Chapter 24

Carl learns that Beatrice, Donut's sister, survived the initial Dungeon collection and was secretly hidden off-planet by Odette to protect her from bounty hunters and Borant Corporation. Odette reveals she orchestrated this partly to gain leverage over the Borant Corporation and secure a higher revenue share, and warns that Carl will be ambushed with this information during an upcoming fan event where he'll appear without Donut. Despite Carl's anger and resistance, Donut insists they go through with the appearance as planned.

Odette reveals to Carl and Donut that Beatrice survived the initial collection and was removed from the planet's surface to prevent bounty hunters from illegally selling her to Borant to be transformed into a country boss. When Carl demands to understand Odette's motivations, she cryptically references something she did to Mordecai and says she'll explain later. Zev exposes that Odette is also using Bea to blackmail the Borant Corporation in exchange for a higher revenue share—a contract just signed. She further discloses that Carl's upcoming fan event appearance (triggered by voting on a fan box) is where media outlets plan to ambush him with the revelation about Beatrice. Carl is furious and refuses to participate, but Donut overrides his decision, insisting they attend as scheduled and that Carl trust her. She thanks Odette for saving Beatrice and dismisses her. After Odette vanishes, Zev privately warns Carl that Donut will need him, refusing to elaborate on her own evident anxiety. Lexis announces they have two minutes before going on stage.