Facing their doubt, Ivan exined, "They sent me to kill you, but things were exposed. They showed up again the night you took me and threatened me with my parents'' lives. They asked me to stay close to you and deliver information. I had no choice."


    "Sounds reasonable." Debra nodded, then asked, "But I need a reason to keep you alive. You haven''t given me one."


    "I..." Ivan faltered, hanging his head. "I can''t give you a reason."


    Randyughed, "You bbered on for so long, and in the end, you don''t have any evidence to make us believe you?"


    "If I wanted to kill Mrs. Houston, I wouldn''t have hinted to Mr. Houston to save her," Ivan replied, looking at Debra. "I owe Mrs. Houston. If there''s danger, I''m willing to sacrifice my life to save her."


    "That sounds touching," Debra said, "but empty promises mean nothing. If you want to stand on our side, you have to pledge loyalty. Here is your chance."


    Debra picked up the smallputer and handed it to him. "Now, message your people and tell them that tomorrow, I will go alone to the Nichols Group. It''ll be a trap."


    Randy jumped up. "Debra, think twice. I know you want to catch them, but this is getting way too dangerous. We can''t let you go alone."


    "Naturally, she is not going alone," Erica chimed in. "Once they take the bait, we''ll ambush them along the way."


    "What if they only sent over someckeys? Then we''ll be exposed. Ivan and his family will be doomed," Randy reasoned.


    "You have a point," Erica muttered, turning to Debra. "This doesn''t seem to work."


    "That''s why I''m going alone," Debra replied.


    "No way." Two voices echoed at the same time.


    Debra turned around and saw Andrew sitting in his wheelchair.


    Barton brought him forward, and Andrew spoke solemnly. "You can''t go there alone. It''s too dangerous."


    "Exactly," Randy echoed. "I understand your desperation, but this is way too risky."


    "Think twice, Debra," Erica chimed in. "If Marion and Andrew both


    disagree, this won''t work. If


    vel


    something goes wrong, we won''t be able to fix it."


    Marion furrowed his brows. "I won''t let you take that risk."


    "They''re after me, not you. There is nothing you can do," Debra sighed,


    se after me, not you. There is


    this hand. "I''m not saying go


    I c alone. I can bring someone


    "Who?" he asked.


    Debra looked at Ivan, who was still pressed to the ground. "Why not him?"


    friend or an enemy."


    Randy pointed at Ivan in disbelief. "Him? No way. We don''t know yet if he''s a


    "Randy is


    nght," Erica echoed."


    "This


    is too rash. We can''t trust him. What if he works with them to kill you?" Gontent