With Praxis' attack against the aliens pending, all of ORCA's non-essential personnel are evacuated to the mainland. Louis informs agent Shelby that Hauser has secretly kept Ilona off the evacuation list which leads to Praxis discovering that she and her mother are aliens. Convincing Richter of his importance, Louis also gets taken off the list prompting Brett and Cass to stay behind as well. Believing Malakat and his commandos to have evacuated the pyramid as promised, Jason and Neri go to the pyramid but, along with Mera, they are captured when Malakat and his commandos reappear from within the pyramid. The pending launch of a nuclear torpedo aimed at the pyramid is detected causing all those within the pyramid to flee. Frantic efforts on ORCA to stop the launch succeed but H.E.L.E.N. later admits she responded not to Dianne's orders, but on instructions from a "higher power." With the launch aborted, Shersheba and Malakat return to the pyramid and use the Golden Ankh to activate it. Malakat's first order is to begin the melting of the polar ice caps. Charlie reappears.