[They both were of the opinion that he knew more than she did, so she knows that he has the upper hand here. He's less committed and he has more cards to play with, and that means she has to be careful. She doesn't know how much he knows, so either underplaying or overplaying her hand is less than ideal. She has to find a careful line without knowing where it is. Which is much easier when it's physical and not with words.]

Of course I understand the phrase. And in some cases, you're correct. You make sacrifices for a better position, it's basic tactics.

[She doesn't flinch when he shuffles the papers into the file, shifts in his seat like he might leave. She wants to handcuff him, but she's playing nice. She hasn't threatened him, she hasn't tried to see if she can punch the answers out of him. Admittedly, it's mostly because given what she knows about him- even if it's not enough- it makes her think such base attempts wont work. To be fair, they didn't really work on her, either.]

But when you say such elements come over to your side-- just which side are you talking about?

[She's quiet for a moment, but there was something to the words, that weight. She doesn't expect him to confirm it, but she knows. She's trying not to give him anything unless he gives her something in return, so she pushes, instead of giving, even when she half wants to sell her story just for the right answers, but she knows it's dangerous. Because Ivan had had an army with flat eyes, robots that looked like orphans her own age behind sniper's scopes, and she knows somewhere that it could have been her.

Both James and Bucky had asked her if there had been triggers and both times the only answer she'd had was I don't know, and that's something she can't afford to lead him to if he doesn't already know.]