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“Yeah, me too.”
“Hey!” Cody yelled.
“What are you doing?” I hissed.
“We need water. Hey!”
“Cody, shush. Please. They’ll hit you again.”
I couldn’t stand to see him hurt any more. “Listen, we need to figure out what they want from us.”
“What they want?” He squinted at me like I was just a shadow.
“Yeah. Why are they keeping us alive? Do you think Neville is . . . is . . .” I couldn’t release the question from my throat.
“Dead?” Cody said. “I hope so. He deserves whatever happens to him.”
“You don’t mean that. He’s an asshole, and I’ll make sure he pays, but—”
“He’s put our lives in danger. We’re tied up and starving because of him.”
“No, they want something from us. Otherwise, we’d be dead too.”
Cody winced and his face twisted in obvious pain. He probably had a splitting headache.
“Maybe they want my research,” I said.
“What for? They already use the berries for their own remedies.”
“Hmmm. So, what could it be?”
“Human trafficking,” he said deadpan.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I glared at him. “Prior to yesterday, Na-lynied had never shown any brutality. That damned alcohol is to blame for what’s going on here.”
“So maybe they don’t have a plan. Or maybe Neville is hiding in the bushes and they’re using us as bait to get him back.”
I nodded. “That could be an option. How long do you think he’s been giving alcohol to the natives?”
“Years.”
I gasped. “You can’t be serious.”
He shrugged and winced. The rough ties around his wrists left red welts that were so raw I could see them, even despite our poor visibility.
My research, the precious Amazon berries I'd harvested, and the ointment I'd hoped would change lives—it all seemed so insignificant now. The outcome of us being here had horrific consequences and now Cody and I were paying for it. “What have I done?”
“You haven’t done anything wrong, Layla. This is on Neville. He was here long before us, and like I said, he’s probably been doing this for years.”
“Yes, but I was willing to take their berries and bring the outside world to their sacred—”
Shouts and cries of agony erupted down the hallway.
Heavy footsteps thundered toward us.
“Oh fuck, Cody. This is it! I’m sorry I dragged you into this.”
A man filled the doorway.