Terkels twist, p.19
Terkel's Twist, page 19
At that, Terk looked over at Levi, who was burning with fury. “Wow, Leopold,” Terk noted, “you’ve bitten off more than I think you can chew.”
“I am the damn boss,” he yelled. “I shouldn’t even have to be here. That’s my helicopter outside.”
“Really?” Terk murmured. “We’ve never dealt with you before.”
“That’s because I’m above all you assholes,” he explained, with a wave of his hand. “Normally I wouldn’t even be involved, but, due to the sensitive nature of this mess, here I am. We’ve got to clean this up, once and for all.”
“So, who’s above you?” Terk asked.
“What difference does that make? I run everything, and what I say goes.”
At that, Ice held up her phone, recording the interchange. She was also live streaming to the defense department. “Wouldn’t that be Brigadier General Smithson?”
He looked over at her cell phone screen, and his face twisted in rage. “Listen, girlie. Do you really think videotaping this will make a fucking bit of difference? That’s why I’m here. I came to make sure we clean this mess up, once and for all.”
Immediately the brigadier general’s voice came through Ice’s phone, loud and clear. “Leopold, you miserable asshole, this is your boss, Smithson. I am so damn tired of you going behind my back, meddling in things that are none of your fucking business. This was not a sanctioned mission, nor was the ill-fated attempt to take out Terk’s team.”
“Well, if he wasn’t your bloody pet,” Leopold roared, “I wouldn’t have had to fix their screwups.”
“They didn’t screw up, you moron. In fact, they were doing a hell of a job. You took it upon yourself to close down the organization without approval, and, if that weren’t enough, you committed countless crimes in the process. You had no business doing any of that. I can’t even begin to fathom the body count you’ve got in this mess, but I damn well will find out, and I’ll hold your ass accountable.”
“No way we’ll let a weapon like this team live,” Leopold sneered, “and the same goes for your pets, Levi and Ice. No way I’m letting them go.” He raised his hand. “And by the way, General, if you didn’t see the hidden signals before now, see this one, and let the bloodshed begin.” And, with that, he dropped his arm.
There was, indeed, a signal, followed by a single gunshot—but it was Grady who took the bullet between his eyes. At that, Alan stepped forward, faced Ice’s phone. “Brigadier General, sir, Grady has been taken out,” Alan said, fatigue in his voice. “You’ll need a team to come in here.”
“Yeah, well, Leopold’s team is outside, standing by. They are not privy to this madness and are the team you’ll need,” he snapped. “I’ve vetted every one of those men. Get that cleaned up and bring everybody home, and I want that fucker Leopold in chains. I need to find out what else he’s had his fingers in. Grady was just a bad seed, Alan. He had to go. Don’t lose any sleep over that. Levi and Ice, I’ll talk to you soon. And Terk, damn, son, I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, me too. We’ll talk later.”
“You bet.” He hesitated and added, “I guess you’re serious about not wanting to reopen the team, huh?”
“We’re going private, sir,” Terk said adamantly.
“That’s not a bad idea. A lot of money in contracts these days.”
“There is,” Terk agreed, “but that’s not what I’m after. It’ll be on our terms, with our own systems and defenses.”
“Will you stay there with Levi and Ice?”
“No, sir, we’ll set up in England,” he said, hearing the mood behind him lift. “And the team has doubled in size in recent weeks.”
“Shit, man, you got that many psychics now?”
“We’re growing all the time, sir,” Terk replied. “We’re stronger than ever, so we’ll talk down the road. Make sure your pockets are deep.”
“Yeah, about that. You want to talk about the money that was in your budget and now isn’t?”
“We needed that money to save our asses from Leopold and his goons. Not to mention Grady.”
At that, the brigadier general chuckled. “You know what? That is fair. We’ll let that one bury itself in paperwork.”
“Good enough.” Terk smiled. “I’m heading back to England in a few days. We’ll talk then.” And, as Ice shut down that call, Terk picked up Leopold’s phone. “Clary? How are you doing over there? We’re fine here.”
She said, “We just had to wait until it was over.”
“The guards?”
“Dead.” She shrugged. “No one who is willing to hurt women and children gets a second chance.”
“Yeah,” Wade said. “Besides, anything that pisses off MI6 will make us happy.”
Raising an eyebrow, Terk snorted at that. “We need to get them on our side somehow. To have one government on our side is gold, but two? … Well, that’s a hell of a lot better.” He addressed his team. “Well?”
“Oh, we’re good.” Damon grinned at him. “We’re totally good with going independent.”
“You okay with England?” Terk’s gaze swept his four men who had come over and received nods all around. Then he turned to Ice and Levi. “You guys will be okay?”
“Always,” Levi said calmly. “Don’t you worry about us.”
“It just took forever to get these guys to show us their hand,” Ice added.
And, with that, Terk nodded. He looked over at Celia. “Is England okay?”
She raised her eyebrows. “Thanks for asking,” she quipped, with an emphasis on the asking part. “But, as long as I have a place to raise my twins, that’s fine with me.”
“Good, and I wasn’t asking. It was out of politeness that I was doing that much.”
She glared at him. “We need to work on your manners.”
“No. However, you can if you feel like it, but I’d give up on lost causes.”
She groaned. “You don’t have to be difficult about everything.”
“Not everything.” He grinned at her. “Just some things.”
And when he laughed at her, she realized she was being teased.
At that, he noted the question in her gaze. “And?”
“Are you serious about setting up your own team again?” Celia asked.
“The team never disbanded,” Terk said. “Not really. We had plans to briefly go our separate ways, then found each other in the face of a crisis, so we’re all trying to figure out what to do next. It will take some time to get ourselves set up. We haven’t even had time to plan, but we can all do it, together.”
“Well, maybe good things can come out of this after all,” Celia murmured.
He nodded, looked over to his team members, and they were all smiles. “In a couple days we’re heading back.”
“Right,” Damon agreed. They all were looking hopeful. “We need to get back home, then do some real planning.”
“We do, indeed,” Terk murmured. “At least now we officially have the budget to do so.”
“So,” Ice interrupted, “do I get to ask how much budget money was in that account that you’re now keeping with their permission?” Ice was curious and just a little bit envious.
“Nope.” He walked over and enveloped her in a big hug. “But, if you ever need anything, you know you can always call on us.”
“Absolutely,” Levi agreed, rubbing his hands together. “Man, now we’ll have a sister company in England too. That’s just about perfect.”
“That’s what I said. And Terk and his team can help smooth things over with MI6,” Ice reminded Levi.
Levi almost chortled with joy when he heard that. “This is just about perfect.” Levi looked over at the rest of them. “I don’t know about you guys, but, once this criminal lot has been cleared out of here, I think it should be pool time.”
“Absolutely,” Ice agreed. “And drinks,” she added, with feeling.
“And maybe more food,” Celia said suddenly.
They all looked at her, and she shrugged. “Hey, I’m pregnant. With twins no less. What can I say?”
The laughter was loud and universal. As Terk tucked her up into his arms, he said, “Come on. … Maybe you should have a nap first.”
“I don’t need a nap.” She frowned, but he shook his head.
“You absolutely do. Your energy is just about to plummet.”
“You must be draining it then.”
“If I’m draining your energy, it’s only because I’ve been supporting you, and now I need to recharge myself.” She turned and looked at him, and he nodded. She sighed. “Damn, I thought I was doing much better.”
“You were. However, if you’re planning on heading to the pool and joining the rest of us for the evening,” he said, “you need to get some rest first.”
*
Celia groaned and followed him obediently into her room. Instead he took her into his room, and she glared at him suspiciously. “What are we—”
Immediately he covered her mouth with his lips.
And once again that same firestorm overtook her, causing all her senses to vibrate. When she pulled her mouth free, she stated, “You won’t be able to overwhelm me with your kisses all the time, you know?”
“Not all the time.” He pulled her back into his arms, lowering his lips. “Just whenever the need arises.”
She snorted at that. “As long as it’s concerning both of our needs.”
He kissed her deep and long, and, when he lifted his head, he asked, “What do you think? Does it meet both of our needs?”
“God, yes.” She grabbed his ears and pulled him down to her.
He burst out laughing, until their lips touched, and, as the laughter subsided, the passion rose.
By the time she stepped back and got her shirt over her head, he’d already chucked his jeans and stood in front of her, completely nude.
She stared at him in awe. “Good God,” she whispered. “You’re not only a bloody escape artist but you got out of those clothes faster than anybody I’ve ever seen before. … And you’re absolutely gorgeous.”
He stared at her and shook his head. “Hell no. I’m a broken, aging, and outdated warrior.”
She placed a finger against his lips. “No, you’re an incredibly good man, who has lived through endless wars and come out on the other side, stronger than before. And, for that, I am absolutely delighted.”
He helped her take off the rest of her clothes at a much gentler pace. A little slower but not too much, as she could feel the tension coiling deep within her. “Jesus,” she murmured, as he carried her to the bed. “It’s never been anything like this.”
“I think that’s what happens when you find the other half of your soul,” he murmured. “I might not be any good at showing my feelings or using flowery phrases, but what I say comes from my heart. And you are the other half of mine. You just need to give yourself time to feel it too.”
She stopped, struck by the simple poetry and the absolute sincerity in his voice. In that moment, she realized there would never be romance from somebody like Terk, but there would be sincerity that came from the heart, with words that came out of the blue, like those just spoken. And they were worth everything to her.
“I don’t need time,” she whispered. “I felt it but was too scared to acknowledge it.” With tears in her eyes, she wrapped him up in a warm hug and whispered, “I hope it’s always like this.”
“It will be if we make it that way,” he murmured, “with communication, love, and us—all the tools in the toolbox of making a great relationship. Effort is the other part that goes into it, and I think we’ve got that sewn up tight.” He wrapped her up close and proceeded to demonstrate just how well they had that wrapped up.
Soon she was gasping and trembling on the bed, her thighs wide, begging him to come to her. He slowly slid up, until he was right in position.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said, his fingers still teasing her, until she was writhing.
“You won’t hurt me.”
“What about the babies?”
“You won’t hurt them either,” she said. “I was made for this.” Her voice was dark, thick, and deep with passion, and, when he still hesitated, she wrapped her legs around his thighs and tugged him over her, then plunged herself upward, so he went in deep and hard.
He sank even lower and dropped his forehead gently against hers and whispered, “God, that’s incredible.”
“It’s amazing.”
And then he started to move, and everything that she thought she knew about making love went out the window.
It was incredible.
It was tumultuous.
It was almost painful because she was on a knife’s edge of something momentous, but, at the same time, she knew something else was missing.
He whispered, “Open up your mind.” She frowned at him. “Do it,” he said.
Immediately she opened the door that he had shown her, and he stepped through.
She could really see him now, with all her senses involved, the same as he could see her. Souls, not bodies. Energy, minds, hearts—as one. “Oh my God,” she whispered. They were joined on a level that she had never dreamed possible. By the time she exploded in his arms, she already knew he was there, holding her energy, her heart, her soul, and carrying her with him.
He carried her over the edge, the two of them, forever bonded together.
Epilogue
Almost one month later, as they landed in London, Celia winced because her lower back and the long flight had not been a good combination.
“You and the babies okay?” Terk murmured, as he ushered her toward the big SUV waiting for them.
“Yep.” She yawned heavily. “They’re both more than ready to rest though, and so am I.”
“Lots of rest coming up,” he murmured.
“We still don’t have a home yet,” she said, looking at him.
“Depends on how you feel about being part of a big compound.”
“Like Ice and Levi’s?”
He chuckled. “Yeah. Something like that.”
As they drove out of town, she thought about a compound and what that would be like as a home, a working home. But when the drive went a little longer than expected, she turned and asked, “Where are we going?”
“Charles suggested a new place as a base. I’ve been there before, but I didn’t realize it was up for sale.”
“What kind of a place is it?”
He looked over at her, as they started to climb a mountain. “How do you feel about something fairly old-fashioned?”
She frowned. “As long as it’s got all the modern amenities—you know, inside plumbing, hot water, electricity, and communications—I don’t hate the idea, especially if it’s got some history and charm.”
He laughed, as they entered through a huge stone wall and a double gate.
She looked at him in shock. “Oh my God. Is this a castle?”
“Kind of.” Terk chuckled. “It looks like it might be big enough for the expanding family.”
“What is there, like twenty of us or something?” she asked.
“So far, nineteen, counting the twins. Plus, we’ll need people to help run the place, like weapons specialists, builders, tech support, culinary staff, housekeeping, gardeners, and whatever else. We’ll need a bunch of staff, unless you’ve got a problem with that.”
She stared at the unfolding landscape, as they drove around and came into full view of the castle, and she was just stunned. “Is that a moat?” she cried out in delight, as the grassy grounds went straight to the water’s edge. She bounced out of the SUV and raced over to the water in an awkwardly pregnant hop.
“I see you approve of it, but I don’t think the twins appreciate the bouncing.”
She laughed, holding her belly. “Is there a pool too?”
“There is a pool. Now, we haven’t finalized any of the legal arrangements yet, but the plan is to spend a few days here, while we think about it.”
“What’s to think about?” she cried out, turning to look at him in shock. “Sign on the dotted line. I think it’s perfect.”
He had to admit that he thought so too. As he looked around at the grounds, he could envision them all here.
She whispered, “Can we really afford this?”
“We can afford it, especially since the US government has paid for it,” he said, chuckling.
“Well, considering that they tried to kill us all, and we could have had them caught up in litigation for decades and would have gotten the money anyway,” she murmured, “it’s pretty much all good.”
“Exactly, so, in theory, we’ve just saved them money.” He reached out for her hand. “Come on. Let’s go take a look at our new home.”
Just then the front door opened, and an older man leaned against the door, a gentle smile on his face.
“Charles?” Terk said in delight. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”
He nodded, beaming at Terk and Celia. “Not sure how you feel about it, but I thought I’d meet you here and make sure everything was in order.”
The men shook hands, and Terk introduced Celia to Charles. She was immediately drawn to the charming older man. “It’s very nice to meet you, and I hope you’ll stay.” She was filled with joy, as she reached out and hugged him, already enjoying the kind energy of this man.
Charles flushed with pleasure. “How sweet of you. I do have a friend here with me.” Celia watched as an older woman walked—with an obvious limp—toward them along the long central hallway.
As the men stepped away to look at something on the property, the woman approached Celia and smiled, holding out her hand. “Hello, I am Emmeline. Charles and I are old school friends.”
“So nice to meet you. I’m Celia.” She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman, immediately noting that Emmeline was the type who only grew more beautiful with age.
“This is such a beautiful and peaceful place. I already want to visit again,” Emmeline replied.
“Absolutely.” Celia hugged the woman. She looked over at Terk, as he and Charles returned. “I don’t think anybody here will mind, and the place looks to be huge. I hope we can get it.”
