As with most rumours, only the juiciest bit really travelled. Everything else was made up to fit the narrative.
"I believe it," Bert said again. "And I hope I'll be meeting him. The news came from Darling, didn't it? I'm sure we'll be able to find out more about him there."
…
…
As Bert planned his meeting with a man whose name he did not know, that very same man was planning much the same thing, although with a considerable degree more violence.
"Oh, I'd love to drag his fuckin' guts out!" Silverfish said hungrily, dancing around. "That pompous prick. I used to be stronger than him, y'know. For a good twenty years I was, then all of a sudden he gets lucky. It pisses me off, it does."
"Calm down," Northy said, his irritation showing, as for once he showed a bit of his true leadership ability. "We're making a plan here. You want us to win, don't you?"
Silverfish shrugged. "I don't want to die."
