At a courthouse six months later, Heidi Cole awaits sentencing for extortion and improper use of a police computer. Her mother, Penny, offers support. Her estranged husband, Sam, arrives and apologizes. Heidi has forgiven him. He explains that his new wife, Josie, is recovering from cancer treatment and wants to meet her. He offers financial support, which Heidi accepts, knowing that she’ll lose her job and her pension.

An article reporting the findings of the inquest into the death of actress Sofia Bradbury precedes the chapter content. The coroner ruled that she died by suicide due to an overdose of painkillers and self-inflicted wounds.

The coroner’s report noted that Sofia used a piece of broken glass to inflict fatal stab wounds on herself and also that the Hacker’s public accusations were likely a contributing factor. Her husband, Patrick Swanson, awaits sentencing for child abuse. Streaming services and charities have severed ties with Sofia. She left her estate to her niece, nephew, and dog.

A UK news report from Moscow precedes the chapter content, noting that the Russian prime minister is unwilling to discuss extraditing any Russians involved in the autonomous car hacking.

Libby Dixon, now a spokesperson for the advocacy group Transparency in Artificial Intelligence (TIAI), appears on a news program and calls for an independent inquiry. The government representative, David Glass, tries to discredit her by mentioning her connection to the fugitive Jude Harrison.

Libby presents photographic evidence linking Glass to the disgraced politician Jack Larsson. Humiliated, Glass storms off the set. The host presses Libby about her feelings for Jude, to which Libby replies that she feels nothing for him. After the show, she admits privately that the questions still upset her.

After the TV appearance, Libby and Nia find a secluded bar. Libby expresses frustration that the police investigation into Jude has been overwhelmed by false leads. Nia suggests that Jude deliberately engineered their first meeting. Libby admits that, regardless, she needs answers from him for closure. They also discuss Libby’s recent reconnection with her parents after her brother’s death. Nia encourages Libby to embrace her new public role.

On the train to Birmingham, a man bumps into Libby. Later, inside her house, she discovers an unfamiliar tablet in her handbag. When she activates it, a video shows the same man from the train, revealing that he was Jude Harrison in disguise. He tells Libby that he wants to reveal the truth and is waiting to meet her in Birmingham.

Shocked by Jude’s message, Libby considers calling the police but hesitates, needing answers. A text appears on the tablet, informing her that a car is waiting outside. When Libby speaks aloud, another message appears, revealing that Jude is listening through the tablet’s microphone. He sends another text, promising that he won’t harm her and claiming that the hijacking wasn’t his doing. Libby decides to meet him.

The car takes Libby to Monroe Street, where she witnessed a fatal crash years earlier. A message on the tablet directs her to an abandoned café. Clutching a knife, she enters and finds Jude waiting. He asks her to call him Noah Harris.

Noah admits that he orchestrated their first meeting, having hacked her data to present himself as her ideal match. He reveals that his organization placed her on the jury. He then tells her that the three people killed in the Monroe Street crash were his wife, his daughter, and his mother.

To prove his identity, Noah shows Libby family photos. He recounts his family’s story, explaining that a rival company and government betrayal destroyed their vehicle technology business, leading to his father’s death. This radicalized his brother, Alex Harris, who joined an organization known as the Hacking Collective.

Noah claims that he initially refused to join the collective, changing his mind only after a driverless car crash killed his family and the inquest unjustly blamed them. He admits that the original hijacking plan was his idea.

Noah claims that his original plan was nonviolent. He tells Libby he wanted to stop the attack after meeting her, but the Hacking Collective forced him to continue, threatening Libby’s life. They made him fake his performance as “Jude” in a barn with green screens. He pleads with Libby to run away with him, offering to fund her activism. She agrees.

As they prepare to leave, Libby reveals that she attended his family’s funeral. She confronts him, stating that she saw the real Noah Harris there and knows that he isn’t Noah. She correctly identifies him as Noah’s brother, Alex.

Alex Harris admits his identity. He confesses that he murdered his brother, Noah, to prevent him from stopping the violent plan. Alex reveals that he was in love with Noah’s wife, Stephenie, and was the biological father of her child. He again pleads for Libby to leave with him, but she rejects him and reveals that she activated a police tracker.

Enraged, Alex remotely locks the café door and attacks her. Libby wounds his hand with her knife, but he disarms her. As he lunges, a police sniper shoots him through the throat, killing him.

Preceding the chapter content is a UK news report that the government is reinstating autonomous vehicles, claiming that they’re now hackproof. The 10-year mandate is no longer in effect, as public trust must be established.

Two years later, Libby, who is pregnant, prepares for her wedding to pathologist and fellow juror, Matthew Nelson. They leave for the ceremony in a vintage car.

Libby reflects on her new life, the trauma of Alex’s death, and the subsequent discovery of the real Noah’s body. Although she has found peace, she fears retaliation from the Hacking Collective. Suddenly, Matthew’s watch is flooded with news alerts. He shows one to Libby, whose face registers disbelief.

News headlines preface the chapter content, reporting Jack Larsson’s exoneration after a five-month trial. The charges, including “misuse of government material, tampering with official secrets, misuse of public office and conduct prejudicial” (327), carried a jail sentence of 18 years.

Outside the courthouse, former Member of Parliament Jack Larsson is acquitted of all charges. Inside his chauffeured car, he phones the deputy prime minister and threatens to expose government secrets if he isn’t politically reinstated. The novel reveals that Larsson orchestrated his own company’s failure, bribed the jury, and profited from the attacks.

Suddenly, his security convoy speeds away, abandoning him. The car doors lock, and the vehicle begins to operate autonomously. The lead car of his former convoy explodes, and the Hacker’s voice fills the speakers, set to the song “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone. The voice announces that Jack Larsson is now a Passenger.

The chapter consists of the welcome page of the social media platform Blabberbox, where users are posting about a new live stream showing Jack Larsson trapped in his driverless car. One user, RayOfLight, excitedly reports on the event as it unfolds. Other users react with a mixture of shock and glee. As the world watches, RayOfLight posts that it’s happening again and predicts that it will be awesome.