Page 69 of Devlin

Her gaze continued to take in their surroundings… or rather their prison. She recognized the wooden crates with food, but they weren’t in the full container of the semi. Her stomach twisted as realization settled in. The back of the truck had a false wall. One that divided the food that was being stolen and smuggled from what was being delivered.

“No,” she said softly, shaking her head as her mind connected the pieces. “No. Tell me you’re not in on this.”

Charlie flinched like she’d struck him. “It’s not like that?—”

“Not like what?” Her voice pitched higher, her fear melting into fury. “You’re part of this? You helped them? Charlie, what the hell is going on?”

He let out a sharp breath, sitting back on his heels, fingers curling into his hair as if he could rip it out. “I didn’t have a choice. I… I got in too deep. It was supposed to be just one thing, just moving supplies, but then Enock…”

Mia jerked away from him, her knees scraping against the floor. “Enock? You’re working with Enock? He’s stealing from the camp? Smuggling food?”

Charlie’s face twisted in agony. “I didn’t want this! I swear, Mia, I didn’t! I just… I always screw things up. Always.” His breathing came out in erratic pants. He looked like he wasn’t sure whether to beg for forgiveness or collapse under the weight of his own guilt.

She shifted closer and placed her hands on his knees as he sat on the floor. “Talk to me, Charlie. I know this isn’t you… it can’t be you. Not the person I’ve come to know.”

“I got into trouble in Australia,” he admitted, voice hoarse. “Kept choosing the wrong friends, looking for the easy way to make some money. My dad always bailed me out and then tore me a new one. Finally, he’d had enough. Said I had two choices—join the military or the Peace Corps. I picked the Peace Corps, figured it’d be easy. Did a couple of tours with them and then finally ended up here. I was stuck, hating every second. Just crunching numbers all day long. I didn’t come here to be a damn accountant, Mia!”

His voice cracked, and Mia saw the years of frustration brimming in his tired eyes.

“I got into trouble again,” he admitted, barely above a whisper. “I was trading food for some alcohol, which I’d sell for a profit. Enock bailed me out. Said I owed him and had to help. And now…” He gestured wildly at the truck, at their surroundings. “Now we’re here, and I don’t know how the hell to fix this mess.”

Mia swallowed hard, her mind racing. Fear still curled in her gut, but beneath it, anger flared hot.

“You don’t fix it by kidnapping me,” she snapped. “You don’t fix it by stealing food meant for starving people!”

Charlie’s face contorted, shame and regret battling against desperation. “I didn’t know they were going to take you! I swear to God, I didn’t. But I knew I had to do something when I realized what was happening.”

Mia glared at him, chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths. “You’d better start figuring out whose side you’re really on. Then do something about it, Charlie. Right fucking now.”

“I don’t know what to do,” he groaned.

Mia stared at the man she once thought attractive, even if she’d never considered dating him. But now, she just saw a kid who had always been bailed out of trouble and had no real idea how to make decisions on his own. “What is going on? What are they doing?”

He grimaced. “The food goes into the trucks, but some of it is hidden behind false panels. After they make deliveries to the warehouse or villages, the drivers take it to drop points, where it gets mixed with other stolen supplies—stuff taken from farms and other deliveries. Then it all goes to Lake Edward, where it’s smuggled into the Congo.”

Mia’s stomach turned. “Why?”

Charlie wiped a shaking hand across his mouth. “Insurgents. Enock said his family was being threatened if he didn’t cooperate. And I…” He let out a bitter laugh. “I got roped in because I needed a way out. The money they’re paying me is enough to get back to Australia. I can finally go back home and live without my dad controlling my life.”

Mia’s hands curled into fists. “Oh, grow up, Charlie. You think you’re the only one who’s had a rough time? You think stealing from people who need it is your ticket to freedom?”

He flinched again, but before he could respond, the truck jolted over a rough patch of road, nearly knocking them both over. Mia steadied herself. “What’s going to happen to us?”

“I… I don’t know. This was never talked about.” His eyes widened. “Shit, they can’t let us go, can they? Fuck… they might take us in the boats as well.”

All the air rushed from her lungs. They would be killed… or worse. She’d be abused… so would Charlie. Death would be a blessing compared to what would happen.Surely, Enock wouldn’t let that happen!Her chest spasmed as thick air threatened to choke her. If he had no choice… if it came down to her life or his family…oh God!

She frantically tried to think of a way to escape. “We’ve got to get out of here.” Scanning the interior, she noticed a thin streak of light in the top corner of the truck.

She stood, weaving on her legs but now glad for the stacked crates. She needed them for support but also to climb. “Help me up,” she ordered.

Charlie hesitated, but at her glare, he stood, holding her thighs as she climbed onto a pile of crates, reaching toward the weak spot. “It’s rusty here.” Pressing against the metal, she felt rust give way beneath her fingers as it showered her with red dust. She squinted as the rust powder flew into her face. She shoved harder, the metal barely giving way.

“Let me,” Charlie said, tugging her downward. She traded places with him, and he was soon pulling the edge of the metal downward.

“You’re doing it,” she cried. “Keep going. We don’t need too much space to crawl out.”

He looked down, his brows lowered. “Crawl out? Where?”

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