While Jordan mulled it over, Debra dumped a pile of badges from her bag onto the table."Are these enough?" she asked. "I've got more."He was stunned, and she continued, "These are from overseas and Orkgate. Pick your poison.""Hold up," he said. "Overseas, sure, but Orkgate? Where'd you get those?""Don't have them yet," she admitted, pulling out a flash drive. "But if you want, I can. This has all the dirt the Lowe Group's collected on Orkgate's big shots. That place is a mixed bag, with tons of Illuminati members. With this, we can make them help us.""Drake gave you that?""Who else? This stash is gold. I used to think it was shady, but now? It's perfect for dealing with these creeps. Fight fire with fire.""Don't you think Drake's a little too nice to you?" He waved it off. "Anyway, this makes things easier. Overseas is locked down tight after your sweep, but Orkgate is looser. I'll head there.""You can't leave. Seamar City needs you. I'll go.""You sure about that? Wha
Debra snapped, "That's mistress behavior. You're her dad. Don't you care?""Mr. Houston hasn't accepted Lexie," Grover sneered. "No need to freak out. If he cares about you, nothing's gonna happen. If you're worried, you should go ask him instead.""Watch your mouth," Debra warned. "Piss me off, and I can't promise what happens to Lexie or your family."Grover didn't flinch. If Lexie could hook Marion, there was nothing Debra could do."We'll see about that. See yourself out," he said, brushing her off.Debra looked pissed as she led her team out. Her angry mask dropped at the gate.She turned to her guards and instructed, "Keep eyes on these people and track down those on my list.""Yes, ma'am," they replied, surrounding the estate.She decided to let Grove laugh for a while. Once she found the Illuminati's base, he'd have all the time crying.After all, the Trennery family was just a front to shield Lara. Debra didn't believe the Illuminati would waste resources on a dimwit
"What happened?" Debra pressed."Some people from the Illuminati murdered him," Ryan replied, full of hatred.Debra raised an eyebrow. "Why would they murder him?""Because he wouldn't work with them." He wiped his tears. "I know you. They're after you. Help me avenge my dad, and I'll do anything to repay you.""Deal," she said, her grin widening.He relaxed, but she whipped out her gun, aiming at him. "Too bad I don't buy a word of it."Before he could react, the guards rushed up and pinned him down.Debra stepped closer, tapping his cheek with the gun barrel. "What's up? Go on with your act. Those clowns are naïve enough to think I can be fooled by a kid like you.""I'm not with them. You've got it wrong." Ryan panicked."I picked Kurtis for a reason," she said. "I've got his whole file. He traded organs on the dark web and had dirty deals with the Lowe Group. You're telling me he wouldn't roll with the Illuminati?"She pressed the muzzle under his chin, forcing his head up
Ryan was pale and sweating, jumping at every sound."Ryan Atkinson?" Debra asked, stepping up.He nodded frantically, then backtracked. "Y-Yes... No, I'm not. Please don't kill me."Debra glanced at a guard. "No one else here?""Nope."She didn't waste time. "Take them both.""Yes, ma'am.""Don't kill me, please." Ryan trembled as they dragged him off.Back at the Lowe Mansion, the guards shoved both guys to the floor.Debra grabbed a fruit knife from the table and slashed Troy's face. His scream pierced the room. She frowned, and a guard stuffed a rag in his mouth.She tossed the knife aside and turned to Ryan. "You go first. Give me a quick intro.""W-What intro?" Ryan stammered, dumbfounded."Just do it!" a guard barked."I-I'm Ryan Atkinsonn," he blurted. "I graduated from Orkgate Community College, got a Level 1 computer cert, and...""Stop," Debra cut in, frowning. "Who asked for that?"He blinked, lost."Is Kurtis your dad?""Y-Yes...""Is he dead?""I-I don't
"Don't sell yourself short," Debra said. "You had to know something. Copying your face isn't a quick job. It must have taken at least a month to heal. They picked you and Kurtis on purpose. Every move I made, like cleaning out the grunts and messing with Fermin, was guided by them. They even anticipated my choice of Kurtis. If they planned this far, why not just kill you both? The memorial was set up, and Troy's in mourning clothes. But they didn't slit your throat? Weird, right? Hoping I'd spot the fake?"Her logic was tight, and Ryan's expression shifted."Don't tell me your lord gave you faith but no brains," she said, leaning back on the sofa.She pointed at Troy. "If I'm right, you're a dead-end pawn. You'd refuse to talk, maybe off yourself, so I'd trust Ryan. You don't even know the full play, do you? Guess I should ask him instead."She turned to Ryan. "So, what's the message to me? Lure me into a dark web deal for a scandal? Lock me up? Or cozy up to me, gain my trust, the
Debra cut him off. "I don't care why he got the surgery. How'd you know I'd hit your place tonight?"Ryan squirmed. "A beautiful lady told us.""Beautiful lady?" Debra echoed."Yeah, she said you'd show up tonight," he said. "Gave us a shot to serve the bishop. Troy cooked up this plan. If you bought his act, he'd finish the job. If not, I'd step in. He'd die to sell my story, get me close to you, and nab what the bishop wants.""Simple goal," Debra said. "But you killed your dad for it?""Not me." Ryan waved his hands. "My dad never cared about me. I lived with my mom and grandparents. After she died, I didn't give a damn if he lived or not. But he's still my dad. I got home today, and Troy had killed him. Said we'd sacrificed too much to quit now. I just went along.""Are you dumb?" Debra stared.He really was a dim bulb. 'Dumb blonde' fits this six-foot dude better than his fake act."I know people call me stupid," Ryan said. "But Troy's my only buddy. I back him up. Joining
Debra chambered a round and aimed at Ryan's forehead. The smooth, practiced motion spiked the tension.Ryan, already a scary cat, lost it completely."Talk, damn it," he shrieked.Ryan looked at Debra's serious expression and hesitated. "The one messing with you is me. Just kill me and leave him alone.""Do you think I'm a fool?" she sneered, "You never care about your own life. Don't worry. If you stay quiet, I'll deal with him first and then you.""Troy, I don't want to die," Ryan cried out.Troy squeezed his eyes shut. "She just told me to kill Kurtis. Said you'd show up tonight. Nothing else."She frowned, and he added, "She said if I refused, she'd do it herself and kill Ryan too. I had no choice, so I came up with this plan."She assessed the credibility of his words. 'Why would Lara want Kurtis dead? What'd she gain?'Suddenly, the doors burst open. Cops flooded in with guns drawn. "Freeze."In a flash, she figured out Lara's real play."Debra Houston, you're under ar
The police chief's words laid it out. Escaping was impossible."No worries," Debra said. "We don't even know who the real killer is, right?""True," he said. "We're still digging. But as a suspect, you'll have to sit tight for now."He waved his men over to grab her, then glanced at Troy and Ryan, who were still held down."Those two are your hostages," he said. "We need them for questioning. Let them go."Following Debra's orders, the guards released them.Troy grinned, thrilled that the bishop didn't ditch them. Ryan, on the other hand, was still suffering from the aftershock....In Seamar City, Jordan got the news from the guards.He shot up, yelling into the phone, "What did I tell you before you left for Orkgate? Her safety comes first. Why did you let the police take her?""Sir, we followed your orders," the guard replied. "But Mrs. Houston told us to stand down and head back.""Nonsense!" Jordan hung up, storming to Drake's room.He kicked the door open. Drake prote
"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
"What're you looking at?" Lara asked, stepping out and spotting Michael by the window."Debra says the stone Drake gave us is fake," he replied."What? No way." Drake shot up from his seat."Are you messing with us?" Lara's sharp gaze landed on him."No. Debra's talking nonsense," Drake insisted."We'll see," Michael said, unruffled.Debra was offering the stone on the condition of meeting with their leader. It fit her style."She thinks she can just waltz in and see our master?" Lara sneered."The stone's a big deal to him. I bet he'll agree," Michael replied, shutting his phone."Don't tell me you're sweet on Debra," she hissed. "You keep letting her off. Don't wanna kill her, huh?""Unlike you, I don't get off on killing," he countered. "If she's not in my way, why bother? You're out there slaughtering, just making enemies for the Illuminati. You're venting rather than serving.""You don't get it. I'm building fear for the Illuminati," she justified herself. "They need to
Oscar set down the receiver and threw his hands up. "I'm not resisting. Don't spook my staff," he said.Chace tried to step in, but Oscar's look stopped him.This incident was major. Almost half of Flesta's people had fallen victim.Everyone at the company, Chace included, got hauled in for questioning. As the head, Oscar was the main target.The line went dead, and Debra's heart sank."Those bastards," Randy cursed, "hitting us on both sides. No wonder the Illuminati has been quiet. They have been gunning for our partners.""They're smart," Debra said. "Can't take us head-on, so they go after our allies. They want everyone to see partnering with us as a dead end. If we let this slide, we're doomed eventually.""What should we do?" Erica stomped, fuming. "We just sit here and watch them pick off our friends one by one?""They're showing us what happens if we cross them. They want us to bow. The only way out is to flip the script and strike first.""Strike first? What does th
Seeing Debra's worried look, Marion said, "You should just focus on healing and leave the rest to us. We might not match the Illuminati, but they won't mess with us randomly here in Seamar City."The Four Great Families had ruled Seamar City for a century. Although the former heads had faded, the new generation was sharper and stronger. They could hold off the Illuminati's push.Debra's phone rang. It was Oscar calling."You free? I've got something to tell you," he said.Debra put it on the speaker. No one could guess the aim of his call.In Flesta, the Odom family's business was booming again. He should have been busy with work."What's up?" she asked."There's big trouble in Flesta," he replied. "We didn't want to bug you, but it's spiraling out of control. We're out of moves.""What happened?" She had a bad feeling.Oscar paused. "A new drug has popped up in Flesta. Tons of our staff got hooked, just like regular folks. The police are on it now. We checked our products and
Debra stared at the pendant.What had happened yesterday came flooding back.Kale was gone, and the fact hit her hard."It's my fault," she said in agony. "If he hadn't gone with me, he would have been alive.""Everyone makes their calls," Marion soothed her. "If there's blame, it's on the Illuminati. I was terrified, almost losing you.""I felt like you were nearby, so I wasn't afraid," she said, leaning into him. "They'll pay for hurting Drake and killing Kale. I'll make sure of it.""No matter what happens, we're in this together," he said.Exhaustion took over. She closed her eyes and drifted off.When she woke up, it was already noon the next day. Her injury kept her from moving much.Everyone gathered outside her bedroom. William came in to check on her."You're fine. Just change the dressings on time," he said, packing up his kit. "You guys can come in now."Debra adjusted her clothes and leaned against the headboard. "Sorry to trouble you.""We're in this together,"