He'd seen plenty of secret passageways, both during Prohibition in different speak-easies, as well as during the war (both allied and enemy-built) to quickly get the feel of them from the plans, just from the negative spaces between the different blueprints.
He also heard the shift in Rogue's voice; he kept his head ducked toward the tablet, but cast a quick glance toward the pilot's chair, but she stayed facing away from him. He didn't miss the significance of her statement - 'we', and during her first year as a student - it had obviously left an impact, and probably been traumatic, no matter how long ago it had been, or what else she'd had to face in the intervening years. And from the measure he'd already gotten of her, Steve could tell Rogue wanted to protect her pupils from that - but barring that, at least she could keep them as safe as possible.
Looking back at the plans, and considering the mansion/school he'd had a chance to tour and then wander around for a couple days, Steve started putting pieces together. He recognized architecture that was as old as, if not pre-dated, his own time, and the Westchester school definitely fit that. He wondered if the passageways there were built in once it became a school for mutants, or if the family had had them built from the beginning. The latter wouldn't surprise him.
"The paneling," he murmured to himself, thinking of the wainscoting lining all of the hallways of the school. "I'd like to see where you plan to have the entrances for the passageways, as well as where they'll lead to. It would probably be best if there were actually at least a couple different exits - even if the entrances are hidden again before the enemy can find them, that doesn't mean they won't find them, and any confusion will hopefully slow them down."
There was a brief pause, before he grimaced. "Sorry. I-- you may have already thought of that. And I know this isn't a war situation. But..." He shrugged and gave a self-effacing little smile, even if she didn't turn to see it. "That's how I think, and that's why you hired me, I guess."
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He also heard the shift in Rogue's voice; he kept his head ducked toward the tablet, but cast a quick glance toward the pilot's chair, but she stayed facing away from him. He didn't miss the significance of her statement - 'we', and during her first year as a student - it had obviously left an impact, and probably been traumatic, no matter how long ago it had been, or what else she'd had to face in the intervening years. And from the measure he'd already gotten of her, Steve could tell Rogue wanted to protect her pupils from that - but barring that, at least she could keep them as safe as possible.
Looking back at the plans, and considering the mansion/school he'd had a chance to tour and then wander around for a couple days, Steve started putting pieces together. He recognized architecture that was as old as, if not pre-dated, his own time, and the Westchester school definitely fit that. He wondered if the passageways there were built in once it became a school for mutants, or if the family had had them built from the beginning. The latter wouldn't surprise him.
"The paneling," he murmured to himself, thinking of the wainscoting lining all of the hallways of the school. "I'd like to see where you plan to have the entrances for the passageways, as well as where they'll lead to. It would probably be best if there were actually at least a couple different exits - even if the entrances are hidden again before the enemy can find them, that doesn't mean they won't find them, and any confusion will hopefully slow them down."
There was a brief pause, before he grimaced. "Sorry. I-- you may have already thought of that. And I know this isn't a war situation. But..." He shrugged and gave a self-effacing little smile, even if she didn't turn to see it. "That's how I think, and that's why you hired me, I guess."