There was nothing Irene liked better than a well-made plan. She headed downstairs almost cheerily, intent on resuming her search for Annie. While the girl wasn't causing any trouble at the moment, the fact remained that she was a loose end that needed to be eliminated. It was sad, really, the lot she had been given in life. Her sons, while pretty, were neither ambitious nor persistent. Clu was an easy target, and while Carey's physical attributes made him more desirable to keep around, chances are that he would also be easy to eliminate from the game. She had decided to subvert expectations by going after Jack instead of trying to launch a surprise attack, which everyone else would probably become paranoid anticipating. Maybe they would turn on each other, doing her work for her. After a brief conference with Ned, it was decided that she would finish off Annie herself and Ned would locate and take care of Jack.

The pounding had resumed, though it was a bit weaker now, so it was easy to track the source of the sound. She weaved her way through the hallways on the lower level, listening carefully. She could hear stampeding footsteps upstairs, doors slamming and locking. She smiled. Perhaps instead of 3 remaining opponents, after Jack was removed from the game, there would be only two. And she would be that much closer to winning.

She became absorbed in imagining her inevitable victory, so much so that her normally acute hearing failed to perceive the calculatedly light steps approaching her quickly from behind. When she snapped out of her brief reverie, it was too late to run. Ned had an unmistakably apologetic look in his eyes and tone in his voice, but his body moved as if guided by some vengeful force beyond his control. He wielded his stake menacingly, and she backed away slowly as he advanced. She decided to appeal to the others' sympathy instincts by screaming, which she did. And it worked; Molly and Carey rushed downstairs and through the hallways, yelling for her. Ned backed off a little, and she took advantage of that momentary pause to attack, leaping at him, clawing and fighting, trying to wrestle his weapon away. Molly tugged on Ned's arm, trying to pull him backward, while Carey pulled Irene off of Ned, though she was still struggling.

"Come on, you guys," Carey pleaded. "We can't turn on each other like that. Wasn't the plan to eliminate the weakest players first?"

"What happens then?" asked Ned. "Then it's you who'll be running and hiding, like Jack is now. And when you're out, it'll be Molly. Then Irene, and then I'll have won. So what, I decided to skip a couple of steps?"

"I don't think this is a game. I don't think any of us will survive if we keep playing like this. I I don't understand the rules, exactly, but I feel like I feel like it would be enough just to get the other players out of the house. Not to kill them. I can't explain how I know what the object of the game is, but can any of you even explain why we're playing?"

"It doesn't matter," Irene said. "Fine, so we'll play to get the other players out of the house, whatever. But you stay away from me," she growled at Ned. "I thought I could trust you."

"Trust?" he laughed. "What's that?"

"I'm going to find Annie now," she said, and headed off toward the pounding. Molly glanced at Ned and Carey, who were regarding each other warily.

"Hey, wait up," she called, and ran to catch Irene.

"What," Irene said, continuing to walk quickly.

"We need a plan."

"We do? That's funny. I thought I had a plan."

"Look, since you can't trust Ned, and he thinks he's going to win, I think you and I should work together until working together becomes a problem."

"I'm listening." Irene took off in a different direction. Molly followed her closely.

"I think that wherever she is, Annie will probably suffocate eventually. She's out of the way, and maybe that is enough."

"So what do you propose?"

"It occurred to me when Jack ran away that I don't think I could get him out of the game if I had to, and that's dangerous. Somehow for some reason, I just don't think I could actually hurt him. Annie was easy, because she isn't really a family member. I mean, could you have taken Clu out?"

"Probably."

"Well, you're stronger than I am, then."

"Not stronger. More determined." She stopped and turned toward Molly. "Get to the point."

"You get Jack. I'll get Carey. Then you and I will get Ned. That's my plan."

"Okay," shrugged Irene. "And Annie just bleeds to death, or whatever?"

"Right."

"And you won't attack me out of nowhere until the time comes?"

"Right. You won't, either?"

"All right," Irene agreed with a smile, relishing the thought of a good new plan. "I'll find Jack."