Page 57 of S.O.S. Mizzay

Andy laughed, but didn’t correct him that she wasn’tthatin charge.

“So, stab me in the heart,” Perk exaggerated, “making me cover for you while you run around being a super-spy.” He eventually wound down and relented. “Okay, Mizzay. I’m done. What can I do for you?”

“You know I love you, Perk,” she soothed, calling him, uncustomarily, by his more casual handle. “And I promiseyouz’ll all know more, soon. But right now, can you please be patient and patch me through to Mistah Songen.”

“Okay, sweet lady. You got it.”

Yup.Cobble commiserated. It was hard to resist Andy.

“Thanks, doll,” Andy replied before the extension was buzzed.

“Del Songen,” a deep, resonant voice answered.

“Mistah Songen, it’s Mizzay,” she told him.

“Mizzay? What’s up? I thought you were, uh, elsewhere.”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to be cagey. I’m on a burner phone and I attached a scrambler to the signal in case anyone is tryin’ to hack in.”

“Well, you know that nobody has their fingers on our system from this end, Mizzay. Even without you here, we check our land-lines every morning for any kind of physical monitoring.”

Huh.Wasn’t that damned smart, Cobble marveled. SOS still used old fashioned phones in their office, and the devices didn’t use wireless signals. Therefore, it made those phones far less susceptible to hacking and other digital threats than the stupid things they carried around in their pockets these days.

“Which is why I didn’t hesitate to call,” Andy agreed. “And just an FYI, Mistah Songen, you’re on speaker with the guy I called Mr. X.”

Del grunted. “Oh really? Does that mean I’m about to get a real name, or are you just playing with me, Mizzay.”

“Real name,” she replied with relish. “Mistah Delancourt “Del” Songen, meet Mistah Sawyer “Cobble” Blue.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Del responded politely. “Do I call you Sawyer, or Cobble?”

“Call me Cobble. That’s what Andy, uh, Mizzay uses.”

“Andy, huh?”

Cobble could almost see the man’s mind churning. “Yup. It’s what I’ve called her for years,” he admitted, but before he could say anything else, Andy took over.

“Cobble, as you know, is the man Agent Smalley and I have been protecting for nearly a decade and a half; the one from my old platoon. And don’t let your head explode or anything, but he’s also Chuck’s cousin, and…” Andy gave Cobble a huge, beaming smile. “…my boyfriend.”

Cobble fought back a snicker. He’d prefer Andy call him her lover, but boyfriend would do in a pinch.

There was dead silence on the other end of the line.

Andy grinned. “Boss? Have I lost you?” she asked.

“No. I’m just… You never said anything. About any of it. Cobble and Chuck are related? And you have a…significant other? I’m… Do you mean to tell me you never even let on to any of the ladies that you’re in a relationship?”

Cobble knew who Del meant. Andy had gotten close to all the wives of the operatives with whom she worked, and he’d gotten really good with their names. While he listened with half an ear to what had turned into good natured teasing, he recalled that Del’s wife was Bri, Prez’s wife was Maygan, Sarge was married to Brigid, and Wiley to Solina. Billboard had just gotten hitched to O’Shea, and Perk had ended up tying the knot with an agent from Chuck’s office, Sloane Vessers. Then there were the two Devons’ brothers, Brent and Daire, who rotated in and out on a part time basis. Their wives were Haven and Jewel, respectively.

Cobble patted himself on the back as he tuned in to listen again.

“Nope. Don’t worry. I didn’t leave you out of any loop. I nevah let anybuddy know about Cobble because his safety depended on him not being connected to me. Also, with Chuck being family, I kept Agent Smalley’s name out of my mouth, too.At least until that last case of Mistah Perkins’ where it kinda became apparent we knew each other,” she added.

“Still, we don’t know who we can trust at the FBI and DOJ offices, therefore we’re still playing it cool. I’m the only one who knows where Cobble’s been stashed because I’m the safest bet.”

“You?” Del questioned. “Aren’t you still on certain factions’ radar, regardless of no longer working for those agencies?”

“Nah. Nothing’s pointed in that direction. Once I was terminated with prejudice from the FBI, nobody really believed I had any kind of continued, vested interest in Cobble. They only knew that before I got canned, I’d been obsessed with bringing justice to my guys who were killed. Even after the CIA trial I told you about, it was only determined I was involved to avenge my squad. I’ve actually been designated ‘safe’ for a long time now.”

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