I got brief Unfortunate Incident flashbacks, especially since the negotiations went on in a basement - though not, thankfully, in a garage. But John's is a whole different level of boneheadedness. He is at least negotiating with a strong hand - he has something that the demon wants, and he's made darned sure that they give him what he wants before he hands it over.

Whereas the Unfortunate Incident was just... wasteful. Everybody lost, whether it be life, self-respect, or a potential source of information.

*sigh* Yes, I'm still bitter.