Kane works on video for Jay Béarnaise, the businessman appearing on Highly Regarded Television Network. He meets Ben Etxina at the show’s recording studio and later brings him back as an interview guest. Ben describes Kane as young-looking, a little shorter than himself, with carefully styled hair.
Kane identifies his ancestry as Japanese and German. He argues that public hardcore pornography can advance a new American political aesthetic, showing Ben a phone gallery of travel, statues, advertisements and explicit sexual images. He supports the performer Christy, who uses the name Bulbawhore, for widening the public acceptance of sexual display, although he calls her liberal. His racial theories and political ambitions are his own explanation for that support.
The Goblet
Kane invites Ben to a reserved booth at The Goblet, charging the evening to Jay’s card. His friend Elle, an employee of Agentic Builder Group, joins them. He buys cocaine from a server, offers Elle the first line and takes a line himself after Ben declines. He mixes grenadine into cognac and grabs Ben’s collar when Ben compares the drink to a French liqueur.
During Christy’s performance, Kane shouts transphobic abuse at her backing dancers and becomes distressed about their failure to embody his preferred aesthetic. He touches Ben’s thigh and asks him to leave with him. Ben removes his hand. Asked about Dante Amōgos, Kane calls the associated group Greater Good the Cult of the Twins. He later refuses Ben’s attempt to question him about the Hammett hackers.
At the gathering after Ben returns from Macau, Kane invites him to discuss the recovery on HRTN and asks about his nondisclosure agreement. Ben accepts, leading to his interview with Jay and public promotion of Mission Critical.