<P> Elsewhere in Chester's Mill, Col. James O. Cox (who is stationed outside of the Dome) calls Julia Shumway, the editor of the local newspaper, and has her carry a message to Barbie to contact him . Cox then asks Barbie to act as the government's agent to bring down the Dome, as it has come to be known . Drawing similarities to Barbie's Army specialization in locating enemy munitions factories, Cox gives him the task of locating the Dome's power source, which is believed to be somewhere in the town . Cox is also able to foresee the small - town political ramifications of such a situation . By virtue of a Presidential order, Barbie is reinstated in the U.S. military and brevetted to the rank of Colonel . Barbie is also presented with a decree granting him authority over the township . However, small town politics being what they are, this action is not well received by Big Jim and his band of renegade police officers . Around this time, Brenda Perkins, Duke's widow, discovers a file on her husband's computer that lists Big Jim's moneystealing schemes . </P> <P> As Big Jim covertly encourages and orchestrates unease and panic among the townspeople to build up his grab for power, Barbie, Julia and some other townspeople attempt to stop things from spiraling out of control . After crossing Rennie's path on several occasions, Barbie is framed and arrested for four murders . He is accused of killing Reverend Lester Coggins, who laundered money for Rennie's large - scale methamphetamine operation, and Duke's widow Brenda Perkins, who were both murdered by Big Jim, as well as Angie and Dodee . While Barbie is in jail, other residents track the source of the Dome, using a Geiger Counter, to an abandoned farm; the device they find in the middle of the farm's orchard is strongly indicated to be extraterrestrial in origin . The restrictions issued by Rennie become more severe, and the police force grows more abusive, galvanizing the town and eventually leading some residents to break Barbie out of jail, killing Junior seconds before he can murder Barbie . </P> <P> The semi-organized resistance flees to the abandoned farm, where multiple people touch the strange object and experience visions . They not only conclude that the device was put in place by extraterrestrial "leatherheads" (so named for their appearance), but that specifically they are juveniles who have set up the Dome as a cruel form of entertainment, a sort of ant farm used to capture sentient beings and allow their captors to view everything that happens to them . </P> <P> On an organized "Visitors Day"--when people outside the Dome can meet at its edge with people within--Big Jim sends Randolph and a detachment of police to take back control of his former meth operation from Phil "Chef" Bushey, who is stopping Rennie from covering up the operation as well as hoarding the more than four hundred tanks of propane stored there (Chef wants it all, explaining, "I need it to cook"). Big Jim underestimates Chef's capacity for self - defense and meth - induced paranoia; he, as well as the now - ostracized head selectman Andy Sanders (whom Chef has introduced to meth use), defend themselves and the meth lab with assault rifles . Many are killed in the ensuing gunfight and Chef, who is mortally wounded, detonates a plastic explosive device he has placed in the meth production facility . The ensuing explosion, combined with the propane and meth - making chemicals, unleashes a toxic firestorm large enough to incinerate most of the town . </P>

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