"First, we need to contact Vivianne and ensure her needs align with yours." Sam leans back, giving me that same intense, calculated stare. "If she doesn't want to be extricated, we won't act."
Frustration bubbles up inside me. "You don't understand. There's no way to reach her. She's locked down. It's impossible."
Sam and Forest exchange a look that says they know something I don't, and I suddenly feel like I'm missing something crucial.
Sam's lips curl into a small, amused smile. "Our people are already in place and attempting contact."
"What?" I blink, caught off guard.
"We don't sit around twiddling our thumbs." Forest's voice is calm but with a hint of snark. "Our team is in the process of confirming whether Vivianne wants out."
"We should have confirmation at any time." Sam leans forward slightly, expression unchanging.
"Their tech is extreme. You're telling me you've bypassed all that without anyone noticing?" Merlin shakes his head, incredulous.
"We're not worried about their tech. We've handled worse. We mean it when we say we can slip in and out unnoticed." Forest shrugs with casual confidence that borders on arrogance.
I pause, stunned by the sudden shift, but relief creeps in around the edges. "And once you've confirmed she's ready to leave?"
"Then we work on the extraction plan." Sam's eyes lock on mine.
I clench my jaw, the need to move forward eating at me, but I can't argue with them. They're professionals, and they've clearly done this before.
"Fine. But don't waste time. She doesn't have much of it."
"We'll get her out." Sam's tone is steady but firm. "But make no mistake—this won't be easy. We'll need every detail you can give us, and you need to trust our methods. There may be things you disagree with."
"Such as?"
Sam leans back, kicking his ankle over his opposite knee with a relaxed confidence that only adds to my growing frustration. "The timing, for one thing."
"What about the timing?" Unease settles like a stone in my chest.
"If she truly wants to get away from her family—for good—then a public extraction is best." Sam's tone is matter-of-fact.
"I don't follow."
"We're looking at removing her during the ceremony." Forest shifts slightly, folding his arms across his chest.
"The wedding?" I leap to my feet, the idea sending a jolt of anger and panic through me. "That's too late. This needs to happen now."
"Think about it." Sam's expression doesn't change, calm as ever. "There will be hundreds of guests at the wedding—plenty of ways for our team to blend in with the crowd. You'll have service personnel, caterers, photographers... it's the perfect cover. No one will notice a few extra people slipping in and out."
"That's your plan? To take her in front of all those people?" Incredulity sharpens my voice.
"If she wants to sever ties with her family, it must be public. Doing it during the ceremony makes it clear to everyone that she's choosing to leave them. No questions, no rumors of coercion. If we pull her out in secret, there will always be whispers, always a threat looming over her. They won't stop coming after her." Forest nods, his gaze sharp, almost brutal.
I swallow hard, the weight of their logic pressing down on me, but I can't shake the urgency gnawing at my gut. "You don't understand... I need her out of there yesterday." I pull away, running a hand through my hair. "And what if something goes wrong? What if they realize what's happening?"
"That's why we're here. To make sure it doesn't go wrong." Sam's eyes are cold and calculating.
"But for this to work, we need every detail. There can't be any surprises once we're inside." Forest's voice is low and hard.
"Is there anything else we need to know?" Sam leans forward, fixing me with a look that leaves no room for ambiguity.
For a split second, I hesitate. The Swan. That damn pendant. But this... this is about getting Vivianne out safely. "No. Nothing that will affect the extraction."
Forest studies me for a moment longer, his piercing blue eyes sharp as ever, then nods. "Good. Because once we're in, we can't afford any surprises."
