Chapter 64 Summary

Robert Jackson, after hours of anxious waiting, returns to the safe house and retrieves a chilling voicemail from Dr. Alexandra Conner. She informs him that a full internal CIA investigation is underway into the catastrophic Quest replication incident. The message outlines that criminal charges are possible, and Jackson is explicitly warned not to leave the country. The gravity of the threat stuns him. Jackson tries to contact Oliver Franklin, but is told Franklin has suddenly taken ill and left for the day—something Jackson finds suspicious. Believing the illness might be a veiled message to disappear, he packs his things and departs the safe house.

Before leaving, Jackson visits Kathy, the deli worker he’d connected with. Despite her initial hesitation, their goodbye is poignant. Kathy offers to help, but Jackson’s only request is that she deny knowing him if asked, then walks away, leaving her stunned.

Mark prepares to leave San Francisco and receives a call from Dr. Conner, who updates him on the Quest debacle. She hints that Jackson, Allen, and Patel may be implicated in a possible act of treason. Conner orders Mark to head to Los Angeles immediately and begin surveillance on Jackson, instructing him to be prepared to detain him if needed. Mark agrees, ends the call, and prepares to leave.

The narrative reveals Oliver Franklin faked his illness. Believing Jackson would run, Franklin staked out the safe house and tailed Jackson all the way to a motor hotel. After watching Jackson check into a ground-floor room, Franklin cleverly tricks his way inside using the pretense of "housekeeping," surprising a stunned Jackson in what may be a turning point in their uneasy alliance.