[ Steve can only barely believe it. Leave it to a government body to be this audacious. He lets out an incredulous laugh, and the bark that it comes out as is loud enough that some of the kids who were playing glance over, heads tilted in curiosity.

He waves them off, as if he's just responding to some joke that Viktor told him.

Which is partly true. ]

She can't have actually thought you would agree to something like that. Not after everything they've already done.

[ He wipes his hand off on his already dirty pants before he reaches up to rub at his eyes in quiet dismay at the situation. This is one of those times where it feels like all you can do is laugh.

But when he glances back to Viktor and speaks up again, his voice is appropriately lowered. ]

Your workshop's pretty public at this point. They know exactly where it's located. [ Obviously. They already raided it. ] Have you put any thought to finding another location where you could maybe develop certain things with more secrecy?

[ Maybe it's impossible. They haven't confirmed how the authorities are surveilling them, or to what extent. But it might be worth thinking about. Steve would never expect Viktor to stop his work, but he has to find a way to protect it given the circumstances. ]