The crew of the Odysseus prepare for their maiden voyage to the red planet, while back on Earth Jack Summers begins to see signs of a new virus creeping into the populace.
Still haunted by the channel 5 news report, Jack Summers witnesses first hand the effects of the MV-108 virus. Little does he know he is on the eve of society's collapse.
As the virus continues to cripple society, Jack and Jason attempt to flee to the coast. While on Mars the mission goes south after receiving a critical update from earth.
After the crew of the Odysseus are forced to abort their mission, they must make an emergency departure from Mars' orbit in order to avoid a collision with an oncoming asteroid.
The discovery of the parasite latched onto Lambert has shook the crew's moral. The crew now face a long journey home, unaware of the horrors awaiting them.