After leaving Prism's throne room, Carl and Donut argue about Donut's Constitution bonuses and whether she can regain party leadership. They find Rend trying to eat the booted foot of Toyotomi, a duct-taped Sai mercenary inherited from Prism. Carl stops Rend, while Donut complains that Carl must control his pet now that Carl is party leader.

Carl examines Toyotomi and learns that the rhino-like Sai was once an honorable mercenary leader whose squad was killed during the Desperado Club incident. Toyotomi wants to stay and die defending Prism's castle, but he also reveals he can cast an Edifice Shield on smaller outposts and had been weakened by trying to protect D'Nadia's too-large castle. Carl changes plans and sends Toyotomi to Shanty Town, where Li Jun needs defensive help.

In chat, Li Jun reports that Shanty Town has not yet seen enemy activity but is stretched thin watching for invisible Madness saboteurs. Li Jun also tells Carl that Agatha, the strange old woman with a shopping cart, came looking for Carl, failed to enter Larracos, and ended up at the same bar where Lucia Mar is camped.

Zev then contacts Carl with an urgent warning from Prime Minister Glory and the Syndicate council: Carl must not interact with Agatha. Zev cannot explain why the warning has changed, only that the council is alarmed and that the AI has removed protections from most residuals. Carl reflects on Agatha, Paulie, residuals, the AI, and the many factions trying to influence the crawl, recognizing that Agatha seeking him by name may signal a dangerous change.

Carl refocuses on immediate survival, traps the captured castle, and leaves Lockjaw, a Madness mercenary, in the throne room to keep the castle technically occupied. Carl hopes this will force the Bloc leaders into a decision and possibly create conflict between Epitome Tagg and Architect Houston. With Prism defeated and the castle sabotaged, Carl and Donut prepare to leave for the endangered northern front, choosing the slimes as their next target.