“But…” I stammered, “…um…wha—?”

Zoe, however, had had both the exact same thought as I and fuller control of her vocal and mental faculties. “Whatever do you mean? Lettie’s been following Dimwit here for the longest time. She obviously knows about the parallel universe we’re in.”

“My apologies,” Al remarked, getting out his eyepieces, “I was unclear.” He stretched his eyes wide and put the device on. It must have been pretty painful; I heard him grunt ever so slightly as he did so. “In order to combat Latrodecta more effectively, I enlisted the aid of several compatriots in safesiding a few alternate universes, whose quantum field addresses are not familiar to her or to those under her.”

“And just how are these kept hidden?” I mused.

“It’s quite simple, really,” Al deadpanned. “All you need to do is make a jump and then obscure the residual signature. Until recently this was accomplished with a nuclear device.”

“You are not going to nuke this apartment,” Zoe growled. “…Are you?” she added uncertainly.