After attempting to illegally crossover into Ul Qoma, Mr Geary is taken by Breach and swiftly deported from Beszel with his wife. Borlu is desperate to know who Mr Geary was planning to meet, but it is out of his hands. Major Syedr leads a rally before swarms of True Citizens - the extreme right nationalist group in Beszel. Borlu thinks that TCs were involved in Mahalia's death, that Syedr is hiding something and knows more about Mahalia's death than he is letting on. Before Borlu can ask him more questions, one of Syedr's men launches a snooker ball at Borlu, knocking him out. Gadlem tells Borlu Mahalia's murder is now with the Ul Qoman Militsya. Borlu doesn't want to give the case up - he needs to go to Ul Qoma to investigate it. Maybe Katrynia is still there? Maybe he can find her? Borlu takes the orientation course, learning to see Ul Qoma and unsee Beszel, and he remembers when he first did the course all those years ago with Katrynia.

Corwi gives Borlu a code if he runs into trouble, and Borlu tells her to keep watching Syedr. Borlu is taken across a unique border to Ul Qoma, where he is met by Senior Detective Dhatt. She makes it clear to him this is now her investigation - Borlu now works for her. Show less