The Million-Dollar Heart

Vivienne glared at the scene for a solid thirty minutes before she finally averted her gaze.

At that moment, Calista had just danced with the reaper, her toes still dangling over the edge of the abyss.

"Easy there, I just tossed away her eyeball yesterday," Vivienne remarked dryly, casting a sidelong glance at Brody.

Brody nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

As they spoke, the poison coursing through Calista's veins was neutralized.

Vivienne did not linger. She motioned for Anna to follow, and they left the lab.

The moment she shut the door, Brody's voice boomed from inside, "Vivienne, you're a real asshole!"

Anna peered through the glass and saw Brody awkwardly propped up on hands and feet, his head stretched upward, resembling a turtle stuck on its back.

"Ms. Vivienne, you sure take revenge promptly," Anna said with a quiet chuckle, giving Vivienne the thumbs up.

Vivienne flicked her hair dismissively. She was not about to take Brody's scolding for nothing.

"Let's go," she said, looping an arm around Anna's neck as they exited the lab.

Just as they approached the car, both women tensed and swiftly rolled away to either side.

Two tranquilizer darts thudded into the seat where they had just stood.

Vivienne stood by the car's rear, her face a storm as she eyed the direction from which the darts had come.

Anna, positioned at the front, looked in the opposite direction with equal vigilance.

Suddenly, operatives wearing the uniforms of the Vanguard Agency special squad emerged from all around, led by none other than Soren.

Clad in tactical gear and goggles, Soren's surprise was evident even through his battle-hardened facade. "It's you?"

Vivienne's expression remained calm and unreadable.

Soren's face that he had only

Interesting.

Agency that swore to protect the nation

Soren paused before addressing Anna, "Anna, rejoin

understand why they were after Vivienne. But she was

Vanguard

him a frosty glare. "Rejoin

lip twitched, a silent message to Anna, "You've been hanging out with

days, the once-sweet girl had adopted

as Squad Leader to fall

stepped behind Vivienne, "My orders from Commander Percival are clear: protect Vivienne at all costs, no matter

on his display, then aimed his weapon at Vivienne, "Vivienne Hawthorn, You're under arrest. Lay down your arms and surrender." Vivienne tilted

the mastermind behind CK, known

nearly laughed out loud, "What

figure emerged from behind the Vanguard agents. He limped, leaning on a cane, his left

the approaching figure. She had never met him in person, but his face

mother's old partner,

her and smiled,

smile, "But let's skip the trip down memory lane and

point. Let's talk about

presented a

confessed to earn more time outside prison, implicating you in every crime she committed on your

nodded. "Is

the transaction records to the engineer who attempted to take out Carl. Only your fingerprint could authorize that transfer. You can't

nodded again. "You're

Vivienne, "Next, we'll be seizing this lab, the film studio down at Eastlake Bay, all properties in your name, and we'll be monitoring all your close

you planning to monitor these people or use them to threaten

but

was as

neck, scanning the circle of agents. "Just so you

Percival. We should be resistant to your poisons, right?" Micah smirked slyly at Vivienne, the cunning in his

since you've partaken, remember to pay up. Five million a