With their FBI ties falling apart, the group realises their return to a life as fugutives nears quickly. Deciding to act even with Chantal's human body stuck in a hospital in a coma and Sheperd Remmington missing, the Crucible heads to the address Andrew Everard had uncovered from a Forebode attempt on the murders of Clara Zuckerman. With Vincent Fiorello Inhabiting the house of the ex-Nextworld team, the two strike a precarious deal to help one another, with the ex-Nextworld agents promising to come forward to the press with the truth on their participation on the destruction of Orpheus. Vincent Fiorello heads to the Mayor's office to see if his connections to him can pull a few strings, but when he learns that the Mayor is unhappily placed under the protection of a military outfit called Project Black Mercury, he realises his very own patron may have lost a lot of influence and clout.

After nearly tearing down the Haunt Kelly Michaels, Michelle Quietly and other spooks are using to hide from threats, the antagonistic trio form a semblance of unity as they decide to face a common threat. A young ghost had escaped from the Burgoyne Academy and claims to that the other students are trapped within. With the students held prisoner by Spectres, the group composed of barely five Mirage class spooks and projectors have to find a way to get into the school, avoid the Spectres whose numbers are uncertain, and escape with the students alive. The mission nearly succeeds until Shep discovers most of the faculty have become servants of the Spectres, the students are being transformed into Lost Boys, and that their presence has been uncovered by the enemy. Turning to escape, the group finds a man made of electricity and Grace Ishida coming to aid them. But when a Reaper suddenly appears, the man is sliced down by the Reaper's scythe, and Shep is felt behind by the group as they escape to save themselves.

Shep, brimming with Spite and anger, finds himself confused as the Reaper and the Spectres seemingly welcome him to stay with them... as a guest.

While the rest of the Crucible regather lost strength and vitality, Kate Dennison, Chet Mason, Robert Channing and Andrew Everard head for Oak Park to find the supposed five year ghost. Encountering a new shapeshifting Spectre, Andrew is forced back to his mortal body by vicious lethal wounds. Robert witnesses the Spectre studying human mannerisms and attempting to mimic them, giving rise to worries that not all human about may be truly human. And when Kate and Chet return with the sad news of Sasha Velikov's unsuccessful rescue, they return with belief-shattering information as they truth behind the lack of ghosts older than 3 years is revealed. But as they return home, Kate forebodes a horrible future: People are dying. And it may be because of the drug called Pigment.