After escaping the shooting, Hunter and Rink stop on waste ground to inspect the bullet lodged in the Ford's headrest. Rink decides the shot was not meant to kill him and admits he recognized the woman immediately: she is Suzanne Bouchard, a former lover from their Arrowsake days. Hunter gradually remembers her as a capable Canadian operative who later disappeared from their world.

Rink explains that Suzanne was not present when Mercer was supposedly killed, but Mercer was present when Rink and Suzanne's relationship ended badly. That makes Rink suspect Mercer has lied to Suzanne about the past and turned her against him. The shock deepens when Rink reveals that Arrowsake had officially reported Suzanne dead as well, supposedly in a scuba-diving accident, adding her to the growing list of people falsely declared dead.

Because both Mercer and Suzanne have resurfaced, Hunter suggests Arrowsake may not necessarily be behind this particular deception. Even so, the only obvious source of answers is Walter Hayes Conrad, so Hunter calls him on speaker. Walter already knows Hunter and Rink are together, and when Hunter names Jason Mercer, Walter first feigns confusion before admitting he had suspected Mercer survived.

Hunter presses Walter, accusing him of having saved and reused dangerous people before, but Walter denies any role in Mercer's survival and argues that Rink's positive confirmation of death gave him no reason to intervene. Rink angrily rejects any talk of trust between them, and Hunter deliberately avoids mentioning Suzanne when Rink warns him not to. Walter says the real questions are who saved Mercer, why, and who Mercer now serves, but then unexpectedly orders both men to stand down and leave Mercer to him. Hunter outwardly agrees and ends the call, though neither he nor Walter truly believes the matter is settled.