The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne glared at the scene for a solid thirty minutes before she finally averted her gaze.

At that moment, Calista had just danced with the reaper, her toes still dangling over the edge of the abyss.

“Easy there, I just tossed away her eyeball yesterday,” Vivienne remarked dryly, casting a sidelong glance at Brody.

Brody nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing.”

As they spoke, the poison coursing through Calista’s veins was neutralized.

Vivienne did not linger. She motioned for Anna to follow, and they left the lab.

The moment she shut the door, Brody’s voice boomed from inside, “Vivienne, you’re a real asshole!”

Anna peered through the glass and saw Brody awkwardly propped up on hands and feet, his head stretched upward, resembling a turtle stuck on its back.

“Ms. Vivienne, you sure take revenge promptly,” Anna said with a quiet chuckle, giving Vivienne the thumbs up.

Vivienne flicked her hair dismissively. She was not about to take Brody’s scolding for nothing.

“Let’s go,” she said, looping an arm around Anna’s neck as they exited the lab.

Just as they approached the car, both women tensed and swiftly rolled away to either side.

Two tranquilizer darts thudded into the seat where they had just stood.

Vivienne stood by the car’s rear, her face a storm as she eyed the direction from which the darts had come.

Anna, positioned at the front, looked in the opposite direction with equal vigilance.

Suddenly, operatives wearing the uniforms of the Vanguard Agency special squad emerged from all around, led by none other than Soren.

Clad in tactical gear and goggles, Soren’s surprise was evident even through his battle-hardened facade. “It’s you?”

Vivienne’s expression remained calm and unreadable.

It was clear from Soren’s face that he had only discovered upon arrival that his target was Vivienne.

Interesting.

that swore to protect the nation and its

silent, Soren paused before addressing Anna,

why they were after Vivienne. But she was now

a Vanguard operative,

a frosty glare. “Rejoin

to Anna, “You’ve been hanging out with

the once-sweet girl had

as Squad Leader to fall

stepped behind Vivienne, “My orders from Commander Percival are clear: protect Vivienne at

at the order on his display, then aimed his weapon at Vivienne,

head

“Evidence suggests you’re the mastermind behind CK, known as White

nearly laughed out

figure emerged from behind the Vanguard agents. He limped, leaning on a

him in person, but his face

old

her and smiled, “You look so much like

I get that a lot,” Vivienne replied with a hollow smile, “But let’s skip the trip down memory

“Fair point. Let’s talk about the matter

a

ago, she confessed to earn more time outside

nodded. “Is there

flipped to another page, “Here’s footage from the club where you handed off the Boar Poison to Fiona and the transaction records to the engineer

nodded again.

to Soren, then addressed Vivienne, “Next, we’ll be seizing this lab, the film studio down at Eastlake Bay, all properties in your name, and we’ll be monitoring all

let out a laugh. “So, are you planning to monitor these people or use them to threaten

flickered, but

was as good as

“Just

aware of your pharmaceutical skills. Your life-saving pills were distributed to everyone here by Percival. We should be resistant

Life-saving pill. But since you’ve partaken, remember to pay up. Five million a pop, but

be free?” Micah raised

for Mr. Wolf, not for