“You put the gun down, I’ll let her go. You take her place. If you care so much about her, you won’t mind if it’s you at the end of my knife instead.”

I hadn’t expected much else. The second I realized Mallory was the Coastal Killer, I knew her endgame.

With me out of the picture, Len would be all hers.

“I’m going to put my gun down slowly,” I said.

My knees bent as I slowly lowered, one hand raised and my other hand placing the gun gently on the floor. I quickly stood back up, my hands raised.

It was by far the dumbest decision an agent could make. The second we lost our weapon, we lost all the power, all our control over the situation. Everything was at the hands of the unsub.

Yet, time and time again, we did it anyway. It was the only way to ensure the safety of those we took an oath to protect.

“Kick it over here,” Mallory demanded.

I didn’t argue. The gun skidded across the floor as I kicked it. I made sure to aim slightly off to the side so it was still out of her reach. If she took the gun, there was no leaving this warehouse alive.

“No!” Len called out.

“It’s okay,“ I said directly to her. “You’ll be okay.”

“You for her. That’s the deal,” Mallory said.

I knew the second I took her place, Mallory would slit my throat. There would be no hesitation. If I wanted to protect Len and get her out of the warehouse alive, I needed to try to get closer to Mallory. If I could disarm her, she’d be useless.

I started to walk towards them, and Len writhed in her friend’s grasp.

“Don’t,” she whimpered.

“Shut up,” Mallory sneered.

“It’s all right, Len.” I needed her to stop struggling. Resistance would only anger Mallory further.

I knew what the profile said, and I needed Len to understand.

When I was only inches from them, Mallory turned Len away from me, the knife still pressed tightly to her throat. One small movement would end her life. She reached down to the belt holding her skirt up and unhooked a pair of handcuffs.

She handed them to me.

“Lock yourself to that,” she said, nodding to a large metal shelving unit as high as the ceiling. There would be no escaping that.

“The second you do, I’ll let her go.”

I realized my mistake the second we took a few steps in the direction of the shelving. My gun sat feet away. I couldn’t let her pick it up.

Len seemed to follow my gaze and understood. I met her eyes and saw the moment she made her decision.

“No,” I said, catching Mallory‘s attention.