The Laughing Man kidnaps Ernest Serano again, though their relationship is far more cordial than expected with the latter willingly coming along to have a conversation with him at the cafe of their kidnapping from years before. Serano proceeds to go over the events of his original kidnapping again before the former inquires as to why he never fulfilled his promise to reveal the truth of the Murai Vaccine coverup. Much to the Laughing Man's surprise, Serano reveals he was under house arrest the whole time.
It turns out that Secretary General Yakushima was behind the government part in the cover-up and is a Corrupt Politician. Section Nine resolves to take Serano into custudy but is horrified to discover the Laughing Man has already acquired them. Thankfully, it turns out the Laughing Man is the Major in disguise using the information provided them by the real one.
- Big Bad: Yakushima is revealed to be the most powerful and ruthless antagonist in the Laughing Man case.
- Corporate Conspiracy: Serano Genomics made a fortune selling nanomachines to treat cyberbrain schleoris despite it not doing any good.
- Government Conspiracy: The government became involved with Secretary General Yakushima's willingness to trade influence for money.
- Honest Corporate Executive: Well, a reformed Corrupt Corporate Executive. Ernest Serano was willing to come clean but his conspirators prevented him from doing so.
- Odd Friendship: It's clear that Ernest and the Laughing Man developed one of these. It's not Stockholm Syndrome because it was something that existed before the kidnapping.
- The Reveal: The Laughing Man that visits with Ernest during the case is actually the Major.
