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T erk looked up with interest as the newcomers arrived at the dining room table.

He recognized the appetite for a fulfilling relationship and the cementing of their energy-worker bond, and he nodded.

“Welcome,” he greeted them. “Your rooms are ready, whenever you want to take your luggage up. If you’re staying here, that is, as I understand Morrison has a place close by. ”

Sadie sat down across from Terk and reached out for a handshake, as she smiled. “Thank you.”

He gave her a gentle smile in return, shaking her hand. “What are you thanking me for?” he asked, amusement rippling through his tone.

“I don’t know whether it should be for giving me a place to stay, for the support I’ve needed, for the help with my brothers, or for tossing Morrison in my direction. Definitely for all of those things.”

“For all that, you are welcome. Besides you have talents that could use some honing and ones we want to learn more about, so it’s a good trade-off.

She realized for the first time that there really was a profound sense of connection and community here. But she would learn more, and she would understand more.

Just then Terk’s phone rang. He groaned as he reached for his phone and asked, “Jonas, what’s up?”

“I need two men right now,” he snapped, “as in today.”

“Depends on where you are.”

“I’m in London, and I need somebody right now.”

“As in twenty minutes from now?”

“Preferably ten minutes from now,” he added urgently. “I have one guy here who told me to call you to get backup, but I don’t know if he’s one of yours or not.”

“Who is it?” Terk asked curiously, as he looked around the dining room table, knowing that most of his men were here, though a few were still off on jobs.

“His name is Wallace.”

At that Terk stiffened. “Wallace Cremayne?”

Muffled voices came from the other end of the call, and a new voice came on board. “Hey, Terk. Wallace here. Jonas has a problem.”

“Jonas always has a problem,” Terk noted. “What are you doing there?”

“I came over because they wanted to talk to me about bringing up a unit similar to what you were doing for the CIA,” he explained. “They figured that you were too big and too government-shy to want to do it.”

“So, they contacted you?” Terk asked in amusement. “I guess they didn’t look into your history too much.”

“Nope, they sure didn’t, but, while we were here, one of the researchers that they were also trying to hire has disappeared.”

At that, Terk closed his eyes, pinched the bridge of his nose, and got straight to the point. “Don’t tell me it’s Amy.”

“Yeah, it’s Amy,” Wallace confirmed. “Amy Connelly. I’m going after her, but I don’t know what we’ll need. Jonas is asking for two backups, but, honest to God, if I even had one, I would be happy.”

More chatter came in the background, and then Riff joined the call.

“Hey, Terk. I’m here in London already, so I can handle this. You guys enjoy setting up home for the latest newcomers.” And, with that, Riff was gone, and the call ended.

Terk stared down at the phone and then looked at the others gathered at the table with him. “That was interesting. Riff’s in London, where Wallace was doing something for Jonas, but apparently Amy’s disappeared, and we need all hands on deck for this one.”

“Amy?” Several of the women looked at each other, then back at Terk.

He nodded. “Somebody I knew as a kid. You guys probably don’t know her, but Merk and I do.

Damn, I’ll need to tell Merk. If Levi’s got anybody to help, maybe we can get him to pinch-hit, as needed.

” Then he frowned and tapped the table, as precog images started filtering through his brain.

“Well, shit, she’s been kidnapped, and they want her to do research for them, but I don’t know who it is.

I’m definitely feeling…” Then he frowned.

“I feel as if Asia’s coming into this somehow. ”

“From London to Asia?” Celia asked.

He shrugged. “Or big money, as in China maybe? I don’t know.” Terk shook his head. “But they need help, and we need to help them now.”