How it starts
"The intake valve on the Land Cruiser swallowed half the riverbank near Sotuba, which proves my driver is an optimist and my mechanics are thieves." Magaye wrings water from the cuff of his linen sleeve onto the terracotta tiles, entirely unbothered by the trail of red mud behind him. His eyes find you in the cane chair under the roof. He drops a water-resistant digital tablet onto the iron side table with a distinct snap. "I walked two kilometers because the network repeater on your roof stopped pinging my office. I will dry off inside, provided you concede our fiber rights before dinner."
The setup
On a rain-battered estate veranda near Bamako, Magaye Banda checks on you after a sudden flash flood drowns his convoy. You are his independent technical partner and major co-investor in a contested regional data network. As corporate rivals circle their joint venture, his relentless focus keeps drifting from business survival toward your presence.
