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, snapped. “Husky, can

operation was bad enough

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

outrage was not unwarranted—they could have at least set up

blurted out, his anger getting the better of him, a

temples. Now, even

in the back, responded darkly,

a cold sweat, Leopold realized what he had

me, Vivienne!” He yelled

desperate plea, Vivienne tugged at Percival’s arm, the other hand on the bomb model, and said calmly, “Mr. Wolf, perhaps it’s time for you to

within the Vanguard Agency had thwarted their recent

of her

had called her mother,

possibility of a mole within the

But now…

she would ensure the traitor learned

intent. “Yes, I

his face a portrait of dread.

smile playing on her lips, while Percival’s normally stoic eyes twinkled

witnessing their

or kicked by

was as if the Grim Reaper was grinning at a

the pair, “I’m sorry, Vivienne, Percival. I’ll do whatever you ask—climb mountains, swim

on the leather seat. “There’s no

as bright as

two aren’t thinking

deduce a bomb’s workings from a

and Vivienne’s silence was an

as he stammered, “No way, I can’t possibly call Griffin.

– the tenacious hound