Kamran wakes to the sound of some kind of vibrating thump. He is filled with panic and realizes he has been bound and gagged. Around him are metal struts and mounds of plastic explosives that could go off at any moment. He feels a hand grab his, and he rolls back, bumping up against more explosives. He sees Darius, also bound and gagged. Kamran focuses his attention on the sounds above him and discerns something: the phrase “halftime show” (239). He then hears a stadium buzzer and realizes where they are: he and Darius are inside one of the stages that will be wheeled out at the Super Bowl halftime show. 

Kamran can see from Darius's face that he realizes where they are, too. Darius tries to speak but the gag makes it impossible to understand him. Darius then begins to tap out a code on the ground—the same code that he used in both the videos and to communicate with Kamran between the walls of their bedrooms, when they were children. At first, Kamran thinks Darius wants him to pretend to go to sleep, then realizes Darius wants him to roll over. Kamran does so and Darius manages to untie his brother’s wrists.