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?”

about? We’ve got

an eyebrow. “Alright,

training on the

I’m on

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

time,” Anna retorted without looking back, waving off Soren. “Next time, I’ll make sure you’re crying for

heartily. “Go get ’em, Anna! I’m rooting for

taunted Leopold, “You’re

grounds, she ran into

moment, Gillian waved her over. “Where are you going?

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

trying to assert some authority. “Isn’t it my job to look

thinly. “Maybe worry more about those two big wolf dogs chasing you than micromanaging

froze. “What big wolf

as she asked, the sound of barking grew louder from behind, heading straight for

dogs Percival had trained to chase after the

recruits, but with veterans like Leopold and

the training field

Gillian but showed no

training

becoming

doing anything? Help!” she screamed while running, but no one paid her any

else stood aside, cheering and clapping as

it! You’d win any endurance

power of a determined

Black are picking up the

the names of the two wolf

with no other option, Gillian dove

they were, barked in disappointment at Gillian from the mud

had

hands, wishing she could hurl the

training

up early and head home for

boarded

eyes wide with disbelief. “Where are you going? Wait

Agency’s special squad. It was