In this chapter, we are introduced to the protagonist, a young woman named Miss Martielle. She is the heroine of the novel, which is set in the fictional city of Suzhou, China. The protagonist is a young man named Tom , who has just returned from the war in the Middle East. He has returned home to his family in the city of Shanghai, where he has been working as a waiter. He tells his family that he is returning to his homeland, and he asks them to come with him. He also tells them that he has come to bring his sister, whom he has not seen in a long time, to the psychiatrist's office, where she will be treated for her father's illness. When he arrives at the office, he finds his sister lying on the floor with her head in her hands. She begs him to call an ambulance, but he refuses. He then tells her that he will come to save her, and that she and her sister are "a waste of talent" . He promises to release them if they agree to do so. When the police arrive, they arrest Martielle and Peter on charges of illegal fighting, gambling, kidnapping, and distribution of illegal drugs.