These Violent Delights: Chapter 4 Summary & Analysis

Roma goes to investigate the scene where the seven men tore out their throats the night before. He’s accompanied by his cousin, Benedikt, and another man named Marshall Seo. While they’re investigating the scene, they find what seem to be insects, which they put in a bag. Marshall and Benedikt discuss the possibility of investigating where the other man died last night, but Roma says it won’t be possible because it’s deep in the territory of the Scarlet Gang. He adds that he saw what happened last night and that he was with Juliette at the time.

Benedikt and Marshall are both surprised. They hadn’t known Juliette was back from the United States. They also know that Roma and Juliette have a history, though they’re not sure exactly what happened between the two in the past. For his part, Roma was surprised when he saw Juliette the night before. Instead of being the person he once knew, Roma thinks that Juliette now seems cruel and merciless.

At the scene of the deaths, Roma, Benedikt, and Marshall hear members of the Scarlet Gang approaching. They jump into the river to avoid being caught. When they’re in the river, Marshall thinks he sees eyes in the water. Roma and Benedikt at first think Marshall is joking, but the serious look on Marshall’s face tells them otherwise. The three then climb from the water. They find a pamphlet that says “Avoid the madness. Get vaccinated.” 

Roma leads the group to a laboratory that belongs to the White Flower Gang. At the laboratory, scientists employed by the White Flower Gang create an opium mixture that is especially addictive. Roma shows one of the scientists there, Lourens, the insects they found. Lourens holds a flame to one of the insects, and the other two insects squirm in pain. It is as if the insects are connected, Lourens says. Lourens then tells the group that the insects are not organic and were also perhaps not made by humans.