Debra reached out to take his hand.On the surface, Marion acted as though nothing fazed him. But deep down, he was far more vulnerable than he let on.The employees they had just dealt with were likely people who had worked loyally by his side for years.The enemy's methods were insidious, aiming to force them to destroy their own foundation piece by piece."I'm fine," Marion murmured, squeezing her hand. "Let's go check the back room."Debra nodded and followed him.Burnt-out stubs littered the floor, and the faint haze of smoke still hung in the air. Rows of gambling machines lined up along the walls.She recognized them immediately. She'd seen machines like these back in Orkgate. She remembered the day Drake had shown her a vacant lot under construction, boasting about his plans to create a playground of sin.Her lips tightened, and she broke the silence. "Drake must have a part in this."Nothing moved in or out of Orkgate without his approval.With a flick of his hand, M
Drake kicked the table in front of him. "I wasn't buying machines. I was helping you catch criminals, okay?"The two interrogators looked at him like he was crazy. One of them asked, "Why don't you tell us about the severed hand and the machines in the box?""I've been saying this for ages. I'm helping you catch criminals. Why are you arresting me?" Drake growled.His mind was all on finding the culprit who set him up. He was in no mood for questions.The interrogator ignored his outburst. "How many times have you transported these machines? Who's the buyer? Who's the seller?""I'm the CEO of the Lowe Group," Drake growled. "I'm from Orkgate. I want to know who the hell stole my machines as much as you do."The interrogator raised an eyebrow. "So, the machines are yours?"Drake laughed in disbelief, "You know what? Just call Marion and Debra. You must know them, right?"The interrogators exchanged a glance.In the Potter Mansion, Debra sat on the sofa. "What? Drake got arreste
Marion and Debra parked their car outside the police station.Pedro spotted them from afar and jogged over, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Mr. and Mrs. Houston, you're finally here."From his anxious looks, Debra could tell how much chaos Drake had stirred up inside the station."Is he inside?" she asked."Yes. Please, just take him away. I can't take it anymore," Pedro pleaded, clasping his hands together.Debra raised an eyebrow. "Drake surely knows how to make a scene.""I'm not going in," Marion said, twirling his car keys. "Or he won't say a thing.""But he called for you. Are you sure?""Not interested in seeing him.""Alright."Inside the police station, Drake was lounging in a chair, his hands cuffed in front of him.Two interrogators stood before him, bowing and apologizing."We're sorry for recognizing you in those clothes, Mr. Lowe.""Exactly, Mr. Lowe. We thought you were joking. Please, take off the handcuffs.""I'm not taking them off," Drake said lazily,
"Debra!" Drake growled. "I came to track down the guy who set me up. Give me back the key.""Oh, come on. Are you seriously trying to tell me that someone managed to smuggle out thousands of machines under your nose and set you up? No kidding. You're the CEO of Lowe Group, infamous for your ruthless control. Who'd dare cross you?"Drake huffed, "Ruthless control? Where'd you get that idea? Sure, the reputation precedes me, but that doesn't mean no one dares pull tricks under my nose."Debra dug at her ear, unbothered by his outburst. "You mean, this whole thing has nothing to do with you? Alright, I believe you, and so does Marion. But how are you going to convince others? After all, you were caught at the docks for transporting over 100 machines. Only Kale and you were found at the scene. How could anyone not suspect you?""I told you. It was a setup.""And who was it?""I had the guy in control, but as soon as the police showed up, he escaped."His explanation sounded weak, ev
Debra and Pedro waited outside the police station.Debra had her arms crossed, not happy that Drake asked everyone else to get out.She believed the two men were hiding something from her.A moment later, Marion came out, followed by Drake.Drake shook the cuffs. "Take them off."Marion turned to Pedro. "Uncuff him.""But the key is..." Pedro glanced at Drake."Oh, the key is with me," Debra said, handing it to Pedro.Once he was uncuffed, Drake simply walked away.Debra pointed at him. "He's just leaving like that?""Let him go," Marion said, leading her into the car.Debra couldn't help but ask, "What did you two talk about?""Some stuff between men," Marion said, making a shushing gesture."Are you just hiding it from me?" Debra pouted.Marion chuckled, "Drake isn't the mastermind behind all this. I knew that already. He's not smart enough to pull off something this big. He just told me some secrets about the Lowe Group.""What secrets?" Debra's curiosity was piqued.
"Please, don't get me into this," Randy pleaded."I don't want to die," Erica echoed. "I'm still young."Debra peeked out. "Excuse me, is K that terrifying?"Randy and Erica nodded vigorously. When they realized plugging their ears wasn't helping, they finally put their hands down.Erica said, "Listen. Whatever this is about, let them handle it. As for K's identity, we have no idea.""And we're not curious about it," Randy echoed.Debra studied their expressions. "But you look curious."Marion chimed in, "We don't know K's identity, but Drake has been secretly working for K's organization all along. We couldn't find anything because they've been hiding their tracks."Randy frowned. "Hiding? How? Every listed company needs a business license and detailed records. All their information should be online."Debra explained, "When Marion mentioned hiding, he meant their identity was concealed. The company wouldn't be called 'K Group' out in the open. It's probably a conglomerate tha
Garland and Liza were brought to the Potter Mansion. They were both bewildered as they were pushed down onto the sofa.Randy and Erica leaned in, eyeing them with a mix of caution and suspicion."Why are you looking at me like that?" Liza huffed.Garland fidgeted. "Is something wrong?""Suspicious, very suspicious," Randy muttered, stroking his chin. "The son and daughter of the Eaton family are both here. Are you planning something big in Seamar City?"Erica chimed in, "I've heard Fermin Eaton is a big shot overseas. He's top-notch in every way and has a reputation for being decisive. How could someone like that wear cartoon pajamas?"Garland was wearing SpongeBob pajamas. He retorted, "I was sleeping when you brought me here. What's wrong with my clothes? These are limited editions. You can't even buy them."He stopped mid-sentence, sensing everyone's gaze on him.Randy asked, "We're curious. You and your sister didn't come to Seamar City just for sightseeing, right?"Before
Garland and Liza were dragged to the guest rooms on the third floor."Give me a minute. Your rooms will be ready soon," Erica said cheerfully, rushing to arrange things.Liza, dressed in her pajamas, glanced at Garland. "Are they holding us hostage here?""I'm not sure," Garland replied, glancing at Erica and Randy, who were enthusiastically directing the maids to clean up the rooms. "Probably not. They seem pretty friendly."Downstairs, Debra asked Marion, "Do you think the Eaton family is connected to K?""I'm not sure about the Eaton family," he replied, handing her a peeled orange slice. "But Garland and Liza? Definitely not."Debra took the orange and popped it into her mouth. "I don't know. It just feels strange that they came to Seamar City at a time like this. Garland, in particular, is acting like a different person from before.""Don't worry too much," Marion reassured her. "Now that they're here, Randy and Erica will keep tabs on them. Their every move will be under o
"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,"