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.

back, Leopold

we had set up a blockade sooner, I bet we could've stopped them. What are the higher-ups thinking? If they're

any longer, snapped. "Husky, can you shut

operation was bad enough without his incessant

many times now? If nothing

could have at least set

climb the ranks already?" Leopold blurted out, his anger getting the better of him, a clear sign of

massaged her temples. Now, even divine intervention

responded darkly, "Sure, any other

a cold sweat, Leopold realized what he

me, Vivienne!" He yelled

at Percival's 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

her mother's death remained

her mother, prompting her to choose

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

But now...

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

a chill. He turned, his face

sly smile playing on her lips, while Percival's normally stoic eyes twinkled with

their expressions,

be slapped by Vivienne or kicked by Percival than subjected to their

if the Grim Reaper

to bear it, Leopold clasped his hands, pleading with the pair, "I'm sorry, Vivienne, Percival. I'll do whatever you ask-climb mountains, swim oceans, even streak across Mount Everest!"

dream of sending him to such extremes."

a bomb's workings from a model, someone trustworthy and an

an

as he stammered, "No way, I can't possibly