“What, no foreplay?” Lynell says.

The woman frowns and pulls a small knife from her belt. The look in her eyes fills Lynell with fear. “Actually, I have a game to play.” She twirls the knife in her hand and takes a step forward. “You win by telling me the code. I win if you beg me to cut your toe off.”

“Sounds lame,” Lynell says, though her voice gives a noticeable shake.

She glances behind her at Ramsey and Kenneth. She thinks she could stake her life on Ramsey being on her side, and she would gamble on Kenneth being sympathetic to her cause. Kenneth is standing with his back to her, but Ramsey is watching, lips pushed together and eyes following the woman’s progress closely.

“You have a name?” Lynell asks the woman but keeps her eyes locked on Ramsey. He shifts uncomfortably.

“Not today I don’t,” the woman says. She steps closer to Lynell, knife still twirling between her fingers. “Now, shut up.” She pushes Lynell back on the bed and it squeaks loudly. Lynell grimaces, teeth grinding together as the woman pulls Lynell’s left hand up, tying it to a bar at the head of the bed with a zip tie.

“Wow, like it rou—” Lynell is cut off when the woman lunges forward and holds the edge of the blade against her throat.

“I said, shut up.” Her voice is forceful, and she talks through her teeth, lips curling.

Lynell stays as still as possible. The blade is so sharp she can already feel it splitting her skin. Her gaze darts to Ramsey, who’s watching with a deep frown. He reaches up to touch his scar, probably remembering the moment a knife was held to him. Kenneth has turned to watch, too, and Lynell glances at his hands, one of which is still curled around his gun.

“Good,” the woman says, standing again. “You were annoying me.”

As she goes for Lynell’s feet, Ramsey steps forward. The woman turns to him and opens her mouth, but before she can say anything, Ramsey says, “And you’re annoying me,” and slams his fist against her head.

She goes limp, falling forward onto the bed. Lynell just moves her legs out of the way in time. She looks between the woman and Ramsey before smiling. Wasting no time, she reaches out, grabs the knife from her would-be torturer’s hand, and cuts herself free before climbing off the bed.

“Thanks, Ramsey.” He glances at her, mouth agape. “Help me get out of here and I’ll give you the code. I’ll put you in charge of everything. Or I’ll set you free. Whatever you want, it’s yours.”

He doesn’t respond. Kenneth is already strapping the woman’s arms to the bed with her own zip ties. They seem to have reached an unspoken agreement: this all ends now, and Lynell is the way that happens.

The woman is still breathing. Lynell steps closer, pulling three more knives from her belt. With nowhere to put them, she hands two to Kenneth and keeps the other two gripped tight in her right hand. He tucks them in his own belt, gaze darting around the room.