Damn. The hand on the back is going to be a problem for any plans to slip away unnoticed. It's a little more solicitous that Claude would have expected of what essentially amounts to a modernized bandit - he's not sure if that indicates some unusual aspect of this man's character, though, or if it's an aspect of the guy's suspicion of him. No real way to tell in this situation.

For the moment, however, he lets himself be led. An opportunity to slip away might present itself yet...and unless the guy leads him to a significantly more dangerous and compromising place than this one, if he does have to resort to fighting as a last resort, one place is as good as any other. If they start getting really into the thick of Rocket-held areas, though...Claude may have to try to break away preemptively, no matter the cost. He can't afford to let himself be ganged up on by a bunch of Rockets who aren't distracted.

Claude decides to press his curiosity, in the meantime. Why should that be suspicious here? He thinks anyone, Rocket or otherwise, would question the weirdness of that phone call.

"It seemed like...kind of a strange way to communicate," he says, hoping he still sounds like an awkward newbie afraid to offend a superior. "I've never seen a Gear used quite that way before..."