Kate was not sure just how strong the opponent that she was facing was. But from what Michael had told her, it was clear that this guy was not simple.
Therefore, she understood, while this was an opportunity for her to be able to gain real life experience, it was also a situation where she could lose her life.
The way that Jackson had been talking, it was clear that he was someone with experience. This was definitely not his first time, so, he might not hesitate to kill her.
Even though Kate believed in Michael, and she herself was not sure just how strong Michael was, she understood that she had to act as if Michael was not around.
This way, not only would she avoid burdening Michael, but she would also be able to gain the experience to deal with a situation where Michael was not around.
