The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The buzz of the bustling barbecue joint filled the air as Vivienne savored the morsels Percival fed her. A thought struck her, and she looked up with curiosity. “Any word on Huxley yet?”

Over the sizzling grill, Percival flipped a juicy burger and shook his head. “That guy’s slippery. If he’s involved, his crew won’t let him get caught that easily.”

Vivienne nodded in agreement. “Ever since Samantha vanished, GTO’s been eerily quiet.”

As Percival handed her a slice of steak, he raised an eyebrow, “You don’t think GTO’s behind this?”

She shook her head, lacking evidence but trusting her instincts. “If GTO had their hands on that kind of tech, they’d have flaunted it ages ago. No way they’d wait this long and then put Huxley on the job.”

“Mr. Wolf, I’ll have some of that,” she said casually, pointing at a plate of ribs.

Vivienne continued, “If I’m right, this has got to do with that woman in red. That potion—if you can even call it that—seems more like a refined kind of hex. It’s designed to mess with your head; the actual effects, we’ll have to wait for Brody’s lab report.”

Percival’s surprise was evident. “Mom’s in a coma; how could this drug work on someone who’s asleep? Unless… it can force them awake?”

Since marrying Vivienne, Percival had naturally started calling Karen ‘Mom’, despite her not having woken up yet. It was a term of endearment he was getting used to.

Vivienne laughed lightly, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “The human brain is the world’s most complex mystery. Modern medicine can manipulate certain emotions, but it can’t control the body. Reviving someone from a coma is next to impossible.”

If such a drug existed, vegetative states wouldn’t be such a dilemma in medical science.

“Anyway, with the target on Mom’s back, the hospital’s no longer safe. Are you full?”

Percival took her word as gospel, quickly standing up with her even before she could answer. At that moment, his phone rang.

Aaron?

have

of Aaron’s number to protect him from swooping in on

Percival’s card. She saw the furrow in his brow and peeked at the caller

she let out a puzzled “Aaron?” and took the phone to answer, “Aaron,

voice immediately sounded, “Vivienne, it’s bad! Your cousin’s caught up in something nasty. Check the trending

outside the barbecue place, drawing screams

the car doors swung open, two figures dashed out and went into the barbecue joint like a gust of

“What just flew by?”

car! So cool, I

has been taken home by her agent. But the internet is dragging her through the mud, and they

Aaron spoke rapidly, and Vivienne’s expression darkened

waitress nearby trembled at the sudden shift in

“Vivienne! Percival!”

restaurant’s door burst open, and two agitated

red, swollen eyes as if she had been crying, a

her hand, “Vivienne, please help me. My

“Aaron, hold on.”

crowded at meal time, and sensed Percival’s discomfort at the attention. Leopold caught the signal and was the first to act, pulling Griffin aside.

wrapped an arm around Vivienne’s shoulder. “I’ve got a

the car, Percival sat in the passenger seat, eyeing the rear-view mirror. Griffin

his ability to comfort his girlfriend, thinking, “Come

Percival had never seen Leopold so