His voice came out rough, almost a whisper.

“I know who you are…” he said, licking his cracked lips. “You and that South African ranger… you busted our team a couple of days ago.”

Bette froze, her chest tightening, though her face gave nothing away. Her stomach flipped, the confirmation slamming home. She folded her arms, anchoring herself in the moment.

“I ought to dump you out there in the wild and let the animals cast their own justice,” she replied coolly, the spike of adrenaline in her blood making her skin prickle.

Kamau lowered his head for a moment, rubbing a shaky hand over his stubbled jaw. “I know.” His voice was fraying at the edges. He looked at Elijah and Wilson stood behind him in the doorway. “The way I see it, I’m dead any way I look at it. But maybe here… I can trade something. Information.”

Bette’s jaw tightened she stared at him for a long, tense moment before finally reaching for a hunting knife she kept strapped behind the desk. She moved toward him with slow, deliberate steps and, without a word, cut through the ropes binding his wrists. “You better hope what you’ve got is worth the risk you’ve just dumped on all of us.” Her gaze shifted to Elijah, the question was implied for him as well.

Kamau winced as the blood rushed back into his hands, the rope burns angry and raw against his dark skin. He offered a weak thank you.

Bette didn’t offer him help beyond that. Instead, she nudged a small first-aid kit toward him with the toe of her boot, letting it slide across the concrete floor until it bumped against his foot.

”Patch yourself up,” she said curtly.

Kamau knelt slowly, his movements stiff and cautious, fumbling with the supplies; disinfectant, gauze, trembling fingers struggling but determined.

Behind him, Elijah and Wilson stood just inside the open door, silent sentries. Wilson’s tall frame was still, watchful. Elijah shifted his weight uneasily, keeping a respectful distance, but Bette caught the way his eyes flicked nervously toward Kamau and then back to her, as if waiting to see how this would play out.

The sound of quick, purposeful footsteps outside made Bette’s head snap up. Tina appeared in the doorway.  Dressed in faded jeans and a loose shirt, her hair pulled back hastily into a low ponytail, Tina’s sharp eyes swept the room in a slow scan.