The Million-Dollar Heart

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.

back, the hospital's no longer

standing up with her even before she

would he have

had made a note of Aaron's number to protect him from swooping in on his

card. She saw the furrow in his brow and peeked at the caller ID. Recognizing the familiar name, she let out a puzzled

cousin's

from onlookers as sparks flew from the tires. Then, as the car doors swung open, two figures dashed out and

So cool, I

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

help, Aaron spoke rapidly,

waitress nearby trembled at the sudden shift in the young

"Vivienne! Percival!"

open, and two agitated figures, Griffin and Leopold,

eyes as if she had

barely noticed what Vivienne was doing as she grabbed her hand,

"Aaron, hold on."

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

arm around Vivienne's shoulder. "I've got

the passenger seat, eyeing the rear-view mirror. Griffin was a pitiful sight, clinging to

driving, felt Percival's judgmental gaze as if silently critiquing his ability to

happened?" Percival had never