Book 2: The Ask and the Answer

Point-of-View: Todd Hewitt, Viola Eade

Prologue: The End

Todd Hewitt, a thirteen-year-old teenager, awakens after his surrender to David Prentiss, the mayor of the New World settlement Prentisstown. He finds himself tied to a chair in a dark room, part of a cathedral that used to belong to the New World settlement Haven. Todd is beaten and interrogated for the name of girl that traveled with him to Haven/"New Prentisstown" (Viola Eade) by David Prentiss himself and a man named Mr. Collins. At the same time as the beatings, David gaslights and manipulates Todd to make him seem like a kind man, even though it was shown multiple times throughout Chaos Walking: The Knife of Never Letting Go that David a murderer, pillager, and liar. After Todd gives Mr. Collins and David the name of his companion (Viola Eade), Mr. Collins puts Todd in prison.

Part I: Todd in the Tower

Point-of-View: Todd Hewitt

Chapter 1: The Old Mayor

Todd Hewitt, a thirteen-year-old teenager, is thrown into prison by a man named Mr. Collins. The prison is the bell tower of a Catholic cathedral of New World settlement Haven/"New Prentisstown". Todd feels guilt for giving Mr. Collins and David Prentiss, the mayor of New World settlement Prentisstown and the self-proclaimed president of New World, for giving up the name of his companion he traveled with: Viola Eade. Todd blacks out.

Todd awakes after a while and begins to search for escape routes when Con Ledger, the former mayor of Haven stops him. He tells him that escaping is no use and about the current situation of Haven. Con also mentions that Haven has a cure for the Noise: "Native plant with a natural neurochemical mixed with a few things we could synthesize and there you go." However, the cure is temporary and men with Noise have to take multiple doses. At night, Todd is restless and he hears something with Noise out and about in Haven. Todd looks over the bell tower and finds that David Prentiss, Jr. has Mrs. Hewitt's diary.

Chapter 2: The Foot Upon the Neck

The next day, David gives a speech to the conquered citizens of Haven/"New Prentisstown". During the speech, he spares Mayor Con Ledger's life and plans to rule Haven with an iron fist. That night, David asks Todd about his speech and puts Con back in the prison of the cathedral bell tower.

Chapter 3: The New Life

The next morning, Davy gives Todd a horse named Angharrad to ride during his job in Haven. David's horse is named Morpeth. Davy and Todd taunt each other before riding to their job. David reveals that the men and women of Haven will be separated in the name of law and order. It is revealed that all animals, regardless of sex, have Noise and that female humans do not have Noise because (in David's own words), "Because women are not animals". Todd feels like his testicles are hurting as he rides on Angharrand's back. As they continue walking, David mentions that he has found Aaron, the former preacher of Prentisstown's, corpse on the main river. Todd's constant thinking of Viola makes David use the I am the Circle and the Circle is me technique on him to silence him. As the group approaches the new Women's Quarters, Davy taunts Todd about Viola's whereabouts. The group continues walking into the forest and finds the only monastery on Haven. Inside the monastery are Spackle enslaved by humans, also known as The Burden. Davy is Todd's boss when handling The Burden.

Chapter 4: The Making of a New World

Todd's first instinct is to run, but sees that they are suffering from hunger and neglect. The Burden are communicating each other with clicking sounds (their audible language) as they have taken cure, rendering them Noiseless. Davy attempts to scare the Burden to work for David by mentioned the River Spackle's death in chapter 25 of The Knife of Never Letting Go. Ivan Farrow, who first met Todd in book 1 in Farbranch, arrives on the monastery as he is an officer for David. Davy begins to call Todd "pigpiss", which he does continuously throughout the novel. The monastery is being covered in barbed wire to prevent the Burden from escaping. Nearing night, Todd is almost done with his job when Davy says its time to go home. Todd begins to go back to Haven with Davy when they fight over Davy's incessant bullying of Todd. When Todd gets back to the tower, Con is waiting for him with dinner: stew. That night, Todd dreams of the moment when Viola was shot by Davy.

Part II: House of Healing

Point-of-View: Viola Eade, Todd Hewitt

Chapter 5: Viola Wakes (Viola Eade)

Viola Eade, a fourteen-year-old teenager, awakens in a House of Healing, a place where female medics treat patients with wounds and diseases. Viola is being tended to by Nicola Coyle and her apprentice Madeleine "Maddy" Poole. Viola is there because she survived the bullet wound from Davy in The Knife of Never Letting Go. Viola is worried about Todd Hewitt's whereabouts (Todd is also shown worried about Viola, as seen in part one), hinting that she may be in love with Todd or close to Todd. Nicola tells Viola about how Haven is now "New Prentisstown" and the difference between doctors (male medics) and Healers (female doctors). Nicola then says that Viola is a settler, not born on New World.

Viola and Maddy talk about the settlers as Maddy changes the bandages on Viola, which have "Jeffers root" (a root with natural opiates in them) on them. Corinne Wyatt, another Healer apprentice, enters Viola's room and asks Maddy to come with her as all the Apprentices and Healers have been summoned for a meeting in the town square. Viola, under the affect of the Jeffers root opiate, falls asleep after Maddy finishes changing her bandage.

Viola calls out for Todd after a dream. Maddy has been sitting in Viola's room, watching her, and inquires who Todd is. Maddy then tells Viola about the "New Prentisstown" town square meeting before David enters the room.

Chapter 6: Sides of the Story (Viola Eade)

Nicola lets David enter Viola's room. Nicola notices that Viola is shaken, and Maddy tells Nicola that Viola woke from a nightmare and pulled a stitch of her wound. Nicola orders Maddy to get "400 units of Jeffers root" for Viola and Nicola and Maddy leave, which Viola and David alone. Viola asks David about Todd, and David says that Todd is alive and that Todd wants to see her. Maddy drops a vial of Jeffers root opiate for Viola in the room and gives Viola the opiate in the form of small yellow pills. As Viola takes the pills, David tells Viola that he wants to talk to her about the ships after she wakes up from the painkillers; but for right now, he wants to talk to her about her journey. David mentions to Viola her the characteristics of her shown in The Knife of Never Letting Go and about Aaron's corpse floating down the river with a hunting knife in his back. As Viola drifts into sleep, David leaves the room.

Viola wakes a day later to Corinee, who comments that Viola snores. Corinne tells Viola that David's guards have been checking in on Viola and that the Healers can't leave. Nicola enters the room and helps Viola in recovering from her bullet wound. Nicola tells Viola that David has an infamous known around New World.

Chapter 7: Mistress Coyle (Viola Eade)

Viola tells Nicola that there are six ships with new settlers (eight hundred total settlers, eighty-one caretaker families) floating above New World. Viola notices that Haven has been militarized. Nicola and Viola talk about the ship and about learning from David Prentiss, Sr. Before Nicola leaves, she mentions indirectly to Viola that she will help the Answer.

Viola recounts the events of The Knife of Never Letting Go to Maddy and talk about Nicola and Todd.

There are other Healers in Haven: Mistresss Waggoner ("a short round women with wrinkles and a moustache"), Mistress Nadari (an Asian women who treats cancer), Mistress Lawson, Mistress Barker (a women with a scar on her upper lip), Mistress Braithwaite, and Mistress Forth. There are other Healer Apprentices, twelve total, in Haven. Corinee mentions to Viola while taking her blood pressure about how Nicola was thrown off the Haven council ("Chair of the Town Council") for saving Mistress Thrace.

Many days pass since Viola has awoken and she is now allowed to eat in the Healer's cafeteria, where Waggoner mentions that David has made the cathedral his home and the other Mistresses talk about David's rule in Haven.

Nine days pass since the lockdown and Nicola gives Viola her old clothing, which has now been cleaned. As Viola unwraps her clothing, she sees a light blue A in Nicola's notebook.

Maddy and Viola wait outside a store while the other apprentices gather supplies. Thea Reese, another Healer apprentice, and Corinne then walk out the store and Corinne mentions that there is nothing about the Burden's fate known since the invasion, but that they have the Noise cure. Thea mentions that the cure is better since it makes the Burden more docile slaves.

Viola and the apprentices walk back to the Houses of Healing and talk about Nicola.

Chapter 8: The Newest Apprentice (Viola Eade)

Viola helps Nicola with stocking, restocking, and categorizing the medical supplies while talking about the Spackle War before Nicola gives Viola the uniform of a Healer apprentice.

Viola does not have long to rest as a Healer apprentice, as she has to help the women who have various health problems. Viola's current patient is an old lady named Mrs. Fox. Viola gets the blood pressure reading for Mrs. Fox wrong, as she has been an apprentice for only three days and Corinne has been an apprentice for six years. Corinne is partly in charge for training Viola.

Viola and Nicola go over why Healers are female: because of politics. Viola takes a tray of medicines to Maddy and thinks she sees Nadari and Nicola secretly passing a note.

A week after Viola become an apprentice, she tells Maddy she missed Todd's thirteenth (actually fifteenth) birthday. Viola is practicing tying bandages around a realistic rubber model of a leg dubbed "Ruby". Maddy is counting soldiers as the days go by.

As Viola practices delivering shots into Ruby's thigh, Nicola leads the other Mistresses to Viola.

Viola and Maddy talk about Viola meeting the other Mistresses (official Healers) and their plan to escape.

Viola and Maddy escape the House of Healing to find the only communications tower on New World and accidentally run into Mr. Hammar, who notices Viola and shoots Maddy for disobeying Prentiss' curfew.

Chapter 9: War is Over (Todd Hewitt)

Todd and Davy watch the Burden do their jobs in constructing the new building. Todd has been pouring a chemical into the makeshift toilets of the Burden to prevent smelliness and potential infections. Todd mentions that Con has been telling him about the state of Haven every night: taxes, dress codes, books to be seized and burned, and church attendence. Haven has seemingly turned normal again.

As Todd nears the makeshift toilet, Davy calls him over. A white-skinned Land has approached Davy, trying to speak English with an alien mouth, seemingly asking for more water. Davy, in response, slams the butt of his pistol in the Land's face, breaking the alien's jaw.

Todd mentioned that he has tried searching for Viola every day, but can't find her.

Todd visits Angharrad in the stables at night and is interrupted by Davy, who notices women walking out of a store. Davy says that the women have broken curfew and that Todd can't find Viola in the crowd.

Todd witnesses the giant ROAR of Haven in the bell tower that night. Con and Todd watch David and his personal crew - Mr. Hammar, Mr. Tate, Mr. Morgan, and Mr. O'Hare - enter the cathedral. Mr. Collins then opens the door to the bell tower and says that Todd is summoned by David.

Todd and David talk about Noise cure in the cellar of the cathedral, where wine was stored for communion. The Noise cure is a small white pill that has to be injested orally. David gives Todd two belated birthday presents, since Todd's birthday was four days ago: a new job with Davy in working with the Burden and the "I am the Circle and the Circle is me" technique.

Todd thinks to himself about his new role as a man and about Viola as he tries to fall asleep in the bell tower.

Chapter 10: In God's House (Viola Eade)

Viola and David talk about Maddy's death in the lobby of the cathedral. David mentions that Mr. Hammar with be punished, that the orignal Spackle War was global in the forest, and that the Answer is a splinter of the orignal Spackle War army. David tells Viola that Nicola and other Mistresses have David's permission to bury Maddy. The room that Viola and David are in is the same one Todd was beaten at the beginning of the novel: a large room with a wooden tables, some chairs, and sigil of New World in a wall made out of stained glass (sigil: New World and its two moons). Viola and David talk about the Answer and how David is rebuilding Haven. David shows Viola the town sqaure through the window and shows the spot where Mr. Hammar will be executed for shooting Maddy. David then releases Viola for her to attend Maddy's funeral.

Chapter 11: Saved Yer Life (Todd Hewitt)

Todd and Davy band all of the Burden like sheep. The first one banded is 0001, a female Land.

None of the Burden fight the banding done by Todd and Davy. For cruel entertainment, Davy forces a 0038 band around a male Land's neck, choking it to death. In desparation, Todd frees 0038 from his near-death suffocation, but the Burden decide to attack.

The Burden viciously attack the humans and the humans use live ammunition and gunfire on the Burden. Davy saves Todd life in the attack. Todd broke his elbow and Davy's leg broke. Todd, on the orders of Davy, rides Angharrad back into Haven to tell David of the situation. When he enters Haven, Todd sees Viola hugging David.

Part III: War is Over

Point-of-View: Viola Eade, Todd Hewitt

Chapter 12: Betrayal (Viola Eade)

WIP

Chapter 13: Splinters (Todd Hewitt)

WIP

Chapter 14: The Second Bomb (Viola Eade)

WIP

Chapter 15: Locked In (Todd Hewitt)

WIP

Chapter 16: Who You Are (Viola Eade)

As Viola tends to Mrs. Fox, the woman says that she hears Noise outside the Houses of Healing, which are soliders guarding the outside. After her duties to Mrs. Fox, Viola retires to her room and reads Nicola's note for the umpteenth time, pondering about who The Answer are. For the past three weeks, bombs have going off at various locations at specific times. She thinks about doing something, when Todd arrives at her room's window. Viola opens the window and brings Todd into her room. Both of them crash onto Viola's bed and have an intimate moment together (non-sexual): "I don't know how much time passes with us just laying there, just feeling that the other is really there, really true, really alive, feeling the safety of him, his weight against mine, the roughness of his fingers touching my face, his warmth, and his smell and the dustiness of his clothes, and we barely speak and his Noise is rolling with feeling, with complicated things, with memories of me being shot, of how he felt when he thought I was dying, of how I feel now at his fingertips, but at the front of it all, he's just saying Viola, Viola, Viola. And it's Todd. Bloody hell, it's Todd. And everything's all right". Todd's Noise shows the events the pair went through in The Knife of Never Letting Go as it continuously says Viola's name, cementing that the two teenagers are in love with each other. The moment is interrupted by Corrine knocking on Viola's door and then leaving.

Viola tells Todd about the bombs, as Todd tells her that David hasn't spoken to him in a while and that David thinks Viola is blowing up Haven. Viola says that the bombs aren't her bidding, and Todd asks about where the two can flee too and where The Answer are. Both suspect each other of being loyal to their new faction, but they know that they don't belong in them. Viola admits to Todd that The Answer is based at the ocean, and they plan to escape there.

Viola grabs food from the Healer's canteen and finds Corinne in it. Viola admits that she isn't built for healing, and instead built for fighting. 

Viola and Todd escape out the House of Healing to find the communications and are stopped by David Prentiss, Sr. when they leave, who uses a Noise weapon on Todd.

Chapter 17: Hard Labour (Todd Hewitt)

Todd is knocked out by David's Noise weapon and is subsequently tortured for his crime (sneaking out to find Viola). The next day, Todd is forced to work alongside the Spackle (he uses a shovel, while the Spackle use their hands) with Davy overseeing the workforce.

Chapter 18: To Live is to Fight (Viola Eade)

As Viola recovers from the Noise, Corrine tells Viola her story. Corrine was raised in the settlement of Kentish Gate and her mother would take Corrine out into the woods to camp after every harvest. When Corrine was eight, her mother was killed by a Banded Red, a poisonous red snake native to New World, during a camping trip and Corrine realizes that she could've saved her mother with Xanthus root. After that, Corrine shoves Viola into some clothing (Viola's old clothing, poor rags, a blouse, a long skirt, and a blue headscarf) to deliver medicine to the base of The Answer. As she goes to the Answer's base, Viola finds the only communications tower of New World surrounded by guards when Nicola finds her.

Part IV: Night Falling

Point-of-View: Viola Eade, Todd Hewitt

Chapter 19: What You Don't Know (Viola Eade)

Nicola quickly hushes Viola and scold her for potentially blowing her cover. Nicola leads Viola to a part of the forest where two men (Magnus and Lee), are guarding a tractor used for transport for the Answer. Viola then finds that Jane and Wilf from book 1 are part of the Answer. Nicola forces Viola and herself into a cart with Wilf driving it as Mr. Hammar and the rest of David's soldiers descent on the tractor. Wilf evades the soldiers and takes Nicola and Viola to the camp of the Answer, which is hidden by rocks. Viola gives the medicine to Nicola as Wilf, Lee, and Magnus leave. Nicola scolds Viola for nearly ruining her plans, when Lee comes back and reports that soldiers are coming their way.

Chapter 20: Rubble (Todd Hewitt)

Todd, Davy, and David investigate the ruins of the only communications tower on New World. The following days, Todd and Davy are still doing construction of a building that will take over the monastery. After a long day, Todd gets to the bell tower and Con tells him about the abandoned Houses of Healing.

Chapter 21: The Mine (Viola Eade)

The base of The Answer is an abandoned mine that was formerly a settlement. Viola is shown eating her breakfast the next morning with Jane and Wilf, still worried over Todd.

Chapter 22: 1017 (Todd Hewitt)

The Spackle (The Burden) keep working through the winter and Todd suspects that the Burden are getting the cure through the food they eat. Todd yells at them and then points his rifle as 1017, a male Spackle. Later, Todd and Davy take a break from overlooking the Spackle before going back to work, and Todd's constant thinking of Viola pisses Davy off. 1017 continuously ends up in Todd's quadrant during work, which makes Todd angry. It then begins raining continuously for three days. On one of these days, the tarp the Spackle are handling flies away because of the wind. Todd chases it and falls into the dirt and finds 1017 standing above him. Todd beats 1017, but the Spackle sneers at the human after it.

Chapter 23: Something's Coming (Viola Eade)

Lee, Wilf, Jane, and Viola are constantly working in the kitchens to feed The Answer during their war. This goes on for weeks. Lee admits to Viola that the only reason that Viola is working in the kitchens is because Nicola believes that Viola, already a teenager with a strong personality, can lead the army by herself which would undermine Nicola's leadership. Lee mentions the reason he joined the Answer was to avenge his family (mother, unnamed, and Siobhan, sister) after the Prentisstown army stormed Haven at bats leave the deep caverns of the Answer's base for the night.

Chapter 24: Prison Walls (Todd Hewitt)

David takes a look at Todd and Davy's work for the new building. Todd asks what the new building is and David says that it's not for the Burden. David inquires if the Burden need heaters, and Todd says that "Snow might come ... I don't know that they'll survive" and David replies with "Oh, they're tougher than you think Todd". David says that both Todd and Davy will be rewarded for their work before leaving. Davy taunts Todd before Todd tells the Burden that thing's will get better, albiet the Burden don't want to touch Todd.

Todd finds 1017 at the back of the new building and gives the Land painkillers. 1017 snatches the painkillers from Todd, scratching Todd's palm and Todd threatens 1017, with 1017 giving Todd a flash of Noise. Davy finds Todd and tells him that the Land are horses, then corrects himself and says that the Land are sheep. 1017 rudely clicks at Davy and Todd. Davy claims that 1017 made the clicking because Todd is "tender-hearted" and laughs at Todd. 1017 stares into Todd's eyes and Todd wants to punch 1017, but cannot since Todd saved 1017.

Todd mentions that winter is coming, and autumn is starting to end. He mentions that, since the bombings, the curfew got lowered so that nowhere leaves their house after dark; that the books and Healers uniforms of the Answer are burned in the square; that David's closest men only take the Noise cure; and that husbands, sons, and fathers can visit the women once a week. As Todd brings Angharrad into the horse stables, Davy comments that the reward may be women, and Todd tells him to shut up. Todd and Davy have tolerated each other over the course of the novel and perhaps became friends. As Todd thinks, Davy comments that Todd creates mental chaos that can be heard.

As Davy walks Todd to the cathedral, David approaches Todd and talks to Todd about Noise techniques and weapons. The first technique that David teaches Todd is "I am the Circle and the Circle is me". David explains to Todd that "the circle" is "Your destiny, Todd Hewitt. A circle is a closed system. There's no way of getting out, so it's easier if you don't fight it".

Todd paces the bell tower, worried about Viola. Con comments that Todd thinks he's locked up in prison, to which Todd angrily responds too.

The bombs start detonating at night and Con and Todd realize that the Answer has declared war on Haven.

Chapter 25: The Night it Happens (Viola Eade)

Mistress Lawson finds Viola making bread, and tells her that Nicola needs her immediatley. Viola finds Nicola and both stock, count, and sort medical supplies. During the job, Nicola asks Viola how much of her training she remembers before running off into the cave.

Viola finds that everyone in the Answer is gone and stays with Mistress Lawson and Jane in the caves. She realizes that this night was when the Answer would start their war with bombing.

Viola, Jane, and Mistress Lawson talk about the Answer over coffee when Magnus calls for the three. Viola sees that Nicola did not start a war with bombing, but instead liberated the women banded by Haven with bombings.

Viola and the Mistresses work on giving medical attention to the female prisoners of Haven. One of the medicines used is Jeffers root. Viola has noticed that Nicola and Lee are not back.

Mistress Nadari and Viola assist a sick woman before Lee arrives back into the Answer's cave camp, calling for his sister Siobhan and his mother. Mistress Nadari takes the sick woman with her while Viola finds that Lee supposedly sustained burn injuries during the liberation, but instead inhaling a lot of smoke. Lee ignores Viola and Nicola comes running into the cave on a horse with an unconsious Corinne.

Viola sobs over her unconsious friend. Nicola states that Apprentice Thea and Mistress Waggoner died during liberation. As Nicola tries to treat Corinne, Corinne dies of gangrene in Viola's arms.

Angered over Corinne's death, Viola agrees to help Nicola and the Answer.

Chapter 26: The Answer (Todd Hewitt)

Con tells Todd that the Answer's surrender was supposed to bring peace, but the bombings destroyed that peace. Con and Todd argue over tyranny. Davy then takes Todd out of the bell tower.

Davy tells Todd that two hundred people were liberated by the Answer and that fifty-six soldiers were killed. Davy and Todd find David across the square riding Morpeth, and David tells Todd and Davy to get to the monastery as something happened.

Todd and Davy witness the chaos in Haven as they ride to the monastery. The monastery has been blown open and the entirety of the Burden have been slaughtered. Davy turns around to find David while Todd walks around the rubble and corpses. As he begins regretting his descions against the Land, Todd finds a blue A of the Answer on a wall. Todd is stunned that Viola has possibly become a terrorist and begins punching himself in regret and grief. Todd falls to the ground after punching himself and finds that 1017 survived the massascre. Todd hastily tells 1017 to leave the site as Todd hears David, Morpeth, Davy, and Acorn running to the monastery. Before running into the forest, 1017 shows that he will murder Todd in cold blood.

David and Todd talk about the Answer outside the gates of the monastery. David asks Todd if he's ready to lead and Todd says "yes" after seeing the blue A and is now convinced that Viola is lost to him forever.

Part V: The Office of the Ask

Chapter 27: The Way We Live Now (Todd Hewitt)

David forms the Ask as a counter to the Answer, with Davy and Todd as officers. The symbol of the Ask is a silver A, countering the blue A of the Answer. Todd begins to use David's I am the Circle and the Circle is Me on himself. The Office of Asking replaces the old monastery; it is where David will torture prisoners to give him information to crush his enemies.

Chapter 28: Soldier (Viola Eade)

Nicola trains Viola to be a solider of the Answer. Nicola shows Viola how to arm bombs, the various hand signals and code words. It is Viola who detonates the first bombs in the war against David Prentiss, Sr.

Chapter 29: The Business of Asking (Todd Hewitt)

Mr. Hammar tortures a woman for information about the bombs last night. "Asking" is done by strapping a person onto a metal frame, beating them, and dunking their head in a bucket of water. There is a two-way mirror that separates the room where the torture is witnessed (watching room) and the room where the torture is done ("Arena of the Ask"). David, Todd, and Davy watch the torturing Mr. Hammar does. After a while, the women admits that she detonated the bombs, to which David, Todd, and Davy agree that she's lying. David then says that the woman will be executed. Mr. Hammar thanks the women for her confession and begins to use pieces of metal on her for further torturing.

Todd and Davy are stunned by Asking as they stand outside the Office of Asking, Ivan guarding the building. Todd feeds Angharrd an apple and Todd's use of David technique is starting to irritate Davy. When David leaves the Office, he gives Todd and Davy a new job: to brand all of the prisoners of the Ask.

Chapter 30: The Band (Viola Eade)

As Viola counts down the time to dawn with Mistress Braithewaite, a women (tagged 1391) appears at the camp of the Answer, begging for help.

Mistress Braithwaite and Viola discuss the band on the women's arm.

The Mistresses and Viola discuss 1391's presence at the camp of the Answer. Viola says they can cut the band off, but Braithwaite says that the band is permanent will lead someone to die if removed. Mistress Nadari is treating her while Nicola wants to see her. The Mistresses leave without Viola.

Viola walks along Wilf's oxen and tells Wilf about the women. Nicola then finds Viola and tells her that Jess (1391) has awakened.

Nicola takes Viola to see Jess, who then tells the Mistresses that two boys named Davy and Todd had branded her.

Viola storms away from the Answer's camp in fury, knowing that Todd is alive. Nicola tells her that Viola still doesn't know what the world is, but Viola refutes her saying that Nicola hasn't even seen Viola fight. Nicola still hammers home that Todd may be alive, but gone in spirit as Viola walks away from her.

Viola, determined to find Todd and see him again (ah, young love), asks Wilf to help her get to the Office of the Ask. Lee comes along too, hoping that he can find his mother and sister at the Office. Wilf takes Lee and Viola to an outcropping of rocks at dawn before heading back to the Answer's camp. Lee and Viola wait in the bushes to become undetected by soldiers. The soldiers that are close to Viola and Lee's hiding place are Davy and Todd.

Chapter 31: Numbers and Letters (Todd Hewitt)

David tells Todd and Davy he wants all the women of Haven to be tagged in the (horse) stable.

Todd and Davy tag a women (1485) with Mr. Hammar putting a gun to her head. 1486 (a woman) is tagged next.

As Davy and Todd walk back to Haven after tagging all the women, Davy admits that Todd is his only friend and that he and Todd are being treated like shit.

That night, Con fights with Todd in the bell tower over the horrific practices David makes Todd and Davy do when Davy appears.

Davy came by to give Todd his mother's diary (Mrs. Hewitt's diary).

Chapter 32: Final Preparations (Viola Eade)

Viola sneaks up and pins Todd to the forest floor, about to shoot him. She decides not too.

That night, Viola has been convincing Nicola that she can save Todd. Nicola allows Viola to rescue Todd on her own.

In the ensuing days, Wilf, Viola, and Lee prepare the carts for the Answer's final bombing on Haven. Lee admits that the final bombing will be in the town square.

Some time later, a funeral is held for Mistress Forth, who accidentally blew herself up while rigging a bomb, before going into Haven.

The night of the bombing, Viola asks Nicola who she saved, since Corinne mentioned that's how Nicola got kicked off the counsel. Nicola mentions in the aftermath of the Spackle War, humans and Spackle rebuilt Haven and Nicola healed a women named Mistress Thrace, an enemy of the state. Thrace made "Thrace bombs", bombs that looked like ordinary packages but detonated at the presence of an actual heartbeat.

The Answer is ready for war, and Lee is final on his decision to accompany Viola into Haven.

Chapter 33: Fathers and Sons

*There is no text for this chapter. Literally, I found no text for this chapter in the ebook (the format I read the trilogy in).*

Chapter 34: The Last Chance (Viola Eade)

Viola and Lee have found Todd and are now hiding in the Haven cathedral. Lee guards the cathedral entrance while Viola and Todd fight about the events happening in the past three months (length of time passed total in Chapters 1-33 of The Ask and the Answer). Viola shows Todd Jess' band (1391) she placed on herself. Todd horrified, begins to break down. Viola asks Todd to come with her, but he is already controlled by David. Viola tries to convince Todd to come with her (despite his overwhelming guilt and shame), but Con Ledger stops her.

Con threatens Todd with Mrs. Hewitt's diary and forces Lee to enter the cathedral without his weapon. Lee does so. He also forces Viola to give up her pack the Answer gave her. Con continuously holds his gun at Todd, Lee, and Viola while telling him about his plan to restore his honor and become David's deputy. Con then rummages through Viola's pack and begins eating the food and finds the Thrace bomb in. Con unknowingly detonates the bomb, destroying the cathedral, and Viola, Lee, and Todd escape the cathedral. David then finds the three outside the cathedral and arrests Viola and Lee.

Part VI: The Ask and the Answer

Chapter 35: Viola is Asked (Todd Hewitt)

Mr. Hammar "Asks"/tortures Viola in the Arena of the Ask, with David asking her questions and Todd watching in pain from watching Viola be tortured. As Viola is willing to not give up the information of the Answer's attack, Todd willingly gives David the location of the bombing (south of the cathedral at dawn), as David knows that Viola is Todd's weakness. Before Viola is presumably killed, Davy intervenes, saying that having Viola would be better suited as a prisoner than left for dead. David then gathers his army (The Ask) to exterminate the Answer.

Chapter 36: Defeat (Viola Eade)

Viola is released from the torture frame by Todd. She tries to get away from him, but her limbs are bleeding. Viola cries in grief for the loss of the Answer. Todd carries her over to a chair while he demands for someone to let his and Viola out of the Arena. Ivan Farrow opens the door and reports on what it happening. Todd then plans to escape with Viola and the remaining Haven soldiers to protect the Answer.

Chapter 37: The Lieutenant (Todd Hewitt, Viola Eade)

Ivan and Todd free Lee and leave Lee to tend to Viola's wounds. Todd finds Angharrd, his horse, outside the Office and decides to give a speech to the guards of the Office, including Pot Belly, Ginger Hair, and Sallow Skin. His speech to them is about turning Haven back from New Prentisstown into Haven again. Todd promises to give the Noise cure to the soldiers if they help him.]

Viola has been bandaged up by Lee (Viola's feet, wrists, and eye have been bandaged) and Todd tells his plan of taking the soldiers (seven of them) to face David. Viola decides to come with Todd and orders Lee to warn the Answer, despite Lee's feelings for her.

Chapter 38: March to the Cathedral (Viola Eade)

Todd prepares his men to face David, while Viola gets Lee a head start on warning the Answer. Viola rides on Angharrad alongside Todd.

Todd, Viola, and the soldiers begin to Haven.

Haven is deserted when Todd, his men, and Viola enter the city. The citizens of Haven are hiding their doors, now knowing when the bombing's happening. The group approaches the cathedral, with the bell tower standing on a wall of rock and two of the main wall still stand (one of the walls still standing is one with a stained glass window of the sigil of New World, a planet and its two moons). Todd's small army studies the remainder of the cathedral when David appears out of the ruins. Todd arrests David as Pot Belly, one of the soldiers, searches the cathedral for the cure. Pot Belly doesn't find the cure in the cellar, as Todd said, and David admits that he destroyed the Noise cure after The Burden were killed, bombed the processing plant, and scapegoated the Answer for the bombing. Todd accuses David of lying, but David says he never took the Noise cure and attacks Todd's small army.

Chapter 39: Yer Own Worst Enemy (Todd Hewitt)

David uses Noise weapons on the soldiers as Ivan shoots David. As soon as David takes out the other men, David uses a Noise weapon on Todd, and tries to wrestle Ivan's rifle from Ivan. David tells Viola about the Noise weapon he uses while taking the rifle away from Ivan. David mentions his philosophy to be "One, if you control yourself, you can control others. Two, if you can control information, you can control others", which is how he taught the Prentisstown men his Noise techniques. David forces Todd to get Viola off of Angharrad and have a talk with him.

David admits that Viola told him everything that has happened. He also admits that the army was gathering before Viola was tortured. Todd angry, begins to use one of David's Noise weapons when Davis stops him. Todd is told that he will have to lead an army, and soon, and he has no choice about it. David tries to convince Todd to rule Haven alongside him, when Davy interrupts and says that the Answer is not coming from the south to bomb Haven.

Chapter 40: Nothing Changes, Everything Changes (Viola Eade)

David points his rifle at Viola, threatening her. Todd tries to get into a fight with David, but Viola tries to stop him. Viola falls over, still healing from her wounds, and Davy helps her up. David forces Viola to tell him the real plan of the Answer while putting a rifle to Todd's head. A bomb then goes off and a guard runs into the church ruins, saying the Answer is attacking and reports on the weapons and the numbers of them. David "Jedi mind tricks" the soldier into battle as a distant boom is heard in the sky. David presses Viola for the answer, as Todd threatens David. Davy finds that the distant boom is from a spaceship, descending into New World.

Chapter 41: The Moment of Davy Prentiss (Todd Hewitt)

The ship sent out is a scout ship, looking for Viola. David orders Davy to get Morpeth, David's horse, but Davy watches the scout ship fly in the sky. The ship then flies nearly overhead of David, Davy, Todd, and Viola, but it goes towards the Answer. Viola whimpers that she needs to see them, but David says that he will take her to them, threatening her to tell them she died in the initial crash shown in The Knife of Never Letting Go. Viola spits that she won't go with David, but David cuts her off and tells Davy to guard Todd while David brings Viola to the scout ship. David orders Davy to obey him, but Todd decides to intervene and David and Todd try to convince Davy to come to their respective sides. 

David uses Noise attacks on Davy, and Davy pleads with his father to stop them. Viola tells Todd to break the eye contact between David and Davy as David uses Noise to control Davy. Todd and David try again to convince Davy to come to their respective sides. After Todd tells Davy that David is lying about himself, David forcibly picks Viola up, who screams in pain. Before Todd can threaten David, the scout ship lands in the forest camp of the Answer.

Davy watches the ship land, and has snapped out of his father's Noise control, saying "Todd?". Todd then thinks "Forgive me" as he has a plan. Todd grabs the rifle from Davy and points the rifle at David. Todd and David have a Noise control stand-off, as Davy pleads them to stop and Viola encourages Todd to stand up for himself. Todd uses Davy as a human shield as David uses Noise control on Todd. 

Todd points the rifle at Davy and threatens to shoot Davy if David doesn't free Viola. David tells Todd to shoot Davy, as Davy is a failure in David's eyes.

David tries to convince Todd that he is the son he wants. He then pushes Viola, who screams in pain, and Todd cocks the rifle saying, "I would kill to save her". David reads Todd's Noise and determines that Todd would shoot Davy to Viola. As per Todd's threat, David then drops Viola to the ground and shoots Davy with his rifle, because Davy nearly redeemed himself.

Chapter 42: Endgame (Todd Hewitt, Viola Eade)

Viola calls out to Todd as David fire his rifle. David shot his son, Davy, instead of Todd. Davy falls to the ground after being shot and Todd demands to know why Davy was shot.

David tells Todd that Todd was the real son of David and tries to convince Todd to join the army, despite Davy dying in Todd's arms. Before dying, Davy admits through Noise that he shot Ben in The Knife of Never Letting Go, but was too afraid to tell the truth and that it was an accident. He also admits he is sorry for everything that has happened in The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer.

Viola hisses at David, and David admits that both Todd and Viola were right when they admitted, "Never love something so much it can be used to control you". The sun is setting now. Viola hears that the ship has landed and that Simone Watkin or Bradley Tench are now looking for her in the forest. Todd, enraged over Davy's death and David putting Viola in physical pain, points his rifle at David. Viola roars for Todd to shoot David, but David kicks Viola in the legs, making her scream in pain. As Todd runs to Viola, David uses a Noise attack on him.

David uses the "Yer Nothing" attack on Todd continuously, making Todd fall on the ground next to Viola. Todd then uses Viola's name as weapon (akin to beating someone up) to resist the attack. David comments on the power of Todd's Noise, before attacking again.

Viola hears her name in Todd's Noise as David relentlessly uses a Noise attack on Todd. She then has an idea.

Todd hears Viola call out his name, and he uses Viola's name as weapon to blow back David for a bit. Todd runs to Viola and helps her up.

Todd faces David and David uses a Noise attack on Todd as Todd grabs his rifle. David then shoots Todd's rifle away with his and uses a version of "I am the Circle and the Circle is me" on Todd before using "Yer Nothing" on him. As David further uses Noise on Todd, Todd slips into the darkness of David's Noise and falls to the ground before something happens.

Viola throws a stone at David's head, breaking the eye contact between Todd and David.

Todd feels the effects to David's black Noise being ripped away from him and gets to his feet, ready to fight. David bleeding uncontrollably from the impact of the stone.

Viola calls Todd again because she realizes it does something to him. "It's not that you should never love something so much it can control you. It's that you need to love something that much so you can never be controlled". 

Todd continuously uses Viola's name in his Noise as a weapon to beat David up. David is supposedly dead from the Noise beating.

Todd curls up to Viola, shaken from discovering that he can use Noise weapons. Because the scout ship landed, Todd calls Acorn and Angharrad with Noise and helps Viola onto Acorn to find the scout ship in the forest. Todd and Angharrad stay back to "take care of" David.

Todd sends Viola into the forest with Acorn after both agreeing that Todd should "take care of" David and Viola should become the new leader of the Answer. Before Todd does anything to David, he closes Davy's eyes.

Acorn and Viola run into the forest out of Haven as they see devastation by the Answer's bombs. As they stop to watch the blazes, Viola and Acorn hear a battlehorn of the Land ("Spackle") being blown into the night.

Epilogue: The Beginning

Todd ties off David into order to interrogate him, but is then interrupted when the Spackle army descends onto Haven while the Answer bombs Haven.

Borrowed e-book: 04/28/2021-05/19/2021 (original); 05/17/2021-05/31/2021 (renewed)

Originally published: 05/31/2021 (could not type up chapters 12-15 in time before ebook due date); edited: unknown