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.

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

precisely where she was headed

me up," Percival commanded as he opened her car door and nimbly

sharply to the left, skidding the car around

kicked two pursuers off their motorcycles and climbed into

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

It was

confiscated. Faced with this

finally got a moment to call Thomas, instructing him to rendezvous at Heaven's Gate Mountain without bringing any team members.

ten minutes earlier, on their way to meet Anna, several motorcycles

not a tail. Otherwise, neither she

especially when she had only learned of

gaze flashed

within the

people knew her real-time whereabouts: Anna, Matthew, and

botched operation at Eastlake Bay, she had suspected a

might be someone from the Vanguard Agency, but now it seemed

Nine Mystics Society was her creation; she had

member of the Nine

of an explosion was audible on the other end. "Vivienne, we've been

to your location. I'll handle this mess and

up, Vivienne tossed her phone

opened the phone and

quickly. [No idea. I was

him or Vivienne, and their phones were not bugged. That meant the

immediately messaged Anna, [Turn off

followed up with a string of codes, intelligible

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