Eric stands and turns to her. “You can’t beat me.” He bends over, grabs the knife she dropped, and steps toward her. “You can’t beat the Registration.” She’s against the back wall, sitting on the floor, when he reaches her. “You can’t Register me.”

He squats in front of her and angles the knife over her heart. Lynell lifts her remaining weapon, but her body is weak and there’s no way to kill him before he can kill her.

“You can’t murder me,” Eric continues. Maybe it’s for the best, both of them meeting their ends in this office by each other’s hand. “What can you do?”

“Show kindness.” The words come from the doorway and both Lynell and Eric look up to Ramsey standing there, holding a gun. “Drop the knife, Mr. Elysian.”

Eric’s body radiates disbelief and fury colors his face. His neck turns red and a vein starts to pop. He lets out a roar, and Lynell thinks he’s going to run for Ramsey, but instead, he turns to her.

It all happens in a flash.

Eric lunges at her with a knife.

Ramsey pulls the trigger, the sound deafening.

Lynell throws herself to the side and lifts the hand still holding a knife.

It sinks into flesh.

Eric bellows and falls, half-landing on Lynell's legs. She rips her hand back, pulling the knife with it. Lynell feels the blade leaving her uncle’s flesh more than she felt it sink in. The sensation is nauseating, and her stomach turns over, curling into itself.

She scrambles out from under him, not processing an ounce of pain. She can’t tear her eyes away from Eric’s face. He’s staring at her, blood already bubbling to his lips. He groans and moves as if to lunge for Lynell again.

Another bang.

Lynell flinches, eyes slamming shut.

Something wet and warm sprays her face.

Each breath continues to bounce, ripping through her chest in quick succession, but no oxygen seems to reach her lungs. She feels dizzy.

“Ms. Elysian.”

Her grip on the knife hilt tightens.

“We need to go.”

She opens her eyes.

Red and black and fear and anger and relief splash across Lynell’s vision. She’s lying right next to Eric, his blood spreading with each second. She tries to push herself up but slips in the slick red fluid.

A hand closes around her arm and tugs, helping her to her feet. Her eyes don’t move from Eric. She unsticks her fingers from the hilt of the knife and lets go. It clatters to the floor, splashing in blood.

Her chest constricts, in desperate need of air. Lynell gasps.

And then she instantly gags. She stumbles away from Eric and out of Ramsey’s grasp. She makes it two steps before vomiting all over her bare feet. She heaves two more times before sucking in a lungful of air. Black holes fill her vision and she sways. Ramsey rushes to her side and wraps an arm around her middle, holding her up. She blinks at him. His jaw is set but he doesn’t look concerned or upset or angry. He doesn’t even seem afraid, just determined.