Driven from his home by the creature Alan returns to Sheffield with the intention of joining the survivors there. He gets a wary reception from most people but The Boss takes a liking to him. Alan notices that the group has some very strange ways, especially when it comes to relationships between the sexes. He likes the youngest female member of the group but he finds he isn’t the only one with designs upon Veronica Shaw. Soon The Boss reveals a disturbing secret to Alan alone and he realizes how precarious the group’s survival is. Asked to take stock of all the supplies in the library Alan accepts the job but this leads to a very dangerous situation for him. There are competing factions within the group and the convicts theaten everyone in the library. When they attack Alan is forced to flee and he becomes a fugitive once again. Moving on to Hull he searches for Sarah before returning to the cottage on the moors. When he hears strange noises and sees bright lights over Sheffield he decides to return to the city. A meeting with an old friend gives him renewed hope but then someone else from the past reappears and reveals the true nature of the weird and horrific circumstances that now prevail. Alan tries to tidy up the Museum but he soon finds himself a prisoner of yet another gang. In his endeavour to escape he makes a new ally and together they resolve to solve the greatest mystery of all - just what has really happened to Mankind?