Kristin watches him read, taking in the way his frame tenses and knowing there'll be fireworks. It might take longer than with other men - Elias, she means Elias - but it'll get there.

"I'm taking the stance," she says, even-toned, trying for once not to rise to the bait set out on a silver platter before her, "that we need to know what these bastards are capable of from the start. I just need an example - to show the wastes of space in charge here that we can get that information."