I Am Pilgrim

The narrative returns to the past in Paris, where Murdoch is hiding his inner turmoil, as Bradley’s presence indicates that he is vulnerable to other enemies. Bradley explains that his quest to understand Murdoch’s identity and work began after his recent injury—he now ambulates with an obvious limp. His wife, Marcie, purchased Jude Garrett’s forensics book in a last attempt to help him reengage with his professional skills. Bradley and his wife find a new focus, as Murdoch remarks that Bradley’s finally discovering Murdoch’s real name became “[…] the renewal of their love story. And for me? It was a disaster” (114).

Bradley’s keen analytical eye leads him to notice a few brief references in the text to an upbringing in the Mid-Atlantic that likely involved elite schooling. Bradley used yearbooks and alumni files to find his likely candidate—Scott Murdoch, an alumnus whose current work status was entirely unknown.

Bradley then turns to what he knows about Murdoch—his gift for languages—and searches publicly available records to find federal employees posted to Europe whose aliases in some way match the Murdoch identity. Murdoch is deeply impressed with Bradley’s investigative acumen, though panicked and eager to leave. Reluctantly, Bradley explains that Jude Garrett’s book saved his life because he was injured on September 11, 2001, and Murdoch stays.

Bradley explains that what now haunts him is the memory of those who saved others only to die themselves. To make meaning out of tragedy, Bradley decides he wants to convene a criminology symposium of global experts, with an eye to preventing any future surprise attacks. He hopes Murdoch will participate. Instead, Murdoch describes his life in the Division, shocking Bradley with detail, and tells him, as a farewell, “I won’t be running any workshop. I’m running for my life” (128). Bradley’s wife persuades Murdoch to take their contact information. Murdoch observes the couple briefly, struck by their deep attachment.

Murdoch heads for New York, to take shelter in a familiar place and erase the trail Ben Bradley followed. He makes a point of taking legal documents from his father Bill Murdoch’s estate and meets with Bill’s lawyer. He discovers Bill has left him a substantial and valuable art collection, making him wealthy beyond his imaginings—though he only explains this to the reader much later.

Murdoch visits various professional contacts about having his identity erased. One FBI agent tells him, cryptically, about an incredibly skilled hacker he recently arrested and made a cooperating witness. Murdoch realizes this is advice, not merely an anecdote, and decides to meet with Battleboi, as he is known. Murdoch moves through New York and feels detached from his surroundings, unmoved by the FBI’s regard for his reputation.

To Murdoch’s surprise, Battleboi, a Latinx man, is dressed in medieval Japanese clothing, as is his partner, Rachel. Murdoch pretends to speak Japanese, drawing only on his previous knowledge of James Clavell’s novel Shogun, amusing Battleboi greatly. In exchange for his help, Battleboi reminds Murdoch that he faces a prison sentence and that the FBI should be reminded he has cooperated. Murdoch reflects that Battleboi’s fate becomes closely entwined with the investigation into al-Nassouri.