As Mason infiltrates "the Anvil" to retake Karina from Stockton, he finds the Scavengers have also launched a massive assault against the Anvil for revenge; Stockton masterminded the attack on Mason's transport, and that he has paid off the Scavengers to capture Karina for him but he double-crossed them, had The Alliance capture Karina for himself, and now refuses to pay them. Stockton is obsessed with battling the Shroud, and wants to use the virus Karina carries as a weapon against them. The Alliance had deemed Stockton's research dangerous, which led him to continue his project in secret.