"Artyom! Behind you!" One rookie warned Artyom as a mutant wanted to jump on him from the top of building. Artyom looked back but it was too late to avoid him. The mutant jumped down and Artyom got grounded, "Artyom!" the rookie shouted. Artyom tried to battle the mutant with his knife but it wasn't as easy as before.

The mutant got shot by the rookie so it rather ran away. Artyom tried to get himself up on foot but couldn't.

"Ah… my leg. Adam, give me a hand, boy." Artyom said as the rookie Adam helped Artyom up.

"Hey, Artyom? What's with your leg?" Adam asked.

"I think mutants are getting too aggressive. He broke my leg!"

"I'll help you out to the nearest station. You cannot continue in mission like this."

"Adam, are you sure no help is needed?"

"Hah! What can be so hard on planting few explosives around?" Adam snickered.

"Eh, fine then! Be careful! I shall watch you from here with my Volt driver!" Artyom said. Adam made his way around the station on the surface and looked for potential holes in the ground which might have led into the tunnels. His task was to plant explosives in holes around the station to prevent mutants getting inside metro.

Artyom watched Adam carefully and every time there was some mutant about to attack him, he used his Volt driver and killed the mutant. Adam had everything done quickly and soon returned to Artyom.

"Thanks for the aid! Time to blow up that sh*t!" Adam said and helped Artyom on his feet. He held his arm around neck and walked with him to the entrance of a station vestibule. Soon he sat down with Artyom who was leaning to the metal door. The trigger to the explosives was activated and soon most of the ground around lowered down as it blocked ways to the metro.

"Adam?" Artyom asked.

"Hmm?" Adam looked at Artyom who stared at the landscape leaving smoke.

"What is it like for you to be ranger?" Artyom said and Adam smiled.

"Artyom I can't believe I got between rangers! I always wanted to be ranger since I was little! Also I have heard how you saved metro from the Red line! That inspired me to join and help to defend metro!"

"I see… well Adam, you are into this like I was when I looked up to the ranger named Hunter. No doubt that you're gonna be great soldier!"

"I do maximum for it!"

"Do so, you might be luckier than I am, boy."

"What do you mean, Artyom?"

"If something doesn't change your life during your adventures, your mind will stay clear and focused on your job."

"Still don't understand…"

"Well. As that mutant maimed me, my mind wasn't clear and concentrated to kill him. To tell you the truth, you might look up to me because I saved our metro six years ago, but I hesitated at last moment…"

"What? You had doubts?"

"I was like you. I lived with only conviction that I will stay soldier forever, but then I came across something that reminded me off my childhood and that war sucks…"

"Wow… Hearing this from somebody who saved the metro is strange!"

"This was my last mission. I'm quitting…" Artyom finished.

The same message was directed to Miller as Artyom stood in the commander's office.

"Artyom, you cannot be serious!" Miller exclaimed.

"I told you he wants to quit, dad." Anna said.

"Don't you start, Anna. Artyom! You're not gonna quit just because you want." Miller growled.

"What's the matter, Miller? Why do you let others quit and only I have to stay?" Artyom asked.

"You are not the others! Artyom! We need men like you! Think before you leave this office because people will start to hate you!" Miller shouted.

"I know, Miller. Anna gave me a warm up." Artyom added calmly.

"You little worm! There is still your son!" Anna was about to rush in Artyom as Miller stopped her from his wheelchair.

"Alright Artyom… we should be smart guys. Let's start from the beginning. Why do you want to end your career so suddenly?" Miller asked.

"I'm just having enough of constant battles. The only fun I have are battles and once I experienced adventures with little dark one, he reminded me of what is important."

"I see. I never liked the dark ones. It looks like you are blinded." Miller said.

"No, Miller. Believe me that it's you who is blinded."

"Artyom! Repeat that and I will make sure that you'll get in jail!" Miller growled.

"I think I said enough. Good bye Anna, have a nice day Miller." Artyom said and left the office.

"Damn it! So stubborn he is!" Miller grumbled.

"He is possessed by those dark ones. We should act." Anna added.

"You mean to attack the dark ones? But we have set up the truce!"

"Was it for something, dad? They made Artyom to doubt about his duty. You've lost great soldier and why? Only because he is related to them."

"You are right, Anna. I can't afford to lose Artyom. If he wants to find dark ones, he gets himself in danger of being irradiated."

"I know dad, and I don't want to lose him as a father of our child either."

"I understand, Anna. I just can't see any other way than only attacking them. However, if I try to attack the dark ones, Artyom might start to grow hate against rangers, against us…" Anna smiled as he said that.

"Let's try it this way. Once Artyom finishes what he needs and comes back home, we shall get rid of the dark ones once and forever. Artyom will not know and what he doesn't know, that will not hurt him." Anna said and Miller sighed.

Artyom was dressing himself in civil clothes while he packed his other stuff in luggage ready to return to the Exhibition. Taking off ranger gear was complicated and painful especially when Artyom's leg was bandaged in gypsum. Somehow he managed to stuff both legs in his trousers, after all the painful groans he made, he was about to leave, supporting himself with crutches he got from medical bay.

"So you're about to leave, huh?" familiar voice he heard later revealed Adam coming from the right side of the doorway. Artyom got bag on his back and started with hobbling himself out of the room.

"What do you need, Adam?" Artyom asked.

"Come on, Artyom. My body hurts as I see you carrying that luggage and bag. Let me help you." Adam said and Artyom accepted his help. Adam took the luggage and took a walk with Artyom towards the Polis railway.

"Aren't you going to miss it?"

"Miss what?" Artyom asked.

"The adventures. I think we would be a good team, you know!"

"How old are you, Adam?"

"I'm 19."

"Take my advice, Adam. You're mature man and can decide yourself. Quit like I did before you'll get hurt worse than I or you'll get killed. Life of ranger isn't easy."

"But-"

"Thanks for helping me out with all that stuff. I'll take it from here. If you're gonna stay with rangers, be careful about yourself." Artyom finished and left Adam standing there.

Artyom's next steps were leading towards the metro which would take him back to the Exhibition. One thing Artyom had in plan was taking rest with that leg. Then he wanted to buy some filters once he gets well and some suit to survive on the surface since his gear was left in Polis.

Finally he got home and to his room. It remained untouched since his travels.

"Artyom? Is that you, my boy?" Alex aka Sukhoi said when Artyom watched his room.

"S-Sukhoi?" Artyom turned behind.

"Artyom! My boy!" Sukhoi ran to Artyom and hugged him. Artyom did the same and hugged him back.