Page 24 of S.O.S. Mizzay

There. She finally slowed and took a left hand turn onto a dirt drive that wasn’t much more than an old cow path.

“Are you sure you know where you’re going?” Cobble asked, reaching for the “oh, shit” handle as the car jounced around in a plethora of ruts.

Andy cursed as they hit a particularly bad bump.

This clearly wasn’t the place for a small sedan.

“I do. And I’m sorry about the rough ride, but we’ll be there soon.”

“If only I knew where ‘there’ was,” Cobble muttered under his breath.

The closer they got to their destination, the more anxious Andy became. She hadn’t really thought this whole thingthrough. Arriving here was either going to go really well, or really badly. She had no way of knowing which.

High beams ahead suddenly lit up the road; illuminating the woods far better than those emanating from her little car.

Yeah. That’s because the massive amount of lumens came from what Andy knew was a tricked out, armored, four-wheel-drive SUV that had been made specifically for rough terrain.

Obviously, and as expected, the occupants had been alerted when she’d turned onto the dirt drive.

“Friendlies?” Cobble asked, stiffening beside her.

“They will be, once they know who we are.”

Andy put the car in park, swiftly pulled a flashlight out of the glove compartment, then opened her door. “Stay here,” she ordered.

Gaining her feet outside, Andy stood strong and held up her light. She gave two long bursts, followed by two short ones, then a pause before she sent a couplet of three shorties, ending with one long, one short, and two longs. Her name. In Morse Code.

Of course, Cobble, being the alpha male that he was, hadn’t followed orders. He’d opened his door, come around the back of the car, and positioned himself at her side.

“Are you armed?” he asked, leaning in so his breath tickled her ear.

“Not necessary,” she assure him.

And, dammit. Now wasnotthe time for her nipples to harden.

Andy ignored her interested girl-parts, and instead felt Cobble brace beside her as the door to the massive vehicle blocking the road, opened.

A figure rose to stand on the running boards, and an incredulous voice rang out.

“Missy? Is that you?”

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Dad!” Andy cried out.

Dad?

Cobble was stunned.

“This is your…family? They’re…preppers?” he hissed incredulously.

Andy let out one of the first, carefree laughs he’d ever heard from her. “Yeah. That’s my Dad. And just for the record, we like to say ‘survivalists’ here. But whatever floats yah boat.”

“Uh…okay,” Cobble sighed before seeing the humor in the situation. “You know you blindsided me, right?” he chuckled, amused at Andy’s purposely orchestrated bombshell. “I— Watch out!” Cobble yelled, his gaze drawn to sudden and inexplicable movement in the woods. He grabbed Andy by the shoulders and pushed her behind him.

Just in time.

Two, giant behemoths of indeterminate species rocketed directly toward them.

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