At dawn on firstsnow, Victory (Viki) wheedles her cautious older brother Brent into sneaking out before their father wakes. They savor the icy morning and wander through quiet streets, Viki imagining future winters and the dangers they might bring.

Drawn by noise from construction zones, they slip past barricades into a Big Dig site. Peering over a lightly guarded caisson, they witness the immense, half-lit underground works: tunnels, avenues, and foundations for a city meant to live awake through the Dark. Viki reflects on their father’s role and the public resentment toward their family and oophase children, relishing the unsupervised glimpse of reality.

At an express stop they unexpectedly find siblings Jirlib and Gokna, who have also snuck out. After bickering about risk, fame from their radio show, and public hostility, Jirlib pushes for caution. Gokna persuades them to head downtown first for a museum exhibit, betting that return buses to the mountains will be running later.

On a crowded public bus, passengers keep their distance from the children. As the route enters the new corporate district, Viki feels pride in their father’s achievements. Brent notices two Roadmasters that seem to be following. Viki assumes Captain Downing’s security, but Brent asserts they’re not the usual cars, raising the possibility of a new and unknown threat.