Page 66 of S.O.S. Mizzay

“Good luck with that,” Andy sighed.

Cobble, who’d been silent up until this point, decided to join the conversation.

“How is Baskins spinning the addition of the S.O.S. folks to your operation?” Cobble asked curiously.

Chuck laughed again. “He’s going to say he’s including them because he’s basically taking pity on Mizzay…uh, Andy, that she’d had to find a new job half a decade back.Shit.I’m not sure what to call you, Andriopolos, when you have so many goddamn names.”

“Let’s go with Mizzay at work, and Andy when we’re off the clock,” she advised.

“Fine. I’ll work on that. But to answer your question, Sawyer, even though Baskins aggressively firedAndyfrom theFBI, he’ll spin it like he feels the bureau owes her for the years of work she put in on the case—including keeping you safe and hidden even now—all without a government paycheck. So he’s willing to read in her new team so she can bask in the result of her labors.”

“Nice of him,” Andy snickered.

“Right. And since the private operatives you happen to work with have high security clearances, he’ll say he’s happy to enlist the group for help in getting El-Umar stateside, and in assisting you to bring Cobble in safely.”

“I like it,” Andy stated. “And if Beranger gives me any shit about showing up out of the blue, I’m going to pop him one right in the nose.”

“No.Iam,” Cobble growled beside her. “Eventually. When I’m out of purgatory. Because from what you’ve told me, I already hate the arrogant prick’s guts.”

Yeah.She might have complained about Beranger from time to time. He was that much of an asshole.

Andy sure hoped it was Beranger who was guilty.

“I’ll let the two of you duke that one out,” Chuck segued. “Right now, I’ve got a pile of paperwork that needs my attention, and I need to grab lunch before the meeting. Who knows how long it will run.”

“Uh, before you go,” Cobble posed, “riddle me this. How is Agent Tertia taking things since she’s been arrested?”

There was now a growl from the other end of the line. Leave it to Cobble to pull his cousin’s tail.

“Better than I am,” Chuck admitted. “She’s in solitary, down in the bowels of our building. I don’t like it, but Agent Vessers is guarding her. That way, if anyone wants to ‘question’ Elody, and by that I mean, try to end her life, Vessers is right there to protect her vulnerable ass.”

“There are also cameras on her twenty-four-seven, correct?” Andy asked.

“Yeah. But since when has that stopped our traitor or traitors? They seem to be able to circumvent that kind of security as easily as would you or I. They’d just put the cameras on a loop, and no one would be the wiser.”

True.Andy had certainly used that technique a time or two before.

Chuck went on, this time with new news. “But what only Baskins, Vessers, myself, and now you know, is that Tertia is fully armed, just in case our security fails her somehow.”

So sweet.

Andy snickered to herself.Ifyou could call packing a firearm, endearing.

“We won’t fail her,” Andy responded confidently.

Smalley was a total badass, and he’d surely be keeping an eye on Elody, remotelyandin person when he could. Also, having Vessers on team-good-guy? It was like employing a pit-bull. The woman was tenacious, and had proven herself over and over to be nearly invincible.

“Still, I’m glad Tertia has several lines of defense,” Andy added.

“You and me, both.” Chuck let out a long, frustrated gust of air.

Huh.It almost seemed like Chuck was finally ready to not only acknowledge the “certain somethings” that had arisen between Elody and him, but to wear them proudly on his sleeve.

Of course, Tertia had already spilled the beans, more or less, so what else could the man do?

But still, they were all just waiting for Chuck to grow a pair and admit his true feelings out loud.

Other than that, he still deserved a little teasing.

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