Page 90 of S.O.S. Mizzay

She quickly deleted the message.

Well, shit.

At least she, Cobble, and Wiley had worked out a signal, so she could let them know what Chuck had discovered, if the info came to her when there were others around.

Missy lifted her hand to the rearview mirror, and raised two fingers across the glass as she pretended to adjust it to better see the back seat. Then she lied to the agents. “That was Baskins,” she prevaricated. “He wants a conference call attwo.”

The pair of clues she’d dropped wouldn’t be missed.

However, she didn’t know exactly what was going to happen next. The following few minutes were the only part of their planning that was flawed; they didn’t know when, exactly, the agents would make their move, and her team didn’t want to respond aggressively until it was clear what their intentions were.

“Great. Another meeting,” Georgio groused, then got back to the business at hand, becoming belligerent. “Now move your ass, SOS,” he told Wiley dismissively. “Do your job.”

Missy sighed loudly. “Here’s the key.” She dug in her pocket, took it out, and passed it back to Wiley.

Wiley made no pretense of being a pushover for whatever they were trying to achieve with their posturing. He took the key, but then blatantly pulled his firearm, gripping it easily in one hand as he opened the door. He gave the pair a look that was almost a warning; one that quite clearly stated he was ready for business. Of any kind.

Without calling attention to herself as the two kept eyes glued to Wiley’s trip toward the front door, Missy also unsnapped her under-shoulder holster, making her weapon more easily accessible. She hoped Cobble had a chance to do the same. They’d made sure he was armed today.

Wiley made it to the bungalow without incident, which was good. The lowlife agents could have shot him in the back, butMissy’s team had banked on the perp—now perps—wanting the privacy inside the bungalow to do their dirty work.

Their strategy for sending Wiley ahead? The agents obviously wanted to dilute power; making sure their targets were separated.

What Fleischerman and Georgio didn’t know, was that as soon as Wiley cleared the front door, he’d be joined by SOS operatives, and would be relaying to them the new intel thatbothmen were rotten.

A fully armed and dangerous welcoming party would then be waiting when she and Cobble were finally ushered in.

Wiley took one step onto the porch, then two more to the door…

He placed the key in the lock and turned it, then opened it up to go inside. Giving one look back over his shoulder, he disappeared into the interior, leaving the door a few inches ajar.

“How long are we gonna wait before we follow him?” Missy asked Fleischerman, pretending she didn’t give two figs by affecting a bored yawn.

“We’re not,” he clipped. “Let’s go.”

Neither had pulled their weapons yet, but Missy knew it would only be a matter of time before they did.

“After you,” Georgio sneered at her, then gestured to Cobble.

Missy and Cobble egressed at the same time, then rounded the SUV.

Sure enough, when they came to the front of the vehicle, Georgio was reaching into his jacket.

Missy glared at him. “What are you doing?” she asked, once he pulled out his gun.

“Making sure you comply,” Fleischerman answered for Georgio. Hearing a click, she knew agent number two was also brandishing his Glock.

“Comply with what?” Missy still played dumb.

Georgio snorted. “Damn, it looks like you’ve lost your edge, bitch. Civilian life has clearly made you soft.”

“Why don’t you spell things out for me, then,” Missy whined loudly as she and Cobble were not so gently prodded toward the house.

Fleischerman stopped, which halted the party mid-barren-yard.

It looked like this was it.

His tone was angry and bitter when he finally gave the answers Missy had been expecting. “You fuckers have taken fourteen long years away from us,” he growled, prodding Cobble in the side with his weapon. “Fourteen goddamned years for us to finally get the opportunity to eliminate the one witness who can screw up the sweet deal we have with our South Sudanese friend.”

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