Epilogue
“At least it was your left, not your shooting arm,” Piper commented, and everybody mumbled agreement.
“Did I hear the doctors say that you have six weeks of downtime?” Kayla asked.
Kira let out a sigh. “That’s what they’re telling me. Then I can’t be released back into the field until my physical therapist says I’m one hundred percent. This sucks.”
Piper turned to Kayla. “Does this mean we’re down for at least six weeks and probably ten or more?”
“Maybe. I have to report back to Katlin on Kira’s prognosis.”
“Can I put in for three weeks of leave, please?” Piper’s eyes begged.
“I can ask, but I’m not the one who grants vacation time.” Kayla looked at the rest of her team. “I know we’re all long overdue.”
“Please explain to Katlin that Kenner and I want to get married. We’ve tried to figure out a time for months, but we kept getting shipped out on missions.
I want three weeks because I’ll need the first week to plan the wedding and get everything together.
Then two weeks for our honeymoon. Lei Lu and Henry have promised us their house on Grand Turk.
All we want to do is dive and lie in the sun. ”
Mia huffed on a giggle. “That’s not all you’re going to do.”
Piper smiled. “Jealous?”
“Maybe.” Mia glared at Kayla. “And maybe if I had time off, I could find a good man like you and Ashlin.”
Ashlin smiled at Clint. “You really are a good man.” She went onto her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss. She turned her smile to Mia. “He does have a brother, and you’ve met Van.”
Mia rolled her eyes. “Yes. I have met Van. He’s a man whore. No thank you.”
“You’re right about that,” Clint said with a wry smile. “I don’t blame you.” He swung his attention to Kayla. “I hate to bring up the past, but do you know what happened to the man who picked Shadow up to take him into the hospital?”
“I met with Katlin yesterday, and I got an earful of news for the after-action report. Lukas, Shadow, Rashid—whatever that fuck he wants to call himself—used one of the syringes on the driver and stole the car. The driver was found beside the road just before the entrance to the Gila National Forest. The car was found about eight miles down that road next to a well-worn path that led to the camp. He didn’t have a torn anything; he had a bag of blood.
The investigators are having a heyday with his phones. ”
Her face fell into sadness. “I’m sorry to be the one to tell you this, but his messages showed that he paid a mercenary located in Northern Africa to kill you and Javier. Rashid called him the night you went out on that mission together.”
Ashlin looked at her husband, tears in her eyes. “I almost lost you before we had a chance to be together.”
“But that didn’t happen and I’m here.”
“Did the other men in camp talk once they woke up and realized the situation?” Piper asked.
“A few of them.” Kayla smiled at her team. “Some should look familiar. You took their pictures in South Sudan and many match passports you found in Montana.”
“They didn’t waste any fucking time getting here,” Mia sneered.
Kira started nodding off.
Ashlin glanced at her watch. “We need to go. Clint has a call scheduled with his dad.” She hugged Kira, then took his hand and headed out the door, the other Ladies right behind her.
She stopped him a few feet down the hall and told Clint, “I need to talk to Kayla for a minute. I’ll meet you in the car.” She watched that sexy swagger all the way down the hall until he disappeared through the double doors.
“Kayla, since you’re asking for leave for Piper, I’d like at least two weeks, please. Clint and I never got a honeymoon. I’m not sure where we will go. The idea of warm water sounds awesome. Will you ask for me as well?”
“You two deserve some time alone.” Kayla stepped up and hugged her. “I’ll file the request myself as soon as I get back to our condo. I take it you won’t be there?”
Ashlin felt her cheeks blush. “No. Clint decided to treat us. We’re staying at the Willard.
” Her smile was conspiratorial. “I know you can both keep a secret. Clint and his father are discussing moving an entire unit to the United States. Since so much of their work comes out of Washington, he wants to make his home base here for the acquisitions and a team that can move fast. We’re meeting with a commercial real estate agent tomorrow. ”
Both her teammates hugged her.
“I take it you don’t regret your spur-of-the-moment wedding to Clint?” Kayla asked.
“It was the best decision of my life.” She hugged her two teammates, who stood in the hall with her. “Thank you for being my bridesmaids. Not a single regret.” She stepped back and giggled. “I think I’ve already got him trained to put down the toilet seat.”
The end.