"It's empty," He turns to the scaffolding, squints after Jinx's perch. It's true that there are only so many ways to get around the Undercity - "Perhaps a dozen men in the whole place."

- It's also true that he hasn't been seventeen for a very long time. Hauling upward, onto the first ledge, is excruciatingly slow. Silco stops to breathe.

Prudent to strike early, before they've the opportunity to organize. Prudent in theory, presently unwise. Too easy to shut the doors and starve them out. Too little camaraderie to chance a hostage.

"It explains the locks, the owl. They're staffed as much by machines."

One of them is good with those.