Summary

Sarat goes to meet Joe in an old house at Lake Sinclair, which was ruined by a firebombing set off by rogue Birds. He congratulates her for her assassination “victor,” (229), but Sarat brushes it off. They talk about the fact that neither has heard from Gaines in a few months, but they surmise that he has not been captured by the Blues because he is too old. Joe shares his memories of Iraq, where he first met Gaines. He asks Sarat what she needs, and she requests mines. Joe relays that the political peace talks have been suspended since General Joseph Weiland’s assassination, which amuses Sarat.

Sarat returns home to find a young man, Attic, who is there to escort her and Dana to Bragg Sr., the commander of the United Rebels. Sarat insists that she go alone. Attic drives her to Atlanta...