They interrogate Pauline in the Coffeeshop.
Henry tries to re-enter the VR, except he goes into the "operating system" level. There he grips a sword in a stone. However, his attempts to gain access or hack the system are met by resistance, symbolized as a big black manta.
Pauline suggests they go back into the VR, and walk the pattern to gain insight into it.
They check into a hotel, and go into the VR.
They are blocked by a Manta, demanding a password. McKee guesses it by reading the label of his jacket: "Stephan Saeed, Girl". She does (step aside).
They go to New York, Empire State Building.
They go through the subway to the Castle on the hill.
They enter the Pattern room, and walk the pattern. They notice there are 5 paths in the Pattern, and the fifth one has been walked by another.
Egg, Henry, John and finally McKee enter the center of the pattern, and awake in the hotel room, where Pauline is waiting.
They discover they can access the VR now, and scry through it.
Egg senses he can fly, but the ability is atrophied.
Scanning via the Overworld (VR), they pick up several images of people with golden wristwatches - a well-dressed businessman, a street vendor.
John realizes that their enemy is probably jumping from one mind-control victim to the other.