I also think it was necessary for her to meet the biker gang. They show the negative side of things, but they're also not the way she expected the people of their nation to be. So that's a thing.
Now, as for their mission... I still think they're going to figure something out about that. Maybe not in this book, but I really hope they do. There's just too much revolving around it, especially in regards to Clara's sister, and I'd be really disappointed if they don't. I think the lack of cover will absolutely make things harder though.