The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne slammed the phone down with a chilling finality that seemed to echo the icy resolve in her eyes.

Three minutes later, the realization hit both Vivienne and Percival simultaneously.

The bomb research facility was nestled right beneath Eastlake Bay Plaza, spreading its clandestine roots beneath half the square.

The scene suggested a hasty escape; the fleeing suspects only had snatched the crucial documents.

The operatives from the Nine Mystics Society had already evacuated, and Leopold, leading the first squad, had scoured the base thoroughly.

“Vivienne, Percival, check this out.” Leopold approached, cradling a box in his arms.

Percival flipped the box open to reveal a scale model of a state-of-the-art bomb—obviously left behind in the chaos.

This only confirmed the suspicion that the perpetrators had received an urgent tip-off.

Otherwise, they never would have left something so vital behind.

Vivienne extracted the model, a one-to-one replica. While not as revealing as written documents, to the trained eye, it could divulge the bomb’s design.

The bomb’s most unnerving feature was its ability to evade detection—compact, portable, and easy to conceal.

Understanding how it slipped past sensors would be key to preemptive defense.

Vivienne tucked the model away. “I’m taking this.”

Percival nodded. He had no intention of reporting a mere model to the higher-ups. He still had that much leverage.

Instead, Percival simply called Thomas, instructing him to report the escapees’ flight, foregoing a return to headquarters.

On the way back, Leopold was fuming.

“Damn it, if we had set up a blockade sooner, I bet we could’ve stopped them. What are the higher-ups thinking? If they’re worried about civilian safety, just make up an excuse to evacuate. A fire drill, earthquake drill—anything would’ve worked. This is infuriating!”

to stomach his ranting any longer,

frustration of a botched operation was

Leopold retorted. “How many times now? If nothing works, maybe we should just

least set up

ranks already?” Leopold blurted out, his

even

the back, responded darkly, “Sure, any other

into a cold sweat, Leopold realized what he had

me, Vivienne!”

Vivienne tugged at Percival’s arm, the other hand on

complications within the Vanguard Agency had thwarted their recent

of her mother’s

called her mother,

possibility of a mole within the Vanguard Agency,

But now…

mission, she would ensure the traitor learned that neither prison nor the grave would be their ultimate

understanding her intent. “Yes, I agree. You’ve worked hard today,

chill. He turned, his face a portrait

the bomb model, a sly smile playing on her

their expressions,

or kicked by Percival than subjected to their chilling

if the Grim Reaper was grinning at a doomed

Leopold clasped his hands, pleading with the pair, “I’m sorry, Vivienne, Percival. I’ll do whatever you ask—climb mountains, swim oceans, even streak across Mount

“There’s no need

as bright as ever.

aren’t thinking of her, are

bomb’s workings from a model, someone

and Vivienne’s silence was an

I can’t possibly call Griffin. It’s out

hound he had