Zeke sat in the living room in his newly acquired apartment in New Marais, he shifted forward into his sofa before falling back into it armed with his newspaper, he lifted his feet atop his coffee table and gave a yawn whilst he lethargically flicked through the pages.

His attention was stolen before he could even read the front page when the TV began to crackle and the image began to faze in and out between static, "Morning brother," he said without even turning to face Cole.

Cole fell into the sofa opposite and held his head in his hands.

"You look like shit, how you feeling today?"

"Heh, thanks Zeke" Cole smiled "I'm getting there," as if to contradict himself his hands flared up with static causing him to strain under the pressure to control his power, he quickly composed himself and gave an unsure smile as if to ease Zeke.

"You er, you want some coffee?" Zeke simply asked.

Cole nodded and watched as Zeke exited the room. It had been six months since his triumphant battle with the beast and the effects of the RFI were still taking a toll on Cole. Initially Cole had fallen into a coma, Zeke had never left his side. He awoke a month later and displayed no conduit abilities at first. But it wasn't long before his power had begun to emerge once more, albeit in fits and starts, uncontrollable and erratic. Cole quickly dismissed the memories of the battle, after all he may have saved humanity from the plague but unknowingly killing thousands of conduits in the process. Cole sought to distract himself with the news he eyed the TV which was flashing disturbing images of a news story.

"Here ya go" Zeke passed a steaming mug of coffee in Cole's direction "what's going on there?"

Cole received the mug and took a sip "dunno, turn it up."

Zeke increased the volume and took a seat, the two sat engrossed in the shocking images.

The images portrayed the military shooting at what looked like things that resembled humans.

"What the hell? Is that the plague?" Zeke asked.

"No, can't be?" Cole replied "where is this?"

"New York"

people are fearing this may be the beginning of a third outbreak which became known as the Mercer virus, the sources of the third outbreak are currently under investigation and the city remains in quarantine. The current death toll stands at 32 and Gentek are working around the clock to develop a cure for this new strain …

"The hell is the Mercer virus?" Zeke slurped his coffee loudly "we need to get over there!"

"What?"

"You're like a super hero, Cole" Zeke replied "you know more about the plague than anyone, you beat it once…"

"This isn't the plague, Zeke!" Cole grimaced "And even if I did go my powers are unstable… and I have no way of getting over there."

"We'll drive"

"Heh, sure" Cole replied "how's the 'Dunbar car' coming along? Are you forgetting that cars and me don't really get along?"

"Forget about the Dunbar car, I've got something else, wait here!"

"Oh boy," Cole placed the coffee mug down and continued to watch the news whilst he waited for Zeke to reappear.

He didn't know what to make of it, if it was the plague it would mean that the RFI was for nothing, or at the very least a temporary fix.

"I haven't got a name for it yet" Zeke announced as he held up a thick all in one rubber suit.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Cole shook his head "what, wait is that a onsie? I'm not wearing that."

"Don't be like that! Just try it on, you'll see"

Cole glared at Zeke, took a long drawn out sigh and reluctantly received the suit. Zeke waited patiently for Cole to re-emerge, he did so hesitantly fully aware that he looked ridiculous.

"You didn't really take me breathing into account." Cole folded his arms.

"Stop your whining," Zeke replied "Now do your thing,"

Cole shrugged and began to charge himself up. He could feel the electricity surging through and around his body, causing his muscles to contract but try as he might none of it managed to escape the suit.

"Well it works at least, we should get packed we got a long journey ahead of us" Zeke said.

Meanwhile, in New York City, James Heller was approaching the quarantine gates that were heavily guarded by the military, there was no sign of Blackwatch but they were sure to show their faces soon. His phone vibrated noisily in his pocket and he pulled it out to answer it.

"We need a plan, James!" Dana yelled.

"No, we have to act now!" Heller replied "I know for a fact this can't be Mercer this time, I need to know who's behind this and put an end to it for good!"

"This isn't your fight, not this time" Dana replied "And you have Maya to think about."

"I am thinking about Maya, I'm the only one who can stop this and if I don't-"

"James, I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this" she sighed "How are you planning to get in?"

"The front door!"

"Try and be subtle okay?" Dana asked "You've been off the grid for a long time and they've finally begun to think you're dead, use that to your advantage."

Heller grumbled.

"I'm coming in too." Dana announced.

"No way, you gotta look after Maya!"

"And I will, I've found a secure and unused base in the dead zone, we can use that as our HQ." Dana replied "I'm not taking no as an answer, I can be just as stubborn as you. Besides you'll need intel, I can't get you that from outside, Maya can help that kid's a natural hacker."

"Stay away, Dana, promise me." Heller ended the call and proceeded towards the gates.

He waited for his opportunity, the large Gentek van passed between him and the guards and he seized his moment to become one of them. He kept his head down and entered with a patrol waiting until he was far enough inside to desert them, unnoticed.

The scenes inside were familiar yet like something he had never seen before. The quarantine zone had all the evidence of the infected having been there yet there was no one around. The streets were eerily quiet, a stark contrast from what he remembered of the last outbreak. He was heading towards Penn Station, the sites of the previous couple of outbreaks. It was his only lead.

Heller arrived to be greeted with the site of an almost demolished building. No one was around and it had looked to be undisturbed for quite a while. He entered cautiously, aware that it could all come crashing down at any moment. After progressing through a badly damaged corridor and bumping into no signs of life, he was beginning to think that his journey had been in vain, however, it was at that moment that a shadow at a close distance caught his eye. As if aware, it had been intercepted the shadow quickly retreated. Heller armed himself with his blade arm and marched forward. As he got closer the shadow moved again and again, getting faster. Heller charged and smashed into a wall with his fists in an attempt to capture the shadow but he was too slow, the ceiling above cracked and threw down debris.

"Come on out you asshole!" he yelled.

He quickly turned to meet his potential nemesis but froze on the spot and quickly retracted his powers. Stood before him was a young boy, he simply eyed Heller with a blank expression. Heller slowly approached, he instinctively used his sonar pulse to see what he could learn about the child, but it didn't show him anything untoward.

"I'm not gonna hurt you" Heller said gently.

The boy held his hand out as if to welcome Heller but remained silent. Heller took the boys hand with the intention of guiding him out into safety but at the moment the two made contact, Heller was pushed backwards and he felt his limbs expanding. Heller let out a large scream as he felt his insides shifting beyond his control. He writhed around as he tried desperately to keep himself together. The boy remained stood before him, simply gazing upon him.

"What the fuck!" Heller panted "What the hell have you done to me?!"

Heller fell onto his back, whilst his body expanded into tendrils. His chest began to split into two and was ripped open from the inside. He screamed in agony, unable to contain his power. After several exhausted pants and large growth began to expand from his chest, it took on an humanoid form and battle its way from the release of their joint flesh. The form began to alter and perfect itself into something more recognisable, someone more recognisable. Heller, restrained on the ground by his own flesh, lifted his head to see Alex Mercer break away from him and land at the other side of the room, he was powerless to do anything.

Alex took several sharp breaths, visibly startled he checked his hands and raised his head in surprise to see Heller and a young boy whom he'd never been acquainted with glaring over at him.

The three were interrupted by an overhead helicopter beaming lights into the building through the cracked and broken ceiling.

"We have you surrounded!" the helicopter announced.

Alex seized their moment of distraction to pounce past the pair and make his way towards the exit. The boy simply overlooked Heller who lay delirious before him, he shielded his eyes away from the helicopter and quickly retracted into the shadows out of harm's way, leaving Heller at the mercy of the military that were already within the building.