In New York City, the electricity and gas stop, and the sewers back up. The authorities blame Mark Matthias, transforming him from hero to villain. However, most Topsiders aren’t upset. Instead of reacting with looting and violence, they party, with Todd holding a dance on his dad’s roof.

Lindsay doesn’t take part in the festivities. Determined to tell Downsiders the truth about their world, she goes to New York City’s main library, which sits on the city’s old reservoir, so it branches out beneath the streets. With no electricity, Lindsay can enter the library without worrying. She keeps moving further down until she finds an entrance to the Downside and meets a Downsider woman. The woman threatens to kill Lindsay, but Lindsay disarms her, and the woman leads her to Talon.

The guard for the Chamber of Soft Walls expresses his sympathy for Talon and lets Lindsay see him. She asserts her faith in “the truth” and gives him a folder full of documents. They kiss, and she returns to an empty home.

Gutta and Railborn fight. Gutta says she isn’t impressed by Railborn or his dad, but she is impressed by Talon.