The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

When Vivienne and Percival turned to look again, the woman in red had vanished without a trace.

Vivienne wanted to chase after her, but Percival grabbed her wrist. “Vivienne, let it go. She hasn’t shown us her full hand yet.”

Even for Vivienne and Percival, it had been a stalemate at best. If they pursued her, their chances of victory were slim.

Besides, their main reason for coming to M State was to rescue people, and now that they had, their mission was complete. However, they still hadn’t figured out why the puppet master behind this charade had gone to such lengths.

Vivienne peered in the direction the red-clad woman had disappeared, her gaze murky and unreadable.

Atop a nearby hill, the woman in red stood, her eyes fixed on the scene below where she could see Vivienne’s group.

Lucky for her, she had packed a smoke grenade, which briefly obscured their vision, allowing her a swift escape.

It had been years, and it was time for her to return to Veridia.

She scoffed disdainfully, snapped her fan shut, and walked away. “Wait for it. We’ll meet again.”

…

Elsewhere.

Huxley had fainted from fright during the scuffle and was now jabbed awake by Vivienne’s needle.

“You guys alright?” Vivienne asked, looking toward Larry and Carl.

Larry, clutching his chest, replied, “Vivienne, we’re fine.”

He had sustained some injuries, but they weren’t a big deal for him.

his head, too, indicating he

story. Upon waking and finding familiar faces – and the red-clad woman gone –

thought I

to punch him out of frustration but

him an odd sense of familiarity as if they had met

face under the mask was probably not her

disguise; they wouldn’t dare show their true

“Vivienne, she mentioned Samantha. What’s that

had been on a solo mission from Vivienne, part of which was to investigate Samantha’s whereabouts. Instead, he ended up being the one kidnapped, a humiliating turn of

Percival. “Mr. Wolf, it’s time to

wondering why they were returning home without having completed their mission. Were they

“Okay,” Percival nodded.

she was not exactly going to cause a problem. After

what was our purpose here in M State? Apart from being third wheels, what else did

Percival: Don’t

You get used

this was the first time Vivienne had encountered such tactics. The silver needles from her

rib for Larry, and a severely shaken Huxley, Vivienne addressed the latter, “Didn’t

Mom lost everything for that man, leaving my sister and I with only each other to depend on. Later, I was captured, and F-Poison

was hell! It was torture! But when I almost lost it, she suddenly brought me to

see.” Vivienne’s eyelids lowered, hiding the look

to come

Huxley replied

a mysterious smile. “Alright

private jets could be heard outside. The uncles peeked out to see two sleek private

“Just two

In a day, someone will come to

Everyone was puzzled.