The confrontation in the Zone has developed in earnest. Former friends are now enemies. The chemist settled down in a mysterious Institute, on the secret tiers of which dark secrets were discovered that he had not even suspected. An experienced stalker is torn between the desire to be cured and the desire to unravel the secrets of an artifact that can cure him. Meanwhile, Fistful puts together a fighting force to take the Institute by storm and burn it to the ground. The whole stalker world has come into motion - and a fight is now inevitable!