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Linus didn't know the full details of that mess that had gone down between the Vanguard and the Rainlords in Sair, but he knew enough to realize that he shouldn't have been surprised by Zeff's attitude here.

Daro was the one to break the tense silence. "Well... if that's the case, then there is little doubt that there must be more to Graves' objectives than we can currently see."

"Have you no ideas?" said Linus. "You have been spying on him, have you not?"

Daro gave the Linebreaker a look, then smacked his lips. "What makes you think that?"

Linus just returned a flat expression.

Kristof gave voice to Linus' thoughts. "You've been spying on both of us for years, but when Graves shows up, you suddenly give him a free pass? Please."

Daro looked between them. "I..."

The two of them just waited, ready and eager to counter whatever protestations to the contrary the man might be about to attempt.

"I... haven't spied on you that much."

Linus and Kristof shared a chuckle.

"We know you're paranoid beyond all reason," said Linus. "And we've accepted it."

"For the most part," said Kristof. "That drone watching my lady friend was a bridge too far, though."

"Hey, she was cheating on you."

"Yes, and I appreciated the information, but it was still rather creepy, no? Why was that drone outside her window in the first place?"

"Because I'd had suspicions for a while and was keeping tabs on her!"

"So you've said..."

Linus recalled the woman in question. "She was quite the looker, wasn't she?"

"She was, damn her," said Kristof.

"The level of ingratitude here is astounding," said Daro.

Zeff broke in with a question. "Do you have extra intel on Graves or not?"

Daro exhaled a breath. "I've been trying. He's very difficult to spy on, I'll have you know. The fact that he can be in multiple places at once is quite the problem. And I'm certain he's noticed some of my cameras and microphones."

"Obviously," said Kristof. "But has he noticed all of them?"

"No, but it means he's constantly on guard, because he already suspects that someone is always watching him."

"I was under the impression that cameras could see through psychic trickery," said Zeff. "Their illusions work my manipulating the mind's perceptions, but a camera has nothing to manipulate, no?"