The City & the City

Running off, Borlú phones Dhatt, telling him he needs his help immediately. Dhatt is stunned to hear from Borlú, as he knew he was with Breach. Borlú begs Dhatt to send men to Bowden’s apartment to detain Bowden until Borlú can get there. Dhatt agrees, but when he calls back, he says that Bowden is gone. Borlú asks Dhatt to put an ABP on Bowden, explaining that he’s probably trying to leave the country. When Dhatt calls back a second time, he says that Bowden is at Copula Hall; apparently he has been there for hours. However, the staff don’t know what to do, because they can’t tell if he’s in Besźel or Ul Qoma.

The staff told Dhatt that they saw Bowden start to walk away, but didn’t keep watching him because it would be breach. By this point Borlú is in a car, driving as fast as possible. Dhatt is only ten minutes away from Copula Hall, but he doesn’t want to approach Bowden for fear of breach, either. Borlú cannot promise that there is no risk involved, but begs Dhatt to follow Bowden while acting as if he is just going on an ordinary walk. Dhatt agrees, but reminds Borlú that he will only be able to arrest Bowden if he is indeed in Ul Qoma. Borlú thanks Dhatt and then calls Corwi, asking her to head to Copula Hall as soon as possible. In the ensuing minutes, Borlú frantically switches between phone calls with both of them, trying to coordinate their respective locations.

Borlú can tell by a shift in Corwi’s tone that she has found Bowden, although she cannot risk saying this aloud. He gets out of the car and finds Dhatt, tapping him on the shoulder. Stunned, Dhatt looks at Borlú with an unfamiliar expression. Bowden is easy to spot; he is walking in a distinct manner that belongs neither in Besźel nor Ul Qoma. Meanwhile, Corwi stands nearby. She draws her gun without looking properly at Bowden. Borlú holds out his hand and Corwi holds it as they walk. Borlú says Bowden’s name, and tells him what he is doing is impressive. It would take a while, but having perfected the performance of neutrality, Bowden could theoretically walk right out of the two cities unimpeded.

Bowden points a weapon at Borlú. Borlú says he knows Bowden tried to cut Mahalia’s face off, then covered it with makeup when that didn’t work. The strange metal object in Bowden’s hand makes a clicking sound, and Borlú realizes this is what he used to kill Mahalia. He asks if it is one of the artefacts from Bol Ye’an. Bowden indicates that it is. He then says he never wanted to kill Mahalia, and that he always told her the truth—that Orciny wasn’t real. However, Borlú replies that it was obviously not Buric or Sear and Core’s idea to use Mahalia for the smuggling operation—it was Bowden’s. He wanted to “have it both ways,” to still be “right” about Orciny even after knowing he was wrong.

Borlú concludes that Bowden didn’t collaborate with Sear and Core for the financial incentive, but rather as a way of rescuing his own ego. He asks if Mahalia ever found out what Bowden’s role was, and he says he thinks she didn’t. Rather, she believed she was protecting him. Mahalia’s realization that the whole Orciny thing was a hoax was a final humiliation for Bowden, and he killed her in revenge. Bowden explains that when Borlú came to Ul Qoma, Buric began to panic, and sent the bomb in order to try to trick Borlú into thinking that nationalists were responsible for Mahalia’s murder. Borlú comments that Bowden staged attacks on himself in order to make himself appear innocent.

As for Yolanda, Borlú points out that she and Aikam were the only ones who actually believed in Orciny. He accuses Bowden of telling Buric that Yolanda would be at Copula Hall—information that got her killed. Bowden asks where Buric is; Borlú replies that he is dead, and Bowden says this is “good.” Bowden hands over his weapon, agreeing to come with Borlú. When Borlú asks what city Bowden is in, Bowden replies, “Either.” This is enough for Borlú to seize Bowden and bring him into the Breach. Borlú nods in gratitude to both Corwi and Dhatt.