An hour later, freshly showered and changed into the casual but presentable clothing that Camille had packed for exactly this kind of social situation, I met Evelyn and Anthony in the diplomatic residence lobby. President Santos was already waiting, having traded her usual professional attire for something more relaxed that suggested we were genuinely going out for leisure rather than conducting official business.
"Ready to actually experience Brazil?" she asked with a warm smile. "I promise you, there's more to this country than environmental devastation and criminal negotiations."
The comment was so casual and unguarded that I felt my remaining paranoia ease slightly. If Santos knew about my discussions with Gabriel, she was doing a remarkable job of hiding it behind genuine enthusiasm for showing us her country's culture.
