Zero History

But then I remembered Hubertus, ideas of his, things he’d done. Guerrilla marketing
strategies. Weird inversions of customary logic. That Japanese idea of secret brands. The
deliberate construction of parallel microeconomies, where knowledge is more congruent
than wealth. I’d have a brand, I decided, but it would be a secret. The branding would be
that it was a secret. No advertising. None. No press. No shows. I’d do what I was doing,
be as secretive as I could about it, and avoid the bullshit. And I was very good at being
secretive about it. I’d gotten that from my father as well.”
“It seems to have worked.”
“Too well, possibly. It’s at that point, now, where it either has to go to another level or
stop. Does he know? That it’s me?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Does he suspect?”
“If he does, he’s doing a good job of pretending he doesn’t. And right now he’s
focused on a crisis that has nothing to do with either of us.”
“He must be in his element, then.”
“He was. Now I’m not so sure. But I don’t think he’s giving Gabriel Hounds much
attention.”
“He’ll know it’s me soon enough. We’re coming out. It’s time. Tonight’s pop-up is part
of a that.”
“He’ll still be dangerous.”
“That’s exactly what I wanted to say to you. When Mere told me about you, I realized
you’d already had the Bigend experience, but you were back for more, even though you
struck her as a good person.”
“I never planned it that way.”
“Of course not. He has a kind of dire gravity. You need to get further away. I know.”
“I’ve already taken steps.”
The woman looked at her carefully. “I believe you. And good luck. We have the popup
starting now, and I have to help Bo, but I wanted to thank you personally. Mere told
me what you did, or rather what you weren’t willing to do, and of course I’m very
grateful.”
“I only did what I had to do. Didn’t do what I couldn’t do, more like it.”
They both stood.
“Totally fucking next level,” Hollis heard Clammy declare, from beyond the noren.