Chapter Ninety-Six

D ULCE KNOCKED ON the door of a significantly nicer apartment. The muffled groaning from the other side stopped. Willem snorted, a slight slip of laughter. A moment later, the door swept open and a good-looking older white man smiled a giant shit-eating grin. He barely held his black silk robe together.

"Can I help you?" the man asked.

"Yes Senator," Dulce replied. "Or rather, I think your guest can."

"I don't know what you mean by guest, but I'm alone here."

"That's not exactly the truth. Aren't those Robert's pants on your floor?"

The senator turned around and looked.

"No pants," he said.

"Ah, but you looked. ROBERT!" she shouted.

"Dulce?" came the response.

"Yeah, we need you."

"Is there a man with a gun out there?"

"I mean, it's just Willem, but he's probably armed.'

"I am armed," Willem said.

"Right, but another one?"

The senator shook his head, moving away from the door. "I'm ruined," he said.

"Senator," Dulce said, "if there's anything the BEA excels in, it's secrets. Robert here is the model of decorum."

Robert appeared in the doorway, nude.

"Pants, Robert," Dulce said.

"But is there someone else?" Robert asked.

"No one," Dulce said. "Just us. Why?"

"Someone tried to kill me tonight."

"I'm sure you were overreacting."

"I saw a gun."

"A misunderstanding?"

"Is there a reason you're trying to minimize my trauma?"

"Because the world is ending and we need you to help stop it."

His face fell, and the ruddy coloring disappeared under his beard.

"I'll get my pants," Robert said, slinking away from the door.

The senator looked a bit alarmed, eyes wide, one eyebrow up high. "What do you mean the world is ending?" the senator asked, his voiced hushed.

"You remember how I said we were good at secrets?" Dulce asked.

"I'm a sitting U.S. Senator."

"Congratulations," Dulce said with a smile as Robert walked by carrying his shirt, "have fun with that."

"Wait," the senator called out, following them into the hallway, "do I need to leave D.C.? Call my family?"

"It's going to be fine," Dulce said. "Don't worry about it."

"But—"

"Good night, Senator," Dulce said as the elevator doors were closing.

"And God Bless," Willem added, a giant grin amidst his giant beard.

Dulce shot him a look, barely suppressing her own smile.