and replace it with the truth (from Russell's diary), Delondre leaves the United States to ensure the books reach their destinations, resolving to make spreading the truth her purpose in the new world. Eli - Eli was originally a wealthy jeweller in New York, but, in 1999, had a breakdown after a paranoid Eli shot and killed an innocent man who he thought was trying to kill him (but actually just wanted a cigarette). Eli lost everything and became homeless on New York's streets. After "The Fall", Eli rescues Russell when he is severely injured in a bicycle accident. While Eli does not disclose the reasons behind his homelessness, he gives Russell the idea that carrying a gun will only cause more violence and problems, so Russell takes Eli's advice to heart and discards his firearm that Delondre gave him. Eli would appear several more times in the course of Russell's journey, always giving him sound advice when he needed it, and then moving on. It is implied Eli is actually a ghost, as in the dream Eli appeared to Russell, he explained he tried (and possibly succeeded) in killing himself via overdose. Jack Hastings - Jack was a United States Congressman who ascended to the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives, making him the third most powerful man in the United States. After "The Fall", Russell, while raiding Hastings's mansion for vital supplies and information, discovers from reading several documents in Hastings' office, that he could be a possible terrorist and key figure involved in "The Fall". Later on, however, it is revealed that, while he is a member of the Parthia Group, "The Fall" itself was an accident. For reasons unknown, Hastings and Parthia have been monitoring Russell's journey and took Kizzy into custody after her liberation by Gwen. Russell is now demanding a meeting with Hastings. John "J.D." Daggert - J.D. was an insurance salesman who experienced a life-changing awakening when he witnessed his beloved son Jonah's disappearance during "The Fall" (even getting a picture of the exact moment he vanished). Sinking into depression, J.D. soon gained the belief God had caused the Fall and spared J.D. for the purpose of re-building society in a more religious fashion. To this end, J.D. created a religious cult in New Eden, PA, with J.D. its self-appointed leader and prophet. In truth, J.D. is a psychotic self-deluded madman