- Marcus needs a plan. His ankle hurts and he's on the run.
- He decides he needs to call Barbara, show her the video of the President's Chief of Staff gloating with the other DHS agents. He heads down the hill.
- He sees a homeless guy with a stack of copies of the Bay Guardian. The headline reads "Inside Gitmo-by-the-Bay" (20.12).
- Even though this is technically a free newspaper, the guy seems to have cornered the market. Marcus gets a copy and sits on the same bench where they arrested Darryl after getting out of the BART station crowd. Creepy. He reads the article through. It's really good.
- Now Marcus needs a new plan. And the Xnet.
- He spots some two guys that look like they're jamming, shows them the paper (with his pictures in it), and says he needs their help: he needs Xnet access. One of them lives nearby, so they all walk together to his house.
- Marcus's rescuers are Nate and Liam. Nate's apartment is huge. Marcus gets online and checks his email (just think how boring this book would be if he had a smart phone and could do it all himself).
- There are lots of emails from people telling M1k3y they want to help him if they can. He starts sobbing. Nate pours a shot of Irish whiskey and gives it to Marcus to help him calm down (20.52-60).
- There's an email from Zeb. He's not thrilled about his letter showing up in the paper, but he understands why it's there.
- He tells Marcus to contact him if he's on the run or been captured.
- Marcus's new fan club of two are totally looking starstruck now. He asks for some privacy, emails Zeb back that he needs help, and then takes a shower, changes clothes and get fitted up with some new gear and supplies thanks to Nate's earthquake kit.
- Marcus is getting ready to nap, but feels like he's responsible for making sure Nate and Liam don't get caught. He says they've become "a sleeper cell," and that they need to stand down for the next three days (20.81).
- Nap time.
- Marcus meets Zeb on a BART car following Zeb's instructions. They talk about the situation as it stands. Marcus wants Zeb to get Van to come to him. She can act as the messenger with Barbara because her hands are clean.
- Zeb points out the risks of getting caught again. Marcus says "you have to take" freedom "for yourself" (20.102).
- There's a complicated rendezvous process with Van in a place that no one can easily watch. Van kisses Marcus when she sees him. Full on the lips.
- Surprise: Van has had a thing for Marcus for years. He never knew.
- He explains he needs her help to tell what he knows; it's evidence that "could change the world" (20.128).
- When Van asks why Ange doesn't do it, Marcus says it's because she's in Gitmo on Treasure Island.
- Okay, fine. Van's going to do what needs doing. Marcus gives her his login and password. He really trusts her.
- Zeb has pizza waiting for Marcus when he gets back to their camp under a freeway overpass. It's free, thanks to some dumpster diving. Freegan eating makes Domino's pizza taste much better to Marcus.
- Warm in his borrowed sleeping bag, Marcus thinks over his day and falls asleep. He wakes up to a blinding bright light in his face.
- A voice says "bag him." It's severe haircut woman (20.167). He's been captured again.
- Marcus vomits because the bag over his head cinches so tight, which is gross. He's choking and coughing. And in a van.
- But then something strange happens: Marcus becomes incredibly calm. He realizes he's won, no matter what they do to him. He smiles, even though severe haircut lady is saying lots of scary things. They know he's M1k3y—but he knows that he's won.
- Back on Treasure Island, Marcus is put into a cell still with cuffs on his wrists and ankles. He knows he's being left to piss himself again (20.180). So he does. Because he's survived it before, so he can survive it again.
- It's morning. Two guards come and fetch him and take him to a new room. Severe haircut lady is there, and explains how waterboarding works. Then she asks for his login.
- But wait: more people are coming into the room. Everyone's yelling. People in body armor are yelling that the people waterboarding Marcus are under arrest.
- Marcus is saved. It's Barbara and members of the California Highway Patrol. She gives him a long, hard hug (20.217).