Not sure what all their buzz words meant but I think you are close enough. I think by "fine" he just meant anything classy and expensive. The gay thing to me is an overused cliché used as a convenient resolve an otherwise complex issue and another sell out by the writers. Lame.

 

"I obligated you," means that Strand now has an obligation to work for Abigail in some way in the future. When Strand rescued Nick from lock up in Season 1, he told Nick the same thing when Nick said Thanks. He told Nick something like, "I have obligated you."

When he brought the whole group on to his yacht, they became obligated to him. Now that his own life has been saved, he is obligated to them, too. The actor who plays Strand says that Strand's code of conduct is based on obligations to others rather than love for them.

Your guess about "fringe real estate" is as good as any. He tries to figure out where property values are about to rise and then he buys something and hopes he is right. It doesn't need to be near a city, just property that is a little run down in a neighborhood that is improving.

 

One trick of real estate development is to buy up lots, say, 20 miles from the city and market it as "away from the city! Live the carefree country life without the big city hassles!" Then, as those lots are sold, developed and occupied, buy up all the 'green space' between that 'country living' area and the city. Market this green space as "Close In! Cut your commute in half! If you lived here, you'd be home by now!" (Thank you, Firesign.) "Fringe" real estate is generally considered "of suspicious, uncertain value, with great risk of any payoff."

The "obligated you" comment works well because Thomas Abigail showed up with a killer. Strand said thanks for not calling the police. He certainly didn't underestimate what Luis' role in the 'organization' was, though. And the rest of us saw Luis' value when he killed two people on a distant boat from a bobbing zodiac launch, too.

Luis' retrieval seems to have been part of a plan since Luis had "paid money for getting two into Mexico, not 7," he said. So, IF Luis and Nick had arrived aboard without any other incident, what would have happened then? Child-Soldier Daniel vs. Young Gun Luis? "There's one way to clear the boat of unwanted visitors."

We may have also seen the only reason Nick was invited in the first place. "I can't dock anywhere near that development - so someone's got to come ashore and retrieve Luis." It certainly wasn't going to be Strand that swam ashore.

 

Quite the insight.

 

I'm still mulling over Luis and Strand. Strand knows exactly what Luis is - a killer FOR Thomas Abigail. Strand deduced that this smaller-chap had some very big role when Thomas Abigail tracked Strand down after using his credit cards.

After all, Thomas didn't bring a little dog to a big fight without a reason.

Why didn't Luis have a satellite-telephone? Why wasn't his house equipped with a ship-to-shore radio, since that development was located near a sealane where the ABIGAIL frequented? Strange omissions.

The timetable could be one reason.

Strand goes to LA, even though there is 'an outbreak' occurring, then is trapped up there, yet he's still free enough to phone Baja and report the situation.

At this point, Luis is dispatched with enough money to bribe Mexican officials to bring 2 people across the border - by sea.

Why isn't Luis dispatched with another sat-telephone at this point? Why isn't he given a ship-to-shore radio? Since Luis is anticipating being the first pick-up point, why not give him first communications access?

During this time - as Luis is dispatched with the bribe missio - Strand somehow gets himself trapped in a curfew violation and that's why he ends up in Lock-Up with Butcher-Boy Hubby and Nick.

Next issue... that forced deadline. Who? Why? It's because of the bribed Mexican authorities.

I bet the people who will approved The Abigail's border sailing have their own work-schedule, and they are not 24/7/365-days-a-year employees. The bribe is for one work-shift to allow the Abigail thru. It's not an official google-me-up-and-check-me-out documentation system. It's one certain Mexican official letting the Abigail thru and he's got a work shift and that's the deadline

 

I am betting that Luis was the guy with the sat phone with whom Viktor was chatting. The timetable he discussed was the one that Luis had setup with the Mexicans and Vick was probably asking about how long he can hold out due to unforeseen circumstances that were confronting him. He got the boat in line with Louie's position and sent Nick ashore to fetch Louie, no need to call him after dispatching Nicky.

Don't know if I am correct but just a hunch.

 

This WOULD be the most logical assumption for me, too. Yet... why was it necessary for Nick to come ashore at all? Why not beep Luis on the sat-phone, tell him to get the zodiac loaded and head on out. "I'll flash the red lights every 3 seconds so you can locate us about 2 miles off-shore."

Sending Nick ashore to locate and retrieve Luis is only necessary if Strand and Luis have no comm method. Which makes no sense. Except... if Luis never carries that kind of phone for ?? umpteen reasons like 'no practical security' and since Luis is a killer and deed-do'er, well, those kind of deeds shouldn't be broadcast up to a satellite and then sent back down.

Same with a shortwave radio - lack of security.

But still, I'd have thought Luis as a long-time and trusted associate would know precisely the best uses and absolute limits of such comm methods.

The only other reason would be, "Luis didn't usually have those devices with him, and he was not at the Baja Compound when Strand was stranded in LA. Luis could get access to funds for bribery, but no devices for communications. Those had to be handled from Thomas-in-Baja relayed between Strand and Luis."

(Oh. One other standard reason: incredibly dumb writing.)