Alakaseus had earlier provided himself with a letter from Alexios to the governor of Poutza, telling the latter to do whatever Alakaseus told him. Alexios had correctly worked out where the letter would be needed. Alakaseus told "Diogenes" that the governor of Poutza was an old friend, and offered to arrange for rest for him and his men at Poutza. He fired an arrow with a letter into Poutza, ostensibly to set up this plan. The letter was in fact that of Alexios, with instructions to the governor to obey Alakaseus, who told him to surrender his fort in the morning. The plan worked perfectly: Alakaseus approached Poutza, talked to the guards, made a signal to "Diogenes", and he and some of his men entered the fort; they were now caught in a trap