The Atlas Complex

Callum’s sister, Selene, is on trial. Despite the accusations against her and the Nova Corporation, she appears so innocent and poised that it undermines the seriousness of the proceedings. Callum, who is watching from the audience, decides to leave, recognizing that his contributions are no longer needed or valued by his family.

Outside, Callum contemplates his next steps. He considers going back to help Reina before deciding to focus on Tristan instead. He returns to the Gallows Hill pub. However, when he arrives, it is strangely empty. He calls for Alys but quickly realizes that someone is now holding him at gunpoint.

Parisa visits the former apartment of Atlas’s mother, which is still in disarray. She gets what information she can from the real estate agent who shows her around. He explains that the rent was paid in cash until recently. She also learns that the tenant’s son hadn’t shown up when she died, nor had there been a funeral, much to the surprise of the pub owner downstairs.

The chapter flashes back to Parisa’s confrontation with Nothazai in Paris. She demanded that the Forum end the assassination attempts on herself and the others. Nothazai said that he would release damning information about the Society’s recruitment practices and members’ involvement in unethical activities. Parisa countered by saying that she could get him appointed as the next Caretaker in exchange for a ceasefire. Despite his attempts to assert moral superiority, Parisa successfully manipulated him using his ambitions.

Returning to the present, Parisa contemplates contacting Sharon for assistance, but without her phone, her communication options are limited. As she prepares to enter the pub below the apartment, Eden Wessex arrives and holds her at gunpoint. She asks if Eden is taking her somewhere, but Eden counters that she’s ending it all there.

As Nico, Libby, Tristan, Dalton, and Gideon finish setting up for the experiment, Nico reassures Libby that they will succeed. They then initiate their experiment by combining their magic. He is momentarily overwhelmed by the resulting explosion of power.

The room disappears, and Tristan finds himself in the vastness of space. As he reaches out, he experiences a sense of freedom from his past burdens and regrets. He embraces the idea that he doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. However, he has a brief lapse of confidence, prompted by the question Atlas asked Libby about who she would betray to get what she wanted and her reply that she didn’t care.

A memory that Parisa witnessed in Dalton’s mind is revealed to have only been part of the truth. She saw him as a child saving a young tree from dying with his own power and being praised by his mother. However, the reality was that this happened on the day his brother died, and his mother didn’t notice. However, he chose to remember the event differently because of the possibility that the two events might be connected.

The narrative flashes back to that morning, before the experiment. Gideon and Nico share a moment in bed. Despite the tranquility, Gideon is troubled by the looming dread of an unseen threat and uncertain future. He doesn’t tell Nico about his talk with the Accountant, who relayed that his mother is dead and warned that the Society won’t be able to protect him forever. Gideon is also concerned about Dalton’s presence and his repaired consciousness. The chapter closes by noting that Gideon was wrong about Dalton being the true danger.

Nico muses on the strength of the connection between himself and Libby and wonders if Tristan can see it.

Libby realizes that the ethics of performing the experiment are irrelevant and finally understands the implications of her powers and the choices she must make. As the experiment continues, Libby comes to the growing realization that something is wrong not only with Dalton but also with the Society and with herself. She realizes that they can’t move forward without her making a choice. She decides to make the necessary sacrifice, and Gideon cries out.

Callum is still held at gunpoint by Wyn Cockburn, one of Adrian Caine’s associates, who demands to know where Tristan is. Despite the danger, Callum remains calm and uses his powers of manipulation to disarm Wyn and take control of the situation. He manipulates Wyn to ensure that he will not harm Tristan and warn Callum if anyone else attempts to do so. On his way out, Callum reflects on the Caine family’s dysfunctional dynamics.

Parisa uses her telepathic abilities to command Eden to hand over the gun. She then interrogates Eden about who else is hunting them, using her powers to extract the information. She learns about Ezra’s group, led by Nothazai. Parisa also realizes that Eden lacks magical abilities, which James Wessex had covered up. She dismisses Eden’s threats and walks away, leaving her immobilized.

Following the attack, Reina is seriously injured. Feeling hopeless and resentful of her own lack of healing abilities, she curses her situation and feels defeated. She then feels a surge of energy. As she regains consciousness, she discovers herself in a grove of trees with a canopy overhead, sheltering her from the sun. The police officers are gone, and the park is empty. Reina notices fruit hanging from the branches of the trees and realizes that they are pomegranates. Overwhelmed, Reina cries.

Gideon repeats the word “no” over and over, continuing his outburst from Libby’s previous chapter.

Sharon receives a phone call from Parisa, who requests access to the Society’s tracking database. She is hesitant due to the Society’s strict protocols but agrees after Parisa claims that she can save Sharon’s daughter. Parisa asks her to look for Atlas.

Alexis Lai succumbs to cancer. As her condition worsens, she becomes reliant on Atlas for care. Despite her fatigue and failing health, she urges him not to waste his life. However, he misunderstands this advice and interprets it as a call to fix everything. He deludes himself into believing that he can create a better world, and this becomes his sole purpose in life. He rationalizes his desire for control as a purpose bestowed upon him. However, the interlude notes that he was not truly special in the end.

The chapter flashes back to Libby’s talk with Atlas in his office six months prior. She rationalized that Atlas was just a man and decided to take matters into her own hands, choosing to kill him for the greater good. However, she later realized that killing him does not solve all their problems.

In the present, Libby realizes that as long as they continue the experiment, Atlas’s influence will continue. She brings the experiment to an abrupt halt. She realizes her mistake in leaving Reina out, as Reina would have been able to take on the resulting energy. Instead, either Libby or Nico has to take it on instead. She decides that her understanding of what is coming is more important than his and pushes the backlash onto him. Nico dies, and Libby faints.

Nico contemplates the concept of soulmates, the strength of his connection to Libby, and his belief that he will always be connected to her regardless of the circumstances. However, he also acknowledges that Gideon is an important variable in their universe. Despite its momentary nature in the grand scheme of the multiverse, it is important, and he hopes Gideon knows that.

Parisa contacts Callum and tells him to meet her. When he does, she tells him that Atlas is dead and that she intends to take over the Society. She then takes him to a meeting of the Alexandrian Society Board of Governors. They vote on electing a replacement for Atlas. Parisa uses Callum’s abilities and her own to manipulate the members of the board to their advantage. In the end, the board elects Nothazai as the new Caretaker. Parisa then leads Callum out again, saying that they’re going back, and hands him a gun.

Tristan struggles to deal with the experiment's failure. He is forced to face his own moral failing and the consequences of his inaction regarding Callum. He realizes that he isn’t so different from Atlas.

He watches the experiment fail and Nico’s death. In the chaotic aftermath, Dalton insists on trying to bring Nico back to make another attempt. Gideon yells at him and then at Libby when she tries to explain that she had to stop the experiment. He says that he won’t let any of them defile Nico and that she has to live with her choices. When Gideon leaves, Libby tries to justify herself to Tristan as well. However, he questions her choices, particularly regarding what she did to Atlas, and why the decisions are only hers to make. In the end, he decides to distance himself from her. He tries to leave, only to be captured just outside the house.

This interlude focuses on Aiya Sato, a member of the Alexandrian Society’s board. She meets with Selene Nova and discusses the investigation of the Nova Corporation by the Forum. Selene, who has recently taken over the position of CEO from her father, seeks advice on how to handle the situation. She considers philanthropic gestures to deflect negative attention, and Aiya suggests appealing to the Forum’s interests in alleviating poverty. They discuss potential initiatives, with Aiya subtly guiding Selene toward decisions that benefit both of them. Aiya regrets that she can’t act on her attraction toward Selene, but the power she’s acquired for herself is more important than anything else.

Parisa gives Callum the gun she took from Eden. When he asks if she wants him to kill Libby, she says no: She wants to do it herself. She’s tired of running and says that she’s the only one with nothing to live for. They arrive at the manor house, only to realize that something is wrong. They find Dalton in the reading room, rambling about needing to get Nico back. They are interrupted by the telepathic wards being breached through Dalton’s mind. Callum stops her from collapsing due to the pain of her mental wards being breached as well. Mentally, she is now in the ruined castle in Dalton’s mind. Gideon is there as well and hands her a sword.

In the castle ruins, Parisa confronts Gideon about letting the intruders in. He counters that she lied to him about repairing Dalton’s consciousness but also says that the Accountant would have gotten in anyway. They make their way through the castle grounds and find Dalton and his attackers. As Parisa and Gideon work to trap them all in the castle’s courtyard, he realizes that the intruders all work for the Wessex Corporation and that James Wessex is the Accountant. Rather than rebuilding the castle, he creates a monster made of his deepest fears and regrets to chase them. However, despite Gideon’s efforts to help her, Parisa is trapped by Dalton. Gideon realizes that to stop Dalton, he has to let her go. However, Gideon chooses to save her anyway. When Gideon wakes, he finds a gun pointed at his head.