After a self-imposed exile to China, David Sandström is kidnapped by the People's Liberation Army and ordered to secretly investigate a deadly outbreak that has killed 19 people in a small village. With the help of three Chinese scientists, David discovers the outbreak has been caused by an ancient bacterium that has seeped into the village's water system. David is horrified when he learns that one of the scientists has decided to test the antidote on her self in order to expedite a cure. While David makes his way back to Canada, Caroline and Carlos are witness to a horrific attack at the site of the International AIDS Conference.

In order to help a mother and her unborn child, David starts a research to fight a very strong strain of the HIV virus which she has and for which there is no known cure.

The HIV strain that sean gave to Audrey Graves is so virulent that none of the new tri-therapy drugs work on it. They decide, then, to try a combination with any type of drugs that exist with the help of all the labs that accept the offer. Audrey Graves's baby is HIV positive and they hope to eradicate the virus with a new combination. Carlos is still searching for Patient Zero in Africa. In the mean time, NORBAC also looks at the devastating effects of pryon disease on humans via the consumption of infected chicken.