Page 10 of Baking and Angels

Rafferty, frankly, could not believe what he was hearing. Mercy? They were going to show them mercy? He wanted to laugh out loud and would have if it hadn’t been for the centuries of discipline to control giving awaytoo much.

“You have a good life, Ms. Rhodes, Mr. Lares,” Agent Archon assured.

“And you clearly love each other dearly,” Agent Sophiapiped in.

Agent Archon only hiccuped a moment at her partner’s interruption, her one eye twitching before continuing. “Take our advice, stay at the hotel at least for tonight but for as long as you need. Let the professionals take care ofthe rest.”

“Oh, also, Mr. Lares, do you have any identification?” Agent Sophia asked. “We can’t find you in the system.”

“Um, well, he’s French,” Helena said. Itwas true.

“Oh! I see,” Agent Sophia said, her gaze shifting from surprise to confusion. “But he doesn’t have much of an accent?”

“He hides it because… well, I think, I don’t know if this is true… but I think you… grew up here, but his citizenship is… I mean, I don’t really know. I’m sorry I don’t know.” She was clearly trying so hard not to lie, but it was a struggle to find an answer that they would accept.

They all looked at him.

He sighed, then said, “I don’t know what to tell you since you haven’t accepted any of my answers yet.”

“Are you French?” Agent Archon askeddirectly.

“Yes. I was,” he admitted. Was he really going to get away with this by just tellingthe truth?

Agent Sophia nodded. “We understand, Mr. Lares. Don’t worry, we’ll reach out to the Embassy on your behalf. Try to see if you can find your identifications, but if you can’t we’ll help you start the process to get them reissued. It’s also not uncommon for identity theft to occur in these cases.”

“But we just need an answer about the protection,” Agent Archon interjected. “Do you want it or not?”

“We’ll take it for tonight, for sure. Thank you,” Helenarelented.

Relieved at getting an answer she wanted, Agent Archon wrote on another form, had Helena sign it, then stamped it, before sticking it back into her folder. “If that’s the case, then you are both free to go to the hotel now. Agents will go to your house to collect anything you need. Just give Agent Sophia a list.”

Then Helena sat more upright. “Oh! My cat, Pooka. She’s still in the house.”

“Yes, our agents have already secured her and taken her to a holding facility,” Agent Archon said, reopening the folder to retrieve another pieceof paper.

“Holding facility?” Helena asked.

“Yes, you’ll be happy to hear that nothing demonic has happened to your cat either. She has not been made a familiar and has a clean bill of health. Are her vaccinations upto date?”

“Uh, yes, yes, I think so. But I don’t understand what you mean by ‘holding facility,’” she pressed.

“Think of it as a pet daycare but federally funded,” Agent Sophia piped in. “Pets are often targets, so she is also a protected person just like you now are. I can help sign you up for our check-in app so you can get updates on how sheis doing.”

“Thank you,” was all Helenacould say.

Everything was working out in their favor, and Rafferty felt numb. He couldn’t trust this yet. It was almost as if a demon were working some impossible magic.

And maybe he was.

But whatever dastardly plan or mischief Vassago was concocting with this, Rafferty simply could not discern it.

“If we both keep it, you’ll never see me again,”hehad said.

Have I already done something to jeopardize that?Rafferty wondered to himself.

Agent Archon stood, her face a stoic, analyzing mask. “Vous êtes libre de partir, M. Lares,” she saidin French.

“Merci, m’dame,” he responded automatically, bowing his head respectfully, his French flawless compared to her rough, American-accented French.

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