Daniel sighs and pulls Lynell against his chest. She falls silent and he rubs her back. “We’ll be okay.”

“At least he’s alive,” Lynell says, stepping out of Daniel’s arms.

“He’s alive,” Daniel says. “And willing to help us.”

They have a plan. A flimsy one that could go wrong in a dozen ways, as Lynell points out multiple times, but a plan nonetheless. They gather their stuff, pull on their shoes, and leave the house through the back door, taking the alley to the closest street. Lynell walks with her shoulders slumped forward and her head down, one hand in Daniel’s. She holds the injured hand close to her chest, her broken fingers aching.

They follow the sidewalk for fifteen minutes before they get out of the neighborhood. Lynell’s skin prickles, every single nerve on edge. Her hand sweats in Daniel’s, and her head thuds with pain. The sun feels unnaturally hot, and each car that flies by makes her jump.

“Breathe,” Daniel mutters, squeezing her hand.

She clenches her eyes shut and nods.

They keep walking. Past a dozen fast-food restaurants, three gas stations, a tattoo parlor, a grocery store, a convenience store, a laundromat, and a Registration office. Lynell flinches and almost turns to run the other way, but Daniel keeps his hold on her hand tight and pulls her quickly past it, talking loudly. “I mean, come on, Emily, you have to admit that your parents can be a bit overwhelming.”

Lynell gives him a confused look, but he winks at her and squeezes her hand once. She gives him a weak smile and says, “Yeah, but only because they care, Mark.” She emphasizes the name, remembering how prepared he’d been ten days ago.

Daniel responds, talking about an imaginary dinner with Sherri and Robert, Lynell’s fake parents. He gives the story so much detail that he manages to pull her attention away from the Registration office now a block behind them. He’s in the middle of describing how they should decorate “Little Jeremiah’s” bedroom when he raises his hand and a taxi pulls up next to them.

They stop walking and Lynell’s eyes go wide. She stares at him, and he turns to her and whispers, “It’s okay. Stay calm and remember the plan.”

Lynell nods and Daniel opens the back door of the cab. She climbs in first and Daniel follows.

“Where to?” the driver asks, turning back to look at them. Lynell watches his eyes flick down to her hand, up at her black eye, and over at Daniel, who’s clean and unharmed. He frowns and Lynell shifts in her seat, wanting to scream that Daniel would never touch her, but instead she flicks her eyes away, putting both hands in her lap.

Daniel gives the driver the address, his voice rougher than it was only moments before. The driver hesitates before he turns forward and starts driving.

Lynell closes her eyes and sucks in a breath. She counts to ten before letting it out, opening her eyes and turning to Daniel.