Victor shook his head at his brother in disapproval.

Alessandro countered, “We’re family now, no? How are we going to help him if we don’t discuss it?”

Family. At the end of the day, that’s what Dominic was now. Stephan said, “Dominic, you’re welcome to use the software design I was going to offer China.”

Dominic shook his head. “Not an option. It’s different enough that they would know. And, unfortunately, your hacker knew what he was doing, Stephan. No one I’ve paid an obscene amount of hush money to has been able to fix it. It’s as if the virus attached to every line of code.”

Victor looked at his son and said, “Stephan, with all of your connections, you don’t know anyone who could help?”

With a one-shoulder shrug, Stephan said, “The only man I knew who was that good was the man who created the virus, and he’s not budging.”

Dominic said, “I know of some people who could defrag God if they wanted, but I’m not sure they would help us.”

Stephan stood. “Whatever you need, Dominic. If it’s money…”

“No, they don’t care about money.”

Stephan said, “Everyone has their price. What do they care about?”

“Jake,” Dominic answered.

Victor stood up. “No, Jake isn’t one of those Waltons, is he?”

Stephan asked, “What are you talking about, Dad?”

“In the late 1980’s, two highly-respected computer designers made the news for claiming their software was being stolen by the US government for military purposes. It was a huge scandal that ended so abruptly that people were taking bets on whether they’d been bought out or brutally silenced. Either way, it was a loss. The quantum encryption software they were working on back then was so far advanced that we still use their notes as a guide today. If they are alive and still working on software design, I want to meet them. You think Jake is their son?”

Dominic shifted in his chair like he’d been caught saying much more than he’d meant to. “He’s never admitted to it, but I believe he is.”

Victor stood and joined Stephan by the stone railing. “Looks like we’re going to have to find out. Dominic, how much time do you have left before your server goes online?”

“About a month,” Dominic said.

Stephan said, “That’s not much time."

Alessandro patted his nephew’s shoulder in support and said, “I know some people who might be able to help us track them down. If they are alive, I’ll have their location within a week.”

Sweaty and still in his kitchen apron, Richard opened the door to the patio with a huge smile and said, “Dominic, your presence is being requested in the kitchen.”

Dominic looked around at the other men who were also suspiciously smiling. Alessandro walked over and gave Dominic a sympathetic pat on the back. “It’s never a good sign.”

Victor joked, “Maybe they have an extra apron.”

Dominic wordlessly appealed to Stephan for help. Stephan gave him no sympathy, just a wicked smile. “The mighty Dominic Corisi cowers before a kitchen of women?”

Not denying the accusation, Dominic growled, “If you think it’s so funny, you go see what they want.”

Stephan hopped up onto the wide stone railing and didn’t attempt to hide his amusement. “They asked for you.”

Dominic headed into the house, tossing a threat over his shoulder. “I’ll remember this, Stephan.”

Turning back to his father and uncle, Stephan said, “What do you think they want to see him for?”

Alessandro shrugged. “I’ll ask Maddy later.”

Stephan shook his head with humor, then a thought came to him. “Dad, I have one more confession.” Both older men went absolutely still and Stephan wished he had chosen his words more carefully. He hoped he never had another of those confessions. This one was much easier to share. “I told Nicole that we know about the red bikini scam.”

Victor said sadly, “Now your mother won’t wear hers anymore.”

“Dad!” Stephan jumped off the railing and tried to block out the mental image his father had just scarred him with.

Ever optimistic, Alessandro said, “Maybe they’ll come up with something even better. Although, I will miss Elise meeting me at the door in hers.”

Time to go. “I’m going to see if Dominic needs me.”

Stephan stopped at the door of the kitchen and took in the scene before him. Richard had returned to his post at the stove. Maddy was enthusiastically laying out some wild scheme to Dominic whose entire demeanor was softer here with the women. Dominic looked across at Abby, shared a laugh with her and nodded in agreement with something Elise said.

One month. They had one month to fix Dominic’s server.

We can do it. He thought. We have to.

Nicole caught a glimpse of him and headed over to his side. She hugged him, and the weight of the world slid off his shoulders. She said, “The rest of the family will be here soon. How did it go out there? You’re both still alive and smiling, so I’m guessing it went ok.”

“My father liked him, I could tell. And Uncle Alessandro is going to locate someone who could help him remove the virus.”

Nicole turned her face into Stephan’s shirt and he felt her shudder against him. He eased her back a little so he could see her expression. “What is it, Nicole? I’d thought you’d be happy.”

Fighting back tears, she said huskily, “I am happy. I’m so happy that I’m afraid. Can this really be my life? What if I wake up and none of this happened?”

He tucked a stray lock behind her ear and said, “If you do, come to my office in Manhattan. I’m sitting there with your photo in my desk, waiting for you.”

Then he kissed her, the kind of kiss that makes an overprotective brother growl something from across the room, and a crazy aunt give a standing ovation.

***The End***