Epilogue
Ice landed back home in the States again, tired, worn out, and wearing a big smile on her face. She couldn’t wait to get inside and relax. The island holiday had been absolutely stupendous, along with all the marriages and seeing everybody so happy, so joyful. It had been amazing, especially since they had all been through so much. A happy surprise was that Ice felt a bond with Leia that she hadn’t expected but was delighted to have.
As she walked through the kitchen a couple hours later, feeling like she was back home and getting into the swing of things, their team was gathered around the huge dining room table, and Levi was filling them in on as many details as he could. She poured herself a coffee, sat down with them, and, when her phone rang, she smiled. “Hey, Terk. How’re you doing?” She put the call on Speakerphone.
“I’m okay.” But his voice was distracted and tight.
“Terk?” Merk called from across the dining room table. He got up and walked closer to the phone and sat across from Levi. “You don’t sound too good, bro.”
“I’m fine. Or I will be. Right now, things are blown to shit.”
“As in literally?” Merk asked.
“The entire group,” Terk said. “They’re all gone. I had six team members. and they’re all gone.”
“Dead?”
“No.” Terk took a deep breath. “I’m not making sense. I’m sorry.”
“Take it easy,” Ice said, her voice calm and reassuring. “What do you mean, they’re all gone?”
“All their abilities are gone,” he stated. “Something’s happened to them. Somebody has deliberately done something to each and every one of them to remove whatever special senses they utilized—what we have been utilizing for the last ten years for the government.” His tone was bitter. “When they closed us down, they promised that the team would never rise again, but I didn’t expect them to attack us personally.”
“What are you talking about?” Merk asked in alarm.
“I don’t know yet,” Terk replied., “I’m going under to find out exactly what the hell’s going on.”
“What can we do to help?” Levi asked.
Terk gave a broken laugh. “That’s not why I’m calling. Well, it is, but it isn’t.”
Ice looked at Merk, who frowned as he stared at the phone, listening to his brother’s voice, and the completely confusing words coming out of his mouth.
“Terk, you’re not making sense again,” Merk stated.
Terk took a long slow deep breath. “Tell Stone to open the gate,” Terk said. “She’s out there.”
“Who’s out there?” Everybody in the dining room stared at the phone. Levi hopped up, looked outside, and shrugged.
“She’s coming up the road now. You have to let her in.”
“Why?”
“Because she’s been harnessed with C-4.”
“Jesus,” Levi said. “Is it live?”
“It is, and she’s been sent to you.”
“Well, that’s an interesting move,” Ice noted, her voice sharp. “Who’s after her?”
“I’m thinking it’s rebels within the Iranian government.”
“And why her?”
“I don’t know,” Terk said in complete frustration. “I also don’t know how they got her so close to you. Or how they pinned your connection to me,” he added. “I’ve been very careful.”
“We can look after ourselves,” Ice said immediately. “But who is this woman to you?”
“She’s pregnant,” he explained, “so that adds to the intensity here.”
“Understood. So where is the father?”
There was silence on the other end.
Merk spoke up again. “Terk, talk to us.”
“She’s carrying my baby, Merk,” Terk said, his voice heavy.
Merk, his expression turning grim, stared at Ice. “How do you know her, Terk?”
“Brother, you don’t understand,” Terk said. “I’ve never met this woman before in my life.” And, with that, the phone went dead.
This concludes Book 9 of Bullard’s Battle: Bullard’s Best.
Read about Damon’s Deal: Terkel’s Team, Book 1
Damon’s Deal: Terkel’s Team (Book #1)
Welcome to a brand-new series from USA Today best-selling author Dale Mayer, where dark-ops SEALs have special senses and skills, needed to solve intrigue, betrayal, and … murder. A series with all the elements you’ve come to love, plus so much more, … including psychics!
With the bulk of his team down, Terk tries to establish a new base, while struggling to heal the team through the special connection each has. Damon is concerned about finding Tasha, one of their admins, and keeping her safe. But, without any secure place to take her, Damon’s making do with the little they have—whether she’s happy about his plan or not.
Tasha, barely surviving an assassination attempt, is not sure who to trust. When Damon comes to check on her, she can only hope her instincts and her heart are right about him. This man meant everything to her for the years they’d worked together, but he’d always kept her at arm’s reach. Now to learn that he and Terk are the only fully cognizant members of her old team, she wants to help but doesn’t want to risk her life … again.
Still struggling with their new reality, both Tasha and Damon need to find out who did this to them. It’s the only way to get their lives back—and to have a future together …
Ice poured herself a coffee and sat down at the compound’s massive dining room table with the others. When her phone rang, she smiled at the number displayed. “Hey, Terk. How’re you doing?” She put the call on Speakerphone.
“I’m okay,” Terkel said, his voice distracted and tight.
“Terk?” Merk called from across the table. He got up and walked closer and sat across from Levi. “You don’t sound too good, brother. What’s up?”
“I’m fine,” Terk said. “Or I will be. Right now, things are blown to shit.”
“As in literally?” Merk asked.
“The entire group,” Terk said, “they’re all gone. I had a solid team of eight, and they’re all gone.”
“Dead?”
Several others stood to join them, gathered around Ice’s phone. Levi stepped forward, his hand on Ice’s shoulder. “Terk? Are they all dead?”
“No.” Terk took a deep breath. “I’m not making sense. I’m sorry.”
“Take it easy,” Ice said, her voice calm and reassuring. “What do you mean, they’re all gone?”
“All their abilities are gone,” he said. “Something’s happened to them. Somebody has deliberately removed whatever super senses they could utilize—or what we have been utilizing for the last ten years for the government.” His tone was bitter. “When the US gov recently closed us down, they promised that our black ops department would never rise again, but I didn’t expect them to attack us personally.”