"I can fake it when the cost-benefit analysis weighs in my favor," he argues. Which is to say that most of the time it doesn't. He puts a hand to Istredd's shoulder to stop him, looking for a moment genuinely mournful as he says, "'I'm very sorry for your loss. It was never our intention for there to be any casualties. Your husband was doing us a service and he paid the ultimate cost.'" And then he breaks away with a scrunched up, annoyed expression, like the words themselves left him with a bad taste.

It's real nice that false sympathy isn't typically worth it these days, here. What a bore.

"'Technically.' You could've just said no. It's okay just to say no." He's purposefully giving him a hard time as though it might be distraction enough for their venture.