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?”

got Vance, don’t we?”

arched an eyebrow. “Alright, if

on

on

gear, saw Anna heading out and called after her, “Where

looking back, waving off Soren. “Next time, I’ll make

heartily. “Go get ’em, Anna!

Leopold, “You’re the one who’ll be

training grounds, she ran into a breathless

if she might collapse at any moment, Gillian waved her over. “Where are

into a puddle under the sun, said, “I’m on a mission. Since when do

some authority. “Isn’t it my job to look after every member’s daily

more about those two big wolf dogs chasing you

“What big

barking grew louder from behind, heading straight for

two wolf dogs Percival had trained to chase after the agents, smart enough to

went easy on the new recruits, but with veterans like Leopold and Thomas, they

chased across the

eye on Gillian

wants inside info on our training ground? In her

her life, narrowly avoiding becoming lunch for the two pursuing

she screamed while running, but

and clapping as though watching

it! You’d win any

a determined woman—go,

Black and Black are picking up the

the names of the two

dove into a mud

disappointment at Gillian from the mud pit’s edge,

years, had never been so

her hands, wishing she could hurl

end of training blew,

today, team. Let’s wrap it up early and head

boarded their

struggling in the mud, watched everyone depart, her eyes wide with disbelief. “Where are you going? Wait for

Agency’s special squad. It was deep enough to trap a person’s calves, and without some skill, escaping