Ren leads a 6-person team through the fortress drainage tunnels, bypasses a sentry demon using smoke compounds, and reaches the heart chamber — a massive boneglass organ ten feet across pulsing with a slow heartbeat in the central cistern.

Dawn at the compound. Kate reflects on Thorne's diminishment. FBI arrives - Agent Chen arrests Thorne on espionage and murder conspiracy charges AND confirms simultaneous warrant executed on Hale at DataCorp. Both architects in custody.

Marcus contests Heaven's veto before Metatron. God arrives and examines Sarah Mitchell tenderly. Sarah tells God she just wants to sleep. God overrides Heaven's veto, establishing the seismic precedent that the Void is valid for ANY conscious being.

James heals from near-fatal wounds in an abandoned Yellowknife house, reflecting on centuries of existential weariness. He turns five new vampires in the catacombs under St Patricks church while broadcasting a false radio challenge.

Multiple POV showing galaxy response: Vashar freed and given command of deployment, Traq oversees protocol deployment to 43K Vanguards, Oliver handles security, Corinne brings corroborating alien tech data. Entity fleet confirmed 48 hours out.

Night before the campaign. Petrillo cleans his blade, observes the restless team, and shares Dominick's bourbon with Emma on the back steps. They acknowledge their connection. Petrillo maps the perimeter angles himself, carrying Dominick's training forward.

Five-year assessment. Marcus surveys Chicago from Willis Tower. Anchors convene at St. Bernardine's: 17 cities, 119 anchors, declining casualties. Power scaling explained - controlled access through anchor networks is safe regardless of timeline count; uncontrolled access is catastrophic.

Chelsea testifies what Kate would want (no rescue) vs what Chelsea wants (her daughter back). Emotional testimony tears council.

Kate Morrison undergoes testing in the containment chamber to demonstrate her abilities. She successfully removes Hollowing corruption from an infected crew member, but the experience leaves her bleeding and vomiting black substance. Chelsea intervenes to stop further testing.