle Jude.

He had no doubt Hulk intended to listen to his every word and the knowledge unnerved him.

“You should go too. Don't bother coming tomorrow or ever. Nejeere would contact you. I don't know what deal you have with Agu, and I want no part of it.”

Hulk's blank expression slipped to reveal something like faint annoyance. “I told you. He has nothing to do with me working for you.”

So, the man had feathers to ruffle. He opened the driver's door. “Right now, I care more about the stones under my feet than whoever the hell you work for—”

“I doubt that.”

He glanced at him. “Huh?”

“I work for you, and you look way better than stones, so…” Hulk shrugged.

It took him a moment, probably because Hulk didn't look like he smiled, let alone give witty remarks coated with compliments. He shook his head. “My last words: run as far as you can from Agu. When he takes a bite, he only lets go when nothing of you is left.”

“Last words,” Hulk repeated, eyes snagging Timi's with an unsettling intensity. They stared at each other, before Timi dropped his eyes and hopped behind the steering.

Through the rear-view mirror, he watched the tall man standing by the grassy pavement till he turned at the bend.

Once home—his and Uncle Jude's—he swam in the fiberglass pool till every feeling disappeared from his limbs. Next, he made himself a cup of creamy coffee on a centre marble counter running the length of his kitchen. Accompanied by his favourite Jacobs cream crackers and Asa's Jailer.

Afterwards, he took a tour around the house.

A contemporary edifice of tall glasses, white walls, flat roofs, and sixteen partitions he'd designed, thanks to his architecture degree lying waste somewhere in his library.

Magnificent in its minimalism. Too sterile and lifeless, Uncle Jude had insisted.

Didn't stop him from utilising every one of its features whenever he was in town.

Give me some time, Uncle, and I'll find happiness in these memories once more. Forgive me for leaving our life behind. You're in my heart, always.

Timi trailed fingers along smooth dark wood and polished white marble surfaces, as though to make the memories more tangible.

And stared up at the embedded ceiling bulbs and fancy chandeliers illuminating the furniture in an austere display.

He hoped the next occupants Dozie found would appreciate the thoughtfulness behind every layer of block.

He called Nejeere later.

“These people are raving lunatics,” she ranted. “I've spoken to Moments with Ore, Ify, and some of the other guys. Prepare yourself. The coming days will be tough.”

“Okay,” he said, then added softly, “you’re the best manager anyone can ask for.”

“Good you know,” she replied gruffly. “I hope this admittance will reflect in my next alert.”

He laughed. “It should.” Way more than any of them would expect.

He'd instructed Dozie to wait until he landed before disbursing his appreciation.

All his staff, former and present, and close acquaintances had tokens allocated to them.

He hoped they wouldn't think too poorly of him he'd left without saying goodbye.

While Nejeere ranted about the life-sized pink teddy a delivery van singing Happy Birthday had delivered at the studio, with a note from Vice President Adesanya that read, “You don't like them alive, so I sent them stuffed ”, referring to the cow he'd sent last year, Timi blurted out. “How do you know Hulk?”

Nejeere paused mid-speech. “Who?”

“Your assistant recruit.”

“That's the best you could come up with?”

“Two assistants ago was Chow Chow.”

“Ah. How can I forget you named someone after a dog and got away with it.”

“Named after the puppies. Huge difference. And see who's talking? Your animal names for people can fill up a directory.”

She huffed. “I only rename sleazeballs. Well, for…

Hulk, we were both in Unilag, different faculties and year but we made the friendship work.

We lost contact when he moved to the UK but reconnected sometime last year.

Timi, I know he may not be your choice for that position, but he's a great guy, and a good asset for the team.

And you'll never meet a quieter person. Don't mess this up.

Frankly, I'm amazed he agreed to take the job.”

Me too, Nej. Me too.

He traced a finger down the edges of Uncle Jude's portraiture he stood before. “You guys an item?”

“What? You're against your staff dating?” Her exhale travelled across the wire. “He's the reason it never worked with anyone else. At least Mum would rest now from thinking I'm a failure.”

He was rendered speechless for a moment, then coughed. “Wow. How the mighty has fallen.”

He thought about telling on Hulk, but it wasn't his secret to tell. The man must have had his reasons for keeping it from his girlfriend. And when she finally ended the call, she took her own bit of him he was reluctant to let go.

He headed upstairs. Tomorrow would come, and Timi Lawson would finally cease to exist.