Firestorm returns to Professor Stein's old office at Vandermeer University only to find Bernard Ferguson waiting for him. Ferguson reveals that he is actually a Manhunter agent. He tries to convince Firestorm that the Manhunters created him to combat the "evil" Guardians of the Universe. Firestorm doesn't know what to make of this. Inside the Firestorm matrix, Ronnie Raymond and Mikhail Arkadin struggle to maintain a sense of cohesion. They try to convince Firestorm that Ferguson is lying to him, but they can not reach him. Ferguson convinces Firestorm to come with him to the Manhunter command base in the swamps of Louisiana. Firestorm agrees and flies off.

In Siberia, Major Zastrow drives out to the middle of the forest with a Russian agent. They find an old Cold War agent named Ivan Illyich Gort, also known as Stalnoivolk - the Steel Wolf.