The Million-Dollar Heart

In Rivenwood, in the depths of an off-the-grid prison unlike any other, the inmates were not your garden-variety criminals. Not even the hardened murderers found solace within these walls.

At present, this prison housed a mere trio of prisoners.

Flynn, Scott, and Fiona Ellington.

Fiona, though her body was a patchwork of decay, possessed sensory faculties that rivaled a healthy man in his prime. However, this heightened perception meant she also endured agonies far beyond the ker of ordinary humans.

Flynn, too, lived each day in excruciating pain, a modern-day Prometheus, his vitals ravaged daily, only to regenerate each dawn anew. This was Vivienne's brand of retribution.

Scott, in contrast, seemed almost content. Free from the physical torment, his punishment was a Sisyphean task of endless paperwork. He accepted his fate with a disarming calmness, even pointing out errors for correction by his wardens from the Vanguard Agency.

Many said Scott was the quietest of the three.

Vivienne and Karen arrived to find Soren and Anna waiting at the gate.

"Ms. Vivienne, Ms. Karen," Anna greeted as she adorned their wrists with security bands.

Back then, Vivienne was Percival's wife, and Percival was the deputy. Thus, she had never needed such measures before, but times had changed.

Soren collected all their communication devices, casting curious glances at Karen. She gave him a playful warning, "Hotshot, any more staring, and you'll be crossing a line."

"My apologies, Captain," Soren blurted a tad too quickly.

His curiosity stemmed from wondering why Percival respected Karen so much to call her master.

"Don't call me Captain; I have no plans of returning to the Vanguard Agency," Karen said with a smirk before stepping through the threshold.

all too well Karen's discomfort with the Agency's rigid structure and protocol. Freedom was what Karen thrived on, and the Agency was anything

left, to

head boss of CK, known as White

something about that cell made her skin crawl-a reluctance mingled with an unavoidable

Karen's unease and offered, "Mom, do you want to take

back to reality. "No,

arrived at Scott's cell to find him making the most of his confinement by exercising in a meticulously

be enjoying yourself," Karen

not been Belle's stand-in, he and Karen might have been good friends, like she was with Micah. They shared an unspoken understanding that came from a place of genuine

he knew it was her. But he could not bring himself to look,

saying a word. She could tell just how strong Scott's feelings toward Karen were, or he would not have gone easy on

Karen probably did not care about that at all, and neither

Scott could be considered Karen's old flame, it was

a seat. "Old friend, long time

them, his

her. She was

her face like old times, but the electric barrier was a cruel reminder of the distance between

"Looks like I'm

nerves. "Karen, have you been well all

voice cracked, betraying

"I've been fine, thanks

sadly, words failing him. Thousands

two sat in silence for a moment before Karen