Hordesmen Tim and Sid meet with Tim’s Boomtown contact
to gain tunnel access to the city. Once in, Sid kills the contact. Meanwhile, Ricky breaks into Holman’s Press to fulfill his end of the bargain with Marcus.
Treatment
Marcus’ goon follows Ricky as he makes his way to Holman’s Press thanks to the papers Marcus gave him. Ricky makes his way into the closed building through a back window.
Hank leads a caravan through the Wilderness. Hordesmen Tim and Sid ride with him. Tim spots his Boomtown contact Perry in the distance and Hank signals the following vehicles to turn off. Sid and Tim get out and once Hank drives away, Perry leads them to the secret tunnel entrance. Perry remembers Tim from years before when Tim’s father worked with Perry before falling ill. Perry leads them through the ramshackle tunnel, which opens into a massive, decommissioned Institutional tunnel.
Before they reach their destination (Perry calls it a “rathole”), Perry pulls a gun on Sid, saying Marcus is paying for the heads of the Hangman and his Hordsemen. When he diverts his attention to pull Tim up range from his gun, Sid shoots and kills Perry. Sid believes with the guide dead, they will be unable to penetrate the city and the plan will be scrapped, but Tim is intent on accomplishing what Hank sent them to do. Being from Boomtown and familiar with their labeling systems, Tim is confident they can find their way without Perry. Tim checks Perry’s pockets and finds a token with an eighth note rest inscribed.
The final page is a “silent” series of snapshots from the eve of Census Day:
Zoie looks out the window of her suite, unsealed letter in hand.
Holman copies official-looking documents by hand in the Gold Room.
The Glass Eater who followed Ricky reportsto Marcus, who sits across a table from an unsipped drink and its payment. Marcus’ own drink is half gone.
Subject holds a worn journal in hand while searching through a filing cabinet for a file.
Tim leads Hank and the other Hordsemen through the Institutional tunnel.
The Black Pyramid sits against the mountain's base, the city’s nighttime lights encircling it.