Following the degrading thermometer procedure, Zeke continued Luke Ellis’s intake by checking his vital signs, height, weight, and examining his throat and nose as Gladys returned with her forced cheer. Zeke administered an injection that caused only brief pain without heat or noticeable effects.

Zeke timed the aftermath and questioned Luke about nausea, metallic taste, and visual disturbances. Luke reported none of these symptoms. After inspecting Luke’s eyes, Zeke told Gladys to take Luke back and noted that Dr. Evans would see Luke at 4 PM for an "eye thing," apparently involving a projector device.

In the elevator, Gladys dismissed the ordeal as fuss over nothing and gave Luke two tokens, praising his compliance. Luke, still feeling violated and demeaned, refrained from responding with the sarcasm he imagined.

Alone in the shower, Luke cried while wishing he could wake at home to a normal morning. As his tears subsided, he felt a new, hardened resolve—a bedrock determination that this was real and demanded action beyond escape.

Luke decided he wanted to expose and bring down the Institute, from Mrs. Sigsby to Gladys and Zeke, likening his hoped-for reckoning to Samson destroying the temple of Dagon. He recognized the fantasy as a child’s, but he committed to pursue it if any opportunity arose, recalling his father’s saying that having goals helps endure hard times.