Lula, a courtesan and spy for the Mountain clan, meets with her handler, Ayt Mada. For seven years, Lula has acted as the lover of Art Wyles, the CEO of Anorco Global Resources, secretly recording his conversations. She reports that Wyles is about to become Espenia’s secretary of Foreign Trade while continuing his illicit money-laundering operations for Joren Gasson and the Baker Street Crew. After reviewing the transcripts, Ayt Mada declares she finally has the proof she needs. She releases Lula from her service, telling the relieved young woman to return to the new life and home the clan has provided for her family. As Lula leaves, she overhears Ayt Mada making a phone call to her Weather Man, Iwe Kalundo, stating that it is time to execute a long-held plan.

Niko, having returned to No Peak, works on an assignment from Shae to investigate past Espenian intelligence activities in Kekon. He tracks down Bero, now destitute and with an alcohol addiction, whom he’s learned was once a Kekonese informer who fed information to the Espenian military, known as “Catfish.” Niko interviews the man about an enemy operative named Molovni. After the interview, Bero, desperate to feel his own significance, claims he was the one who murdered Niko’s father, Kaul Lan, for the very