While Jamal keeps Ilyin hostage, Medushevsky manages to promote Shustov as mayor. The balance of power in Portovoy is changing - Moscow Resources is clearly losing ground. Meanwhile, the opera continues to seek evidence of Vershinin’s involvement in the murder of Pavlov and is faced with an unexpected obstacle in the person of Pugachev. He is sure that it was Vershinin who killed Pavlova, and does not want to give the investigation a move.