es ▁in ▁the ▁care ▁of ▁the ▁n uns . ▁ ▁Walk ing ▁near ▁the ▁river , ▁Mal col m ▁sees ▁a ▁failed ▁attempt ▁at ▁a ▁dead ▁drop ▁and ▁finds ▁a ▁secret ▁message . ▁The ▁intended ▁recip ient ▁is ▁Hann ah , ▁an ▁Oxford ▁academic ▁special ising ▁in ▁the ▁ale th i ometer ▁who ▁is ▁secret ly ▁helping ▁an ▁organisation ▁known ▁as ▁' O ak ley ▁Street ' ▁in ▁its ▁fight ▁against ▁the ▁the ocr atic ▁extrem ism ▁of ▁the ▁Mag ister ium . ▁Using ▁the ▁ale th i ometer ▁Hann ah ▁finds ▁Mal col m ▁and ▁retr ieves ▁her ▁message . ▁The ▁two ▁strike ▁up ▁a ▁friendship ▁in ▁which ▁Mal col m ▁ass ists ▁her ▁intelligence - g ather ing ▁and ▁she ▁provides ▁him ▁with ▁books ▁to ▁read ▁from ▁her ▁own ▁library . ▁ ▁The ▁Mag ister ium ' s ▁influence ▁grows . ▁At ▁Mal col m ' s ▁school , ▁students ▁are ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁St . ▁Alexander , ▁and ▁to ▁report ▁anybody ▁- ▁including ▁teachers ▁- ▁who ▁contradict s ▁the ▁Mag ister ium ' s ▁religious ▁views . ▁Cor am ▁van ▁Tex el , ▁also ▁working ▁for ▁Oak ley ▁Street , ▁is ▁investig ating ▁the ▁activities ▁of ▁Mrs ▁C oul ter ▁in ▁Sweden . ▁He ▁disco vers ▁that ▁she ▁is ▁looking ▁into ▁the ▁Rus akov ▁field ▁and ▁has ▁asked ▁an ▁ale th i omet rist ▁to ▁find ▁her ▁daughter ▁Ly ra ' s ▁location . ▁ ▁Cor am ▁is ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁man ▁with ▁a ▁male vol