A Terri Walker Series
The Beginning
In the Families Footsteps
Other books by Autho r:
The Promise
The Next Mission the Fall of an American Hero
A Families Revenge
The Restaurant
The Residents
A Max Stone Series
The Cottages
A Max Stone Series
Dedicated to Jess who I worked with at the time of writing this book. She gave me the inspiration to move past my writer’s block that I had at the that time, thanks
This is a book of fiction. No name or similarity of people is meant to be. Any business, building or a city and state are only a fictional idea. Along with a name for the place or places that this book mainly takes place in. And any nationalities that are stated, and association with any groups.
Copyrighted, Robert Segulin, 2019
Chapter 1
My name is Terri Walker, let me first give you a little back story on myself and my family.
My mother, Josie. The best mom any child could ask for, has done and will always have my back. My dad, well he died during a turbulent time in our country, when the country was attacked from within by hundreds of thousands of terrorists. I was younger and never really got to know him. My brother Charlie. Well what can I say about a brother who not only had my back but saved my life, and the lives of many others including our mother. He is an analyst with the military. That is all I can say of his job. But the best brother a kid could have. He was there for me during the bad times and the good.
Now two others that have been in my life and have also saved mine, my mothers, Charlies, and thousands of others lives during the invasion. A man I call Uncle Bob, no relation but one that became family because he protected us as that.
He is an older man who started a journey from his home city to New Jersey, then St Louis, where I was living at the time, then to the Middle East and back home to his little apartment and his glass of Scotch. Now for my real uncle. My mother’s brother and a very special man. Rick James. My uncle Rick and Bob traveled the country to save Bob’s daughter and bring her to her mother’s place in New York. Then together went across the country to St Louis to be with us.
There was a time during a hard-fought battle near my home that my uncle was thought dead. But years later finding out that he was whisked away by the military to have our family safe from the revenge of the leader of the terrorist that he fought. Their revenge was because during the time my uncle was in the military, he was a special op sniper, and he killed the head of the groups’ father back in Afghanistan years earlier, that was invading our country.
Then years later, my mother remarried, my brother somewhere in the world doing what ever he does with his wife and partner, along with Bob finally retiring, then after another year of running for our lives against another group that was just out for us and revenge, my Uncle Rick was alive and again saved not only my brother, Bob, but many others that went to Afghanistan to have our own revenge.
So, after all that has gone on in my life I finished school became a teacher like my mother and settled down in an area not far from my mother. Well that is what I told everyone that I did, but I became just like my brother and my uncle and joined a special government unit. Recruited me while I was in college.
We travel around the world as educators working on thesis’s for graduate school, but what I do for my country is, well I work for those who don’t exist in any of the government books.
And of who only the President and very few know of us. In other words, if I told you what we do or who we really are, I would have to kill you.
So, my story begins.
Chapter 2
Sitting in a quaint coffee shop in an elite college town area in upstate New York, just across the street from a small book store, I sit and wait for a man that I have been following for a few days, waiting for him to come out of the store, then my job begins again shadowing him as he goes around town.
The man that I have been watching is that of Professor Thomas. A Professor at the college near by and one of the only men or women for that matter, that has broken the code of the New Islamic Terrorist group in the Middle East and is now also based in the United States. This group has come up with an unbreakable code to send messages to all their cells in this country and abroad.
The United States Government Intel Communities has tried repeatedly to have him accept protection or to come into a government safe house. To both he has refused, so here I am watching or rather baby sitting a man that is marked for death by the terrorist groups. Not only one of them but all of them.
My duty is to keep watch, not only of him but of any out of the ordinary person or persons that he may encounter, or be following him as I am.
After three days, no contact from any other, no obvious watching, so here I sit pretending to drink my coffee, which I sip but not drink. If I drank as much as needed in the time that I sit here, I would spend most of my time in the lady’s room and possible miss what may be an obduction or murder of Professor Thomas.
Then as I wondered how long that I will have to be sitting in this coffee shop waiting for him to come out of the book store so that I would leave here and be on the move instead of just sitting. Then Professor Thomas came out of the store. I started to get up when I noticed that he was walking in my direction. He entered the coffee shop and sat by the window with the book he just bought. He opened it and started to read. After a few minutes he got up went the counter ordered his coffee and went back to his seat to continue reading his book.
I shuffled in my chair not wanting to continue in the same seat alone, because the workers will start to wonder why I am here and not really having coffee. I also knew that the Professor will also wonder why I am just sitting and not reading a book or working on a lap top. I am looking at my iPhone, but not as visible as a book or computer.
Just as my thoughts ended of me being here alone, in comes Sienna. Wow, Sienna came into the shop, and I waved at her to come over. Now I have an excuse why I am here and that possibly I was just waiting for my friend.
Sienna came up to me and I stood and the two of us hugged, because it has been a very long time since we have seen each other. Sienna is Bob’s daughter’s mother.
She was the one that Bob and my Uncle Rick went to New Jersey to get, Samantha her daughter, then took her up here to New York. Now that I am thinking, she lives not that far away from where we are right now. What a coincidence.
We both sat back in our seats and she immediately said to me, “Terri how are you and your mother. Have you been in contact with your brother Charlie and your Uncle Rick. And what are you doing here, and not calling or at least send an email that you would be here?”
I just gave a chuckle and told her, “first Sienna, I am here taking a few classes for my thesis for my masters. I didn’t know if you would even remember me and didn’t want to bother you. On my bother and uncle, well, my brother and his wife and his partner Jenny are off somewhere in the world saving us as usual. My uncle is with his wife and family living not to far from my mother in St Louis. My mother married again, and my uncle has two little ones also. Me well I am single and just keeping up with my education. I am a teacher but am trying to expand my areas of education to hopefully work my way into a college as a professor someday.”
With a smile Sienna responded with, “Terri, I do remember you, how can I not. You, your mother, brother and uncle did so much for my daughter, and yes, her father did to. I haven’t s
een him much because he completely retired and just has a garden around his apartment complex which he takes care of for every one’s enjoyment he says, which I think that it is mainly for his enjoyment and something to keep him busy.”
She paused then said, “Also, you can have stayed with me while you are here. By the way how long are you staying?”
I lowered my head with a little shame, mostly because I am lying to a great woman, but also making it look as if I should have called. I looked up at her and said, “I am not completely sure how long that I will be here, but I do have a dorm room to stay in. That way I can get around campus faster. But what I think is that I may be gone shortly so it is good we can see each other today.”
Sienna the asked me, “so, what do you do for work while you are going to finish your masters? Or are you going to school only during the summer months like now, and teach somewhere the rest of the year?”
I gave an unusual look at her, which I feel she got the reason why. I then stumbled with my next few words and replied with, “I have saved enough from working as a teacher, so with that and some subbing every so often, I get by.”
I knew that the story I just gave was convincing to most, but Sienna has been through so much with her ex Bob and my family that I know she really did not completely believe me.
I tried to change the subject quickly and did. “How is Samantha, are you two in contact often?”
Sienna smiled and answered with, “yes we are in constant contact. She comes to visit me, and I visit her monthly. We both try to see her father Bob as much as possible, but he likes to move around. He got into panning for gold in different states. Doesn’t get much, but he says it is like fishing to him. He visits when in the area also.”
As we continued our talk, I was trying to keep an eye on the professor without making it to obvious to both Sienna and him.
With talking to Sienna and looking at him, I would every now and then look out the window for any unusual people that just happened to be hanging around out front or across the street.
The street that I was on was blocked at each end and had car barriers in the ground. The street was red brick, like Red Square in Burlington Vermont. No cars just walking and bicycles. That way everyone could walk in the street and back and forth across it without worrying of being run over. Even motor cycles were not permitted.
As I was glancing out the window I noticed that two motor cycles stop in front of the coffee shop that I was in with Sienna and the professor. Not unusual for a motor cycle driving through the barriers since they were mainly put there for cars and trucks. But what got me thinking is that the two on the bikes were dressed head to toe in black, and both didn’t get off the bikes, but just sat on them looking into the shop. I started to get a bit upset at the thought that not only was the professor a person that I feel now is in trouble but also Sienna, along with many others in the shop.
Trying to not have Sienna notice what I was looking at and that I was slowly moving myself in my seat so that I could have my hand on the 9mm attached to my hip under the thin jacket I had on.
Even though I was very nonchalant in doing this, I turned slightly towards Sienna and could see that she knew that something was wrong.
Sienna then said to me, “what do you want me to do Agent Terri Walker.”
With that I knew she had a feeling from the first when she entered the shop and I seemed nervous of her being there and she may have noticed my constant glances at the professor. So, I immediately moved my chair back and told Sienna, “when I get up you get behind the counter and get down, and if I am right you can help me call out for the others to get down also.”
Being scared now Sienna said, “I will get up now and slowly head towards the counter, OK?”
I nodded in agreement and then stood up. I started to make my way towards the professor when I noticed that the two-out front of the building took out mini machine guns from their jackets. I then moved fast and grabbed the professor and pulled him to the floor. Then turned quickly to Sienna and said “Now!”
I pulled out my pistol and before I could pull it up level, the two started to fire. Bullets hitting all over, glass shattering and Sienna yelling for everyone to get down.
I moved to the lower corner of the window and peaked out to see that one was about to reload, and the other was about to also. I got up and with only two head shots hit them both. But they shook their heads when the bullets hit them, but they didn’t penetrate the helmets. Kevlar, I thought then before they could shoot again, I tried their ankles.
And that worked. I knew that it would not completely stop them from continuing to shoot again, but at least I had a few extra seconds to pick my next spot to shoot.
The professor looked up at me and said, “thank you for not listening to me that I did not want security.”
I smiled at him, said “your welcome.” Then took another well-placed shot to them both.
This time I hit each one in the hip, towards the back, just below their belts, because of the need to bend and sit, those areas would not be protected like obvious areas of the body. And I was right, both hit, and both shooters then took off.
As I was getting up I heard the sirens from the police coming, because I know some one around here or in the street called. And I am thankful of that. I knew that I could get the professor out the back, but not any others.
I stood by the window, but still just to the side, because I was not sure that they would not try one more shot as the drove by. Which I was right, just before the police arrived, the two on the motorcycles turned at the end of the street and came back and had their guns on fully automatic and unloaded a full magazine at the window and doors. Instead of trying to hit a moving target I decide to save my ammo, just incase another group showed up.
Seconds later the police arrived, and a few cars took off after the shooters. I knew that I had a lot of explain to do now, to both the police and Sienna. Which as I was thinking that, Sienna came out from behind the counter and ran up to me and gave me a great big hug and said, “thank you for being here and such a brave bad ass too.”
We both laughed at that and I then said, “I have a lot to tell you, but I will right after I talk to the police and call in for help from my unit.”
Sienna then nodded in agreement and sat down and had a coffee, because you could see that she was shaking from what just happened here.
Chapter 3
While I was sitting at another table first talking to the police, then to my unit team leader, I could see that Sienna was on her phone talking to someone with emotion, especially since she was just in a gun battle here today. I knew who she was talking to also, and that would be Bob her ex and my Uncle Rick’s best friend. I then thought that I am in big trouble now with my mother, brother, uncle, and Bob. Because word will spread very fast with what just happened to this oh so quiet school teacher, who is really a covert government agent.
As I finished with my unit, who now has taken the professor to a safe house, I looked over at Sienna and saw that she just finished her call. I was probably more afraid of hearing what she was about to say to me then being in the gun battle that I was just in.
I slowly walked over to Sienna’s table to ask who she talked to and what she said, when my phone rang and when I looked at the caller ID I knew that trouble has just started.
On the caller ID was my Uncle Bob, and I really don’t think that I am ready to talk to him or anyone else. But I smiled at Sienna and she said over all the commotion in the shop, “sorry Terri. But they do have a right to know, don’t they?”
I could only lower my head as I nodded in agreement. Then I called back Bob and with a happy voice said, “well Uncle Bob, what do I owe the honor of this call from you. How are you, it’s been a long time since we talked.” I tried hard to carry the conversation, but Bob stopped me quickly with, “are you completely nuts Terri? You know what type of work you are in and how close that your family and mine were almost killed so many ye
ars ago don’t you?”
“Sorry Uncle, I didn’t want to have anyone worry about me, but now I guess that the cat is out of the bag and time to explain.” I said to Bob in a very I am sorry voice. But that didn’t work with him, so I know that it won’t work with my mother Uncle Rick and my brother Charlie.
Bob then said, “Sienna told me the whole story, or as much as she knows and experienced today. She let me know of how you met in the coffee shop and that she knew right away that you were not going only for your masters because she said that you were very uneasy after she arrived and could tell that you kept watching one man sitting by the window. She figured that you are some type of law enforcement and was assigned to tale this man. But, when the bullets started to fly, Sienna said that you were a, total bad ass. No fear for your own safety, only making sure that your subject, Sienna and the rest in the people in the shop were not harmed. And Terri, we will discuss this more in detail later, but thanks for protecting my daughter’s mother.”
For a few minutes only, silence from Terri.
I could not say your welcome but did agree to talk more later. Then we both hung up. But after we did I shook my head in disgust because I forgot to ask him if he was going to call anyone in my family. Oh well I am sure I will soon find out.
I didn’t have to wait to long because my phone rang again and saw who was calling, my Uncle Rick. I wasn’t sure who of the three that I would get a good talking to from more than the other.
I answered and again with a soft I am sorry voice said, “hello Uncle Rick, nice to hear from you today, it has been a long time since we talked last.”
The Beginning: In the Families Footsteps (A Terri Walker Series Book 1) Page 1