Daniel finds Armand standing ramrod straight neat a streetlamp, hands slid into coat pockets. The chill is bracing, but not unwelcome. It never got cold like this in Dubai, and even less for the amount of time he wound up spending in their perfectly temperature controlled penthouse.

He doesn't turn to greet Daniel, and he ignores his question.

"You did well in shutting me out."

It doesn't sound like a dig. He elaborates, "You, diving to Louis' defense after I opened the door to his mind. It was unexpected." And it does sound like a compliment, mildly delivered though it is.

Less a matter of brute force so much as finding a weakness, a blindspot, and pulling the trigger. Just like him to do so, Armand thought.