"They are popular that way," Linden says dryly as he takes another swig of beer, chuckling darkly at the suggestion of opening a bar. He knows for a fact that were he in such a position, he'd put himself out of business before the grand opening, and probably have to be scraped off the floor to boot. Obscurity, though... that idea gets a smile that softens the Mentor's sharp, harsh features momentarily.

He remembers being a child in 6, struggling to find books to read, sneaking glances at the pages between factory machines. No one noticed him then, and no one cared, but the moment his name was read by the attending escort, suddenly he was thrown into a new world where there weren't any dark corners to hide.

The hints about Julian and Dandy aren't perhaps as subtle as Phillip might believe, but either way, Linden picks up on them swiftly, nodding in comprehension. "You do that for me... talk sweet, smile, all of those things, and I'll be sure to see that nothing happens to Julian in our suite."

To the best of his ability, anyway; that's implied. While Linden is protected by laws that guard Mentors and other staff members from violent actions, Linden is one of the frailer individuals in the tower, and if altercations get physical, he's unlikely to last long.