The story begins with the fact that the young couple Peter and Katya—on yet another scientific expedition—arrive in the village of Mankovo to study the “Mirage” anomaly, a name they themselves came up with. But it turns out this was not an ordinary expedition. People got drawn into a fight against an entire pack of different mutants, and in the end Peter had to face a controller in hand-to-hand combat! The Zone has gained a new stalker—nicknamed the Geographer—whose life in the Zone is quite varied…