Where did the leshii in the Zone come from—a group that wields unusual weapons and things? And why do they defend so fiercely one particular point not far from the nuclear power plant—a place that can be entered only by a secret route known to only one person, a scientist and dealer in artifacts?
A famous reporter (who is soon to get the nickname Chemist) arrives in the Zone to untangle this tangle of mysteries. Accompanied by a paratrooper (the future stalker of the handful), he must make a difficult journey through the Dead Base and the Cauldron—so that at the end of the path he can see something that no stalker has yet seen…
Chemist and the handful, two legendary stalkers together again!
The beginning of their journey in the Zone—their meeting and their first, most strange adventure!