How to Complete Answers Come at a Price Mission in Stalker 2

In Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, your choices can make all the difference when it comes to shaping the narrative. This is made clear when you reach the Answers Come At A Price story quest. Depending on which route you took in the previous “Behind Seven Seals” mission, you’ll have entirely different objectives in the Answers Come At A Price quest.

The Answers Come At A Price mission is where Stalker 2 truly opens up. This story quest takes you to a new region, Garbage, situated north of the Lesser Zone. This guide covers a detailed walkthrough of the Answers Come At A Price quest to help you find Nestor and solve the mystery of your missing Scanner.

This walkthrough covers your mission objectives after taking the
Northern Checkpoint – Spark Route.

How To Start Answers Come at a Price Quest in Stalker 2

If you chose to give the Ward Sensors to Richter during the “Behind Seven Seals” quest, your path through “Answers Come at a Price” will take you through the northern checkpoint to the Garbage region. Here, you’ll meet Star, the leader of the group Spark, at the Detention Center.

Star reveals that Nestor has taken refuge in the basement of a nearby factory. However, the factory is now under Ward control, and you’ll need to be careful if you want more information on Nestor. Star also informs you that a few of his men are trapped inside the factory. He’ll request you to rescue his men, triggering a side mission called “The Road to Salvation” in Stalker 2. Completing this side quest rewards you with the PSZ-7 Military Body Armor, so don’t skip it.

How to Enter The Old Factory

There are two different ways you can enter the old factory in Garbage:

1. Fight your way through the guards, taking down every soldier in your path. This approach is more direct but will cost you valuable ammo and medical supplies in Stalker 2.
2. Opt for a quieter route and slip past the guards undetected. The stealth route may take longer, but it’s safer and more efficient. Make sure to save your progress frequently when taking this path.

If you’re taking the stealth route, start by heading to the back of the facility. Look for a small hole in the wall on the southwest corner of the factory. Crouch and squeeze through it, and you’ll spot another hole in the building on the left.

Enter through the hole, turn left, and quickly go down the stairs before the guards above spot you. Carefully turn around the corner and use your silenced pistol or knife to eliminate the nearby guards without raising an alarm. Now that you’re inside the factory, the next objective is to find the lab.

How to Find The Underground Lab

After taking out the Ward Soldiers, head down the hallway and take the stairs leading to the basement. This will lead you to the door with a keypad on the side. Enter the code 2605 to gain access. Once you unlock the door, you’ll find more stairs leading to the lower floors.

Take the stairs down to the lowest level of the Laboratory. You’ll see one of Star’s men lying dead on the ground. Be careful as you navigate the area, as the lab is plagued by an Electrical Field Anomaly and inhabited by a dangerous Bloodsucker. After eliminating the threat, search the room for a Tape Recorder on a nearby table.

Explore the lab further to find the
Product 81 Specifications
, an item you can hand over to Star as part of The Road To Salvation side mission.

How to Get Evidence of Nestor’s Location

The recording begins to play automatically, revealing a conversation between Nestor and an associate named Diode. He mentions being at a settlement called Slag Heap. While Nestor’s location remains unknown, you now have a promising lead: Diode.

As the recording ends, you receive a radio transmission from a mysterious man identified only as “Unknown” in the subtitles. He’s an ally of the Sparksters and thinks you’re one of them. During the conversation, you’ll have two dialogue options to choose from, but your choice doesn’t affect the outcome—Unknown will help you regardless.

He provides you with a code for a locked door at the top of the stairs. Head upstairs and use the code 2603 to unlock it. Progress through the factory until you reach a white door that triggers a cutscene with Unknown. Once the cutscene ends, the Answers Come At A Price quest will be completed and the next main mission, The Price Goes Up, will begin.