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,

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 an excuse to evacuate. A fire drill, earthquake drill-anything would've worked. This

any longer, snapped. "Husky, can you shut

frustration of a botched operation was bad enough without

now? If nothing works,

unwarranted-they could have at least set up a perimeter, avoiding

already?" Leopold blurted out, his

Now, even divine intervention could not save

seated in the back, responded darkly, "Sure, any

into a cold sweat, Leopold realized

me, Vivienne!" He yelled

if she had heard his desperate plea, Vivienne tugged 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

true cause of her mother's death

called her mother, prompting her to choose

within the Vanguard Agency, a

But now...

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

turned, his face a portrait of dread. "I'm sorry,

the bomb model, a sly smile playing on her lips, while Percival's normally stoic eyes twinkled

witnessing their expressions,

by Vivienne or kicked by

the Grim Reaper was

oceans, even streak across Mount Everest!" Percival's fingertips tapped rhythmically on the leather seat. "There's

cradling the bomb model, her smile as bright as ever. "I wouldn't dream of sending him to such extremes." Leopold gulped, "You two aren't thinking of her,

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

an answer in itself, their

stammered, "No way, I can't possibly call Griffin. It's out