The Million-Dollar Heart by Rebecca Ryan

Vivienne’s icy gaze locked onto Micah across the room, her eyes sharp and piercing with

an almost palpable intensity.

Micah remained silent for a few heartbeats before switching off the intercom.

The voice that had been calling his name fell abruptly silent.

“I need to know,” Micah’s voice cut through the tension. “Do you have a solid plan to

extract Percival safely?”

In that instant, an almost spectral aura of authority emanated from Micah, a remnant of

the times he had battled through the most harrowing situations.

Thomas and Leopold, standing nearby, were momentarily taken aback.

Micah had been their drill instructor back in the day. Since becoming the deputy director,

the formidable presence he once commanded seemed to have diminished.

They had all assumed that Micah was past his prime, a paper pusher with graying hair.

But they were wrong. He had merely cloaked his ferocity beneath a guise of geniality,

letting the years mellow his exterior.

Vivienne’s gaze never wavered from Micah, shadows flickering in her eyes as she spoke

with a gravity that brooked no argument, “Percival is the love of my life.”

That single declaration held more weight than any promise could.

“He’s the love of my life. How could I possibly leave him to face danger alone?”

Hearing Vivienne’s resolute and unequivocal statement, Micah turned to issue orders,

“Leopold, take Vivienne to the coordinates. Thomas, get to Soren immediately and have

him report the mine’s internal status!”

“No need,” Vivienne interjected, pulling up a satellite map on her tablet. It showed the

interior of the mine with a faint red dot marking Percival’s location.

Hovering near Vivienne, Thomas voiced his concern, “Ma’am, the air is thin inside the

mine. We don’t know how much oxygen the captain has left, and we can’t reach him.”

Vivienne understood the urgency. “Does he have his headset?”

“He does, but we’ve lost contact. It seems a signal jammer is at play inside. No telling how

long he can hold out,” Leopold added quickly.

“As long as he has it,” Vivienne said, retrieving a device resembling a Bluetooth speaker

from Griffin’s gearbox and connecting it to a laptop screen.

As soon as she activated it, all the headsets of the Vanguard Agency agents in the vicinity

lost their signals.

Even the command vehicle where Micah sat was suddenly bereft of any communication.

“What’s going on? Another virus?” Micah asked, bewildered.

“No.” Vivienne typed in a sequence of codes, and a prompt appeared on the laptop

screen. “Leopold, what’s Mr. Wolf’s public channel code?”

“0001.”

Vivienne entered the code, and a faint sound of breathing immediately came through the

speaker.

Everyone was startled, and Micah looked at Vivienne incredulously, at a loss for what had

happened.

Vivienne put on a headset and said, “Mr. Wolf, can you hear me?”

After a brief pause, a voice came through, “Vivienne?”

“Holy smokes, it’s Percival!” Leopold exclaimed, “Vivienne, you’re a miracle worker!”

Micah, too, grasped the principle behind Vivienne’s communication with Percival.

She had redirected all communication signals to focus solely on her and Percival’s devices,

turning the Bluetooth speaker into a targeted signal transmitter.

By inputting Percival’s code, she could funnel all communication directly to the

disconnected headset.

Micah’s look of admiration towards Vivienne deepened.

“Mr. Wolf, give me your exact position and surroundings. I need precise details,” Vivienne

demanded, staring at the satellite feed on her laptop, which was not entirely accurate.

She could only devise an effective rescue plan with absolute certainty of Percival’s

whereabouts.

Percival reported from his location, “I’m in a temporary shelter within the mine. There’s

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some air left here, and I found a cave for cover, but I’m not sure how long it will hold. I’ve

got thirty percent oxygen left in the tank.”

Vivienne pinpointed his location based on the coordinates he provided.

He was about 0.6 miles from the mine’s entrance, which was hardly an ideal spot. The

thinness of the air was unimaginable.

The extent of the collapse between his location and the entrance was unknown—they

would have to blast through bit by bit to reach him safely.

If they were to blast directly above Percival’s position, it could easily trigger a secondary

collapse, endangering his life.

Vivienne’s brow furrowed with concern. “Mr. Wolf, can you hold out for two days?”

To ensure a safe extraction, she had to aim to keep the rescue operation within a two-day

window.

Percival’s voice came through with a chuckle. “If you’re waiting for me outside, I can hold

out for twenty days.”

How could he possibly succumb to the mine’s depth when he had not yet married his

beloved Vivienne?

Leopold could hardly contain himself, shouting at the speaker, “Conserve your strength,

Percival. We’re coming to get you.”

“Okay.”

Vivienne’s tone was stern, “Mr. Wolf, don’t speak unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Just one more thing,” Percival said, his voice muffled by movement, then settling back

into stillness, “Vivienne, I love you.”

Vivienne bit her lower lip, feeling a surge of emotion as she replied firmly into the headset,

“Percival, I love you too.”

The Vanguard Agency’s special squad quickly set charges at the mine entrance.

To safely carve a passage, they must blast through the debris blocking the entrance.

But this was a gamble.

Detonating explosives in an already unstable mine was akin to dancing with death.

These were Griffin’s latest creations, more compact and potent than traditional explosives,

resembling grenades but packing a punch far beyond the standard issue.

What set them apart was their precision. Carefully calculated placement allowed control

over the blast radius, which was essential for this delicate operation.

They were like a deck of cards—sometimes, a handful could make a minimal impact, and

other times, the same number could bring down the house.

It all came down to how you played your hand.

The prototype was still in the early stages of development, untested in real-world

conditions, and Griffin was anything but certain. “Vivienne,” she cautioned, “the ‘Morning

Glory’ is still untested. This is its first detonation.”

“Morning Glory” was the moniker Griffin had affectionately bestowed upon the explosive

device.

Vivienne studied the intricately calculated layout, not a flicker of doubt in her gaze.

“Detonate,” she commanded.

To hesitate even for a second meant risking Percival’s life for another. Once her mind was

made up, Vivienne would not waver.

Griffin exchanged a glance with Leopold, whose heart was in his throat, but if Vivienne

believed it was possible, that was enough for him.

Leopold gave a firm nod, placing all his faith in the “Morning Glory.”

With that, Griffin pressed the detonator.

A rapid succession of ten explosions ripped through the air, kicking up a billowing cloud of

dust that soared skyward like fireworks before cascading down like a hail of bullets.

Everyone shielded their faces with their arms, and when the dust finally settled, Leopold

peered into the mouth of the mine to assess the damage.

Thomas and his comrades held their breath in anticipation.

Then came Leopold’s triumphant voice, “Vivienne, we’ve got a hole five feet wide and

thirty feet deep!”

A wave of relief swept over the crowd.

The entrance to the mine was a delicate matter. Using heavy machinery like excavators

could have easily triggered a collapse, particularly in Weststart City, which was already

scarred by extensive mining. The risk of a ground collapse was just too great.

But with the “Morning Glory,” they could ensure the stability of the mine’s interior and

break through the blocked entrance, saving precious time in the process.

Thomas, shovel in hand, rallied the troops. “Follow my lead.”

Armed with their entrenching tools, the Vanguard Agency’s special squad began to clear

the rubble at the entrance.

Leopold led another team to haul away the debris.

Vivienne and Griffin were already crunching numbers for the subsequent detonation.

Micah watched from a distance. His crow’s feet crinkled in a mixture of concern and pride.

“Karen,” he muttered to himself, “your daughter is quite remarkable.”

He made his way to the command vehicle, leaning on his cane, and dialed Rivenwood’s

headquarters to ensure the logistic support was in place.

Two days of non-stop rescue operations would wear anybody out. Only with a solid supply

chain could they keep the rescue efforts running smoothly.

“You have a call from headquarters,” one of the communication officers said, holding out

Micah’s relentlessly buzzing phone.

Micah glanced at it and said, “Turn it off.”

“Yes, sir!”

Meanwhile, the Ellington family was in turmoil.

With Percival missing and no word from Vivienne or Thomas, the entire family was on the

brink of chaos.

“Flynn, you don’t think something’s happened to Percival, do you? We just received those

threatening letters with knives, and now we can’t reach either of them. What are we going

to do?” Imogen said, visibly shaken.

Flynn’s expression was grim. “No, Percival must be tied up with his own matters.”

But despite his reassuring words, Flynn was also anxious himself.

The real issue was that Percival was slated to debut as the Ellington family’s heir the next

day, facing shareholders and the media.

It was a critical event, one that demanded Percival’s presence. With no idea of his

whereabouts, what were they to do?

Seated on the sofa, Richard broke the silence. “Flynn, you’ll stand in as acting chairman.

We must minimize the fallout and quell the speculation about Percival and Vivienne’s

absence. If need be, tell the world they’re abroad on vacation.”

Flynn bit his lip in hesitation. “Dad, are you sure that’s appropriate? Tomorrow’s

announcement is crucial. If I take the stage…”

“It’s better than having no one,” Richard cut in. “You’ll do it. When Percival returns, he can

handle the rest. End of discussion.”

Imogen looked worriedly at Richard. “Richard, I’m concerned Percival might take this

wrong.”

“He won’t. He’s not that petty. Flynn, make sure you’re prepared for it.” Richard took a

deep breath, stood up, and returned to his room with his cane.

Imogen was still unconvinced. “Flynn, this feels like we’re taking advantage of Percival’s

absence. I’m not sure if it’s right.”

Flynn was torn, unsure whether to accept.

Nathan, who had been quiet, spoke up. “Flynn, I know my son. He wouldn’t vanish without

good reason. If he’s not here for this, it’s because something more pressing has his

attention. Go ahead with confidence. He won’t misunderstand.”

Cecilia nodded in agreement. “That’s right, Flynn. Besides, you’ve been handling company

affairs lately. It’s only normal for you to step up. Percival will take care of the rest when he

returns. Don’t worry about it.”

Bolstered by Nathan and Cecilia’s words, Flynn made up his mind. “Alright, I got it.”

Meanwhile, Percival was still trapped in the depths of the mine, conserving his dwindling

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oxygen supply, which hovered around fifteen percent.

He clung to Vivienne’s voice in his earpiece, staring at his phone screen.

It was a screenshot from one of Vivienne’s live streams, captured by countless viewers but

saved by him alone.

His fingertips grazed her image on the screen repeatedly as if each touch fueled his

resolve to hold on.

“Mr. Wolf, give me a sound,” Vivienne checked in again for Percival’s safety.

To save oxygen, Percival tapped his earpiece microphone lightly.

“I’m here, and I miss you,” The Morse code meant.

Vivienne smiled softly. “Good. I miss you too. Just 0.4 miles to go.”

The deeper they dug, the more cautious they had to be with the explosives. After all, the

consequences of a cave-in were unpredictable, and precision was paramount.

Every calculation had to be spot-on and triple-checked before Vivienne dared to issue the

command.

With Percival’s life at stake, she could not afford to be reckless.

Thomas and Leopold were sprawled out on the ground, too exhausted even to stand

straight. They watched Vivienne and Griffin run through their rapid-fire calculations with a

touch of envy.

“It must be nice to be a brain worker,” Leopold muttered, dousing his head with nearly an

entire bottle of water.

Thomas caught his breath and added, “We can’t even imagine the pressure they’re

under.”

Leopold sat up and patted Thomas on the back, “That’s true. No time for lying down. Let’s

get back to it.”

…

Back at Ellington Group.

It was the day of the big press conference.

Flynn walked in, clad in a bespoke charcoal suit and gold-rimmed glasses, his demeanor

the perfect blend of scholarly and commanding—a king among men.Books Chapters Are

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Imogen, watching from a distance, felt a surge of joy.

After Flynn had coordinated all the details with his secretary, it was time for the

announcement.

Ellington Group’s shareholders and the press members were momentarily taken aback as

Flynn made his entrance.

His expression was serene. His signature smile graced his face as he confidently

approached the podium. “Good afternoon, I’m Flynn Ellington, the acting chairman of

Ellington Group.”

The media’s cameras flashed like a thunderstorm, and Flynn’s photographs quickly spread

across the internet through various channels.

On the Financial News Network, the word “acting” was omitted, announcing Flynn as the

new chairman of Ellington Group attending the press conference!

The news of Flynn’s ascension to chairman of Ellington Group was broadcast far and wide.

Flynn swiftly took control of all the company’s channels and subsidiaries’ finances.

But once home, he was the same man, deeply concerned about his missing nephew.

Upon entering the house, he immediately asked, “Any word on Percival?”

Richard shook his head. “We’ve sent out everyone we can. The police have no new

information either. We’re not just missing Percival and Vivienne now. Even the Sterling

family’s young master has disappeared without a trace.”

Flynn sank into the couch; his hands clasped, thumbs rubbing anxiously as if trying to

spark a fire.

After a moment, he spoke, “Dad, I’m worried someone’s targeting our family. First,

Kenneth’s near-fatal accident, then someone left a knife by my bed. We need to be on

guard.”

Richard nodded in agreement. “You’re right. We can no longer afford to take these threats

lightly.”

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