Scarlett is making the long trip back to the city on her own. It will take a couple of weeks. She tells us about her final conversation with Claire Castille, asking her the Cube Hunters' questions. A couple of clues come out of it: 'V' stands for 'Vadik'; and their attempt to steal the Cube was scuppered by an unknown programmer - one who was even more skilful than Claire.

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Violet's social life is getting into gear again - she's hoping to take Jason out for a 'military history' coffee tomorrow night, and then, who knows? But before that, she gives us the penultimate pages of the diary.

Mistress Mountling declares that her calculations following the experiment reveal one fact: that 'the entire place will be destroyed'. After the strain of the experiment itself, both she and Granier seem a little more relaxed. There may even be some romantic contact. But as they prepare to leave for the City, Mountling confesses that she has been keeping a secret from Granier.

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Violet offers us the next couple of pages from Granier.

The day before the experiment, Granier and Mistress Mountling are subdued. The thought that the sacrifice of a few lives could save many more is little comfort. And when the experiement is finally conducted the next day, Granier is unable to write about 'the awful spectacle'.

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Violet is approaching the end of the diary (which is a relief, having spent far too long in Cymbalisty's odious company). Meanhwile, the story in Granier's diary is getting grimmer by the page.

Granier and Mountling have been set the task of choosing the test subjects for their experiment. It sounds as though these guinea pigs may not survive. News also reaches them that the peace between 'the City' and a place called Viehattle is disintegrating - Viehattle may even be allying itself with Anjsbourg.

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No preamble from Violet - straight to the diary action.

Granier continues to be more concerned with his physical comfort than the more pressing matter at hand. However, he lets slip that his Master knows the source of certain mystical phenomena in this region, which are the basis of 'the old religion'. He also hints that his people might be in danger from those of a place called Machiantes.

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Violet gives us the next part of the Granier story...

Granier's mathematician companion, Mistress Mountling, shares the distressing news that they must conduct a preliminary experiment while at the mines. He becomes melancholy. Granier seems to be growing attracted to Mountling - on occasion.

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Having finally gained access, Violet gives us the first few entries from Anthony Granier's pre-war diary. It's interesting stuff.

He describes a long expedition north, in the company of a mathematician, Edwina Mountling. They are confronting 'an awful task'. He also mentions his 'Master' (female) and the fact that the fate of many people rest with her. Granier and Mountling visit a mine, where workers are extracing material for his Master's experiments. They witness a local festival of the Way of the Cube.

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The bad news is that Viendenbourg security saw straight through Scarlett's false identity. The good news is that they think she and Allain have been sent by Sente to test their security systems. Scarlett and Allain are offered an escort to the nearest town, which they gladly accept - but that doesn't explain what Scarlett's dad has to do with Viendenbourg. At least Allain's memory is returning.

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Scarlett makes a second foray into the Viendenbourg compound, planning to drag Allain away - but she's captured. Now she's waiting to be interrogated.

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Scarlett gathers her courage and walks into Viendenbourg, blagging her way past the guards with her false identity. She gets to see Allain, who is fit and haelthy and apparently well looked after - except he doesn't recognise Scarlett at all. She leaves, stunned.

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On the train, Scarlett reads more about the war and the culture of Anjsbourg. Then she hikes towards Viendenbourg and, at last, sees it clearly. There's a long grey building and the sound of drilling. Security seems lax, because they rely on the confuson field - so getting in should be simple.

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Margot and Sanj leave Tanraga, leaving Scarlett alone with Henry Castille. He kits her out with camping equipment and a cover story, including a false identity on her key. Now she just has to get on the train.

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Brede isn't buying the animal sanctuary story - he knows Scarlett is staying to look for Allain. He tries to persuade her to come back to the city with him. When she refuses... it's the end of their realtionship.

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With Brede having recovered, Scarlett has no excuse to stay out in Tanraga any more. Henry helps her concoct a story about an internship at a local animal sanctuary as a reason to hang around. He also modifies her key to negate the 'confusion field' that disoriented her last time she approached Viendenbourg. Now she needs to decide if she wants to go back there again.

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Scarlett hears more from Henry Castille. He tells her that the Castilles can trace their history back to 0BC - before the war. The family were keepers of a great secert at Viendebourg and were sacrificed so that Perplex City could claim the decisive victory. Since then, every Castille has sought to learn the truth of this terrible wrong. Henry worked in the military. His daughter, Claire, was a software expert who ignored the family obsession until she intercepted top secret messages about activity at Viendenbourg. As one of the greatest experts in her field, she was offered a position at the Viendenbourg facility and she leapt at the chance. Her connections with the underworld might have helped too.

But a few months ago, they stopped hearing from her. She disappeared. And so Henry and Allain have come out here to find her. Will Scarlett agree to help?

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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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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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