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.

too, indicating he was

– and the red-clad

I was

him out of frustration but restrained himself

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

use. The face under the

they wouldn’t dare

stood up. “Vivienne, she mentioned

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

looking at Percival. “Mr. Wolf, it’s time to head

without having completed their mission. Were they just going to leave the woman

“Okay,” Percival nodded.

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

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

and Percival: Don’t

get used to

them for injuries. The woman in red’s moves had been bizarre, and this was the first time Vivienne had encountered such tactics. The silver needles from her fan were coated in a deadly poison, which would have required her some time to

only minor injuries, a cracked rib for Larry, and a severely shaken Huxley, Vivienne addressed

everything for that man, leaving my sister and I with only each other to depend

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

eyelids lowered, hiding

you want to come back with

replied

in a

private jets could be heard outside. The uncles peeked out

ask, “Just two planes?

I will head back first. In a day, someone will come to take you back

Everyone was puzzled.