[ He reaches up to drag his fingers down his mouth, considering. Weapons would be appropriate, but he doesn't think that it would go over well in the long term. Not because Hugo would be opposed to it, but when the time for weapons came, it would be a specific time.
Not now, for certain. ]
Medical supplies, food and water, some necessities for refueling. A hidden space for stashing materials and goods, that won't be found by the authorities were they to stop by.
[ Hugo nods along as Silco lists his ideas, and from his expression, it doesn't seem like anything is a surprise. It's about what he'd set up for Mockingbird members, though with a little more luxury than the safehouse here could be afforded. At the hidden space, though. His smile turns a little more sly. ]
Ah, that's no problem. There's a reason I picked fine art as my cover profession, and it's not just personal taste.
[ He holds up a finger to say "one moment" as he sets down his drink and stands. He heads to a meagerly populated bookshelf, though most of it looks like notebooks. After thumbing along them for a moment, he selects one, then brings it back to set in front of Silco. He opens it to a page that's full of quite complex building sketches, but they're all for packing crates. ]
Fine art necessitates bespoke storage. It's easy to add false compartments, and with a side building full of crates like these? I would really have to make them suspicious to go through the trouble of disassembling every single one.
[ Honestly? Though he looks down on Hugo's "profession" as a sign of wealth and luxury, he in this moment realizes that it holds a purpose. One that he can appreciate, at that.
He wonders, sometimes, how many thieves exist topside, how many people like like he does but they conceal it by merit of being a Topsider, and how much he could have gotten away with, had he simply been born somewhere else. How much could he have done, were he to simply be different? How much could he have done?
Did it matter, in the end? This was who he was. Nothing could change that, and he quite frankly, wouldn't want to.
His eyes skim the paperwork, looking it over carefully, nodding along. ]
Impressive. Why, I think something like that would be quite the useful addition to any safehouse. Particularly if there are... faux valuables within?
[ There it is again. Approval, however faint and however Hugo is certain that it would grate against his nerves if Silco were to voice it in the acerbic way he does... So, he'll just take this. ]
Au contraire, the valuables are real. It helps to sell the story if it's backed up as something I actually use.
[ He takes his seat again with a nod, sitting back as he collects his glass. ]
I'm not in the forgery business. That's a completely different skill set when it comes to fine art. So, if you do use it, please tell anyone else to keep their hands off my property, please?
[ He asks nicely, but there's the smallest undercurrent in his words. It's not a threat, exactly, but more that if anything he cares about is damaged, he will come to collect what he's due. ]
[ LOOK.................. actually don't he knows and he's ashamed ]
That's an acceptable plan, yes. Since they don't exactly have all of the packing materials I'm used to here, it's probably smart regardless...
[ truly rip to things like styrofoam and other nice squishy plastics to keep things in place. He'll also pointedly ignore Silco's complex here. It's only polite, since we're also ignoring Hugo's daddy issues. ]
I'll work out the details a little further, but it's mostly organizational. It'll be easy enough to make a nook for someone to hide out in for a few days at least, and any of the boxes surrounding it will be the ones with the extra work.
[ He nods, and clearly he has a good mental picture of how all of this will work. ]
Hopefully it's not something that will need to be used at all, but... I'm not actually optimistic about that. Best to be prepared well before it's needed.
[ Admitted blandly, with a twist of his lips. He knows better. ]
Making plans for something like this is a necessity. As much as it would be nice to play that we will not need to have it, we both know that it won't come to pass like that. We'll need to be prepared, because I'm certain that Patho-Gen is preparing for some of us in turn.
Me, most like, but they likely don't know how good I can be at this.
[ A thin smile. ]
Or who's working with me. That is to our advantage.
[ ā¦Silco is making that many āfriendsā in high places, huh? He canāt say heās surprised, but he thinks to himself that heās glad that theyāve already had a discussion about the gentlemanās agreement of the underground. Thereās some loyalty to go around, and Hugo would certainly never snitch on Silco, but if things got too dicey? It was a tie that heād cut to save himself. As heās sure Silco would do to him.
ā¦Not that he expects heād be on the receiving end. Their modus operandi were completely different when it came to how they treated those in power. So, he nods in agreement. ]
It is. An air of respectability gets you far. [ But his tone isnāt suggesting that Silco should take up that option. In fact: ] Just as one of ill repute does. Between us, I imagine thereās not many circles we wouldnāt be able to draw use from.
[ He takes a sip of his whiskey thoughtfully, then looks back to Silco. ]
ā¦In fact. Do you know of anyone that might be looking for an easy job? It wouldnāt be a bad idea to have one of your people working at the gallery.
How easy? I have plenty, but the skills are what I would question. And whether you want augmented or not.
[ Silco's fingers are already starting to crawl across the surface of the city, picking up pieces, weighing them, like a spider spreading out across its web. He has a lot of resources to tap, and Hugo should know by now that he's going to make sure that this will serve him well, in turn. ]
It would allow them to keep an eye out, so I don't disagree.
But I'd hate to send you muscle when you want reception.
Augmented would be preferred, considering some of the assets that are relevant to us alone. The more aligned with our view of this world as a whole, the better, I'd say. Just in case things go very poorly, you know?
[ He says it brightly, but the implication is clear. Even if Hugo loves his gallery and has worked hard to build it up, he'd abandon it in a moment. It'd be a shame, but it's still ultimately a cover and a mask of legitimacy. ]
But I have two positions in mind. One I'm much more selective about for professional reasons, but if we happen to have an overlap, then all the better. I'll need someone else to do the day-to-day management once we get towards summer, since, well.
[ He gestures towards one of the windows. Up here, he has big, thick curtains, but downstairs? That wouldn't work at all. ]
Once the daylight takes over the moonlight, I won't be able to bear being downstairs for too long, you know? It's better for the art, but terrible for me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[ He reaches up to drag his fingers down his mouth, considering. Weapons would be appropriate, but he doesn't think that it would go over well in the long term. Not because Hugo would be opposed to it, but when the time for weapons came, it would be a specific time.
Not now, for certain. ]
Medical supplies, food and water, some necessities for refueling. A hidden space for stashing materials and goods, that won't be found by the authorities were they to stop by.
[ You know. Basics. ]
no subject
Ah, that's no problem. There's a reason I picked fine art as my cover profession, and it's not just personal taste.
[ He holds up a finger to say "one moment" as he sets down his drink and stands. He heads to a meagerly populated bookshelf, though most of it looks like notebooks. After thumbing along them for a moment, he selects one, then brings it back to set in front of Silco. He opens it to a page that's full of quite complex building sketches, but they're all for packing crates. ]
Fine art necessitates bespoke storage. It's easy to add false compartments, and with a side building full of crates like these? I would really have to make them suspicious to go through the trouble of disassembling every single one.
no subject
He wonders, sometimes, how many thieves exist topside, how many people like like he does but they conceal it by merit of being a Topsider, and how much he could have gotten away with, had he simply been born somewhere else. How much could he have done, were he to simply be different? How much could he have done?
Did it matter, in the end? This was who he was. Nothing could change that, and he quite frankly, wouldn't want to.
His eyes skim the paperwork, looking it over carefully, nodding along. ]
Impressive. Why, I think something like that would be quite the useful addition to any safehouse. Particularly if there are... faux valuables within?
no subject
Au contraire, the valuables are real. It helps to sell the story if it's backed up as something I actually use.
[ He takes his seat again with a nod, sitting back as he collects his glass. ]
I'm not in the forgery business. That's a completely different skill set when it comes to fine art. So, if you do use it, please tell anyone else to keep their hands off my property, please?
[ He asks nicely, but there's the smallest undercurrent in his words. It's not a threat, exactly, but more that if anything he cares about is damaged, he will come to collect what he's due. ]
no subject
Oh, of course, of course.
Just make sure they are wrapped, hm? I would hate for our dirty little fingers to leave...marks, as it were.
Ruin it.
[ A way to say hands off, without saying so. A way to indicate what is so delicate or cannot be touched, without requiring them to evaluate it. ]
no subject
That's an acceptable plan, yes. Since they don't exactly have all of the packing materials I'm used to here, it's probably smart regardless...
[ truly rip to things like styrofoam and other nice squishy plastics to keep things in place. He'll also pointedly ignore Silco's complex here. It's only polite, since we're also ignoring Hugo's daddy issues. ]
I'll work out the details a little further, but it's mostly organizational. It'll be easy enough to make a nook for someone to hide out in for a few days at least, and any of the boxes surrounding it will be the ones with the extra work.
[ He nods, and clearly he has a good mental picture of how all of this will work. ]
Hopefully it's not something that will need to be used at all, but... I'm not actually optimistic about that. Best to be prepared well before it's needed.
no subject
[ Admitted blandly, with a twist of his lips. He knows better. ]
Making plans for something like this is a necessity. As much as it would be nice to play that we will not need to have it, we both know that it won't come to pass like that. We'll need to be prepared, because I'm certain that Patho-Gen is preparing for some of us in turn.
Me, most like, but they likely don't know how good I can be at this.
[ A thin smile. ]
Or who's working with me. That is to our advantage.
no subject
ā¦Not that he expects heād be on the receiving end. Their modus operandi were completely different when it came to how they treated those in power. So, he nods in agreement. ]
It is. An air of respectability gets you far. [ But his tone isnāt suggesting that Silco should take up that option. In fact: ] Just as one of ill repute does. Between us, I imagine thereās not many circles we wouldnāt be able to draw use from.
[ He takes a sip of his whiskey thoughtfully, then looks back to Silco. ]
ā¦In fact. Do you know of anyone that might be looking for an easy job? It wouldnāt be a bad idea to have one of your people working at the gallery.
no subject
[ An easy job? ]
How easy? I have plenty, but the skills are what I would question. And whether you want augmented or not.
[ Silco's fingers are already starting to crawl across the surface of the city, picking up pieces, weighing them, like a spider spreading out across its web. He has a lot of resources to tap, and Hugo should know by now that he's going to make sure that this will serve him well, in turn. ]
It would allow them to keep an eye out, so I don't disagree.
But I'd hate to send you muscle when you want reception.
no subject
[ He says it brightly, but the implication is clear. Even if Hugo loves his gallery and has worked hard to build it up, he'd abandon it in a moment. It'd be a shame, but it's still ultimately a cover and a mask of legitimacy. ]
But I have two positions in mind. One I'm much more selective about for professional reasons, but if we happen to have an overlap, then all the better. I'll need someone else to do the day-to-day management once we get towards summer, since, well.
[ He gestures towards one of the windows. Up here, he has big, thick curtains, but downstairs? That wouldn't work at all. ]
Once the daylight takes over the moonlight, I won't be able to bear being downstairs for too long, you know? It's better for the art, but terrible for me.