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

– and the red-clad woman gone –

I was

him out of

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 his curiosity. However, he

face under

disguise; they wouldn’t dare show their

up. “Vivienne, she

of which was to investigate Samantha’s whereabouts. Instead, he ended up being the one kidnapped, a humiliating turn of events

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

were returning home without having completed their mission. Were they just going

“Okay,” Percival nodded.

going to cause a problem. After all, they had deliberately allowed

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

Percival: Don’t blame

get used

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

them and finding only minor injuries, a cracked rib for Larry, and a severely shaken Huxley, Vivienne addressed the latter, “Didn’t F-Poison

“I have no idea! Back then, Mom lost everything for that man, leaving my sister and I

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

Vivienne’s eyelids lowered, hiding the look in her

want to come

replied without

lips curved in a mysterious smile. “Alright

heard outside. The uncles peeked out

but ask, “Just two planes? How will

first. In a

Everyone was puzzled.