Protection from the omniscient, ever-powerful, ever-present God who has the strength to bend time and space. Jack, we aren't from the same decade, let alone the same universe. Someone with that kind of power? A heavy-duty tin foil hat should've about covered it, I'm sure.

[ A better explanation for Slade's lack of planning might be his own naivety. Three months in with next to no knowledge about the gods, there was no way of telling just how large a fire he was playing with. ]

Didn't want to talk to her. Didn't ask her to reach out. [ But this is good to know; not everyone is on a first-name basis with their kidnapper. ] I've been tailing one person, an outlier. Javert talks to Her every second of the day, it seems like. Fog follows him; he's got it at his fingertips. Shifts the perception of what's normal and what isn't.

[ Still seated, Slade watches him walk past, and then walk past again. Some of his eyes glance off to take in the scenery. ]

My mind's still my own. She hasn't made it in. It's easy to turn down offers that're too good to be true.