Alright, I'm really hungry and those snacks did nothing for me, so I won't bother try taking a crack at this order of events or whatever, but have we figured out what that weird metal thing is? Bring it up front and center so we can see if it's something interesting.

[Do that.]

Meanwhile, there's still the bit about the knot. It's a kind of slipknot, which is pretty similar to what you use to hang things with, but it's nothing professional. The kind of thing you'd secure boats and stuff with for a short time. Least, that's all I've known it used for, but I'm sure there's other uses for it too, like... hanging people. I guess.