Costigan's deception was equal parts of both. He often used as much truth as possible, rarely outright lying unless necessary, and he really did believe that his helping to choose the targets could keep Bakura out of jail. It wasn't arrogance, however. The undercover was simply strategic and knew enough, both of people and about them, to have a good feeling for which people would quietly handle the attacks on their own and which would announce them to the larger public. Deception had been such an essential part of growing up, then literally what kept him alive for years, that now sometimes he even believed his own lies. He was that good.

The other guy's words did get to him, more so the reminder of those he had lost than the accusation of overcompensating. Costigan frowned, not interested in hiding his displeasure at present.

"Not everyone," he corrected coldly. It would be better to make Bakura think he was territorial than a bleeding heart. "As for the ones I couldn't help? They're long gone. Trying to reign you in wouldn't do anything for any of them. Just for me."