Context certainly changed a lot. Peggy thrust her most instinctive words into the back of her mind once more: understanding, intuitively, that she would win no favour by expressing her surprise that one of the agencies hadn't already picked him up if it had indeed manifested since childhood. Then again, maybe one of them had. And maybe that was the reason his eyes were flinty and his trust less forthcoming. Peggy watched as the claws disappeared, but even as she stared at his hands she imagined she could still see after-impressions in the air.

The last vestiges of jingoism clinging to her soul prompted her to put as positive a spin on the revelation as she could: "It seems I find myself and my work in better hands than first anticipated. Good."

Crass, perhaps, to stress his usefulness to her. But above all she wanted to remind the both of them (aloud) that the core power-balance of the mission had shifted. Oh, he was always stronger than her. But now the gap was severe. She would be beholden to him before the mission was done; Peggy was certain of it. And she wanted him to know that she was well aware at whose behest they continued.