The Million-Dollar Heart

"Damn it!"

Leopold was floored for a solid half-hour when he saw the personnel appointment circulate with the new appointments.

Just the other day, he was consoling Soren, warning him to watch his back with the new Director sniffing around for scapegoats. And now, it turned out he was the one who would be dancing to the Director's tune!

The joke was on him, and he was the last to know.

Anna clapped Leopold on the shoulder, a look of sympathy in her eyes. "Captain, looks like I'll be counting on you from here on out."

Soren walked over, tucking the insignia of the third squad into his desk drawer, but his words were for Anna. "Don't jump the gun calling him 'Captain' just yet. We're all drawing lots again to decide who ends up in which team."

Anna blinked in disbelief. She could not fathom landing in Soren's team in this fifty-fifty toss-up!

The whole organization was reshuffling. Anna pulled her lot. When she saw the number "1" glaring back at her, it felt like the sky was crashing down.

Soren glanced over and patted Anna on the shoulder, "Anna, looks like I'll be counting on you from here on out."

"Counting on my foot! More like a curse!" Anna screamed inside.

She raked her fingers through her hair, her real worry was not about who would be the captain.

It was whether she would still be tasked with her original assignment amid this grand reshuffle at the Vanguard Agency.

As it turned out, Anna's concerns were not unfounded.

"Effective immediately, Squad One is on lockdown. All assignments are on hold, and no one leaves without authorization," Vance announced at the morning briefing.

As a member of Squad One, Anna was naturally confined within the Vanguard Agency, ready for orders.

the meeting, Percival retreated to

new squad arrangements

such a grandiose reshuffling

command, supposedly

Squad One report directly to the Director? Doesn't that seem

would he? To

so abruptly would sit well with no

entered the Vanguard Agency to follow Percival. However, there was no way he would not be frustrated from being

had been allies for generations. This seemed like

You'll find out soon enough," Percival said, offering no

a secret mission for Leopold the day before. Without the

When the special squad was

agenda: to dilute Percival's

was day one, what would

phone rang with the distinct ringtone of the Director's

gestured for silence and

my office. I've got a personal matter to discuss with

it a personal matter was unexpected. Percival straightened his suit before heading to

up?" Percival asked upon

the Brooks family crest. "My wife would like you and Ms. Hawthorn to join us for dinner tonight. She tried calling Ms. Hawthorn but couldn't get through, so she asked me to deliver these to

This surprised Percival.

the Brooks family for a family dinner. The formality was

the Edwards families, he was just a

They hoped to ride the wave of good fortune to attract more business opportunities. The dinner would host many

did not commit immediately but did not decline

meet this legendary niece who's got

token smile