Chapters 36-40 Summary

Ming is trying to extract a water sample, balancing over the rim of the pit with one hand holding him up. Suddenly, a speck of metal flies into his eye, and he lets go of the rim to protect his eye. Doing so causes Ming to lose his balance and fall into the extraction pit . Quickly, the icy water engulfs him so completely that he is unable to even draw breath to call for help. Within minutes, he has drowned.

Meanwhile, Michael gives the finished documentary to a technician in the press area. Alone, Michael is remembering his wife Celia, who died of advanced lymphoma four years earlier. Celia was a school teacher, and Michael used to make documentaries for her that she would show her class. The documentaries became so popular that Celia sent one to NBC, which is how...