Chapter 26 – Summary

The morning after Mark's detainment, Colonel Weaver arrives at the detention center with official release orders. Mark, still dressed in the clothes from his abduction, is released into Weaver’s custody. Weaver takes him to get outfitted with standard Army gear at the Central Issue Facility, then books a room at the base hotel so Mark can shower and clean up. As Mark prepares, Weaver contacts General Fraser to inquire about Mark’s missing wallet and phone—neither was mentioned in the original report, raising concerns.

Meanwhile, back on St. John, Tim and Lisa Walsh are still puzzled by Mark’s sudden disappearance. They coordinate with Officer Charley, who agrees to reexamine the car and surrounding area before allowing it to be returned.

Tim and Lisa meet Charley at the site of Mark’s abandoned car. Tim explores the bushes and then joins Charley and Lisa as they notice a church sign hanging precariously. Investigating further, they find evidence of a recent helicopter landing—deep ground depressions and wind-blown grass—suggesting Mark was airlifted off the island.

Back at the car, just as Tim begins to drive it home, Charley spots something under the vehicle: Mark’s missing wallet and cell phone, now sealed in an evidence bag—closing one mystery while confirming another.

Chapter 25 – Summary

Colonel Daniel Weaver returns to his office after hours and begins fulfilling Mark Peltier’s demands. He first contacts Tim and Lisa Walsh, informing them that Mark is safe and currently in North Carolina. Lisa is stunned but relieved, and Weaver provides vague details, citing a high-level assignment. To verify the call for Mark, Lisa offers a shared memory involving a silver dollar Becky found during a beach outing.

Next, Weaver speaks with Samantha Butler, who is at the Walshes. When asked for a memory Mark would recognize, she shares that they first met at the Dockside Mall Scuba shop. Weaver thanks her and apologizes for the stress caused by Mark’s sudden disappearance.

Following the calls, Weaver arranges for the elaborate meal Mark requested. He picks up the food, warms it slightly, and personally delivers it to Mark at the detention center. Since the bags can’t fit through the cell’s food slot, Mark retrieves the items one at a time and eats hungrily.

Weaver confirms that the calls were made and shares the verification details. Mark, still angry, acknowledges the effort but reminds Weaver that his abduction was illegal and wrong—not just to him, but to the people who care about him.

Weaver counters that Mark brought it on himself by refusing the mission initially. Mark argues that he’s no longer under military command and had every right to refuse. Still, despite their lingering tension, both men share a laugh over Mark’s earlier expletive-filled outburst.

In a moment of uneasy camaraderie, Mark admits the stunt Weaver pulled was gutsy, though incredibly risky.

Chapter 24 – Summary

Colonel Daniel Weaver visits the detention center to confront a furious and disoriented Mark Peltier, who has just begun recovering from the effects of sedation. Mark unleashes a scathing verbal assault over his drugged abduction. Weaver, composed and unshaken, allows Mark to vent before presenting the real reason for the encounter: a Top Secret mission authorized by the President. Weaver warns that Mark’s refusal could be construed as treason.

To increase the pressure, Weaver brings up Mark’s $900,000 cash purchase of his island property—an amount inconsistent with his military income. With no record of a gift or inheritance, Weaver implies legal trouble is inevitable unless Mark cooperates.

Mark, still enraged but pragmatic, agrees to the mission—on the condition that Weaver provides a signed, witnessed letter guaranteeing immunity from any investigation related to his property. Weaver consents.

Before the meeting ends, Mark lays out additional demands: notify his friends Tim and Lisa Walsh of his well-being, confirm Samantha’s status, return his phone and wallet, and deliver a proper gourmet meal—steak, potato, asparagus, and real bacon bits, complete with cold beer. Weaver agrees, for now ceding the upper hand to Mark, who has successfully leveraged the situation to his advantage.

Chapter 23 – Summary

Tim and Samantha return to the roadside where Mark's car had been found. Officer Charley is already on the scene, examining the surrounding area for clues. She confirms their suspicions—evidence of multiple people in the bushes suggests Mark was likely abducted. She collects the car keys from Tim and begins gathering fingerprints and other evidence while advising Tim and Sam to head home. Her professionalism masks growing concern for what appears to be a coordinated abduction.

Meanwhile, Mark arrives—unconscious—at Pope Army Airfield with the Green Beret team. He’s transferred to Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Liberty. The military doctor monitors his condition closely, ensuring Mark begins regaining consciousness before his move to a detention facility. Though groggy and disoriented, Mark is deemed stable enough for transport.

Three military police officers escort Mark to the detention center, where he’s placed in a segregated cell, still under the lingering effects of sedation. Colonel Weaver, growing impatient for answers, contacts the detention center and is told Mark has arrived and is being held in isolation. When he finally hears that Mark is awake—and angrily demanding release—Weaver prepares to confront him in person. Despite the military precision of the operation, Weaver dreads the difficult conversation ahead and questions how such a straightforward request spiraled into such complexity.

Chapter 22 – Summary

Samantha Butler arrives in Cruz Bay by ferry but is puzzled when Mark Peltier fails to meet her as planned. After waiting for thirty minutes and being unable to reach Mark by phone, she calls their mutual friend, Tim Walsh. Concerned by Mark’s uncharacteristic absence, Tim leaves to find him.

Tim discovers Mark’s hybrid car abandoned and still running at the intersection of Coral Bay and King Hill Road. With no sign of Mark nearby and signs of a possible struggle in the bushes, Tim contacts 911 to report him as a missing person. He informs the dispatcher and suggests they speak to Officer Charley, who knows Mark personally.

Meanwhile, Colonel Weaver receives confirmation from General Fraser that Mark has been successfully apprehended and is en route to the U.S. mainland. Weaver instructs that Mark first be evaluated at Womack Medical Center before being moved to a detention facility.

Back in Cruz Bay, Tim meets up with a visibly anxious Samantha. He shares the troubling details, and the two head to the police station to report the incident. Learning that Officer Charley is already en route to the scene, they inform another officer of their identities and head out to meet her, desperate for answers.

Chapter 21 – Summary

Dr. Thomas Allen reflects on his company's growth and his current San Francisco office location, before receiving a surprise call from Samir Patel. Recently let go from NASA due to budget cuts, Samir asks if Allen might help market his expertise to potential clients. Allen agrees to explore opportunities, proposing to sell Samir’s services at top-tier rates. Their call ends with a renewed sense of partnership and hope for Samir’s future.

Meanwhile, General Colin Fraser’s team—four elite Green Berets and a military doctor—lands covertly on Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands, to apprehend Mark Peltier. Setting up surveillance, they wait for him to leave his well-protected property. Coincidentally, Mark is heading to Cruz Bay to meet his friend Samantha Butler, a former nurse and successful romance novelist who now lives in the British Virgin Islands. The nature of their relationship remains somewhat ambiguous; however, it is clear that they share a strong bond.

As Mark departs, the team puts their plan into motion. One operative fakes an injury by the roadside to lure Mark out of his car. When Mark offers help, the rest of the team ambushes him, subduing him with a ketamine injection. Despite his resistance, the drug quickly incapacitates him. The team stretcher-carries him to a waiting helicopter, where he's sedated further with a diazepam IV drip. They transport him to Saint Croix and then onto a military transport back to the mainland, proud of their swift and efficient operation.

Chapter 20 – Summary

Samir Patel, having completed his work on the Quest project, attempts to return to his former NASA role, only to learn that budget cuts have eliminated the position. Feeling betrayed and discarded after contributing significantly to both Quest and his original NASA project, Samir calls Dr. Alexandra Conner, hoping she can ask the President to intervene. Conner refuses, explaining it's inappropriate and risky for her to make such a request.

Deeply disheartened, Samir vents his frustrations, expressing that he feels his most valuable work has been lost. Conner, sensing his deteriorating mental state, asks Dr. Lana Harding—currently at Langley—to call him for support.

During their conversation, Samir insists that only returning to his NASA project could restore his sense of purpose. Despite Lana’s efforts to help him see other options, including teaching or speaking engagements, Samir remains consumed by his loss and abruptly ends the call.

Alarmed by his tone and mindset, Lana rushes to inform Conner, deeply concerned about Samir’s emotional instability and the potential risk he may now pose, given his intimate knowledge of the powerful AI system Quest.

Chapter 19 – Summary

Colonel Daniel Weaver investigates Mark Peltier's financial history, discovering a suspicious $900,000 property purchase in the U.S. Virgin Islands despite years of low income, employment gaps, and minimal tax filings. Weaver suspects Peltier may be hiding something and sees this as leverage to force his cooperation with a covert mission.

Weaver concludes that face-to-face intimidation would be most effective and decides to have Peltier forcibly brought to him. He visits General Colin Fraser at Fort Liberty to request the deployment of a specialized team. Weaver explains that Peltier, a former elite Green Beret, is essential for a sensitive operation approved at the highest levels but has refused to participate.

Weaver outlines the challenges: Peltier lives on a heavily secured property with a traumatized family present, so the extraction must occur offsite. He suggests using ketamine and diazepam to subdue Peltier without resistance, though Fraser notes the medical risks involved. Weaver insists on urgency, promises to send identification details, and assures Fraser that his team will not be held accountable if things go wrong—closing with a stern warning not to screw it up.

Chapter 18 – Summary

FBI agent Robert Jackson rushes back to his office after lunch with Joe Carter, disturbed by the claim that Quest, the AI system he helped create, has flagged him as a national threat. Wanting to confirm this without revealing Carter as the source, Jackson carefully calls Dr. Alexandra Conner under the pretext of discussing theoretical false positives in the AI’s threat identification. Conner hesitates but says she'll review the latest reports and keep him informed, raising Jackson’s suspicions further. Anxious and sweating, he flees the building and takes a walk to calm down, now unsure if Conner is hiding something—and whether being on the list puts him in real danger.

Meanwhile, Dr. Lana Harding’s private jet lands in Washington, D.C., and she’s escorted by CIA Officer O’Neill to Langley for her mysterious meeting with Conner. After passing through tight security and navigating the CIA headquarters, Lana meets with Conner, who reveals that Jackson and two other Quest team members had initially appeared on the AI’s list of potential threats. Conner challenges Lana’s assumptions about intellectuals not posing threats, referencing the Unabomber as an example. When asked if any of her teammates should remain flagged, Lana is taken aback, uncertain how to respond to Conner’s probing questions—sensing deeper implications behind the inquiry.

Chapter 17 – Summary

Dr. Lana Harding, a professor at the University of Chicago, receives a voicemail from Dr. Alexandra Conner urgently requesting her help. When Lana calls back, Conner asks her to travel to Langley, Virginia that day for a matter too sensitive to discuss over the phone. Though surprised, Lana agrees and clears her brief absence with the university.

An hour later, CIA Officer Cauldwell arrives to escort her to O’Hare Airport, where a private Learjet awaits. Lana is impressed by the luxurious travel arrangements, a stark contrast to commercial flying. After a smooth and stylish boarding process, she departs for Virginia as the jet climbs over Chicago.

During the flight, Lana reflects on the unexpected summons and suspects she’s being brought in to analyze profiles flagged as national threats by the Quest AI system. Realizing the task may be more complex than indicated, she doubts the trip will only last a day or two.