Chapter 1666

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 knows what those creeps will pull? We gotta hit first." Erica got it, but Debra had taken too many hits lately. She couldn't help worrying.

"I can't tell if this meeting is a trap. But it's our shot," Debra said, taking Marion's hand. "Their head has agreed to show. We've gotta grab it."

"I trust you," he said. "But promise me you'll keep yourself safe. Trust us too. We've got your back."

"I know," Debra said, a small smile breaking through.

They'd leaned on each other this whole way. Even now, in the thick of it, they wouldn't ditch one another.

In a church, whispers filled the air.

The Illuminati's core members sat, clutching candles and chanting. Up front, the bishop stood like a god.

A man in a black cloak but no mask strode in. It was none other than Michael. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ findnovel.net

"They wanna see you. I said yes," he said.

Everyone swapped nervous glances, their whispers tinged with fear.

"So be it," the bishop said calmly.