I Must Betray You

Cristian encounters Starfish in the stairwell. They exchange information on happenings in the city and the situation in the prison. Starfish summons a car and arranges for its driver to take Cristian to Colţea Hospital to search for Luca. During the trip, the driver tells Cristian that Securitate officers are working in small groups as snipers. They pass countless injured people in the streets, and even more are lined up outside the hospital. Cristian asks a receptionist about Luca, but the receptionist is unable to tell him whether he is alive or not. Before exiting the hospital, Cristian stops at the triage area where university students are offering medical help. He obtains pain medication for his injured ribs. Suddenly, a Securitate officer with an injured arm enters, demanding help. When no one offers any, he brings a gun out from beneath his coat.

The agent screams about the army and then tries to fire his gun, which will not fire. He is restrained, and Cristian exits the hospital to discover that the army has turned on the Ceauşescus. With the army on the side of the Romanian people, his confidence is bolstered. The crowd shouts cheers of liberty and a helicopter appears in the sky. Certain that it contains the fleeing Ceauşescus, the crowd’s chants continue. Cristian thinks of Bunu, Luca, and Liliana, and then hurries to find a pay phone, determined to save Liliana.

Cristian phones his home, and his mother answers. He instructs her to inform Luca’s parents that he is at Colţea Hospital and Liliana’s that she is being held in a detention facility. His mother asks about Cici; neither of them knows of her whereabouts. His mother agrees to contact Luca’s and Liliana’s families, but orders Cristian to return home. As Cristian exits the phone booth, pieces of paper flutter to the ground; they are messages promising Romanians that they will be free.

Instead of heading home, Cristian returns to the hospital, eager to discover what he can about Luca. He bribes an orderly with Kents from Starfish and learns where to find Luca. As Cristian makes his way there, however, he is approached by Cici. She wants to speak with him, but Cristian refuses, asking her to use her influence to get Liliana released. The two argue, and Cristian continues to search for Luca. He finds his hospital room and sees that Luca’s parents are already there. Luca has lost his arm and is sedated. Luca’s parents are happy to see that Cristian is alive and ask him to go to their apartment to stay with Luca’s sisters. Cristian resists at first, wanting to help Liliana. He agrees, though his thoughts swirl about whether he is in danger of being captured by the Securitate.

In Luca’s apartment, Cristian falls asleep but is awoken after a few hours by Luca’s mother. She tells him Luca is awake but urges Cristian to go home and rest rather than return to Luca. Cristian learns that Ion Iliescu has taken control as interim leader, but rumors circulate that attacks on citizens continue. Cristian agrees to go home but first stops at Liliana’s apartment. He is tired and in terrible physical condition due to his injuries. Cristian’s knocking is answered by Alex, who assures him that Liliana is asleep inside. Alex thanks Cristian for leaving the note, and in turn Cristian asks Alex whether he has been helping Cici spy. Alex assures him that Cici was instrumental in getting Lilbecauseana home.

Once he arrives home, his mother greets Cristian with both anger and relief. Cristian’s father is out looking for Cici, and Cristian says he saw her at the hospital. He believes Cici will be safe, but the chapter ends with foreshadowing suggesting this is not true.

Cristian sleeps, and images from the past few days flood his dreams. His father wakes him to tell him that Liliana has arrived to see him. Each shows concern over the other’s injuries, but both insist they are okay. Liliana’s hair has been cut off. She tells Cristian she learned about Luca’s injuries, and they try to process what they have undergone. Liliana lies on the bed beside Cristian, and the two lay silently amid distant gunshots.

It is December 24. Liliana, Cristian, and his family listen to radio reports and watch a new program—Free Romania Television. They learn of the material wealth the Ceauşescus possessed. By the early evening, it is announced that the Ceauşescus have been caught, and France and other free nations have pledged humanitarian help for Romanian citizens. Suddenly, Cristian hears his notebook mentioned on the radio. He and Liliana are stunned, though Cristian’s mother calls the deed foolish. The reporter reads one of the poems from the notebook. When the reading finishes, Cristian’s father compliments the poem, noting that Bunu would have been moved by it. Liliana, too, voices her love of the poem and even Cristian’s mother admits its sentiments are true. That night, Cristian opens Cici’s locked box and finds a note inside advising him to be careful.

It is December 25, 1989. Ceauşescu and his wife are found guilty of genocide and sentenced to death. They are executed that afternoon. Cristian is stunned that the events have evolved so quickly and experiences a sense of disbelief. However, he quickly realizes that the end of communism and Romanian suffering has finally come.

Cristian and Liliana meet in the stairwell. She gives him a Christmas gift—a beautiful pen—and urges him to continue to write. In return, he gives her the magazine article on Bruce Springsteen, explaining that it was given to him by a friend. He gives her the package of Twinkies given to him weeks ago by Dan. The two share bites of the treat, and Cristian is overwhelmed by feelings of hope.

Now an adult, Cristian reveals that Cici was killed during the revolution, soon after he saw her at the hospital. He applies to view the file that the Securitate compiled on his family. He learns of his mother’s dedication to the regime and of Cici’s desire to help them escape Romania. He is disturbed to learn that once he was no longer of use to the Securitate, they targeted him for death. He is also reunited with the classmate who broke down after informing. The classmate provides Cristian with information about Paddle Hands, which comes as a surprise. Cristian decides to write a book about his experiences and prepares to bring the book to Paddle Hands as the novel closes.