Suddenly, Debra felt her pocket growing hot, almost unbearably so.She quickly pulled out the three glowing gems.Andrew frowned at the anomaly. Jeffrey rushed over, trying to snatch the gems.The four gems, including the one Jeffrey held, glowed in unison."Give them to me!" he demanded.Juan quickly blocked him. Jeffrey shouted, "Grab the gems!"Juan didn't move, staring at him coldly.Jeffrey pulled out a gun and pointed it at Debra. Juan moved to disarm him, but a shot rang out, echoing loudly in the underground chamber.Jordan heard it from above, trying to rush down. Fermin blocked his path."Get out of my way!" Jordan shouted, trying to push past him.Fermin held his ground. "Calm down. I'm not stopping you. Since there's something good down there, we might as well go together."As Jordan hesitated, he added, "You see, Liza asked me to take care of Debra. If you can ensure her safety, I'll stay behind and let you go down alone."Jordan weighed his options before agre
"You lied to me!" Jordan spat."Only fools would believe that," Fermin sneered. "Why would I protect her?"His attack was fierce. Jordan was no match for him.Andrew clenched the armrest of his wheelchair, not expecting this turn of events. The four gemstones had all been used, but they were now glowing.Debra dodged quickly but noticed Andrew was isolated.Before she could move, Jeffrey aimed his gun at Andrew."I've put up with you for long enough. Hand over the gems, or I'll make sure you die again.""You think I'd bring you here without being fully prepared?"He pressed a hidden button on the armrest, and in the next second, dozens of guns pointed at everyone in the room.The cave had no lights except for the glittering treasures. The dark corners could have been hiding an army, and Jeffrey could hear weapons being readied.The entire area was filled with the menacing black muzzles of guns."You've set up an ambush? How is that possible?" Jeffrey was incredulous.Anyone
Fermin's smirk faded, replaced by a cold expression."You think I won't kill you?" he hissed, twisting the knife.Debra grimaced in pain, sweat beading on her forehead, but she didn't give in.Jordan pushed through the pain from his injuries and charged forward.Fermin let go of the knife and kicked him in the chest. Jordan felt a tremendous force hit him, as though a truck had run over him. The feeling was far from pleasant, but seeing Debra, who was barely holding on and losing consciousness, he pushed through the pain.If things went on like this, all of them would be dead.Debra's blood dripped onto the gemstones in her hand, triggering a reaction. The stones began to shimmer with a red light."It's working," Jeffrey exclaimed, ignoring the guns pointed at him.He cut his hand and let the blood drip onto his gemstone. It began to glow red, too. The four gemstones seemed to be drawn to each other, pulsing with energy."Juan, see that?" he shouted. "Your mother can be brough
Debra groggily opened her eyes, realizing it was a summer afternoon.She jumped up from the rocking chair, her gaze fixed on the swing set not far away.It felt like a dream."Ms. Frazier," Barton called out. "Mr. Andrew Potter sent me to ask why you haven't changed yet. It's your 18th birthday today. It's a big deal."Debra panicked. "Oh no, I've slept in. Andrew's gonna lecture me again."As she rushed away, Barton called after her, "Ms. Frazier, be careful. Don't trip.""I know." Debra lifted the hem of her dress and sneaked through the back gate.The maids were surprised to see her there.Debra shushed them with a gesture and put her hands together. "Ladies, do me a favor. Don't make a sound."The maids giggled and kept quiet. They all looked away, as if they hadn't seen her.Just as Debra was about to sneak upstairs, someone suddenly grabbed her ear."Gotcha!""Knock it off, Jordan.""Andrew won't be able to protect you this time. Now you're coming upstairs with me."
"Randy?" Debra repeated. "Sounds familiar.""He visited a few times when we were kids," Erica replied."Oh, really?" Debra tried on a red dress in front of the mirror. "What do you think of this one?"Erica smacked her lips. "Well, it's nice, but you already have a bunch of red dresses.""I love red," Debra replied. "It's bold and beautiful, just like the red flowers in Andrew's garden.""How about this one?" Erica picked up a white gown.Debra blurted, "I hate white.""But you have a few white dresses too. White looks so good on you. It makes your skin look like porcelain." Erica was puzzled.Debra pouted. "Nah, white is for dead people.""Oh, come on. It's a happy day. Can't you say something nice?"Erica tossed the red dress back to Debra. "Wear your red dress.""I knew this one was the best." Debra held the dress up to herself, and the stylist giggled.Debra looked confused. "What's wrong? Doesn't this one look good?""Not really," the stylist replied. "It's just as Mr
Jordan came downstairs. "Mr. and Mrs. Frazier, I need to report something. Debra slacked off this afternoon. She just woke up."Debra shot him a glare. "Whose side are you on?""Not yours," he grinned.Jordan's mother intervened, "Alright, don't bicker like kids. You're grown-ups now.""She's just dumb. Mr. and Mrs. Frazier are so smart, but she didn't inherit any of it.""What did you say? You're the dumb one.""You're dumb.""I'm not. You are dumb."...The four seniors listened to their back-and-forth and laughed.Dylan Potter said, "Once Debra's coming-of-age ceremony is done today, let her stay at our house for a few days. Now that they both have been admitted to Arcane Academy, it's time they get some good training."Gael nodded. "Good idea. I'm sure they'll learn a lot under your guidance.""I don't want to," Debra and Jordan objected in unison.They would rather do military training than end up under Dylan's strict control.Gael sighed, "You'll learn something use
"Debra! You came to tattle on me, didn't you?" Jordan shouted, storming into the room.Barton appeared in the doorway soon after, panting, "I'm sorry, sir. I couldn't stop him.""Don't listen to her," Jordan said. "She fell asleep in the backyard."He pointed at Debra. "Admit it. You were slacking off."Debra felt wronged, looking at Andrew with puppy eyes. "I was just too tired, so...""So, you fell asleep." Jordan smugly crossed his arms. "I went through all that trouble to organize your birthday. I picked the cake and managed the kitchen, and you? You slacked off in the backyard. Do you even know how many people are coming today? There are no excuses. Andrew won't back you up on this.""Andrew..." Debra pouted, tugging at Andrew's sleeve.Andrew smiled and winked at Barton, who took the hint and grabbed Jordan by the ear."Sorry, Mr. Jordan Potter, please come with me," he said.Jordan was taken aback. "What are you doing? You've got the wrong person. Debra is the one at fa
Debra perked up. "You can't take back a gift. Wait and see. I'll find you."She rushed back to her room.Jordan was supervising the cleaning. "Hey, we just mopped the floor. Are you doing this on purpose?"Debra ignored him. Finding the gift was her top priority.Erica, who had been looking for Debra, came to the third floor. Debra was on the floor, using her phone's flashlight to look under the bed."What are you looking for?" Erica asked. "We have less than two hours before the guests arrive. Come on, let's get you ready.""An hour is enough," Debra replied. "I'm looking for the gift Andrew prepared for me.""What gift? You've got enough already.""Andrew said a girl's coming-of-age gift has to be special and luxurious.""But everything he gives you is luxurious.""Andrew said as long as I'm happy, he'll give me anything.""Damn rich people."Debra had searched every nook and cranny, but there was no sign of the gift.Erica helped but gave up quickly.Half an hour later
"No biggie. I'm just that sharp," Randy grinned."Don't flatter yourself." Erica smacked his arm, turning to Debra. "If that's the play, we'll set up around the valley early.""We scoped it out last time. Here's the terrain map Marion roughed out. Memorize the basics, just in case," Debra said.Jordan spoke up. "I'll plant people inside to learn the lay. If things go down, we'll back each other up."He paused, frowning. "But we've only got one path. Without the full picture, it's still risky.""Got it here," a voice called from the door.Everyone turned to see Theda walking in with Robert. A map was in her hand."It's you guys." Debra was surprised.Theda had been busy with her business. She barely had time to breathe, not to mention show up there."This mess is huge. If the Illuminati takes Seamar City, my business is done," Theda said.She'd seen Jeffery's crazy side. The Illuminati couldn't be anything good.She unrolled the map and stuck it on the board. "This is the val
Liza eased up, knowing Debra was always faithful.She would help if she said so."Is the Illuminati really that bad?" Liza asked, having never seen Fermin cornered like that."Yeah," Debra said flat-out.Liza fought back her tears. "I'm not as smart as you guys, but if I can help...""You've done plenty," Debra said, patting her head.The once-bratty lady had grown into someone brave and kind. They'd all seen her change.But this was too risky. They couldn't bet on her life."Everything's set," Marion said, striding in with Jordan.Liza blinked at their suits. They looked solemn, as if ready for a last stand.Debra nodded. "Alright, let's go over everyone's setup and run through the plan."Randy wheeled in a blackboard that showed the outskirts map.The Four Great Families had owned Seamar City for ages. Their eyes and ears were on every corner.They'd linked up north, south, east, and west, with Juan's lines tied in.According to intel, the Illuminati hadn't sunk deep ro
"Just listen to me and go," Fermin said, pulling his hand free.The next thing she knew, he yanked her toward the emergency exit."Fermin!" she yelped.The restaurant staff, loyal to Fermin, hustled her into the stairwell. By the time the guards outside caught on, she was gone."Get her," the guards barked.If Liza slipped away, Michael would have their heads. But before they could chase, Fermin's crew boxed them in."You know what this means?" one guard spat, dropping all politeness.They knew he was just a puppet. If he broke free, Bert's life would be done."Kill them," Fermin ordered, turning back to the restaurant.A waiter dropped a tray, the crash drowning out muffled screams from the stairwell.Liza was already in a cab. She tried to turn back, but a staffer blocked her. "Miss, you can't go anywhere but Seamar City. The Potter Mansion is your safest bet. Think of what Mr. Eaton's doing for you."Her stay overseas made her a hostage. While she was here, Fermin was lea
The driver hesitated but complied. "Sure, Mr. Eaton. How long do you plan to stay? There's a meeting this afternoon.""An hour," Fermin replied.From their conversation, Liza caught on that their family was under the Illuminati's thumb. The driver would not grill Fermin about his schedule otherwise."Who're you to butt in? He'll hang out with me for as long as he wants," she snapped.The driver bit back his gripes. "My bad. Sorry."Liza clung to Fermin's arm, heart pounding. She had been pampered her whole life, and her family had always been untouchable. She never imagined they'd be under someone else's boot.The car stopped by the mall. Liza and Fermin got out.When the guards tried to follow, she whirled. "My brother and I are going shopping. What're you tagging along for?""Protecting you and Mr. Eaton," one said.She opened her mouth to argue, but Fermin cut in. "They can carry bags for you."She hesitated. With these guards tagging along, they couldn't talk about the si
"Dad." Liza rushed to the bed, grabbing Bert's hand.In her mind, Bert was a stern old grump. He was always tough and sharp.But now, the illness had taken a toll on him. He had shrunk, and his hair had gone gray overnight.Fermin stood behind her, watching with pain.In fact, Bert had been ill for a while now. He had been grooming Fermin for years.But once he'd caught wind of Fermin's plans, Bert would rather kill him and trash their legacy than let him join the Illuminati.Fermin knew this day was coming. Liza didn't. Bert never wanted her to.She froze, feeling like his hand had twitched. She stopped crying and spun to Fermin."Did you see it? Dad moved..." she exclaimed.Fermin clapped a hand over her mouth, a move that confused her.He shook his head, warning her off. She nodded fast, signaling she'd keep quiet.Fermin checked the door and eased his hand off. "Dad's fine. Let's head home, alright?"Liza glanced at Bert with reluctance but wiped her tears. "Okay.""Co
Drake's mouth hung open, but no words came out."I swapped the drug for saline," Juan said. "You're on your own tonight. You've only had one dose, so there might still be a chance. If you don't wanna die here, suck it up. Don't let Kale die for nothing."Juan dropped that and left the room.Drake slumped on the bed. Old memories came flooding back, from their first meeting to their camaraderie. They had been through thick and thin together.If it hadn't been for him, Kale wouldn't have been dead....In the hospital, Liza kept watch outside the ICU where Bert lay.Two black-suited guards blocked the door. Even after surgery, they wouldn't let her in."When can I see him?" she asked, clenching her fists.The guards stood like statues, ignoring her."That's my dad," she shouted, pounding their chests. "I need to be with him. Move. Get out of my way.""Stop it." Fermin strode up, grabbing her swinging fist. "You're an Eaton. Act like it."He turned and slapped a guard hard. "Y
Juan arrived at a villa on Seamar City's outskirts. It was where Drake was locked up.It was pitch black in the room, with only a bed. The windows were nailed shut.The moment Drake handed over the stone, he'd guessed his fate. The Illuminati had rules for traitors: the blessing ritual.But that "blessing" was just injecting their latest drug into turncoats. They would be used as free guinea pigs. Death was the best outcome. Surviving meant real torture.It didn't hurt. Rather, it felt like heaven. That was why they called it a blessing."When did they shoot you up with that stuff?" Juan asked.Drake leaned back on the bed, nonchalant. "I gave them the stone. It doesn't matter to you. Just give me the drug."By night, he was a mess.The stuff could ease the pain for an hour. Then hell would kick in. Once the cravings hit, it felt like ants gnawing his bones.The pain wired into his nerves. At its worst, he'd bash the wall, tempted to bite his tongue off.He couldn't leave wit
To the bishop, Debra and her crew were small fry.A hundred years ago, the Four Great Families might've been untouchable. But now? Their roots were shaky.The Illuminati, on the other hand, had grown unstoppable.For the stone, he'd see them and let them feel the Illuminati's might. It was something callows like them couldn't touch."Tell them I pick the time and place," he said. "Get the stone ready. If it's fake, they'll get the harshest punishment from God.""Yes, Master," Michael replied, turning to leave.Lara stood up to protest, "I'm against this. We should take the chance to wipe them out and take their assets."In her mind, the four families were nothing. When they could snatch what they wanted, there was no need for deals or games."God spares all," the bishop muttered. "I'll give them a shot to live. If they bow, why kill them?"Lara fell silent, but Frederic stepped out of the shadows. He asked, "What about the stone Drake gave us?""Only one of the two stones is
Night settled in deep.Debra and the crew were still waiting for Michael's reply."Still nothing? They don't buy it, do they?" Erica paced, antsy."Give it time. They'll bite," Debra said, clutching her phone.She had promised Kale she would bring Drake back. No breaking that.A text finally pinged her phone. It was Michael.Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Like Debra said, the Illuminati couldn't rule out her having the real stone.If theirs was fake, Michael and his crew couldn't afford the fallout."Marion, it's on you now," Debra said.The Houston family had military muscle on tap. The Potter family owned elite guards and intel. Erica and Randy were solid backups.But this meeting? Debra had to go herself."Does it have to be now? Maybe wait till you're healed?" Erica said.Debra shook her head. "Drake is at risk every day he's with them. I can't take that chance. Just like they can't risk us holding the stone.""She's right," Randy jumped in. "Drag this out, and who