The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

In Rivenwood, in the depths of an off-the-grid prison unlike any other, the inmates were not your garden-variety criminals. Not even the hardened murderers found solace within these walls.

At present, this prison housed a mere trio of prisoners.

Flynn, Scott, and Fiona Ellington.

Fiona, though her body was a patchwork of decay, possessed sensory faculties that rivaled a healthy man in his prime. However, this heightened perception meant she also endured agonies far beyond the ken of ordinary humans.

Flynn, too, lived each day in excruciating pain, a modern-day Prometheus, his vitals ravaged daily, only to regenerate each dawn anew. This was Vivienne’s brand of retribution.

Scott, in contrast, seemed almost content. Free from the physical torment, his punishment was a Sisyphean task of endless paperwork. He accepted his fate with a disarming calmness, even pointing out errors for correction by his wardens from the Vanguard Agency.

Many said Scott was the quietest of the three.

Vivienne and Karen arrived to find Soren and Anna waiting at the gate.

“Ms. Vivienne, Ms. Karen,” Anna greeted as she adorned their wrists with security bands.

Back then, Vivienne was Percival’s wife, and Percival was the deputy. Thus, she had never needed such measures before, but times had changed.

Soren collected all their communication devices, casting curious glances at Karen. She gave him a playful warning, “Hotshot, any more staring, and you’ll be crossing a line.”

“My apologies, Captain,” Soren blurted a tad too quickly.

His curiosity stemmed from wondering why Percival respected Karen so much to call her master.

“Don’t call me Captain; I have no plans of returning to the Vanguard Agency,” Karen said with a smirk before stepping through the threshold.

Agency’s rigid structure and protocol. Freedom was what Karen thrived

Vivienne gestured toward a

were drawn to the left, to a cell secured with

cell, the former head boss of

merely nodded, but something about that cell made her skin crawl—a reluctance

and offered, “Mom, do you want to take a

snapped back to reality. “No, let’s

making the most of his confinement by exercising in a

be enjoying yourself,” Karen remarked

not been Belle’s stand-in, he and Karen might have been

tensing up. Without turning, he knew—it was her. But he could not bring himself to look, fearing the disappointment if

exited without saying a word. She could tell just how strong Scott’s feelings toward Karen were, or he would not have gone easy on her

care about that at all, and neither would she appreciate

could be considered Karen’s old flame, it

a seat. “Old friend, long

Approaching the bars that separated them, his hands shook as currents zapped from the metal. It hurt, but he did not

was her. She

face like old times, but the electric barrier was a cruel reminder of the distance between them. His hand lingered before dropping to

smile. “Looks like

current vanishing from his nerves. “Karen, have

cracked,

“I’ve been

sadly, words failing him. Thousands of thoughts choked in his throat,

in silence for a moment before Karen

lane,” she said, “I actually wanted to ask you about someone.

the GTO by the Brooks family. Once, this Vanguard Agency guy took a dozen of us, including me, from the base. I think his name was Noah.