The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Judith had been out of the game for years, her skills rusty but her foundation solid. She had kept the violence of her past tucked away like old photographs in an attic, but now, as she faced the detectives of the Major Crimes Unit, it seemed fate had a cruel sense of humor.

The detectives, armed but bound by protocol not to shoot without orders, could only attempt to apprehend Judith with their bare hands.

Judith was fluid in her movements, and every strike was deliberate. However, unarmed, her attacks lacked lethal force. She sought only an opportunity to flee, to avoid paying the ultimate price for a life she no longer claimed.

Percival and Vivienne watched with icy detachment as Judith grappled with the officers.

After a moment, Percival’s gaze shifted to Thomas, who understood the silent command. He drew his gun and, with a chilling indifference, fired a single shot that pierced Judith’s temple instantly.

Judith fell, her eyes wide in disbelief as she fixed them on Thomas, her voice whispering of betrayal. “You, you… How could you?”

Thomas holstered his weapon, his voice colder than his expression. “Judith Brooks, a fugitive for twenty years, assaulted officers in her attempt to escape justice. Her threat to public safety has been neutralized.”

The Brooks family gasped in horror at the scene before them. Despite their influence, they had never witnessed such a brazen act of violence, much less against the matriarch of their household.

Kala and others screamed and rushed forward while Timothy and Cheryl stood frozen, unable to process the sight of their mother, once vibrant and alive, now lifeless before them. Their legs shook as they stared at Judith’s cold body on the ground.

“How dare you!” Scott roared. “You dare spill blood in the Brooks household? Who gave you the authority to take my mother’s life? Do you think there’s nothing I can do about this?”

Having just recovered from the shock, laced with outrage, Timothy said, “This is outrageous! Even if she was guilty, we have laws. You’ve denied her life without due process. This is an abuse of power!”

Although he agreed that Judith should be punished for taking ten lives, she was his mother, after all. He could not accept the fact that his mother was shot down like that without even having the chance to negotiate in court.

Scott was swift. “Surround the mansion! No one leaves today. We’ll see who gets away with murder on

emergency hotline, the detectives who had been standing moments before crumpled to the ground, writhing

was cut short by the sight of Vivienne, from whom silver needles seemed to have flown with deadly accuracy. And as predicted, doctors and nurses in white coats rushed in to tend to the fallen officers, declaring

doctor’s words were like a death knell. “Who

implications. An assault on law enforcement

the mansion. Like a mouse spotted

commanding, “For assaulting officers and endangering national security,

underestimated Percival and Vivienne, and now the Brooks

and the others, usually fearless, were now shaking with terror.

everything. Tell them we’re innocent!”

the family, Vivienne’s eyes held a glint of something

into a chair, a wordless

rose when he saw

the Brooks family was in a much more

rashly, he decided to ponder and

was about to accomplish, his mother’s death was insignificant.

Scott’s face, Vivienne showed a hint

with fear, and frowned. Then,

glanced at the Brooks siblings, returned the nod, and said to

the leader of the Vanguard Agency and said, “Judith has been apprehended and neutralized on the spot. The rest

say much, just bellowed, “Pack it

to regroup, they did not leave. They were waiting for Percival’s following

cursory inspection, and