A show of cooperation

I thought about it and realized that I wanted to say yes. It was a completely ludicrous thing to do.

I was sitting on top of a bomb and both the Sect and the People stood ready to light the fuse, and here I was, considering a date. How long had it been since I'd been on a real date? Two years?

"It's a deal," I said.

"I'll meet you between twelve and twelve thirty at Las Colimas. Do you know where it is?"

He knew.

"And Dr. Pat?"

"Just Pat, please."

"Pat, please don't call the Order again."

I expected him to be taken aback, but he said cheerfully

"Yes, ma'am!" and hung up.

Stepping into the shower, I tried to figure out why I had agreed to meet him. There had to be a reason, something besides feeling lonely and tired, and wanting normal human contact, male human contact, the kind of male that didn't warp into a monster or shift muscles around its frame with the ease of changing clothes.