The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne slammed the phone down with a chilling finality that seemed to echo the icy resolve in her eyes.

Three minutes later, the realization hit both Vivienne and Percival simultaneously.

The bomb research facility was nestled right beneath Eastlake Bay Plaza, spreading its clandestine roots beneath half the square.

The scene suggested a hasty escape; the fleeing suspects only had snatched the crucial documents.

The operatives from the Nine Mystics Society had already evacuated, and Leopold, leading the first squad, had scoured the base thoroughly.

"Vivienne, Percival, check this out." Leopold approached, cradling a box in his arms.

Percival flipped the box open to reveal a scale model of a state-of-the-art bomb-obviously left behind in the chaos.

This only confirmed the suspicion that the perpetrators had received an urgent tip-off.

Otherwise, they never would have left something so vital behind.

Vivienne extracted the model, a one-to-one replica. While not as revealing as written documents, to the trained eye, it could divulge the bomb's design.

The bomb's most unnerving feature was its ability to evade detection-compact, portable, and easy to conceal.

Understanding how it slipped past sensors would be key to preemptive defense.

Vivienne tucked the model away. "I'm taking this."

Percival nodded. He had no intention of reporting a mere model to the higher-ups. He still had that much leverage.

Instead, Percival simply called Thomas, instructing him to report the escapees' flight, foregoing a return to headquarters.

way back, Leopold

blockade sooner, I bet we could've stopped them. What are the higher-ups thinking? If they're worried about civilian safety, just make up an excuse to evacuate. A fire drill, earthquake

stomach his ranting any longer, snapped. "Husky, can you shut

a botched operation was bad enough without his

now? If nothing

unwarranted-they could have at least

ranks already?" Leopold blurted out, his anger getting the

temples. Now, even divine intervention could not

seated in the back, responded darkly, "Sure,

sweat, Leopold realized what he

me, Vivienne!" He

arm, the other hand on the bomb model, and said calmly, "Mr. Wolf, perhaps it's time for you to climb higher." Unexpected complications within the Vanguard Agency had thwarted their recent

of her mother's

her mother, prompting

considered the possibility of a mole within the Vanguard Agency, a team her mother had

But now...

mother's failed mission, she would ensure the traitor learned that neither prison nor the grave would be their ultimate sanctuary. Percival's brows arched subtly, understanding her

his face a portrait

smile playing on her lips,

witnessing their

slapped by Vivienne or kicked by Percival than subjected to their

Grim Reaper was grinning at a doomed

swim oceans, even streak across Mount Everest!" Percival's fingertips tapped rhythmically on the leather seat. "There's no need for such dramatics.

of sending him to such extremes." Leopold gulped,

workings from a

an answer in

"No way, I can't