In Hole Fourteen, Tia tries to mend Megan’s internal and external injuries, but the damage is too extensive. David can only watch helplessly. He takes a blanket from her bedroll and covers her, but Prof orders him to leave her: “Abandon the guilt. […] Abandon the denial. Steelheart did this to her. […] We don’t have time for grief; we only have time for vengeance” (303). The team packs the necessities and leaves the compromised compound behind in flames.

As they travel the understreets, David’s anger abates, thinking, “Replacing Megan with hatred seemed a poor trade” (304). Tia falls back to check on David, who asks why Prof looked so hateful when he rescued them. Tia assures him that Prof is only angry with himself, not David, and he doesn’t like using the tensors. When they reach the new hideout, Tia offers to heal David, but he declines, instead retiring to his bedroll to cry.

The Reckoners plan their next moves, and they prepare to question the prisoner, Conflux. Abraham pulls David aside and says, “Live your life. […] You are letting Steelheart live your life for you. He controls it, each step of the way.