The Million-Dollar Heart

Whitford's face twisted in agony as he crumbled to the floor of the cramped cell, his cries reverberating against the cold, grey walls.

Vivienne and Percival barely had time to register what had happened when the guards rushed in. They surveyed the bent iron bars with confusion etched on their faces. "Odd, the energy scan showed he wasn't this powerful. How'd he manage to warp reinforced steel like that?"

Vivienne's ears perked up. "Energy scan?"

You've got to be kidding me! How do you even measure such an intangible thing?

But the guards were dead serious. "The device was sent specifically from the top brass. Developed by some tech whiz, I don't get the science behind it, but the tech guy assured us Whitford wasn't a threat." Yet Whitford had just bent the bars. That meant either the device was a fake, or the technician in charge was a mole from the ancient warrior lineage, planted to monitor any prisoners of their kind! The couple realized this at the same moment.

Without hesitation, Vivienne pushed past the guards and strode into the cell. She fished out a pill from her pocket, pried Whitford's mouth open, and shoved it down his throat. Her movements were so smooth that Whitford had swallowed the pill before the guards could react.

One of them grabbed Vivienne's wrist. "What did you give him?!"

"Xiomara!"

"Vivienne!"

Bureau, and during an investigation, we're authorized to use any means necessary on suspects. Let go of her!" "Xiomara, Percival's right," another imposing guard tugged at

his impatience that she finally let go, "But you can't just shove anything down a prisoner's throat, don't they have

to laugh at her naivety or marvel at her simplicity. "Sweetheart, how

Vivienne, flushed in embarrassment and

she could argue, Vivienne cut her off again. "Whitford, what you've got churning in your gut is the same poison I fed your brother. I don't care what other plans your

the hell are you?!" Whitford glared, his

his abdomen was relentless, amplified by whatever Vivienne had slipped into the pill. It kept him in a state

her gaze cold and menacing.

The room fell silent.

guards thought she was

this fierce woman was and

was always

Whitford was shocked by her audacity, not expecting such a delicate-looking woman to speak with such venom.

face turned from pale to purple to black as he

together her identity, and despite the torment, he conceded. "Fine... I'll

could ask, Percival knew what was on her mind. "Want to look into that

she nodded. "Mr.

doability. If you want to do it, you do it. I'm with you all the way. The ancient warrior lineage's roots run deep. Wouldn't be surprised

to Vance's words. "Maybe Vance could help. As the head of Public Relations and a former member of their ranks, he might have some insight into the

ancient text is bound to

with the pressing matter of Kaitlyn and the Grimshaw