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

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

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

operation was bad enough without his incessant

shut it," Leopold retorted. "How many times now? If nothing

outrage was not unwarranted-they could have at least set up

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

Now, even divine intervention

responded darkly, "Sure,

cold sweat, Leopold realized what

Vivienne!"

as 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

her mother's death remained a

her mother, prompting her to

possibility of a mole within the Vanguard

But now...

that a Vanguard Agency betrayal had led to her mother's failed mission, she would ensure the traitor learned that neither prison

turned, his face

a sly smile playing on her

witnessing their

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

as if the Grim Reaper was grinning at a doomed

ask-climb mountains, swim oceans, even streak across Mount

dream of sending him to such extremes." Leopold gulped, "You two

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

was an

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