"Speaking as someone with experience, bringing the children in changes everything. Hell hath no fury, or quavering pusillanimity, like a parent threatened." Not that that means Tom cares about other people's kids. In fact, there's something almost mercenary about how he views his own experience raising as a child as a means of understanding how to manipulate others. "What's this fine fellow's name?"

Twelve. That's a far sight higher than his own score, and while it unnerves him he also gains the satisfaction of having assessed the threat correctly. He may be the weaker of the two, but he's not naive. "Well, I'm glad to see that they haven't partied themselves into blindness or stupidity."