The two boys listened with apprehension.


    "No, please don''t," Ryan freaked out, turning to Troy. "Just tell them. The Illuminati isn''t really connected to us. They won''t save us when shit hits the fan. Don''t be dumb about this."


    Debra knew guys this age always dreamed of being the savior. But when life-and-death stakes hit, the flesh reacted first.


    Troy gritted his teeth. "The Illuminati is a great church that''ll push humanity forward. I''ll never betray my faith."


    Erica''s patience ran out. "Waste no more time with this kid. His mind is messed up."


    It was like watching a delusional teenager raise the g of an enemy nation, shouting for world peace. "Faith? Do you even know what that means?" Debra stepped up to him. "Do you know how they hurt innocent people and how much damage they have done to society? A great church that''ll advance humanity? That''s just a lie they feed na?ve kids like you. They tell you to kill, and you just do it? That''s stupid."


    "A great church wouldn''t make kids do things like that," she went on. "They''re just using you as a tool to spread their cult. When it''s crunch time, they''ll have you sacrifice yourself, brainwashing you into thinking it''s some grand contribution to humanity."


    She poked his head. "You''ve been to school all these years. What have you learned? Where do you think those organse from? People. What kind of people? You don''t seriously think they''re from kind-hearted donors, do you? Do you have any idea how many lives a ck-market chain destroys? How many families did it ruin? You want your children walking down the street someday, getting kidnapped, and having their organs ripped out?"


    His face turned ashen, and she continued, "I hope you get this straight. All those so-called conveniences are for the rich. That progress they talk about? It''s just for the wealthy. You think a poor kid like you could ever join the Illuminati? Dream on. Once they''re done with you, they''ll kill you to tie up loose ends without a second thought."


    Ryan stood there, stunned.


    His family was well-off in Orkgate, but they were just running a mid-sized business pulling in millions a year. They''d never touched the dark underbelly Debra described. Maybe it wasn''t that they weren''t worthy of it or that he just hadn''t gotten there yet.


    "Kurtis deserved to die," Debra said. "He messed up countless women. But it shouldn''t have been kids taking him out. You weren''t serving justice. You were just pawns. Youmitted murder, and you''ll pay with your life."


    "Just leave it to Marion," Erica piped up. "He has got all the ways to make them talk."<fn72b0> For original chapters go to Find~Novel</fn72b0>