Operation Zulu Redemption: Out of Nowhere - Part 2 Read Free Page B

doesn’t make a point any better than a normal tone of voice.”
    Quade considered her. Then Téya and Annie, who grouped up around their teammate. “Hit the trail.”
    Téya fantasized about throwing herself at him. Of conjuring up some psychic powers to make that lightbulb smash into his head. Anything to get this guy—
    “
Moove it!”
    Topside and jogging a barely existent trail through the woods and around a creek that bordered the property, Téya gritted her teeth. “I’m going to kill him.”
    “I’m ready to take my knife to Trace for bringing this guy in,” Annie huffed out, her blond curls matted to her head with sweat.
    “What is with that?” Téya wet her lips and swallowed to quench her parched throat.
    “Don’t know,” Annie breathed. “But does Trace really think this will do any good?”
    “Can’t outrun a sniper bullet.”
    “Speaking of sniper—where’s Nuala?” Annie slowed to a fast walk, pushing her damp strands off her face. “If Trace can bring in this goon, why not Sam or David?”
    Téya felt her stomach clench at the mention of David.
    “Sam’s a Navy SEAL—or was.”
    “Move it, ladies. Walking’s for wusses.” Quade’s voice boomed over a megaphone.
    “Seriously?” Téya glowered. “Why not take out a billboard announcing where we are?”
    “Guess he thinks we’re far enough out to be safe.” Annie resumed her run.
    When they made it back to the bunker, Quade was there waiting. “Since you took your sweet time, do another lap.”
    “Are you—?”
    “Argue and I’ll add more.”
    “Who do you think you are?” Téya demanded.
    “The guy trying to keep you alive.” Quade stood firm. “In ten seconds, you’ll be doing two more laps.”
    “This is bull,” Annie said.
    “Ten. . .”
    “Where’s Nuala?”
    “Nine. . .”
    Téya drew up her shoulders. Inched forward.
    Annie hooked her arm. “C’mon. We can use the fresh air.”
    Even as their feet padded across the inches-thick litter of fall and spring left in the field, they heard Quade say, “Clear your heads and come back ready to fight.”
    “That’s a promise,” Téya hissed.
    But as she ran this time, she let her mind drift to David—was he doing better? Had he recovered from whatever sent him to the hospital? Her heart and mind were tangled up in the conflicting messages her heart telegraphed. One to stay away and keep him safe. The other to rush to his side.
    “Does it get to you?” she asked Annie.
    “What?”
    “That we put them in danger?” She dropped out of the jog, hands on her hips as she walked, sucking big gulps of air. “I mean—that’s why we were ordered to never return to our family or friends, right? So we don’t.” She swallowed hard, wetting her lips. “But we get close to people and put
them
in danger.”
    Annie said nothing for a few minutes as they did a fast walk-jog. “Sam. . .” She sighed. “I staved off his attention for two years. Finally gave up and gave in. And
that
night, the sniper shows up.”
    “Think he’ll give up?”
    Annie lowered her gaze. “I. . .I don’t know. He’s like a pit bull when he gets an idea, but at the same time, I don’t know how much I meant to him. If I was just a challenge.”
    “
Laaaddies
,” Quade’s voice taunted.
    “I am truly going to kill him,” Téya said as she started jogging again.
    “What about David—have you heard how he’s doing?”
    Téya shook her head. “I’d rather not think about all that—I’d rather figure out where Berg Ballenger is, who was behind beating the tar out of me, and ultimately, who set us up in Misrata.”
    “Wouldn’t we all?”
    “How did we not have the information about Ballenger but HOMe did?”
    “Maybe we weren’t supposed to have that,” Annie suggested. “Maybe she let something slip that shouldn’t have come out.”
    “She admitted they were breaking rules letting Berg stay there with his wife.”
    “Child bride, sounds like.”
    “Maybe that’s