[Just because they're victims? Yes, just because they're victims! They don't need to be killed, they need help! --is what he would say if he weren't trying to keep the arguing to a minimum. He refrains from snapping back about it and just focuses on everything else, but doesn't hide the very judgmental look on his face.]

And they weren't interested in talking, I take it? Or did you even get a chance to try?

[It wouldn't surprise him at all if Surge just went on the offensive immediately, so he can't entirely blame Shadow for not trying to talk their differences out first.]

As for how long, I couldn't have been more than a couple months. After the last time we dealt with them, they vanished on us and we weren't able to track them down.