Gilbert surveils Watts, finding that the latter has been in contact with Means. Black travels to where Means is living, where he remotely observes a cult-like ceremony in which Means is ritually inducted into the Group. He contacts Watts, divulging the results of his tests—they were injected with a vaccine while quarantined. Black warns Watts that the Group is dangerous; Watts neither confirms nor denies this, but predicts the arrival of an earthquake, urging Black that should this prediction come to pass, he should accept full membership of the Group. That night, Black answers a telephone call from Means, who tells him that the Group mean no harm. The line suddenly cuts, and the tremors of an earthquake begin just as Watts had predicted. Black moves through his home, noticing that his pet bird is dead in its cage, covered in blood.