“Our camp hosts high-profile professional athletes from across the world. You need to be on the approved contact list provided by each league if you would like to reach anyone through us.”
Shoot. “Okay,” I mutter.
“Sorry I couldn’t help. Was there anything else?”
“Nope, thank you!” I say through a grimace. The line clicks.
It’s whatever. Actually, it isn’t whatever because I’m sitting on amazing news that’s burning a hole in my mouth.
I update Nils, but he’s probably asleep and doesn’t text back. Frustrated, I spend the rest of the evening puttering around the house and keeping busy, with no update from Erik coming in before I fall into a restless sleep.
The next morning, I wake up way too early at seven, and I immediately check my phone. A text from Silja is waiting for me.
Silja Grönvall
Hey Luke! Nils and I stalked the Elite Camp’s social media and we found Erik in the background of a story they posted yesterday
So he’s alive!
She sends a screenshot of the story in question, with Erik circled in red.
Thanks! Tried to call the camp last night but they wouldn’t put me through
Said something about SHL privacy restrictions
Yeah Nils tried too and they said the same thing
I’m in the middle of typing out a reply when a barrage of notifications interrupts me.
Nils Enlund added you and Silja Grönvall to the group “Finding Erik”
Nils Enlund
This is an emergency
Erik has gone off the grid
Incoming Video Call from Nils Enlund in the group “Finding Erik”
It’s not even eight in the morning and this is too much chaos. I pick up anyway.
Nils booms through my speakers. “Luke, are you taking a nap?”
What?“No? I woke up a minute ago.”
“You look likethatright after waking up? No wonder Erik is obsessed with you.”
I have bedhead and chapped lips. What is he even talking about?
“Anyway,” he says as Silja walks in and joins him. “I’m calling you to discuss the severe crisis that has befallen us, and it must be resolved at the earliest opportunity.”
Holy corporate-speak. Nils is givingmea run for my money. “Crisis? Erik’s phone is off, it’s hardly a crisis.”
“Why am I more concerned about your boyfriend going missing than you?”
I groan. “He isn’tmissing, Nils.”
“But he is,” Nils insists. “Nobody can reach him at all!”
