Part 8 — Chapter 4

Summary

• The chapter starts with the main character waking up in an unfamiliar setting—an old-fashioned house with a wooden floor, in a room with rose wallpaper, and wooden furniture.
• They discover from a woman named Zoey, that they are on a farm on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, and the year is 2172. Zoey has made arrangements for them to stay indefinitely as a boarder.
• The main character mentions an upcoming interview with a violinist in twenty-three years' time.
• Zoey reveals she was previously arrested and then immigrated to the Far Colonies after serving a year in prison, leading the main character to question how she has managed to be in the current time period.
• Zoey notes that she works for another organization that has access to a time machine (contrary to the belief of the Time Institute that they possess the only functional one). She convinces the main character that despite her record, she excels at her job.
• Zoey clarifies that her ability to set up this mission was a condition for her obtaining her job in the colonies.
• The main character expresses gratitude towards Zoey for her efforts. Zoey believes that they would do the same for her, although the main character implies they couldn't because they're not as skilled as her.
• After a brief embrace, Zoey leaves—leaving the main character alone in their new surroundings. The seclusion is amplified by the knowledge that they know no one in this century.
• The chapter ends with the sight of a farm sprawling to the horizon, with agricultural robots moving, and the spires of Oklahoma City in the distance. The sky is described as a dazzling blue.