The old man tells Scarlett his name is Major Henry Castille (retired). He has a personal interest in the 'tragic' history of the city, and when he found out that Scarlett and Kurt were also sniffing around, he set up a military trace on Kurt's key. But Henry and Allain have a very specific reason for investigating Viendenbourg. It's the last place they heard from Allain's mother, Claire Castille.

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Violet's next instalment of the book includes a list of symbols for various Cube-related groups. And the Third Power's is in there.

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Viard's album is said to employ 'cognitive therapy techniques' to affect mental performance when listening - and the Council doesn't fancy unleashing that kind of experiment on the public. Hesh Records, of course, is outraged. Viard himself is silent.

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The Sentinel interviews thier own editor. I ask you. Clark talks about the previous editor and the paper's uneasy relationship with the Academy.

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The twisty-turny Receda Trail led the Cube Hunters to website called We Need to Find Them, giving details of a live event in Clapham, London UK.

An apparently helpful informant claims to have broken into the Third Power's communication network and reckons the Cube Hunters can interrupt a planned Third Power meeting in Clapham. The Cube Hunters find a series of clues and codes leading them around the area, in search of the Third Power agents. Follow the complex step-by-step action here.

Little do the Cube Hunters realise that a mole is among them. When they figure it out, the mole makes a break for it and - really, this did happen - flies off in a big black helicopter, leaving a group of stunned Cube Hunters in his wake.

So, the whole Receda Trail turned out to be a wild goose chase set up by the Third Power to draw the Cube Hunters out into the open. A dirty trick. A dead end. But as dead ends go, it was pretty spectacular.

Still in hospital, Scarlett has a visitor: the old man from the museum archives. He asks for her help because 'they' have his grandson - Allain.

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The forthcoming elections get crowded as top businessman Douglass Finlay decides to run for the Council leadership. He seems particularly anti-Sente.

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According to Violet, the author of the Third Power book is less than reliable - but he does have occasional moments of clarity. For example, one section says that the Third Power was a Cube 'guardian cult' in the immedite post-war period. And Kurt's now working on a section that's full of diagrams. Exciting!

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The reigning PCAG champion suffers a shock defeat. She remains favourite to retain the title.

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Scarlett's memory starts to return... Brede, Margot and Sanj are in hospital with her, and Brede is badly hurt. Allain has disappeared. The others can't remember anything too clearly either, but Scarlett has one clue - a fragment of Allain's key, broken off in her hand.

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Insect buff Ricardo Curlaway discovers a new species - despite the Academy's scepticism.

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Violet and Kurt start work on the book. It looks like someone has deliberately defaced any sectionss that mention the Third Power. Maybe this author wasn't so cuckoo after all.

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Sente and the Council announce a new system allowing Earth participants to log points as they solve cards - a major incentive in their hunt for the Cube.

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Violet gently blackmails her friend Cumber into giving her and Kurt access to the Third Power book. It's been seriously damaged and will take some time to decipher. (Sylvia's doing okay now, by the way.)

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A sudden gap in the story. Scarlett remembers getting closer to Viendenbourg with the others, but then all is confusion... now she's woken up in a hospital bed. She remembers accusing Allain of being the old man, of disguising himself somehow... but what happened then? Did he hurt her? She trails off, too tired to tell any more.

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A 96-year-old pins down a criminal for ten minutes until the police arrive. They build 'em to last in PXC...

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Sente himself endorses Anja Marlowe's plans for a war exhibit at the Academy Museum - despite crowds of vocal protesters. (The war, which occurred back in the 'BC' days, isn't a subject for polite conversation and has been long ignored.)

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The Sentinel calls for Viard's new album to be banned before it is even released by Hesh Records. The album is said to employ experimental techniques to alter the listener's thought processes. The newspaper is horrified and calls for the Council to act.

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Former PCBC boss discusses rumours that he's still the power behind the throne; the Fivebridge & Remton takeover; and competition from the likes of Comprendo Finance, the in-house banking service for Ascendancy Point residents. (Note that The Advisor, Monica Grand, lives there.)

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Scarlett prepares for the long hike to Viendenbourg, together with Brede, Sanj and Margot - and Allain. But only she and Allain know the reason for their detour to Viendenbourg.

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