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.

head, too, indicating he

Upon waking and finding familiar faces – and the red-clad woman gone – he knew he had been saved

I was a

at him and wanted to punch him out of frustration but restrained himself for Vivienne’s

anyone see what she looked like under that mask?” Yuri couldn’t help asking. The woman had given him an odd sense of familiarity as if they had met before. The mention of having held Vivienne as a child had also piqued

under the mask was probably not her

they wouldn’t

up. “Vivienne, she mentioned Samantha.

mission from Vivienne, part of which was to investigate Samantha’s whereabouts.

“Mr. Wolf, it’s time to head home. Some

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

“Okay,” Percival nodded.

a problem. After all, they had deliberately allowed some things to happen so

here in M State? Apart from being third wheels, what else did we accomplish?” Vivienne’s

Percival: Don’t

get used to

and this was the first time Vivienne had encountered such

cracked rib for Larry, and a severely shaken Huxley,

Mom lost everything for that man, leaving my sister and I with only each other

But when I almost lost it, she suddenly brought me to this sanatorium, where I found Carl. You guys know what happened

Vivienne’s eyelids lowered, hiding the look in

come back with

replied without

a mysterious smile. “Alright

jets could be heard outside. The

help but ask, “Just two planes? How will we

answered, “Uncles, Vivienne and I will head back first. In a day, someone will come to take you back to

Everyone was puzzled.