The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Three squad members efficiently unshackled Flynn’s chains, casting puzzled glances at the man before them.

“Cap, what’s the deal here?”

The man was none other than Thomas!

“Just got a last-minute directive to transfer the prisoner. Head back to HQ, folks.” Thomas hefted Flynn single-handedly and stuffed him into the back of a Bentley, speeding away.

The special squad members exchanged confused looks, clueless about what had just happened. With no choice but to follow their commanding officer’s orders, they returned to base.

…

At Vanguard Agency.

Gillian was idly nursing the remnants of a scar on her cheek, now mostly healed, revealing her basic features.

With no real power at Vanguard Agency and not exactly popular, she spent her time bored in front of a computer screen, restricted from the outside world—even online shopping was off-limits.

Her colleagues, once courteous, now treated her with a cool distance, leaving her feeling out of place.

Thankfully, she was tracking Flynn’s transfer.

“Gillian, sign this,” Thomas said, dropping a logbook on her desk.

Signing papers was about the most challenging task for Gillian these days.

She shot Thomas a glare filled with disdain. “Oh, how kind of you, Captain Thomas, to deliver this personally.”

“Not at all, Gillian. You seem quite busy yawning over there,” Thomas replied with a casual smile.

The nearby agents couldn’t help but chuckle at Thomas’s comment.

Gillian’s face flushed with embarrassment as she scribbled her name on the logbook.

“Take it!”

that moment, the three officers who

seeing Thomas. “Cap, what are you

be? But what about you guys? Shouldn’t you be training instead of hanging around

Gillian’s orders to escort Flynn, but

subordinates as if facing a threat. “What are you talking about? I’ve been in meetings all morning. I just got a break, and I definitely didn’t

did

Gillian?” Thomas

requires? Three armored vehicles and special protection, plus my presence on the transport.

hoped to keep things low-key by moving Flynn discreetly.

have been

composure, Gillian retorted, “I had headquarters’ approval. What right do you have to question me? Shouldn’t you be more concerned with which

as he turned his back, his anger seemed to vanish

he was gone, Gillian frantically dialed a mysterious

connected after a long wait.

“Didn’t you take Flynn?”

pause on the line before the person said, “Didn’t I instruct you to deliver him to the designated prison

but someone impersonating Thomas took him halfway through. Was that

time for such antics, and besides, I’m

peaked. “What do we do now? He’s gone, and we don’t know who

open, and a furious voice bellowed, “Gillian! Who

the office, his rage directed squarely

the phone hung up

her chair. “I had… I had approval from headquarters,

ripping the

out and go back to headquarters now!” He bellowed, “If I see

strength, was flung out of the office and landed

…

driving

backseat, writhing in

to open his eyes and looked at the

see, my dear

masquerading as

mask and tossed it

remove the mask, managed, “Uncle, you’ve become quite the hothead since