The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Before Anna could even speak, she saw a motorcycle racing towards them from behind, the rider wielding a baseball bat. As it closed in, the bat smashed against the rear car window with a vicious swing.

Anna shielded herself with her arm and yelled, “Hit the gas, now!”

Kenneth snapped to attention and floored the accelerator, speeding forward.

The car was a top-of-the-line sports model, yet to their astonishment, the motorcycle clung to their tail, relentlessly hammering at the window.

Although Aaron had learned a bit of self-defense from Mark, he was no match for actual combat. He could only huddle behind his school bag, yelling at Kenneth, “Can’t you go any faster?!”

“This is as fast as she goes, dammit!” Kenneth was more terrified of the glass shards flying towards them than anything else; they could ruin his good looks!

Anna tried to open the door to fight back, but it was so badly bent it would not budge.

With a powerful kick, she shattered the car door window, steadied herself by grabbing the grab handle, and leaned out. Her lithe body delivered a kick that sent the pursuing motorcyclist tumbling into the roadside greenery, bike and all.

Kenneth was dumbstruck for a moment. “You could’ve just told me to retract the roof; this is a convertible!”

Anna’s lips twitched with irritation, unable to comprehend how their team leader could have such an idiotic brother.

Aaron cursed and said, “Well, aren’t you going to open it now?”

“Forget it,” Anna said, leaning forward to push Kenneth’s head to the side while she grabbed the steering wheel. “Just drive!”

Kenneth, reacting instinctively, slammed on the gas, and Anna executed a smooth right-hand drift.

They had just rounded the corner when they heard the sound of another motorcycle crashing at the bend they’d left, with someone on the ground.

“Damn, how many more are there?” Kenneth had not even seen the other motorcycle in pursuit.

Anna, too annoyed to reply, turned to Aaron. “Send Ms. Vivienne our location!”

Aaron quickly took out his phone and called Vivienne, informing her of their situation and location.

Meet at the foot of Heaven’s Gate Mountain in 6 miles!”

was a landmark in Rivenwood, situated well beyond the city’s

that was precisely where

take a left and pick me up,” Percival commanded as he opened her car

what to do, Vivienne spun the steering wheel sharply to the left, skidding the car around

kicked two pursuers off their motorcycles and climbed into

a brief silence. Gripping the handle tightly, Percival’s face was

gun. It was

duty, his gun and badge confiscated. Faced with this sudden attack, there was no time to notify

got a moment to call Thomas, instructing him to rendezvous at Heaven’s

at the wreckage

Anna, several motorcycles had suddenly appeared, riders

tail. Otherwise, neither she nor

them, especially when she had only learned of the location herself at the last

flashed with icy

within the

her real-time whereabouts: Anna, Matthew, and the man

at Eastlake Bay,

she thought it might be someone from the Vanguard Agency, but now

Society was her creation;

trusted every member of the Nine

audible on the other end. “Vivienne, we’ve been ambushed. Several

“Take care of yourself.”

I’ve sent Master Miller to your location. I’ll handle

phone to Percival.

the phone and located Quincy’s secure contact

[No idea. I was following the real-time

him or Vivienne, and their phones were not bugged.

Anna, [Turn off

followed up with a string of codes, intelligible only to

receiving the message, Anna instructed Aaron and Kenneth to shut off their phones and then pulled up a location

was bewildered, utterly confused