Attempting to think differently, Marshall shoots himself in the head.

Sebastian Stone intercedes.

Forewarned by Maman Brigitte, URIEL races to find Marshall before he cocks everything up.

Roger catches a glimpse of a bona fide UFO • URIEL reassembles in Huntsville • The team shares their discoveries • And debates the spiritual angle of ALLOCHTHON • Word reaches HQ of an “alien abduction” in Pascagoula, LA • Marshall gets tapped by OZYMANDIAS

Jocasta and Charley conduct some on-the-ground human intelligence gathering in Cairo.

Operation summary report from ALLOCHTHON central command for the morning of Wednesday, October 10, 1973.

A review of where things stand in the Cold War against the Kings as of Tuesday, October 9, 1973.

Archie and Marshall blanket the Columbus noosphere with patriotic memetics to sedate a nervous populace • Jocasta tells Charley what she’s learned about southern Illinois • Charley investigates the Kincaid mounds • And invents motion-detection technology • Then she travels into the Deep Astral • Mitch bears witness to a mass proxy baptism, of sorts

Jocasta and Charley arrive in scenic Cairo (pronounced “KAY-ro”), Illinois, where they engage in some preliminary research and investigation.

URIEL arrives in Huntsville, AL • It’s a Sandman convention! • Archie and Marshall have a curious conversation with Dr. Hilary Postel • Kendrick Mead and Dr. Sidney Gottlieb explain the situation • Charley takes a sneak peek at some confidential data • URIEL is disbanded and dispatched to various parts of the USA

Roger returns from his month-long op at Granite Peak • But is uncertain if his penance has appeased his loa patrons • The Librarian’s also back! • Gents, she’s a whole new woman • URIEL learns a bit about Sophie’s experience at Project THROWAWAY • Jocasta leaves work early • And has a weird run-in with Patrick Price

Charley spends some quality time in her lab, and also in the world of celestial spheres.

Viv returns to Livermore with gifts from her cross-country book promotion tour.

URIEL sets a trap for Christopher Butler • Charley is forewarned about a memetic contagion by Maman Brigitte • Mitch gives a guy heat stroke • URIEL invades Agrigenics only to find they’ve been outmaneuvered once again by OZYMANDIAS

URIEL resolves to destroy Agrigenics and interrogate Christopher Butler • Mitch, Charley, and Mary-Lynn Turner find some unusual berries in Dixon