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As we waited for the call from Liltech, I allowed myself to believe, perhaps for the first time since her disappearance, that we would find her, that she would be safe once more in my arms.
Mike, standing beside Joe, looked up at me with eager eyes.
"I can't thank you enough for remembering the Little Locator. You might have just given us the chance we've been desperately hoping for," I said, my voice laced with genuine gratitude and a newfound spark of hope.
Mike's response was immediate, his chest swelling with a mix of pride and joy at the acknowledgment. "It was nothing, Uncle Hank!" he replied, his gaze flitting between Joe and me, seeking approval.
Joe, ever the supportive Daddy, ruffled Mike's hair affectionately, his eyes softening. "You did good, my boy. Really good. This could be it," he said, a smile breaking through the tension that had been our constant companion these past few days.
My own worry was a relentless shadow, though, refusing to be completely dispelled by the flicker of hope Mike's memory had ignited. "But what if Finn found the locator and threw it away? What if this lead takes us nowhere?" The words were out before I could stop them, the fear of another disappointment clawing at my insides.
Mike, however, was undeterred, his smile unwavering. "Don't worry. The locator looks just like a regular part of a Little's outfit. Finn probably didn't even notice it," he explained, his optimism infectious.
The call from Liltech came, and the room fell silent as we gathered around the screen, displaying the map. When Lina's location appeared, a few miles from our current location, a collective sigh of relief filled the room. My eyes welled up with tears, the relief mingling with an overwhelming rush of emotions.
"The prototype isn't super accurate, but it'll give us a rough idea of where she might be," Mike added, tempering our relief with a dose of reality.
In a spontaneous moment of unity, Mike extended his hand, and Joe and I joined in, our hands stacking in a symbol of our collective resolve. Elijah, waddling towards us just then, added his hand to ours, his confusion clear but his spirit undaunted. "I don't know what's happening, but I'm in!" he declared, his energy matching ours.
"It's time to bring Lina home," I announced, the determination in my voice reflecting the resolve in our hearts.
Mike, ever the strategist, leaned in closer to the map, his finger hovering over a specific location. With a confident giggle, he pointed to a spot on the map. "I'm almost sure this is where Finn's hiding out. It's going to be easier than we thought."
The room, once heavy with despair, was now filled with a sense of purpose. With Mike's lead, we had a direction, a tangible goal.
Chapter 19: Lina
AS I LAY THERE, WEAKENED BY DAYS OF NEGLECT, the sight of Daddy, Hank, Joe, and Elijah entering the dimly lit room filled me with an indescribable mix of fear and confusion. Finn's words echoed in my mind, painting everyone I loved as his accomplices in this cruel game of manipulation.
"Daddy?" I whispered, my voice barely audible, laced with suspicion and fear. "Is that really you, or is this another one of Finn's tricks?"
Hank knelt beside me, his eyes brimming with concern and love. "Princess, it's me. It's really me. We're here to take you home," he assured me, reaching out to gently touch my hand.
But I recoiled, my heart racing with paranoia. "No, you're working for Finn, aren't you? He told me you would come like this, pretending to save me. I won't fail his test. I won't try to escape," I rambled, my mind a tangled mess of fear and loyalty to the man who had convinced me he was my savior.
Hank's face crumpled with pain at my words, and Joe stepped forward, his expression grave. "Lina, listen to us. Finn has been lying to you. We're not working for him. We've been searching for you day and night," Joe said firmly, trying to break through the fog of my delusions.
Elijah, always the source of light-heartedness, tried to smile, but his eyes were filled with tears. "Remember the fun times we've had? The beach, the sandcastles? How can those be lies?" he pleaded, hoping to spark a flicker of recognition.
Their words, their presence, it all felt so real, yet Finn's words had rooted itself so deeply within me that I doubtedeverything and everyone. "How can I believe you? Finn said... he said you would say these things. That you'd try to trick me," I stuttered, torn between the memories of love and the web of lies spun by Finn.
Daddy's voice broke through my fear, soft yet unwavering. "Lina, look at me. Remember our first day together? The promise I made to always protect you, to always be there for you. Would I ever break that promise?"
His mention of our first day together, the warmth of his promise, it tugged at something deep within me. Memories of genuine moments we shared bubbled to the surface, challenging the narrative Finn had forced upon me.
"But Finn said... he said I couldn't trust my own memories," I whispered, the conflict visible in my eyes as I dared to look up at Daddy.
Hank leaned closer, his voice a soothing balm against the chaos in my mind. "Your heart knows the truth, Lina. Trust it. Trust us. We love you, and we're here to bring you back to where you belong—with us."
In the dimly lit room, I gazed into Daddy's eyes, seeking the truth in the depths of his gaze. "Prove it," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Prove to me you're really who you say you are."
Daddy nodded, understanding the gravity of my request. He took a deep breath, and with a softness in his voice that I hadn't heard in what felt like an eternity, he began to recount the details of our shared life.
"Do you remember the night we met at that club?" he started, his eyes locking onto mine. "We couldn't stand each other at first. But fate had a different plan for us. You were so surprised when you walked into Apex Creations and found outthat the very same man you despised from the night before was your new boss."
A flicker of recognition sparked within me. Yes, I remembered our rocky start, the unexpected turn that led us to where we were.
"And the cooking lessons," he continued, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You were determined to teach me, despite my... let's just say, less than stellar culinary skills. We ended up ordering takeout more times than I can count because of my 'unique' interpretations of your recipes."
