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!”

ranting any longer,

was bad enough without his

many times now? If

have at least set

his anger getting the

Now, even

responded

cold sweat, Leopold

Vivienne!” He

Vivienne tugged at Percival’s arm, the other hand on the bomb model, and said calmly, “Mr. Wolf,

within the Vanguard Agency had

her mother’s

had called her mother,

the possibility of a mole within the

But now…

had led to her mother’s failed mission, she would ensure the traitor learned that neither

intent. “Yes, I agree. You’ve worked

his face

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

their

rather be slapped by Vivienne or kicked

Reaper was grinning at a

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

rhythmically on the leather seat. “There’s no need

bomb model, her smile as bright as

two aren’t thinking of

bomb’s workings from a model, someone trustworthy and an expert

Vivienne’s silence was an answer in

went pale as he stammered, “No way, I can’t possibly call Griffin. It’s out of the

the tenacious hound he had barely