The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Gillian gripped her hands tightly, frustration and disbelief etching her features.

There was no way Leopold could have mistaken her. In the entire Vanguard Agency, she was the only one with curly, untamed hair. How could anyone mix that up?

“Second squad, what’s the holdup? Move out now, or it’s a ten-kilometer march with full gear!” barked Thomas.

Leopold hopped onto the truck, smacking the canvas cover. “Let’s roll out, folks. If we lose to that smug jerk Hotshot today, I swear you’ll wish you were never born!”

Powerless, Gillian watched as the truck rumbled away from her. She turned to hop into Thomas’s vehicle, only to see him already seated and starting the engine.

“Thomas, wait for me!” she yelled, but Thomas drove off as if he hadn’t heard a thing.

Vehicles had strict protocols at Vanguard Agency; you couldn’t just take one without prior approval. With her own car off-limits within the training grounds, Gillian had no choice but to chase after them on foot.

Upstairs, Micah sipped his coffee, watching the scene unfold with a sly grin curling his lips.

That kid Thomas was definitely taking a page out of Percival’s book.

On the phone, Micah relayed Thomas’s antics to Percival.

Percival chuckled. “Let them be.”

“But Percival, keep an eye out for Gillian. She’s backed by Yorick. She’s no simpleton,” Micah warned.

“Don’t worry. She’s not going to stir up any real trouble.”

Hearing Percival’s confident tone, Micah scoffed. “What did your mentor say?”

After a few seconds of silence, Percival replied, “How come, after all these years, you still depend on my mentor? Don’t you have a mind of your own?”

“Percival! You…”

The call ended with a dial tone, and Micah slammed the phone down in irritation.

“That little rascal!”

Percival nonchalantly scratched his nose and tossed the phone aside.

Vivienne glanced at him. “Aren’t you worried your boss might not let this slide?”

there to worry about? We’ve got

an eyebrow. “Alright,

who was training on the

I’m on my

and called after her, “Where are

off Soren. “Next time, I’ll make sure you’re crying for

get ’em, Anna! I’m rooting for

Leopold, “You’re the

the training grounds, she

waved her over. “Where are you going? Why

under the sun, said, “I’m on a mission. Since when do you oversee our

some authority. “Isn’t it my

thinly. “Maybe worry more about those two big wolf dogs

“What big wolf

sound of barking grew louder

had trained to chase after the agents, smart enough to adjust

the new recruits, but with veterans like Leopold and Thomas,

was Gillian being chased across the training field as if she

Gillian but showed no sign of

inside info on our training ground? In

for her life, narrowly avoiding becoming lunch for

anyone doing anything? Help!” she screamed while running, but

clapping as though watching a blockbuster

it! You’d

power of a determined woman—go,

Mr. Black and Black are picking up the

and Black were the

dove into a mud pit to

in disappointment at Gillian from the mud pit’s

in her twenty-some years, had never been so

frustration, slapping the mud with her hands, wishing she could hurl the

the end of training blew, and the agents

work today, team. Let’s wrap it up early and head home for dinner!”

erupted as the agents boarded their vehicles,

the mud, watched everyone depart, her eyes wide

for the ten-inch-deep training mud pit specifically designed for the Vanguard Agency’s special squad. It was deep enough to trap a person’s calves, and without some skill, escaping was a