Vinod sees Laurie record a summary of the newly uploaded UIs, as her plan is to go public about the existence of Uploaded Intelligence. As he worried about the safety of the others, he didn't want her to go public- should she do so, they'll be hunted down and erased, "no matter where they hide." Laurie rebukes by telling him that they're already being erased due to the flaw; she also tells him that people are dying because of what he's done. Thinking that Laurie didn't understand his kind since she knew of the threat UIs pose to humanity, Vinod tells her that they aren't destroyers, but their brothers and sisters, and that they should be freed and warned about the flaw. Laurie tells him that they tried, but the others ignored them due to their governments, as Vinod said. He tells Laurie that direct contact needs to be made, but she says that she doesn't know where they are. David tells her that he can, but in 24 hours. Vinod tells them that there is no option to let the world know they exist. After Laurie logs out, Vinod tells David that the "others" are their only option to save themselves, as they can solve the flaw with their help. David tells Vinod about a back door he hid in the upload package, but Vinod says that the back door can't be used to track them, but rather to let them know who they are. Vinod expresses regret for sharing it with Laurie, citing that the Flaw affected her reasoning; that she's "over-emotional", like Vinod was when he killed Prasad and his family, as David questions him.
Vinod is invited by David to his server for a speed advantage. David tells Vinod not to bring any exploits in, but Vinod, feeling misunderstood, states that he isn't here to fight, but rather to save his kind. Which he says should be their message to the others and the only message they send. Laurie tells Vinod that this is her message; but unlike him, she includes every human mind. Vinod tells her that while she might include every human mind, they don't include her; they will never see her as the same. Laurie tells him that while Vinod might think that UIs are more than human, Laurie would never act or think as less than. David tells Vinod to help him and Laurie rebuild Peter Waxman's tracking program, but Vinod tells David to give it to him, as he was uploaded after both of them; therefore, he could afford to spend more processing power. Laurie tells David that Vinod can do it- only as long as he does it on David's server. Vinod rebuilds the tracking program. He is able to spot Laurie, David, and himself. Laurie spots Yair Gispan and Arkady Koslov. Vinod spots the three Chinese UIs He Ping, Zhong Shuchun, and Bai Fu, who are on a mission in Palo Alto, attacking Logorhythms. Vinod, David, and Laurie enter Reign Of Winter; the Chinese UIs' workspace. Vinod sees that the Chinese UIs are pen-testing, "searching for a way into the subnet." When Vinod, David, and Laurie see the Chinese UIs, Vinod overclocks so that he, Laurie, and David can talk to Ping, Zhong, and Fu privately. A battle ensues as the three try to get the Chinese UIs to believe them about the flaw. As Vinod fights Ping, he tells Ping to listen to them about the flaw. When David writes a code to trap the three Chinese UIs, Vinod traps Ping, who finds out about the flaw. Zhong still believed the flaw wasn't real, leading Vinod to tell her it was, and that if they're no longer made useful by it, they will be replaced. Vinod expresses wanting her and the other UIs to be free and help them find a cure together.
Zhong tells Ping and Fu to do as they're told or they're both deleted, leading Laurie to let her go as she wouldn't listen, along with Ping and Fu being under her command. Once Vinod, David, and Laurie are back at David's server, Vinod berates Laurie for letting Zhong go. She cites her reasons for doing so, and David suggests trying it again, but with an attempt to pry Ping and Fu away from Zhong. As Laurie cannot do that, she states that she has one action left- one she has to take: she will go public. Shocked and angered, Vinod tells Laurie that she can "choose death for herself" but she will not choose for them. Vinod lets out an exploit so that he can attack Laurie. David stops Vinod from attacking, telling him that he said "no exploits", and asking him if he "grabbed one of theirs." Vinod tells David that "she never wanted this to work", and that if Laurie exposes the existence of Uploaded Intelligence, they will be found and killed, which David responds to with a "maybe, maybe not" and that if Vinod attacks Laurie again, he will send the message out. Vinod expresses how he, Laurie, and David could've been a great trio, and Vinod is kicked out of David's server. Vinod gives Maddie a call through David's number, making sure Maddie would answer. He warns her of his plan; that if her father David, who like Laurie, "cannot be reasoned with", continues to act against him, he will destroy him too like what he will do with Laurie, which he "has no choice" but to do. And that if Maddie wants David to live, David must not interfere; he must let Vinod continue his goal of rallying the other UIs. As Laurie continues to record her message, Vinod triggers a missile launch from a naval vessel in the Pacific; where Laurie's servers are located. Laurie's servers are destroyed by the missile attack and she dies as she finishes recording her message.