[ The liquor is a bit of both. He’s always been good about moderation—keeping his edge is far too important to him as a general rule unless he had good reason to think he didn’t need it. The impressive swig he takes straight from the bottle is a clear indication that, for the moment, the old rules are currently suspended. He offers the bottle to Basch, as close to a good host as he can manage right then. ]

The latter may well be more pressing, I suppose. [ He does not sound terribly pleased at the prospect. ] I can hardly say I know much, save his self-proclaimed profession and the fact that, of all things, he’s got a man working for him as a body double. I had to whip him like a cur my first day, and we’ve been circling each other since.

[ He’s rather carefully not looking at Basch now. ]

I slipped recently. Even then, I gained no insight when he’d the better of me.