We all wait for his answer. I may not know Phil all that well, but I know him well enough to not be surprised when he quickly nods and says, “Of course I’ll help.”
I let out a relieved breath and stand, motioning for him to follow me over to the kitchen island that’s covered in equipment. I set my laptop back where it was and then show him the monitor with the sections mapped out.
“I’ll have to go into work to do it,” he says, “but I can tell them I need to run a quick diagnostic test.” He points towards a section that covers the upper north side of the city. “I’ll tell them I’ve noticed irregular load fluctuation in this area, feeder twelve. It’ll go on record, but that’s not a problem. This isn’t uncommon. I’ll only be able to isolate each section for about twenty seconds, so make sure your eyes are on that screen the whole time.”
“They will be,” I tell him.
“Okay,” he thinks for a second while staring at the map and then says, “I think the best way to do it is to start with feeder one and work my way around.”
I follow the movement of his finger. We’re in feeder three, and the pattern circles out and around us, so the bigger the number, the farther away it is.
“When can you do it?” I ask him. Glancing back at the screen, I try not to think about all this hinging on Cupid keeping the feed going.
“I can go in now,” Phil says while my Uncle Vitaly grins and gently smacks him on the back.
“Welcome to the family,” he says, making Phil give him a startled look.
Fixing his glasses, Phil looks over at my uncle and even though I know he must feel a little intimidated, he meets my uncle’s eyes and says, “I’ll do whatever it takes to get my daughter back.”
My uncle’s always been an exuberant kind of guy, so it’s no surprise to anyone when Vitaly wraps him in a side hug and says, “Hang in there, Phil, and don’t worry, we won’t make you kill anyone on your first assignment.”
“He’s kidding,” I quickly say, seeing the color drain from Phil’s face. “This is just you going in and running a test, same as I’m sure you’ve done hundreds of times before. We’ll take care of the rest.”
Phil turns to me. “What will you do?”
I give him the same answer. “Whatever it takes to get her back.” When he seems relieved by my answer instead of horrified, I add, “And then I’m marrying your daughter.”
“Bring her back safely and you have my blessing,” he says.
Grace joins us and says, “You have mine, too. I could see how much Sav loves you when she brought you to supper. I’ve never seen my daughter look at anyone like the way she looks at you.”
She surprises me by giving me a hug. “Do whatever you need to do to get her back, Niki.”
“I will,” I promise her.
Letting me go, she gives her husband a hug and tells him to be careful before my mom coaxes her and Cindy to join everyone upstairs. She knows we need to focus, and it’ll be best if Grace isn’t here. If Cupid shows back up, her mom won’t take it well, and worrying about that is the last thing I need.
Sasha leaves to walk them upstairs, and as soon as the door shuts, we hash out a plan. The sun hasn’t risen yet, so the night crew will still be on duty, but Phil doesn’t seem worried about the other men in the control room. He’s treating it as a routine test, and that’s exactly what we need him to do. I put myself in his contacts so he can text me what he’s doing, and soon he’s walking out the door with Ev and Vitya. They’re going to escort him to and from his work since it’s best Ev doesn’t come along for the rescue, and Sveta’s husband usually stays more on the sidelines anyway. I swear it’s because my Uncle Vitaly wants to protect him since he’s married to his daughter, but he’ll never admit it.
After they leave, I sit down and get ready. Savanna wakes after a few minutes, letting out a pained groan when she tries to move and realizes she’s still in the hell she was hoping was a nightmare. I watch her wiggle her hands, trying to get the circulation back while she rolls her neck, wincing at how sore it is.
“Just a little bit longer, Van,” I whisper. “Stay strong for just a little bit longer.”
She sighs and stretches her legs out. There’s no getting comfortable when you’re chained to a bed, so she doesn’t waste her energy trying. She slumps down and just accepts the fact that she’s going to be miserable. I swear to myself that as soon as I get her out of there, I’m spoiling her for the rest of our lives. This woman will never know a single discomfort ever again.
My dad checks his watch. “You ready? He should be walking into the building soon.”
I double-check that everything is now on battery and nod.
“I’m ready,” I say, and the words are barely out of my mouth before I get a text from Ev, letting me know Phil’s just been dropped off. “He’s there.”
I feel the excitement and tension in the room. Everyone is exhausted and running on adrenaline, and we’re all more than ready to find her and put an end to Cupid once and for all. My leg bounces as I tap my foot against the barstool, too antsy to sit still.
I grab my phone as soon as it buzzes. “He’s about to do feeder one,” I tell them.
Everyone stands behind me, all eyes on the screen, waiting to see if the light goes out. I get the text that it’s done, but the lightbulb stays on.
ME:
