[ Harold has strong things to say about something that is programmable ever turning violent, but that would be far too telling, unfortunately. And it seems he's struck a nerve again unintentionally with that comment. He's starting to get unnerved himself, truthfully; they can mess with your head is an alarming statement on its own, but the implication that John could attack someone without his conscious intent to is devastating. Harold is afraid that he would find him trying to swallow a bullet shortly thereafter.

This also does not seem like the time for philosophical musings about the innate capacity for violence that exists within anyone and everyone. ]

I'm sorry to hear that, [ he says quietly, with complete and troubled sincerity. ] That seems... unnecessarily cruel. Much like the apparitions outside in the woods on Halloween night.

[ A beat, before he tries to return them to the previous topic. ] Nonetheless, as a programmer, I would not include a capacity for violence in anything I created. So I was surprised to hear that about the companion bots.