The French Republic is in turmoil as rumours spread about the release from Devil's Island of Dreyfus, the notorious Jewish spy. Police Chief Louis Lepine is recalled to office from retirement.

Meg starts spying for Puybaraud and is told to infiltrate the Guérin family, who are behind the anti-Semitic league. Meanwhile, Lepine arrives to take charge of the Parisian police department.

Jouin has fallen in love with a young woman called Jeanne Chauvin, who is a qualified lawyer but cannot practice due to her sex. Instead, she is employed by Maitre Weidmann in the Jewish quarter of La Villette.

In the days leading up to the Dreyfus retrial, tensions are running high in the streets of Paris. Jouin takes a gamble and breaks a promise to Jeanne, and Lepine makes a public show of his authority.

Meg has fallen for Gabriel Sabran, an army intelligence officer, and the same officer that Jouin is pursuing in the investigation into Josephine Berger's murder. Puybaraud receives a direct order from the Minister of the Interior.

When Meg Steinheil is abducted, her husband asks Fiersi for help. Lepine and Cochefert are made fully aware of Puybaraud's double dealing when the leaders of the anti-Semite leagues are forewarned of Paris wide police raids on their organisations.