Max’s local living idea gains momentum, and communes begin to spring up around the world, led by an increasing number of young people who can telepathically connect with animals and each other.

Tensions escalate between the governments in China and the Middle East and their young citizens, who are now “tuned in” and unaffected by government Internet and social media restrictions. When police and military forces attempt violent crackdowns on communes and protesters, animals of all kinds intervene, attacking the government operatives to protect the young activists.

The government invokes the Eco-Terrorism law to detain Brad in a last-ditch effort to force his hand in negotiations over Tezlo’s technology. Joel, reluctantly and secretly, turns a blind eye while Bina quietly orchestrates an animal-led rescue during Brad’s transport.

Max’s pet octopus, Poseidon, left behind at his family home, changes color and communicates telepathically with Max, providing updates on his family and relaying messages from his beekeeper mother.

Massive, targeted insect invasions strike key onshore oil fields in Saudi Arabia, halting all production. Locusts swarm the largest polluting factories in China, India, and the US. A mercenary team sent to infiltrate Tezlo and Eve’s research facility in an African forest is driven back by swarming army ants, while Amara telepathically “looks on” from a distant location.

Kraatchov, losing his composure, plans seismic attacks on ECO2. Eve and Tezlo witness a small but unusual earthquake in their lab as Kraatchov tests his capabilities. Amara teleports and warns Brad that a tsunami is imminent at ECO2’s island headquarters. As ECO2 increasingly relies on Amara’s intel, they start conducting diligent and discrete background checks to uncover her true identity. When Eve studies DNA from a strand of Amara’s hair, she discovers that her genetic code is unlike anything she has ever seen.

Amara remains committed to protecting Max and ECO2, believing they are crucial to saving the human race. Notably, she does NOT warn Tezlo that his lab is in danger, raising questions about the potentially apocalyptic consequences of his technology.