Chapter 11 Summary:

The morning after their final algorithm reviews, Lana visits Jackson to express lingering concerns about Quest’s inconsistent query results. Though Jackson believes additional data caused the discrepancy, Lana challenges the idea—questioning how Quest could have known who was working on it if their identities weren’t available online. This sparks a deeper concern: a possible security leak.

Jackson brings the issue to Thomas and Samir. Thomas, who initially ensured the system’s security, agrees to re-check the configurations. After several hours, he finds no evidence of unauthorized data transmission. The theory of a security breach is dismissed, but uncertainty lingers.

Later, Jackson and Thomas share drinks, debating what to do. With no clear explanation and the CIA ready to take over, Jackson decides to move forward with the hand-off. Thomas, suspicious of Lana, insists she be made aware and agree to remain silent about the glitch. Jackson speaks to her, downplays the significance of the anomaly, and frames Quest as a tool requiring human oversight. Lana, though skeptical, agrees to proceed with the transfer.

Jackson then heads to Samir’s apartment to share the outcome, confident that Samir—eager to leave—will support the decision to hand Quest over in its current form.