[ Ben grapples with wanting to reply by text, since he has an easier time discussing extremely serious topics that way, but it occurs to him that this person might not be able to read. Sure, the devices can convert text to speech, but that might muddle the tone, and honestly, he should just suck it up and use video. His expression is grave: ]

If it comes down to it and someone has to stop you to save lives, I will do my best to do so without hurting you. And... if I can't, then I'll kill you. You have my word. I'm... kind of a monster, too. In a different way. So I should be able to do it.

[ He doesn't want to kill anyone. Especially not someone who, from the sound of it, has been a guinea pig, who has been forced to hurt people without being given a choice. Ben knows what that's like, even if the particulars don't line up. But that is why he wants this stranger to know that she has safeguards in place. If the situation were reversed, if Ben were the one who might go berserk and hurt people, he would want the reassurance of one or two people promising they would kill him instead.

Then, in a slightly lighter voice, because he knows well that humor can really help the horribleness go down, he adds: ]

Tequila is definitely bad for just about every living animal, I'm pretty sure. Not sure if it's worse than it would be for a human, though.