baum continues to study mabuse's writings and communes with the ghost of dr. mabuse. the spirit of mabuse speaks about an "unlimited reign of crime" and merges with the professor's silhouette. during the same night, a hidden figure confers with sections of his organisation, preparing various crimes such as an attack on a chemical plant, robbing a bank, counterfeiting, poisoning water and destroying harvests. one of the gang members, thomas kent (gustav diesel), is conflicted between his criminal work, which he needs to do for money, and his affection for a young woman named lilli (wera liessem). lilli, devoted to kent, begs him to confide in her. kent finally confesses his past and his current situation to her. the two decide to inform the police but are abducted and locked in the strange meeting room with the curtain. the hidden figure announces their death when they discover that the curtained alcove contains only a loudspeaker and that there is a time bomb. after several escape attempts have failed, they flood the place to lessen the impact of the explosion and break free when the time bomb goes off.