“Just tell us what you want,” I persist. “Money? Do you want them to work a job for you?”
“Work a job for me?” He barks out a laugh. “Hardly. I wouldn’t hire this group of arrogant assholes for anything.”
Rylan frowns. “Arrogant assholes? Why do you say that?”
“You think you’re so perfect. Bragging about your”—he makes little quotes with his fingers—“Special Forcesexperience. Going on about how great you are, how selfless, how brave…”
“Theyare,” Charlie snaps. Her cheeks flush an angry pink. “They’re braver than some coward who threatens a bunch of women and children.”
“I’m not a coward!” he roars. “I’m braver than anyone who works here! But these fucking assholes didn’t want to hire me because I didn’t serve. Like that’s a measure of skills, or some shit like that.”
My head jerks back in surprise.
He applied to work here?
While I’m still working through the most recent revelation, Rylan is already two steps ahead of me. His expression shifts to one of recognition, and he says, “I know who you are. Lance Forrester. Right?”
Bad Breath Needs a Shave—or, apparently, Lance Forrester—turns a surprised gaze back to Rylan. His tone holds a hopeful note. “You remember me?”
Rylan nods. “We don’t get many applications. Most of the ones we do get are from veterans. But you?—”
“I worked in security,” Lance interrupts. “Ten years.” His features twist. “But that wasn’t good enough foryou. I didn’t even get called for an interview. Just a thanks but no thanks email.”
“We don’t do open hires,” Rylan replies. “Military experience or not.”
Charlie stares at Lance. “So you took us hostage because you’re mad they didn’t hire you?”
“No!” Lance shakes his head. “That’s only part of it.”
“Then what else is it?” she asks.
“It’s everything,” he snaps. “It’s the arrogant assholes who work here, pretending to be so great and taking all the jobs. It’s impossible for anyone else to build a security business around here, not with perfect Blade and Arrow Security hogging the best jobs.”
“Wait.” At the sound of my voice, Lance turns to me. “You’re pissed that they’re competition? Is that what it is?”
“I’m not pissed about some competition. Regular competition, that is. But this? This is bullshit.” Lance uses his gun to gesture around the room. Georgia cringes in her chair. Charlie lets out a startled meep. My heart leaps to my throat.
“I tried to start my own business out in White Plains,” Lance continues. “But could I get any clients? Oh, no. Of course not. Not with perfect Blade and Arrow around.”
“There are plenty of jobs we don’t take,” Rylan says. “Home security gigs. Smaller events. Why wouldn’t you start with those?”
It’s a reasonable question. But clearly, Lance isn’t a reasonable guy.
“Because I don’twantto do small events. I want mycompany to be big. I want the plum jobs with the Fortune 500 companies, like you get. But it’ll never happen with Blade and Arrow around. So?—”
“So you decided to shut us down,” Rylan interrupts. “You thought you’d wait until we were all away for work, and then… What? You’d burn the place down?”
Lance’s gaze skitters away, a small tell he’s been busted. “Don’t worry about what I was planning to do,” he says defensively. “It’s none of your business.” A beat, and then, “Now. Would you just shut up so I canthink?”
As he stalks towards the other side of the room, I glance at Rylan again. With Lance’s back to him, he’s actively struggling against the handcuffs restraining him. But the way his arms are stretched behind the back of the leather office chair, there’s no room for him to maneuver.
I know he could get free if he could just get to the right tool. If not a lockpick, a paper clip or a ballpoint pen. Crap, if I could give him a shoelace, he could use that, just like Elle did when she was abducted.
But I’m at the opposite end of the table from Rylan. Which means, even if I could find a tool, I’ll never be able to get it to him without Lance noticing.
Charlie, on the other hand, is sitting in the chair beside Rylan.Shecould hand him something if she had the opportunity.
The big question is, do I try something? Or do I wait in hopes that Lance will come to his senses? Maybe he’ll realize he’s in way over his head. Maybe we can convince him to let us go in exchange for leniency. Leo could work some of his computer magic,as we call it, and probably get some years knocked off Lance’s sentence.
