Marshall shook his head, his charming eyes bloodshot. "No, the calls won''t go through. It says he''s out of the service area."


    "Don''t worry," Natalie reassured him. "Queena is here. It will be okay."


    Their only hope now rested on the woman in the other room.


    After about ten minutes, Queena emerged, her face pale.


    Mrs. Spencer Sr.''s voice trembled as she asked, "Ms. Lopez, my son... is he alright?"


    The air grew heavy with anticipation.


    Queena wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. "Ma''am, I am too far away to intervene directly, but I was able to shield him. Today was a day he was fated to die by someone else''s hand, but that fate has been altered. His life will be


    spared."


    A wave of relief washed over Mrs. Spencer Sr., and the tension in her body finally released. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she repeated, her voice choked with emotion.


    "You''re wee, ma''am," Queena said, then turned to Marshall. "Mr. Spencer, I am leaving tomorrow for an uncertain amount of time. I see in your future that in six months, you too will face a fatal trial, a very grim one. I have a jade que here for you. I carved the inscriptions on it myself. Do not take it off, no matter what." She handed the white jade que to Marshall.


    "Thank you, Ms. Lopez!" he said, deeply grateful. "How much do I owe you?"


    Queena smiled. "For the que and for saving your father, I only charge a service fee of three thousand, six hundred and sixty-six dors. You can just transfer it to me."


    Marshall promptly sent the money.


    Mrs. Spencer Sr. looked at her grandson''s literal-mindedness and let out a huff that was half exasperation, half amusement. "You boy, you have no finesse! Is your father''s life only worth that much? Transfer Ms. Lopez ten million."


    "No, no, no," Queena quickly interjected. only take what I am owed. And it was not I who saved you, but Natalie. ording to your family''s destiny and forgive me for being blunt-in six months, you would have had almost no chance of survival."


    Normally, Mrs. Spencer Sr. and Marshall wouldn''t believe in such mystical talk. But with all the evidence they had uncovered, they now trusted Queena''s wordspletely. It all fit together Natafle was grateful that Queena had credited her with the favor.


    Just then, Marshall''s phone rang.


    "Hello! Mr. Wilson, how is my father?" he answered frantically.


    "Marshall, how did you know your father was in trouble?"


    "Mr. Wilson, never mind how I know! Is he okay?"


    "Ah, not great, came the reply. "We were set up. They stole the project, and not only that, they tried to kill us. On the way back, our car was forced off the road by the sea and went into the water. Luckily, it was low tide, so the car didn''t sink when it rolled. Mr. Spencer only has minor injuries, and I just fractured my arm."


    "We''re at the hospital now. We''ll head back after we''re treated. It''s strange, though. The car rolled over several times, but we barely got hurt. The frame ispletely destroyed. It was terrifying."


    Marshall stared at Queena in awe. If it hadn''t been for her, his father would be dead.


    "Marshall, I must have had an angel watching over me today," Mr. Wilson continued. "When I get back, I''m going to a temple to pray. A crash like that should have killed us or crippled us for life. We were so lucky."


    Marshall managed a weakugh. "That''s great, Mr. Wilson. Please be careful."


    "Will do, will do. Heaven protects good people. I''ll send you a picture of the car. You won''t believe we walked away with just a few scratches."


    After hanging up, a photo from Mr. Wilson came through.