The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

The helicopter descended slowly, and Percival leaped from the aircraft, for once not immediately rushing to Vivienne’s side but instead locking eyes with his mentor.

In an instant, the area was swarmed by the special squad agents of the Vanguard Agency.

F-Poison, bound by a robot, was being escorted to the helicopter.

She struggled briefly, her face devoid of emotion. “The family reunion over there. Have you really decided this is the end?”

Percival instinctively shielded Vivienne and Karen behind him, eyes wary as he watched F-Poison.

F-Poison let out a mocking laugh, and the expressions on Karen and Vivienne’s faces changed in unison.

“Get down!”

As their words rang out, explosions erupted around them, igniting a towering inferno!

“Percival! Madam, Captain, are you alright?”

Thomas’s voice bellowed through the flames.

Percival was shielding Vivienne and Karen beneath him, his back already scorched by the fire. “Put out the fire first!”

Thomas quickly organized a firefighting effort. Fortunately, they were on a mountaintop, and the wind was not strong; their prompt response prevented a wildfire.

Leopold arrived with the third squad, first helping the injured to safety before searching the crowd for Vivienne.

“Vivienne! Are you okay? You have to be okay! Otherwise, other disciples will have my head! Vivienne!”

Vivienne was sitting nearby, irritated by Leopold’s wailing.

With a flick of her wrist, she chucked a stone at him. “Shut up already!”

Leopold felt the stone hit his leg, and he scrambled toward the voice, relieved to find Vivienne with just some superficial cuts.

“Vivienne, you scared me to death! Thank goodness you’re fine, or I’d never be able to face the master or our brothers!”

hug, but Percival

thought, “Dream on

“Thankfully, you kicked him away in time, or I would’ve had to make him sing soprano with a

before him, and

watched Leopold, pinched his cheek, and scolded, “After all these years, you haven’t changed a bit.

voice broke, and then he

dear, respected, and beautiful Captain! You’re alive! This

me over the years! Waah, it’s so good

away, unable to

much later than the others and did

who could not stand it anymore and tossed

stood before Karen,

Vanguard Agency uniforms, their hair in neat ponytails, the agency’s flag

up at Anna

must be Anna, right? I’m Karen, your

on her nose,

“Ms. Karen.”

hand, gently rubbing her fingers. “I named you, you know. If your mother could see

lieutenant. They had survived death together and were forced to

appear to deliver Anna, caring for her for three days before they had to separate

the time they heard from

Vanguard Agency headquarters, special squad third

the team and

when we get back. Report to your Captain first,” Karen said,

reported to Thomas. “Captain, the site has been surveyed. F-Poison is confirmed missing, and

frowned, glancing involuntarily

completely absorbed in tending to Vivienne’s scraped fingers, the result of his haste to protect

to speak,

here. We’ll be off now. No need to see us

this… this piece of trash with us,” He said as he pointed

way of reminding Thomas that, from now

leaning towards Thomas with a conspiratorial twinkle in her eye. “Cause of the explosion, body parts, escape route!”Books