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 was

had set up a 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

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

was

times now? If nothing

least

out, his anger getting the better of him,

even divine intervention could

in the back, responded darkly,

Leopold

Vivienne!" He yelled

on the bomb model, and said calmly,

true cause of her mother's death remained

called her mother, prompting her to choose

of a mole within the Vanguard

But now...

ensure the traitor learned that neither prison nor the grave would be their ultimate

felt a chill. He turned, his face a portrait of dread. "I'm

on her lips, while Percival's normally stoic eyes

their expressions,

kicked by Percival

was as if the Grim Reaper was

sorry, Vivienne, Percival. I'll do whatever you ask-climb mountains, swim oceans, even streak across

the bomb model, her smile as bright as ever. "I wouldn't dream of sending him to such

one person could deduce a bomb's workings from

an answer

he stammered, "No way, I