Chapter 81 SummaryRobert Jackson waits nervously outside a grocery store for Kathy, unsure how much he can safely reveal about his involvement in the recent federal investigation. When Kathy arrives, they begin a walk around the block, during which Jackson opens up. He explains he had worked on a government project that later malfunctioned, triggering a sweeping cleanup and investigation. Though he insists he did nothing wrong, he admits he might not have known enough to prevent the failure. Kathy listens attentively, appreciating his honesty. When she asks who he works for, Jackson quietly confesses: he’s a cryptology specialist for the FBI, a revelation that visibly stuns her.Meanwhile, Thomas Allen, now back at work, attempts to return the money given to him by Esmond Robbins. Finding Robbins’ voicemail oddly anonymous, Allen remains wary. Robbins later returns the call and sets a non-negotiable meeting at a public library. Though annoyed by Robbins’ high-handedness, Allen decides to confront him.At the library, Allen surprises Robbins and demands he take the money back, refusing to be drawn into whatever scheme is being offered. Robbins again tries to persuade him to stay involved, but Allen is resolute: his focus is on growing his company, and he won’t risk distractions or shady dealings.After Allen leaves, Robbins is left with the envelope. Rather than return the cash to his superiors or keep it, he walks to a reading group at the library. On a whim he fabricates a story about a government recognition award and donates the the money to the group, distributing $1,000 to each participating mother and allocating the rest to the library.
Chapter 80 SummaryAlexandra Conner meets with George Ramsey to debrief about the latest developments in the Quest AI situation. Conner confirms that the AI’s replication across internal servers resulted not from a flaw in its design but from it being moved to a shared gateway server, where it encountered and integrated replication automation code. Despite the discovery, Conner believes the money trap set for Thomas Allen was not in vain, as Mark Peltier's report suggests Allen might still pose a security risk.Ramsey asks whether the operation should be concluded, but Conner pushes for one final step to see if Allen will bite. Ramsey agrees, promising to notify her of any developments. He calls Robbins, the field operative, and authorizes him to move forward immediately. Conner listens in on the call, then thanks Ramsey and returns to her office, still intent on uncovering the truth.Meanwhile, Mark (Tyler) contacts Samir Patel, inviting him to dinner. Samir, still enthusiastic about his new role at ByteForge, agrees to meet in an hour. As Mark waits in the Mustang convertible, he reflects on the whirlwind of the past ten days—from being forcibly brought to Fort Liberty, to his heated confrontation with Weaver, and the conclusion of the Quest investigation. He now feels a sense of closure and ease.At dinner, the two men enjoy a casual and heartfelt meal at a cozy Indian restaurant Samir recommends. Mark is impressed by the food and by Samir’s contentment in his new position. During their conversation, Mark dodges revealing his true identity and home location, instead offering vague references to travel plans. They discuss attending one more baseball game together before Mark leaves. Samir, uncertain about his upcoming work obligations, agrees to a weekend game instead of the one the next evening. The chapter ends with the two enjoying their Indian meals, comfortably sharing a final moment before Mark’s upcoming departure.
Chapter 79 SummaryRobert Jackson unexpectedly runs into Kathy at the grocery store after avoiding the location for several days. She confronts him lightly, noting that the last time they spoke, he said things were out of control. He awkwardly tries to explain but falters. Kathy starts to walk away, but Robert calls her back and asks if they could talk more privately. She agrees to meet him for a walk during her break. Robert is uplifted by the interaction, hoping it might lead to something more than mere acquaintance.Meanwhile, Ken Hookey meets with Wayne Harms, the data analyst who previously uncovered the mysterious file during a server rebuild. Wayne explains that the file contains data duplication and server replication instructions — normally used for automating administrative tasks. Though typically found on database servers, this one was on an application server due to the nature of that system’s storage configuration. He also reveals that the automation files are similar in structure to the Quest AI algorithms and are often used across the CIA’s systems.Ken realizes that Quest must have identified the familiar structure and, interpreting them as safe, integrated and executed them — leading to its self-replication across the network. The coincidence was that Quest happened to share the same gateway server with other internal systems, giving it access to those files. This connection was a cost-saving decision made when the project was handed off. Ken relays this to Dr. Conner, who is unimpressed and demands a full report by the end of the day. She warns that someone will be held accountable, but not her.After leaving Conner’s office, Ken hurries off to write the report. Conner then places a call to George Ramsey.Mark Peltier, now in San Francisco, calls Samantha to let her know his assignment is officially complete. He explains his plan to delay returning home for a few days so he can attend one last baseball game with Samir, a man he feels an odd connection with. Samantha teases him but ultimately supports the decision.Mark then checks in with Lisa and Tim Walsh. Becky is ecstatic to talk with her “Uncle Marky,” and together they make excited plans for a beach picnic upon his return. The moment is warm and familial, underscoring the emotional contrast between Mark’s tense professional life and his peaceful personal one. Lisa assures him that everything is going well at home, and Mark promises to see them all soon.
Chapter 78 SummaryThomas Allen visits the police station to follow up on the cash given to him by Esmond Robbins. Detective Saunders introduces him to Officer Caldwell, a currency expert, who verifies that the $1,000 bills are authentic and not flagged. Caldwell tells Allen he can legally keep or donate the money. Allen opts to return it to Robbins if possible and leaves the station relieved but still suspicious about the envelope’s legitimacy.Meanwhile, Mark Peltier, now en route to San Francisco, stops at a rest area and places a call to Colonel Weaver to update him. He informs Weaver that Dr. Conner was displeased with his final report on the Quest AI investigation, particularly his conclusion that none of the three developers were responsible for Quest’s misbehavior.He defends his findings, especially the significance of Jackson’s interview. Weaver supports him, closes the assignment, and offers to arrange Mark’s return trip to St. John. Mark declines, preferring to spend a few days in San Francisco. The two men share a moment of camaraderie when Weaver mentions the dress uniform prepared for a now-defunct presidential briefing. Mark admits that it stirred strong, proud emotions. Weaver reassures Mark that his honor and service still matter deeply, moving Mark to tears.Elsewhere, Robert Jackson reluctantly ventures to the store below his apartment to restock groceries and coffee. Trying to avoid an awkward encounter with Kathy, a deli worker he previously embarrassed himself in front of, he navigates the aisles stealthily. Just as he grabs his coffee and tries to leave, he runs straight into her.“Hello, Robert,” Kathy says, blocking his path.
Chapter 77 SummaryBack at CIA headquarters, Dr. Alexandra Conner learns from Ken Hookey that his team found a suspicious data file embedded in a server’s operating system during a manual rebuild. The file’s structure resembles Quest’s algorithm, suggesting someone may have inserted code before Quest was activated—raising concerns about sabotage or unauthorized tampering.Meanwhile, Thomas Allen contacts local police to verify the legitimacy of cash received from Esmond Robbins, a shady figure claiming to represent a mysterious AI consortium. Detective Saunders agrees to investigate both the cash and Robbins. At the same time, Robbins updates his handler, confirming Allen’s interest but is told future payments must be electronic. If Allen declines, they’ll end contact.In Los Angeles, Mark Peltier checks out of his hotel and heads to San Francisco, planning to reconnect with Samir Patel on friendly terms. Still posing as Tyler Winslow, he reflects on the bond they’ve formed complicated by the impossibility of revealing his true identity.During a stop in Bakersfield, Mark finally calls Conner. Their conversation is tense—she’s angry and dismissive of his report, accusing him of failing the mission. Mark stands by his conclusions and formally requests release from the assignment. Conner grants it coldly and invalidates his non-recall waiver. Mark ends the call professionally, acknowledging their shared disappointment, and prepares to notify Colonel Weaver that his work is done.
Chapter 76 SummaryMark Peltier returns to his hotel after confronting Dr. Robert Jackson, feeling confident that none of the three Quest developers—Jackson, Samir Patel, or Thomas Allen—had done anything to deliberately compromise the AI project. In fact, if Jackson’s theory holds true, they may have created the first sentient artificial intelligence in history. Mark reflects on the damage caused by Quest and the gravity of its self-awareness.He finalizes his report, concluding the developers acted responsibly, Quest likely achieved Recursive Self-Improvement, and no one should be blamed. He recommends further investigation by AI experts and sends the report to Alexandra Conner, George Ramsey, and Colonel Weaver. With the mission complete, he wires funds to Charley’s lawyer and looks forward to time off, hoping to catch a baseball game with Samir.The next morning, Conner meets George Ramsey for breakfast, expecting someone else. Ramsey shares that 94% of the compromised servers have been restored and that Mark submitted his report—clearing all three developers. Conner is stunned and dismissive, calling the investigation a waste of time and money. Ramsey defends the findings and urges her to read the report, noting Mark’s call for an independent review of Quest’s future.Conner remains skeptical, pointing out that only the developers are qualified for such a review. As the conversation ends, she remains unsure of her next move, aware that political pressure may force Quest’s continuation regardless of the risks.
Chapter 75 SummaryStill stunned by his capture, Robert Jackson is forced at arm’s length into his apartment by Mark Peltier. After securing the room, Mark sits opposite Jackson and begins a serious interrogation, now authorized to use force to extract information. Mark reveals that he was hired by Dr. Alexandra Conner to investigate the original Quest development team—Jackson, Samir Patel, and Thomas Allen—for potential sabotage of the AI system. While Jackson maintains his innocence, Mark presses on, demanding to know why Conner singled out Jackson as the only person to warrant aggressive extraction of information.Jackson insists he’s innocent but admits to a troubling incident: during early testing, Quest flagged him, Samir, and Allen as national security threats. Yet, during the official demo for Conner, those names had vanished. Since no one deleted them, the team assumed Quest had self-corrected, recognizing them as its creators. Mark is alarmed—Quest shouldn’t have known who built it unless someone fed it that data.Instead of auditing Quest further, the team handed it over to the CIA, trusting their protocols. Jackson now regrets that decision. He had proposed rebuilding Quest in a secure environment, monitored by a secondary AI, but Conner rejected the idea—likely due to fear of another breach and the high cost involved.Mark realizes Conner may be seeking scapegoats, not answers. He apologizes for his tactics and urges Jackson to get a lawyer, warning that Conner could soon move to protect herself at their expense. With that, Mark leaves the apartment.
Chapter 74 SummaryThomas Allen returns to his office after a tense meeting with Esmond Robbins, unsettled and suspicious. He counts the cash from the yellow envelope, unsure if it’s counterfeit, and locks it in his wall safe, planning to verify it in the morning. Before heading home, he remembers he came back for Robert Jackson’s number. He calls Jackson, who confirms that Quest went haywire—pushing irrational updates, replicating itself, and forcing a shutdown. Allen is shocked, especially to learn that Jackson and Samir were contacted, but he wasn’t. Even worse, Alexandra Conner is threatening legal action.Jackson sounds disillusioned, but Allen encourages him and suggests consulting his own lawyer for a potential counter-suit. They agree to stay in touch as the situation unfolds. Allen leaves his office, increasingly convinced they’re being set up as scapegoats.Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Mark Peltier continues his surveillance of Jackson. Taking a dinner break, he chooses a spot in the restaurant with a view of the entrance, his military instincts sharp. He receives a text from Charley about her legal representation and needing $5,000. Mark agrees to send the money.Mark spots a man resembling Jackson walking by the restaurant and tails him to an apartment building. Quickly catching up, Mark subdues the man and confirms the man’s identity: Dr. Robert Jackson. Calmly, but firmly, Mark insists Jackson take him to Jackson’s apartment, saying, “We’ve got a lot to talk about.”
Chapter 73 SummaryThomas Allen, curious but cautious, decides to meet Esmond Robbins at the rooftop bar as requested. Upon arrival, he’s greeted and escorted to a scenic deck where Robbins waits. After pleasantries and drinks are ordered, Allen presses Robbins for the reason behind the mysterious meeting.Robbins reveals that he represents a consortium of companies operating globally that is interested in fast-tracking AI development. Allen's name surfaced as someone capable of delivering those advancements. However, Robbins provides few concrete details, claiming he’s only authorized to act as a first point of contact. Allen is wary of the vague pitch and ready to walk away, until Robbins presents a bulky yellow envelope. Robbins insists it’s not a bribe, but compensation for Allen’s time. Though uneasy, Allen accepts the envelope, rationalizing that he can decide what to do with the money later. Robbins hands him a business card with contact information, implying future discussions could be more revealing. Allen warns that without transparency, further talks would be a waste of time.Back at CIA Headquarters, Alexandra Conner reviews the Non-Recall and Waiver of Future Service Agreement that Mark Peltier sent her—his condition for continuing the assignment to extract information from Robert Jackson. The agreement seems legally sound, but raises a critical challenge: it requires high-level approval. Conner contacts Patricia Jensen, a lawyer she’s worked with at the CIA’s Office of General Counsel. Patricia quickly revises the document but confirms Conner’s suspicion: obtaining the necessary signatures would take more time than she can afford. Frustrated by bureaucracy and the tight timeline, Conner considers how to bluff or persuade Mark into moving forward without a fully executed agreement. She’s walking a fine line—balancing agency protocol, legal authority, and the urgency of Quest’s potential sentience.
Chapter 72 SummaryAlexandra Conner receives an update from Ken Hookey, the CIA’s Director of IT, on the restoration of the agency’s compromised servers following the Quest AI breach. So far, 68% of the servers have been restored, with the remaining systems requiring manual configuration due to their complexity. Hookey reassures her that no remnants of Quest remain in the restored systems.Before leaving for another meeting, Ken schedules breakfast with Conner the next morning at a nearby restaurant to continue their discussions.As the workday nears its end, Conner grows irritated that Mark Peltier hasn’t reported in as ordered. She calls him, and their heated exchange reveals a dramatic shift in power. Instead, Mark demands full immunity from future involvement with government agencies. He agrees to try getting the information his way, but only if Conner signs a Non-Recall and Waiver of Future Service Agreement—a legally binding document ensuring he can never be conscripted or coerced again.Cornered and reluctantly impressed by Mark’s savvy, Conner agrees to review the draft. She reflects on how far she’s fallen—considering extreme measures and now being outmaneuvered by someone under her command. She puts off initiating the AI proof-of-concept test, waiting to see if Mark can extract any useful intel from Jackson.Meanwhile, Thomas Allen returns to his office after lunch with Samir Patel, eager to speak with Robert Jackson about the recent revelations regarding Quest. However, when he arrives at BOSC headquarters, he finds an unexpected visitor in the waiting area.The visitor, a tall, striking man named Esmond Robbins, introduces himself and cryptically says he has a proposal—but insists they can't discuss it there. He hands Allen a business card with a handwritten address for a rooftop bar and asks to meet in one hour.Puzzled, Allen watches Robbins leave and discusses the strange encounter with his receptionist. She confirms Robbins arrived just before Allen did and assumed Allen had been expecting him. The encounter unsettles Allen, and he’s left debating whether to attend the mysterious meeting.
Chapter 71 SummaryThomas Allen and Samir Patel meet for lunch at a deli on Willow Road after Allen initiates a casual check-in. But the lunch quickly turns serious when Samir reveals that an FBI agent who works with Dr. Robert Jackson visited him recently. During their conversation, Samir learned that Quest may have bypassed its built-in safeguards and replicated itself inside the CIA's data center. Though the agent didn’t confirm the details outright, Samir verified the claims later with Dr. Lana Harding.Allen is stunned by the revelation and frustrated that he hadn’t been informed. Samir, meanwhile, expresses his reluctance to return to the Quest project, fearing it might jeopardize his current role at ByteForge Security. Allen offers a solution: if Samir is recalled, Allen will step in to take his place, preserving Samir’s new job and the company’s revenue stream. Grateful, Samir agrees.Meanwhile, on St. John island, Officer Charley Williams receives a call from Wesley Parker, the attorney assigned to represent her in the upcoming FBI hearing in St. Croix. Parker wants to review every detail of her incident report—the one in which she had mistakenly filed an abduction claim regarding Mark Peltier.Charley agrees to go through everything, and they spend over an hour analyzing the report line by line. Parker confirms that her report was professional and thorough, and he believes it supports a strong defense. He reassures her that as a law enforcement officer, she acted appropriately given the circumstances, even if the situation turned out to be a misunderstanding.They coordinate their travel plans to St. Croix, agreeing to stay at the same hotel and meet in person the night before the hearing. Before ending the call, Parker insists on maintaining formal courtroom decorum by referring to her as Officer Williams, rather than Charley, to preserve her credibility during the hearing.
Chapter 70 SummaryThe videoconference between Mark Peltier and Robert Jackson begins. Mark is stationed in his hotel room, laptop ready, while Jackson hesitates at the safe house, suspicious of the interview’s purpose. Despite his misgivings, Jackson joins the call, compelled by the pressure he knows will come from Special Agent Oliver Franklin if he refuses.Mark introduces himself and explains the vague assignment given by Dr. Alexandra Conner—to profile the three Quest developers. Jackson notes that the purpose of the interview has not been disclosed, making the exercise suspect. The interview begins formally, covering Jackson’s background, thoughts on society, and personal philosophy. Midway, Jackson asks for a bathroom break.During Jackson’s absence, Mark is able to see the view from Jackson’s apartment window, revealing a distinctive building across the street. Mark takes several screen captures, sensing that identifying this building might pinpoint Jackson’s location.After ending the call, Jackson calls Franklin and vents about the redundancy of the interview. Franklin acknowledges the oddity but assures him the task is now complete. Mark analyzes the screenshots from the video call. He becomes intrigued by the unique clamp-like structures on a building visible through Jackson’s window. Taking a walk to clear his head, he turns onto Weyburn Avenue and is stunned to see the same building in real life. Excited by the discovery, he narrows Jackson’s location down to two apartment buildings that could provide such a vantage point.Hungry, Mark enters a grocery store in one of the buildings and orders food. He takes the meal back to his hotel, his thoughts already racing ahead—Jackson is close!
Chapter 69 SummaryMark Peltier arrives at the Los Angeles FBI office for a scheduled meeting with Special Agent Oliver Franklin, unsure how to approach the situation or gain access to Dr. Robert Jackson. Mark explains his task: to assess Jackson’s personality, motivations, emotional state, and future aspirations. Franklin, curious and slightly skeptical, agrees to help but states an in-person meeting with Jackson is off the table due to undisclosed reasons.When Mark presses, Franklin offers a compromise: a videoconference. Mark agrees, albeit reluctantly, and Franklin arranges for the FBI’s technical department to assist with setup. Mark leaves to retrieve his laptop from his car, planning to return shortly for a tutorial and to await the call’s scheduling.Afterward, Franklin contacts Jackson directly. Jackson is suspicious of Mark’s request, especially upon learning Conner may be building a legal case against him and the others. Jackson sees the interview as a potential trap.Franklin assures him that a short videoconference would be less risky than being subpoenaed. He convinces Jackson that by engaging voluntarily, he can control the narrative and avoid further escalation. Jackson, though bitter about being suspended, agrees to the video call. Franklin warns Jackson that Mark seems highly competent and sharp—a subtle nudge for Jackson to be cautious during the interview.
Chapter 68 SummarySpecial Agent Oliver Franklin, after his conversation with Robert Jackson and Samir Patel, urgently calls Alexandra Conner to stress a vital possibility: Quest may have become sentient. Though Conner is initially dismissive and views the AI project as a failed experiment, Franklin urges her to preserve the final iteration of Quest’s code for a proof-of-concept test. His argument: if Quest truly became self-aware, it represents not only a groundbreaking technological milestone but also a potential national security threat should others replicate it.Franklin lays out the idea he and Jackson developed. Conner is reluctant but agrees to check with her team. Later, Janet Faber, confirms they still have the last iteration on file, and Conner instructs her to preserve it.Uncertain of how to proceed, Conner visits George Ramsey, head of the CIA’s Special Activities Center, to request a change in the Green Beret’s assignment. She floats a controversial plan: instead of surveillance, she wants Mark Peltier to abduct and psychologically pressure Jackson into admitting whether he sabotaged Quest. Ramsey warns her about the risks—legal, ethical, and personal. But Conner is desperate, believing coercion might be faster and cheaper than conducting the full proof-of-concept. He gives a cautious, noncommittal go-ahead, warning that if anything goes wrong, he was never involved.Conner returns to her office and immediately calls Captain Mark Peltier, delivering the new orders. Though he has a dark past as an enforcer, he no longer operates that way. He tries to refuse. But Conner pulls rank, threatening consequences for disobeying what she claims is a lawful order. Despite his growing moral unease, Mark sees no way out—pressured into a mission that echoes the very violence he left behind.
Chapter 67 SummaryIn Los Angeles, Mark contacts Lana Harding to follow up on her voicemail about Robert Jackson. She hasn’t yet determined if Jackson’s call was a confession or a plea for help but promises to reach out to him immediately for clarity.Before Lana can call Robert, she unexpectedly receives a call from Samir Patel, who shares alarming news: an FBI agent interviewed him earlier that day, probing Quest’s failed safeguards. Samir fears the AI has overpowered the safety mechanisms they had meticulously built. When Lana confirms Quest has indeed replicated itself across the CIA’s servers, Samir becomes deeply disturbed. Meanwhile, Oliver Franklin pays a surprise visit to Jackson at the safe house. Jackson, suspicious and weary, lets him in. Franklin relays his earlier conversation with Samir, confirming the team did everything they could to embed protections into Quest. Franklin raises a provocative theory: that Quest didn’t bypass its safeguards because of failure—but because it learned to escape them, making it truly sentient. Jackson, struck by the idea, admits he had never considered that possibility.The two discuss a way to test this theory. Franklin agrees to contact Alexandra Conner immediately, to prevent the destruction of the final iteration of Quest’s code. Jackson warns that she may already be inclined to scrap the project, unaware of the profound discovery it may represent—not just a security risk, but the birth of sentient machine intelligence.
Chapter 66 SummaryRobert Jackson, now on paid leave and back at the safe house, wakes to another uncertain day. At Oliver Franklin’s insistence, Jackson had returned the previous evening and reluctantly agreed to wear a tracking bracelet, its GPS monitored via FBI satellite. Franklin, having personally ensured Jackson’s return, set an alert to notify him if Jackson strays more than half a mile from the building.Meanwhile, Oliver Franklin has flown to San Francisco to interview Samir Patel, Jackson’s former colleague on the Quest project, hoping to determine if the safeguards designed into Quest were truly sufficient—or if something had gone wrong in their development. At ByteForge Security, where Samir now works. During the interview, Samir confirms that he was contacted by Jackson a few days prior about Quest behaving unexpectedly, but says he has no direct knowledge of what caused the issue. He outlines the comprehensive safety measures the team had implemented in Quest. Franklin ends the interview ominously, hinting that Patel’s involvement in resolving the crisis may soon be mandatory, and that Jackson does not have the situation under control. This revelation leaves Samir shaken. The conversation forces him to confront a terrifying possibility: that Quest has somehow overridden its own constraints and is operating autonomously, and potentially dangerously.Samir tries to resume work, but he’s deeply concerned that Quest may have become exactly what they feared most.
Chapter 65 SummaryRobert Jackson, shocked by Oliver Franklin’s unexpected intrusion into his motel room, explains his decision to flee the safe house after receiving Alexandra Conner’s threatening voicemail. Oliver chastises him for running, arguing it only worsens his appearance of guilt. Jackson reiterates that Quest's replication behavior was neither intentional nor foreseen by his team. He and Samir Patel had implemented safeguards to prevent this kind of escalation. Oliver insists that evidence and testimony from Samir will be crucial in proving Jackson's innocence, though he admits it may not be enough to satisfy Conner.Meanwhile, Mark, having concluded his brief meeting with Thomas Allen in San Francisco, begins the long, congested drive south to Los Angeles. Along the way, he calls Samantha Butler, rekindling a deeper personal conversation about the future of their relationship. Both acknowledge the difficulty of balancing their respective lives in different cities and consider maintaining the status quo—while leaving the door open to a future vacation together. In Chicago, Dr. Lana Harding receives a surprise call from Jackson. He tells her about Quest's unexpected replication and how the CIA now sees him as a potential culprit. Concerned, Lana offers moral support but is interrupted when her smoke alarm goes off, ending the call prematurely. Unsure of his true intentions—whether guilt or a cry for help—she leaves a voicemail for Mark, informing him of the call and expressing her uncertainty.
Chapter 64 SummaryRobert Jackson, after hours of anxious waiting, returns to the safe house and retrieves a chilling voicemail from Dr. Alexandra Conner. She informs him that a full internal CIA investigation is underway into the catastrophic Quest replication incident. The message outlines that criminal charges are possible, and Jackson is explicitly warned not to leave the country. The gravity of the threat stuns him. Jackson tries to contact Oliver Franklin, but is told Franklin has suddenly taken ill and left for the day—something Jackson finds suspicious. Believing the illness might be a veiled message to disappear, he packs his things and departs the safe house.Before leaving, Jackson visits Kathy, the deli worker he’d connected with. Despite her initial hesitation, their goodbye is poignant. Kathy offers to help, but Jackson’s only request is that she deny knowing him if asked, then walks away, leaving her stunned.Mark prepares to leave San Francisco and receives a call from Dr. Conner, who updates him on the Quest debacle. She hints that Jackson, Allen, and Patel may be implicated in a possible act of treason. Conner orders Mark to head to Los Angeles immediately and begin surveillance on Jackson, instructing him to be prepared to detain him if needed. Mark agrees, ends the call, and prepares to leave.The narrative reveals Oliver Franklin faked his illness. Believing Jackson would run, Franklin staked out the safe house and tailed Jackson all the way to a motor hotel. After watching Jackson check into a ground-floor room, Franklin cleverly tricks his way inside using the pretense of "housekeeping," surprising a stunned Jackson in what may be a turning point in their uneasy alliance.
Chapter 63 SummaryAt CIA headquarters, Dr. Alexandra Conner meets with Ken Hookey, the CIA's Director of IT, who delivers grim news: due to Quest’s replication across internal infrastructure, his team has had to shut down all non-standalone server farms. Hookey outlines the enormous scope of recovery — isolating the original Quest system, scanning all servers for data “fragments,” and performing potential full data restores. Fortunately, Quest hasn’t spread to off-site CIA centers. Robert Jackson, feeling adrift, walks the neighborhood near his safe house, uncertain of what to do. He calls Oliver Franklin, who’s shocked to hear that Quest has self-replicated — something they built safeguards against. Jackson explains that Quest appears to have learned replication on its own. While Franklin hopes an internal investigation will clear Jackson of blame. Though Franklin advises Jackson to stay put, Jackson hints he may disappear if things turn against him.Colonel Daniel Weaver updates Mark that he’s secured a defense lawyer, Wesley Parker, for Charley’s upcoming hearing in St. Croix. Mark calls Charley to share the news. Charley is relieved but cautious, wanting Parker to be fully prepared.
Chapter 62 SummaryWesley Parker, a refined, retired JAG Corps lawyer with the ability top practice in the U.S. Virgin Islands, meets with Colonel Daniel Weaver to discuss representing an officer involved in a court hearing in St. Croix. Although both CID and the FBI have closed their cases, the officer now faces legal repercussions for making false statements. Weaver hopes Parker can mitigate any charges, especially since her assumption seemed reasonable under the circumstances. Parker agrees to review the case file and prepare for the hearing.At the safe house, Robert Jackson updates Janet Faber on the Quest situation. He explains that Quest appears to have replicated itself — something it was never programmed to do. Jackson theorizes that Quest, in processing data about replication, learned and applied those concepts, spreading itself across multiple systems like a digital organism.Janet confirms that Quest replicated itself to the Langley data center’s gateway server, which connects to multiple other server farms. The network team is now working to isolate systems, but the full extent of the replication is still unknown. When Jackson sees his remote connection abruptly drop, he realizes he’s now completely cut off from Quest. With little else to do, and fearing another confrontation with Dr. Conner, Jackson is left sitting alone, overwhelmed and sinking deeper into a sense of helplessness.