Stephen stepped out of the building, a half warm jar of beer in hand. Tello had offered to pay for all their drinks—something about admiration—but Stephen mostly wished they'd served anything but beer.
He tossed the jar aside with a dull clink and kept walking.
"That was... impressive," the system said. "Hard to believe that was you in there."
"Well, it was me," Stephen replied. "Cue the applause."
"How the hell did you pull that off? You just sold him on a pipe dream even you're not sure about. And you did it so calmly too."
Stephen yawned. "I was a psych major back on Earth."
"Before you dropped out and spent the rest of your life in that funky apartment playing video games?"
"Jump off a cliff," Stephen muttered. "...Humans are easy. If you know what they want, you just give them a version of it."
The system paused, then said, "Still... it felt like you became someone else back there."
"That's the first rule." Stephen adjusted his collar, catching sight of Tello emerging from the bar, satchel swinging at his side. "The best mask... is charm."
Tello jogged a few steps to catch up. "Sorry, I had to tell some friends I was heading out."
"Mm-hmm." Stephen was already moving, and Tello fell into step beside him.
He walked like a golden retriever, eager and full of belief. It almost made what Stephen was about to do feel cruel.
Almost.
"So, I have a question," Tello said.
"Hm?"
"It's about my role." He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm just an architect. What you saw in that bar, that's what I do. I can draw up your building, no problem. But... I'm afraid I can't do much more than that."
"What you can do is enough," Stephen replied. "I already have a plan to get the rest of the construction team."
Tello exhaled, relieved. "That's good to hear."
Then a pause. "But what I really wanted to ask is... how exactly are you financing this?"
"For your plans?"
Tello quickly raised his hands, as if fending off a blow. "Not that I don't appreciate the opportunity... I do, but I don't believe I should work for free."
"I don't believe you should either," Stephen said smoothly. "You'll be compensated properly."
He wouldn't.
They crossed the street and turned down the back end of Eighteenth Street, toward a diner. Not the most prestigious spot in the world, but it had that polished, old-world charm, coupled with amazing service and exquisite food quality. A near five star restaurant.
But most importantly, it was where a lot of the richer Baron's dined.
Tello slowed. "What are we doing here, sir?"
Stephen gestured casually to the entrance. "What do you think is the first step in launching a business?"
"I... couldn't say. What is it?"
Stephen stopped for a second, as if glancing to the system. Then without missing a beat, replied. "Interest. The easiest way to build value is to create the illusion of it."
"I see."
"Let's use an example. If you went to a new city, after having created a popular monument in another town. How would you go about finding work?"
"I couldn't say... would it be lauding your previous work to them?" Tello guessed.
"With a bit more confidence than that, but yes." Stephen replied, foot already coming in contact with the restaurant's door. "I was the one that made the castle, I was the one that made the Burj Khalifa. Once they recognize you have a reputation, nothing makes them flock faster."
"But, in this case. Do we have a reputation?"
"No. And that's the hardest part of trying to create interest."
"So what do we do?"
Stephen stopped, just before he went through the door, then turned back to Tello. Hands moving to his collar, pulling it together.
They were about the same height, and while they looked relatively different. With different hair and eye colors, tones of skin and styles. You could easily make someone believe they were related, if you tried hard enough.
"We convince them otherwise."
"You mean lie?" Tello said.
"A means to an end that would be profitable eventually," Stephen slicked Tello's hair back, then buttoned up his shirt. "Think about it as banking on the future."
He wiped a smudge from Tello's cheek with his thumb, then smiled. "Perfect."
"What's perfect?"
"From now on, you're Tello Willows." Stephen entered the establishment, and Tello followed, hands fidgeting by his sides.
The doorman was the first to greet them, towel draped over his wrist as he chauffeured them to an empty booth by the ends. As requested by Stephen.
"What are you doing, sir." Tello said, voice a whisper. "This isn't the sort of place people like I come to. Everything here is way above my pay grade."
Not listening to him. Stephen glanced around the room, then landed on a particular table.
"What do you think about him?" Stephen said, nodding to a man by the window seat, opposite to him was a woman, given the ring on her finger, it was safe to assume they were a married couple having dinner. "No, he's too busy."
"What are you even talking about..."
"Look at his posture. The way he looks around occasionally, and most importantly. The way he holds her hand while speaking to her." Stephen said and Tello was still staring at him, he nudged his head again and only then did he look.
"What does that say?"
"He's very much in love with her, I'd give a nasty guess that this is their anniversary seeing the way she's looking at him to say something meaningful." Stephen replied. "The issue is, he's really protective, and would most certainly push us off if we try to talk to him now."
"You can tell that from a glance?"
"I sure can..." he continued looking around, no one else seemed to carry as much promise as the window couple. So he returned to them, "It'll have to be them, can't say I see any good openings though."
Tello thought about it for a moment, more so back to their meeting at the bar. Then with a shake of his head, came back to. Now staring at the man, at his hands, pockets. Nothing stood out.
"Do you think he's already given her a gift?"
"A gift?" Stephen's eyes widened as it clicked. "That's it!"
"What?"
"His hands are empty!" Stephen smiled. Then quickly he rushed toward Tello, reaching for his satchel and dragging it forward.
"What are you doing?" The architect said, as Stephen fiddled with his bag.
"There has to be something even remotely sentimental in here," Stephen muttered, rummaging. He stopped, pulling out a small envelope. "What's this?"
"A letter to my cousin."
"Not anymore," Stephen said, handing it to him and standing up.
"Wait... what are you doing?!" Tello hissed, panic in his voice.
"Follow my lead."
Stephen stepped forward, and Tello scrambled to follow. They walked across the restaurant, every pair of eyes turning as they passed. Women glanced curiously, some longer than others.
Stephen stopped at the table. Without missing a beat, he reached over to a nearby table, took an empty wine glass, and tapped it with a fork.
Clink, clink.
"I'm sorry for the sudden interruption," Stephen said, flashing a warm smile, the kind so disarming it made you forget you had any reason to be annoyed. "But it is with great pleasure that I announce this beautiful union tonight."
The man glanced up at him, slightly confused.
He glanced to the woman, dressed in a dazzling two piece dress. She looked pretty for the occasion, and her husband was dressed in plain clothes—further reinforcing the theory that he'd forgotten their anniversary.
"I'm sorry, you're Mrs. Knight right?"
A deliberate misguess. She'd correct him herself.
"Appleton," she said, raising an eyebrow. Her hand started to tighten around her husband's.
"Ah, of course! Appleton." Stephen bowed his head slightly. "Your husband sent us to read you a note for your anniversary."
Then he turned to Tello. The poor man flinched like he'd been struck.
"Care to do the honors, brother?"
"Umm... yes. Yes, I can." Tello fumbled with the note, his palms slick with sweat.
He stared at all three of them, at Stephen who's deceptive smile flashed by his side. The man who sat by the table, eyes wide, hands shaking as he ever wondered how he could forget such a special day. And his wife, whose hands clasped under her chin, practically shaking with glee.
"I knew you wouldn't forget our anniversary, hubbie!" She squealed.
"Yeah..." he responded.
"Go ahead, brother." Stephen urged.
"..." Tello paused, looking at the note. He could feel the stares from all the other patrons, their hands waiting to clap in respectful admiration after his speech. And then at Stephen.
He knew what this was. He'd been roped into a scheme. A game of gaining favor without earning it, of twisting sentiment into currency.
He could end it now.
He could hold up the letter, show them it's contents differed from what he was supposed to say. He could tell them the truth: that they were frauds, and this was all a con.
But instead, with a quiet breath...
He stepped in, and began to read.
"The love of my life, after all our years together. The years spent crying, arguing... laughing. At the beautiful children we have, and all the beautiful thing's we've done together."
A pause, for effect. Though he was just struggling to make up the rest.
"I can't help but cry and smile as I imagine how my life would've been if I hadn't met you... but perhaps my greatest accomplishment is the fact, I do not need to imagine that."
Then, silence.
Tello looked up. Had he messed up the speech? Did they even have children? Was his voice too shaky?
But just as he began to fret.
Applause. It burst across the room like a standing ovation. Patrons turned in their seats. Even the kitchen staff came out to clap. A couple of women wiped away tears.
The Appletons leaned in and kissed, full and deep, like they were the only two people in the world.
As the applause died down, Stephen turned to her again. "I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. Appleton. My brother forgot to bring the bracelet your husband had set aside for this special night. As the elder sibling, I take full responsibility for such a mishap."
She beamed, shaking her head. "It's no problem. This was more than enough." She turned to her husband, face softening. "I was just so scared this big goof had forgotten about it."
"Well, you know me," he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I like to surprise."
Stephen gave a respectful nod. "That will be all from us tonight. Enjoy the rest of your beautiful evening."
They turned to leave.
"Wait," the husband called, half-standing. "Can I... meet you again? To discuss additional details?"
Stephen turned, polite and unreadable. "We'll be waiting outside, sir."
Then they walked through the door, and onto the streets. The entire thing had gone better than he expected.
"I should've said, we'd wait in the restaurant." Stephen sighed, rubbing his hands together. "I just didn't want it to be awkward."
"You're the devil aren't you?" Tello uttered, eyes locked on him.
'The what?' Stephen almost replied before calming himself and turning to him.
"Hm?"
"The way you study people... you rope them in so easily," Tello said. "That's what you did to me. And that's what you just did to him."
Stephen didn't answer. He only glanced over, meeting the gray in Tello's eyes with that same, unreadable calm.
"You make people drawn to you. By playing to their weaknesses, by forcing them to get indebted to you... you're a crazy person."
A pause.
"You're the devil."
Stephen chuckled. "And yet, you helped such a demon manipulate. That was a brilliant speech back there."
Tello stared back at him, meeting the stark blue of his eyes. Behind them, the man from the restaurant stepped out, helped his wife into a carriage, and started to look around. Presumably for them.
"I believe someone's looking for us," Stephen said, already walking. "Are you coming?"
Tello clenched his hands, he hadn't liked the way he'd be lied to, manipulated into this.
But despite everything... it hadn't changed the way he felt. If anything, it only grew stronger.
Stephen Willows was something else. The kind of man that could actually do anything he said he could. That drew in people with his sheer charisma and intellect alone.
But he was dangerous.
That much was obvious, and staying close to him put his head on the chopping block as well... but maybe.
Just maybe...
He wanted to see how far it could go.
"I'm coming." Tello muttered.
Stephen smiled, his eyes gleaming in the moonlight before he turned away.
"Good choice."