Hector believes the murder is the result of the blood feud from surviving members of the family of Hadji Sheikh Mohammed Khan Tippoo Tip (the engineer of Cayla's kidnapping, killed in "Those in Peril").

Tracking down the new Tip Clan leader, Aazim Muktar, in Mecca, Hector secures Catherine in a fortress atop a skyscraper in Abu Zara.

Carl was born Karl Pieter Kurtmeyer, his biological father Heinrich was a German Gestapo officer, and despite being an acknowledged genius, no one was aware he was a cruel, twisted, sadistic monster.

Applying his genius to his desire for revenge, and retaining his status as a Bannock Trust beneficiary, Carl befriends and begins a torrid sexual relationship with Johnny Congo, aka King John Tembo Kikuu of Kazundu, originally a refugee of African royalty, now a psychopathic ex-U.S. Marine and crime lord on death row for dozens of homicides.

Using Johnny's connections and his own wealth, Carl has a gang of Mexican pirates break into the tropical estate of his mother and sisters, drown Marlena for her abandonment of him, and subjects Sacha and Bryoni to a horrific fate - Carl sells them to a South American brothel, where they endure countless rapes, beatings and heroin injections, both during the journey and endlessly upon arrival.

Henry, at this point married to Hazel and father to Cayla, is ailing due to age, bad health and worry of his missing daughters.

Hector, however, does make a point of punching Johnny in the face after he shouts he gave the order to have Hazel killed at Carl's direction.

Believing the threat to Catherine is now totally removed, Hector and Jo receive the news Johnny attacked and killed three of his guards and escaped.