After having the most sleepless nights ever, August thought of only one way out of this situation....
Few days later...
The night before the shipment, August sat in her room with the blinds drawn, the stolen files spread across her desk. The words High Value. Unstable glared back at her, but she wasn't thinking about herself anymore. She was thinking about the children.
The reports were clear: Rafael wasn't just building a gang. He was stockpiling lives of kids pulled from the orphanage, runaways from the streets, even younger ones barely old enough to speak. They were being trained, broken, and sold.
August's chest tightened. She had played his game too long. If she didn't act now, he would win - and her parents would learn the truth about her double life.
So August decided to include Mark in her plan... She could barely eat all day not that she was really under that much stress but yeah this was real...
When she heard the car park in the driveway her heart lipped with joy and a little fear aswell.. Mark got inside the house and found her pacing the length of the living room, hair tangled, hands shaking. She looked like she hadn't slept, eyes darting to the window as if expecting shadows to follow her inside.
"heyy sit down," he said quietly.
"I can't," August whispered.
" I have to tell you something about Rafael "
"okay I'm sure we can easily handle whatever it is that's making you pace this much"
"You don't understand. I saw things, Dad. Files. They weren't just about guns or shipments... Your shipment to be precise. I dont know how he got to know about that. Maybe the first time they broke in. I suppose.
They were about children-kids being kept there, forced into his gang, sold like they're nothing."
Mark's jaw tightened. "Files? How did you even see them?"
"I broke into his cabinet," she admitted, voice trembling. "I wasn't looking for anything at first, but then I found it. And once I saw, I couldn't stop. They had names, ages, notes about how to break them down. And me, too. My name was there. High Value. Unstable."
Mark leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "Do you realize what you've done? You've put yourself in the middle of something dangerous. If he knows you've seen those files"
"I don't care!" August snapped, then caught herself, breath hitching. "I couldn't just walk away. Those kids… they're trapped. And if you don't act now, he'll move them before anyone can help my friend is somewhere in the world i cant locate her. I just can not sit still."
Mark studied her, the silence stretching heavy between them. He saw the panic in her eyes, but beneath it, the steel. She wasn't just frightened - she was determined. He had to dig up something once all this was over...
"You should have come to me sooner," he said finally.
"I thought you'd stop me," she whispered. "But this is the only way out. If I don't do something, he'll beat me in my own game. And then you'll know everything I've been hiding."
Mark exhaled, rubbing his temples. "You've been reckless, August. But you're right about one thing-this can't wait." He stood, his voice low and decisive. "I'll intervene. Tonight."
August's shoulders sagged, relief and fear colliding in her chest. For the first time, she wasn't carrying the weight alone.
Mark exhaled sharply. "Stay put. I'll handle this."
But August knew she couldn't stay put. If she waited, Rafael would move the kids before the raid. He always had a contingency. She had to make sure he was trapped.
.....
Mark called his contacts... Making them all rush over to think of a plan...
"here is what we're going to do... You are going to go back to the camp... I know he threatened you but that's the only way we can do this... I'll give you all documentation of my shipment.. A check formally meant to be given on the exchange anyone with it can cash out"..
" so you will hand it over... Including the passwords to my cold wallets..."
"ain't that a little too much..."
No... Everything will be changed once the raid is done..
So Tarus will drive you to the rail station, we will put a tracker in your gums for safety along the way to the camp when we leave you by the railway...
You have to look exhausted by the time you get there don't play it cool. When you hand him over everything he will feel the need to protect you or otherwise... Suspect you so expect both but killing you... He wouldn't do that at the moment
After the whole plan was formulated...
August returned to the camp under cover of darkness, slipping through the rusted fence like a shadow. She carried nothing but her burner phone and a small blade taped to her thigh.
The camp was restlessmen loading crates, trucks idling, voices sharp with urgency. Rafael was preparing for her father's shipment.
She found him in the main tent, cigarette burning low, eyes scanning a map.
"You're late," he said without looking up.
"I'm here," August replied, steady.
He finally turned, smirking. "You always come back."
But August didn't smile. She stepped closer, dropping a folded paper on the table. "The shipment route. East corridor. No escort."
"the cold wallet passwords, check to be handed over at the exchange... A whole eighty eight million"
Rafael's ears could not believe it... That's a lot of money plus the 20 million he was going to demand when he abducts August tonight. Not that he will give her back to the family anyway...
Rafael's eyes gleamed. "You're useful again."
August leaned in, her voice a whisper. "You should move tonight. Before Mark changes his mind by now he knows i was playing him, he will connect the dots of the first break in and he's going to find me ."
Rafael grinned, tapping ash into the tray. "You're learning, dont worry little ghost queen this big guy has already planned everything out ."
But what he didn't know was that August had already sent the coordinates to Marcus. The police were waiting.
August watched as Rafael instructed his men to hurry up with the packing and soon they started loading up the children...
The camp was almost wiped out clean until she heard him say they should burn it up...
August had no option but to stamp on the ground twice Making the small burner phone under her boot direct the signaling call to the police...
They waited for the first trucks to go out of the gate...
Then
It began with floodlights.
The camp erupted as beams of white light cut through the trees, followed by the crack of gunfire. Men shouted, scrambling for weapons, trucks roared to life.
August ducked behind a crate, heart pounding. She had triggered the trap.
Rafael stormed out of the tent, pistol in hand, barking orders. "Hold the line! Don't let them through!"
But the police were already inside, shields raised, rifles firing. The air filled with smoke and chaos.
August moved quickly, slipping through the shadows toward the supply tent where the other children were kept, the ones she was supposed to share the truck with including Rafael . She kicked the door open, finding a dozen wide-eyed faces staring back at her.
"Come on!" she shouted. "This way!"
They hesitated, trembling.
She softened her voice. "I'm here to get you out. Trust me."
One by one, they followed, clutching each other's hands. August led them through the back exit, toward the fence where Mark's men were waiting.
In all this Raf had been searching for August with wide eyes amidst this whole chaos.
Rafe spotted her as she guided the last child out. His eyes blazed with fury.
"You," he snarled, raising his pistol. "You betrayed me."
August froze, blade in hand. "You betrayed them."
He fired. The bullet grazed her arm, burning hot. She stumbled but didn't fall.
That was rather shocking she did not think for once that Raf might actually try to shoot her.
The police surged forward, tackling Rafael to the ground. He fought like a wild animal, firing blindly. One shot tore into his shoulder, another into his leg. He screamed, thrashing, but they pinned him down, cuffs snapping shut.
August stood over him, blood dripping from her sleeve, chest heaving.
Rafael glared up at her, teeth bared. "You think you've won? You're still mine. You'll always be mine."
August shook her head. "Not anymore.but one thing for sure I'll also land in prison soon but for now go make our home safe papa" she said whispering while tucking some notes and illegal herbs in his pockets...
"you will need that for survival" with that she patted his shoulder and gracefully walked away
By dawn, the camp was silent. Trucks impounded, weapons seized, men arrested. The children were safe, huddled in blankets, their eyes wide with relief.
Mark arrived at the camp with more supplies it was going to take all day to process stuff here , his face grim. He pulled August aside, scanning her wound. "You should have gone home."
"I couldn't," she whispered. "If I didn't act, he would have moved them. He would have beaten me in my own game."
Mark's jaw tightened. "You risked everything for what exactly? "
"I had to," August said. "It was the only way out, you will get it someday ."
Evelyne appeared, wrapping her arms around her, tears streaming. "You're reckless, but you saved them."
August closed her eyes, leaning into her mother's embrace. For the first time, she felt the weight lift.
Rafael was gone.. Well for now..
A new headache is mark... He's obviously going to dig but she could use one person who knows her secret...