In May 1859, another Arctic expedition has been locked in ice for eight months. Lt. Hobson finds Cape Felix and signs of its mysterious, rapid abandonment by the men with Commander Gore. He finds notes that Gore and his crew left behind. The notes indicate their plan to abandon the ships in April 1848 after being stuck for two winters, with 24 men already dead. They also indicate Lt. Graham Gore was promoted in the field to Commander but died before the march began.

Adela frantically tells the narrator she’s in danger. She says a mole is feeding Ministry information, including the time-door’s location, to the Brigadier, whom she still can’t find. Adela thought Quentin was the mole, she explains, so she had him “neutralized.” Back at the safe house, Graham reports that something happened to Maggie. He went to her safe house and found her bridge, Ralph, drowned in the bathtub. A woman Maggie was dating is dead too. In the past, Graham, Arthur, and Maggie arranged a secret meeting spot in an underground tunnel system, in case of emergency. They must flee their safe house, but the narrator is practically frozen with fear.