After the discovery in their hotel room, Katarina sits outside amid police activity, trying not to think about the blood and the overwhelming smell of roses. The scene is staged to terrify her: rose petals are scattered across the bed, her free dance dress has been laid out and soaked in blood, and the threat has escalated beyond the earlier flowers and the injury to her foot.

The Sochi City Police conclude that the blood is probably animal blood from a butcher shop and treat the incident as a crude prank rather than a serious attack. Katarina and Heath explain the larger pattern of harassment and sabotage, but the officers, hotel staff, and nearby witnesses offer no useful information, and no one claims to have seen anything suspicious.

The investigation goes nowhere. Nothing has been stolen, Heath’s costume is untouched, and the officials’ indifference makes it clear that Katarina and Heath will get little protection or help. Katarina is also forced to confront the practical consequence of the attack: her dress is ruined, but even more urgent is the intense pain in her injured foot and the fear that she may not be able to complete the free dance.

Ellis Dean then arrives, having already heard about the incident through the Olympic rumor mill. Katarina initially assumes he wants material for his blog and lashes out, but Ellis surprises both Katarina and Heath by offering them the key to his own hotel room, which has better security. After joking about leaving for a date with Kirk, Ellis persuades them to accept the room, giving Katarina and Heath a temporary refuge when the authorities have failed them.