Ex Machina #[nn]

In "Etat des Lieux," Mitchell, the Great Machine, grapples with the aftermath of an assassination attempt that forces him to confront the past—his transformation from a civilian into a mechanical savior and the turbulent beginnings of his political rise. The story unfolds through flashbacks that reveal the accident that changed everything and the early days of his public service, all while the present danger looms.

In "Etat d'Inquiétude," Mitchell navigates the early days of his administration as he appoints key aides, only to face a political storm when a controversial portrait of Lincoln—funded with public money—sparks outrage. Amid the fallout, a chilling pattern emerges as a serial killer begins targeting snow plow drivers, turning the city’s winter chaos into a web of fear and suspicion.

In "Etat d'âme," a quiet day at the news desk sparks an unexpected media frenzy over a public portrait of Lincoln, while Mitchell navigates political shifts—appointing Journal as Special Adviser on Youth Affairs—amid a string of mysterious snow plow driver killings. As tensions rise, Kremlin presses Mitchell with a proposal that could reshape his role in the nation’s future.

In "Etat d'urgence," Mitchell traces a pattern of deadly attacks on snow plow drivers to a shadowy source, leading him to confront Trista Braving—the controversial artist behind a state-funded public sculpture—whose work may hold the key to unraveling a deeper conspiracy.

In "Etat de grâce," Mitchell and Bradbury close in on Kremlin, only to discover he’s been secretly monitoring them—and knows the identity of the serial killer terrorizing the city. Meanwhile, Journal uncovers that Trista has destroyed her own painting, leaving behind a mystery as deep as the case itself.