Outside a church, Drake leaned against his car, lighting a cigarette.


    By the time he finished smoking, Kale had sealed off the church with his team.


    "Anything?" Drake asked.


    Kale gestured for his men to bring over a few boxes. Insidey ck cloaks and


    white masks resembling those from European theater.


    "Nothing else?"


    "No."


    Drake picked up a mask and turned to Debra, who was sitting in the car. "Is this


    it?"


    Debra looked at it and nodded. "That''s the one."


    "Pack them up and take them away."


    "Your one-swoop takedowns are pretty polished."


    "It''s passable."


    "That wasn''t apliment."


    Drake had brought her there so early in the morning. She had thought there was


    some urgent matter, but it was just sealing off the church.


    "If you shut the church down, how will we catch them in the?"


    "I''ve taken control of the Jovial Hotel. Do you think they''d stille back?"


    "Makes sense. So, you do use your brain asionally."


    "Of course."


    "Then what''s the point of sealing this church now?"


    "To vent my anger."


    Debra forced a smile. "So, you dragged me here so early in the morning just for


    that?"


    "Don''t you feel better?"


    "Should I thank you for it?"


    "You''re wee."


    Debra pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling helpless.


    She shifted gears. "Marion''s almost


    recovered. I''ll leave things here to


    you. Marion ising to pick me up,


    and our flight is at noon."


    Drake paused mid-motion, flicking the ash off his cigarette.


    "Leaving this mess to me, huh? You''ve got it all figured out."


    "I''m doing you a favor by eliminating a potential threat."


    "Shut up. They''re after you, not me."


    "Same difference. We''re in the same


    boat. I gave you the share transfer


    agreement. You don''t know who


    they will go after once they find out."


    "Come on. If it weren''t for you..."


    Drake stopped mid-sentence,


    catching Debra''s reflection in the


    rearview mirror. I need to


    my influence in Seamar City.


    Otherwise, I wouldn''t have taken the


    risk."


    Marion''s car arrived, pulling up at the church entrance.


    Debra said, "Yeah. We both get what we want. Thanks for everything. Until we


    meet again."


    Drake watched her carefree expression in the mirror as she left. Frustration


    bubbled in his chest.


    He''d always known Debra would leave once her business was done. But when


    the moment came, he felt like he had suffered a great loss.