Artyom was still unavailable after experiencing major injury caused by a Fascist soldier. What was happening didn't make sense. He was saved but he passed out before he could fully confirm that dark ones were those who saved him. He was starting to come to himself but he woke up in some other place than he remembered. He woke up in some station.

"Did I die?" Artyom asked silently.

"No, you're pretty much alive." Some woman's voice sounded from the other part of room.

"Hm? And aren't you lying to me?" Artyom asked as he tried to sit up on the bed, "Ouch! F*ck!" he growled as he held the painful stomach, "Okay… seems I am very much alive!" Artyom said and the woman giggled.

"Can I ask you something?" Artyom asked.

"Sure. Depends if I can answer."

"I don't know you but please… how did you find me and… what happened?"

"I've been coming through the tunnels to find some ammo that I could sell in shops. Then I saw the white light and some quick dark beings rushing through back and forth…"

"Wait… dark beings?!"

"Yes… but I don't know much more. Time got slower in that moment but once I unfroze, I entered the part of the tunnel where I found you. There were Fascist soldiers massacred and you were badly hurt."

"You weren't afraid of me being Nazi?"

"Nah, I saw your injury so only beasts like Fascists could be able to do this…"

"Tell me, who are you?"

"I? You don't need to know me. You need to recover and then leave."

"Wait! Will you at least tell me where the tunnel was?!"

"You'll find your way. Don't worry…" She said and left.

"Strange…" Artyom was even more curious than he was before. He was that close to the dark ones and yet so far from them and there was no doubt that Artyom will find them soon. There was no time to waste. Artyom was maybe badly hurt but he couldn't rest now. He stood up from the bed, barely standing because he still held his wound.

"F*ck! This will feel so good in the morning…" he groaned at the pain. Artyom walked out of the room, going through the station. There weren't many people in there but for sure there were some shops. However, he hoped that there will be some filters and masks near the place he died.

"Leaving so soon? Well, be careful out there!" the gate keeper snickered. As soon as Artyom left the station, the gate closed behind him. It was dark but fortunately he could breathe at least. He was told by the woman that he will know where to go. So he was going only to use his instincts.

It didn't take long and Artyom's vision suddenly started doing something strange to him. Everything he saw was becoming blue and warmer places were green.

"This vision… I remember it!" Artyom said, his pace accelerated and he moved around the corner. The blue vision disappeared and he saw the dim camp fire on the rails.

"So, this is where the dark ones saved me…" Artyom said and came to the camp fire. He saw bodies of Fascists which had some masks and filters, "Well this might be useful!" he said and grabbed some of filters with mask. He also took some shotguns they had. Artyom was now fully equipped to go on his merry way.

Once he had everything, he walked up to the gate control ready to open the tunnel door which led to the surface, assuming that the dark ones should be nearby. Before he pulled the lever, sudden wave of nausea came to him and he quickly knelt down. Violent spasm was causing a muscle contractions in his lungs and he started to vomit blood.

It hurt him bad. He never vomited so painfully. As quick as it started, it stopped. Artyom breathed deeply and then stood up.

"My lungs… what is happening to me? Could it be the radioactivity…?" Artyom asked himself but the fact that he could be irradiated was freaking him out. He rather didn't think of it and put his mask on. The gate was opening and Artyom went outside on the surface. He took a deep breath through his filter and wasn't quite sure where to go.

"I need some sign…" he closed his eyes but then opened them, "Yes! The crater!" he thought. He knew that crater after the explosion was their former home but it was still their home after that. He found there the little dark one so why wouldn't they be there? Artyom was so sure they would be there.

And so his next steps were leading towards the crater which was made by him when he served rangers. His efforts finally paid him back when he discovered the crater.

"Finally… finally I found it!" Artyom cheered and it almost sounded like a weep. His joy was disrupted when he heard a growl and a demon was on top of one building.

"Oh sh*t!" Artyom shouted and started shooting at the demon. Reaction of the demon was that he flew down to Artyom, grabbed him in his claws and flew above the crater.

"Damn! What a height!" he shouted. He punched the demon in his belly until the demon didn't have enough and let him fall, "That was so f*cking bad idea! I have to do something before I crush at the bottom!" Artyom said but nothing came to his mind. This was his end. He didn't have a parachute. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact.

Artyom was now ready to die but something unexpected happened. The time got slower and he wondered why does it take so long to die. He opened his eyes and impossible became reality.

"We have a visitor…" echoing whisper sounded in Artyom's ears as he gazed at a dark one whose arms were spread controlling the time around Artyom. Artyom couldn't believe it. He found the dark ones! Other dark ones started to lurk out of the caves and surround Artyom who landed softly to the ground. Soon he was surrounded by many the dark ones.

"I did it… I found you… I… I…" Artyom couldn't find any suitable words and as he gazed up in the faces of dark ones above him, he fell unconscious again. Back in Polis, Miller got a report about situations in metro.

"Well, this is interesting, Adam." Miller said.

"What is it, sir?"

"It's most likely about Artyom."

"Artyom?! Is he ok?"

"I'm not sure, but according to this report from the Forbidden station, Fascists were nearby and attacked some stranger with many filters. The only stranger around could be only Artyom."

"Oh. Ok, then… but what makes you think that, sir?"

"Some habitant of that station was around and she registered dark and fast beings rushing through that tunnel, killing Fascists."

"The dark ones?" Adam asked and Miller nodded, "So you think that the dark ones gave Artyom clue where to find them?"

"Artyom certainly found them already! I will send you on a mission…"

"Mission? To save Artyom?"

"Yes."

"But sir, if Artyom is still alive only thanks to dark ones, why would he need help?"

"Boy, you need to know that dark ones have strong influence on mind of people. You are younger than Artyom so you can't know, but he has been touched by the dark ones when he was a child. He made connection between them and problem is, that he cannot focus on his duty while he still has dark ones on his mind. Do you understand?"

"So, you think that Artyom is controlled by them?"

"Yes, he is. He left my daughter, my grandson, he left us, the Spartans."

"But Miller… what can I do against the dark ones? I mean, I am still rookie!"

"You won't have to do anything. We will just send you in our helicopter above the lair of dark ones where Artyom should be and you will plant explosives there. Artyom will try to stop you but that is the plan. Bring Artyom out and then explode those life errors…"

"Right… I'll be on my way…"

Adam left the office and Miller felt proud of his plan. He was sure that it will work and Artyom will come back at rangers as there will be no dark ones messing with his mind.

However, Artyom was not under influence of the dark ones at all. His mind was totally free, there only was some desire to know more about the dark ones. Artyom was remaining unconscious after finding them but unfortunately none of them knew that this will not end up well for no side, not for Artyom, not for Miller, not for the Dark ones.