Chapter 78 Summary and Analysis: The Escape Begins
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Donna is crossing a concrete court on her way to work when her Nokia rings. She answers, hoping to finish her after-breakfast cigarette. Allie is on the line, frantic. She warns Donna not to enter the office. Men with syringes attacked her near her apartment. Allie was forced to pull King Sorrow through from the Long Dark to defend herself. The attackers are dead, and the explosion destroyed several cars. Allie suspects Van’s book, Satanic Skies, exposed their group. She tells Donna that Donovan is already on the move and that they plan to meet at the Washington Square Arch.
Donna begins walking away from the office, scanning for followers. She feels a recurring, hated sensation of a cold wet swimsuit—a memory of past vulnerability. Allie reveals she recognized one of the attackers from the FBI interviews in Greenland. Donna questions whether she is also a target, but Allie insists she is, because she is in the book and is Van’s twin. Donna takes evasive action: she jumps into a cab, then switches to the subway, and finally catches another taxi heading downtown toward Washington Square Park.
In the cab, Donna’s thoughts race. She reflects on her readiness to use King Sorrow if grabbed—she has never needed to, but the power calms her. She also thinks about Colin Wren, her lover, who is a tech billionaire. Colin made his fortune selling surveillance technology and then security software, and now runs a venture capital fund named Smaugloot. Donna tries to call her producer but drops the call. In the park, she receives a call from Colin on a secure line. He warns her that her phone has a transponder and could be used to track her. He instructs her to remove the SIM card, snap the phone in two, and discard both. He tells her to meet him at a streetlamp that looks like a question mark, every day at six p.m. for a week. He says the others know to avoid the original meeting point.
Donna follows instructions. She drops the SIM into a cistern, breaks the phone, and then runs into the Washington Square subway entrance, descending into the roaring, steam-filled underground as fast as she can in four-inch heels.
Key Events
- Allie calls Donna in a panic, reporting an attack by men with syringes and that King Sorrow killed them.
- Allie reveals she recognizes one attacker from Greenland and blames Van’s book for the exposure.
- Donna abandons her plan to go to work and begins a multi-step evasion route.
- Donna reflects on her relationship with Colin Wren and his background in surveillance technology.
- Colin calls Donna, instructs her to destroy her phone and meet at a landmark shaped like a question mark.
- Donna disposes of the SIM and phone, then dashes into the subway.
Character Development
- Donna: Her resourcefulness under pressure is on full display. She performs an improvised countersurveillance route, switching cabs and trains. Her internal monologue reveals a deep-seated desire for control and violence: she imagines blasting attackers to cinders, and states she would far rather kill for her loved ones than die for them. Her hatred of weakness—both in herself and others—drives her actions.
- Allie: Though only heard over the phone, Allie is shown as shaken but capable. She acted instantly to summon King Sorrow, and her recognition of the attacker from Greenland shows she is connecting dots under duress.
- Colin Wren: His strategic mind is clear. He uses a secure line, knows about transponders, and quickly reorganizes the group’s meeting plan. His calm, commanding tone steadies Donna. The backstory of his companies highlights his expertise in surveillance and counter-surveillance.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Surveillance and Paranoia: The chapter is saturated with the threat of being watched. Donna scans crowds, switches transport modes, and is told her own phone is a tracking device. The motif of “transponders” and tapped lines underscores the novel’s theme that modern technology makes privacy nearly impossible.
- The Cost of Exposure: Van’s book Satanic Skies is the immediate cause of the attack. The group’s desire for importance or fame has put them all in danger. Colin’s “I thought it was a bad idea” echoes the tension between wanting to tell their story and the need for secrecy.
- Violence as a Refuge: Donna’s fantasies of using King Sorrow are comforting. The power to kill “with a tap of her fingers” makes her feel safe. This contrasts with her hated memory of a cold wet bathing suit—a symbol of past helplessness. Violence is presented as a way to reclaim agency.
- The Streetlamp Question Mark: The meeting point is a literal question mark, symbolizing the uncertain future the characters now face. They are on the run, with no clear plan, relying on a cryptic rendezvous.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 78 is the pivot from everyday life to a full-scale flight. The attackers have made their move, and the group must go underground. Donna’s decision to discard her phone and vanish into the subway marks the point of no return. Colin’s strategic reassignment of meeting points raises the stakes: they can no longer trust their own devices or homes. The chapter also deepens the backstory of Colin’s tech empire, hinting at resources that may aid the group later. It sets up the chase structure that will drive the rest of the novel.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Donna throw away her phone, and what does this reveal about the world of the novel? Colin warns her that the Nokia contains a transponder that can track her location. He instructs her to remove the SIM and snap the phone in two. This reveals that the pursuers have sophisticated surveillance capabilities, likely from government or corporate origins, and that the characters cannot rely on everyday technology without risking discovery. It underscores the theme of pervasive monitoring.
2. How does the book Satanic Skies connect to the attack on Allie? Allie tells Donna that Van’s book, which details the events of BA 238, exposed their identities and connections. People who appear in the book—Donna, Allie, Donovan—became targets. The book’s popularity with UFO and astral projection enthusiasts may have given the attackers a starting point to find them. The chapter shows that even an attempt to tell the truth can invite danger.
3. What does Donna’s internal monologue reveal about her personality and her relationship with violence? Donna admits that she has never used King Sorrow but imagines she could kill with a tap if needed. She feels calm knowing she has that power. Later, she thinks she would far rather kill for her loved ones than die for them. This reveals a pragmatic, ruthless side: she values action over sacrifice and is untroubled by the prospect of lethal force. Her disgust with weakness also suggests a need to feel in control at all times.