The Million-Dollar Heart

Before Anna could even speak, she saw a motorcycle racing towards them from behind, the rider wielding a baseball bat. As it closed in, the bat smashed against the rear car window with a vicious swing. Anna shielded herself with her arm and yelled, "Hit the gas, now!"

Kenneth snapped to attention and floored the accelerator, speeding forward.

The car was a top-of-the-line sports model, yet to their astonishment, the motorcycle clung to their tail, relentlessly hammering at the window.

Although Aaron had learned a bit of self-defense from Mark, he was no match for actual combat. He could only huddle behind his school bag, yelling at Kenneth, "Can't you go any faster?!"

"This is as fast as she goes, dammit!" Kenneth was more terrified of the glass shards flying towards them than anything else; they could ruin his good looks!

Anna tried to open the door to fight back, but it was so badly bent it would not budge.

With a powerful kick, she shattered the car door window, steadied herself by grabbing the grab handle, and leaned out. Her lithe body delivered a kick that sent the pursuing motorcyclist tumbling into the roadside greenery, bike and all.

Kenneth was dumbstruck for a moment. "You could've just told me to retract the roof; this is a convertible!"

Anna's lips twitched with irritation, unable to comprehend how their team leader could have such an idiotic brother.

Aaron cursed and said, "Well, aren't you going to open it now?"

"Forget it," Anna said, leaning forward to push Kenneth's head to the side while she grabbed the steering wheel. "Just drive!"

Kenneth, reacting instinctively, slammed on the gas, and Anna executed a smooth right-hand drift.

They had just rounded the corner when they heard the sound of another motorcycle crashing at the bend they'd left, with someone on the ground.

"Damn, how many more are there?" Kenneth had not even seen the other motorcycle in pursuit.

Anna, too annoyed to reply, turned to Aaron. "Send Ms. Vivienne our location!"

Aaron quickly took out his phone and called Vivienne, informing her of their situation and location.

"Handle it yourselves. Meet at the foot of Heaven's Gate Mountain in 6 miles!" Vivienne hung up without another word. Heaven's Gate Mountain was a landmark in Rivenwood, situated well beyond

precisely where she was headed

pick me up," Percival commanded as

Vivienne spun the steering wheel sharply to the left, skidding the car around to stop right

already kicked two pursuers off their motorcycles and climbed into

a brief silence. Gripping the handle tightly, Percival's face was dark

It was a terrible

Faced with this sudden attack, there was no time

rendezvous at Heaven's Gate Mountain without bringing any team

their way to meet Anna, several motorcycles had suddenly appeared, riders brandishing bats

been a premeditated ambush, not a tail.

where to find them, especially when she had only learned of the location herself at the

flashed with icy

within the Nine Mystics

knew her real-time whereabouts:

at Eastlake

be someone from the Vanguard Agency, but now it seemed

Society was her creation; she

had trusted every member of the Nine Mystics Society implicitly.

explosion was audible on the other end. "Vivienne, we've been ambushed. Several are hurt. How's your situation?" "Take care

your location. I'll handle this mess and head

tossed her phone to Percival. "Matthew's in trouble,

and located Quincy's

idea. I was following

and their phones were not bugged. That

immediately messaged Anna, [Turn off all communication

string of codes, intelligible only

the message, Anna instructed Aaron and Kenneth to shut off their phones and then pulled up a location on the car's navigation system. "Head