The Roci has arrived at Eros. After making their way through the casinos, they reach the flophouse. Amos tells Holden someone’s following them; his description of a man in a hat matches Miller. A woman in the flophouse lobby orders Holden and the others to go with her. She points a small plastic gun at Alex’s head. Amos points his much more impressive gun at her. Several people barge in, shooting compact semiautomatics. A guy with a small machine gun advances toward Holden. Their tail—Miller—arrives and shoots the guy with the machine gun. Holden tells his crew not to shoot the guy with the hat. After the attackers leave, Holden introduces himself. The guy says his name is Miller.

Miller goes into analytic mode. The flophouse ambush was sloppy; otherwise, Holden and his crew would have been taken or killed. Miller explains his presence: He’s looking for a crew member on the Scopuli. Holden says they’re also looking for someone who was on the Scopuli—someone who was supposed to be at the flophouse. Miller wonders if it’s Julie. They all head for the room Lionel Polanski is supposed to be occupying. Holden knocks on the door, but there’s no answer.