It's all over.
So does the story have a happy ending? Well, the Cube is back in Perplex City and the Third Power has been virtually destroyed; but Scarlett has been scarred for life and Violet has had to face some ugly truths - not least that she herself is capable of some very dark deeds. Oh, and her boyfriend was a murderer. As for who actually stole the Cube... I wouldn't want to spoil it here. Read the transcript or click below to hear how it all turned out.
Welcome once more to Perplex City.
As you listen to this, the city is at peace. The Cube has been found, and the culprits of the theft have been discovered. But peace always has a price; and knowledge can only come at the cost of innocence...
Some months ago, the Council Leader, Nathan Earlywine, decided to close the communication link between Perplex City and Earth. His aim was to prevent the city being corrupted by Earthly distractions, and to focus minds on the search for the Cube.
However, not all communication was cut off. The mysterious Library of Babel site remained active, unfolding the story of how its anonymous author stole the Cube. What's more, the site was being infiltrated by the Third Power to send messages between their agents on our two worlds.
When it became clear that Earlywine's strategy was failing, the link was re-opened. Kurt, Violet, Scarlett and Caine began blogging again, working together with the Cube Hunters to unravel the Library of Babel's clues.
Then Sente was arrested. This unexpected hiccup came about when he was accused of helping Ryan Cahill to cheat in the Academy Games. The problem was compounded when Sente's home, where Scarlett still lived, was broken into by persons unknown. Soon after, another Third Power message appeared on the Babel site - claiming to have found a 'genuine Earth artifact'.
After that, things moved quickly. Scarlett set off to find out who was behind the break-in and was kidnapped by the Third Power. Kurt and Violet worked with Helena Frye's police unit to find where Scarlett has being held - and located the Third Power's nerve centre in Ascendancy Point.
In a daring raid, the police stormed the building, assisted by Violet, Kurt and - unexpectedly - Caine. Scarlett was rescued, but all did not go to plan: two police officers died, and four members of the Third Power were killed in the fire-fight - including Anna's old boss at the Academy, Roberto Solitano. He must have been the Third Power's inside man - at least, that's how it seemed until the next day.
Violet returned home to find a stack of voicemails from Anna's bereaved husband, Fleming Heath. He had been trying to get hold of her ever since he heard about a new song released by Caine's band. The song was called 'Faberling' - the very secret pet name Anna used to call her husband, and which she had sworn never to reveal to anyone. She would only have spoken that name in the most extreme circumstances...
And then it all fell into place: Caine claiming to lose track of Anna when she disappeared; his closeness to Scarlett just before she was kidnapped; and the way he turned up at the Third Power stronghold without explanation. Caine was the real Third Power insider. And Violet had been dating him for a year.
She spoke to the police and explained her suspicions. Caine was arrested - along with many other members of the Third Power, whose details were discovered during the raid.
By the time Sente was cleared of all charges, the hunt for the Cube was reaching its climax. Clues revealed on the Babel site, in the UK's Sunday Times newspaper, and during the Ascendancy Point raid all narrowed down the search - until on Sunday, February the 4th, intrepid Cube Hunter Andy Darley found the Cube buried in woods near Stamford in England.
Mr Darley returned the Cube to the Mind Candy offices and claimed his GBP100,000 reward - and enjoyed the gratitude of a very grateful civilisation.
But who stole the Cube in the first place? A note found alongside the Cube held the answer: it was Miss Violet Kiteway.
Speaking in The Sentinel, Violet explained her reasons for the theft and for the long months of deception that followed. It all started with a poker game at the Five of Cups, when the landlord, Bernardo Holyoke, mistook her for another member of the crew hired to steal the Cube for the Third Power. That's when her taste for adventure got the better of her, and she decided to intervene without informing the police - but relying on technical support from her friend Kurt. While he cut through security, Violet stepped in to beat the thieves to the Cube - only to find herself transported to Earth as soon as she laid hands on it. From that point on, the Cube seemed to guide her to the place where it wanted to be buried, deep in the woods outside Stamford. And as soon as the hole was filled in, Violet was returned to Perplex City, holding a shovel and an 'I love New York' bag.
Realising the danger she was in, Violet kept quiet about what had happened. When the Cube Retrieval Team was assembled, she and Kurt were in an ideal position to doctor the puzzle cards and add hints to where the Cube was, without giving away their identities.
Their plan might have worked if it hadn't been for Scarlett's tendency to raid her sister's wardrobe. Borrowing accessories as ever, Scarlett had taken Violet's New York bag and stashed it in her bedroom. This was the 'Earth artifact' found by the Third Power burglars when they broke into Sente's home - and they immediately assumed that Scarlett must have taken the Cube.
It was only when Scarlett was rescued and the Third Power eliminated that Violet felt she could speak out. Not everyone was pleased by her conduct... but the city was so relieved to have the Cube back that the Council decided the end justified the means. Violet was declared a hero.
Order has been restored, secrets have been brought to light, and justice has been done. So ends this Perplex City story.
But there will be more. Violet's adventurous spirit has not been broken, and the city is full of unpredictable characters. Only one thing is certain: your help will be needed again.
To answer the call, visit PerplexCityStories.com and prepare to play on.
