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,

faces – and the red-clad

I was

looked at him and wanted to punch him out of frustration but restrained himself

familiarity as if they had met before. The mention of having held Vivienne as a child had also

use. The face under the mask was probably not

masters of disguise; they wouldn’t dare

she mentioned Samantha. What’s that

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

Percival. “Mr. Wolf, it’s time

questions, wondering why they were returning home without having completed their mission. Were they just going to leave the woman

“Okay,” Percival nodded.

cause a problem. After all, they had deliberately allowed some things

State? Apart from being third wheels, what else did we

and Percival:

You get used

this was the first time Vivienne had encountered such tactics. The silver needles from her fan were coated in a deadly poison, which would

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

then, 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 dumped

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

Vivienne’s eyelids lowered, hiding the

to come back

replied

a mysterious

outside. The uncles peeked out to see two sleek

two planes? How will

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

Everyone was puzzled.